Difference between revisions of "Plant life"

Revision as of 01:19, 3 May 2008

Felarya possess a wide variety of plants from many different worlds. Some are dangerous, but some can be very useful. Seasonned adventurers know it's a vital knowledge to have before venturing in the jungles of Felarya. See also carnivorous plants.

Cogamosia

This useful plant grows on the shores of the Mysterious temple's lake and the banks of the Jewel river. It's also called "stun spike", for it looks like a large spike ball that grows out of the ground.

When rubbed on the body it causes the skin to become numb. Enough of it makes the touched body segment completely limp and makes a great painkiller. If it's swallowed by a predator, it will immobilize their body for a short period of time, making Cogamosia a very useful evasion tool for prey. Repeated exposure lessens the paralyzing effect quickly though, to the point of being almost nonexistent after a few exposures. In short, it is unlikely to work on a seasoned or old predator. Still it doesn't hurt to have some on hand when walking in the jungle. Slug girls are totally immune to its effect.

Dusk Lilies

Dusk Lilies are small white flowers that grow only in magic-rich places that are perpetually in a naturally caused night, which is different than naturally caused darkness. Obviously their peculiar environmental requirements makes them very rare. They are, however, very common in Sunfall thicket which happens to be an ideal zone for them. The triangular flower glows slightly in the dark and feeds mainly on mana. It can pose a danger to careless mages as it will greedily sucks mana from them if they are too close, causing their spells to fizzle and leaving them defenseless.

Harpy Carneye

These floating, turnip-like roots live in the Floating field, moving with it and never taking root. They latch onto the wings of passing harpies and other avian creatures that fly too close. They then stick sharp vines into the flesh of their host, and start sucking moisture and nutrients out. They steal a rather small amount of water and nutrients, but enough of them can make a harpy collapse from fatigue, rendering her defenseless against other predators.

Citroise

Citroise trees grow in humid zones such as the Chordoni waterfalls or the Chidokai forest. They produce the citroise, a fruit that resembles a huge plump purple peach, and is absolutely delicious.

Sageras

A gigantic species of cactus growing in the Akaptor desert, the tallest one on record being around 220 feet tall. They are covered by very long and sharp spines and are best known for the floating clouds of explosive spores that they release in to the air. The explosive power of their spores is highly variable but a cloud of them can pose a real danger to flying creatures and machines.

Fumac

This plant grows in large numbers on sunlit surfaces and is pretty common in Felarya. It looks like a bit like a rosemary bush, and has beautiful blue flowers. It's evergreen needle-like leaves have a fragrant and sweet aroma, and can be used with Miaxi honey to make liquor. Fumac liquor is famous and very sought after in the human taverns of Felarya for its strong bittersweet flavor that can "wake the dead". Drinking it temporarily raises ones strength and stamina, but it also increases ones aggressiveness as well. Some have dubbed it the "anger drink" and some taverns have even forbidden it for fear of violent brawls.

Everburning Tree

A rare tree that grows mostly in the northern forest, past Deeper Felarya. It really looks like any other tree, with evergreen foliage and a large straight black trunk. Like its name says however, this tree is able to withstand volcanic levels of heat and cannot be consumed by any kind of fire, magical or not. It's not fireproof however, as the bark will actually catch on fire and burn as long as the fire is not extinguished, but it won't cause any harm to the tree. On the contrary, setting it ablaze will only make it grow faster!

The adventurer Gunther may be a crook, but he must be credited for this discovery that has proved invaluable for expeditions traveling the snowy and frozen parts of Felarya, providing them with ever burning torches.

Salvalophytha

At first glance, this plant looks a lot like poison ivy, but with a light blueish tint to it. It's mostly found in the forest of whispers and it has a very interesting property: when it is eaten and it's leaves come in to contact with stomach acids (or any acidic substance), it temporarily stops the digestive process and releases oxygen, keeping any prey trapped in the digestive tract along with it alive for a while longer.

It's useful for an adventurer who has been eaten, staving off digestion until they can (potentially) be rescued. It cannot disable the digestive process for more than a few hours though, no matter how many leaves are used. Salvalophytha is loved by some kinky predators as well, who will eat a few leaves before swallowing their prey in order to keep them alive and kicking in their stomach for a while, allowing them longer to enjoy their struggles before digestion.

