Subj: Flora of the Flanaess, Intro
Date: 97-03-28 16:04:31 EST
From: Oerthman
In keeping with the 'little things' theme of this invitational, I have compiled
a partial list of flowers of the Flanaess. These can be used to add detail to
outdoor scenes, or to the stock of a flower-seller in the marketplace. Some of
the more unusual and useful plants are detailed, so the next time your PC's get
lost in the woods or the desert, you have something new to 'spring' on them!
References
The Audobon Society's Guide to North American Wildflowers
1983 World of Greyhawk Setting
The City of Greyhawk Boxed Set
The Greyhawk Monstrous Compendium Appendix
Thanks to QSamantha for permission to use the Dust Flower and the Rain Flower
from her Sea of Dust contribution to the first Design Invitational.
Subj: Flora of the Flanaess, Pt. 1
Date: 97-03-28 16:04:39 EST
From: Oerthman
On the Flowers of the Flanaess, Common and Rare
By the Sage Winter
City of Greyhawk
Reaping, CY 585
That region of Oerik that we call the Flanaess is home to many species
of plants and flowers, both common and rare. Some are beautiful, some
are benign, some are ugly, and a few are deadly. Many are known across
the planes in many worlds (albeit by different names), while some are
unique to the Oerth and the Flanaess. Most scholars have concentrated
on those that are dangerous to human life, such as the lyrannikin,
needlemen, vampire cactus, and shambling mounds. Other less adventurous
scholars, including the illustrious Savant-Sage, have chosen to focus on
the larger non-intelligent forms of plant life - the baobab, deklo,
bronzewood, and oak, among others. Relatively few have found it
worthwhile to make a study of the smaller types of flora.
Wildflowers blossom in most places across the Flanaess except for the
far north and those lands so devastated by the recent wars that nothing
will grow in their soil. During the months of Planting, Flocktime,
Wealsun, and Reaping, travelers will pass through fields exploding with
color. The central Flanaess states of Furyondy, Nyrond, Veluna, and the
Urnst and Ulek states tend to be especially colorful, as does the plain
surrounding the Free City of Greyhawk (it should be noted that this is
by design, however).
A partial list of these flowers and other plants follows. Those with
unique characteristics, whether useful or malign, will be described
later.
Asters
Baneberry
Bladderpod
Buttercup
Cascade Lily
Cattails
Clover
Daffodil
Daisies
Devil's Claw Creeper
Dragon's Blood Bush
Dust Flower
Fairy Slippers
Geranium
Hanging Moss
Heliotrope
Honeysuckle
Hyacinth
Jasmine
Johydee's Lace (in the lands of the former Great Kingdom)
Ice Lily
Ivory Blossom
Lilac
Lotus
Moonflowers
Nerull's Blossom
Oleander
Orchid
Pansies (known as "elfweed" to the dwarves)
Pelor's Blessing
Periwinkle
Petunia
Phlox
Priest in the Pulpit
Rain Flowers
Roses
Sneezeweed
Sorrel
Spotted Touch-Me-Not
Sunflowers
Trunk Cactus (Saguaro)
Tulips
Venus Flytrap
Violets
Water Lily
Baneberry. The baneberry is a small bushy plant with large leaves and
dense clusters of small (about the size of a lady's thumbnail) white
flowers. It is found generally in open woods and thickets. The red
fruit of the baneberry grows in clusters of 6-10 small, round, berries
and is, as the name implies, highly poisonous. The northern variety has
smaller, darker leaves and white fruit, but is otherwise the same.
Bladderpod. The bladderpod grows in hot, arid regions such as the
Bright Desert and the fringes of the Sea of Dust. Growing to about knee
high, the plant sends out yellow flowers on short stems in the early
spring, or what passes for spring in its environment. The bladderpod
has saved the life of more than one thirsty traveler, for the
finger-length fruit is plump, juicy, and nutritious.
