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Description
Though Dryads are the go-to species when people think of "plant creatures," we are not the only ones. There are plenty of other plant-based organisms in this world, with some more familiar to the public than others. One of the most famous (besides ourselves) is the Mandrake.

Mandrakes are plant-based organisms that spend most of their lives buried in the dirt. The only part of them exposed is their bundle of head leaves that are used to absorb sunlight. Their main body remains under the ground, where they can be safe from any surface predators. Though more complex than common plants, Mandrakes prefer to remain in one spot their whole lives. They can move about the surface if need be, but they leave that movement for a different stage in their lives. Their underground stage is relatively small, with the maximum size reaching about the size of a toddler. To add to the image, buried Mandrakes are humanoid in shape, with a defined head, torso and limbs. These limbs though, are not designed for travel. Rather, the roots are meant to anchor them in the soil and absorb nutrients. They can flex and inflate these roots when they detect disturbances on the surface, which makes it hard for one to dislodge them. If a predator or browser does have the strength to uproot one, the Mandrake will unleash its famous weapon.

Anyone who has ever heard of a Mandrake knows of their legendary scream. There are plenty of tales about its power, and how it can kill anyone who listens to it. These stories are partly true. When pulled from the soil they call home, they will let out a devastating screech. The scream starts so low that many organisms are incapable of hearing it at first. It then begins to get higher and higher in pitch as the scream continues on. This may seem like a regular scream, but it is actually a well calculated mechanism. While the Mandrake screams, it is also reaching out with its senses to feel vibration and resonance. This is to help it pinpoint which pitch of its voice causes maximum damage to the organism it is screaming at. It also seeks signs of pain from the predator, listening for its own screams or changes of posture and posing. When it detects the most effective pitch, it will lock its scream in that frequency and screech it out as long as possible. Organisms that do not vacate the premises or wear protective gear can suffer a variety of injuries. Documented injuries have been: ruptured eardrums, eyeballs and internal organs;long lasting shakes and twitches; temporary to permanent hearing loss; crippling migraines and, in some cases, death. The effects vary from species to species, person to person. It is best that if one has disturbed a Mandrake, that they leave the area as quickly as possible. Mandrake screams only work within a certain range, as the effects diminish drastically over a few feet. Major injuries occur to those who are holding the Mandrake during the scream. Certain gear can be worn to dampen the effects, but that requires putting a lot of trust in the equipment you use. Best to move away and let the Mandrake tire itself out. Most Mandrake screams last for about a minute, but it appears the older they are, the longer they can scream. One recorded scream length had it going for five minutes before it stopped. The scream will eventually end, as the Mandrake uses up its stores of energy. After that, it will require a period of rest before it can either rebury itself or let loose another scream. A Mandrake only screams when it feels physical disturbances, which comes from being uprooted. They do not scream due to environmental conditions, so if a Mandrake is on the surface, they will only scream when threatened. One who stumbles upon an uprooted one is in no danger unless they try handling it or harming it.

Though Mandrakes prefer to remain in one spot, they are capable of undergoing a drastic change when needed. Their body size will increase and their roots will grow out into long prehensile tendrils. Their humanoid shape will become more hunched back, as their limbs turn into vine-like tentacles. Too big to be buried, they will burst from the ground and move about on their many tendrils. In this stage, they are much larger than an average human, and now are mobile. Their slithering tendrils allow them to move at surprising speeds, and they are capable landing stinging blows or crushing grips. They can scream like their buried counterparts, but its effects have changed. Rather than using pitch to rupture, they use their screams to unleash a concussive wave that can knock back attackers. This shriek is a lot less dangerous, but can be used more often. It is used mainly to blast obstacles out of their way, or to disorient foes so they can finish them off with their tendrils. This stage of their lives only occur when buried Mandrakes experience prolonged periods of stress. This can be from changes in their environment, constant attacks on their buried clusters or even from surges in energy. Whatever the cause, it will activate select Mandrakes who will undergo metamorphosis into these large mobile forms. They will then attack the causes of their distress, and spend their lives defending their buried brethren. In times of calm, these mobile forms will gather pollen from the others in order to grow seeds that are then spread about. Seeding the earth for another generation of Mandrakes.

Mandrakes are famous for their screams, but are more legendary for their roles as ingredients. Mandrake leaf and root are critical in certain potions and brews. Their tuber bodies are often cooked up in a variety of ways in order to create a wide range of dishes. The taste of Mandrake is similar to potato, but contains a sharper flavor and more fibrous texture. For ingredients and cooking supplies, only buried Mandrakes are good. The mobile versions are too tough and flavorless to be consumed, which also makes them useless for potion making. The only ingredient that can be harvested from a mobile version is their head leaves, which are used only for potions. Something concentrates in those leaves, which makes them valuable for a very specific set of potions. Since these leaves are only used for a select few potions and how hard they are to obtain, many brewers don't bother.