Planar Chorydium

This plant looks like an average fern, save for its great size and its slightly glowing, silvery leaves. Planar Chorydium feeds on the fabric of reality itself, and has the unique ability to make the layers between dimensions thiner. In short, Planar Chorydium tends to make the zones it grows in dimensionally unstable. It's no wonder they are present in large quantities in Miragia forest.

It's a bit hard to tell if they are the cause this instability, or if they are just there because the area is unstable, because the plant won't grow at all in stabler zones of Felarya. Getting rid of Planar Chorydium is very difficult once it has settled in: a destroyed plant will just grow again a few days later, as if coming from nowhere.

Sneeze Pods

These small plants get their name from a unique reaction that occurs when they're touched. When a pod on the plant is disturbed, it releases a cloud of dust into the air, producing a sound much like a human sneeze. The dust it releases is highly dangerous, as it causes complete paralysis in anything that breathes it in. The effect only lasts for about five minutes, but some clever (and lazy) predators have been known to hang out around a group of Sneeze Pods, waiting for some unwitting prey to get stunned. The pods are connected to a tuberous plant, and each plant has 8-10 pods. After discharging their dust, a pod generally takes about a day to reload.

Carinra

Compared to most of the plant life on Felarya, the Carinra is pretty harmless. The only known effect the Carinra has is that is temporarily changes the pigment of a person's skin to a random color when the leaves are ingested. The effect generally lasts 6-8 hours. It's great at parties.

Alondra

Alondra is a rare and very... unique plant. It grows long leaves in a circular pattern around a single large flower. The flower can often reach up to 12 inches in diameter, and is usually yellow or crimson in color. Every so often, a small bubble will be released from the center of the flower. The bubble will float for hours, sometimes ending up miles away from the plant that created it. Upon contact with an object, the bubble will burst, releasing a powerful aphrodisiac! The aphrodisiac is short ranged, often affecting an area only a little wider than the width of the bubble it came from. The effects of the aphrodisiac are topical and usually last about an hour. A healthy Alondra plant will produce a new bubble once every 15-20 minutes.

Devil's Thorn

A highly dangerous plant. Appearing to be no more than a small flower on a relatively long stalk, the stem of this plant is covered with tiny barbs, each sharp enough to pierce skin with just a slight touch. Each barb is coated with a thick liquid housing hundreds of tiny seeds. When these seeds enter the bloodstream, they begin to sprout, traveling throughout the body of the infected creature and killing them within a few weeks when the plant takes root in the heart. Upon the death of the victim, the plant will send tendrils through the body, seeking soil for its final form. When it's roots do reach soil, the many tendrils and sprouts it grew fall off, eventually withering away and leaving only a long, barbed stalk with a small flower on top. Many a traveler has been disturbed to come across a human skeleton with a single flower piercing the area where the heart was.

Note: It has recently been discovered that the plant is very sensitive to changes in temperature during its early stages, so much so that changing the body temperature of it's host even a single degree is often enough to kill the entire plant.

Chritu Ivy

A new plant that only came to Felarya a few years ago, through a natural portal in Miragia forest. It's believed to come from the legendary universe of Celis-zialle, the "Dimension of Eternal Beauty". The portal soon closed, but not before a great number of spores spread throughout the area. Now, every spring, large amounts of long twisting ivy grows up trees, sporting bright colorful flowers of otherworldly beauty. A truly magnificent, breathtaking spectacle. However, for some reason, the ivy seems to prefer to grow on dryads and the trees directly around them. Dryads asked about the ivy covering them say that it's like being tickled all over, but they tolerate the invasion as it's not unpleasant at all, and, while dryads aren't really a vain race, they do like to look pretty, like all girls. ^_^

Humans, other smaller races, and even some animals are fascinated by the sight and scent of the flowers carpeting the dryad of the area and are often drawn to it. Recently, spring in Felarya has seen an increase in tourists, photographers, and artists, as word of the beautiful flowers spread quickly to other worlds. Dryads of Miragia and its vicinity seem to be constantly sporting bulging stomachs and happy, content looks on their faces during this period.

