Netherpossum

Small beast, unaligned

Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3); Wound Threshold 5
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
5 (-3)	13 (+1)	12 (+1)	4 (-3)	12 (+1)	6 (-2)

Skills Insight +3, Perception +3, Survival +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Keen Smell. The netherpossum has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
• Pack Tactics. The netherpossum has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the netherpossum’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

ACTIONS

• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.

ABOUT

The netherpossum, a relative of the opossums found in temperate to mild surface climates, has adapted to the peculiar environment of the Netherworld. Larger than its surface cousins (the largest specimens can measure up to 2 feet long), it’s recognizable by a short-legged silhouette, pale shaggy fur, a thick hairless tail, a pointed snout, a flat face—often described as ugly—and slightly globulous red eyes. An omnivore, it often eats carrion and lives alongside its subterranean kin in the nooks and crannies of towns, as well as near oases.

Many denizens of the Netherworld complain about the creatures’ presence, almost as much as they do about the colonies of ants. Both have a reputation for making life hellish; while ants infest pantries, families of netherpossums vandalize garbage collectors, as a pack or in turns.

Under these circumstances, the poorly regarded industry of pest control offers a great many opportunities.

These professionals ply their trade both near poor populations and in the homes of the rich, and may find themselves rummaging through sewers and tunnels to rid them of the parasitic occupants.

For novice adventurers, this dirty job may provide supplementary income as well as a cover for investigations or infiltration. The stereotypical image of a pest control expert is that of an unkempt person, with a peculiar fashion sense that puts their hunting trophies on display. These are prejudices—based on some very real extreme specimens—that nevertheless inspire some aspiring hunters to appear larger than life by being overly dirty and indulging macabre whims.

Essential Scavengers

Capable of digesting even bones, netherpossums are the cleaners of the underground. Like all scavengers—such as vultures and hyenas on the surface—they are linked to Death, and the deity’s Netherworld priests sometimes raise some within their sanctuary. Indeed, these necrophages have a purifying influence, and any corpse devoured by them cannot be reanimated as undead, even as an incorporeal one. In some societies, this process is accepted as part of the necessary funerary rites.

A Valuable Ingredient to Necromantic Alchemists

Netherpossums are able to feign death in case of danger. They’re then struck with rigor mortis and give off a putrid, rotting smell. This ability to inflict a false death upon themselves translates into interesting alchemical properties, and ingredients extracted from netherpossums allow the creation of different potions.