Afferra Vine

Devali

This article is focused on Devali, the solarpunk planet recovering from civil war.

In warm, humid reaches of Devali, relaxing beneath a shady tree might be the last thing you ever do. The afferra vine spreads through the forest canopy, catching creatures that scuttle through the branches. The more prey struggles, the more it becomes tangled amid the sticky vines. Eventually they succomb to exhaustion, and submit to being digested alive.

A Shadowy Threat

Did you know?

The best ways to detect afferra vine are sound and smell. If you hear animals in the trees, it's probably safe. If you smell something rotting, it probably isn't.

With no foliage to draw attention to itself, the dark green afferra vine can be near invisible within the branches of its host tree. It finds its prey by dangling thread-like receptors into the space below. Once something disturbs the receptors, the shoots above drop down in ambush.
The afferra's threat doesn't lie in a single shoot, but in several working in concert to entangle their target. Struggling prey summons more vines to wrap around it. Pulling on the vines triggers the release of a sticky acid that both further confines the creatures and begins the digestion process.
While some prey dies during the fight to escape, most die slowly by starvation, dehydration, exhaustion, or exposure, all while being digested alive. Depending on size, luck, and hardiness, it can take prey anywhere from hours to days to finally succomb. Digestion of the full creature takes a week to two months. By the end, all that's left is a skeleton with bits of rotting flesh.

Life Cycle

Germination

4-18 hours

Spores germinate in trees where water, dirt, and rotting leaves collect in crevices.

Sprout

1-2 days

Once sprouted, the vine grows shoots that spread out and up anywhere they can reach.

Adult

?? years

Two or three days after germination, the vine drops its receptor tendrils and is ready to feed.

Budding

1-2 weeks

In mid-late summer every year, the vines develop bulbous seed pods that pop to release spores.

Predators & Prey

Prey

Common prey can include nesting birds, fruit- and nut-eating mammals, and tree-climbing lizards and amphibians. Creatures that are exceptionally small or slow may be able to avoid detection. Large creatures, such as the Sagarian unicorn, can sometimes escape smaller and younger vines.

Predators

Other afferra are the largest threat. If territories overlap, the vines can end up tangled and begin cannibalizing each other. Too many afferra in a region can deter their usual prey, leaving the vines to starve until their numbers dwindle again. If they don't get enough nutrients, the vine will sacrifice entire shoots to stay alive.

A Local Nuisance

Did you know?

Afferra vine is occasionally an 'exotic' item on Abraian menus. No matter how it's prepared, nobody has ever claimed to enjoy the taste.

The afferra prefers the dark and damp of heavily forrested areas. However, its spores can find home in gardens or structures in more habited regions. Within days of sprouting, the vine is a threat to children and pets. Within a week, it's a threat to the average-sized adult. Even if someone is safely rescued, they're often left with bruises, burns, and trauma from the experience.
Residents must be aware of signs of the afferra vine's presence and report any they believe to be growing. Sprouting vines can block off doorways, paths, and entire streets until safely removed. To help prevent issues, cities and towns in these regions often have few shady spots - afferra spores and vines die if exposed to too much sunlight.

by Rin Garnett

Information

Geographic Distribution

• Devali

Diet

Carnivorous
Small to mid-sized creatures
Primarily mammals

Colors

Healthy

Sun-bleached

Diameter

0.5"-1.5"

Length

???

Lifespace

several to many years (nobody knows)

Author Commentary

Inspiration

This plant was inspired by a thought exercise to visualize an ever-present fatigue I'd been dealing with for months. I described it as a faceless monster with long, spindly limbs. It wraps around my arms and legs and drag me down, holding tighter the more I try to fight it until I can't move at all.

Safety advice

DON'T

Don't walk under trees

Just because it was safe yesterday doesn't mean it's safe today.

Don't hike alone

Always use the buddy system if hiking outside city walls.

Don't disturb tendrils

You cannot cut them. You'll only alert the vine to your presence.

Don't struggle

You'll get more stuck. Remain calm and wait for help.

Don't 'walk it off'

Once freed, seek medical attention for burns and bruises.

DO

Place feeders in trees

If small animals stop visiting, a vine might be killing them.

Clean your space

Remove stagnant water and rotting leaves every summer.

Check for tendrils

Shine a light or throw fine powder to avoid alerting the vine.

Wear loose outer clothing

If caught, carefully remove this layers to escape.

Carry a blade

A sharp blade can cut the vines, but a thermo or vibro edge is better.