Holy Oak

Few in number, there mighty, pure white oaks are scattered throughout Felarya. Many people build settlements near these trees because, for reasons unknown, the revitalizing power of Felarya's soil is increased tenfold around them. As an added bounus, nothing with demon blood in their veins (such as succubi) will be able to see or sense prey close to the tree and will be repelled by it's presence.

Clampet Plant

The Clampet Plant is a large green plant that looks remarkably like a man sized venus fly trap. There is one major difference however: this plant doesn't eat meat and lives on photosynthesis alone. In fact, the "mouth" of clampet doesn't close when something enters it, instead snapping shut at sundown, and opening back up at sunrise. The plant is very solid, tastes horrible, and is well rooted enough that even most large predators will have a very hard time trying to uproot one. Thus the Clampet Plant is extremely useful to travelers, as it promises a safe, and comfy, haven for the night. Smart adventurers are advised to take advantage of this... just make sure it's not actually a giant venus fly trap first.

Spore Orb

A large ball of spores that has a diameter varying from a few inches to a few feet. This fairly common plant floats in the air, slowly drifting on the lightest of breezes. Oddly, if a small creature comes too close to the ball, it will explode with a loud POOF! The spores coat just about everything in the area with an orange dust, and are rather hard to clean off. Spores that land in the soil create new spore orbs in a few days. The spores are not toxic, and other than staining clothes they are utterly harmless. Many experienced predators, however, are able to track prey using the spore orbs and some have dubbed it "dinner bell". If a large collection of spores is coating an area it means something has just passed by, and if a predator listens carefully they might be able to hear someone complaining about the stains, meaning dinner is served.

Riverweed

This plant is like seaweed, but grows in many Felaryan rivers instead of seas. It's usually pretty harmless, but it has an odd tendency to get wrapped around legs at crucial moments. You can run through it all day and only get tangled up a few times, but if a predator is after you, the chance of becoming tangled rises to about ninety percent. Biologists are still testing to find an answer as to why, at great cost to their research assistants. River mermaids greatly appreciate this plant, like one would figure, and some even grow "gardens" of Riverweed along the banks of their territory.

Torch Mold

This dull yellow mold grows in many caves and underground installations throughout Felarya. The reason for it's name has to do with it's luminescence. When a living creature comes within several yards of the mold, it lights up. It only gets about as bright as a torch, although some explorers have entered caverns filled with vast "fields" of this mold and at first thought that they had ended up outside! In caves with Torch Mold, explorers don't need lights to explore. In fact, most mines in the Ascarlin mountains have carefully cultivated patches of Torch Mold to use as natural lighting.

Torch Mold has no negative effects, and can even be eaten in a pinch. It makes for a decent, if bland, meal. The one thing experienced Felaryan spelunkers have to say about it is, "Remember, if you can see things, that means things can see you." A patch of light glowing in the darkness is sure to catch the local predator's attention.

Crystal Lily

The crystal lily grows along the Jewel river, out and underwater. They are found in abundance around the entrances of the Underwater Crystal Caves. Crystal lilies are small lily pads that seem to be made of an organic crystal. Valued not only for their natural beauty, some humans have discovered the unusual property the lily holds : it is able to act as a shield against the magic used by crystal dragons. Anyone holding a crystal lily will not be encased in crystal when attacked by the creature. The plants are very fragile and brittle, and break very easily making them useless if the fighting is fierce. Botanists are looking for other special effects that the lily may hold. One thing they have noticed so far is that the lily will vibrate softly when near a crystal-covered creature and thus can prevents you from running into them. Crystal lilies are seen as lucky charms by many adventurers, especially those who sail down the Jewel River.

Cool Oxalis

A large bowl shaped flower that collects rain water. It has a curious effect of chilling and purifying any water that collects within it. Thirsty travelers can always find clean water in this plant. In fact, some explorers pour water into Oxalis to purify it, and refridgerate it. For this reason, it has been nicknamed "Jungle Fridge".

Sogram Tastimus

This plant grows mostly in Forest of whispers and Fairy kingdom, and thus is very used by fairies who are numerous in these zones. It looks like a huge, spherical bulb with a tiny blow hole. The bulb produces a fine powder called Sogram sugar that, when spread on something - or someone - give it a very sweet and tasty flavor. The plant is pretty fickle, and tends to blows its content from the lightest shock. The Sogram produces the sugar very quickly, and some fairies even harvest it to enhance the taste of their meals.