Devil's Claw Creeper. Found in the Bright Desert and the arid
grasslands of the West, the Creeper is a coarse plant with stems lying
on the ground. The yellowish-green flowers are unremarkable, but the
seed pods are eerily similar to the claws of the Bone Devil, which some
scholars now call the Osyluth, a lesser baatezu. Dried and hardened in
a fire, the pods are sometimes attached to nets used by the tribesmen of
the area to make it more difficult to escape.
Dragon's Blood Bush. While not native to the Flanaess, this small bush
from the Amedio Jungle has been successfully grown in the Hold of the
Sea Princes. The bush grows low to the ground with sword-shaped leaves
that are about 1 foot long. The savages of the Amedio jungle believe
that these plants only bloom where the blood of a dragon has fallen.
They coat their arrowheads with the juice from the heart of the plant,
which has mildly poisonous effects including nausea and a loss of
strength. Hold alchemists have reported that this juice can be
concentrated and rendered into a contact poison that causes total
paralysis for up to a day. It is believed that the Scarlet Brotherhood
has learned of this plant and its properties.
Dust Flower. Found in the Sea of Dust, the Dust Flower looks like a
fleshy rose made of dust. Closer examination reveals that the 'flower'
is actually a growth that exudes a sticky fluid. Dust sticks to the
growth and the flower draws its nourishment from there. Cleaned of dust,
the flower is edible and full of sweet juice.
Fairy Slippers. Found generally on wooded mountain slopes or in wooded
valleys, the Fairy Slipper is leafy plant with a few stems in a clump.
The plant takes its name from the flower, which resembles a small (about
finger-length) slipper. The woodfolk believe that the fairies cultivate
these plants, and they will avoid disturbing them at all costs. If by
chance they do, they will leave an offering to placate the fairies -
salt, a pail of milk, or a piece of leather are typical gifts.
Hanging Moss. Found in the Vast Swamp, Hanging Moss has long, forked
stems up to 20 feet long, colored gray-green, and often grows hanging
from other trees. The flowers are very small and white. The stem
contains a fine reddish core, almost like human hair. This core is very
fragile, except on certain varieties that grow deep in the swamp. In
these species, the core of the stem is still thin as a human hair, but
is stronger than the strongest rope. The assassins of the Scarlet
Brotherhood prize this variety for the making of thin, easily concealed
garrotes.
Hanging Moss has another, more sorrowful, name to the elves: The Hair
of the Maiden. The legend goes like this: long before the Twin
Cataclysms shook the Oerth and humans migrated into the Flanaess, a
small tribe of elves lived in the Menowood. The Menowood was much
larger then, and places of it were very dark and evil. Lyrannikin and
other evil plants abounded in these spots. One day a beautiful elven
girl wandered away from the tribe's usual territory into a region of the
wood close to the Vast Swamp. One of the lyrannikin saw her from afar
and lusted after her. He pursued her with his black heart aflame, and
she fled in to the Swamp, her red hair trailing behind her like a
banner. After many miles, she could go no further. Calling on the name
of Rillifane, she cried out for help. The god responded, turning her
into a large tree, with moss replacing her hair. Foiled, the lyrannikin
cursed her to remain a tree forever.
Ice Lily. The Ice Lily is found only in the Cold Marshes, now under the
dominion of Iuz, the Old One. There is considerable debate in scholarly
circles as to whether or not this is actually a plant. Regardless, the
Ice Lily blooms in the coldest months of the year, often sending out
roots into the snow instead of the ground. Its flower resembles a
crystal rose, though it is flexible, not brittle. All attempts to grow
them elsewhere have failed, even in magically-created 'coldhouses', so
it seems that some property of the Marshes is at work here. Prior to
the Wars, spellcasters exploring the area reported that this plant could
be used as a substitute material component in many cold-based spells,
including Ice Storm and Resist Cold.
Ivory Blossom. These large white blossoms bloom in the depths of the
Gnarley Forest, and are highly desired by the wealthy in the Free City
as decorations.
