Anomalous Cross Pollination

In the Anomalous Forest plants from across the planes take root and grow near species that they would have never encountered on their home world. Usually, alien species can't pollinate native plants. But the exceptions can be oddly beautiful, horrifying, or all of the above.

The Pollinators

Pollinators in the Forest include the usual suspects: bees, butteflies, hummingbirds, and the like. They are also joined by more exotic extraplanar creatures such as floating squid, sparrow bees, hexapus, and lotawings. Exotic pollination strategies range from charming passersby into covering themselves in pollen, to zombifying unwitting victims, and pollen projectiles shot directly into other plants.

There's a burgeoning trade in exotic Anomalous honeys, with squid mucus honey having become a particular favorite.

Anomalous Keepers and Xeno-Alchemists

The Keepers of the Anomalous Forest keep careful track of what grows in it. The rangers and druids stationed at the base of Menelost Telperion and the fortress Tol Acharn have woodlots assigned to them. They are expected to know every animal and every tree in their lot. They pay special attention to any hybrids they find for the xenobotanists to study.

Xeno-Alchemists specialize in studying the alien flora of the Anomalous Forest, taking particular interest in the unique cross breeds found there. They take cuttings back to their labs to study their unique properties, always searching for unique magical, healing, or industrial uses for them.

Rogue alchemists are especially interested in weaponizing the most dangerous hybrids, sometimes forcing the fusion of especially dangerous breeds just to see what happens.

The Thinking Green

Native sapient flora; dryads, treants, woads, and the like; make up a significant portion of the xeno-alchemists working in the Anomalous Forest. They take a particular interest in how the presence of extraplanar pollen can affect them, for better or worse. Their intrinsic, personal knowledge of the subject make them some of the best at their craft.

Floral Monstrosities and Towering Beauty

When a crossbreed becomes too successful, the Canton Leaders make a judgement on stopping the spread of dangerous invasive species outside of the Forest. The constant study of the constant mutations led to effective strategies for preventing the spread of dangerous blood flowers and poison grass.

Sometimes though, the hybrids become something beautiful, like the Great Purple Tessalation. This beautiful violet tree bears a delicious fruit reknowned for it's ability to heal mental maladies. Without the study of the xeno-alchemists, it's gifts would never have become known.

by Luca Bravo

Type

Natural