Whimsical Flora

#1

All to often, a new magical creature, or plant is not seen with wonder or awe, but rather a keen eye for exploitation. In the often violent and brutal realm of role-playing, the wonders of nature are often overlooked, and never realized. I though I would start this thread to see if anyone else had any ideas along these lines. With that being said, may I present...

The Moonflower Bush
The Moonflower is in most respects identical to the crete myrtle bush of the southern US. It is a woody branching bush that is not suitable for making weapons, arrows, or wood carving. It does however produce flowers in great proliferation.

These flowers open only at night and are tightly closed during the day. At night, once the blossoms open, they shed a faint luminesence. Individually the flowers are dim, and do not produce enough light to read by, but a bush in full bloom casts a silvery-purple light strong enough to read by, or perform other tasks. If plucked, the flowers fade quickly, within ten to fifteen minutes, they wilt and go dark.

The light attracts moths and other nocturnal insects that help the plant pollenate. This buffet of insects causes spiders to be found often in the branches, as well as attracting bats and other night hunters who feed on bugs.

Add a little whimsey to your fantasy.
Tag!

Whimsical Flora

#2

Wow, look at that thing there.... It is really beautiful.....
Lets hack it down and sell it in town!

Whimsical Flora

#3

Jewel-of-the-Mire (Blast! You stole my idea. :))
The Jewel-of-the-Mire is a floating water-flower, that drifts in great mats in the rivers, swamps, and bogs of the Empire. The Jewel-of-the-Mire is similar to the water-lily, even to the point of looking similar, however, the Jewel-of-the-Mire comes in a variety of brilliant colors, ranging from deep indigo to pearly white to blood red. In some places, Jewel-of-the-Mire mats can completely cover the surface of the water, giving the appearance of a great meadow of flowers.
It is, however, at night that the Jewel-of-the-Mire shows its true beauty. During the moonlight hours, the Jewels seem to take on the Moon's watery luminescence, glowing and releasing slow beads of light (in actuality clumps of the plant's pollen) into the water below.

Pixie Flowers

#4

Pixie flowers are small flowering ground cover. The plant itself is a creeping vine that can cover the side of a building like an ivy. The leaves are broad and waxy to the touch, thick and dark green. The plant is slightly resistant to fire so some villages in its native habitat will encourage the plant to grow over their homes as a fire retardant. This is really more of a cosmetic matter than actual protection.

The plant gains its name from its flowers. During the spring, and early summer, it produces a prolific display of flowers in a riot of colors. One plant can have white, blue, red, purple, yellow, and orange blossoms. The flowers are iridescent in nature, making them very bright and hard not to notice during the daytime. At night, they shimmer and sparkle. The petals of the flower are asymetrical, with two petals drooping low into faux legs, while the upper petals unfold to resemble perhaps the wings of a butterfly.

In some regions, it is called a butterfly Vine rather than Pixie Flower. during the fall it produces hard seed pods that are neither poisonous, nor very nutritious. The pods are carried away by wind and water, and under extreme circumstances will open.

Herbalists and plant lovers refer to the seeds as Pixie eggs.

Whimsical Flora

#5

A series of trees drop super spiny seeds to the ground. Only the most durable shoes can keep the spines from stabbing through.

Thanks to Strolen for this one, 'cause no one said no trees shall be included.

The Rose Tree

The tree produces wonderful deeply red flowers, faintly resembling actual roses, with what resembles soft white hair around. While not thorny, the flowers then close into hard seeds, the soft hair turns into sharp thorns, making the ground around dangerous. Presumably, it is an adaptation to local reptiles and their hard skin, helping it to stick and be carried to new locations.

To humans, it is a painful thing to pass under the tree in late summer. Most local animals know when to evade it, too. Luckily, a seed stays hard for only a few weeks, in a few days if it is wet.

In autumn, the leaves turn to exactly the same red colour, making it stand out among other trees.

Local men like to describe the Rose Tree as a woman, beautiful and tender, but able to wound deeply as well. Some choose this flower when declaring love. Several poems and songs exist, likening pretty girls to the tree, but also warning of their vanity.

The Wizard's Rube

#6

A bright red flower that faces certain directions all in unison.

Nobody can quite understand the power that turns the flower but it is a very enchanting encounter when there is a large shift in the Wizard's Rube. A bright fiery flower that grows in bunches which suddenly, as a unit, shifts it's direction 90 degrees. It is considered good luck if you are able to witness a Rube Change, as it is called.

Most often it is very subtle as it slowly rotates its gaze. Every Wizard's Rube that has been checked has always uniformly pointed the same direction no matter how far apart they are.

