Mantrap

Mantraps were a very rare, large species of carnivorous plants  related to the venus flytrap.

Description
The mantrap was a large bush with towering stalks of purple colored blossoms and huge green leaves that hung close to the ground. Some described them as looking like oversized venus flytraps.

Behavior
These plants lacked any form of sentience.

Abilities
During daylight hours a mantrap would continuously released pollen, out to a radius of or. The odor of this pollen magically entranced creatures, making them deeply fascinated by it and compelled to walk towards the mantrap. This effect of their pollen took roughly twenty-four hours to wear off, though they could be counteracted by the fumes produced from burning a mantrap.

These plants were capable of a small degree of mobility.

Combat
Creatures attracted to the odor of a mantrap's pollen would voluntarily climb on to one of its large leaves, which would then snap around and firmly entrap them like the jaws of a beast. These leaf traps could only engulf one creature at a time. The victims inside them were thoroughly blinded and restrained, unable to escape or be pulled free unless the plant itself was destroyed. While stuck inside them, the leaf traps of this plant slowly digested their prey with acidic secretions.

History
An evil mage in eastern Scardale once raised a group of skeletons to work as farmhands at the gardens of his estate, harvesting crops that partially consisted of bizarre strains of mantraps and strangle weeds. Long after the mage passed away, his skeletons continued harvesting these crops well into the 14 century DR.

In the 15 century DR, mantraps were known to have taken over the northeastern parts of the great garden of Nangalore, where they grew on the terraces overlooking its main concourse.

Ecology
These plants were often found in pairs and were most dangerous during daylight hours.

Diet
Mantraps were a carnivorous species of plant, though their most preferred prey were humanoids.

Habitats
Mantraps were typically found in forests or on hills of regions with a tropical climate, such as the jungles of Chult and its shore Snapping Turtle Bay. Though they could occasionally be found in the forest of Cormanthor and much of the North, such as in the greenhouse of Bard Keep.

Beyond Toril, this species of carnivorous plant could be found on the planets of Krynn and Oerth.

Usages
Because of the overwhelming effect the scent of their nectar had, some were known to use it as an ingredient if philters of love. Though it was not a popular choice among alchemists due to the risks involved in searching for mantraps.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Dungeon #29, "Ex Libris" • Tomb of Annihilation
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Whispers in the Dark