Roger Kranos
Flower Man
Name: Selvaris Nangtrap (Dionaea gigantea)Designation: Non-sentient
Homeworld: Selvaris, Coruscant - Coruscant Flower Shops
Language: None
Average height of adults: 4 Meters
Skin color: Green to dark violet
Hair color: Trigger hairs within mouth are translucent to light grey.
Breathes: Type 1
Strengths:
[+] Fire Resistant: Depends on a fire regime, typically in drought conditions with lightning, in order to thin the herd as it were.
[+] Drugs: Described below, the Nangtrap produces paralysis type drugs during enclosure that can be synthesized and used for production of more 'focused' drugs
[+] Hungry: Despite it's name, the Nangtrap is capable considering much larger pieces of organics than simple beetles. Adventurer beware.
Weaknesses:
[-] It's a plant Jim: It doesn't really do much except eat stuff like a good carnivorous plant should.
[-] Long living, slow growing: while 25 years is an impressive life span, it takes roughly 3 years to get to full size. However, that doesn't impact the characteristic that interests the CFFC the most - drugs.
[-] Seemingly invasive: Despite it's selective preference for specific breeding grounds, more tolerant forms of the species have been known to grow up in recently burned area, forming thickets of Nangtraps. This can potentially have a detrimental impact on the sparkbee population, which in turn would impact the military of the planet (Bugs are shaped from the sparkbee)
[-] Hinged jaw: While a more than capable carnivorous plant, the Nangtrap relies on secretion of enzymes in order to 'soften' it's prey from the terrors of consumption. The jaw itself is not entirely capable of retaining it's food without the aid of the Nang Juice.
Distinctions:
-Grows to 4 meters on average, larger than most known carnivorous plants
-Despite the stem having an appearance of being woody, it's actually considered herbaceous and responds accordingly to reduction in water
-Dependent on fire regime for propagation, as well as proximity to high water table
-Requires extensive light for growth, shade intolerant
-While this is not an actual Vong species, it's well being is tied to the continuous Vong forming process
Average Lifespan: 25 years
Races: None
Estimated Population: Currently threatened and standing at 35,000 known specimens. The species is on their upswing due to the recent vong forming of Selvaris, swinging swiftly from endangered to nuisance.
Diet: Almost entirely dependent on organic input (bodies, living or dead).
Communication: None.
Culture: The Selvaris Nangtrap is entirely dependent on intense fire regimes. As such, it develops in monocultures in areas consistently burned for the controlled management of bogs and swamps. Or in the situation where nearby forests, during drought, are struck by lightning and burn all the way to water table or surrounding surface water.
Technology level: None
General behavior: It's a plant that catches Nang hul, and other stuff, and eats it. That's about it.
History: Once again, we dive into the effects of Vong shaping on a planet that was largely unchecked jungle before hand. Here we see the development of a large carnivorous plant, the Selvaris Nangtrap, that experienced limited propagation due to the expanse of 100% canopy mesic forests that reduced potential for extensive surface soil burns. However, with the destruction of these natural systems and the creation of large and outstanding nutrient bogs, these emergent plants have come back with a vengeance, much to the chagrin of the Nang Hul, it's primary source of food.
In fully fed circumstances, the Nangtrap rests with eloquence along the fringe between wetlands and uplands. Here, it rests with mouth partially open, waiting for a single unlucky thud bug to wander into it's gaping maw. Within the mouth, trigger hairs stand on guard, waiting for the magical dual stimuli. What that means is that the plant has evolved so that stimulating a single trigger hair wont trigger a response, but stimulating two or more will. It's at this point that the mouth reacts, enclosing around the bug and sealing it, hermetically, forming was is effectively a stomach to digest the insect. However, the hinged jaw of the monster is considerably weaker than most carnivorous plants that feed in the same manner, a response to fire that allows the head to drop from the perennial shoot and regrow without a large commitment of energy. Because of this, a secondary metabolite/enzyme is emitted from the Nangtrap, causing almost instantaneous paralysis on contact. After a momentary, yet impressive filling of the hermetic stomach with this enzyme, the plant evacuates what wasn't absorbed through the exoskeleton to be used for a future date. It's at this point that the digestive enzymes of the Nangtrap fill the bulbous head and begin to break down the body of the thud bug.
It takes roughly 3 hours for full break down of the thud bug, quiet impressive given the chitin exterior of the insect. Needless to say, the Nangtrap can make quick work of softer and mushier specimens. During more famine prone situations, when the plant has gone without extensive feeding, the stalk will soften from outward osmosis of water, allowing the bulbous head to approach the ground and lay against the soil. During this point, the plant can collect anything from roaming amphistaff to fledgling vonduun, breaking the creatures down with highly destructive digestive enzymes. It's trapping method, on the ground, involves opening it's jaw entirely in 180 degrees and without looking, it's quite easy to step on it! While the jaw is weak, in terms of holding the captured prey in, the initial closure is like a mouse trap and can potentially break and ankle - Adventurer Beware! Once it is sated, water flows back into the stalk, allowing it to lift from the ground and resume it's once elegant form. A Nangtrap that rests too long against the ground will milldew and die.
Because of the sudden expanding nature of this species, the One Sith and Legion Yun'Do sought a means of controlling the species. While they first leaned towards shaping it towards use, in the end, Reverance looked towards the flowering Coruscant Flower and Funeral Company. Through science and enthusiasm, the personnel took the species and began harvesting it, acquiring the paralysis enzyme from the plant through direct extraction without killing the specimens. Because of their expertise and the availability of the flower shops, Kranos et al were capable of providing ecosystems in which the plants could thrive without propagating. Super wet conditions and open light are key, of course.
The enzyme, once pulled from the inner xylem of the plant, is harvested into a drug affectionately called Nang Juice. While it has no direct relation to the Nang Hul, the connection can't be denied. Upon consumption of the juice, or application, the juice immediately numbs whatever it comes into contact with. Along with this, an ever looming sense of acceptance overcomes the user. As if everything in the world, all the woes of life and the hustle and bustle - everything will be just fine. Likely an evolved characteristic to prevent struggling during digestion. Nevertheless, the drug can also be injected, though that is not a recommended route of administration by the CFFC as the potency can lead to asphyxiation or death via cardiac arrest. That being said, it would be a very soothing way to go.
Notable Player-Characters: N/a
Intent: Another plant, another drug. Just another way that the CFFC is making life better for the world around it. Once again, this can't be used against a PC without their explicit permission.