There might be something in your world that drives this change.

The Haral Weed

#7

A very ordinary looking plant this,making most observers think it a common weed.Nothing special about at it all,except it's smell.Giving off a strong stench that sticks to any who come close,this appears to be a mere annoyance but nothing more.Unknown to the adventurer who encounters it though,the smell is actually very simmiliar to that of a wyvern's.This allows the plant to gow lushly,unbothered by grazing animals such as elk that want to avoid the ''wyvern.'' The PC's however,do not know this and will be suprised when animals they encounter,run off in terror upon catching the stench that hangs to them.Horses in particular,will be terrified.It might even draw any wyverns in the area that are determined to deal with the ''intruder.''

Whimsical Flora

#8

I have many half-formed ideas for flora in Midian. As a non-dungeon-crawl non-monster-slaying game, there's no need for many dangerous beasts; my attention has been diverted to strange plant-life.

None of this "official" yet, and the names are currently descriptive.

Rolling air plant: As it does not need roots set in soil, this small air plant is mobile. It slowly grows new limbs to push against the ground, which straigten as the arc, and the plant allows them to die as they decend on the leading side.

Mardi grass: This plant grows small bead-like berries that cause dizziness & mild euphoria accompanied by an increase in body temperature, but lock jaw muscles leaving mouths in the open position.

Soma bush: Eating the small berries of this plant rapidly causes nausea, followed thereafter by a deep comatose state. These resemble currants with strawberry-like seeds. The berries' colour ranges from yellowish green darkening to nearly black--as they ripen the nausea effect fades somewhat, while the powerful depressant strengthens. This is both natural defense, and a way to ensure the seeds have a fertile base from which to grow. This is caused by predators kiling the sleeping victims, and the seeds sprouting from either the rotting flesh, or the predator's excrement. The bush is also used by some healers for surgical anesthesia.

Haunted grove: This bamboo-like grass--found throughout southwestern Norditerre--grows so quickly that it groans. Coupled with the strange sound made as the wind blows through it, makes an eerie cacophany. It has no natural predators, due to this noise.

Ant tree: There are hollow tubes running throughout this plant. Ants often take up residence, and keep the tree safe from invasion by other insects. The tubes even run to the end of the low-hanging pointed leaves. This allows the ants to assault larger predators that brush against the leaves.

Fungi

Predator tree: Similar in appearance to ant trees, this fungus deposits its spores onto any creature that brushes against the end of its low-hanging pointed "leaves." As the spores grow, they release a mild pain-killer that prevents itching. Left unchecked, the spores will eventually kill their victim, who then sprouts a new predator tree.

Strangle vines: This fungus grows rapidly, and is attracted to heat, moisture, and vibration. The tendrils grow so strongly that they can slowly push their way into people's houses, yet the tendrils may be readily cut. Once a sleeping victim has been encountered, the tendrils slowly cut off airways and constrict the throat.

Itchyfungus

#9

The itchyfungus is a small brownish lumpy plant that grows on the ground or on the trunks of oak trees. If it touches a human or animal it bursts open.If the spores are inhaled they rapidly choke the victim as they infest the lungs and grow, tearing the lungs to pieces within twenty-four hours unless killed by a healing spell or a healing potion. If they land on undamaged skin they merely stay there until they either are washed off or get into a cut or any kind of wound.

They grow and itch horribly.Scratching transfers the spores to new areas of skin.Water stops the itching in the short term but in the long term makes it worse.Healing potions or healing spells will kill the fungus.Fire will kill it but will harm the affected person as well.

Some armies put the spores upon their spearpoints and sword blades to cause horrible wounds.

Scarlett Call

#10

Also known as Blood Tangle, Tryms Mark (Trym being a god of Battle), Hunter's Eye (so called because they are used to spot where predators have made kills), Krell's Mark (Krell being an Evil Spirit whos worship has to deal with blood), Widow's Tears, and Earth's Wounds.

The spores that become Scarlett Call can lay dormant for ages. They only sprout when the soil they are in is disturbed and hemogloblin (or some other blood elements) are mixed in. Once they do sprout, they sprout with a vengence.

These plants are quick growing, but not supernaturally quick despite the bardic tales. The green vines remain low to the ground, and flower with small bright scarlet flowers. In fact the low vines are runners, inserting new tap roots into the ground every foot or so. This makes an latice of strong vines that make going in an "infected" field difficult. The low vines are vile as they are slightly sharp (with tiny spines) and slightly sticky (some people feel them as an itchy sting, being allergic to them) The plants are not edible by any beast except when the plant is old and after has released a cloud of spores to the wind. The Wound, what a field of Scarlett Call is called, continues to prosper for a time based on the amount of blood in the soil, a few months if it is just a bloody predator kill to years in the case of a battlefield.

