Name: Bitebark (Arbor proiectum) AKA: Nature’s Mortar, Cocaine Cannon Description: ‘Bitebark’ is a type of ‘tree’ native to Olympus primarily found in the swamps around Skrad, but occasionally carefully cultivated and managed on other parts of the planet- but generally not found in other systems. It is notable for its tough, rigid exterior and the presence of highly volatile gasses in its base. The result is the occasional air-burst ‘mortar-like’ pods being launched at high velocities into the sky, where they explode and disperse either seeds or pollen. The pods themselves are grown from flowers at the mouth of the trunk, where the weight of a growing pod eventually reaches the point where they drop down into the pod sac. The pod sac contains stabilizing compounds which prevent pods from detonating while they are still within the tree. The ‘mouth’ of the tree from which the trunk comes out contains a ball-pivot, allowing the trunk to change directions and ‘aim.’ The aim naturally is guided towards the point of most sunlight, increasing the odds of a pod avoiding foliage of other plants and being able to spread. The ‘seed’ pods are grown and launched whenever pollination levels are sufficiently high. The ‘pollen’ pods are grown and launched when pollen levels are low. While these controls are technically season independent and will vary from location to location, local ecosystems tend to match on a set ‘seed’ and ‘pollen’ cycle, making allergies particularly vicious after seed season is done. The seeds themselves are coated in a sharp, hardened material. When the pod detonates, they fly out in all directions from the air, occasionally reaching speeds as high as 500 meters per second- resulting in a secondary ‘pop’ after the pod explosion as they breach the sound barrier. Generally, they are traveling much slower by the time they reach the ground, but it is not uncommon to see dead birds with seeds embedded in them during seed season. Behavior: Like many other trees, the bitebark is a sedentary creature with a long life cycle. Once it has grown to the adult stage (seen above) it will fire off shells according to pollen levels. Due to the consistent warm climate of Olympus, it does not have any sort of ‘fall’ behaviors. Tamability: It is possible to domesticate bitebark, as some Olympian floran tribes have. This is done by manually controlling the pollen levels with the assistance of a greenfinger, and extracting pods before they are launched. Sometimes, the launch gasses are intentionally vented or collected by digging under the tree and accessing the gas gland, allowing for safer harvesting of pods. Some tribes utilize the bitebark as an artillery piece, artificially triggering the firing with loaded seed pods, or even other munitions. Though it is stationary, it is possible to extract components to build more mobile artillery as well. That is to say, by butchering the bitebark and using its body, while using more stationary units to grow ammunition. Where is it found?: Olympus, particularly in the swamps near Skrad. Some variants exist on other parts of the planet, but are not nearly as numerous or successful. Rarity: Common around Skrad on Olympus, Rare elsewhere on Olympus, extremely rare off Olympus- the planet it is native to. Diet/Method of gaining nutrients and energy: Bitebark gains nutrition primarily from siphoning it from the soil and other nearby plants. The root system of bitebark is not very deep, but is very wide, and often digs into other trees and plants nearby, as well as tapping into local mycelium networks. This is a type of parasitism, as it gives nothing back and operates on a ‘greedy’ game theory. The secondary benefit of this behavior is the increased likelihood that nearby trees will not be able to grow over the bitebark, allowing a better line of sight to the sky. Products?: There are three sources of product in bitebark: seed pods, pollen pods, and gas glands. The most common product is bitebark coffee, a blend made from pollen pods. The pollen itself contains caffeine content, and when concentrated is able to produce a remarkably strong brew. The thing that really sets bitebark coffee apart is the container it is generally prepared in. The volatile chemicals which allow the pods to burst contain a powerful cocktail of amphetamines, and bitebark coffee makes use of these. It’s a slightly addictive more coffee with quite the kick! The seed pod contains a higher concentration of volatile chemicals that generally makes it more difficult and dangerous to extract the amphetamines from it. Instead, the seeds are used for tools, arts, and other crafts. A de-seeded seed pod is essentially an unstable bomb the size of a basketball, and can be utilized for that purpose. It is possible to inject other chemicals into the ‘bomb’ to stabilize it, at which point it can be rigged up as an IED. The gas glands can be used as natural gas sources for various power and fuel purposes. If inhaled, it induces a mild euphoria, but given how easily ignited it is, it is not generally consumed for recreational purposes outside of Olympian tribes. It can be harvested and used to create IEDs without the need for a stabilizing component like seed pods require. Reproduction: The two types of pods are used to reproduce. Airburst seed pods spread seeds, which grow in fertile ground. Enough seeds are spread that some are bound to land. Pollen pods spread pollen, which fertilizes flowers and controls the general pod cycle of the bitebark. Size: About the size of a tree, just with no branches or foliage. Weight: Varies by tree. They weigh as much as trees, depending on how much they’re uprooted. The seed pods weigh 10 to 20 kg. Lifespan: Very long lifespan. Like trees! It takes 10-20 years before a bitebark is old enough to fire its own pods. Abilities: It’s an all-natural mortar system that aims at bright lights. Flaws: The slick trunk occasionally has creatures fall into it. They often cannot escape, and rot, giving it a nasty scent. If enough fall in, then it can fail to fire, leading to a failure much like a gun exploding. The gas glands can be burrowed into, and some creatures opt to lay eggs in this safe spot. Others are able to siphon nutrition from the pods by punching through the shells and sucking out the inner juices!
