Innate Spellcasting. The bramble demon’s spell‐ casting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13). The demon can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
1/day each: Entangle, Faerie Fire
Multiattack. The demon makes two slam attacks. If both attacks hit a Medium or smaller target, the target is grappled (escape DC 14), and the demon uses its Engulf on it.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Engulf. The demon engulfs a Medium or smaller creature grappled by it. The engulfed target is blinded, restrained, and unable to breathe, and it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of the demon’s turns or take 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage. If the demon moves the engulfed target moves with it. The demon can only have one creature engulfed at a time.
Wooden Husk. The bramble demon can use its reaction to manipulate its body around attacks, it halves the damage of an attack against it.
Description
Wooden spines and brambles bar the door to the bell tower. Scraping on the stone of the roof alerts you to a hulking presence climbing in the darkness. A growling voice vibrates from the center of the figure as it lowers itself to the flagstones, “Those living will leave this place or join the dead. The moon is too high for them to ring the bells tonight. These gates will remain open for me...My friends...My allies.”
Background
The line between the spirit realm and this one grows thin each year around the Spirit’s Eve. A set of spirit gates at the ancient church outside of Neverpeak open, allowing ghosts, and others from the spirit realm to pass through and gain a small amount of interaction with this realm. The ancient church has anointed bells that ring and close these gates, pulling anything that entered back into their realm. The church around the bells was left to decay as time moved past its purpose, but the bells continue to rung each year under the direction of the church in Neverpeak.
The Spirit’s Eve festival is held each fall, welcoming in peaceful spirits with offerings of food, drink, music, and dance. The celebration goes on from dusk until midnight ending with a speech from Rector Credge. Each year a man from Neverpeak is sent to the ancient church ahead of nightfall to prepare to ring the bells by midnight. This year Elwin Chapman, a local brewer, was selected for this duty.
Unbeknownst to the town, a bramble demon has escaped through the gates this year, rolling his way from the ruined church and creating a large barrier on the path to the church. This demon hunted and killed Chapman as he was on his way to the church, preventing Chapman from fulfilling his duty. The demon wishes to stay in this realm and bring others through the gates.
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