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  * Power of Plants 
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  Today’s Heads Up
  * Attached is an excerpt of Dr. 
  David Wright’s continued work, 
  The World to Come, categorizing 
  Awakened plants and animals. Joining 
  him in this work is parabotanist Dr. Justin 
  Bogue. This document is mainly from Dr. 
  Bogue’s travels and it’s an interesting read about the greener side of our Awakened world. Both 
  Dr. Wright and Dr. Bogue are protégés of the famous parabiologist, Dr. Paterson, who brought us 
  Paranormal Animals of North America. Even if you weren’t good in biology class, check this out—
  there’s information all of us can use. I hope to get the rest of Dr. Wright’s parazoology section of the 
  book posted at some point, but there’s a backlog of other stuff. Enjoy. —FastJack
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  resulted from eating Lightning’s krill snacks. Link
  * UK’s Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh is the ﬁ rst to display an austas koks. Security has been 
  tightened around this golden specimen. Link
  * Protestors lobbied again for the ﬁ fth straight day in Los Angles to legalize the purchase the yann 
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  “Eat your vegetables, before they eat you.”
  
  3
  PARANORMAL PLANTS
  PARANORMAL PLANTS
  From The World to Come
  by Dr. Justin Bogue and Dr. David Wright
  It took ten thousand years of domestication for humans to create 
  the vast biodiversity in our food supply. In a span of two hundred 
  years we’ve squandered it all. An international study in 1983 com-
  pared the seed varieties then to those sold in 1903, and it found that 
  93 percent of the species had gone extinct. Today, that percentage is 
  at 97, and there are fewer than ten varieties of any given commercial 
  fruit or vegetable. T e focus and dependency on high-yield varieties 
  have led us to genetically weaker crops. UG99, BXW, NRO16, and 
  Phyto2010 are the code names of some of the fast-mutating funguses 
  and diseases that have devastated crop production in every agricultural 
  staple across the globe. On top of this, industrial pollution and the 
  plowing under of natural habitats to make way for factories, mines and 
  sprawls have taken their toll. Wars were fought over agricultural land 
  as governments tried to feed their people. Dust storms, heavy metal 
  runof , and pest swarms became frequent. By 1999, global tempera-
  tures had risen two degrees, and every agricultural region had to deal 
  with heat waves, droughts, and/or f ooding. T ose staple varieties that 
  remain are greenhouse controlled and/or heavily modif ed to produce 
  a variety of nutrients or survive harsher environments since there’s 
  not enough traditionally fertile growing space to meet humanity’s 
  consumption needs. T is is why we pay such a high price for “real 
  food”—there simply is not enough to go around. Soy’s dominance 
  as one of the cheap vegetarian staples came about through corporate 
  choice rather than survival of the f ttest. Soybeans were the most 
  ef  cient and prof table super-yielding crop, and the thinking that led 
  to the soybean becoming a leading food source is the same industrial 
  methodology that put us in this predicament.  Generations have been 
  weaned upon “Nutrisoy” and other corporate labeled varieties of soy. 
  T e convenience of a soy processor and its creation of variety of f avors 
  and textures have lef  many ignorant of the real f avors and nutrition 
  they are missing. 
  Since the Awakening, new and unusual plant species have been 
  discovered. T rough much experimentation and review of books such 
  as Pliny’s Natural History and the Ebers Papyrus, parabotanists are 
  validating some of the mythical claims of plants that were previously 
  dismissed by mundane science. T e relationship of plants and ancient 
  cultures were rediscovered in magical potions, poultices, and paints. 
  A whole new world of magical reagents as well as the beauty of these 
  new plants has been trickling into mainstream talismongering and 
  commercialism.
  T e point is that while people “oohed” and “aahed” over dragons 
  and trolls, no one paid much attention to changes in vegetation. What 
  I present here is the new f ora of our world, whether magical or engi-
  neered to match previously published descriptions of fauna species. 
  > I think the reaction to dragons was more “AAAAGH!” than “ooh.”
  > Slamm-0!
  
  4
  AUSTRAS KOKS
  AUSTRAS KOKS
  Sorbus illuferris
  Austras koks, also known as the Tree of the East, is an extremely 
  rare species of plant capable of not only photosynthesis but also 
  lithotrophy. Legends state that austras koks leaves are silver, their 
  branches are gold, and roots are copper, but the reality is that this 
  primeval tree bioleaches many minerals for energy. Concentrations 
  of iron, copper, zinc, lead, arsenic, antimony, nickel, molybdenum, 
  gold, silver, and cobalt can be found in various specimens of this tree, 
  depending on the soil. T e austras koks incorporates these metals in its 
  growth, depositing them in the cellulose. T is makes the tree dif  cult 
  to cut into, and the metal content also means that the sap of this tree 
  is a poisonous insecticide. 
  T e roots of the austras koks push deep into the ground, sometimes 
  as far as one hundred meters, with many small rootlets. At these depths, 
  some of the respired oxygen and water commence the chemical process 
  to break down the stone. If the tree is one of the few that absorbs some 
  gold or silver, it deposits those metals into the leaves, which then glow 
  and f ash in metallic shades ranging from red to yellow. 
  It’s possible that these trees could be used to clean up sites where 
  heavy metals have contaminated the ground, but there are several 
  problems. One is that experiments have indicated that pollution 
  concentrations are generally more than austras koks can handle and 
  they end up killing the roots. Second, the extreme rarity of the tree 
  makes it hard to f nd. T ird, it’s metabolism is slow, and it takes 
  decades to absorb minerals in high enough concentration to be of any 
  value to a mining operation.
  While the metals the tree gathers are not easily harvested, they 
  can make the tree dangerous, especially if it absorbs arsenic or lead. To 
  date, rarity of the tree has prevented further testing or engineering of 
  a heartier or faster version of the austras koks. T is rarity and various 
  unique properties make it a valuable tree, and shipping and smuggling 
  of the tree has already been observed.
  > It shouldn’t be that hard to ﬁ nd a glowing tree in the woods.
  > Slamm-0!
  > Its glow mirrors the sun’s rising and setting. By nightfall it’s glow is “dead,” 
  ready to be renewed by the next rising of the sun. 
  > Lyran
  > So it’s a solar powered ﬂ ashlight. How useful. 
  > Slamm-0!
  > The problem actually is that it’s too useful. The biological properties of the tree 
  make it worth studying for low-grade ore extraction. The variety of metals that this 
  tree can absorb is extraordinary, and if science can ﬁ gure out a way to duplicate 
  what it does, it could help mining processes. Then you have the fact that parts of 
  the tree, including its sap, can be used in fetishes, foci, and wands. When one of 
  these is located, it becomes a battleground for competing interests.
  > Ecotope
  > What is it with the wands? I thought mages can just stare at you and you’d 
  burst into ﬂ ames?
  > 2XL
  > Not everyone has a strong enough belief to channel magic. Some need a physi-
  cal device to help them focus their energies. Items such as an austras wand turn 
  a handicap like that into an advantage.
  > Winterhawk
  4
  AUSTRAS KOKS
  AUSTRAS KOKS
  AUSTRAS KOKS
  AUSTRAS KOKS
  Habitat: Wetlands, along rivers and mineral deposits in mountainous 
  regions.
  Range: Eastern Europe (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Konigsberg); 
  located on one of four rivers, the Daugava, Kurzeme, Vidzeme, 
  or Latgale.
  Frequency: Extremely rare
  Plant Type: Tree
  Description: Eight- to ten-meters-tall deciduous tree with small, soft, 
  oval leaves that are usually red to yellow in color and glowing. The 
  bark is rough with varying shades of blue or green.
  Usage: All components of the tree can be used in making both fetishes 
  and foci. Wands made of austras koks branches (coated with a 
  silver stain made from its sap) are in demand. Rural tanners use 
  the sap in the tanning of animal hides into vellum. This vellum 
  can be used in magically binding contracts or as a preparation 
  for manuscripts. Older trees can also be burned and the mineral 
  contents smelted for a few kilos of various minerals.
  Availability: 25F
  Powers: Hardened Armor
  Qualities: Bioluminescence, Poisonous
  Notes: An austras koks contains its Body Rating (not including Force) 
  in kilograms of metals.  It should be divided between various local 
  metals, with copper and iron being the most common elements.
  Sorbus illuferris
  Austras koks, also known as the Tree of the East, is an extremely 
  rare species of plant capable of not only photosynthesis but also 
  lithotrophy. Legends state that austras koks leaves are silver, their 
  branches are gold, and roots are copper, but the reality is that this 
  primeval tree bioleaches many minerals for energy. Concentrations 
  of iron, copper, zinc, lead, arsenic, antimony, nickel, molybdenum, 
  gold, silver, and cobalt can be found in various specimens of this tree, 
  PARABOTANY
  
  5
  BLACK MANA ORCHID
  BLACK MANA ORCHID
  Coelogyne manangre 
  T e black mana orchid is a new species found in the jungles of 
  Central America. Closely resembling the mundane black magic hybrid 
  orchid, the black mana orchid is believed to be the closest species to 
  the fabled and elusive black orchid much sought af er by parabotanists. 
  After the discovery of the black mana orchid, pharmacologists 
  exploring its ecology found colonies of ants feeding on the f ower’s 
  nectar. Once the ants feasted, they exhibited bizarre behavior, building 
  amazingly complex geometrical patterns in trees and their colony 
  hills in manic displays of hyperactivity. Scores of ants create shapes 
  by chewing leaves and bark while also arranging dirt into precise 
  patterns. T en, abruptly, they die. It is unclear if the liquid is a defense 
  mechanism, and the signif cance of the geometry created by the ants 
  is unclear. T e nectar of the black mana orchid has been extracted 
  and ref ned into the street drug known as overdrive. Overdrive is an 
  organic compound that stimulates neural receptors and the analytical 
  lef  part of the brain. A few hydroponic labs illegally grow black mana 
  orchids on the North American West Coast for overdrive production, 
  especially in Cal Free State.
  > So that’s where it comes from. I wonder how they ﬁ gure these things out. 
  > Sticks
  > I would have said it’s from explorers getting word of mouth from the indigenous 
  population that’s been using it for centuries, but you can’t say that now. Like 
  the writer said, a majority of their ﬁ ndings come from going back to older 
  books to reevaluate their content. In this case, you have probably sixty years 
  of experimentation by everyone and their brother running around in Central 
  America, seeing the crazy ant shapes, ﬁ guring out what loco juice the ants are 
  drinking, and getting them to share.
  > Clockwork
  > So what’s this legendary black orchid?
  > Netcat
  > Most black orchids are not truly black; they are slightly red or blue. That 
  particular orchid is so black, even astrally, that mana level drops off into a micro 
  void. Supposedly it’s a breathtaking sight to perceive. 
  > Winterhawk
  Habitat: Branches of trees in jungles
  Range: Central America
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Flower
  Description: Ten centimeters tall with three narrow, black, blade-like 
  petals and three shorter, dark maroon petals offset from them. 
  Usage: An extract of the sap from the rhizomes (root system) can 
  be puriﬁ ed and manufactured into the drug overdrive. Special 
  hydroponics are needed to simulate the high UV, precipitation, 
  and nutrient conditions the black mana orchid requires to grow 
  artiﬁ cially.
  Availability: 18F
  Powers: Poisonous (see overdrive, p. 77 Arsenal)
  
  6
  BRAZILIAN KIWI
  BRAZILIAN KIWI
  Actinidia Dunkelzanii
  Following the execution of Dunkelzahn’s Will in the late ‘50s, 
  expeditions searching for the Brazilian kiwi erupted, with corpora-
  tions sending teams into the Amazonian jungle in search of the fruit. 
  In an attempt to claim the f nancial reward from cultivating the 
  Brazilian kiwi outside its native environment, several corporations 
  harvested samples of the species for immediate research. Sun Temple 
  Agriculture and Starf eld Botanical Engineering were the f rst to collect 
  enough to attempt cultivation in 2066. It wasn’t until 2070 that Sun 
  Temple Agriculture claimed success, but before their f ndings could 
  be published, all samples and data were destroyed when the research 
  facility was bombed during the onset of the Amazonia/Aztlan War. 
  Starf eld Botanical Engineering has made great progress in determining 
  soil conditions for growing Brazilian kiwi, and they also initiated an 
  intensive study of the fruit (which informed my research). T e seeds 
  were improperly stored during experimentation, however, and mold 
  destroyed them, halting their research. Starf eld Botanical Engineering 
  has expressed the desire to send excursions into Amazonia to gather 
  additional specimens in spite of the war.
  In addition to the hazards of the Amazon jungle and the ongo-
  ing conf ict, the Brazilian kiwi has another obstacle to be overcome 
  by those wishing to collect samples. Many Brazilian kiwi plants have 
  been infested with the spider-beast, Nephila gigantus. T e spider-beast 
  prefers to nest in the Brazilian kiwi over other plants and incubates 
  their larvae in its hanging fruits.
  Starf eld Botanical Engineering f ndings on the Brazilian kiwi 
  indicate the fruit contains a high amount of vitamins and minerals as 
  well as bizarre hallucinogenic properties. Reports have claimed that the 
  hallucinogens do not seem to work by psychoactive ef ects alone and 
  may be magical manifestations.
  > Has anyone ﬁ gured out why Dunkelzahn was so interested in this kiwi?
  > 2XL
  > I heard it held the secret of immortality—a forever drug.
  > Plan 9
  > Yeah, I don’t see that being the case. The author talks how inconclusive the 
  studies have been, so no one really knows what it can do yet.
  > Lyran
  > You think they’d tell anyone if they had a drug giving them immortality? And 
  you probably think those setbacks were real. 
  > Plan 9
  > I already know one of them was real. I helped ﬁ rebomb the Sun Temple lab.
  > Ecotope
  > But was destroying the kiwis your target, or did you just want to ﬁ rebomb the 
  place? Were you actively trying to interrupt the research, or were you being 
  planted to be a convenient excuse for a research delay?
  > Plan 9
  > I’ve heard of a dozen excursions packing up for the Amazon after the monsoon 
  season whether they have the proper permits or not. High pay, high risk with 
  various positions open, mainly protection.
  > Black Mamba
  6
  BRAZILIAN KIWI
  BRAZILIAN KIWI
  6
  BRAZILIAN KIWI
  BRAZILIAN KIWI
  6
  BRAZILIAN KIWI
  BRAZILIAN KIWI
  Habitat:  Tropical rainforest at more than 1,000 meters altitude
  Range: Eastern Amazonia 
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Bush
  Description: The Brazilian kiwi is a thick, woody vine/climbing shrub that 
  can reach ten meters in length. On mature branches, the plant dis-
  plays leaves that are generally about ﬁ fteen centimeters long, oval in 
  shape, and dark green in color. Greener branches have red variegated 
  heart-shaped leaves. It is part of the family of actinidia, but not an 
  Awakened variant of the Actinidia deliciosa (kiwi fruit). Flowers are ﬁ ve 
  centimeters in diameter, cream colored, with a heavy strawberry-like 
  fragrance. They grow in umbels from one to three ﬂ owers. The fruit of 
  the Brazilian kiwi is ovoid shape, up to eight centimeters long and six 
  centimeters in diameter. It is dark blue, leathery in texture, with a fuzzy 
  hair-like coating. The Brazilian kiwi is an aggregate fruit, like a straw-
  berry, which gives this fruit a scale pattern. The fruit is likewise blue in 
  color with few seeds, most averaging three millimeters in diameter. 
  Usage: Investigations of the Brazilian kiwi are ongoing to determine their 
  importance to Dunkelzahn. Starﬁ eld Botanical’s impending release is 
  expected to reveal more information.
  Availability: n/a
  Actinidia Dunkelzanii
  Following the execution of Dunkelzahn’s Will in the late ‘50s, 
  expeditions searching for the Brazilian kiwi erupted, with corpora-
  tions sending teams into the Amazonian jungle in search of the fruit. 
  In an attempt to claim the f nancial reward from cultivating the 
  Brazilian kiwi outside its native environment, several corporations 
  harvested samples of the species for immediate research. Sun Temple 
  Agriculture and Starf eld Botanical Engineering were the f rst to collect 
  PARABOTANY
  
