Phytoi
Image © @chimeride
[The Alexandrian Romances are a genre of medieval fiction we’ve seen before on the Codex, with the skolex and the odontotyrannus. A staple of the genre is Alexander’s army encountering one or more of the “monstrous races”, the various humanoids said to live outside the boundaries of civilization. Some of these, like the blemmyae and the sciapods, are found in Pliny, but others, like the phytoi, are unique to specific versions of the Romances (and the ones that later plagiarized them). ]
Phytoi CR 9 CN Monstrous Humanoid This enormous humanoid giant is taller than a building. It has long, thin horns and long craggy feet, and serrated blades grow along its arms from wrist to elbow.
The phytoi are enormous giant-like humanoids that dwell in forested hills. They are renowned for their skill at woodcraft, using their immense bladed arms to cut down trees and process lumber. They tend to dwell in small villages in rough terrain, surrounded by a palisade for extra defense. Phytoi are omnivorous with a taste for nuts and fruit, and their villages are surrounded by food forests that provide their staples and attract game.
A phytoi is not necessarily hostile to all comers, but they expect others to respect their boundaries and leave their territory alone. Phytoi are very large and intimidating, and usually try to stop fights before they occur with their size and threats. If combat ensues, they prefer to use their natural weapons rather than manufactured ones, although they will hurl trees as missiles if enemies keep their distance. They are sure-footed, and attempt to flee over cliffs or crags in order to slow pursuers.
A phytoi stands about 35 feet tall. Male phytoi have horns growing from their crown, but these are delicate and more useful for display and ritual sparring than for lethal violence.