Due to their appearances, many see buried Mandrakes as baby-like creatures. Their cries and screams help fit that profile. Though a buried Mandrake may be years old, most people keep seeing them as veggie babies. This causes some issues when it comes to Mandrakes and Dryad saplings. After the seed of a Dryad has been regurgitated, the parents then bury them in soil so that the sapling can form underground. The child will form a sprout from the top of their head that will stick out of the soil and absorb sunlight. This sprout is lost when the child emerges from the ground, much like an umbilical cord. During this buried gestation process, Dryad saplings have been mistaken as Mandrakes. People see the sprouts, and then dig into the soil to see a child-like form. Those who are too boneheaded to notice the differences in leaf shape will believe it is a Mandrake. This leads to moments where they will try to uproot it in order to use it as an ingredient, which can kill the sapling if they are too young and undeveloped. This has led to Dryad parents holding watches over their developing saplings, with a parent or friend keeping watch at all times so that they are not uprooted. These watches and mistakes, however, are starting to become less common. Dryads these days have found that their seeds can be grown in large pots of soil at home. This makes the sapling easier to protect and take care of. As time goes on, fewer and fewer saplings are gestating out in the wilds, and are instead being grown at home, or at specialized facilities.

Even with that, though, there have been stories of people (idiots) who even mistake newborn saplings as Mandrakes. Newborns have finished gestating and are now more like the "babies" humans have. Which means they are out of the soil, and most likely in a crib. How someone screws that up with a Mandrake, I have no idea. Some people have tried to reason that Dryad saplings cry a lot, just like a Mandrake, which is still dumb. Saplings cry because their stomachs are growing in, which sounds WAY different than a screaming plant that is trying to kill someone. I personally think these "mistakes" are more like excuses when someone is caught trying to steal a Dryad sapling. Just some blubbered excuse/plea before they get an arrow through the skull. Tips for all you Mandrake hunters out there: If it is in a crib, in someone's house, it's a safe bet that it isn't a Mandrake. Please get off their property.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

Description
Though Dryads are the go-to species when people think of "plant creatures," we are not the only ones. There are plenty of other plant-based organisms in this world, with some more familiar to the public than others. One of the most famous (besides ourselves) is the Mandrake.

Mandrakes are plant-based organisms that spend most of their lives buried in the dirt. The only part of them exposed is their bundle of head leaves that are used to absorb sunlight. Their main body remains under the ground, where they can be safe from any surface predators. Though more complex than common plants, Mandrakes prefer to remain in one spot their whole lives. They can move about the surface if need be, but they leave that movement for a different stage in their lives. Their underground stage is relatively small, with the maximum size reaching about the size of a toddler. To add to the image, buried Mandrakes are humanoid in shape, with a defined head, torso and limbs. These limbs though, are not designed for travel. Rather, the roots are meant to anchor them in the soil and absorb nutrients. They can flex and inflate these roots when they detect disturbances on the surface, which makes it hard for one to dislodge them. If a predator or browser does have the strength to uproot one, the Mandrake will unleash its famous weapon.

Anyone who has ever heard of a Mandrake knows of their legendary scream. There are plenty of tales about its power, and how it can kill anyone who listens to it. These stories are partly true. When pulled from the soil they call home, they will let out a devastating screech. The scream starts so low that many organisms are incapable of hearing it at first. It then begins to get higher and higher in pitch as the scream continues on. This may seem like a regular scream, but it is actually a well calculated mechanism. While the Mandrake screams, it is also reaching out with its senses to feel vibration and resonance. This is to help it pinpoint which pitch of its voice causes maximum damage to the organism it is screaming at. It also seeks signs of pain from the predator, listening for its own screams or changes of posture and posing. When it detects the most effective pitch, it will lock its scream in that frequency and screech it out as long as possible. Organisms that do not vacate the premises or wear protective gear can suffer a variety of injuries. Documented injuries have been: ruptured eardrums, eyeballs and internal organs;long lasting shakes and twitches; temporary to permanent hearing loss; crippling migraines and, in some cases, death. The effects vary from species to species, person to person. It is best that if one has disturbed a Mandrake, that they leave the area as quickly as possible. Mandrake screams only work within a certain range, as the effects diminish drastically over a few feet. Major injuries occur to those who are holding the Mandrake during the scream. Certain gear can be worn to dampen the effects, but that requires putting a lot of trust in the equipment you use. Best to move away and let the Mandrake tire itself out. Most Mandrake screams last for about a minute, but it appears the older they are, the longer they can scream. One recorded scream length had it going for five minutes before it stopped. The scream will eventually end, as the Mandrake uses up its stores of energy. After that, it will require a period of rest before it can either rebury itself or let loose another scream. A Mandrake only screams when it feels physical disturbances, which comes from being uprooted. They do not scream due to environmental conditions, so if a Mandrake is on the surface, they will only scream when threatened. One who stumbles upon an uprooted one is in no danger unless they try handling it or harming it.

