Keen Smell. The Cath Flidais sense the world through olours and smells, which means they use blindsight. However they are really sensitive creatures and strong olours like perfumes or the stench of a ghouls might confuse them, which "blind" them.
Sleeping fragance. When the Cath Flidais is in danger, it releases a poisonous dust from its flowers in a 5 feet radius area. After three rounds, creatures that inhaled the dust fall asleep if they fail a Constitution saving throw of 15 for 1 minute.
Pounce. If the Cath Flidais moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the creature can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Running Leap. With a 10-foot running start, the Cath Flidais can long jump up to 25 feet.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Description
The Cath Flidais or thorn lions are strange spirits of nature that represent the balance between animals and plants. Usually they are associated with the druidic religions and the deities of nature. Their appearance is one of a great feline like a lion made of wood, grass and flowers, these last serve them to see the world.
Some myths claim that the Cath Flidais are born when an old predator like a lion, a wolf or a bear dies near a hawthorn, then the tree drinks its blood and its roots fuse with the animal. These theory is completely opposite to the popular belief that they are indeed spirits of the forest that take these forms to walk along the druids.
Behaviour. The Cath Flidais are not predators despite their looks. They roam the forests and fields looking for sun and water and usually are not the ones who start a fight. These thorn lions are friendly and will guard humans, elfs and other mortals in their sleep, protecting them from monsters and other humanoids. Only when their forests are threatened they embrace their predator side.
In combat they use their poisonous dust to retreat without spilling blood, but if they are forced they can make incredible jumps to knock down their targets and use their powerfull maws and claws to tear their enemies. They act like beast and dont have complex strategies, so they should be played like regular lions in combat.
Quest: The botanic.
An expert botanic in Calishman, that lives in a large palace outside the city, managed to get a flower from a Cath Flidais. Immediatly he started to cultivate the flowers to create a powerful drug similar to opium. However to cultivate these flowers it is needed a huge amount of blood and of course several paupers and orphans have been reported missing. The adventurers might be recruited by the local guard, a friend from a tramp or the rival gang to check this situation.
Of course there is bigger problem, the flowers are attracting a group of Caith Flidais that are enraged by what the botanic is doing, after all the fowers will end up giving birth to a Blight Flidais, a stronger and darker version of the regular thorn lion. The adventurers might be contacted by a druid or a nymph that wishes to stop a carnage.
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