Gripper Vine

An odd plant made entirely of moving vines. Whenever a creature passes by, the vines will attempt to grab it and pull it closer. While many carnivorous plants use this method, what makes the Gripper different is that it doesn't digest its "victim". In fact, it's not carniverous at all, it just holds the creature close and firmly, and doesn't let go. The only way to get out of its grip is to water it. When watered, the whole plant goes limp, letting all who have been captured go free. Of course, if a traveler doesn't have any water, they'll be stuck until the inevitable predator comes by to "free" them.

Telltale Tree

A deciduous tree found almost anywhere in Felarya. It produces a citrus-like fruit that beats constantly, much like a heart, when fresh. The Telltale fruit tastes tangy and delicious, but the sensation of eating a pulsating fruit is enough to make most a tad queasy.

Elori

This rare bright red plant grows on top of the trees and is harvested whenever found for its potent effect. Whoever drinks the nectar of the Elori will find that, not only is it absolutely delicious, but most magic effects are doubled upon them for several days. This comes in handy for magical healers, who use it to reduce the amount of time it takes for their patients to get better. The fairy Temi is famous for actively collecting Elori and for knowing all the good spots, though she keeps it secret.

Of course the drawback of drinking the nectar is that any negative magic such as a basic fireball is doubled as well..

Firlianae

The Firlianae grows mostly in the Jungle of perils. It looks like long red blades of grass that can reach up to 40 feet. The plant possess a particular venom that, while utterly harmless, is very painful and burn like fire upon simple contact with the skin. The substance is contained into small fragile orbs scattered all over the plant. What is interesting is that humans and small creatures can easily walk through a Firlianae bush without breaking the orbs, whereas a giant creature will certainly break them and get stung by the venom. The plant provides a great cover as predators who have already experienced this pain will definitely not stick their arms in a firlianae bush again.

Stam Root

A common and easy to harvest root that is found almost anywhere in Felarya. Easy to find due to it's unique pale pink leaves that grow up from the ground, the roots can be eaten raw for a mildly palatable meal. Stam Roots fill it's consumer with seemingly boundless energy, and are very helpful for tired, hungry travelers. Just beware of the the pink leaves as they are slightly poisonous, and taste horrible too.

Bladeleaf

On first sight, these trees look pretty average (well, average for Felarya, as even the smallest of them are generally well over 150 feet tall). Bladeleaf trees however, have a very thick covering of unique leaves: each leaf is razor-sharp, hard as steel, and rumored to be able to cut through rock with enough force. They could have made for good knives or daggers, if not for the fact that they become limp, like a regular leaf, ten or so minutes after they are removed from the tree. Still, shaking a Bladeleaf Tree is a good way to get yourself sliced to ribbons.

Fainting Tree

Forty foot trees that are unable to withstand excessive noise or motion within a ten-foot radius. If that barrier is crossed, the Fainting Tree fall over for about an hour before righting itself again. Needless to say, a grove of Fainting Trees is a dangerous place to be in unless you can be really slow and quiet.

Limpobo

Tall spindly trees which are topped by a web of bright, green, densely intertwined, fiberous leaves. Baby Limpobos make excellent umbrellas because they can be easily plucked from the loose soil in which they grow, and are quite sturdy. Fully grown Limpobos provide ample shade and so are popular in the gardens found in many human cities. Large predators have been known to pull up a grown Limpobo and use it in the same way as their prey does. It's interesting to note that Limpobos easily take roots again after they have been plucked.

Floodwood Tree

Floodwood Trees are a very peculiar type of tree that survives purely on water. It needs no rich soils in order to grow, just incredibly huge amounts of water. Thus, these trees can sometimes be found floating sideways in oceans and lakes, still growing and in fact prospering there. Most of the time, however, they are found growing in the sand or mud on shorelines, in areas where the body of water keeps the land mostly saturated all day long. Floodwood Trees have a blueish trunk and grow no leaves, looking fairly dead-looking because of it. Their wood also shrivels into a useless mass when dried, making it completely useless for construction purposes. Shipwrecked sailors who ride a Floodwood Tree home are considered extrememly blessed and lucky.

