The Unusual Plants of the Scumlands
The Scumlands are infamous for their bizarre herbs and toxins, some magical and some not. Some make incredibly potent medicines, some make abnormally strong poisons, and still others induce bizarre effects, either harmful or beneficial.
Drugs
Plenty of addictive herbs exist in the Scumlands, but most have real world equivalents. A tree that oozes a sap with similar properties to heroine. A considerable number of hallucinogenic and/or lethal mushrooms, and several species of poisonous herbs. Dozens of painkillers, narcotics, and other recreational and/or medicinal drugs. if it doesn't really have a real-world equivalent, I'll be sure to get it approved before putting it on this site. Otherwise, just assume The Scumlands have it somewhere.
Cerician Trapvine (magical)
This bulbus, cactus like plant is quite possibly the most dangerous in the Scumlands. It has a wide root system that extends outward for about a dozen yards, just barely under the topsoil. places of sparse growth in the middle of thickets are avoided in this harsh environment for precisely that reason- everything inside the root system looks sickly and weak, though it takes a trained eye to know the difference..
The Cerician bulb has a totally unique food source; it feeds not on materials found in the soil, water, or air, but on the most powerful energy source in rota- life energy, the power that keeps a persons soul tied to their body.
The roots act as feelers- whenever a being with enough life energy passes over, it triggers the softball sized bulb, which releases an extraordinarily powerful tranquilizer, cerize, into the air (the tranquilizer is created through magic, and is far, far more powerful than any other drug found in Rota). Then, after several seconds, its specialized roots begin the process of pulling the unfortunate victim underground, slowly devouring his life force while keeping him alive and sedated for several weeks.
The bulb can live as long as it has enough energy, as long as the environment is sufficiently damp, wet, and scummy. It can't truly thrive outside of the Scumlands, but it can get by in the right circumstances.
The Cerician bulb has a totally unique food source; it feeds not on materials found in the soil, water, or air, but on the most powerful energy source in rota- life energy, the power that keeps a persons soul tied to their body.
The roots act as feelers- whenever a being with enough life energy passes over, it triggers the softball sized bulb, which releases an extraordinarily powerful tranquilizer, cerize, into the air (the tranquilizer is created through magic, and is far, far more powerful than any other drug found in Rota). Then, after several seconds, its specialized roots begin the process of pulling the unfortunate victim underground, slowly devouring his life force while keeping him alive and sedated for several weeks.
The bulb can live as long as it has enough energy, as long as the environment is sufficiently damp, wet, and scummy. It can't truly thrive outside of the Scumlands, but it can get by in the right circumstances.
Draes Daemar (magical)
Often called the "magic slayer," this fungi releases a special spore that suppresses magic (it does not attack magic directly, but causes sentient beings to lose the ability to wield magic). It is, however, highly dependent on the scumlands atmosphere, and always dies shortly after leaving the island. Various methods have been tried to cultivate it off the island, but nothing has ever been successful.
The spores, however, can be gathered and preserved- however, the process is extremely difficult and time consuming, and as a result, even a small capsule of correctly preserved spores can be a very expensive commodity.
The spores, however, can be gathered and preserved- however, the process is extremely difficult and time consuming, and as a result, even a small capsule of correctly preserved spores can be a very expensive commodity.