Flora

While there are carnivorous plants in many places, Valorn is home to four distinct species. Each has its own way of feeding, and some are apparently mobile as well. Generally, carnivorous plants grow in places where the soil is thin and low in nutrients. The additional nutrients from their prey allow the plants to thrive.

There are several ways carnivorous plants capture their prey. The first and most common is the trap. The different types of traps include lobster, flypaper, pitfall, snap and bladder. Within Valorn because of the odd plant mobility, a new method has been discovered. The plants run down their prey. No one is quite sure what has caused this upwelling in hazardous flora in Valorn. Rumors of magic gone awry or even sewage waste spills from Dundee into the nearby swamps have all been proposed.

Creeping Tree Moss

Dwelling in the same area as the Giant Nutria, this plant’s movement mechanism may have evolved due to the Nutria’s voracious appetite. The tree moss, as its name identifies doesn’t move swiftly, but it migrates almost constantly. This enables a sizeable population to stay out of the giant rodents’ maws.

Due to the nature of the soil, very few extra nutrients are needed to keep the moss healthy. That may be why the moss doesn’t need to move rapidly. The soft saturated soil also aids in slowing the moss’ prey.

Giant Carnivorous Weed

Affected by the blight that hit the Black Wastelands, this now-mobile weed attempts to gain most of its nutrient needs through ambushing prey. Attempts to transplant it to conditions better for extended study have so far failed as several of those involved have vanished without a trace. The plants under observation at the time did appear to undergo a general greening.

Killer Swamp Ivy

The first of the dangerous flora that might be encountered is this ivy. It lays in loops and swirls around the swamp south of Dundee. When unsuspecting prey draws too close it drops a few loops and attempt to strangle it. Luckily for most, the ivy is rather fragile and has a difficult time engulfing most [i]Adventurous[/i].

Thistle Beast

To date, the most dangerous of the flora of Valorn that has been catalogued is indubitably the Thistle Beast. Although explanation has not yet been made concerning the existence of a carnivorous plant in so verdant an environment, it has been hazarded that perhaps the increase in animal size made a corresponding increase in a species of plant and its movement.

This large, mobile plant has the appearance of a flowering plant and seems innocuous until the blossom opens and sharp, jagged teeth are revealed. This is definitely not a plant you’d want to add to a flower wreath.

Rumor has it the Clan of Shrouded Bunnies has tried to keep a Thistle Beast in their guild’s gardens, but when this investigator searched, all that was found was an empty pen.

It is advised not to make salads out of these plants as it is unknown what the effects of ingestion might be. The Creeping Tree Moss, if properly treated can be made into tea.

Lineagist Urkki, when discussing Creeping Tree Moss: “It is a defense mechanism of tree moss. Foul tasting and poisonous liquid some call tea.”

Valor Nilsus, when discussing Thistle beasts: “I'm not really sure how they're possible honestly.”

by Asrai