Twig Stalker

Branching Out

"The oldest hunters don't look for monsters. They look for places where the birds have decided to stay quiet."

— Old Forester Bren Alderroot

Twig Stalkers are among the smallest of the woodland fey, yet few creatures inspire greater caution among experienced foresters. They possess neither the raw strength of trolls nor the overwhelming magic of hags, but they have mastered something far more unsettling: patience. A Twig Stalker can remain motionless for hours within the branches of an ancient tree, becoming so completely part of the forest that even seasoned woodsmen may lean against the trunk beneath it without ever suspecting they are being watched.
Their bodies resemble tangled masses of weathered branches wrapped around wiry limbs, crowned by the bleached skull of a woodland bird whose hollow eye sockets never seem to blink. Broad wings draped in living leaves allow them to drift almost silently between the trees, vanishing into the canopy with alarming ease. Even in flight they rarely reveal themselves, their mottled bark and foliage blending so perfectly with the surrounding forest that only the faintest rustle betrays their passage.
Unlike many predatory fey, Twig Stalkers rarely kill simply to feed. Fear is their true prize.
A lone traveler separated from companions, a child who wanders too far from the village path, or an exhausted hunting party returning after sunset are all favored targets. The stalkers descend only after the forest itself has already begun wearing down their quarry. Strange noises echo through the trees. Brief glimpses of movement appear just beyond sight. Then roots erupt from the earth without warning, pinning a victim in place as the creature dives from the canopy in a blur of claws and snapping beak before disappearing once more into the leaves.
Many victims survive their first encounter.
That is often intentional.
Twig Stalkers delight in driving frightened prey deeper into unfamiliar woods where larger and far more dangerous fey await. They seem to understand the territories of hags, corrupted treants, ancient dryads, and stranger things that dwell beneath forgotten groves, serving as unwilling shepherds that herd intruders toward horrors they never intended to find. Whether these arrangements are deliberate bargains or simply ancient understandings between neighboring fey remains unknown.
Their nests are surprisingly intricate. Woven high among inaccessible branches, they are constructed from dead twigs, moss, bark, feathers, and carefully selected bones scavenged from woodland creatures. Hidden among these natural materials are small trophies collected over decades: silver buttons, broken lockets, carved toys, wedding rings, colorful ribbons, lockpicks, children's shoes, and countless other keepsakes abandoned by terrified travelers. To a Twig Stalker, such objects are not treasure in the conventional sense. They are memories of successful hunts.
Despite their malicious reputation, Twig Stalkers are not foolishly brave. They recognize overwhelming strength almost immediately, particularly the destructive force of open flame. A hunt that becomes dangerous is abandoned without hesitation. Rather than dying for a meal, a Twig Stalker simply melts back into the forest, following its quarry from a safe distance until exhaustion, darkness, or misplaced confidence presents another opportunity. Some victims have reported suffering half a dozen separate ambushes over the course of several days before finally escaping the creature's territory.
Woodland folk have learned to respect this persistence. Rangers rarely camp beneath large trees without first inspecting the canopy. Travelers speak loudly around blind corners to avoid appearing isolated. Parents warn children that the forest is never truly empty, no matter how still it seems.
The Twig Stalker is proof enough of that.

"You'll know a Twig Stalker has been here if the forest feels like it's holding its breath. If you notice that feeling... don't stop walking."

— Warden Elissa Rowan

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Fey

Scientific Name

Virgaraptor occultans

Lifespan

80 - 120 years

Average Height

2 ft. 8 in.

Average Weight

18 lb.

Geographic Distribution

• Iorill Forest
• Itora
• Widow's Wood

Unknown Shores

Twig Stalker CR: 3

Small fey, chaotic neutral

Armor Class: 15

Hit Points: 42 (11d6 + 4) 11d6+4

Speed:

STR

8 -1

DEX

18 +4

CON

12 +1

INT

8 -1

WIS

14 +2

CHA

11 +0

Saving Throws: Dex +6, Wis +4

Skills: Acrobatics +6, Perception +4, Stealth +8, Survival +4

Damage Vulnerabilities: fire

Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14

Languages: Sylvan; understands Elvish but rarely speaks

Challenge Rating: 3 ( 700 XP)

Proficiency Bonus: +2

Special Abilities

False Deadwood

While the twig stalker remains motionless among trees, brush, roots, deadfall, or similar vegetation, it is indistinguishable from ordinary woodland debris.

Leaf-Limned Wings

Creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight to detect the twig stalker while it is motionless or flying among trees or dense foliage.

Root-Sense

While touching natural earth or living wood, the twig stalker knows the location of creatures moving along the ground within 30 feet of it. Flying creatures and incorporeal creatures aren't detected this way.

Fae Ambusher

During the first round of combat, the twig stalker has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that haven't yet taken a turn.

Actions

Multiattack

The twig stalker makes either two Claw attacks or one Claw attack and one Skewering Beak attack.

Claw

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.

Skewering Beak

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) piercing damage.
If the target is restrained, it can't regain hit points until the start of the twig stalker's next turn.

Snare-Twig Lash (Recharge 5–6)

One creature the twig stalker can see within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or become restrained by animated roots and thorny vines.
A restrained creature can use its action to make a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check, freeing itself on a success.
The roots occupying the restrained creature's space have AC 12, 10 hit points, and are immune to psychic damage.

Bonus Actions

Vanish into Brush

The twig stalker takes the Hide action while in dim light, foliage, heavy undergrowth, or within 5 feet of a tree.

Reactions

Splinter Retreat

Immediately after the twig stalker takes damage from a creature within 5 feet of it, splinters explode from its bark-like body. The triggering creature takes 4 (1d8) piercing damage, and the twig stalker moves up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Usual Tactics

Twig Stalkers rarely fight fairly. They begin encounters hidden high in the canopy or concealed among deadfall, waiting for their prey to spread out before using Snare-Twig Lash to isolate the most vulnerable target. Once a victim is restrained, a stalker swoops in with a slash of its claws followed by a precise thrust of its beak before using Splinter Retreat and Vanish into Brush to disappear into the forest.
Groups of twig stalkers instinctively coordinate their hunts. Rather than overwhelming a single opponent, they restrain multiple targets, forcing adventurers to divide their attention while the stalkers harry the edges of the battlefield. They instinctively avoid prolonged melee, preferring to wear down intruders through repeated ambushes and attrition. If confronted with overwhelming force or open flame, they retreat without hesitation, content to stalk their quarry for hours before attacking again under more favorable conditions.