Lotus. Several varieties of lotus grow across the Flanaess, but the
rarest is the black lotus, symbol of the Baklunish goddess Xan Yae.
These grow only in areas sacred to the goddess, and are highly prized by
her followers. If the petals are eaten raw, certain madness will
result. However, careful preparation will yield a powder that, when
inhaled, gives great clarity of mind. Any mental tasks attempted by the
user become easier. Time seems to slow for those affected, enabling
warriors to react more quickly, and mages to memorize spells at double
the normal rate. The effects last for approximately an hour, but it is
not safe to breath more powder for at least a week. A second dose taken
within a week can lead to addiction. This humble sage has seen the
drooling, weeping, wreck of a warrior laid low by this addiction, and
would strongly caution the foolish to avoid it.
Moonflowers. Found only in the Cairn Hills north of the Free City of
Greyhawk, these unusual flowers change color with the phases of the
moons. Some are tied to Luna, others to Celene, and some to both moons.
The flower will be a brilliant white on the full moon, slowly fading
through the colors to black as the moon wanes, and increasing again to
white as the proper moon waxes. These flowers are glorious to see on a
Midsummer's night, shining brightly under the light of the moons. The
more practically minded of you should note that these flowers are used
in the brewing of a potion of Rainbow Hues, and as material components
in the spells Color Spray, Prismatic Spray, Prismatic Wall, and
Prismatic Sphere.
Nerull's Blossom. Growing in thickets and clearing of wooded areas,
these rare climbing plants have blue or violet star-shaped flowers with
a yellow 'beak' in the center. In the early summer this plant bears a
greenish berry that slowly turns red as summer wears on. The berry is
slightly toxic at first, but grows progressively more poisonous as
summer wears on. By early fall when the fruit begins to fall, a small
drop of the juice of this berry is enough to condemn a strong man to a
hideous, painful death. The victim breaks out in bleeding sores, a high
fever, and the skin becomes hypersensitive, so that any touch causes
great pain. It is highly prized by the minions of Iuz and the
priesthood of Hextor in the Great Kingdom, who use it as an aid in
interrogation.
Pelor's Blessing. These colorful flowers are best known for their habit
of closing up at night, and opening their blooms as the sun rises. A
poultice made from these blossoms gathered at dawn will greatly speed
the healing of wounds.
Rain Flowers. Found only in the Sea of Dust, these short-lived flowers
bloom only after one of the rare rain showers of that region. They are
colorful periwinkle-like flowers. Little certain knowledge of them
exists save for the fact that they last only for a day. However, the
inhabitants of the Sea of Dust prize them highly, so there may be some
beneficial property unknown to us at this time.
Sneezeweed. This daisy-like flower with drooping petals is found in
swamps and wet meadows, where it grows up to 5 feet tall. Inside the
flower is a greenish-yellow ball of pollen which can cause severe
distress if inhaled, as this humble sage can attest to. Evidently the
plant reproduce by dropping pollen when an animal brushes it. The
sneezing of the animal helps the pollen to remain airborne for a longer
period of time. It is a primary component in Dust of Sneezing and
Choking.
Trunk Cactus. The trunk cactus might be considered a tree due to its
size (up to 50 feet tall), but it more properly belongs with the flowers
due to its structure. The tall, thick trunk is covered with spines, but
the inside is very juicy. If one cuts the top off of one of the
smaller plants, hollows out the inside, and replaces the top, in about
an hour the hollow will be filled drinkable liquid. The Trunk Cactus is
found in the Bright Desert as well as the Sea of Dust. Some
adventurers have reported seeing treant-like creatures resembling the
cacti moving among large patches of Trunk Cactus, but these reports are
unconfirmed. It is known that needlemen generally dwell near these
patches.