  7
  CHIMERA TREE
  CHIMERA TREE
  Betula durate
  Chimera tree fruit has a naturally unappealing look and taste, 
  but fruit-eaters are enticed by a full sensory illusion that conceals 
  that truth. Sentient creatures are fooled by this illusion and are the 
  preferred targets of the fruit’s trickery. Appealing to metahumans with 
  tranquility, comfort, and a sense of well-being, the seemingly delicious 
  fruit is consumed with euphoria. Victims may gorge themselves on 
  several before feeling sated and then wandering of . Hours later, victims 
  realize that the f esh of the fruit contained a strong diuretic. Seeds of 
  the fruit are indigestible and pass quickly through victims’ systems, and 
  they are eventually deposited wherever the urge to evacuate abruptly 
  strikes. Chimera seeds are hardy and have been known to be viable af er 
  passing through sewage treatment plants. New plants sprout in a few 
  months depending on water and soil content. T e chimera is a robust 
  tree able to survive in drought environments thanks to long roots that 
  can gather nutrients with both breadth and depth. T e most prevalent 
  locations of groves of chimera trees are near storm and sewage drains.
  Habitat: Rural f elds and urban parks
  > Manhattan’s Central Park is overrun with this weedy tree. I don’t know if they 
  were planted there by local herb shops or what. The park also has a variety of 
  wild herbs growing here and there. At a distance you can see how dead the 
  chimera tree looks in comparison. The people I’ve seen eat the fruit look desper-
  ate for food anyways so it’s no surprise that it propagates well.
  > Pistons
  > Shiawase work overtime to keep the park clean of the various weeds and gar-
  dens for all visitors, but the people they hired can’t tell the difference between 
  poison oak and fern. Some of them may be bribed to overlook herb gardens in 
  the park.
  > Ecotope
  Range: Global
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Tree
  Identiﬁ cation: This tree appears mostly dead with peeling, brown, 
  parchment-like bark, and yellowing leaves during the fall and 
  winter. In the spring and summer it grows large, toothed leaves. 
  It produces lightly sweet fragrant, star shaped ﬂ owers, which 
  become brown, pear shaped fruit that have a bland to bitter 
  taste. Chimera trees can grow to approximately two to three 
  meters in height, occasionally developing multiple trunks.
  Usage: Chimera fruit is sold as a cheap homeopathic laxative in some 
  stores
  Availability: 4
  Powers: Fey Glamour, Poisonous (Diuretic)
  
  8
  CRIMSON ORCHID
  CRIMSON ORCHID
  Dipladenia oncidium
  Crowning tropical canopies of Southeast Asia is the magnif -
  cent crimson orchid. High in the trees, the dazzling red and orange 
  petals of the orchid conceal a devious mechanism of survival. Heat 
  in excess of 40 degrees Celsius radiates from the front of the f ower, 
  wilting plants and leaves that would block its access to sunlight. 
  Insects unfortunate enough to loiter in this slow-cooking heat die 
  from exposure, and their remains become nutrients absorbed by the 
  orchids’ broad leaves below the f ower. T is constant heat also deters 
  animals from disturbing the orchid by making prolonged exposure 
  uncomfortable. 
  Its distinctive red pollen is dual natured, attracting many dual-
  natured insects. Only Dante’s bees can stand the heat to pollinate it. In 
  recent years, crimson orchid has been the subject of vicious Triad wars 
  in the Golden Triangle. 
  > Triad farms of crimson orchids are easily seen from thermal satellite imagery. 
  Most don’t try to hide the farms because of the expense of putting in thermal 
  shielding.
  > Orbital DK
  > This also makes the war over the orchid quite easy. Just ﬁ re heat-guided rockets 
  in the direction of the farm.
  > Marcos
  Habitat: Tropical canopy above forty meters
  Range: SouteEast Asia
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Flower
  Description: Crimson orchid leaves are large and orbicular with glossy bronze 
  or gold veining. It grows one ﬂ ower, with three outer sepals that have 
  light-red coloration and three inner petals that are a darker red. They all 
  curl to form a parabolic shape with either the lower petal or the anther, 
  with pollen serving as the focal point of the shape. 
  Usage: The red pollen from crimson orchids is a dopamine agonist that over-
  stimulates dopamine neurons. Red pollen can create schizophrenia-like 
  symptoms in individuals exposed to it. When combined with opiates 
  such as bliss or heroin, it ampliﬁ es the narcotic properties of the drug. 
  The street name of the red pollen and opiate drug combination is also 
  named after the orchid (p. 76, Arsenal). 
  Availability: 18F
  Powers: Duel natured, Elemental Aura (Heat)
  THE TOP FIVE LEADING BOTANICAL GARDENS 
  TO SEE AWAKENED AND EXOTIC PLANTS
  1. Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, Cape Town, Azania: Covering a broad expanse 
  of Cape Town in the Azania confederation, Kirstenbosch is the leading botanical 
  and parabotanical garden in the world. It includes numerous connected gardens 
  with biospheres. The latest addition is an Awakened butterﬂ y garden with 
  associated parabotanical species.
  2. Cara’Sir Botanical Gardens, Tír Tairngire: The largest parabotanical garden 
  display in North America, Cara’Sir has a tidal tank to display Awakened seaweed 
  and corals.
  3. Royal Botanical Garden, Edinburgh, United Kingdom: While not the largest, 
  it is one of the oldest, being founded in 1670. All four sites of the garden had 
  paranormal manifestations, and they eventually expanded to a ﬁ fth garden to 
  house the more dangerous specimens for the safety of the touring population.
  4. Singapore Botanic Garden, Malaysia: This garden contains well over a 
  thousand natural and hybrid orchids and twenty-ﬁ ve Awakened varieties. It 
  also encompasses a two acre pristine rainforest with naturally Awakened ﬂ ora 
  and fauna.
  5. San Diego Botanical Gardens and Safari Park expansion, Aztlan: The San 
  Diego gardens were the ﬁ rst to display the walking banana tree and some other 
  unusual parabotanical species
  Dipladenia oncidium
  Crowning tropical canopies of Southeast Asia is the magnif -
  cent crimson orchid. High in the trees, the dazzling red and orange 
  petals of the orchid conceal a devious mechanism of survival. Heat 
  in excess of 40 degrees Celsius radiates from the front of the f ower, 
  wilting plants and leaves that would block its access to sunlight. 
  Insects unfortunate enough to loiter in this slow-cooking heat die 
  from exposure, and their remains become nutrients absorbed by the 
  PARABOTANY
  
  9
  DEEPWEED
  DEEPWEED
  Nereocystis phoseana
  Deepweed was f rst discovered by independent soda ash manufac-
  turers processing kelp into water-sof ening additives (sodium carbon-
  ate). Workers found that inhaling the smoke from burning this new 
  kelp variant produced similar ef ects to a subject who smoked both 
  tobacco and marijuana. T e highly addictive qualities of the substance 
  dubbed “super-nicotine” found in deepweed, along with strong con-
  centrations of naturally synthesized THC-X, produced a debilitating 
  ef ect on kelp-harvesting crews, halting work due to the crew’s pursuit 
  of acquiring and smoking the intoxicant. Chemical analysis revealed 
  levels of THC and “super-nicotine” three times higher than non-
  bioengineered varieties of tobacco and cannabis. 
  Dr. Dante Ishikawa, studying the alchemical application of kelp, 
  discovered a tertiary ef ect of using deepweed. His research indicates 
  that smoking or chewing deepweed blades by a magically active sub-
  ject triggers an autonomic response from what he terms their “magus 
  system,” causing the subject to be dual-natured even if the subject 
  doesn’t have the knowledge to do so.
   In kelp forests where it is found, deepweed becomes the preferred 
  meal for predators such as kelp crabs, sea stars, urchins, and herbivo-
  rous f sh, which allows the kelp beds to f ourish. T e nicotine within 
  deepweed works as a poison to kill of  smaller predators. T e urchin’s 
  penchant for kelp yields a higher addiction rate than other predators, 
  exhibiting a will to travel greater distances under the drugs inf uence, 
  putting them at risk of being prey to others. Some urchin schools also 
  include Awakened varieties. As these Awakened urchin feed on deep-
  weed, they become temporarily dual-natured, making them easy targets 
  for Awakened forms of otters, eels, and other carnivorous predators 
  living in the ocean.
  > The kelp-harvesting corporations must have gotten wind of this when the crew 
  kept having the munchies and wiping out the roach coach.
  > Slamm-0!
  > For ﬁ sheries, having deepweed near harvest locations puts nicotine into the 
  food chain. That leads to some interesting effects in various places of the 
  chain—and it also draws the interest of drug cartels.
  > Ecotope
  > Talk about a new way to smoke your ﬁ sh.
  > Slamm-0!
  > Deepweed is the easiest drug to farm. Just drag a net behind you near a kelp bed 
  and pull. Then leave it all on deck to dry.
  > Kane
  > What about separating it from other kelp?
  > Ma’Fan
  > Who fucking cares. I don’t smoke it. If the drug cartel doesn’t want it, I’ll sell it 
  as nori.
  > Kane
  Habitat: Ocean ﬂ oor with a depth of up to 90 meters 
  Range: Gulf of Mexico 
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Algae
  Description: Deepweed is an Awakened species of seaweed; it has a 
  long dark green stem that can grow up to one hundred meters 
  in length. Twenty-centimeter-long blades (leaf-like structures) 
  grow to thirty centimeters or so in a spiral-like pattern around 
  the stem. Bulbs of gas form at the base of each blade to keep the 
  whole structure buoyant. It has an appearance similar to other 
  species of seaweed in a kelp forest. 
  Usage: Harvested deepweed is illegal in most counties due to its 
  Awakened drug properties when dried and smoked.
  Availability: 18F
  Powers: Poisonous (see deepweed, p. 257, SR4A)
  
  10
  DEVIL’S BREATH
  DEVIL’S BREATH
  Datuea Exaustica
  Devil’s breath is a large carnivorous, f owering plant that prefers 
  wet, tropical climates. Its roots grow partially above ground in tangled 
  knots with sharp, thorn-like protrusions. It kills of  competing plants 
  with an alkaline secretion. T is secretion leaches the soil of nutrients 
  that many other plants require. When stressed, the devil’s breath weeps 
  (through guttation) a hydrated version of the alkali from the f owers 
  with high concentrations of scopolamine, a powerful sedative. T e 
  f ower’s aroma can cause confusion in nearby animals and metahu-
  mans, and contact with the plant can render a subject unconscious. 
  Victims of the sedative fall onto the tangle of roots, which slowly con-
  strict and push runners through the victim, dissolving and absorbing 
  them to provide nutrients that the soil lacks. 
  > Nasty plants. Can’t tell you how many rich and famous idiots have one of these 
  in their garden because it has one of the largest ﬂ owering blooms only to have 
  it eat the family pet/servant. It says on the box, CAUTION: CARNIVEROUS. That’s 
  not a joke.
  > Kat o’ Nine Tales
  NOTES FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT ON EMERGENT PLANTS
  There have been several discussions on the possibility of plants capable of communicating with the Matrix. If e-animals exist, then why are e-plants so unlikely? There are 
  several species of mold that grow to enormous size and several square kilometers of trees with connecting roots that appear to have the potential of a network node (mimicking 
  a neural network), though there hasn’t been any noticeable reactive stimulus other than chemicals between individuals that can be measured. No wireless transmissions have 
  been heard from any of these plants either, but advances in optical organic technology may one day make it possible to grow a Matrix nexus. 
  > Soon your petunias will hack your house-bot to get themselves a drink of water!
  > Netcat
  > They’re not going to evolve any ability to interact from the Matrix until they can beneﬁ t from that interaction without needing to apply intelligence (since, you know, plants 
  don’t have any). Using the strength of Matrix signals to help them home in on where water or other resources might be is one possibility.
  > Ecotope
  Habitat: Tropical wet climate
  Range: Global
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Flower
  Description: Devil’s breath is an Awakened Datura metel and a member of 
  the nightshade family. It is a one- to two-meter-tall shrub with twenty-
  centimeter-tall upward pointing, cone shaped ﬂ owers. The ﬂ owers are 
  ten to twelve centimeters wide at the top and come in shades of indigo 
  and violet on ebony black stems 
  Usage: The devils breath can be used for security, but corporations generally 
  have not attempted to implement it yet, due to its aggressive weed-
  like tendencies and its proliﬁ c spread in areas such as Australia, where 
  it has become a potential hazard to rural communities.
  Availability: 12R
  Powers: Engulf (Plant), Noxious Breath (Scopolamine)
  NOTES FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT ON EMERGENT PLANTS
  There have been several discussions on the possibility of plants capable of communicating with the Matrix. If e-animals exist, then why are e-plants so unlikely? There are 
  several species of mold that grow to enormous size and several square kilometers of trees with connecting roots that appear to have the potential of a network node (mimicking 
  a neural network), though there hasn’t been any noticeable reactive stimulus other than chemicals between individuals that can be measured. No wireless transmissions have 
  been heard from any of these plants either, but advances in optical organic technology may one day make it possible to grow a Matrix nexus. 
  > Soon your petunias will hack your house-bot to get themselves a drink of water!
  > Netcat
  > They’re not going to evolve any ability to interact from the Matrix until they can beneﬁ t from that interaction without needing to apply intelligence (since, you know, plants 
  don’t have any). Using the strength of Matrix signals to help them home in on where water or other resources might be is one possibility.
  > Ecotope
  PARABOTANY
  PARABOTANY
  
  11
  DIVINING LOTUS
  DIVINING LOTUS
  Nelumbo nucifera divinare
  T e divining lotus is the Awakened Nelumbo nucifera, or sacred 
  lotus. T e origins of the divining lotus are owed to both advances 
  in botany and magical inf uences. Germinated into a genetic strain 
  of sacred lotus from 1,300-year-old lotus seeds recovered from a dry 
  lakebed in China, the exact nature of its Awakening is still unknown. 
  Many shamanic and hermetic traditions use divining lotus leaves 
  and dried fruit as part of telesma and fetishes. T e divining lotus 
  f ower can be ritually prepared. When f oating in a bowl, it becomes 
  a compass to give directional guidance with the white petal pointing 
  the correct way. Another use is that when a nearby (within one meter) 
  individual asks a yes or no question, the lotus turns; if the black petal 
  faces you, the answer is “no,” while the white petal facing you means 
  “yes.” Export of the divining lotus from India has been forbidden due 
  to its religious signif cance. 
  > Yay, a vegetarian substitute for my Ouija board!
  > Slamm-0!
  > Do you take any of this seriously?
  > Netcat
  > Only when it relates to hacking and maybe not so much then.
  > Slamm-0!
  > Instead of throwing the bones or reading entrails of sacriﬁ ced animals, the 
  diving lotus is a potentially more powerful tool for portents and divinations. 
  I’ve heard lots of anecdotal evidence supporting its powers, but I’m not aware 
  of a deﬁ nitive study putting its accuracy to the test.
  > Lyran
  > To think of the future as nothing more than a series of yes-no questions is to 
  think too narrowly.
  > Arete
  Habitat: Lakes, ponds and rivers
  Range: Greater India with a higher concentration in the Orissa Triangle
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Flower
  Description: This aquatic plant grows up to 150 centimeters from the soil 
  of a river or pond and then expands horizontally up to three meters in 
  diameter. The leaves are ovoid in shape and as large as sixty centime-
  ters in diameter. The lotus ﬂ ower bloom is about twenty centimeters 
  in diameter in shades of pink, with the exception of a single white inner 
  petal and a single black inner petal that sit on opposite sides from each 
  other.
  Usage: This special lotus has been used to help divine the future or as a 
  dousing compass. Both applications have been used by professional 
  psychics and the like.
  Availability: 20F
  NOTE FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT ON MANAFIXATION
  Manaﬁ xation is the ability of plants to change background mana levels. 
  While the haven lily is the most widely known Awakened plant that can change 
  the background level (through its ability to create a mana ebb), there are others 
  that can create natural domains. These types of plants are sought out for a 
  variety of purposes, including retaining mana levels in a void such as space. 
  These manaﬁ xators are coveted by Awakened metahumans working in cities or 
  more sterile environments. The hag bolete is a perfect example of a manaﬁ xat-
  ing species of fungi
  In Australia, parabotanists have discovered the return of the thought-to-
  be-extinct Ptilotus pyramidatus (pyramid mulla-mulla), a plant that can grow 
  1.5 meters tall with ﬂ ower spikes that are up to twelve centimeters long and ﬁ ve 
  centimeters across with loosely hairy ﬂ owers. This rare species can act as storm 
  breaks on the astral plane. The chaotic surges of a mana storm are “ﬁ ltered” 
  with energy being pulled from the plants and into a more organized state.
  In Central and South America are crystal orchids with translucent red 
  petals like stain glass. Crystal orchids are Awakened from the Cleistes rosea and 
  draw in mana in a fasion similar to a mana ebb, but during certain solar or lunar 
  events, the magic is released, increasing ambient magic by four or ﬁ ve times 
  normal for a brief time. The theory is that the crystal orchids propagate within 
  this timeframe.
  
