09-01-2016, 05:54 PM
Herbaceans
An intelligent, mobile species of plant. Not Triffids. Herbaceans are tripedal (still not Triffids) with their three roots equally spaced radially around the trunk, as are the limbs but shifted by π/3 radians (spaced midway between the roots, radially). They "see" through photosynthetic variations and have full 4π steradian vision (Yes, it's a thing) out to 10 meters, things start fading out at 20 to 40 meters, depending on light conditions. Forward/backward, ahead/behind have no meaning to Herbaceans who think in terms of sunward and shadowline (away from the sun). Needless to say, they do not do well at night or underground.
Herbaceans can regenerate missing parts, regrowing up to 5 kg mass in a day when doing nothing else but converting raw material: compost, mulch, a dead cow, or even a living one -- Herbaceans aren't picky. Regrowth can be accelerated by converting its own mass at an additional cost of 50% the Health lost from dismemberment.
While an Herbacean has specialized "organs" -- reeds and air bladder for speech, tympanic membranes to hear, mycorrhizae to feed, etc. -- it has no centralized intelligence. Lopping off the "head" will only create a temporary blind spot. A consequence of this distributed consciousness is that when one is killed, a clipping can taken and nurtured that will eventually have all the knowledge and memories of the original. While a clipping can be taken of a live, healthy plant, this is considered abomination.
An intelligent, mobile species of plant. Not Triffids. Herbaceans are tripedal (still not Triffids) with their three roots equally spaced radially around the trunk, as are the limbs but shifted by π/3 radians (spaced midway between the roots, radially). They "see" through photosynthetic variations and have full 4π steradian vision (Yes, it's a thing) out to 10 meters, things start fading out at 20 to 40 meters, depending on light conditions. Forward/backward, ahead/behind have no meaning to Herbaceans who think in terms of sunward and shadowline (away from the sun). Needless to say, they do not do well at night or underground.
Herbaceans can regenerate missing parts, regrowing up to 5 kg mass in a day when doing nothing else but converting raw material: compost, mulch, a dead cow, or even a living one -- Herbaceans aren't picky. Regrowth can be accelerated by converting its own mass at an additional cost of 50% the Health lost from dismemberment.
While an Herbacean has specialized "organs" -- reeds and air bladder for speech, tympanic membranes to hear, mycorrhizae to feed, etc. -- it has no centralized intelligence. Lopping off the "head" will only create a temporary blind spot. A consequence of this distributed consciousness is that when one is killed, a clipping can taken and nurtured that will eventually have all the knowledge and memories of the original. While a clipping can be taken of a live, healthy plant, this is considered abomination.
Getting me free admission into gaming conventions for a decade