Alraune

Alraunes are distant relatives of dryads, and are a race of flower people. From the waist up, they are like dryads; human-looking with green skin and hair. From the waist down, they merge into a flower of some kind. Alraunes generally prefer to stay rooted, though can move by either shifting their roots through and under the ground, or uprooting and hopping from place to place. They can't do the latter for very long, or they risk injuring themselves and their roots. Alraunes are always female.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Alraunes appear to be human from the waist up, with their skin tinted green. From the waist down, their body merges into a flower. In order to move, they must uproot themselves and either use their roots to walk, or hop.

Biological Traits

Alraunes used to live only 10-20 years. Since moving to Eistros, their lifespan has increased drastically. They are typically as tall as a human, but are half or even a quarter the weight.
There is an undersea variant of alraune that possesses the traits of seaweed, rather than that of a flower. Unlike their land-dwelling cousins, they have no need for water, and make their own food purely from sunlight. As less sunlight filters down to the bottom of the ocean, seaweed alraunes can go for longer periods without eating.

Genetics and Reproduction

Alraunes reproduce like any flower, via the pollen-covered stamen antennae from the top of their head. The pollen spreads and creates a new alraune.

Ecology and Habitats

Alraunes can live wherever flowers can be found.

Dietary Needs and Habits

All alraunes require for food is sunlight. They also need water intermittently, though rainfall usually covers this.

Biological Cycle

In spring and summer, alraunes are active and amicable, but in fall their mood takes a gradual change for the worse, as their leaves and petals begin to die. In winter, their skin will turn a dull brown and they burrow completely underground until the coming spring, where they will have absorbed enough nutrients from the earth to be reborn again, restored to full health.

Additional Information

Domestication

Alraunes may choose to share a home with another creature via replanting. This relationship is considered more of a roommate interaction than pet-and-master interaction. The person who takes an alraune under their roof must be responsible in watering them and ensuring their health. Indoor alraunes do not burrow or turn brown in winter, and their mood remains amicable year-round.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Alraune petals and roots are used in potions and healing elixirs, as well as garnishes for some expensive dishes. This is ill-advised, however, as plucking petals or cutting off roots will cause an alraune great pain, even if it doesn't kill them. Alraune healing potions are considered a last resort. Alraune nectar is a delicious drink or ingredient when mixed and prepared correctly, and collecting it causes no harm to the alraune.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Global

Average Intelligence

Human or higher

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

• Life Force Detection: Alraunes can sense life force within a certain radius.
• Magic Detection: Alraunes can sense magic within a certain radius.
• Plant Manipulation/Plant Growth: Alraunes have the ability to control plant life and rapidly increase its growth.
• Pollen Control/Effects: Some species of alraune can release and control their pollen, which causes various effects, such as:
  • Confusion Inducement
  • Dizziness Inducement
  • Migraine Inducement
  • Paralysis, both local and total
  • Sleep Inducement

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Species that pollinate, like butterflies and bees, are symbiotic.

Civilization and Culture

Beauty Ideals

Aside from human standards of beauty, alraunes consider beauty based on their flower. A plain yellow flowered Alraune, for example, would be considered bland or even ugly by some, but a flower with intricate patterns and vivid colors would be considered the most beautiful.

Gender Ideals

Alraunes are always female, and so there are no gender ideals.

Average Technological Level

Alraunes have no need nor interest for technology.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Language of the World

Common Taboos

Alraunes take care to stay away from fire, for obvious reasons.

Common Myths and Legends

There have been tales of alraunes taking someone down into the earth, suffocating them this way, or turning them into plants as self defense.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Alraunes, like most nature spirits, are neutral to all other species. They serve neither good nor evil, and fear nothing.

Scientific Name

Varying

Lifespan

300-400 years

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Average Height

5-6 feet (152-183cm)

Average Weight

40-80 lbs (18-36 kg)