  12
  HAG BOLETE 
  HAG BOLETE 
  Tylopilus magae
  T e hag bolete is a manatropic fungus Awakened from the bitter 
  bolete (Tylopilus felleus). It forms rings of mushrooms up to seven 
  meters in diameter depending on magical and environmental condi-
  tions. T ese rings manaf xate energy within the circle, collecting it 
  like a pool of water. T e rings of the hag bolete arise in the summer 
  and autumn (June to October) with rare spring occurrences. While it 
  traditionally grows within forests of hardwoods, hag bolete rings have 
  appeared in other locations. A common spot where rings appear is the 
  Old Burying Point in Salem, UCAS. 
  > Magical groups in central Europe will try to rake out and fertilize empty lots to 
  encourage hexenrings to occur closer to where they live/work. 
  > Jimmy No
  Habitat: Deciduous woodlands
  Range: Central Europe (mainly AGS, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, 
  Switzerland, and France) and Eastern North America
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Fungi
  Description: The fruiting body is a mushroom with an olive brown cap and 
  violet pores with a stout ochre stem patterned with greenish mesh. 
  The cap averages about twenty centimeters in diameter with convex 
  shape. The stem grows to a height of eight to ten centimeters and 
  is roughly club shaped. It has a faint sour smell, and the ﬂ esh has a 
  slightly acrid taste.
  Usage: Also known as hexenring (witch rings) in German speaking countries, 
  the ﬁ xated mana is used in Wiccan or Druidic ritualistic traditions. Hag 
  bolete is also harvested and dried for use as telesma or expensive 
  culinary dishes.
  Availability: 8
  Powers: None
  Notes: Within a circle of hag bolete, magic is aspected towards Druidic or 
  Wiccan traditions up to +2.
  NOTES FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT ON MANATROPISM
  Manatropism is the ability of plants to grow toward or along mana lines. There 
  are several Awakened species that have some magic sense directing their growth. This 
  ability was discovered in 2015 and was physical proof of the existence of magic and 
  the ﬂ uidity of it as it connects to the Earth. Many such plants exist around the world.
  In Europe, fairy rings of red-capped mushrooms, or Lactarius pukuscens, mark 
  where the background level of magic has been elevated for some time. Arthur’s foil, 
  an Awakened herb of thyme, blooms white ﬂ owers when it grows along mana lines.
  In the Americas, the Awakened Streptopus amplexifolius, or clasping twist-
  edstalk, only grows parallel to mana lines, sending out runners to follow the 
  mana ﬂ ow. An Awakened Glandularia puchella moss from South America actually 
  sacriﬁ ces parts of itself for energy to rapidly (within days) grow toward higher mana 
  level pools and lines.
  In Asia, the dragon’s blood palm, Daemonoropes draco, grows bent or bows 
  towards a nearby mana line. The dragon’s blood palm also weeps a ﬂ uid called 
  “dragon’s blood resin” in the presence of sufﬁ ciently high mana levels.
  Tylopilus magae
  T e hag bolete is a manatropic fungus Awakened from the bitter 
  bolete (Tylopilus felleus). It forms rings of mushrooms up to seven 
  meters in diameter depending on magical and environmental condi-
  tions. T ese rings manaf xate energy within the circle, collecting it 
  like a pool of water. T e rings of the hag bolete arise in the summer 
  and autumn (June to October) with rare spring occurrences. While it 
  traditionally grows within forests of hardwoods, hag bolete rings have 
  PARABOTANY
  
  13
  IMMORTAL FLOWER
  IMMORTAL FLOWER
  IMMORTAL FLOWER
  IMMORTAL FLOWER
  Lithops immortalis
  T e immortal f ower is an unusual f owering plant found exclu-
  sively in the Mojave Desert. It grows beneath the soil, pushing out a 
  small cavity, curling its broad rough leaves over itself to give the plant 
  the appearance of stone. Awakened from one of the “living stone” 
  plants, the immortal f ower can survive for months, possibly years, 
  without water and little sunlight. Even in extreme drought, the petals 
  of the f ower are still supple and brightly colored. Only at night will the 
  immortal f ower open its leaves to display its f ower so that nocturnal 
  insects and bats may pollinate it. T is f ower is one of the f rst that the 
  Native Americans and later the Burning Angels have discovered and 
  used to create the drug of the same name.
  Habitat: Dry deserts
  Range: Mojave Desert
  Frequency: Extremely rare
  Plant Type: Flower
  Identiﬁ cation: The immortal ﬂ ower grows only 4 centimeters tall, but is 15 
  centimeters wide. It has four broad leathery brown/grey leaves that 
  grow over the ﬂ ower giving it protection and camouﬂ age. The ﬂ ower 
  is 6 centimeters in diameter in shades of yellow to orange, with a more 
  brilliant UV signature. 
  Usage: The petals can be mashed into a paste that and mixed into the drug 
  also called immortal ﬂ ower (Arsenal, p. 77). 
  Availability:14F
  Powers: Armor (1/3), Concealment (self)
  
  14
   JANI FERN
   JANI FERN
  Athyrium fortuna
  Myths surrounding the f owers of the jani fern are as varied as the 
  cultures that come into contact with them. Some tales suggest that 
  anyone who possesses it is brought luck, wealth, or supernatural abilities. 
  Nomads carrying it claim that the f ower helps them avoid storms and 
  aid in navigation during their travels. Tribal shamans have used the f ow-
  ers to brew a tea that gives the drinker a heightened empathy towards 
  animals and people. Unfortunately, the hallucinogenic properties of such 
  a concoction have limited the ability to validate such claims. 
  T e correlation between where the ferns grow and the purported 
  ef ects of its possession or consumption seem to be associated with 
  habitats near meteorite impact zones. Parabotanists and parageologists 
  have begun collaborative studies around well-documented craters, 
  although progress has slowed as several prominent researchers prema-
  turely retired following inexplicably fortunate happenstances.
  > Fortunate! Dr. Gates found a ﬂ owering Jani fern before he found an amazingly 
  rare fossil and was promoted to curator in Anchorage. Dr. Siemens received a 
  four-year contract to star in a science trid bringing Awakened critters to the 
  people of CFS.
  > Dr. Spin
  > Not everyone is like that. Dr. Bryant is said to have found the jani fern ﬂ ower 
  at the edge of Chicxulub crater just before he was hit by a piece of falling space 
  debris.
  > Glitch
  > You’re all high on Plan 9’s meds. Flowers can’t grant that kind of power.
  > Slamm-0!
  > In a world where a spirit can pull a ruby out of his ass, anything is possible.
  > Mika
  Habitat: Varying 
  Range: Concentrated patches around major impact craters worldwide.
  Frequency: Extremely rare
  Plant Type: Fern
  Description: A fern with stalked undivided leaves (fronds) rising from a short 
  rhizome (underground stems). The leafstalks are brownish and hairy 
  with lance-like fronds 200 to 250 centimeters long and ﬁ ve to seven 
  centimeters wide with an arrow-shaped base. During the summer 
  solstice, the spore case develops a single small, blue pseudo-ﬂ ower. 
  Usage: Luck talismans are made with the jani fern ﬂ ower. The tea is used 
  for ceremonial purposes by shamans residing near the plant’s habitat.
  Availability: 30
  Powers: Poisonous (Hallucinogen) 
  Athyrium fortuna
  Myths surrounding the f owers of the jani fern are as varied as the 
  cultures that come into contact with them. Some tales suggest that 
  anyone who possesses it is brought luck, wealth, or supernatural abilities. 
  Nomads carrying it claim that the f ower helps them avoid storms and 
  aid in navigation during their travels. Tribal shamans have used the f ow-
  ers to brew a tea that gives the drinker a heightened empathy towards 
  animals and people. Unfortunately, the hallucinogenic properties of such 
  PARABOTANY
  
  15
   JANI FERN
  CRATER HABITATS OF THE WORLD BY DR. WRIGHT
  The largest conﬁ rmed craters caused by meteorite impacts have been well 
  documented by parageologists. It is only in the recent emergence of the parabotany 
  ﬁ eld that the inﬂ uence of extraterrestrial object impacts has been studied in regards 
  to the development of plants and the various ecosystems surrounding them. The 
  extent of this inﬂ uence is still a topic for debate, yet it is clear that a link exists.
  Though much smaller impacts could yield conditions advantageous to the jani 
  fern, research has focused on the larger craters of the world where the greatest 
  concentrations of the plant being found within the vicinity.
  Possible Locations for Jani Fern Growth
  Barringer crater (Pueblo Corp Council)
  Chesapeake Bay Crater (CAS & UCAS)
  Manson crater (UCAS)
  Sudbury Basin (Sudbury, UCAS)
  Haughton impact crater (Nunavut)
  Pingualuit crater (Quebec) 
  Mistastin crater (Quebec) 
  Nördlinger Ries (Allied German States)
  Lonar crater (Indian Union)
  Popigai crater (Yakut)
  Tunguska crater (Tunguska, Yakut)
  The Siljan Ring (Scandinavian Union)
  Vredefort crater (Azania)
  Gosses Bluff crater (Northern Australia)
  Shoemaker crater (Western Australia)
  Wolfe Creek crater (Western Australia)
  Chicxulub crater (Aztlan) 
  > Honestly, I think he’s got an intern doing some of the research for him, and that 
  intern just copies the Aetherpedia. Sudbury Basin was ﬁ rst stripped bare of its 
  lumber and then it became a strip mine for the high mineral content prior to the 
  Awakening. If anything does manage to grow in that toxic zone it isn’t going to 
  be nice.
  > Glasswalker
  > Agreed. He mentions Tunguska, but from what I’ve heard is that there’s an odd-
  ness that makes talismongering there difﬁ cult.
  > Red Anya
  > A side note to this—meteor and comet activity hasn’t been popular news since 
  2061, but there’s been a proliferation of probes to capture and collect meteors 
  that come close to earth.
  > Orbital DK
  
  16
  LAÉSAL TREE 
  LAÉSAL TREE 
  Unknown
  T e laésal tree is a legendary species tied to the elves and elven 
  lands. T e laésal fruit has high sugar content, allowing for easy fermen-
  tation. Its fruit has been known to over-ripen on the tree, changing 
  dark red in color. Young laésal trees take f ve years before they bear 
  fruit and require a mineral-rich soil to produce large yields. Eating a 
  single fruit from the laésal tree causes relaxation and a mild eupho-
  ria. Overconsumption of its ripened fruits can induce a temporary 
  dream-like state and a complete loss of memory for the duration of the 
  intoxication. Its pits can be ground into a f ne powder and mixed with 
  food and beverage, adding a tangy sweetness. T at f avor hides a high 
  concentration of the plant’s unique toxin, which interferes with the 
  formation of memories. Even small doses of powdered pits can af ect 
  a subject’s memory for several hours. Moderate to high doses cause 
  unconsciousness and memory loss covering to 24 hours of the past. 
  > Tír Ghosts use laés readily when civilians see something they shouldn’t have.
  > Black Mamba
  > It’s a nice weapon to have at your disposal, that’s for certain. Organized crime 
  ﬁ gures have been angling for a reliable source of the drug for a while.
  > Red Anya
  Attempts to duplicate or counteract these ef ects have been unsuc-
  cessful in laboratory tests. Given the strict control of existing green-
  houses growing the only known samples of the laésal tree, taxonomic 
  and chemical research beyond the borders of Tír Tairngire has been 
  discouraged. Wild laésal species are a highly sought af er commodity. 
  An inf ux of the drug leäl from sources outside the Tír suggests that 
  several of the fruit and seeds have been stolen several times in the past 
  f f y years.
  1616
  LAÉSAL TREE 
  LAÉSAL TREE 
  Habitat: Strictly controlled farmlands in the Tír.
  Range: Tír Tairngire
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Tree
  Description: The tree can grow six meters tall with small ovate green leaves 
  in an alternating pattern around the tree. It produces many small violet 
  blossoms in small corymbs, turning the whole tree a distinct color in 
  the spring. The blossoms, when pollinated, produce compound spikes 
  twelve centimeters in diameter and yellow, cherry-like berries that 
  become red when ripe.
  Usage: Tír Tairngire strictly monitors fruit production and distribution. The 
  death penalty is enforced for any theft of any part of the tree. While 
  the whole fruit is used to create laésal brandywine, the skin and pit are 
  dried and ground to make laés. Since laés is based on organic materi-
  als, it has a viable shelf life of two years. Manufacturers often cut laés 
  with chemicals such as potassium benzoate to preserve it, and it is the 
  basis of the street drug leäl. Laésal blossoms are also edible and are 
  pickled in salt water before being steeped as a tea called Sil Oineäm, or 
  “Contemplation.” The blossoms do not to have the same memory-loss 
  properties, and the pickling process makes them safe for consumption. 
  Availability: 25F
  Powers: Poisonous (See laés, p. 67, Arsenal)
  Notes: See p. 42 for list of Tír Tairngire beverages
  Unknown
  T e laésal tree is a legendary species tied to the elves and elven 
  lands. T e laésal fruit has high sugar content, allowing for easy fermen-
  tation. Its fruit has been known to over-ripen on the tree, changing 
  dark red in color. Young laésal trees take f ve years before they bear 
  fruit and require a mineral-rich soil to produce large yields. Eating a 
  single fruit from the laésal tree causes relaxation and a mild eupho-
  ria. Overconsumption of its ripened fruits can induce a temporary 
  PARABOTANY
  