The presence of Scarlett Call denotes the presence of battles, executions, evil rituals, or where local hunters (or predators) have killed and gutted animals.

Whimsical Flora

#11

King's Finger

A small stalky flower that many would first guess as a weed. Small sharp bends on its stalk threaten sharpness but bend under the smallest amount of pressure.

The small groupings of thumbnail sized flowers are a dirty off-white color that are simply ugly. To smell the flower is to conjure a vision of decaying tree rot.

Not many would give it a second chance but those that have realized that if the flower and stalk are mixed in equal proportions, boiled for 3 hours, and strained that they make the best handwashing water known. The subtle scent perfumes the hand just barely while the strength of it is enough to get the most stubborn boar or deer grease off the gnarliest of fingernails with a single dip.

Whimsical Flora

#12

Night eyes are tiny, delicate, pale blue flowers with white stigma. They only open at night, and have a unique tendency to point to the mid-point between the two moons. Even when the night eyes plant is moved, the flowers still point to the moons, but it may take a few hours for them to turn to the correct point. Night eyes will continue to point towards them until just before dawn. It is worth noting that the flowers do not bloom if neither moon is visible in the sky. This facinating property can potentially be used to tell time, or for navigation, but the plant is far to delicate to the survive rough handling that may be needed for such endeavours.

Treller Vine

#13

The Treller Vine is originally a tropical plant, a somewhat symbiotic/ parasitic vine the infests trees, related to the air fern species. It is a long green vine, with small spadish leaves, and small white flowers in the spring. The vines string along the surface, wrapping around branches or moving along walls or trees. It will also put out thin runners that cascade down with gravity which are used for food production.

In the Jungle, Treller Vine lives on trees, creating another layer of green around the bark of the tree. The Vine uses the bark and outer softer wood layers as its' "soil". It coils around the tree and creates a green fringe. The vine is slightly sticky, trapping bugs and bits of food material that are absorbed by certain sections of the vines. That material is added to the blown dirt and decomposing litter to make a paste like soil on the tree (which serves as home to many jungle insects)

In the beginng the vine strengthens the soft woods of the jungle trees. The lattice of roots adds support. Eventually the vine infests too many levels, adds too much weight, and the wood is weakened and the tree collapses.

Somehow, some Treller Vine spores found there way to more temporate regions. The local trees were harder wood and more resistant to the Treller Vine. (Trellers will infest the temporate trees, but not very successfully) However, Life found a way. The spores found bits of mold and soil in the higher spots of houses and castles. It dug into those areas and has thrived. Given the drier environment here, its has more dust and dirt to create it own soil. The wild flowers here (and a few insects) have taken to growing in this new nitch created by the Treller Vines.

http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=30832#30832

Dogpod

#14

Dogpod is a low growing species of gourd which is related to squash and pumpkin. From a tough, thick central stock, there grow twisting, leafy vines which sprawl in a wide circle around the center. From these vines grow it's name sake, the dogpods.

Dogpods are instantly recognizable. They are about the size of a human head, and for all the world resemble a fibrous, warty, orange-yellow dog curled up to sleep. Though most will tell you that they taste awful, some cultures (generally those who also eat dogs or do not know of dogs) roast and eat dogpod as a staple.

In the early summer, dogpod vines burst out in riots of large pink flowers which smell of wet dog.

Whimsical Flora

#15

Silverblooms:
Small flowers that grow by water in winter and autumn, silverblooms are around 5 inches tall, and when they bloom, they produce an amazing display. Silvery petals uncurl, reflecting the sun onto the water. A sweet smell emanates from them.

So very often used by courting couples in villages, and as gifts for special days. A bunch of them could even be worth a silver, which, for a peasant, is quite a bit of money.

Broad Oaks

#16

Broad Oaks are just that, Oaks that tend towards great width than height, more so than most oaks. The Broad Oak branches are longer, more gnarled, than most oak branches. (These gnarls will often catch fur and fabric of creatures brushing against them as well.) They also tend to fork multiple times near their ends. While they do appear in groves, they will "randomly" appear in any oak forest.

The Broad Oak has a broader root "sphere" than most oaks. Like the branches, the roots fork more than regular oak roots. Many of these roots will run along the surface. They create a "bramble" or area where the dirt under the roots has eroded slightly. This make excellent nesting areas for rodents, snakes (many poisonous), and other small animals. It also makes great places for animals and people walking and running through the area to trip and break their ankles. Of course, in a panic most people will entangle themselves in the other surface roots of the bramble.