Though Mandrakes prefer to remain in one spot, they are capable of undergoing a drastic change when needed. Their body size will increase and their roots will grow out into long prehensile tendrils. Their humanoid shape will become more hunched back, as their limbs turn into vine-like tentacles. Too big to be buried, they will burst from the ground and move about on their many tendrils. In this stage, they are much larger than an average human, and now are mobile. Their slithering tendrils allow them to move at surprising speeds, and they are capable landing stinging blows or crushing grips. They can scream like their buried counterparts, but its effects have changed. Rather than using pitch to rupture, they use their screams to unleash a concussive wave that can knock back attackers. This shriek is a lot less dangerous, but can be used more often. It is used mainly to blast obstacles out of their way, or to disorient foes so they can finish them off with their tendrils. This stage of their lives only occur when buried Mandrakes experience prolonged periods of stress. This can be from changes in their environment, constant attacks on their buried clusters or even from surges in energy. Whatever the cause, it will activate select Mandrakes who will undergo metamorphosis into these large mobile forms. They will then attack the causes of their distress, and spend their lives defending their buried brethren. In times of calm, these mobile forms will gather pollen from the others in order to grow seeds that are then spread about. Seeding the earth for another generation of Mandrakes.

Mandrakes are famous for their screams, but are more legendary for their roles as ingredients. Mandrake leaf and root are critical in certain potions and brews. Their tuber bodies are often cooked up in a variety of ways in order to create a wide range of dishes. The taste of Mandrake is similar to potato, but contains a sharper flavor and more fibrous texture. For ingredients and cooking supplies, only buried Mandrakes are good. The mobile versions are too tough and flavorless to be consumed, which also makes them useless for potion making. The only ingredient that can be harvested from a mobile version is their head leaves, which are used only for potions. Something concentrates in those leaves, which makes them valuable for a very specific set of potions. Since these leaves are only used for a select few potions and how hard they are to obtain, many brewers don't bother.

Due to their appearances, many see buried Mandrakes as baby-like creatures. Their cries and screams help fit that profile. Though a buried Mandrake may be years old, most people keep seeing them as veggie babies. This causes some issues when it comes to Mandrakes and Dryad saplings. After the seed of a Dryad has been regurgitated, the parents then bury them in soil so that the sapling can form underground. The child will form a sprout from the top of their head that will stick out of the soil and absorb sunlight. This sprout is lost when the child emerges from the ground, much like an umbilical cord. During this buried gestation process, Dryad saplings have been mistaken as Mandrakes. People see the sprouts, and then dig into the soil to see a child-like form. Those who are too boneheaded to notice the differences in leaf shape will believe it is a Mandrake. This leads to moments where they will try to uproot it in order to use it as an ingredient, which can kill the sapling if they are too young and undeveloped. This has led to Dryad parents holding watches over their developing saplings, with a parent or friend keeping watch at all times so that they are not uprooted. These watches and mistakes, however, are starting to become less common. Dryads these days have found that their seeds can be grown in large pots of soil at home. This makes the sapling easier to protect and take care of. As time goes on, fewer and fewer saplings are gestating out in the wilds, and are instead being grown at home, or at specialized facilities.

Even with that, though, there have been stories of people (idiots) who even mistake newborn saplings as Mandrakes. Newborns have finished gestating and are now more like the "babies" humans have. Which means they are out of the soil, and most likely in a crib. How someone screws that up with a Mandrake, I have no idea. Some people have tried to reason that Dryad saplings cry a lot, just like a Mandrake, which is still dumb. Saplings cry because their stomachs are growing in, which sounds WAY different than a screaming plant that is trying to kill someone. I personally think these "mistakes" are more like excuses when someone is caught trying to steal a Dryad sapling. Just some blubbered excuse/plea before they get an arrow through the skull. Tips for all you Mandrake hunters out there: If it is in a crib, in someone's house, it's a safe bet that it isn't a Mandrake. Please get off their property.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian