Excerpt from the Royal Bestiary
Miasma Pod
Classification: Plant
Diet: Meat
Lifespan: 20 years
The Miasma Pod is a carnivorous plant that grows in the toxic swamps of Palnev. Their body consists of a translucent, spotty, spherical bulb with an average diameter of three feet. On top of this bulb is a “vent” which expels gas. Miasma Pods have incredibly long roots which extend out of the ground.
Miasma Pods absorb toxins from the soil and mud that they grow in. They use these toxins to generate a poisonous gas which builds up inside the translucent pod and is expelled through the vent on top. This gas is colorless, has a sickly sweet smell, and causes numbness, disorientation, and memory loss when inhaled in lower levels. Higher levels of the substance, such as concentrations found within approximately 5 meters of a Miasma Pod, cause the organs of nearly any form of complex life to shut down, leading to death within one to five minutes of exposure. The combination of the sweet smell and the disorientation caused by lower levels of exposure leads most creatures affected to seek out the source of the smell, resulting in their death. The roots of the Miasma Bulb will then extend through the ground and into the corpse, drawing out nutrients from the body.
The toxic gas that the Miasma Pod produces is routinely harvested by specialized groups for use in medicine, due to its anesthetic properties. It is also sometimes harvested by unlicensed groups for use as a recreational drug, though this is highly illegal and dangerous.
Miasma Pods reproduce by expelling both pollen and fertilized spores in the toxic gas that they create. Fertilized spores will only take root and grow if they are inhaled by a living creature, and will use the creature’s body for nutrients. If the creature is not killed by the toxic gas the spores were in, they will die from the spores if not given medical treatment.
When traveling the swamps of Palnev, it is essential to prepare for the fumes given off by Miasma pods. Ways this can be accomplished include air purification magic, Dwarven rebreathers, and anti-breath potions. Simple face masks can help in a pinch, but are not recommended unless you have no alternatives. If you are somehow left in a swamp without proper protection, the most important tip in avoiding succumbing to Miasma Pods is to keep your wits about you. If you smell something sweet, turn the other way. The same goes if you find an area with an unusually high amount of corpses or skeletons. You should also make sure to stay away from any exposed roots or spherical-looking plants.