Difference between revisions of "Carnivorous plants"

Revision as of 03:37, 27 October 2007

Felarya possess a wide variety of carnivorous plants. Like other vegetables, they are usually static, but they still represent a great danger if you don't know them.

Note about the threat ranking:

It's based on the threat that the creature represents for a normal human. It's not necessarily linked to the strength of the creature. For example the dryad Cypress would rank very low because she is very friendly to humans, yet she is a powerful being.

Rank:

• Minimal: A totally harmless being such as a mouse or a rabbit.
• Very Low: Mostly herbivores but who can still strike back if attacked.
• Low: Various animals such as felines.
• Moderate: A moderately dangerous Felaryan creature can still be very dangerous in another world. For example a great white shark would rank between Low and Moderate here...
• Medium: A predatory, dangerous and often man-eating creature.
• High: A great predator. Crisis is in this category.
• Very High: A top predator. This creature could take on a small army.
• Critical: In Felaryan scales, very few creatures reach this rank.
• Extreme: A guardian or a mythical creature. Only a god can hope to survive a confrontation with one of these.

Podmaw

Threat: Moderate

Hanging from the undersides of large branches, at first glance these large egg-shaped pods might look like a natural growth on the massive trees of Felarya. They even emit a slightly sweet aroma, much like a ripe fruit. However, once a prey is underneath them, they reveal their true nature. The pod splits open, revealing a gooey maw and writhing tentacles, and those tentacles shoot down towards the intended victim. Once ensnared by the mass of tentacles, the prey is swallowed whole and alive into the stretchy and elastic stem of the plant. The pod then retracts and begins to digest the trapped victim. The process usually takes a few days. Of special note is that sometimes the large creatures of Felarya, such as nagas, will pick the pods, much like one would pick a fruit, if there is a trapped humanoid inside that is still alive. They consider it a special delicacy, as the plant sap adds a sweet taste to the prey.

Sack Vine

Threat: Low

These extremely long and thick vines can be found coiled around the trunks and branches of the trees of Felarya. They are easily identified by the large purple colored blossoms (which resemble tulips) and shriveled green sacks located along the length of the main vine. When a prey gets close to one of the blossoms, it immediately strikes and envelops the victim. The prey is then swallowed and travels along the length of the vine, until it reaches one of the shriveled green sacks. The plant then begins to pump in digestive enzymes. The sack walls will also begin to constrict around the form of the victim, restricting all movement during digestion.

Doormat Plant

Threat: Low

These plants seems harmless at first glance. They essentially look like big lily pads, although they are found on land. When prey steps onto the center of the pad, the ground suddenly gives way and they find themselves being pulled into a narrow hole in the ground. The leaf engulfs them as this occurs, sealing the prey within their grasp. The encasing leaf then begins to exude digestive fluids, which digest the prey over time. The consumption is total, and once the prey is totally absorbed by the plant the leaf will re-emerge from the hole once again, ready to catch more prey.

Dryad Gut Worm

Threat: Special (if you ever encounter it you are already in deep trouble)

Probably one of the most unique predators in Felarya, this carnivorous plant only exists in the stomachs of dryads. Much like a tape worm or other intestinal parasite in animals, this worm like plant grows within the stomach of the dryad and devours whole food that finds itself in the dryad's gut....most typically a humanoid. These hardy creatures can even survive the stomach acids of the dryad. Interestingly enough, the only way for a dryad to remove the parasite is by eating caffeine rich food... most commonly coffee loving humans out on a camping trip.

Giant Pitcher

Threat: Under Construction

Poisonous Creeper

Threat: Under Construction

Mist Clematis

Threat: High

Under Construction

Blinking Flower

Threat: Under Construction

Earth Mouth

Threat: Moderate

A great plant buried deep underground, with only its mouth emerging on the surface, often at the bottom of a funnel-shaped cavity. They are rather easy to spot, however they are still dangerous because the plant will shake the ground around the funnel whenever it senses prey. Once in the funnel, it's almost impossible to escape. The plant makes the surface vibrate, and the prey finds itself slowly and inexorably approaching the center where it is promptly swallowed. Some species of earth mouths possess a sticky tongue as well.

Gravedigger

Threat: Medium

A completely mobile plant with no need to take permanent root. It consists of a large pod-like mouth sitting atop a gut-sack supported by several large tendrils. When the mouth opens, tentacles from the stomach shoot out of the large maw and wrap around its prey, pulling it back into the stomach, where digestion begins. Its name comes from its habit of digging itself into an underground burrow after ingesting a meal, essentially digging its victim's grave for it.

• Credits to Veeshan123 and El Portero for some of the ideas