Praskith

These strange amalgams of plant and fungus with animal tendencies form where the natural world is corrupted by foul magic or frayed planar boundaries. Praskiths are instinctive ambush predators who seek out lightly traveled forest paths and lie in wait in the undergrowth. A praskith swallows prey as quickly as possible and lets its paralytic digestive juices finish the meal, swiftly restoring itself with the nourishment provided by the trapped creature. When collected, neutralized, and refined, the digestive fluids of a praskith form a lacquer that retains some of the creature's acid resistance.

A praskith comes into being with a rudimentary understanding of the Fey language, but in some cases it might manifest knowing a different tongue, such as Aklo, Draconic, or even Necril. Regardless, praskiths have little patience for chattering with potential meals, though some determined fey and primal spellcasters have been known to form alliances or even closer bonds with praskiths. Befriending a praskith requires great patience and plentiful food—and gifts of food must be alive when handed over.

When finished feeding, a praskith slips into a quiescent state for a full day, one of the few times it's safe to approach. Upon rousing, it seeks the deep forest to regurgitate the less digestible portions of its meal. These remains can contain valuables that survived digestion and indicate that a praskith's hunting grounds lie nearby.

Praskiths dwell in deep woods and jungles. Well-fed praskiths develop fruiting bodies that cast forth millions of spores. Spores that happen to alight on carrion grow into new praskiths.