[GREYTALK] Flanaess Flora
Date: 98-03-23 15:59:45 EST
From: [A--RE--K] at [AOL.COM] (ACERERAK)
Sender: [G--YT--K] at [MITVMA.MIT.EDU] (The GREYtalk Discussion List)
Reply-to: [G--YT--K] at [MITVMA.MIT.EDU] (The GREYtalk Discussion List)
To: [G--YT--K] at [MITVMA.MIT.EDU]
This is a continuation of [O--th--n] at [aol.com]'s "Flowers of the Flanaess"
article.
FLANAESS FLORA
By Randy Richards
Dinotherian
This species grows primarily in the Sulhaut Mountains. The bushy body of
the plant grows close to the ground, and can grow as high as 15 feet with a
width as much as 30 feet. The flowers bloom in high summer with a tulip-like
shape. These flowers are typically red, but blue and yellow varieties are
know. Some of these blossoms can grow as large as 6 feet. There is a Bakluni
legend that says giants cultivated these flowers to use as gifts to their
loved ones.
Enemy's Blood
The bush has 9-inch long dagger-shaped leaves. The Suel believe that
these plants only bloom where the blood of an enemy has fallen (which has its
basis in reality). The Suel warriors sometimes coat their spears with the sap
that drips from the leaves of the plant, which has poisonous effects including
dizziness and paralysis. This same sap also contains seeds, which sprout from
the area where the victim decomposes. This small bush is found in the Sulhaut
and Crystalmist Mountains, and on the Tilvanot Peninsula.
Today, the Scarlet Brotherhood cultivates this plant for its own
purposes, using blood as fertilizer. Other sub-species of this plant have
been recorded.
Lendor's Storm
Found only in the Lendore Isles, these flowers bloom only right before
and after a thunderstorm. They are colorful flowers consisting of pink, blue
and yellow petals. The flowers last only for 24 hours, usually opening a full
hour before a rain shower even begins. It is said the flower gets its weather
predicting power from the god Lendor, but in actuality it senses the change in
air pressure and static electricity.
Luquipod
The luquipod grows primarily in the Crystalmist Mountains. The plant is
about 2 feet tall and produces orange flowers in mid to high summer. The
green berry-like fruit is extremely juicy and can provide a good deal of water
to a parched individual. Careful examination fo the berry's oval seeds are
required, for a similar plant with pointy tipped seeds has poisonous fruit.
This species is currently thriving in the Valley of the Mage and Ull.
Pollenrose
Found only in the western Dry Steppes, the pollenrose looks like a flaky
rose made of pollen. Closer examination reveals that the rose is actually a
leaf that exudes a sappy fluid. Pollen sticks to the leaf and the plant draws
its nourishment from there. Cleaned of pollen, the flower is edible and full
of sweet juice. An adapted dusty version of this plants still thrives on the
fringes of the Sea of Dust today.
Simmering Wiltflower
The simmering thrives on the boiling water of the Simmering River. The
brown flower thrives on the shoreline of the near-boiling water of the
channel, and has a wilted appearance - hence the name. At the base of the
river where it empties into the Jerlea Bay, the plant is sparse. Further
upstream in the Hellfurnace Mountains it exists in abundance, and seems
unaffected by the constant ash that infests the area.
Timorous
The timorous grows primarily in the Yeomanry area during late spring and
early summer. It produces bright yellow daisy-like flowers that have a red
streak along the petal edges. Below the surface, the plant grows from a large
bulb measuring about 4-5 inches across. When the plants senses movement
within a 1-2 foot radius it will withdraw suddenly into the ground, nestled
safe inside its bulb. It does not emerge again for 3d4 rounds.
Utoak
The Utoak tree has all the appearances of an oak tree with one exception:
an Utoak tree is only 5 feet tall. Utoak is in most other respects equal to
oak, and can be used for most of the same purposes. This species is now
thought to only exist in the Hornwood Forest.
Jay Hafner B.S. (4/99 add D.C.)--------
[Emirikol 7] at [aol.com], [J--f--r] at [nwchiro.edu---]
Stop whining about Chiropractic research and find it on MEDLINE:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/
RPG Greyhawk: http://members.aol.com/emirikol7-------