In its true form, Broken Bough is a mockery of a humanoid comprised of branch, brier, earth, fungus, and thorns. Trapped within the gorse are hunks of meat and bones harvested from its victims. It is from these rotting nodules that the plant horror generates an animal disguise so it might continue its hunt. At the heart of the terror resides a sliver of stone chiseled with the druidic symbol for hate.

All Flesh Must Die. Broken Bough was once a dryad sapling in a druid grove. It was showered with attention by the nature priests who worshiped there. It hummed along to their ritual songs. It swayed along to their dancing forms. It listened to their words and gained a crackle of sentience. Then men and dogs came to claim the grove for their own. Broken Bough was watered with its beloved druids’ blood, stunned by their final screams and sobs, shuddered as ancient stones were toppled and shattered. Before the usurpers left, they set the grove aflame, so they might build souless buidlings upon it later.

Despite being uprooted and driven by grief and rage, Broken Bough crawled across the ground to the scattered megalith shards. Along the way, it gathered chunks of its beloved druids and used one of their bones to scratch its creed of 'Hate' into a hunk of enchanted stone. Once it shoved the shard into its core, Broken Bough constructed arms and legs for the first time. It took a full month for the plant to figure out how to cover itself with magical meat, and the rest of the season to imiate the humanoids it loathed and their loyal beasts. Then, its hunt began. It stole the faces and memories of the weaker of the despoilers and used both to worm its way closer to the more difficult targets.

Along the way, Broken Bough discovered the civilized world was as strange and wicked as the men it stalked. There were no innocents. Thus, none would be spared. Perhaps the memories it stole corrupted the once dyrad, or perhaps it'd become fond of killing. Either way it now plays games of cat and mouse, infiltration and slaughter. More than a few forest-side villages lay empty due to its claws and the paranoid Broken Bough blooms.

Broken Bough

Medium plant, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 12

Hit Points 161 (17d8 + 85)

Speed 30ft

Burrow 30ft

Str 19 Dex 15 Con 20 Int 17 Wis 12 Cha 17

Skills Deception +7, Insight +5, Intimidation +7, Perception +5, Persuasion +7, Survival +5

Damage Vulnerabilities fire

Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages All humanoid languages, sylvan

Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Crushing Roots.

As a bonus action, Broken Bough thickens and tightens the roots around one creature it can see within 30ft Restrained by its Grasping Roots. That creature must succeed on a DC 16 Strength save or take 13 (4d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked Prone.

Radical Anatomy.

If Broken Bough has does move on its turn, roots magically spread from its body through any surface it is touching increasing its reach to 30ft.

Magic Resistance.

Broken Bough has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Relentless.

Broken Bough is unaffected by difficult terrain.

Speak With Plants and Beasts.

Broken Beast can communicate with beasts and plants as if they shared a language.

Tree Stride.

Once on its turn, Broken Bough can use 10 feet of its movement to step magically into one living tree within its reach and emerge from a second living tree within 60 feet of the first tree, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second tree. Both trees must be Large or bigger.

Actions

Multiattack.

Broken Bough makes two attacks.

Slam.

Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage.

Grasping Roots.

Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., 5 ft radius. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) piercing damage. In addition, if the target is a creature it must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity save or be Restrained. As its action, a Restrained creature may make a Strength Check DC 16 to break free.

Shapechanger.

Broken Bough can use its action to polymorph into a small to large humanoid or beast, or back into its true form. It can use this skill to reasonably imitate a target. Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

Root Around.

Broken Bough targets one creature it can touch. The target must contest its Charisma (Deception) check against Broken Bough’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If Broken Bough wins, it magically learns one fact or secret about the target as well as gains Proficiency in one of the target's Skills until the next sunset.

This insight gives Broken Bough Advantage on Deception checks when imitating a creature it has successfully used Root Around on.

Legendary Actions

Broken Bough can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Broken Bough regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Slam (1 point). Broken Bough makes a Slam attack.

Rumble (1 point). Broken Bough makes a Burrow movement.

Crush (2 points). Broken Bough uses Crushing Roots

Bury (3 points). Broken Bough pulls a Prone creature Restrained by its Grasping Roots six feet under. The creature begins to Suffocate. The DC of the Strength to break free increases to 18. Another creature within 5ft of the buried creature may uses its action to attempt a DC 18 Strength save to dig the creature out and end the Restrained effect.