Sigurd's danger level: 70% Scientific name: Rapax-folium There is debate on the genus to which the Bracken belongs. It is a bipedal vertebrate with skin the color and texture of a red beet. The name is coined for what appear to be leaves protruding from its upper spine. The purpose of these is believed to be for intimidation, however not much is known about the specifics of bracken behavior due to its elusiveness and low population. We know a little from accounts by wildlife experts who have encountered it. It is a lone hunter with high intelligence. Its behavior can seem aloof; it exhibits high aggression even when unprovoked, yet quickly backs off when confronted. However, brackens are known to up their hostility when cornered or simply watched for a long time. It's theorized that upon death their bodies undergo a rapid decomposition process which is unique from other large animals. Behavior Brackens quietly stalk employees in an attempt to snap their neck and drag away their corpses. Brackens are smart, often hiding on top of or below stair rooms and will try to reach you through other paths if you are staring at one of the viable paths to you. Brackens will retreat if you spot them. Brackens are also irritated by long eye contact and will chase if you are staring for too long. It will sometimes go into a "standoff" mode where it'll stop moving if you are staring at it, staring more will prompt an attack. Strategy It can be spooked if an employee glances at it, but will attack if stared at directly for roughly 2 seconds. Once seen it goes into the retreating phase for around 21 seconds, before returning to the stalking phase. The Bracken can be spotted through closed doors (including locked doors), even if the player cannot see the Bracken. Direct eye contact with a Bracken may halt its retreat. Note that a bracken who has been spotted and who is about to retreat can still kill players if approached too close. Staring at a retreating Bracken raises its anger slower than an idle Bracken. Their luminous eyes make them easy to spot, even in total darkness. Only 1 Bracken can spawn per-map; if one spawns or gets trapped behind a Secure Door, you don't have to worry about it for the rest of the run, provided it stays closed. When a player is killed by a Bracken, the creature will drag the corpse to a predetermined “favorite location” set at the beginning of the game. It is a common misconception that the corpses are always brought to the "Bracken Rooms": a room reminiscent of the Backrooms that are found at the edges of the facility. Brackens will typically have their favorite room be as far away from the main entrance as possible. Once a corpse has been dragged to a spot, the Bracken will stray further than usual from that area. This is the best time for players to attempt to recover the corpse. The Bracken is capable of dragging multiple bodies away at once should it happen to perform multiple kills in quick succession. Once angered, a Bracken will rush after its prey and try to snap their neck. However, if the target prolongs the chase enough or leaves the facility, it will return to its passive state. However, if hit with a melee weapon or shot by a Double-barrel, the Bracken will be permanently angered against all living players inside the facility. Though possible, it is highly recommended to not be alone when trying to kill a Bracken with melee weapons, as their attack range is similar to that of shovels and other melee weapons. A Bracken that has not been seen yet will never approach its target where it is facing, it will instead always approach them from the side or behind. If a Bracken cannot find a way to go behind an employee, it will simply stay at the edges of that employee's view and will only advance or retreat if the employee looks away or places them in the center of their view, respectively. The Bracken moves silently when stalking and dragging away bodies but will make heavy audible footsteps when retreating. Being grabbed by the Bracken will prevent any item usage. Items such as the shotgun cannot be fired upon being grabbed. If a player is mid-action using a tool as they're getting grabbed, they may finish the action before dying to the Bracken (e.g. shovel swing, DIY Flashbang). Having a flashbang go off right as you get grabbed will not prevent death.
Rapax-folium roughly translates to "predatory leaf" in Latin. Due to a misunderstanding, the so-called "Bracken's Laugh" has nothing to do with the Bracken itself and is actually heard while insanity is high. There is a common myth about the "backrooms" room that suggests, when the room is present, the Bracken will almost always spawn. The purpose of the "Bracken room" or "backrooms" is currently unknown. For its dying animation, the Bracken appears to crouch and disappear, leaving behind small gray particles. This references the Bestiary's claim that their bodies undergo rapid decomposition after death. This is possibly a reference to The Upturned, as when the Traveler dies, they kneel over and burst into ash.
