Mannoq Beast Creature 11

The famously inhospitable swamps of the planet Rodnarth are subject to a variety of extreme weather events, from the sulfur-filled waterways igniting in flash firestorms to invisible deposits of lethal gases.

The flora and fauna of Rodnarth have adapted to be similarly extreme. The mannoq beast (Rodnarthian for “fire eater”) is one such example. Mannoq beasts are plantlike creatures that have evolved to feed on the swamps’ frequent firestorms and repurpose the resulting chemicals into their sap and fruits. Their violent method of reproduction is often misconstrued as aggression: instead of encouraging animals to eat their fruit to spread seeds, mannoq beasts launch explosive fruit whenever they detect motion. Upon striking a target, the plum-like fruit bursts into caustic, sticky sap. As the victim attempts to flee, the seeds held within the sap gradually fall off and germinate.

Though they’ve shown some rudimentary capacity for understanding language, only the bravest (or luckiest) naturalists have made any progress forming an accord with these creatures, most often in the form of trading chemical nutrients for the chance to pick their fruit in peace.