Coil ambusher

Overview

A coil ambusher rests curled in a coil that matches the ground beneath it — soil, roots, leaf litter or moss. It is camouflaged, not invisible: a careful player can spot it, but it has no name, outline or marker while hidden.

What wakes it

It is territorial, never aggressive on sight. It wakes only when:

• someone steps on it;
• it takes any damage;
• there is a strong disturbance right beside it;
• someone it notices lingers very close to it.

You can stand a few paces away, or walk past at close range, without waking it.

The ambush

It uncoils in a flash, a ! appears, and it tries to root-snare whoever provoked it. Its bite can also snare.

The chase

The pursuit is short and stays near home. If you get far enough away for long enough, it gives up, walks back and visibly recoils into its coil — it never just vanishes.