Drakewillow

The fruit of the Drakewillow tree is famous and a particular favorite of many of the races in Felarya. Its named the Dragonapple because of its fiery bite. It has been described as being "maidenly to the mouth, yet boisterous in the belly" and "a bit like cinnamon". The Dragonapple is the primary ingredient in Dragonapple juice and Dragonapple wine, very sought in Felaryan taverns.

When collecting Dragonapples however, one must watch out for the dangerous drakewillow nexolt that might be lurking near the tree.

Crunierlon

Rather unremarkable in outward appearance, this uncommon tree has a very unusual sap. Any skin surface the sap of this tree is applied to will become hyper-sensitive for close to an hour. People who get the sap on them have their skin become so sensitive that they often say they can feel each and every speck of dust that settles on them. Some swordsmen will apply a coating of Crunierlon sap to their blades to make their slashes more painful and fiery to their opponents. The naga Vivian is said to collect the sap for.....'other' uses.

Termo Flower

These strange flowers have the unique capacity to generate heat or cold and to feed on the difference of temperature. There is two known type of them :

• Ice Flower : An ice blue flower, this plant can only be found in the volcanic regions to the south east. By eating a single petal of this plant, one's body temperature will be lowered by ten degrees. The effects will last for a single day. Using this plant, it is possible to explore many of the hotter areas and ruins in the area while still remaining comfortably cool. It's not uncommon to find the frozen bodies of adventurers foolish enough to eat a whole flower at once.

• Fire Flower : A close cousin to the ice flower, this orange and yellow flower exudes a comforting warmth, even once plucked. Since it's recent discovery, this rare plant, found only on the highest snowy peaks, has gone for high prices to adventurers who have learned the folly of campfires. The larger the fire flower, the more heat it puts out. The largest specimen ever found was as large as a dryad, and the heat from it could boil water from ten yards away ! The fire flower produces no light however.

Lamiole

This plant looks like a huge turquoise fern. It's very common, growing practically anywhere where the soil is humid enough. Besides having a sweet, strong fagrance, when chewed Lamiole leaves release a special sap that is incredibly refreshing and kill bacterias in minutes. Most of the predators hybrids - and some humans as well - keep a constant supply of these leaves to keep their mouth clean and their breath fresh. The aroma of the plant varies slighty depending on the location the plant is found.

Sorbalier

A large tree that grow mostly in damp environnment such as Bulvon wood and Chidokai forest. It pretty much looks like any other tree, save for its branchs that are entirely covered by dense tiny yellow leaves, so numerous they almost form fur. The main particularity of these leaves is that, when consumed in large numbers, they become a powerful soporific. Amazingly, some predators have been reported rushing toward a Sorbalier and quickly consume all the leaves of a branch before falling soundly asleep. It took a long time for us to figure why and only due to a cooperative Slug girl.

The leaves of the Sorbalier actually put to sleep both the creature that consume them, and any prey within their stomach, but without affecting the digestion process in the slightest ( maybe even strenghtening it ). Thus it's useful for predators that just swallowed a particulary stubborn prey that they think may cause them problem or indigestion. It has no other known uses.

Gallow Weed

A very rare plant, about twice the height of an average human. It has fruit resembling an eggplant in shape. They are a very pale blue and seem to glow faintly with an inner light. Eating one allow the creature to enter the spirit's world and see and talk with spirits or ghosts. It's really dangerous though, and only trained shamans should use them, under the penalty of loosing one's sanity.

Terror Ecala

These rare black and white flowers are said to come from the negative plane and remain an absolute enigma for scientists and mages alike. Also called "Scare flower", the Terror Ecala is surrounded by an aura of fear that is night impossible to resist (unlike that of ibiantes ). No matter what, when facing this flower, you will suddenly become apprehensive and afraid. Just a small bush of them is enough to send the most hardened adventurer or a giant naga running and screaming in irrational terror, and facing to many Ecala at once can even be fatal. It should be noted that destroying Terror Ecalas is said to bring misfortune, and many who tried disappeared mysteriously a few days after, seemingly vanishing totally from the surface of Felarya...

