An assassin vine was a type of carnivorous plant found in varieties both above and below the surface.[2]
Description[]
A single specimen usually consisted of a 20 feet (6.1 meters) main branch as thick as a human's forearm. Smaller vines up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) extended from the main branch and bore clusters of grape-like berries. The bark was stringy. The leaves of an assassin vine were distinct in their asymmetric five-pointed shapes, which resembled a hand.[2]
The plants were tougher than usual and were resistant to burning or freezing. Electricity did not harm them at all.[2]
Assassin vines could move along the ground but very slowly.[2]
Variants[]
A related plant was also found in the Underdark. These varieties had thinner stems and gray leaves with brown, silver, or white veins. Since they could not make energy from the sun, they required a source of thermal energy and would usually generate enough offal to also support colonies of subterranean fungi in a symbiotic relationship.[2]
Ecology[]
Assassin vines would absorb nutrients from decaying matter into their roots. Being carnivorous plants, they would lie in wait until they sensed motion and would snap out and entangle prey, strangling it to death.[2]
The vines produced fruit in late summer.[2]
Habitats[]
The Ardeep Forest east of Waterdeep contained a population of assassin vines.[3] They were also present in large numbers in the Flooded Forest between the Vast and the Moonsea.[4] And they potentially grew in the Vast Swamp.[5]
In the Shining South they could be found in the Forest of Amtar, Halruaa, Luiren, the Lluirwood, the Great Swamp of Rethild, and the Toadsquat Mountains.[6] They occasionally grew in Chondalwood.[7]
Beyond the Prime Material plane, assassin vines could be found in Plane of Shadow in the Vast Swamp's counterpart, the Shadow Swamp.[8]
Myconids in the Lowerdark city of Fluvenilstra kept a defense of subterranean assassin vines, in addition to other plant creatures.[9]
Usages[]
The fruit of an assassin vine was tough and bitter, but it could be turned into a strong wine.[2]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Dungeon #113, "Practical Magic" • Tomb of Annihilation
- Novels
- An Opportunity for Profit
- Video Games
- Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation • Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms
- Board Games
- Tomb of Annihilation
- Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
- Assault on Myth Nantar • Sleeping Dragon's Wake • In the Garden of Evil
Reference[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 213. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (2006-05-03). Environs of Waterdeep (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for City of Splendors: Waterdeep. Wizards of the Coast. p. 4. Archived from the original on 2016-08-16. Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 159, 297. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan, Matthew Sernett, James Wyatt (March 2007). Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 39. ISBN 978-0-7869-4119-3.
- ↑ Thomas Reid (October 2004). Shining South. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 84, 86–90. ISBN 0-7869-3492-1.
- ↑ Thomas Reid (October 2004). Shining South. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 176. ISBN 0-7869-3492-1.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan, Matthew Sernett, James Wyatt (March 2007). Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 79. ISBN 978-0-7869-4119-3.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.