  17
  METADRAKE
  METADRAKE
  Mandragora superioris
  T e metadrake is the Awakened form of the mandrake, distin-
  guished by the more humanoid-like nodule growth of the bulb. T e 
  mandrake is a unique mundane plant that has a chemical substance 
  in its berries that reacts with dew to create sof  luminescence. It is said 
  in myths that mandrake root can ward against demons. T is seems to 
  hold some truth, as metadrake root works as telesma to help generate 
  fetishes used in wards and magic against spirits. As is the case with the 
  mandrake, the bulb is dangerous to consume because of the concentra-
  tions of hallucinogenic chemicals such as scopolamine, apoatropine, 
  and hyoscyamine. Preparing metadrake without proper tools can cause 
  serious injury or death to those who touch it.
  > Metadrake extract is also poisonous to free spirits. Ares has been working on 
  trying to weaponize the metadrake extract in combination with FABIII. I don’t 
  like it—it’s like giving weapon foci to mundanes.
  > Axis Mundi
  > It’s still rare, though I wouldn’t be surprised to see a pepper spray version of 
  metadrake oil from Ares.
  > Clockwork
  Habitat: Well-drained soil and edges of ﬁ elds.
  Range: Europe and Middle East
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Flower
  Description: Metadrake has the same outward appearance as its mundane 
  progenitor with large, dark green variegated leaves and a small cluster 
  of purple ﬂ owers, but below the soil, the bifurcation of the bulb is the 
  norm, always splitting twice, forming “arms” and “legs.”
  Usage: Neopagan religions such as Wicca and Germanic revivalism religions 
  such as Odinism commonly use the mandrake and metadrake as part 
  of their rituals and fetishes. A prepared spray of metadrake essence is 
  deadly to manifested or inhabiting spirits
  Availability: 16R
  Skill: Spellcasting
  Quality: Bioluminescence
  Powers: Innate spell (Death touch)
  17
  METADRAKE
  METADRAKE
  METADRAKE
  METADRAKE
  METADRAKE
  METADRAKE
  METADRAKE SPRAY (MAGICAL COMPOUND)
  Vector: Contact
  Speed: 1 hour
  Penetration: -2
  Power: 12
  Effect: See description
  This magical compound initiates a rapid evanescence (p. 148, Street Magic) 
  in spirits, regardless of type or ability. For this magical compound to take effect, 
  the spirit must manifest or be using inhabitation or possession powers and 
  come in contact with metadrake spray. Immunity to Normal Weapons does 
  not help a spirit against this magical compound, nor does dematerializing 
  after coming in contact with the compound. The spirit’s force is permanently 
  reduced if it manages to survive; if it doesn’t, it is either disrupted or destroyed 
  (gamemaster’s choice).
  Price per dose: 20,000¥
  Availability: 20R
  
  18
  MOLU 
  MOLU
  Allium Odyssei
  T e molu is exactly as described in T e Odyssey, which begs the 
  question—how did a Greek scholar know about an Awakened plant? 
  Did it grow for a brief period of time in the Mediterranean, or was this 
  plant’s description from an even earlier document?
  T e molu is an Awakened version of garlic. It cannot be handled 
  without precaution as the leaves, stem, f owers, and even the pollen 
  triggers a severe allergic reaction in most metahumans. Only the bulb, 
  af er drying, is safe to touch and eat. Molu is one of the rare few plants 
  that need no preparation to benef t from it. Simple consumption of the 
  cloves of the molu bulb imbues the subject with a resistance to magic, 
  the same way it helped Odysseus. T e resistance cannot be turned of  
  nor is it selective, making healing magic less ef ective. It lasts for several 
  hours (in correlation with digestion) before fading. No one can eat 
  more than one molu bulb without serious indigestion, and eating more 
  than one does not produce any additional benef t. T e molu has the 
  same strong odor as garlic.
  > Sweet! Eat garlic and become invulnerable to magical lightning bolts!
  > Slamm-0!
  > Along with the obvious uses, this is handy if you want to put on a show for 
  someone. Have someone eat a bulb, then blast them with a spell that, by rights, 
  should kill them dead. Any observer will think they’re dead, then they’re free to 
  start a new life or show up someday as a ghost or do whatever else you want a 
  supposedly dead person to do.
  > Netcat
  Habitat: Coastal 
  Range: A few islands and coastal areas in the Mediterranean.
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Flower
  Description: A perennial herb whose bulb is composed of small black cloves. 
  The plant is identiﬁ able by its pungent odor. The plant grows forty to 
  ﬁ fty centimeters tall with ﬂ at, long, pointed leaves. The ﬂ owers are a 
  glossy white, blooming in early spring. It is dangerous to pick without 
  protection; coming into physical contact of any part of the plant with-
  out chemical protective gear would result in anaphylactic shock and/or 
  death as the immune system goes into overdrive. Only the peeled clove 
  from the bulb does not cause this reaction.
  Usage: Consumption grants temporary protection from magic 
  Availability: 8
  Powers: Anaphylaxis (Touch only)
  Notes: The minimum force of a single molu plant is 4. 
  Allium Odyssei
  T e molu is exactly as described in 
  question—how did a Greek scholar know about an Awakened plant? 
  Did it grow for a brief period of time in the Mediterranean, or was this 
  plant’s description from an even earlier document?
  T e molu is an Awakened version of garlic. It cannot be handled 
  without precaution as the leaves, stem, f owers, and even the pollen 
  triggers a severe allergic reaction in most metahumans. Only the bulb, 
  PARABOTANY
  
  19
  NAHALA ALOE
  NAHALA ALOE
  Aloe nahala
  In the nation of Hawai’i, there is a rare Awakened aloe vera plant 
  that grows on the volcanic island chain. As has been the case before, 
  we f nd a naturalized plant becoming Awakened far from its original 
  ground. T e Roman naturalist Pliny, in the f rst century ACE, cited 
  many uses for the external application for aloe to heal wounds, bruises, 
  and irritations. T e nahala aloe does the same, only more rapidly. 
  Science had tried to determine if the composition of the leaf contents 
  gave it the ability to heal wounds faster, but found that chemicals were 
  similar to aloe. T e f owers represent the male and female energies, and 
  when cultivating the f owers, it is traditional that the caster must match 
  the proper energy of the f owers to have full ef ect—that is to say, male 
  metahumans should use female f owers (white), while female metahu-
  mans use male f owers (violet). T e leaf juice has no distinct energies.
  > Nahala aloe is good stuff if you can get a hold of it. Burns, broken bones, and 
  bullet holes heal much faster. I have my island sources and shamans to make 
  healing salves. It’s for those tight spots where I don’t have access to modern 
  medicine.
  > Kane
  Habitat: Tropical 
  Range: Paciﬁ c Islands such as Hawai’i
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Flower
  Description: A succulent perennial with a rosette of narrow, prickly-edged 
  ﬂ eshy leaves ﬁ lled with bitter gel. The nahala aloe produces a pair of 
  one-meter-tall leaﬂ ess stalks that terminate in an elongated cluster 
  of downward-pointing ﬂ owers. One stalk has violet ﬂ owers, the other 
  has white ﬂ owers. They bloom between June and August, providing a 
  honey-sweet fragrance.
  Usage: Expensive healing potions, salves, and some makeup contain a 
  percentage of nahala extract. Black markets have many knockoffs 
  claiming to use nahala but just using aloe vera instead. Dried wreathes 
  of nahala ﬂ owers are popular fetishes for health spells. 
  Availability: 8
  Powers: Regenerate (Self)
  
  20
  PORQUPOD TREE
  PORQUPOD TREE
  Liquidambar straflua
  T e porqupod tree is an Awakened American sweetgum tree. 
  While aesthetically attractive, this Awakened plant had been found 
  to have an annoying habit. Af er pollination, the f owers grow spiky 
  seedpods that are seven centimeters in diameter. T ese seedpods are 
  sensitive to body heat and are at risk of bursting if anything warm-
  blooded comes within one meter of them, sending dart-like seeds in a 
  small radius. T e burst is a chemical reaction that causes water to turn 
  to steam within the pod. T e darts have small, Velcro-like hooks near 
  the tip, allowing them to stick into targets near the vicinity until they 
  are pulled or brushed out. T is is how the porqupod tree reproduces. 
  T e blast is not dangerous but can cause minor injury. T e sound the 
  blast makes is a seventy to eighty decibel pop, which is loud enough to 
  violate some noise ordinances.
  > I picked up this trick from an anarchist’s guide on the Matrix. A little CO2 spray 
  can chill the pods enough to not explode when you pick them. Put them in a 
  chilled thermos to transport them, and then dump them on some unsuspecting 
  neighbor’s porch. When they warm up, they start popping like ﬁ recrackers, 
  triggering security alarms. It takes three to four minutes depending on the 
  ambient temperature, giving you plenty of time to get away.
  > Slamm-0!
  Habitat: Temperate climate areas
  Range: Eastern North America
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Tree
  Identiﬁ cation: The tree can grow to twenty to twenty-ﬁ ve meters tall with a 
  thick trunk. The leaves are palmate lobed, 15 centimeters long with a 10 
  centimeters pietol (star shaped leaves). They can be distinguished from 
  maple trees by the leathery looking leaves. During the spring, bright 
  orange ﬂ owers bloom with long rust colored stamens. 
  Usage: Porqupods are popular for both their wood and the color of their ﬂ ow-
  ers/fall leaves. Porqupod wood is a unique hardwood with a heartwood 
  almost as dark as ebony. While the ﬂ owers are pretty, most horticultur-
  ists spray the porqupod tree annually to prevent the formation of fruit 
  (seedpods). This is to prevent injury to a client or worker in the vicinity 
  of the porqupod tree.
  Availability: 10R
  Skills: Exotic Ranged Weapon (Porqupods) 
  Powers: Natural Ranged Weapon (Porqupod)
  PORQUPOD POD (DV 2P, AP —, BLAST 1M)
  Note: There is additional damage from the steam if the pod bursts when it is 
  being held. In this instance, increase the damage value to 4P. Reduce Perception Test 
  threshold to hear a porqupod blast by 3 when subject is within 75 meters of it going 
  off (other modiﬁ ers may apply).
  Liquidambar straflua
  T e porqupod tree is an Awakened American sweetgum tree. 
  While aesthetically attractive, this Awakened plant had been found 
  to have an annoying habit. Af er pollination, the f owers grow spiky 
  seedpods that are seven centimeters in diameter. T ese seedpods are 
  sensitive to body heat and are at risk of bursting if anything warm-
  blooded comes within one meter of them, sending dart-like seeds in a 
  small radius. T e burst is a chemical reaction that causes water to turn 
  PARABOTANY
  
  21
  RASKOVNIK
  RASKOVNIK
  Eleocharis fecilis
  T is grass has a unique property that is hazardous to techno-
  logical devices. Clusters of thirty-centimeter-tall raskovnik generate 
  a magic f eld when they are touched. T e property of this magic is 
  to hinder or damage technical devices, both mechanical and electric. 
  T e patches of raskovnik were believed to be just a Serbian myth until 
  the construction of the trans-Siberian railway and the Siberian war. 
  Tanks and troop transports kept failing in the same locations; troops 
  moving through the raskovnik would have radio problems or gun 
  jams. Current theory is that this a Gaia response to the resource rush, 
  the planet’s way of hindering disturbances. While plausible, it seems 
  unlikely since no other plant species shows this same ability, and the 
  raskovnik has, to this point, only been found in Russia and Yakut.
  > This stuff is worse than landmines. Landmines you can armor your belly for to 
  give you some protection. Raskovnik just makes something not work, and you 
  can’t switch to a backup as long as you’re on the area it affects.
  > Red Anya
  Habitat: Cold tundra regions to temperate plains
  Range: Siberia
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Grass
  Identiﬁ cation: This grass can grow up to forty centimeters tall with a single 
  jointed stem and sheathing leaves. When mature, the end of the ras-
  kovnik produces dark brown seed-like grains. 
  Usage: Because raskovnik has few unique physical properties, it is difﬁ cult to 
  ﬁ nd, let alone grow artiﬁ cially. It might also be that there’s something 
  unknown that triggers normal grass to become raskovnik, such as 
  grandfather elk’s X factor or a fungal or viral infection.
  Availability: 8
  Powers: Accident (Device only)
  Notes: Raskovnik creates a magical ﬁ eld up to (2 x Force) meters radius 
  around the plant, triggered by contact. This ﬁ eld has the additional 
  properties of reducing Signal Rating of devices by the Force of the ﬁ eld 
  in the form of static. Duration of this ﬁ eld is (Force) hours after ﬁ rst 
  contact; it cannot be triggered again for twelve hours.
  
  22
  SANGRE DEL DIABLO 
  SANGRE DEL DIABLO 
  Euphorbia diabolis
  Sangre Del Diablo (Blood of the Devil) is the Awakened spe-
  cies of Sangre Del Drago (Blood of the Dragon). While red sap of 
  the Sangre del Drago has been harvested for medicinal purposes, its 
  counterpart, the Sange Del Diablo, is a carnivorous danger. It is found 
  growing in poor soil conditions and supplements its need for nutrients 
  by attracting animals close to it, then entangling the creature within its 
  branches or roots. It consumes its victim by weeping the reddish sap 
  on the victim. T e sap dissolves the victim and the liquid remains are 
  absorbed by the tree. T e tree magically attracts birds, animals, even 
  metahumans that come close to it.
  Sangre Del Diablo seeds grow in hard pods that are very dif  cult 
  to crack. T ey are f lled with moisture; when exposed to extreme heat, 
  the moisture becomes steam, building up pressure inside the pod, 
  which eventually explodes. T e seeds f y out, rising in the hot air and 
  of en travelling great distances. T ey are capable of growing in soil of 
  very poor quality, including in urban environments. T is can make 
  clearing out areas infested with Sangre Del Diablo trees quite dif  cult, 
  as burning an area with the trees only causes new seeds to take root.
  Af er four years of maturity, the Sangre Del Diablo trees have 
  a tough, dense core that makes the work tough for the usual tree 
  removal tools (chainsaw, ax, etc.). In addition, it is also resistant to f re 
  and magic, making the removal of one of these trees dif  cult without 
  major ef ort.
  In the area around Bogotá between 2062 and 2063, the popula-
  tion of Sangre Del Diablo trees went from a density of one per one 
  hundred square kilometers to one per two square kilometers as Aztlan 
  forces seeded the jungle with the Diablo seeds. A decade later, there is 
  a dense grove of these trees f ve kilometers wide and twenty kilometers 
  long covering a portion of Highway 50. Such a grove is all but void of 
  other life. Most of the ground is stained red, burned by the digestive 
  sap of the grove. Only the rarity of animal life to use for food has kept 
  these plants from spreading faster.
  T e Amazonian natives try to fence in young Diablo trees and 
  starve them out, preventing large animals from coming near the tree, 
  though this could take months or years to complete. T e use of poisons 
  hastens this process, but it also takes a heavy toll on the underlying soil.
  > There’s a healthy illegal trade for that dense, blood-red wood for use in 
  furniture. The demand is not as big as it was ﬁ ve or six years ago, but people 
  still love that color and grain pattern.
  > Glasswalker
  > Again, support your local Deforestation Project today!
  > Bull
  > Talismongering of the wood and sap remains still lively. People are 
  experimenting with various parts for potency.
  > Lyran
  22
  SANGRE DEL DIABLO 
  SANGRE DEL DIABLO 
  22
  22
  SANGRE DEL DIABLO 
  SANGRE DEL DIABLO 
  SANGRE DEL DIABLO 
  22
  SANGRE DEL DIABLO 
  SANGRE DEL DIABLO 
  SANGRE DEL DIABLO 
  Habitat: Wet rainforests from sea level up to 2,000 meters of elevation
  Range: Northwestern Amazonia
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Tree
  Description: Sangre Del Diablo trees grow to a height of twenty-ﬁ ve meters 
  with large, heart-shaped leaves. The ﬂ owers are inconspicuous; the 
  fruit are twenty-centimeter-long, cherry-colored spikes that are 
  slightly barbed at the tip. Its bark is pale or ashen.
  Usage: Young Diablo saplings that are killed before they can become danger-
  ous are still useful. Stripped of leaves, the wood is then soaked with 
  minerals to neutralize the sap’s acidity. The wood can then be used as 
  a ﬁ re-resistant housing material. No cultivation is done for the Sangre 
  Del Diablo because of the indiscriminant damage it can cause and the 
  lethal nature of the plant to metahumans.
  Availability: 22F
  Skills: Counterspell
  Powers: Compulsion, Corrosive Secretions, Hardened Armor, Engulf (Plant), 
  Immunity (Fire), Magical Guard
  Weakness: Dietary Need (animal protein)
  Euphorbia diabolis
  Sangre Del Diablo (Blood of the Devil) is the Awakened spe-
  cies of Sangre Del Drago (Blood of the Dragon). While red sap of 
  the Sangre del Drago has been harvested for medicinal purposes, its 
  counterpart, the Sange Del Diablo, is a carnivorous danger. It is found 
  growing in poor soil conditions and supplements its need for nutrients 
  by attracting animals close to it, then entangling the creature within its 
  branches or roots. It consumes its victim by weeping the reddish sap 
  PARABOTANY
  
