Skills Athletics –1, Perception +3
Damage Immunities fire
Senses darkvision 10 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages — None
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) fire damage.
Hot Hug. When it hits with a claw attack, the brendril grapples its target (escape DC 10) and rapidly vibrates to generate heat, inflicting 3 (1d6) fire damage at the start of its turn. Until this grapple ends, the brendril can’t hug another target. If three or more brendrils hug the same target, it is restrained.
Description
To many humans, these tiny, large-eyed, brown-furred creatures look adorable. But anyone who stumbles into a brendril burrow or who aggravates a brendril pack that’s out scavenging learns that these creatures can be dangerously territorial. When a pack of brendril swarm over a target and hold tight, they’re not giving affectionate hugs. Instead they vibrate, spiking their internal temperature. A target in a pack’s embrace is heated rapidly, which kills and cooks most victims in short order.
Peaceful Herbivores. Brendrils are not aggressive, and if given a wide berth, they will not treat characters as dangerous intruders. When not killing predators, brendrils gather leaves, stems, berries, nuts, and similar foods. They bring this bounty to the burrowed mounds they call home, where the colony eats and sleeps together.
Mound Builders. Brendrils dig burrows and use the excavated earth to build hard-packed mounds as tall as a human, which look somewhat like termite mounds. The sturdy mounds last for years and may be occupied by other creatures if the brendrils are driven out.