Bracken

Bracken
Information
Danger Level	70%
RADAR Pip Size	Medium
Power Level	3
Max Spawned	1
Door Open Speed	0.8s
Can See Through Fog	No
Leave Time	Doesn't leave
Spawn Delay	15s
Traits
Shovel HP	5 HP
Behavior	Sneaking, Evading, Threaten
Dwells	Indoors
Shock Response
Stun Grenades	1.88s
Radar Booster	0.44s
Zap-Gun Difficulty	0.8
Internal
Internal Name	Flowerman

Brackens, also known as Flower Men, are shadowy, humanoid entities in Lethal Company.

They are vicious predators capable of treading in near silence, constantly hunting down the closest player to them. If not careful, Brackens can easily sneak up behind a player to snap their neck and drag them away from the scene. However, if looked at, they get shy and quickly scurry away, but if they are looked at for too long, they become highly aggressive.

Bestiary

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.

Occurrence

Moon	Base Spawn Chance
56-Vow	26.14%
61-March	18.30%
85-Rend	12.63%
8-Titan	11.21%
20-Adamance	9.10%
68-Artifice	8.77%
7-Dine	8.17%
41-Experimentation	5.73%
220-Assurance	4.35%
21-Offense	1.42%
5-Embrion	1.06%

Unreleased Moon	Base Spawn Chance
44-Liquidation	11.61%

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 can drag multiple bodies away at once if it performs 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. Hitting it with a weapon will cause it to instantly attack, and for the attack to last the maximum amount of time.
• 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 move behind an employee, it will remain at the edges of the employee's view, advancing or retreating only when the employee looks away or positions the Bracken in the center of their sight.
• 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.

Notes

• 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.
  • This is not true. The "backrooms" room is a normal facility tile.
• 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.
• A Bracken is confirmed to be what killed Sigurd's partner, Rich. He comments in one of his logs he saw him get dragged away by a "Flower-Man."

Audio

Audio	Description
	Audio of Bracken being first seen by the player.
	Audio of Bracken being stunned.
	Audio of Bracken being angered by the player.
	Audio of Bracken killing the player.

Gallery

A bracken pursuing the player in a building.

Bracken stalking a player in the dark.

A partially illuminated bracken.

A Bracken being spotted.

An illuminated bracken.

Bracken exiting a vent.

A Bracken sitting at a fireplace on Titan.

A Bracken in the middle of disappearing after being killed.

An idle Bracken in-game

Concept Art

Bracken model in game

Render of Bracken without the game's shading.

Early model

History

Launch

• The Bracken is added.

Version 40

• Previously, one hit would sometimes register as two hits on Flowerman.