In half light or low light, Broad Oaks branches appear more menacing... more spoooky... ent-like. This is not aided by the fact that owls and tree orriented cats tend towards living in them. (Giving glowing eyes in the half light).

How this will play out.... One broad oak with an owl will act like a scary tree. People back up and get "touched" by a low gnarled branch... grabbing them. They will then run away encountering a larger bramble zone and have to make multiple tripping and falling rolls.

Fydres

#17

Fydre was a charismatic and vocal follower of the Old Green (Druidic) Religion. He would often be found in the cities and town trying to get people to return to "the proper pantheon of The Land", which to be honest, nobody had been following for a good century. Soon after he faded from public view, the weed known as Fydres (or Fydre's Revenge, Fydre's Curse, Elven Curse) was noticed in volume. In truth, nobody knows the origins of this plant. It could be something from far, far away born on the wind. It could of been his dying curse.

Fydres is a plant that grows in cracks and compressed earth (out from under heavy things). It is an ugly vine that sends runners out and sprouts a grass-like cluster everywhere it takes roots to ground. It grows like a weed in the unlikliest of places. It is a hardy vine that is fiberous and has tiny pickles. In short, it is a nightmare to remove.

The weed slowly becomes destructive. It expands cracks it grows in, it seems to pull runners tigher with age displacing stones. Thus Fydre disrupts cobblestone streets, helps displace the walls it grows upon, and can help to "decompose" abandoned and not so abandoned places. In short it is the bane of every urban environment of the region.

Any ruins, historical or recent, quickly become overrun by these plants. They crumble to rubble at an alarming rate with the assistance of the plants.

It does not effect just buildings. It is also the bane of any rock formation, as the same "features" helps break down and aid in the errosion of rocks. Thus making a number of mountain passes and Dwarven holds more dangerous. It is this fact that it breaks down cliffs and rockfaces that make scholars think it is not some kind of magically created retribution plant, but simply transplanted spores from elsewhere.

Torren Mangrove

#18

The mangroves are widely distributed throughout the tropics and the warmer ends of moderate climes, growing in areas of salt water, such as tidal shores and marshes. The Torren Mangrove grow in areas where "dark forces" have been known to inhabit.

The many arching aerial roots make dense tangles that stabilize the surrounding soil, prop the tree, and assist in absorbing water and minerals. The Torren Mangrove draws up liquids and salts from the water into its longish leaves. There, the liquid seems to "evaporate", leaving behind salt crystals. These crystals protect the plant from animal predation and "negative" vibrations. So while other plants may wilt and decay under dark influences, the Torren Mangrove will thrive.

In addition to being a salt source and a purifier of evil energies, Mangrove bark is an important source of tannin, used in tanning, dyeing, making ink, and medicine.

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Information on plants for given environments
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/

Orc Rose

#19

This flower looks like a miniature greenish brown rose, even though it is a flower rather than a bush. This small plant has small stinging nettles along its spine instead of thorns. (98% of people are allergic to the nettles to some degree). The leaves are small and jagged. The flower has little to no smell of its own, but since it only grows in decomposing middin (including offal piles, old latrines, decomposing animals or plant matter), few notice that fact.

Since Orcs tend to live in and around large amounts of middin, ofal, and blood pools, the flowers have become associated with them. (Orc tribes actually spread the spoors as they migrate) In fact, the presence of Orc Roses in an area often shows that Orcs have been, or are, in the area.

Athlete's Torch

#20

Like Athlete's Foot....a fungus that grows on human flesh, is itchy,and the spores are spread by scratching.The difference is, it glows with a soft green light.Large patches produce light that is strong enough to read by.The spores will live and glow on a towel that has been used for scratching, for one hour.

Pocket Watermelon

#21

Much like normal watermelons but small so several can fit in a backpack without being too heavy,and they are much sweeter then their larger cousins.A delightfully useful plant on sale in many villages and towns.

Whimsical Flora

#22

Spiderbush-This plant provides food for a type of poisonous gray spider, and the spider makes it's web around the plant and protects it from grazing animals or unwary humans.Can be used as a flytrap as the spiders don't need to leave the plant except to mate.

Samhain's Kiss

#23

Samhain's Kiss is an odd blue flower. It is small and has five triangular petals that form a star. The color is cobalt blue with touches of white/ silver in its veins. It blooms between the autumnal equinox and Samhain (Halloween). For most peoples, Summer officially ended on October 31, and it became the day that the new year began (for the Celts). On the next day, they die off... shrivelling into dry woody with seed pod top. By the 2nd day, they are all very dead.

