Bloodsuckle

Bloodsuckle is a type of Hobgoblin plant that lurks in the Hedge.

Overview
"≪rustle of leaves≫"

Hobgoblins can be engendered in a dizzying myriad of forms, a vast number that is in no way limited to emulating animals or humanoids. Some would argue that the simple plants that produce goblin fruits are themselves “hobgoblins,” while others say that the mark of a hobgoblin is its independent mobility and sentience. As one of the more notorious carnivorous hobgoblins that appears in vegetative form, bloodsuckle meets both criteria. It is driven, as many base organisms are, by the simple drives to feed, grow and reproduce.

Unlike a number of other hobgoblin plants, bloodsuckle is not content to merely rake travelers with its thorny branches or drop deadfalls upon their heads as they pass. To its victim’s surprise and terror, bloodsuckle actively hunts down its prey, quickly immobilizing, killing and consuming its victims — not necessarily in that order.

Although bloodsuckle can consume organic nutrients from the soil in the same way a traditional plant does, bloodsuckles vastly prefer the nutrient-rich bounty of blood and other bodily fluids. Rather than starve, a bloodsuckle plant can temporarily thrust its roots into the ground and glean enough sustenance to survive. However, as they predominantly rely on blood and other bodily fluids for both nutritious and hydration, bloodsuckle plants have no established underground root system and can mobilize themselves from one place to another. Most often, they do so slowly, relying upon stealth and surprise to edge in close to their victims. Once within range, however, bloodsuckle plants are capable of moving very quickly, springing upon their prey with a lightning quick attack.

Bloodsuckle is a known threat to Hedge-dwellers of all kinds, and any intelligent hobgoblin will avoid or destroy the hostile when it is discovered. It is, however, notoriously hard to kill outright. Hacking it apart will “kill” it, temporarily, but if not destroyed outright, each individual piece will essentially lie dormant, waiting until it can absorb enough organic nutrients (through the soil, being thrown on a compost heap or the like) to grow into a full and healthy bloodsuckle itself. Chopping one into pieces that are not properly disposed of can result in the creation of an entire forest of bloodsuckle.

Adding to the complication is the fact that a healthy and well-fed bloodsuckle will not burn well on its own. The outer layer of bark will smolder, but just beneath it, the inner layer is moist and sappy (but unlike pine pitch, bloodsuckle sap is not flammable.) In order to completely destroy a bloodsuckle, it must be killed or immobilized and then burned in a fire hot enough to ensure the entire plant dries out and is then consumed by flame. Any pieces of the hobgoblin plant that escape being thrown into the fire or are not wholly turned to ash will lie dormant until exposed to sufficient organic nutrients of one variety or another to allow them to begin re-growing.

One of the most horrific ways this ability manifests itself is if a piece of the bloodsuckle is somehow lodged inside a living being. Even a splinter of the hobgoblin is enough, considering the rich organic material surrounding it, to allow a bloodsuckle to begin growing within the body. If this is a surface splinter, the growth is obvious almost immediately, and the bloodsuckle can be cut out and destroyed without too much harm to its unwilling host. However, if the plant is somehow consumed or lodged deep within a body, the results can be quite disastrous.

Appearance
Bloodsuckle appears to be a leafless woody vining plant with a root structure that splays out across the surface of the ground rather than beneath the soil. Bloodsuckle’s fibrous roots and vines alike are covered in a jagged gray bark that splinters and cracks across the surface, revealing a viscous red-brown gum between the bark and core of each tendril. Bloodsuckle’s ropey vines can splay out over a wide area, covering the ground with a net-like weave, or can twine up and around horizontal surfaces, winding their way around trees, stones, cliffs or buildings. While a tree ensnared in bloodsuckle may resemble one that has been parasitically attacked by kudzu or morning glory, unlike these parasitic vines, bloodsuckle has no interest in tapping the sap from plants. Instead, bloodsuckle uses its strong vines as both rope and garrote, to take living prey upon which to feed itself. Bloodsuckle thrives in urban environments as well as the wilderness, and can be found spreading across patches of Hedge just on the other side of a city doorway.

Character Sheet
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 1, Wits 3, Resolve 3

Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3

Social Attributes: Presence 1, Manipulation 0, Composure 4

Mental Skills: None

Physical Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl (Grapple) 5, Stealth 4, Survival 3

Social Skills: Animal Ken 1, Empathy 1, Subterfuge (Camouflage) 3

Merits: Fast Reflexes

Willpower: 7

Initiative: 6

Defense: 3

Speed: 8 (Species factor 3)

Health: 6

Weapons/Attacks: