Flora Facts for Fantasy Survival Guide

[John Out West]

I'm creating a sort of SAS survival guide for D&D, which includes all manner of flora from Forest, Desert, aquatic, and other environments. I have about 50 art assets (Plant images) that I want to add interesting survival knowledge about, such as: Making shelters, eating bark, poisonous plants, nutritious fruits, potential animal signs, etcetera.

However, 50 is a lot, and i got burnt out creatively after about two. So i'm hoping there's someone out there who likes making up fantasy plant facts, and wouldn't mind sharing their ideas.

This is the document. The list of images start at page 6. (Before that its the herbalism rules for crafting salves and incense out of plants) I put the names of the environment, as well as "Left" or "Right" to help identify which plant image you are referring to. The images themselves are supposed to look like watercolor paintings. (The fictional author of this section of the guide is a painter.)

Some of the stuff i've written so far include:

Snow lettuce: Tundra left 2
Grows like a weed in frigid environments, but contains almost no nutrients. Its unique outer layer of leaves will melt snow, allowing it access to sunlight throughout the year. Cover your shelter's roof with the leaves to keep the snow from piling up.

Frozen Magrans Tundra left 3
Sap and juices drip around this hanging stone fruit and freeze. Ripping off the fruit will allow you to drink some of the juices straight from the tree. This will permanently scar the tree, so dont use if you plan to forage in the area for years.

[Aniikinis]

Tentacle Blossom: Tundra Left 5
Grows exclusively in areas where cults to far-realm gods have gathered for years. The fruit can be harvested to act as a sedative if eaten raw and when cooked satiates hunger for 2 days. The stem of the plant writhes when the fruit is picked, but if uprooted and stretched until it stops moving can be used as rope.

Dolmer's Trouble: Grasslands Right 3
This plant has been thought to be a relative of the shrieker mushroom. Its cone reaches 4 feet in height, its leaves stretch out for 2 feet around it, and its roots spread 14 feet around it. Whenever the root system is disturbed by a creature moving across the ground above them, the cone splits open and emits both a powerful pheromone and a scream of pain, both of which draw other creatures near it. Funnily enough, the plant doesn't feed on the creatures that fall within its' reach and gets all the necessary nutrients from photosynthesis. It just really dislikes things above its roots. Avoid at all costs unless you want to die.

Bear Claw: Desert Right 3
This small carnivorous plant acts similarly to the venus flytrap. The center of the visible plant is covered in trigger hairs and the leaves have extremely sharp edges with small serrations. When something moves over the trigger hairs, either by stepping into it or moving through it, the leaves snap closed and either badly injure or kill the creature, or slice through the limb that entered the trap. The center then expands and takes the meal deep into the plant, into an enclosed chamber filled with digestive juices where the meal is transformed into food for the plant. After digesting the food, the leaves open up again.

[John Out West]

I like how yours are inherently dangerous. My most dangerous ones have just been poisonous. I love that bear-trap one, although I would probably have it use the dead creature as bait for other creatures to carry away its seeds/pollen. That would be a really fun one to see in nature and identify.


Trantin Bloom: Tundra L1
You can notice this plant by its white flower the perks up from the snow. Produces a liquid that prevents it from freezing in the winter. Extremely poisonous, but useful as a unfreezable lubricant.

Pines Needles Tundra L4
Most trees in cold and desert climates have pine needles, but they function very similarly to leaves. Very good for building beds for shelters, and makes a fine tea - Just don't drink the needles.

Blush Bloom Tundra L5
Coils up during the night, and springs through the snow during the day. The stalk is strong and flexible, making a flyable rope. The flowers bulbs contain a sweet nectar ball that can be pinched out without hurting the flower.

Anderoc Tundra R1
The bush that produces them has spiky looking leaves that remain during the summer to give shelter to the fruit. Although they're small and rock hard, they boil into soft and tart soups.

Frost's Grasp Tundra R2
The roots of this plant spread throughout the snow to collect water. Extremely fragile when cold and prone to shattering, but makes excellent tinder when dried.

Dranin Tundra R4
An extremely rare flower to see, as it blooms under the snow and its leaves fall off when the snow melts. The flowers can be packed into a pipe and smoked.

Evergreen Tundra R5
These trees manage to grow, dispute the freezing landscape. Good as a base shelters. (See Pine Needles) Cutting the bark will cause it to leak a sap-like resin, but is unediable. The resin can be used as a glue.


Watercress Grasslands L1
Stalks are thick and crunchy, edible raw and unleash some spicy flavors when cooked.

Widow's Wallow Grasslands L2
A very spicy and delicious tuber, but its fumes cane bring tears to your eyes. Best to consume near a light source, or with a sad song.


Trenton's Hydra Grasslands L3
True to its name, when the flower is consumed, it will create two more. The flowers are good for animals, but the vegetable bulb underneath can be eaten raw, along with its roots.

Evil Eyes Grasslands L4
This flower is largely visible during the night when they unwind bloom. The reflective coating of the nectar attracts nighttime insects, and often appear as eyes from a distance. The reflective coating can be rubbed onto clothing, or used to make a mirror more reflective.

Sol Flower Grasslands L5
The petals are waxy and the center is filled with tiny black seeds. The petals can be crushed for use in paints, while the seeds can be boiled and eaten.

Crimson Spears Grasslands R1
Sweet and soft fruits that grow on the tips of very narrow bushes. Can be eaten raw, but spoil extremely quickly once picked.

Libins Leads Grasslands R2
The root is long and makes for flexible rope. The leaves are toxic if burned, and shouldn't be used for campfire tinder.

Terot Seed Grasslands R3
This seed is widely cultivated, but can also be found in the wild.

Flushed Leaves Grasslands R4
Not edible, but good for tinder.

Fluffy Tree Grasslands R5
Good as the base for shelters.The wide canopy gives a temporary shelter in the rain. Branches and bark can be easily harvested for firewood or shelter. Bears a crunchy seed.


Spiny Kactos Desert L1
Use gloves when handling. Blooms bright pink flowers in the spring, and a bright red sweet fruit when its been pollinated. If spine husk is removed, reveals a moist vegetable inside.


If you have any idea on how to mine more exotic, interesting, or real, i'd love to hear it!

Edit: Mmm, maybe some magic producing/altering herbs could be cool. Or maybe one that creates an Anti-Magic zone because it sucks Magic out of the air. That might be good for the colder environments.

[jjordan]

You might like to look at some Medieval Herbals (books regarding the uses of plants). Or perhaps the Famine Book produced in China (a guide to surviving a famine by using non-traditional plants).