Note: The icy cold of winter is required for the seeds to germinate. Thus most people's attempt to domesticate the flower has failed, as they have yet to freeze the seeds.

Samhain's kiss is from summer's kiss goodbye, or from its kiss for good luck. The holiday Samhain has special properties. The barriers between Life and Death, the worlds, and such disolve for this day. Thus spirits and monsters are found this day. This flower is associated with spirits/ monsters/ and crossing the boundries of the world.

Naturally, the still-living did not want to be possessed by spirits or bothered by monsters. So on the night of October 31, villagers would extinguish the fires in their homes, to make them cold and undesirable. They would then dress up in all manner of ghoulish costumes and noisily paraded around the neighborhood, being as destructive as possible in order to frighten away spirits looking for bodies to possess and have the monsters move on, as there were already monsters here.

These flowers are used a decoys. To draw spirits and monsters away from homes, flowers are placed on graves and dead places. In some areas, they decorate the towns with them, as where the flowers are... the monsters are... to lead the other monsters astray.

Qanquen Trees

#24

The name for and the tree itself come from a land far away. The name means Long Wall in some foreign tongue. It is representative on how these trees grown.

Each tree is tall and pointed, much like a pine tree in shape. However, it is not an evergreen. Its bark and leafs are much like an oak or silk oak. They are quite pretty, though they produce a great deal of "litter" each fall (and these leafs decompose very slowly, taking upto five years to break down). They are difficult to move through, as the branches are broad, woody, and filled with branching. The litter around them is difficult to slog though. Normally one would move around such a tree, but that is not an option for Quanquen, because there really is no such thing as one Quanquen.

Quanquen trees grow in long clustered lines, two to four trees deep. New trees grow up from the roots of existing trees, so they grow close together. The line continues approximately straight until something (rock, water, cliffside, or just an odd patch of dirt) deflects it. They form a "wall" of tightly clustered trees that is difficult to slip between.

The trees will sometimes follow besides packed paths or ridge lines. A wall will sometimes just turn 30 to 120 degrees, with no discernable disruption. No one knows how the lines grow so straight or why they go the direction they do. Some say they follow magnetic lines, other say they follow the flow of magic, or that they follow underground streams, but no one knows for sure. (One says that they follow the walls of a fey palace/ city in another dimension...but that is more far out than most would accept).

These trees are great for making mazes (both natural and man-made). In fact one can make an above ground dungeon with these trees forming the walls of the "corridors" and they might even make "rooms" from time to time.

Whimsical Flora

#25

Pretty cool idea there, Moon. The first thing that popped into mind was that that much deadfall and smaller branches, I bet a line of Qanqeun can burn!

Whimsical Flora

#26

Silk Oaks, the trees that these trees are most like, the litter is fairly fire retardant. If there is any moisture in the area (like dew in the morning or had rained in the recent stretch, the litter will not catch without a lot of accelerant. (Trust me, I tried. We had several of these on out properties when I was young... they drop leaves like three trees and they never go away... and you have to bag the leaves as they won't burn without being dosed with way too much gasoline..).

However, on the hottest days of summer, when no fog had been seen for weeks, things change. The tree's skin turns greyer. The litter is actually rakeable. And, importantly, both the trees and the litter will go off like a roman candles. It is all about the oils inside the tree. If there isn't enough water in them, they become volatile. The smoke is acrid and black. It leaves a residue that takes soap and water and effort to get off. The scent will cling for weeks.

The bad part, the trees only burn off their outer layers of wood. The tree is still alive under the char and will return and bloom within a year.

This would be great property trees, except silk oaks are soft brittle trees that have a limited lifespan.

Quanquen are tough, resiliant, and somewhat fire resistant. However, if they are dry enough and the fire is great enough... the entire line will go up. They will poison everything down wind. The ash will kill off the soil. It is enough to keep people from setting them afire.

Whimsical Flora

#27

THE BLOOD VINE

This is a Great vine, normal at first glance. upon further examination it appears to have red tips. It reproduces by sending out seed spores from the red tips. It does not flower but once every twenty years, making bright red flowers with white insides. This plant is slightly more sentient than others, and sends out a light sonar signal that can be picked up by a few creatures, namely displacer beasts. Pieces of it were often used by the grey talon assasins to kill their marks, as while the signal is light displacer beasts can hear it from anywhere at an astral level. thus the name "the blood vine."

Another note, this plant lasts for a long time after being cut, and the reddish brown leaves it produces make an excellent stew when boiled.