  23
  SLEEPING WILLOW 
  SLEEPING WILLOW 
  Salix somnus
  T e sleeping willow is an Awakened form of the more common 
  white willow (Salix alba). T e sleeping willow has the unique ability 
  to record the day-to-day events going on around it. Additionally, those 
  that sleep under a sleeping willow f nd themselves dreaming about being 
  under the willow tree in great detail. T e dreams have been determined 
  to be a playback of a random day in the life of the sleeping willow. 
  Further study of the tree has shown that along with the cells that perform 
  photosynthesis in leaves, there are cells that record the full-light spec-
  trum into a chemical signature that is stored in the tree. T ese same cells 
  are found in the bark as well. Together, they form the mosaic of images 
  that the dreamer experiences. While sound isn’t captured as such, the 
  sleeping willow indirectly records vibrations that the dreamer interprets 
  as sound. Tests of low-frequency sounds projected at sleeping willows 
  conf rm the sleeping willow’s ability in this regard. T e tree has limited 
  range; it loses focus ten to f f een meters from the trunk. How many 
  days the sleeping willow can record is uncertain, but trees believed to be 
  twenty to thirty years old can project events that far in the past. 
  > A recent Corporate Court resolution declares that the sleeping willow’s 
  “recording” of a suspect is not admissible as evidence in corporate court of 
  law. The big concern is that since the recording process is not fully understood, 
  people cannot rely on its accuracy—or be sure that the recordings haven’t been 
  tampered with. This doesn’t mean that corporations won’t use them as security 
  to capture people skilled at evading their cameras. And it doesn’t mean that 
  deniable assets won’t be paid to issue retribution against suspects revealed 
  through sleeping willow recordings.
  > DangerSensei
  NOTES FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT ON MAN-EATING PLANTS
  Thank goodness that man-eating plants are far from common, but they’re still 
  out there. They are dangerous to approach, and extreme caution is advised. Here are 
  a few that I’ve heard of from other colleagues, though I have not had the privilege 
  of personally documenting these specimens.
  The Yeteyeo is a tree from Central America with a twisted set of branches and 
  white transparent leaves. Like the Sangre Del Diablo, its slender branches grab and 
  coil around its prey like multiple boa constrictors, suffocating the victim. The Yeteyeo 
  leaves turn a brilliant green as the corpse decomposes and is absorbed by the tree.
  The “Dog Eater” of South Africa is a large, four-meter-tall tree similar to the 
  sundew with a large coil of slender branches and almost black leaves, all coated with 
  a sap that smells of fermenting fruit. It lures animals under it branches, where the 
  animal gets stuck in the glue like sap and is trapped as the dog eater slowly covers 
  the victim in more goo.
  The Elephant fruit of Madagascar has a large, several-meter-wide trunk like 
  that of a pineapple. The top has broad leaves that secrete an addictive honey sub-
  stance. With this meal, it can lure metahumans and animals into the hollow of the 
  trunk. Like a pitcher plant, the tree uses a hidden opening and slick sides to trap the 
  victim inside, where they drown and get digested. 
  And lastly, another Amazon man-eater is the enormous violet sleeper (Dionaea 
  hardii), an Awakened version of the Venus ﬂ ytrap. This plant has large, ﬂ at, green 
  leaves that lure in a victim. The leaves then close around the victim. Thorns at the 
  base of the plant inﬂ ate and inject digestive ﬂ uids into the victim, slowly providing 
  nutrients to the plant.
  Habitat: Damp low places, especially along rivers and streams
  Range: Eastern North America, Europe, Central Asia
  Frequency: Common
  Plant Type: Tree
  Identiﬁ cation: A deciduous tree that can grow ten meters tall with ﬁ nely 
  toothed, lance-shaped, silky leaves. In the spring, it grows tiny, two-milli-
  meter wide white ﬂ owers. Sleeping windows are available at select arbors
  Availability: 8
  Usage: With meditative training, a person can control how far back in the 
  tree’s memory to view. Corporate security personnel have planted such 
  trees on grounds as an additional security measure to help identify 
  perpetrators, though sleeping willow memories are not admissible as 
  evidence in trial proceedings.
  Skill: Spellcasting
  Powers: Innate Spell (Dreams)
  Note: The sleeping willow ability only works for those asleep or in a medi-
  tative state within a meter of the trunk of the tree. The dream is a 
  random point in the life of the tree. Dreams from the sleeping willow 
  last for twenty minutes.
  
  24
  SPIDER FERN
  SPIDER FERN
  Aracnopteris filix
  T is unique fern specimen, Awakened from the misnamed male 
  fern (Dryopteris f lix-mas), lays out snares for small creatures, dropping 
  long sticky strands from each leafy branch. T ese strands come from 
  nodules along the underside of the leaves. Once caught in its net, the 
  leaf curls, dragging the victim toward a root-based funnel that secretes 
  digestive enzymes. T is plant has also become carnivorous. Some sug-
  gest that a theoretical earlier Awakened world might have been nutri-
  ent poor, leading to earlier versions of this plant that returned in the 
  most recent Awakening. 
  Habitat: Shaded woodland areas
  Range: A small portion of the greater Tennessee Valley known as Hellbender 
  Valley
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Fern
  Description: Awakened maidenhair fern have wiry, purple-brown petioles 
  and feathery, circular fronds that arch upward 200 centimeters and 
  grow forward in a fan-like display. The fronds drop long silk strands 
  down to the ground in a curtain like effect. The root funnel is twenty 
  centimeters in diameter with a waxy coating on the interior. The funnel 
  contains a pool of highly corrosive enzymes that can dissolve bone.
  Usage: Small spider ferns are planted near agricultural areas to keep down 
  rodent populations.
  Availability: 7
  Powers: Binding, Corrosive Secretions, Extrusion (Spider Silk)
  NOTES FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT ON MANASYNTHESIS
  Manasynthesis is a theoretical reaction that uses mana energy to create simple 
  carbohydrates in plants. So far no plant has been found to be able to do this. Dual-
  natured plants apparently only grow from energy on the physical plane. 
  Aracnopteris filix
  T is unique fern specimen, Awakened from the misnamed male 
  fern (Dryopteris f lix-mas), lays out snares for small creatures, dropping 
  long sticky strands from each leafy branch. T ese strands come from 
  nodules along the underside of the leaves. Once caught in its net, the 
  leaf curls, dragging the victim toward a root-based funnel that secretes 
  digestive enzymes. T is plant has also become carnivorous. Some sug-
  gest that a theoretical earlier Awakened world might have been nutri-
  PARABOTANY
  
  25
  WEEPING TREE (AWAKENED WEEPING WILLOW)
  WEEPING TREE
  (AWAKENED WEEPING WILLOW)
  Salix aurora
  While the sleeping willow Awakened in Europe and North 
  America, the naturalized white willow in North America also 
  Awakened into the weeping tree (Salix auroa). T is is one of those 
  unusual Awakening that parabotanists f nd. T ere is nothing physically 
  unusual with the tree, though the bark and leaves contain some unusual 
  chemical components along with salicin. Astrally, the tree glows sof ly 
  and attracts dual-natured insects like astral f ies for pollination.
  Habitat: Temperate climates
  Range: Eastern North America (Appalachian Mountains)
  Frequency: Common
  Plant Type: Tree
  Identiﬁ cation: A deciduous tree that can grow 10 meters tall with ﬁ nely 
  toothed lance-shaped, silky leaves. In the spring, it grows long clusters 
  of pale pink ﬂ owers.
  Usage: A brew of the ground bark and leaves can help with fevers, chills, and 
  general pains. This material can also be combined into a potion called 
  Rock Lizard Blood (p. 78, Arsenal)
  Availability: 10
  Powers: Dual-Natured
  
  26
  WHIPCORD VIPER LILY
  WHIPCORD VIPER LILY
  Arisaema tortuosum
  T e whipcord viper lily is a most disagreeable plant. It grows like 
  a vine with sof , heart-shaped leaves, and for each leaf there is a tangent 
  tendril stem ranging from f f y centimeters to two meter in length that 
  ends in a set of parallel thorns. T e thorns help the viper lily grab at 
  structures to pull itself up into the sun. If an animal tries to eat the 
  leaves or f owers of the plant, the tendrils contract rapidly, striking 
  the target with the thorns in a whip-like motion. It is considered a 
  carnivorous plant, as the whip action of the tendrils have been noted 
  to snag birds from the air or rodents that perch on them; possibly for 
  consumption, if the victim stays coiled in the tendril long enough to 
  be dropped into the pitcher. 
  > At one of my houses, the gardener put a pair of these by the back gate of the 
  yard. It costs the paparazzi more in drones and medical bills to sneak around. 
  Love it.
  > Kat o’ Nine Tales
  Habitat: Bogs and marshes 
  Range: California Free State and Tír Tairngire.
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Flower
  Identiﬁ cation: The whipcord viper lily grows two meters tall with a large 
  green hooded pitcher accented in blue and a main stalk growing from 
  the lip of the pitcher. The main stalk then branches out to tendrils 
  ending in thorns. These tendrils radiate out above the pitcher like a 
  spiderweb, hooking onto other trees and rocks.
  Usage: Whipcord viper lilies can be used with other security measures, 
  though they are indiscriminant on who they attack. 
  Availability: 6
  Skills: Unarmed Combat 
  Powers: Natural Melee Weapon (Whip Vine DV:3P AP:0 Reach: 2)
  Arisaema tortuosum
  T e whipcord viper lily is a most disagreeable plant. It grows like 
  a vine with sof , heart-shaped leaves, and for each leaf there is a tangent 
  tendril stem ranging from f f y centimeters to two meter in length that 
  ends in a set of parallel thorns. T e thorns help the viper lily grab at 
  structures to pull itself up into the sun. If an animal tries to eat the 
  leaves or f owers of the plant, the tendrils contract rapidly, striking 
  the target with the thorns in a whip-like motion. It is considered a 
  PARABOTANY
  
  27
  XUTULI
  XUTULI
  Schistostega towaii
  T e xutuli is an Awakened species of Schistostega pennata or lumi-
  nescent moss. Like its progenitor, it has a protonemal mat containing 
  f lamentous strands of special spherical cells in which light is focused 
  for photosynthesis. Some of this light ref ects, giving it a greenish 
  glow. T e xutuli can also convert a larger spectrum of electromagnetic 
  radiation into useful forms for photosynthesis, including UV and IR, 
  allowing it to grow deeper underground with little to no light. T e 
  moss has the same property of forcing an Awakened person to astrally 
  perceive if ingested as deepweed, but without the nicotine or THC 
  chemicals. Because of the religious usage, xutuli can be found where 
  ever Aztechnology or the Aztec religion is practiced. Xutuli is consid-
  ered a controlled substance and is generally only bought and sold by 
  Aztechnology. Since the exile of Aztechnology from Denver, the PCC 
  has legalized the use of xutuli, and Wuxing has been discovered to have 
  botanical gardens growing this rare moss in Denver.
  > When Wuxing was doing construction in Denver, they uncovered a tunnel 
  beneath the city with the xutuli growing wild. Unfortunately they lost an 
  exploration crew in the tunnels. A shadow team went in on a rescue operation. 
  The one biologist that was rescued got the plant named after him and made 
  himself a small fortune, especially in his continued research. Those runners have 
  got to be kicking themselves for a missed chance at riches.
  > Traveler Jones
  Habitat: Humid areas in caves and subterranean areas. 
  Range: Central America
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Moss
  Identiﬁ cation: Originally found in caves in Aztlan, it grows tiny seven-
  millimeter-tall fern-like shoots arranged in irregular clusters. The xutuli 
  is almost black with variegated blue coloring. 
  Usage: Xutuli has been cultivated and transplanted to other locations as part 
  of the construction of Aztec religious temples, which usually have a 
  subterranean component. Xutuli has also been used in the creation of 
  mage sight eye drops (see p. 155, Spy Games).
  Availability: 12R
  Powers: Poisonous (see deepeeed, p. 257, SR4A) 
  
  28
  YANN ORCHID
  YANN ORCHID
  Plectelis (galacia) radiate
  T e yann orchid or white dragon is the Awakened white egret 
  orchid. It is, or would be, just as popular as the white egret for horti-
  culturists. Unfortunately someone discovered that the pollen of the 
  White Dragon is a highly addictive drug. Sales throughout the world 
  stopped when this fact was discovered. No one is allowed to sell the 
  yann orchid since it is a controlled substance, but if you have legiti-
  mately purchased the orchid before 2054, you will not be prosecuted. 
  One of the powers of the white dragon is silence, which allows it to 
  lower the ambient noise around it. We believe this is part of a sym-
  biotic relationship with the insects that pollinate it, since it nullif es 
  the detection ability of bats. T e white dragon has been a favorite for 
  urban temples trying to promote meditation. It is also popular with the 
  Yakuza, for use in drug production and because of its name. 
  > People have got to stop snorting or licking every Awakened thing to see if 
  they get a high.
  > Goatfoot
  > In CFS and PCC there are dojos and “meditative” centers run by organized crime 
  ﬁ gures. They’ve got long-term leases from owners who have a legal license to 
  own white dragon orchids, and they now use the plants to make galak. The Vory 
  is doing the same thing, only more aggressively—instead of offering leases, they 
  offer to not kill the property owners if they cooperate. 
  > Hard Exit
  > Forging those licenses is good money. Getting a list of owners of the real 
  licenses is even better money.
  > Snopes
  Habitat: East Asia 
  Range: Asia, along the Paciﬁ c Rim
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Tree
  Description: White ﬂ ower shaped like a dragon with a fringed pair of white 
  petals for wings, a long white ﬁ lament for a tail, and a hooded stamen 
  shaped like a dragon head.
  Usage: Pollen collected from the yann can be baked and dried into the drug 
  galak
  Availability: 14F
  Powers: Silence, Poisonous (see galak, p. 76, Arsenal)
  Plectelis (galacia) radiate
  T e yann orchid or white dragon is the Awakened white egret 
  orchid. It is, or would be, just as popular as the white egret for horti-
  culturists. Unfortunately someone discovered that the pollen of the 
  White Dragon is a highly addictive drug. Sales throughout the world 
  stopped when this fact was discovered. No one is allowed to sell the 
  yann orchid since it is a controlled substance, but if you have legiti-
  mately purchased the orchid before 2054, you will not be prosecuted. 
  PARABOTANY
  
