Union Scarecrow
Armor Class 14 (patchwork natural armor)
Hit Points 52 (8d8+16)
Speed 30 ft.
Saving Throws Wis +3
Skills Insight +3, Perception +3
Damage Resistances bludgeoning; piercing; slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, unconscious
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Crow Cant
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
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No crow works hungry, no field goes unguarded, and no Maribel walks alone. — painted on a plank at the Brindlehook mill
Lore & Description
Appearance
This scarecrow is stitched from faded blue work shirts, rust-red overalls, and coarse golden straw that spills from every seam. Its wooden head bears a cracked porcelain face painted with a gentle smile, though one eye is a black button and the other is a polished crow feather set into wax. A red bandanna is tied around its neck like a union sash. Crows perch on its shoulders, arms, and crooked hat, wearing tiny scraps of colored thread around their legs as badges of membership.
Behavior & Origins
The scarecrow was built by Maribel Voss, a millworker who used it to protect the fields outside Brindlehook. When the local landowner began poisoning the crows and destroying their nests, the scarecrow organized the birds into the Feathered Fieldhands Local 113. It now demands fair wages in spilled grain, safe nesting sites, and an end to unnecessary scaring. Unfortunately, years of loneliness and enchantment have left its memories tangled: it sees Maribel in the face of one passing adventurer. The scarecrow wants to lead that person back to the abandoned Brindlehook mill, where it believes Maribel is waiting to ratify the final contract.
Running Union Scarecrow
Tactics
The scarecrow opens by identifying Maribel and using Protective Interposition to place itself between that character and the party's most threatening attacker. It uses Crow Solidarity against clustered enemies, then relies on Hooked Rake to drag foes away from Maribel while the crows harry ranged attackers. If reduced below half its hit points, it uses Contractual Condemnation and attempts to retreat with Maribel toward the Brindlehook mill; it fights to the death only if someone directly harms or tries to abduct its beloved.
DM Tips
- Telegraph the encounter with crows wearing colored threads, scraps of straw marked with tally lines, and signs reading SAFE NESTS, FAIR GRAIN.
- Give the scarecrow a warm, earnest voice and have it address the mistaken character as Maribel while sternly calling everyone else strikebreakers.
- A character can exploit the misunderstanding by calmly claiming to be Maribel, but obvious contradictions or cruelty to crows should end the deception quickly.
- For a weaker party, reduce the crows' damage to 2d6 and remove the frightened rider from Contractual Condemnation; for a stronger party, let Crow Solidarity recharge on a 4-6.
Loot
- Feathered Fieldhands Charter — A weatherproof labor contract signed by dozens of inked crow footprints. It grants advantage on Charisma checks made to negotiate with intelligent birds and points toward the Brindlehook mill.
- Maribel's Red Bandanna — The faded bandanna around the scarecrow's neck bears a tiny embroidered wheat sheaf. It is the keepsake that anchors the scarecrow's mistaken memory.
- Crow Union Badge — A polished black feather bound with copper wire. A crow that sees it recognizes the bearer as a friend of the union and may deliver a short message or small object.
