Blood Gardener

Large monstrosity (titanspawn), neutral evil

Armor Class 15 (thick fur)
Hit Points 110 (10d10 + 40)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 15 ft. (snow only)

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
22 (+6)	18 (+4)	18(+4)	11 (+0)	17 (+3)	16 (+3)

Skills Nature +3, Perception +6, Stealth +7, Survival +6
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Immunities cold
Condition Immunities unconscious
Senses darkvision 60 ft.; passive Perception 16
Languages a stunted barking dialect of giantish
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Special Traits

• Predatory Lullaby. As a bonus action the blood gardener may softly sing its haunting song to those nearby. Creatures within 30 ft of the blood gardener must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom save or fall into a deep magical slumber for one hour. On a successful save, the creature is immune to the effects of the lullaby for 24 hours. As an action the blood gardener may sing with its full voice, extending the range to 90 ft.

Actions

• Multiattack. The blood gardener makes two claw attacks. Should both attacks hit, it may immediately make a rend attack as a free action.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d10 + 6) slashing damage.
• Rend. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d12 + 6) slashing damage.

About

Travelers in Fenrilik know to beware strange songs carried on the winds when walking the snowy tundra.

Beneath the snow and ice, blood gardeners – tall, white-furred humanoids with long, sinister, black talons – waits for the chance to steal into the world above and collect living sacrifices to feed the gruesome bloodfruit gardens that sustain them.

When on the move, the blood gardener quickly drops to all fours to increase its hunting speed. Loping through the night, they seek those that they might soothe to sleep with their keening lullaby. This song, known to all blood gardeners from birth, carries a sleeping charm that aids the capture of living prey. Stealing into villages under the cover of dark, they snatch any healthy humanoid they can carry and bring their prize back to the garden.

Gardeners keep prisoners alive for a time, and docile with their song. Soon though, the captive’s blood either nurtures the garden soil or fuels rituals of warmth and sanctuary that keep it warm and fertile. Bloodfruit is necessary to blood gardener survival and mating. The health and bounty of a gardener’s crops determines whether potential mates remain with them or move on in search of more suitable candidates.

Blood gardeners live mainly solitary lives but maintain loose connections with their fellows within a larger region. Each region is watched over by a single blood gardener druid, a wise practitioner of their darkest, deadliest secrets.