The Gardener
The Gardener
"Have you come to consult Beelzebub?... You will not leave the bed you are lying on."
2 Kings 1:6
The Lord of the Flies is amused by humanity's capacity for laziness. Their lives are so short, a mere blink compared to the infinite lifespan of celestials, and yet they are content to spend hours of their day relaxing and watching the world pass by. Beelzebub enjoys the way humans procrastinate and put off important tasks out of laziness. In an attempt to root out the Messiah, Beelzebub has settled in the most peaceful and relaxing place he could find, and has begun enticing people who pass by to come and rest a while.
The Hanging Gardens. Beelzebub has created a lair for himself in the highest tier of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. From this vantage point he watches and waits for a sign that the Messiah may be nearby. Amassing strength from the rampant sin of sloth, Beelzebub has created a simulacrum he calls simply, "The Gardener." The Gardener spends his days tending to the Hanging Gardens, keeping them pristine and inviting. The gardens are so beautiful, in fact, that many Babylonian citizens are drawn to taking long walks in the garden. Some citizens enjoy resting in the garden so much that they lay down to take naps. And sometimes... these naps last forever.
A Sleeping Giant. The Gardener can be found quietly moving about the upper tiers of the Hanging Gardens. Silently tending to the plants, he will not engage passersby with conversation or even appear to take notice of anyone passing through. If engaged in combat, the Gardener will use all tools and magic at his disposal to defend his lair, but this simulacrum is only the beginning. If the Gardener is destroyed, the gardens come to life as the huge form of the slumbering demon rises from the fertile soil. Beelzebub's true form is a towering creature covered in moss, roots, and stone from decades of sleeping below the fertile soil of the Hanging Gardens. Beelzebub wields the ancient greatsword that once belonged to the legendary villain Goliath, and will make good use of it if he can. Once awakened, Beelzebub's true form is not to be trifled with, attacking with powerful swings of his greatsword and calling for aid from his loyal servants, the Abyssal Flies.
Beelzebub's Lair
The Gardens. Beelzebub slumbers below the topsoil of the flower garden at the peak of the Hanging Gardens. Even so, his consciousness is passively aware of all information telepathically communicated to him by his Abyssal Flies. If Beelzebub's true form is encountered in the Hanging Gardens, he has a challenge rating of 9 (5,000 XP).
Aura of Temptation. Beelzebub has created an Aura of Temptation that stretches in a 1 mile radius, centered on the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The territory and citizens within the 1 mile radius suffer from the following effects:
- Any creature that travels within this radius must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion as they are overcome with a desire to relax and have trouble focusing on their goals. The save must be repeated for every 24 hours spent inside the radius.
- People who live inside the radius seem unusually sleepy and laid-back. No one seems to be in a hurry to do much of anything, and even having conversations does not seem to interest them.
- People who enter the radius gain an unusual fixation on the Gardens. Taking a walk, having picnic, or even just a quick visit to the gardens is constantly on people's minds.
The Aura of Temptation ends if Beelzebub's true form is destroyed or banished from the material plane. Once the Aura of Temptation ends, all of the associated effects end, as does its influence on creatures within the radius.
Medium construct (simulacrum), Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 85
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +4 | +2 | +3 | +2 | +1 | +2 |
Saving Throws Con +7, Wis +5, CHA +6
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Languages Infernal, Common, Akkadian
Senses Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 11
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Features
Atonement Vulnerability: The gardener is a simulacrum constructed of pure sin. If he is subjected to an effect that destroys or atones for the sin of sloth such as the Lesser Atonement spell, he takes 27 (6d8) Force damage at the start of each of his turns while he is in its area of effect.
Magic Resistance: The Gardener has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Revealing Demise: If the gardener is reduced to 0 Hit Points, his form instantly ages rapidly in the blink of an eye, dissolving into a pile of topsoil on the ground. At the start of his next turn, the earth erupts, revealing the true form of Beelzebub, which emerges in the space where the gardener fell.
Actions
Multiattack: The Gardener makes two attacks with his scythe.
Scythe: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Garden Gnomes (1/Day): The Gardener calls upon dark energy to animate up to four decorative garden statues in the area. Each statue has an AC of 20, 10 hit points, and acts on the Gardener's turn. Each statue can make one melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage. Once animated, the statues will continue to fight until they are reduced to 0 hit points.
Reactions
Drowsy Inclinations: When a creature starts its turn within 30 feet of the gardener, the gardener can use his reaction to force the creature to make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must use its movement and action to lie down prone and contemplate taking a nap until the end of its next turn.
Bible5e custom monster. Its specific traits supplement the current rules. See Using Bible5e Monsters.