Watch Flower

A small flower growing in abundance in the grove of carnivorous plants. Adventurers who travel there may have the disturbing feeling of being watched all the time, and in a sense they are. These peculiar sunflower like plants always turn themselves toward the nearest potential prey. Even if these flowers are utterly harmless by themselves, it's rather unsettling when they turn toward you. Some legends say that they are the eyes of dryads, but this is incorrect.

Kynho-zos

A dangerous weed mostly found in the Savanna, west of Akaptor desert. Its name means "vegetal fire" in an ancient language, and some people also call it "fire grass". The grass itself comes in a variety of colors ranging from deep red to vibrant yellows. Each blades radiate high temperatures equivalent to that of an open flame with roughly the same radius to size ratio. Kynho-zos can only grow in the ashes of other plants, that it consumes much like a real fire would. Considering its nature, patches of the grass in any location with plant life can quickly turn into vast fiery fields. Treading over such an area is unadvised unless you are heat resistant. Melted shoes followed closely by third degree burns are common.

Kynho-zos spread very fast, and many adventurers spent their night sleeping in a small grove, only to wake up the next day, being surrounded by a field of Kynho-zos. It shoudl be noted that the plant have a tendency to explode in contact of real fire. While it don't release a very significant concussive force, the heat generated then is scorching and suffocating.

Klydrid

A fairly rare small green plant with seven leaves. The number of leaves is always seven, though they may be in different patterns. The Klydrid is widely regarded as lucky by many primitive and superstitious tribes of humans and nekos in Felarya. Even a few elves have been seen, plucking a klydrid and tucking it away. In order to gain the plants luck, it must be planted near the home of it's finder, in a secluded secret area. And every time the owner of the Klydrid wants it's protection, when going out into the dangerous Felaryan jungle for example, he first goes to where he had hidden it. After tearing off one of the seven leaves, and eating it, it is said that no predator will harm you. Obviously, it only has seven uses, and almost all civilised beings, like those who live in Negav, would never believe such a silly superstition !

Voidcap

A strange mushroom found only in very arid climates, particularly deserts. It has a very thin stalk and a narrow, pointed cap. Its average size is only about six inches tall, though specimens of up to four feet tall have been reported. It is a mottled tan in color that blends easily with the sand. It is easier to find at night, because of a faint white glow that appears under the cap. The Voidcap does have one very interesting property. Magic is hindered within a couple yards of the plant. The largest voidcaps can prevent magic entirely for much larger distances. It isn’t known how it does this, but it has been found that consuming the mushroom will transfer this effect to whoever ate it for a few hours.(It has little value as food otherwise, and tastes bland with a gritty texture). Despite this much coveted property, the voidcap is very difficult to transport, as it rots within hours when in contact with moisture or excess humidity, which dispels the anti-magic ability.

Dripping Tree

The Dripping Tree is a small, largely unremarkable tree which can be found in various forests around Felarya, but mostly in Chidokai forest where it sometimes grow on other larger trees. It produces a thin, transparent, and very sticky sap, which drips from its branches and congeals at the bottom of the tree, covering the area around the tree with an almost invisible, scentless film. This film can trap small creatures, up to the size of humans. The sap itself has a consistency comparable to a Slug girls's slime. However, if one could get past the sticky area, the fruit of the tree can be harvested. It's a nut known as the Soulnut which is apparently virtually uncrackable, and therefore the delicious innards are both highly sought and highly prized, and yet an uncracked Soul Walnut is considered all but useless. Slug girls find the sticky sap absolutely delicious, and humans coated in it are considered a sweet delicacy to them.

• Credits to Rythmear for the Everburning Tree idea, to Icalasari for the Harpy Carneye and Holy oak, to Silent eric for the Chritu ivy, Riverweed, Dripping tree, Telltale tree, Termo flower, Klydrid, Limpobo, Drakewillow, floodwood, fainting tree, Cool Oxalis, Stam root, Gripper vine, Elori, Torch mold, Crystal lily, Spore Orb, and Clampet plant, to Zoekin for the Gallow weed, to darkshot2600 for the Kynho-zos, to Haar for the Carinra, Crunierlon, Alondra, Bladeleaf, Devil's Thorn, and Sneeze Pods, to Sean Okotami for the Sogram tastimus and Lamiole, to Tuc135 for the Voidcap, and to Mangamastermind for the Cogamosia and Salvalophytha.