  29
  ZIEBA TREE
  ZIEBA TREE
  Adansonia templum
  T e zieba tree is unusual as it attracts people and animals to sit 
  in its branches. People walking by the tree of en stop, climb the tree, 
  and sit, sometimes for as long as two to three hours. It has not posed 
  any health threat to metahumans, as they get down to resume what 
  they were doing af er a time, or when they become hungry or thirsty 
  enough. T e tree also provides a sense of calm to the inhabitants of 
  its canopy. A documented incident showed humans, lions, baboons, 
  and several other species of animals all occupying the tree and not 
  reacting to each other. It is believed to be a deterrent to large grazing 
  animals wanting to feed on the tree. Who would eat such a thing 
  with a large, potentially carniverous menagerie hiding in its boughs? 
  T e tree seems to have a lingering ef ect on metahumans as they gen-
  erally don’t want to hurt the tree af er spending some time near it; 
  construction decisions may have been inf uenced af er survey crews 
  were near a zieba tree.
  > What the hell? A tree that says “Please climb me” and everyone sits in there in 
  happy harmony? Sounds like a Horizon engineered project.
  > Slamm-0!
  > If you can trick Mr. Johnson to meet you near one of these, you might be able 
  to coax him into some very favorable terms. Just make sure you’ve protected 
  yourself from the tree’s mojo.
  > Riser
  Habitat: Savannas 
  Range: Africa
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Tree
  Description: Thirteen meters tall tree with glossy black bark. Branches 
  radiate out in a regular pattern with light green, medium-sized, ovoid 
  leaves. The fruit grows in a pyramid shaped petal formation similar to 
  a paper lantern. The fruit is similar to a large cherry that changes from 
  black to white when ripe.
  Usage: None
  Availability: 6
  Powers: Inﬂ uence
  NOTES FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT 
  ON AWAKENED FLORAL SECURITY
  Any plants with dual-natured abilities are highly prized in astral security, 
  being relatively cheaper and requiring less maintenance than wards. Awakened 
  ivy (various varieties like the North American kudzu) is the most commonly 
  used and grown plant for astral security as it readily climbs surfaces to cover 
  the whole structure. It’s not the only plant used for astral security. Awakened 
  lichen (Variolaria orcina) of Auvergne is gathered from volcanic areas in France 
  for both security and the manufacture of a visible astral dye. Magnus kudzu is 
  another newcomer from the Chicago area.
  Other uses of Awakened plants for security are limited due to the indis-
  criminant capabilities of the vegetation. Guardian vines, for example, may seem 
  to be useful for security, but they are astral predators and attack anything 
  astral, including the security mage or his spirits. Devil’s breath was equally 
  dangerous as it escaped the conﬁ nes of planters and the Atzlan Operation 
  Padre Verde, which involved the planting of Sangre Del Diablo as a method of 
  destabilizing the area around Bogotá, made the area a danger to all who enter 
  it, including Aztlan personnel.
  
  30
  BLIGHTED PLANTS
  BLIGHTED PLANTS
  It is hard sometimes to distinguish what the dif erence between 
  “toxic” and “Awakened” is when it comes to plants. It becomes even 
  more dif  cult when you realize that many Awakened plants have the 
  same physical characteristics as their progenitors and may be just a 
  new variety rather than anything truly distinct. So far there are few 
  plants in the “blighted” category, which is when an Awakened species 
  has been corrupted by its environment and the scientif c community 
  has agreed upon its classif cation.
  > I would have put the Sangre Del Diablo in this category, having it as maybe a 
  corrupted version of the Sangre Del Drago tree, but what environment would 
  have changed it to make it what it is? 
  > Glasswalker
  > Aztechnology doesn’t want the Sangre put in the “blighted” category as that 
  would put a negative spin on what they did in Amazonia. They’ve been ﬁ ghting 
  the PR war as ﬁ ercely as the ground war.
  > Dr. Spin
  > It’s tough to say if it’s a blighted version of the Sangre Del Drago, as the two 
  trees emerged around the same time.
  > Ecotope
  GOMORRAH APPLE TREE
  Punica petrifae
  A deceptive blighted species, the Gomorrah apple tree is believed 
  to be related to the pomegranate. T e Gomorrah is dangerous in the 
  way it lures people and creatures to taste its fruit. T e f eshy seeds have 
  an adverse reaction to metahuman physiology as the body starts to 
  petrify through calcif cation. Once the victim has been paralyzed, the 
  Gomorrah sends out root tendrils to extract the living essence of the 
  victim. What remains around the tree appears to be broken and worn 
  statues. T e Gomorrah apple tree originated in parts of Africa where the 
  ground aquifer was polluted from fraking of oil or some other industrial 
  disaster, and it became twisted during the Awakening of Africa.
  > The Gomorrah apple tree was ﬁ rst discovered when archeologists thought they 
  found undiscovered remains of Roman towns in North Africa.
  > Elijah
  Habitat: Sparsely forested areas
  Range: Arabian Peninsula and northern Africa
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Tree
  Identiﬁ cation: It is a relatively small tree, growing ﬁ ve to eight meters tall. 
  It grows ﬁ fteen centimeters in diameter orange-red fruit with six 
  hundred plus black ﬂ eshy seeds within the fruit. There are short and 
  oblong leaves alternating on the branches.
  Usage: Assassins have been able to create an Awakened poison called Lot’s 
  Curse. It’s one of the few known poisons that can only be cured by an 
  equally Awakened antidote.
  Availability: 20F
  Powers: Compulsion, Desired Reﬂ ection, Energy Drain (Essence), Poisonous 
  (Petrifaction)
  It is hard sometimes to distinguish what the dif erence between 
  “toxic” and “Awakened” is when it comes to plants. It becomes even 
  more dif  cult when you realize that many Awakened plants have the 
  same physical characteristics as their progenitors and may be just a 
  new variety rather than anything truly distinct. So far there are few 
  plants in the “blighted” category, which is when an Awakened species 
  has been corrupted by its environment and the scientif c community 
  has agreed upon its classif cation.
  PARABOTANY
  
  31
  HERCULEAN STRANGLEKNOTS
  HERCULEAN STRANGLEKNOTS
  Polygonum vitrus
  T is herbaceous plant grows fast in the SOX, increasing in length 
  by about thirty centimeters a day. T e blighted version of Awakened 
  knotgrass quickly entangles everything sitting in its path. If there was 
  an Awakened version of this plant, it was obliterated long ago in the 
  SOX. Herculean strangleknots grow up to a height of f ve meters with 
  multiple tendrils to grab other objects for support. T e most dangerous 
  part of this plant is the excessive powdery scales it has on the petals, 
  stem, and tendrils. T e powdery substance is highly concentrated 
  oxalic acid. Some plants, such as spinach or rhubarb, have minute 
  amounts of this acid within their fruit or stems, but the herculean 
  strangleknot is coated with it. Oxalic acid breaks down metals and 
  organic substances. Acid-weakened materials are easily broken through 
  by the tendrils, and the corroded byproduct can be consumed by the 
  plant. When the plant scales back in the fall, it releases more oxalic 
  acid, coating the ground. With rain or snow, the powder becomes cor-
  rosive slurry of chloric and hydrochloric acid, killing of  competing 
  vegetation and poisoning wildlife. 
  > These places make some crazy dangerous zones; you can’t leave anything 
  outside for long as the corrosive dust gets everywhere. You might think you 
  left something somewhere safe, but then a good rain hits, and boom! You have 
  puddles of acid sitting in your vehicle, eating away at some important parts.
  > Hard Exit
  Habitat: Lightly forested and ﬁ elds
  Range: SOX
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Flower
  Description: This plant has broad triangular leaves with red-speckled stems. 
  It grows a ten-centimeter-wide cluster of small white ﬂ owers from the 
  stem and leaf joints host tendrils that latch onto objects. While the 
  plant grows up to a height of ﬁ ve meters, its width can be a meter 
  across with various tendrils and branches like a bush.
  Usage: Operations are underway with various techniques to exterminate this 
  plant from the forests of Caracas and Galicia.
  Availability: 20F
  Powers: Corrosive Secretions, Devour, Invulnerability (Acid)
  
  32
  SLUM SLIME
  SLUM SLIME
  Cordyceps unihabatii
  Slum slime originated in Paris’ catacombs and assumed its current 
  blighted form a little af er the late 2020s. It spread quickly thanks to 
  tourism—pieces of it clung to people’s clothing then fell on carpets, 
  where it grew. T e spread of the slime happened just as VITAS was hit-
  ting, so its ef ect went mostly unnoticed. T e more benign Awakened 
  version was just a manatropic slime mold, whose spore cloud would act 
  like a primitive version of FAB. Slum slime survives well in abandoned 
  urban places, so it is a common problem in neglected and abandoned 
  properties. T e emotions of the city at the time or the amount of deaths 
  that occurred from VITAS might have caused the blight in the slime.
  Slum slime is harmless in its active state. When food or water is 
  scarce, that stress puts it into a dormant state. It grows micro stalks with 
  spheres of spores along the whole body. If it doesn’t feed for a month, 
  the parent slime dies in this dormant 
  state. Unfortunately this is when the 
  slum slime is most dangerous.
  When someone or something 
  brushes up against the patch, the 
  stalks bend like springs and launch 
  the spores. T e spores are dangerous 
  to inhale, small enough to enter the 
  bloodstream via the lungs. Once in the lungs, they migrate to the brain 
  and cause an infection that changes the personality of the victim. T e 
  victim of spore inhalation begins to show signs of agoraphobia and 
  sensitivity to light over a period of weeks. T e severity of the behavioral 
  changes continues to increase until the victim succumbs to paranoia 
  and is overcome by a desire to hide in a dark place. T e spore then 
  completes germination and migrates to the kidneys to be expelled. T e 
  infection is not necessarily fatal, though ten percent of the victims die 
  from the disease at the f nal stage, while another three percent of the 
  victims die because of accidents caused by behavioral changes. 
  > This stuff can get everywhere. Buyers beware of safe houses in the warrens and 
  barrens. If you have to stay somewhere for some time, invest in a few repairs or 
  cleanup efforts.
  > 2XL
  the parent slime dies in this dormant 
  state. Unfortunately this is when the 
  When someone or something 
  brushes up against the patch, the 
  stalks bend like springs and launch 
  the spores. T e spores are dangerous 
  to inhale, small enough to enter the 
  Habitat: Dark caves and urban areas with little light
  Range: Global
  Frequency: Common
  Plant Type: Mold
  Identiﬁ cation: Grayish yellow slime mold with patches of up to twenty 
  square centimeters in size. It grows in dark, damp places, feeding on 
  decaying organic matter. It can move up to thirty centimeters a day 
  using its feelers, looking for food. It usually appears as a wet stain on 
  the wall or ﬂ oor. 
  Availability: 3
  Powers: Poisonous (Spores)
  SPORE TOXIN
  Vector: Inhalation
  Speed: 1 Day
  Penetration: –2
  Power: 8
  Effect: Imbues Qualities of agoraphobia and paranoia
  Note: After victims inhale slum slime spores, it continues to grow within the sub-
  jects lungs over a period of weeks. Once in the lungs, the spores migrate to the brain 
  and cause an infection that changes the personality of the victim. The only way to 
  treat the toxin is with antibiotics. 
  Cordyceps unihabatii
  Slum slime originated in Paris’ catacombs and assumed its current 
  blighted form a little af er the late 2020s. It spread quickly thanks to 
  tourism—pieces of it clung to people’s clothing then fell on carpets, 
  where it grew. T e spread of the slime happened just as VITAS was hit-
  ting, so its ef ect went mostly unnoticed. T e more benign Awakened 
  version was just a manatropic slime mold, whose spore cloud would act 
  like a primitive version of FAB. Slum slime survives well in abandoned 
  PARABOTANY
  
  33
  TUMBLENAUT WEED
  TUMBLENAUT WEED
  Salsola rex
  In the high winds of central North America and North Africa, 
  the tumblenaut weed can grow to an unprecedented six meters in 
  diameter and weigh in at over eighty kilograms. It is believed that the 
  tumblenaut weed is a blighted version of the mach tumbler, which 
  Awakened from the Russian thistly (Salsola kali). T e mach tumbler 
  has the ability to magically accelerate once it starts moving with the 
  wind, zipping along roadways until it impacts something. Tumblenauts 
  can be detected by low levels of radiation that has contamintated them.
  T e tumblenaut weed starts out like a large scrub bush with a 
  height of up to three meters. T e mammoth tumbleweed rolls through 
  f elds, crushing vegetation. It can do considerable damage to cars and 
  buildings once they get going. It is assumed that the nuclear radiation 
  in the area caused the mutations. When it is ready to propagate, the 
  branches curl up and the stem breaks of  from the roots. T is change 
  in growth behavior causes the vascular system to expand, making it 
  larger, while the multiple branches develop shorter ones that are 
  hooked, allowing them to connect together like Velcro. T e tum-
  blenaut expands through centrifugal force. Multiple tumblenauts can 
  hook together to increase its mass. It is hydrophobic, which means the 
  tumblenaut loses mobility as it absorbs water. T is helps some towns 
  prevent tumblenauts from overrunning them, but it also means that 
  tumblenauts can turn water supplies into a mass of grass and mud as 
  they soak up the water. T is also contaminates the water with decaying 
  isotopes of radioactive particles that the weed accumulated. 
  > Both the tumblenaut and mach tumbler are bad news for long-haul 
  smugglers. Mach tumblers are fast and can get airborne from dust devils 
  and hurled several hundred meters through the air. While the impact is like 
  hitting a wifﬂ e ball, there’s a large amount of debris that can get sucked into 
  an engine. Tumblenauts just get big and are like a herd of rhinos you have to 
  navigate your T-bird through. Unlike the mach tumbler, tumblenauts can do 
  real damage to vehicles.
  > Turbo Bunny
  Habitat: Deserts, chaparrals, and open plains, usually in sandy soils
  Range: Global, concentrated in radiated zones.
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Bush
  Description: Large woody scrubbrush with multiple hairy stems, irregular 
  thorns, and pale straw ﬂ owers
  Availability: 6
  Skill: Spellcasting
  Powers: Engulf (self), Innate Spell (Ram), Movement (Self)
  Weakness: Allergy (Water)
  Note: Tumblenauts move in the direction that the wind is blowing and magi-
  cally gain momentum. It starts moving at the speed of the wind and 
  then adds one meter per turn every twenty turns it is in motion, to a 
  top speed of twenty meters per turn above the current wind speed. 
  Water reduces the movement of the tumblenaut.
  
