Twig blight

Twig blights were small blights, bloodthirsty plant creatures spawned by Gulthias trees.

Description
Twig blights were the smallest type of blights, resembling humanoid, leafless shrubs, complete with limbs and a head. They could root themselves in soil, becoming indistinguishable from regular, dead shrubs. Groups of rooted twig blights could resemble piles of firewood or debris. Twig blights were very dry, causing them to be especially susceptible to fire.

They could see up to 60 feet (18.2 meters) in front of them, but were blind to anything beyond that radius.

Behavior
Although twig blights were independent creatures, most of them were directly controlled by a Gulthias tree.

Twig blights could subsist by drawing nutrients from the ground through their roots, but vastly preferred to feast on blood.

When unable to find living prey, twig blights often sought out watering holes and campsites, taking root and disguising themselves as shrubs to ambush potential victims.

Combat
Twig blights generally fought by raking opponents with treelike claws.

Ecology
As with other blights, twig blights were created by Gulthias trees, a type of malevolent tree created when a plant became contaminated by an evil mind. As the roots of a Gulthias tree spread, it infested surrounding plants and trees, either killing them or turning them into blights. These blights further spread the influence of the Gulthias tree, removing competing flora and replacing it with brambles, toxic plants, and other blights. Blight infestations could spread very rapidly, taking over large swaths of forest, and swallowing up roads, buildings, or entire villages in the space of days.

Unlike many normal plants, twig blights reproduced through their root systems rather than through producing fruit.

Rumors & Legends
According to legend, the very first blights were spawned from the stake that pierced the heart of the dread vampire Gulthias of Nightfang Spire. The stake grew to become the first Gulthias tree sapling, watched over and cared for by a mad druid.

Some nature spirits that could form bonds with rangers took on the form of miniature twig blights.

History
The Talontar blightlord Anammelech and the Rotting Man counted twig blights in their forces as of.

As of the late 15 century DR, twig blights were present in Neverwinter Wood and would sometimes accompany parties of eladrin out of New Sharandar.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Curse of Strahd • Tales from the Yawning Portal: "The Sunless Citadel" • Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit: "Dragon of Icespire Peak" • Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: "Lost Mine of Phandelver"
 * Novels
 * Lady of Poison
 * Video Games
 * • Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms