Apine Amnesia
Deep in the Feythorn Forest lives one of the most cunning flowers in existence. Whether it came through drifting on the winds from the Feywild or if it simply developed naturally is hard to say, though its deep violet leaves with bright blue spots that seem to shift as you look at them give it a slightly otherworldly appearance. The few Firbolg who have seen it far in the darkest, thickest parts of the forest have given it a name which roughly translates to 'Ruiner of a bee's otherwise perfectly nice day.'
Bees that venture into this part of the forest frequently return to the hive confused, with only a fraction of the pollen they had intended to gather. Though their communication system is complex, most struggle to articulate just how they got so confused and had somehow retraced their steps through the flowers they had already visited on their return to the hive. Understandably, they can't quite comprehend the influence they had been under. This is Apine Amnesia, though of course the local Firbolg call this something which translates to 'Sad day for the backwards bee.'
The Ruiner flower is in fact slightly hypnotic. Nothing significant enough to affect larger creatures, but for bees with their multiple eyes and lenses, the shifting patterns of the Ruiner is completely entrancing. As they settle and absent-mindedly gather pollen from this flower, something shifts in their mind and they are overcome with the urge to return to their hive, passing by on each flower they had already visited today. It is theorized that the Ruiner's pollen acts as a contact drug to cement this new purpose in their minds. And so the bee, usually a core part of the pollination of plants, becomes hijacked to more sinister ends. As it revisits each flower, it deposits some of the Ruiner's pollen on each one. Naturally, this pollen is toxic to most plants and the flowers swiftly wilt and die, removing the local competition for the Ruiner plant.
If you ever see a confused bee dropping purple dust on flowers deep in the Feythorn Forest, you have just witnessed Apiary Amnesia, and that backwards bee is going to have a very sad day.
Comments