Ambush. The Braken is not a brave creature. Instead, if it is to fight, it will ambush it's prey in the dark and make multiple rapid attacks in succession to avoid giving it's prey a chance to fight back.
Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., single target. Hit: 10 (2d5 + 3) Slashing damage.
Jumping Scratch. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 10/35 ft., single target. Hit: 18 (3d5 + 5) Slashing damage.
Hide. The Braken hides in the shadows until the opportune moment to strike.
Disengage. The Braken disengages from the fight and flees into the darkness.
Insubstantiality. During the day or in areas of bright light, the Braken is entirely invisible and insubstantial. Only children can feel it's weight and presence, adults merely feel irritable and aggressive while it touches them. As it is insubstantial, it can barely move and usually relies on being transported, jumping from passenger to passenger until night time. It is both weaker and smaller during the daytime and so will automatically extinguish any fire or source of light it may encounter so as not to revert to it's day-form.
High-up. Braken's always attack the highest room in the house, either by scaling the walls or climbing through the roof. It will kidnap the first child it finds or kill the first adult.
Bloody Hands. At night, a Braken's hands drip blood as part of the transformation between it's two forms. It uses this as it's main form of attack.
Chemical Blood (Costs 2 Actions). Brakens are unique in having blood which causes a chemical reaction within their victims. During the night, it drips blood from it's hands which it flicks at whomever catches it by surprise. It forces their prey's body to create a jelly-like layer completely encasing the enemy. It is almost impossible to move in and absorbs most attacks. It is impenetrable by sound or sight. This layer dissolves by itself in four hours.
Description
Rather cowardly in nature, the Braken will nonetheless fight back if it feels trapped or is hungry enough. It has a natural curiosity of children for they are roughly the same size as it, but a far more aggressive approach to adults. It hates the light as it makes it weak, and grows much stronger and more confident at night. In appearance, it is a crouched humanoid figure with short sharp claws and a canine head. It often wears gold or other shiny metals as clothing and armour. It's veins seem golden from the chemical which flows through it. A Braken - and anything it carries - is invisible in daylight as well as being both smaller and weaker than in its natural form. It travels by jumping from the back of one person to another, sitting on their shoulder. Adults cannot see or sense it, simply feeling irritable and under the weather while it is hitching a ride (for it cannot travel by itself in daylight). Children however, while still not being able to see it, can feel it for what it is. In the evening, whomever it is riding carries it home. It then hides outside the house until it is night. When that comes, it climbs through the highest window (or through the roof if there isn't one). Any lights go out in its presence completely (they only flicker in daylight) as it is said that if it receives too much light it will revert to its daylight form. The first adult it finds it will try and kill and feast upon. If it is a child however, it's curiosity overpowers it. At night, it's hands drip blood (a sure way of telling if it has been in your house). Instead, it flicks this blood onto the child. The blood causes a reaction in their body which forms a strange sticky gel-like substance over their skin. It is completely opaque (the child cannot see), sound proof (so they can't hear or scream either) and very difficult to move in. It is also temporary and will disolve over time. It carries the child outside and, while it's night, travels to a more crowded location so that during the day it can escape by jumping with it's passenger from person to person until it reaches it's lair. Brakens hunt every five days precisely. At night, it resembles a humanoid but with sharp claws and a large, canine head. It is also said to search for and eat corpses. It is extremely adept at this as it's nose can track scents for miles.
Lair and Lair Actions
A rough cave tunneled into the rock, it stretches far underground with hundreds of intercrossing passageways. Dark patches of blood can be seen on the floor in the shape of large paw prints. The corridors curve immediately after the entrance to try and prevent as much light from entering the lair as possible.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 4, the Braken takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the Braken can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Screech. A powerful shriek which temporarily incapacitates those who hear it for five minutes.
- Growl. A rumbling bass which affects magic and makes it unpredictable and dangerous to everyone in the vicinity for half an hour.
- Mimic. The voice of someone known to you is mimiced exactly.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary Braken's lair is affected by confusion, which creates two or more of the following effects:
- Allies and enemies all look alike, it is impossible to tell friend from foe.
- It is impossible to keep one's sense of direction, making it a near certainty that one will get lost.
- One or more allies will attack whomever is closest
- One or more allies will suffer from painful memories both theirs and others' at critical times
- A horrible smell defuses through the lair
- Strange noises and half-glimpsed visions appear at random intervals
- Darkness is complete and unbroken
- Corridors shift and change to suit the Braken's needs
If the Braken dies, these effects fade over the course of 4d8 days.
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