  34
  UMDHLEBI
  UMDHLEBI
  Spirostachys suffocivae
  T e umdhlebi is another plant that Awakened and then blighted 
  during the great African Awakening. It appears as a comfortable shady 
  spot to get out of the heat of the sun with its myriad of brush-like 
  branches and needle-shaped leaves that block out direct sunlight. But 
  in truth, the umdhlebi is a subtle predator, which victims are at risk 
  of discovering the closer they get to the trunk. Approaching the tree 
  causes a feeling of a cold chill and uneasiness; when people try to leave, 
  they of en have dif  culty breathing. Once the victim passes out from 
  lack of oxygen, the ground appears to liquefy as multiple roots whip 
  around, pulling the victim underground. T e roots, while feeding 
  the tree, also have a unique expiration process that produces carbon 
  monoxide and carbon dioxide, which lowers the oxygen levels around 
  the tree. T is has a secondary benef t of resisting f re. Now you might 
  ask why is the umdhlebi a blighted plant while Sangre Del Diablo is 
  not? T e answer at this point is arbitrary. Scientists are still discussing 
  classif cation distinctions, and the way this plant seems to create a zone 
  of death around it puts it here. 
  > Someone managed to kill one of these and dug the tree up. The root system 
  was a massive twelve meters in diameter. It contained a variety of bones, some 
  of which were human as well as parts of two vehicles, commlinks, and other 
  “undigested” material. I had to deliver it to a site for identiﬁ cation.
  > Traveler Jones
  Habitat: Savannah 
  Range: South Africa
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Tree
  Description: The Umdhlebi grows eight to ten meters tall with many small, 
  upward pointing branches with alternating needle like green leaves, 
  and two layers of bark—a dead outer layer that hangs off the tree, and 
  a new living layer that grows beneath it. The tree has small red and 
  black variegated fruit that hang from the tree like peapods. Beneath 
  the trunk is a massive root ball that entangles many inorganic items 
  that the tree has consumed. 
  Usage: The tree is a dense hardwood that can be used for furniture if treated. 
  Untreated wood exudes a poisonous latex sap that can blister skin. If 
  burned, it gives off noxious fumes contaminating food cooked over it.
  Availability: 18F
  Powers: Deathly Aura, Devour, Engulf (air)
  Spirostachys suffocivae
  T e umdhlebi is another plant that Awakened and then blighted 
  during the great African Awakening. It appears as a comfortable shady 
  spot to get out of the heat of the sun with its myriad of brush-like 
  branches and needle-shaped leaves that block out direct sunlight. But 
  in truth, the umdhlebi is a subtle predator, which victims are at risk 
  of discovering the closer they get to the trunk. Approaching the tree 
  causes a feeling of a cold chill and uneasiness; when people try to leave, 
  PARABOTANY
  
  35
  MUTANT PLANTS
  MUTANT PLANTS
  DROPPING PINE
  Yakut’s Department of the Interior discovered the mutated species 
  known as the dropping pine they attempted to cut it down. T e drop-
  ping pine defends itself by weakening branches enough that they break 
  of  and fall on or out from under any potential attacker. It does this 
  by a chemical trigger that causes reverse imbibition (shrinking of cells 
  through the expulsion of water) in the cells in the base of the branches. 
  T e shrunken cells have dif  culty sustaining the weight of the branch, 
  allowing it to detach cleanly at the base. T e mutations are believed to 
  have been triggered by radioactive fallout settling throughout Siberia, 
  corroborated by environmental studies.
  > If a tree geeks a lumberjack in the woods and no one is around, does anyone 
  cheer for the tree?
  > Slamm-0!
  Habitat: Boreal forests
  Range: Siberia with concentrations around Tunguska Crater
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Plant Type: Tree
  Description: The dropping pine is a coniferous tree, which grows twenty 
  to thirty meters tall with wide branches and regular clusters of 
  needles. When mature, the dropping pine grows sixty-centime-
  ter-long cone, almost spherical in shape. 
  Availability: 20
  Skills: Clubs 
  
  36
  WALKING BANANA TREE
  WALKING BANANA TREE
  T e banana tree has ceased to be a common food item and is 
  now a luxury item and an exotic specimen in botanical gardens. Since 
  2060, the banana tree has produced a new trick—a small percentage 
  of the species can move on their own. T is phenomenon was f rst 
  documented by security cameras at the San Diego Botanical Garden. 
  T e trees, a pair of dwarf bananas, were apparently not watered enough 
  because of conservation, so the pair moved four meters during the 
  night to “drink” out of the coy pond before returning to where they 
  were growing, which had good sunlight. T e tree is not sentient; it 
  simply reacts to environmental conditions by moving. Small feelers in 
  its roots and a receptor at the top of the tree determine the direction 
  of travel. T e receptor at the top detects moisture and humidity, while 
  the roots detect nutrients and temperature. T e leaves are already 
  heliotropic, so some decision is made between them all to determine 
  to move or stay. T e San Diego Garden is the only one to have their 
  trees manifest this ability, and they botanists are hoping to breed or 
  collect more for the Safari Park.
  > So let me get this straight—you have people paying big bucks to walk around 
  two banana trees with funny looking roots? Brilliant! 
  > Dr. Spin
  Habitat: Sandy soil, warm climates
  Range: Global
  Frequency: Rare
  Plant Type: Tree
  Identiﬁ cation: Three to ﬁ ve meters tall tree with large, twenty-centime-
  ter-wide oblong palm leaves and rough textured bark. The roots of 
  the plant are actually part of one large, three toed pseudopod like a 
  snail. It has an unusual fuzzy ring at the top of the tree where the 
  new growth emerges.
  Availability: 25
  Qualities: Pseudopod
  NOTES FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT ON SENTIENT PLANTS
  So far, while the plants can move and react to outside stimuli, there have been 
  no signs of intelligence in any Awakened or mutated plant. It is believed that if any 
  intelligence is found in a plant it will most likely be some plant/animal hybrid or 
  animal mutation such as the cactus cat.
  > What about the Naree Pon, the tree people of Thailand? They supposedly grow 
  like seedpods from trees.
  > Plan 9
  > I’ll side with Dr. Wright that it’s an animal mutation, like those jungle frogs that 
  lay their eggs on leaves.
  > Ecotope
  T e banana tree has ceased to be a common food item and is 
  now a luxury item and an exotic specimen in botanical gardens. Since 
  2060, the banana tree has produced a new trick—a small percentage 
  of the species can move on their own. T is phenomenon was f rst 
  documented by security cameras at the San Diego Botanical Garden. 
  T e trees, a pair of dwarf bananas, were apparently not watered enough 
  because of conservation, so the pair moved four meters during the 
  night to “drink” out of the coy pond before returning to where they 
  PARABOTANY
  
  37
  ENGINEERED PLANTS
  ENGINEERED PLANTS
  With most Awakened plants being dif  cult to control, corpo-
  rations like Yakashima and Proteus AG have put their agricultural 
  technologies into a new line of security vegetation. T e beauty of 
  these engineered plant species is that they can be controlled through a 
  variety of chemical triggers. Security of  cers are dosed with one so that 
  the plants ignore them, while another chemical can be sprayed to put 
  the plants in an aggressive stance, and a third can switch of  the alert 
  status, putting them into dormancy. 
  > So while these corporations can manage the “behavior” of plants, they still have 
  a hard time managing growth and containment. Like previous bio experiments, 
  there are too many factors to consider when placing such projects outdoors. 
  They try to contain them as much as possible, but there’s that .01% chance that 
  either the genetic change or the experiment itself can get out into the wild.
  > Nephrine
  THORN BLADES
  T is grass has modif ed stems that make it a wooden spike, and 
  science has increased its density and sharpness. T e thorn blades are 
  skototropic and can move the stem toward a shadow and thus toward 
  an intruder. T e spikes are sharp enough to poke holes in normal 
  footwear, meaning they provide a strong inducement for people to not 
  step where they are planted. Facilities have been rolling out thorn blade 
  sod around the open spaces. T ey also occasionally add natural plant 
  toxins to their sprinkler water supply to further sharpen the spikes.
  > Thorn blades do not grow any ﬂ owering parts; instead, the plant expands out 
  with new stems along a rhizome within the root system. A corporation that 
  plants them can contain thorn blades by edging a patch of the plant with 
  ground that the thorn blades can’t grow new roots in.
  > Nephrine
  > This isn’t real common, but it has found its way into facilities on the edge of 
  suburbia where concrete and asphalt dominate the landscape.
  > DangerSensei
  Plant Type: Flower
  Description: Three-centimeter-long spikes sheathed in a single green leaf.
  Powers: Natural Weapon (Spikes, DV 2, AP —)
  Skills: Unarmed Combat
  
  38
  TEAPOT FERN
  TEAPOT FERN
  T e teapot fern is designed with several sausage-thick, gas-f lled 
  bladders within the root system. Its twenty-centimeter-wide fronds 
  splay out in a radial pattern. T e fern’s leaves are sensitive to touch, and 
  the roots to pressure. So any movement near the teapot fern or contact 
  with it causes the fronds to curl up and retract. It also releases gas from 
  the bladders in a rather nice musical tone. T is simple noise can alert 
  security to the presence of someone walking by the plant.
  > The teapot fern took elements of the Mimosa pudica, or sensitive plant, and 
  added other elements to create what amounts to be an organic alarm.
  > Nephrine
  > Security ofﬁ cers have found out that the teapot fern can be too sensitive; 
  they’ve all but stopped planting it in LA or NeoTokyo, as any quakes measuring 
  3 or higher trigger the thing.
  > DangerSensei
  > They’re also a pain in the hoop to ship.
  > 2XL
  Plant Type: Fern
  Description: Fern with multiple stiff, light green fronds 0.6 meters long with 
  a central tubular stalk that is 0.7 meters in length.
  Powers: Enhanced Senses (Tremor sense)
  Note: When triggered, the fern sounds off with a 50 dB musical note for 
  three combat turns alerting anyone within hearing distance to the 
  fern’s alarm. Apply a –2 modiﬁ er to hearing-based Perception Tests 
  for anyone within 25 meters of the fern (other modiﬁ ers may apply).
  PARABOTANY
  
  39
  DETECTIVE FICHUS TREE
  DETECTIVE FICHUS TREE
  Evo has heightened this plant’s communication process to react to 
  chemicals. In this case, they have rewired the protein-based chemicals 
  to change the color of the leaves in the presence of certain explosive 
  chemicals. In seconds, the f chus leaves turn a stark white color, alerting 
  security to the presence of the dangerous chemicals. Evo has also been 
  working on a secondary detection of other chemicals that would turn 
  the leaves red. 
  > Detective ﬁ chus trees are quite popular, replacing the usual corporate decorative 
  ﬂ ora with a discreet security measure. It makes sense to put one in reception 
  areas and conference rooms. If you walk in and the tree is white or red, then get 
  the hell out.
  > DangerSensei
  > Which explosives or chemicals can it detect? 
  > Stone
  > That’s a trade secret. So far the best answer is: yes. The branches of different 
  trees can be grafted onto a single specimen, meaning that materials from C12 to 
  TNT could be detected by that tree. These trees are otherwise indistinguishable 
  from normal ﬁ chus trees, so plan accordingly.
  > Nephrine
  Plant Type: Tree
  Description: 1- to 1.5-meter-tall tree with drooping branches and glossy 
  leaves that are six to twelve centimeters long.
  Powers: Enhanced Senses (Smell) 
  Skills: Perception
  Notes: Smell is for the detection of explosive or other chemical that the tree 
  has been designed to detect. The range of the ﬁ chus tree to detect 
  explosives is ﬁ ve meters. 
  39
  39
  DETECTIVE FICHUS TREE
  DETECTIVE FICHUS TREE
  DETECTIVE FICHUS TREE
  BOTANICAL SPECIMENS PRICING AND AVAILABILITY CHART
  Note that these are not reagent materials; price is 
  based on Force 1.
  Name 
  Availability  
  Cost
  Austras kok  
  25F 
  5,000,000¥
  Black mana orchid 
  18F 
  200,000¥
  Caldwell lily 
  2 
  1,000¥
  Chicago grey 
  8R 
  5,500¥
  Chimera tree  
  4 
  800¥
  Crimson orchids 
  18F 
  200,000¥
  Deepweed 
  18F 
  200,000¥
  Devil’s breath 
  12R 
  5,500¥ 
  Divining lotus 
  20F 
  230,000¥ 
  Glammergold 
  16 
  15,000¥
  Hag golete  
  8 
  1,100¥
  HellHound’s tongue 
  14 
  20,000¥
  Immortal ﬂ ower  
  14F 
  180,000¥
  Laésal tree 
  25F 
  1,000,000¥
  Name 
  Availability  
  Cost
  Magnus kudzu 
  5 
  4,000¥
  Metadrake  
  12R 
  50,000¥
  Molu  
  8 
  15,000¥
  Nahala aloe 
  8 
  15,000¥
  Porqupod  
  10R 
  12,000¥
  Prairie smite 
  10 
  2,000¥
  Sleeping willow 
  8 
  10,000¥
  Spider fern 
  7 
  8,000¥
  Weeping tree 
  10R 
  30,000¥
  Whipcord viper lily 
  6 
  8,000¥
  Xutuli 
  12R 
  50,000¥
  Yann orchid 
  14F 
  180,000¥* 
  Ziba Tree 
  10 
  20,000¥
  * Note that prior to 2054 the price of a Yann orchid was 
  22,000¥
  Plants besides trees are considered to be a meter or 
  less tall. Maintenance costs for the plants are one-tenth 
  the base price monthly, and they require a location that 
  offers both water and sunlight.
  SECURITY PLANT COSTS
  Name 
  Availability 
  Cost
  Thorn Blades 
  4xForce 
  500¥ x Force
  Teapot Fern 
  6 
  400¥
  Detective Fichus 6 
   
  2,000¥
  Teapot Ferns are generally sold at Force 2, while the 
  Detective Fichus are sold at Force 4.
  
  40
  BOTANICAL ADVANCES
  BOTANICAL ADVANCES
  Posted by: Ecotope
  Just like any other scientif c f eld, botany is constantly advancing 
  as scientists f nd a host of new applications. For example, Evo has 
  modif ed poplars and alder trees to absorb and store heavy metals 
  in the core of the tree. T e trees can then be cut down to recycle or 
  properly dispose of the pollutants. T is has allowed progress in the 
  cleanup ef ort at locations suf ering from long-term economic damage. 
  All of this work means there has been plenty of news, so here’s a 
  quick summary of some of the salient items.
  DUNKELZAHN’S WILL UPDATE
  Dunkelzahn had a wide range of interests, including botany, and 
  his will ref ected that. Here are some updates on some of the plant-
  related provisions of that document.
  Revitalizing the Land
  To the f rst party to revitalize any three species of f ora or fauna 
  currently near extinction and successfully return them to their native 
  environment, or successfully adapt those species to a new environment, 
  I leave 30 million ¥ and funds for further research to be provided by the 
  Draco Foundation.
  Dr. Nerdal Ziusudra of the Doomsday Ark project was the f rst 
  to attempt this with fauna. He successfully reintroduced the polar 
  bear before he disappeared in 2069. Other corporations are securing 
  documentation for the reintroduction of the extinct diving locus and 
  the Australian pyramid mulla-mulla, but they have not begun work to 
  reintroduce a second or third species to complete this task.
  > Dr. Ziusudra is an exceptional scientist. I think he could have completed this 
  task ten times over, given the amount of genetic materials that were donated 
  to the project if it weren’t for his as-yet-unknown discovery in the jungles. 
  The others are mired down in corporate politics over intellectual property 
  and showing proof of their claims. It probably be another ten to ﬁ fteen years 
  before they get their act together, and who knows how many living species 
  will go extinct by then. 
  > Nephrine
  > I’ve heard he’s on Madagascar. Watch for the dodo to appear.
  > Plan 9
  > Mix up your medicines again?
  > Butch
  Cleaning the Air
  To the f rst party that develops a species of plant hardy enough to 
  f ourish in and eventually clean the smog-choked atmosphere of such cities 
  as Tenochtitlán, I leave 20 million ¥.
  On the cleanup of sulfur dioxide, ozone, and nitrous dioxide in 
  air pollution, Sun Temple Agriculture is in the lead. T ey have spliced 
  and modif ed nitrogen f xation genes into what they call “cotton candy 
  grass.” T e grass pulls these gasses from the air and solidif es them into 
  the soil as sulfur and ammonia. Aztlan initiated full-scale testing by 
  seeding all available acreage of Tenochtitlán with the grass in February 
  2071, and they hope to see enough progress to receive the 20 million 
  ¥ bequest. Starf eld Botanical Engineering ceased their attempt to 
  create biomaterial and focused on extreme environment growing 
  methods. Sculpted Environmental Systems Inc. (SES Inc.) of Tír na 
  nÓg was thought to be a frontrunner in the competition as they’ve 
  been involved in terraforming projects since the ‘50s. But since the 
  passage of Halley’s comet, their successes have come under scrutiny. 
  Toxic cleanup jobs have begun to regress, and their “heavy respiration 
  f xing” trees are dying. Rumors of magic use in the plants are at the 
  heart of the issue. While using magic is not illegal, the corporations 
  who purchased their ecosystems wanted a more permanent solution.
  > This was an amazing feat for Sun Temple Agriculture, since for the ﬁ rst time 
  in almost seventy years, pollution levels dropped and the whole city of 
  Tenochtitlán was covered in a ﬁ eld of reddish gold.
  > Ecotope
  Going to the Extremes
  To the f rst party to successfully grow cactus on the ocean f oor and 
  produce an acre of wheat in low orbit, I leave 20 million ¥. 
  Hestaby has of ered to match this sum; she has an interest in 
  Starf eld Botanical Engineering, a small CAS f rm looking to win 
  this bequest that is currently focusing on growing underwater cacti. 
  Aztechnology is also focusing on growing wheat in low-earth orbit 
  in their Spindle station, but their yield has peaked at two-thirds of 
  an acre. Satellite Station Dyson 3, owned by Starfield Botanical 
  Engineering, is the first satellite to contain one acre of wheat, 
  surpassing Aztechnology’s attempt as they try to expand the Spindle 
  station in 2071. Dyson 3, however, doesn’t qualify in this competition 
  since it’s not in low earth orbit. Construction is currently underway for 
  a new low-orbit station. 
  A silent contender in this has been Proteus. T ey already have 
  constructed space station Tref punkt: Raumhafen with hydroponics 
  capable of achieving this goal since 2063, as well as several aquatic 
  arcologies that could grow cacti a decade earlier. It’s a mystery why they 
  haven’t claimed this award already.
  > Getting kinda crowded up here. As a side note, it does make it a little cheaper 
  to get fresh bread with all the corporate testing.
  > Orbital DK
  > Proteus has been quietly keeping to themselves more or less. Sure there’s an 
  occasional headline, but they play things very close to their vest. It’s not clear if 
  they believe 20 million nuyen and a raised public image is worth giving others a 
  view in their cards.
  > Plan 9
  Posted by: Ecotope
  Just like any other scientif c f eld, botany is constantly advancing 
  as scientists f nd a host of new applications. For example, Evo has 
  modif ed poplars and alder trees to absorb and store heavy metals 
  in the core of the tree. T e trees can then be cut down to recycle or 
  properly dispose of the pollutants. T is has allowed progress in the 
  cleanup ef ort at locations suf ering from long-term economic damage. 
  All of this work means there has been plenty of news, so here’s a 
  PARABOTANY
  
