Brumalek

Small beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 40 (9d6 + 9)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft, climb 20 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
5 (–3)	16 (+3)	12 (+1)	4 (–3)	13 (+1)	7 (–2)

Skills Perception +3 Stealth +5
Damage Resistances cold
Damage Immunities thunder
Condition Immunities deafened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Pack Tactics. A brumalek has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the brumalek’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
• Snow Stride. A brumalek can burrow through nonmagical snow and earth. While doing so, it doesn’t disturb the material it moves through. In addition, difficult terrain composed of snow doesn’t cost it extra movement.

ACTIONS

• Headbutt. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
• Reverberating Howl. The brumalek releases an ear-shattering howl in a 30-foot cone that is audible 300 feet away. Each creature in that cone must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 5 (2d4) thunder damage and is deafened for 1 minute. On a success, the creature takes half the damage and isn’t deafened. A deafened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

BONUS ACTIONS

• Skittish. The brumalek can take the Dash or Disengage action.

ABOUT

This white-furred, weasel-like creature stands balanced on its hind legs and broad tail. Beneath a wide skull, intelligent eyes peer intently as a frog-like sac at its throat contracts and expands.

A small and unassuming creature, the brumalek has caught many travelers among the snow-capped peaks unawares with its ramming skull and ear-splitting howl.

Avalanche Caller. The skittish brumalek can inflate its vocal sac and emit painful sounds, but it uses this primarily as a defense mechanism. The force of its cry is enough to throw up swirls of mountain snow, obscuring them and helping them escape predators. Large groups of brumalek can coordinate this effect, triggering avalanches on those approaching their nests.

Mountain Children. Brumalek broods have deep attachments to the mountains where they were born, keeping their nests hidden close to the summit.

Working together when a true danger threatens their home, the hit and run tactics of brumalek in these times overrules their otherwise skittish nature. When a threat is deemed great, they even howl warnings to nests on other, nearby mountaintops.

Captive Watchdogs. The small size, disarming appearance, and volume of a brumalek has led to some unscrupulous groups to kidnap the creatures for use as guards. Training a brumalek for this role is no easy task, but if one succeeds, they will have earned themselves a dangerous if morose guardian with an alarm loud enough to hear across the valleys.