Post by Mantorok on Feb 23, 2008 7:23:52 GMT -5
Before we can truly understand the creatures that inhabit Dementia, we must understand that which gives even the lowest of creatures the life that they so desperately cling onto. Hopeless as it may be, this flora attempts to quench the tenous strand of life that could be severed at any moment.
However, even some of these so called "lifegivers" actively attempt to snuff it out when they can.
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Plants and Fungi-Boltagian Varities
Bloodthorn Cactus-Although they look similar to many of the 'regular' cacti that dot the Grontok Desert, the bloodthorn cactus often sports crimson thorns, and especially old ones may even show a maw or two. Bloodthorn cacti stand from twelve to twenty feet tall, and can live for thousands of years if conditions are favourable.
What makes the bloodthorn cactus so different, however, is the fact that it is a carnivorous plant. Its roots are strong and flexible, like the tentacles of an octopus, and it lets out a sweet scent whenever it senses the vibrations of a living creature. Creatures, often drawn to this strange scent, are either strangled by its powerful roots and pulled under the sand into the central mouth, or, they are impaled by the cactus' extendable spines. These launch out at their prey at a blinding speed, and they are hollow, allowing them to drain the blood of their victims, and transfering it directly into the cactus' 'bloodstream'
Fortunately, bloodthorn cacti only need to feed once a year, although skeletons and corpses of their kills are piled around elder cacti for many centuries, until brave or foolish scavengers attempt to get a free meal.
Strangle Root-Despite its name, the strangle root is a cessile species, a plant that has a rough, coarse texture that produces flowers of a rusty hue. Its name was coined due to the Laniatus' tendency to use this plant as a device for ensnarement or choking. The plant's fibers are rather durable, able to hold up to seven hundred pounds of strain if it happens to be a decently sized plant. Bloatlings of the Grontok Desert rely on 'gardens' of strangle roots as a food source, as it is one of the few plants that contains water, and is relatively easy to germinate. Bloatlings can often be seen hosting strangle root flowers, rolling about the desert in an attempt to spread the seeds.
Spirit's Lantern-The spirit's lantern is a bioluminencent fungi that grows all over the world of Dementia, but is found most heavily in the Velarvian Highlands, where it keeps the highlands glowing with an eerie blue light. Laniatus use these orb-shaped fungi in lanterns and their settlements, almost effectively replacing the need for fire as a light source. Creatures are rarely stupid enough to attempt to devour a spirit's lantern, as the fungus is extremely toxic, the ingestion of which always resulting in a slow, painful death as the fungus devours the creature from the inside out.
Moonshade Vine-Due to Dementia's lack of sunlight, many of the plants must find alternative energy sources to photosynthesis. This results in the flora of Dementia looking pale and lifeless, adding to the eerieness that hangs over this realm. The moonshade vine feeds exclusively on dead or dying creatures and matter, its long, gray tendrils pulling dead creatures downwards towards its roots, and is native to the Velvarian Highlands, but is also found in the Nosferian Forest. An especially well-fed moonshade vine produces a suprisingly vibrant crimson berry about the size of a fist, whose nutrients and flavour come directly from the corpses that the vine decomposes. The berries are sweet and soft, but it is not unusual to find the occasional undigested tooth or eye within the berry.
Hangman's Oak-The trees of the Nosferian Forest tend to look dead or dying, making a perfect camoflauge for this predatory, carnivorus plant. A hangman's oak looks similar to a dead tree with black bark, although its branches seem rather strong and firm for its appearence. When approached, the hangman's oak either attempts to strangle its prey with two, well-hidden tendrils that are wrapped about its trunk like vines, or, it simply beats and slashes its prey to death with its branches. Regardless of how its prey dies, it then uses its tentacles to feed it into its newly revealed mouth, which shreds the prey to a bloody pulp. Despite their disguise, hangman's oak can often been spotted by an usual amount of blood that surrounds especially old trees.
Gorgoran Variety
No signifigant or unsual plantlife or fungi populate the Gorgoran region...that has been found...
However, even some of these so called "lifegivers" actively attempt to snuff it out when they can.
-----------------
Plants and Fungi-Boltagian Varities
Bloodthorn Cactus-Although they look similar to many of the 'regular' cacti that dot the Grontok Desert, the bloodthorn cactus often sports crimson thorns, and especially old ones may even show a maw or two. Bloodthorn cacti stand from twelve to twenty feet tall, and can live for thousands of years if conditions are favourable.
What makes the bloodthorn cactus so different, however, is the fact that it is a carnivorous plant. Its roots are strong and flexible, like the tentacles of an octopus, and it lets out a sweet scent whenever it senses the vibrations of a living creature. Creatures, often drawn to this strange scent, are either strangled by its powerful roots and pulled under the sand into the central mouth, or, they are impaled by the cactus' extendable spines. These launch out at their prey at a blinding speed, and they are hollow, allowing them to drain the blood of their victims, and transfering it directly into the cactus' 'bloodstream'
Fortunately, bloodthorn cacti only need to feed once a year, although skeletons and corpses of their kills are piled around elder cacti for many centuries, until brave or foolish scavengers attempt to get a free meal.
Strangle Root-Despite its name, the strangle root is a cessile species, a plant that has a rough, coarse texture that produces flowers of a rusty hue. Its name was coined due to the Laniatus' tendency to use this plant as a device for ensnarement or choking. The plant's fibers are rather durable, able to hold up to seven hundred pounds of strain if it happens to be a decently sized plant. Bloatlings of the Grontok Desert rely on 'gardens' of strangle roots as a food source, as it is one of the few plants that contains water, and is relatively easy to germinate. Bloatlings can often be seen hosting strangle root flowers, rolling about the desert in an attempt to spread the seeds.
Spirit's Lantern-The spirit's lantern is a bioluminencent fungi that grows all over the world of Dementia, but is found most heavily in the Velarvian Highlands, where it keeps the highlands glowing with an eerie blue light. Laniatus use these orb-shaped fungi in lanterns and their settlements, almost effectively replacing the need for fire as a light source. Creatures are rarely stupid enough to attempt to devour a spirit's lantern, as the fungus is extremely toxic, the ingestion of which always resulting in a slow, painful death as the fungus devours the creature from the inside out.
Moonshade Vine-Due to Dementia's lack of sunlight, many of the plants must find alternative energy sources to photosynthesis. This results in the flora of Dementia looking pale and lifeless, adding to the eerieness that hangs over this realm. The moonshade vine feeds exclusively on dead or dying creatures and matter, its long, gray tendrils pulling dead creatures downwards towards its roots, and is native to the Velvarian Highlands, but is also found in the Nosferian Forest. An especially well-fed moonshade vine produces a suprisingly vibrant crimson berry about the size of a fist, whose nutrients and flavour come directly from the corpses that the vine decomposes. The berries are sweet and soft, but it is not unusual to find the occasional undigested tooth or eye within the berry.
Hangman's Oak-The trees of the Nosferian Forest tend to look dead or dying, making a perfect camoflauge for this predatory, carnivorus plant. A hangman's oak looks similar to a dead tree with black bark, although its branches seem rather strong and firm for its appearence. When approached, the hangman's oak either attempts to strangle its prey with two, well-hidden tendrils that are wrapped about its trunk like vines, or, it simply beats and slashes its prey to death with its branches. Regardless of how its prey dies, it then uses its tentacles to feed it into its newly revealed mouth, which shreds the prey to a bloody pulp. Despite their disguise, hangman's oak can often been spotted by an usual amount of blood that surrounds especially old trees.
Gorgoran Variety
No signifigant or unsual plantlife or fungi populate the Gorgoran region...that has been found...