  41
  BOTANICAL ADVANCES
  WHERE’S THE RUM?
  Back almost a century, people accepted the price hikes in their 
  drinks, but they didn’t understand how industrial pollution, urban 
  sprawl, and agricultural problems caused those hikes. From American 
  beer to Soviet vodka, the cost of alcoholic beverages tripled on average in 
  the f rst eight years of the 21st century, even if you take general inf ation 
  into account. Mead was the hardest hit when cycles of colony collapse 
  syndrome killed of  honeybee farms. T at had a ripple ef ect, as the yield 
  of other beverages was reduced by the loss of naturally pollinated plants. 
  For wine, this wasn’t the f rst time that production faced signif -
  cant trouble; in the 1800s, an aphid from the Americas came to Europe 
  and almost wiped out the continent’s vineyards. It also wasn’t the f rst 
  time that genetic solutions were challenged by the industry as a whole. 
  Genetic modif cations were strictly monitored, as many feared the 
  alterations would change the taste of the wine, cross-pollinate trea-
  sured grapes with other vines of a lesser quality, or mutate the virus 
  that they were trying to resist. T e industry broke along several lines. 
  Traditionalists stuck it out with Meridonal’s phytohormone therapies 
  to allow for multiple harvests and large agri-domes to simulate weather 
  and yet keep the terraire. Another group, which included AGC, went 
  with hydroponic towers and genetic modif cations to enzymatically 
  recreate the chemical f avors of wine with a variety of strains of grapes 
  that were more tolerant of the new environmental conditions. A third 
  group decided to abandon grapes altogether. Using a variety of modi-
  f ed algae, they reproduced the polyphenols, terpenes, and acids in 
  the production of must. T is combined with fructose, glucose, sulfur 
  dioxide, and yeast, which then fermented and formed the “wine” called 
  pelago. T is technology led to micro-wineries out numbering micro-
  breweries in the North American West. 
  A French government agency in charge of quality labels for iconic 
  food and drink products (with oversight from the NEEC) stepped 
  in to the budding industry to crack down on these businesses using 
  any reference to French wines. T e French and many European wine 
  makers were reluctant to manufacture and market pelago now that 
  they enforced the patent. Some leased the brand name and technol-
  ogy to corporations to produce, while others reluctantly began their 
  own algae brews, if only to preserve the terroir of their predecessor’s 
  work. With these drinks, only the small double helix printed on the 
  label distinguishes them. Algae, being an easy medium to produce 
  and ship, has also made its way to space. T ree of the more popular 
  pelagos produced in zero gravity are: Gaian Blue, Martian Crimson, 
  and Venusians Pale. 
  Most of the big corporate breweries make soy-based alcoholic 
  beverages with a touch of artif cial hops. It is cheap to produce since 
  soy beans have to be fermented in order to be f t for human consump-
  tion. Interestingly enough, there was already an existing infrastructure 
  that could be used: soy sauce production equipment. T e end product 
  is soymilk beer. While it doesn’t have the same taste as real beer, it has 
  gained popularity by being more nutritious. Soy kef r and soy kumiss 
  are how corporations are labeling this beer. T e next cheap alternative 
  has been synthohols, which are pure chemistry. Alcohol removed from 
  petroleum or as a byproduct of industrial manufacturing is diluted 
  in water with artif cial f avors, which is then carbonated to produce 
  synthohol. Synthohol has similar look and taste comparable to mass-
  produced beer products. T at being said, microbreweries have had to 
  become botanical gardens to be able to grow what they need in order 
  to keep the tradition alive. For every micro brewing warehouse, there’s 
  a greenhouse growing wheat, hops, and other plants nearby.
  > Glad that corporations had their priorities straight. The world can’t operate 
  without beer!
  > Kane
  > Pelagos are better than the hooch they used to make up here; it doesn’t smell 
  like diesel and it doesn’t cause paralysis or blindness.
  > Orbital DK
  41
  BOTANICAL ADVANCES
  BOTANICAL ADVANCES
  BOTANICAL ADVANCES
  PELAGOS
  Name
  Price (Per 
  Bottle)
  Description
  Valley Green 
  Chardonnay
  100¥
  The Chardonnay grape was the ﬁ rst to be gene-mapped 
  to algae in 2045. The pelagos from these algae have a 
  dark green color and a robust, nutty, earthy ﬂ avor; this is 
  base off a traditional Chardonnay. 
  Napa Yellow
  80¥
  An Airen grape gene-mapped algae, ﬁ rst introduced in 
  2048, this pelago is yellow in color with a light ﬂ avor.
  Paciﬁ c Blue
  70¥
  In 2050, the Chardonnay gene sequence was combined 
  with blue-green oceanic algae. This was done for North 
  American corporate competitors who were already using 
  these algae for foodstuffs. The result was a pelago with 
  an aquamarine color and with crisp lemon-lime-mineral 
  ﬂ avors.
  Spanish Gold
  70¥
  Not to be without their own pelago, Productos Cultivatos 
  mapped the Viura grape gene and produced their one in 
  2052. It is gold to light green in color with a light, ﬁ ne 
  ﬂ avor.
  Mediterranean
  75¥
  Another European pelago using the Riesling gene, this 
  has Cobalt-blue coloring with a dry, melony taste.
  Red Tide
  60¥
  The second pelago in North America, grown in CFS, this 
  was created from the Pinotage gene-mapped algae, 
  which was supposedly stolen from an Azanian corpora-
  tion. Its colors range from dark burgundy to red, and it 
  has a strong bitter taste.
  Gaia Blue
  120¥
  By 2060, pelagos were being produced in outer space. 
  The ﬁ rst was Grenache gene-mapped algae, and the ﬁ rst 
  bottles were made by an independent individual on Z-O. 
  He has since then been compensated by Evo and now 
  manufactured on a small station. It has an odd turquoise 
  color that hasn’t been replicated naturally, and it has a 
  fresh vanilla ﬂ avor. 
  Martian 
  Crimson 
  120¥
  Ares had mapped the Airen gene in 2062 with some 
  modiﬁ cations based on their other experiments. It has a 
  muddy red look and a sharp, robust ﬂ avor. It is advertised 
  as the ofﬁ cial alcoholic beverage of Mars.
  Venusians Pale 
  120¥
  At the same time that Martian crimson was introduced, 
  the original Valley Green Chardonnay was brought into 
  space and modified for a zero-g environment, then 
  improved upon with ﬁ fteen years of research. The result-
  ing pelago has a cloudy clarity and is pale yellow to pale 
  green in color with earthy, wood ﬂ avors. 
  
  42
  BOTANICAL ADVANCES
  > Kids these days. They can’t drink anything unless it has bubbles in it. Even 
  the iconic Tír wines are less popular than the Näch or Cetheral carbonated 
  fruity drinks.
  > Snopes
  AGRICULTURAL ZONES 
  OF TÍR TAIRNGIRE 
  Klamath Basin, home to Tolanestéa brand of wine, had been until recently a 
  little-recognized parcel of farmland. Up until 2020, government restrictions of water 
  use left most of the land fallow. Corporations had damaged the land eradicating the 
  suckerﬁ sh species, which had previously restricted farmer’s use of water. Not until the 
  formation of the Tír had technology advanced enough to change this. Desalination 
  plants and a better ecological design allowed for shared use of the water. The geother-
  mal capabilities of the Klamath Basin are also ideal for a variety of plants, especially 
  the laésal tree, which needs the mineral content generated by the thermal springs.
  Willamette Valley has broad ﬂ uvial terraces where ancient glacial run off created 
  a fertile valley, and this is where the majority of the Tír’s crops are grown. Restoration 
  of the Willamette River to its natural state was mostly completed by 2035, though 
  industrial and agricultural pollutants still leach into the river. The region once known 
  as William L Finley Wildlife Reserve had been restored, and corporations occupying 
  the area have been evicted. As far downstream as Sérentaneyo, the river can be used 
  for irrigation directly without any clean up. 
  PARABOTANY
  TÍR TAIRNGIRE BEVERAGES
  Name
  Price
  Availability
  Notes
  Alamestra
  15,000¥ (per bottle)
  20
  Alamestra is a very rare and potent liquor that takes alchemical talents to distill. It changes color, 
  refracting light depending on the angle and speed at which the drink is moving. It also must be 
  served very cold, usually on the cusp of freezing point so that the only thing keeping it from being 
  solid is the warmth of the consumer’s hand. If it becomes much warmer, it immediately assumes 
  gaseous form and evaporates away. 
  Cara’Sir Kirsch
  6,000¥ (per bottle)
  12
  Distilled water and forced ripened fruit makes this Cara’Sir-produced beverage the most common 
  year-round Tír brandywine. It is also the cheapest. 
  Cetheral
  50¥ (per six pack)
  10
  A carbonated and alcoholic fruity drink made with laésal fruit juice
  Näch
  30¥ (per six pack)
  10
  Carbonated, alcoholic, and caffeinated fruity drink made with laésal fruit juice
  KéValan Frunte
  10,000¥ (per bottle)
  12
  A brandy made from a mix of fruits grown in the Tír, including laésal fruit.
  Sil Oineäm
  10¥ (per 12 oz. drink)
  15
  Tea made from laésal blossoms. 
  Sérentaneyo Laésate
  8,000¥
  12R
  A brandywine made with dried overripe laésal fruit. It is sometimes made with almonds or herbal 
  touches. 
  Taéngelé (Falan)
  600¥ (per bottle)
  10
  A distilled hard liquor made of honey and anise that is very strong and full bodied. The Falan (Black) 
  brand uses a darker honey made from laésal tree nectar.
  Taéngelé (Gheal)
  125¥ (per bottle)
  10
  A distilled hard liquor made of honey and anise that is very strong and full bodied. The Gheal (White) 
  brand uses honey produced from other Tír agricultural products.
  Tir Lacrima White
  30¥ (per bottle)
  Tír Lacrima White is one of a handful of wines exported from the Tír.
  Tir Lacrima Rosé
  50¥ (per bottle)
  Tir Lacrima Rose is one of a handful of wines exported from the Tir.
  Tolanestéa Kirsch
  12,000¥ (per bottle)
  15R
  The rarest of the Tír brandywines due to government restrictions around the Klamath Basin.
  Tolanestéa 
  Gewürztraminer
  500¥ (per bottle)
  10
  A special wine grown around the Klamath Basin, it’s nutty and smooth with an aroma of rose petals. 
  
  43
  BOTANICAL ADVANCES
  OTHER BEVERAGES
  Name
  Price 
  Description
  Soy Keﬁ r and 
  Soy Kumiss
  7¥ (per bottle)
  Soy-based alcoholic drinks with the appear-
  ance and texture of milk-based kefir/
  kumiss. True keﬁ r or kumiss cost ten times 
  the soy equivalent.
  Soykaf
  4¥ (per 12oz)
  An interesting product of dried soy, infused 
  with caffeine and coffee flavors that 
  replaces ground coffee. Soykaf packs are 
  sold premixed with or without soymilk 
  creamer and sweeteners that only require 
  hot water. Real coffee products cost ten 
  times as much per cup.
  Synthohol
  10¥ (per six pack) From the conservative Ares 40 caliber and 
  AGS’ Jabifu and KreuzbockPlö rrator to the 
  partying choice EVOlution Solution and 
  S-K’s Vorglüher, synthohol is cheap to make, 
  dulls the senses, and substantially improves 
  corporate lunch meetings.
  Soda
  8¥ (per six pack) Iconic Buzz Cola!, Omega Fizz, and Fanta-
  Zack are all carbonated water, artiﬁ cially 
  sweetened, caffeinated, and ﬂ avored. They 
  are the second-most common beverage 
  drink, ahead of bottled water, behind juices/
  punch. More expensive soda like Hugo 
  Natural costs four times as much as soda 
  and is made with cane sugar, corn syrup or 
  some other natural sweetener.
  Hurlg
  5¥ (single serving 
  bottle)
  A dark, thick ale the consistency of soup, 
  swimming with hops and nutmeg, and 
  fortiﬁ ed with 160+ proof alcohol. Common 
  brands are Orkstaff’s XXX (popular in North 
  America) and Ogg’s Usquebaugh (popular in 
  Tír na nOg.
  Scotch
  4¥ (shot)/40¥ 
  (bottle)
  Various brands include McDevitt Highlands, 
  Monongahela Rye, and T-bird Fuel
  > Even cheaper if you’re in Europe is the KreuzbockPlö rrator. It comes mostly 
  in twenty-four packs at the low, low price of 20 nuyen a pack. It’s water with 
  factory-extracted alcohol and maybe a little carbonation. 
  > Traveler Jones
  BEER
  Most “real” beers are made by microbreweries. Keeping things local and elimi-
  nating costs of shipping and importing ingredients makes beer relatively affordable to 
  the common man. Prices can vary from 5¥ to 15¥ a bottle depending on the quality. 
  There are some corporate breweries producing alternatives to synthohol, but their 
  prices are two to three times that of a microbrew. The tradeoff is that these corporate 
  products have a greater distribution.
  AGS MICROBREWS
  Anarchobier (an alternative brewery with heavy anarchistic inﬂ uence)
  Bä rpilsGrobian
  Engelhä rdterPils
  Falkenbrä u-Freibier (literally means “free/gratis beer”)
  Ganja-Bock (beermix, beer+marijuana essence)
  Schwarzer Stern (neoanarchistic brewery)
  X-X-X-BierZille-Export (can be found outside AGS)
  UCAS
  Philadelphia Lager
  Philadelphia Stout
  CFS 
  Arrogant Gargoyle
  Corporate Bastard Ale
  CORPORATE BREWS
  Shiawase Bä rengold
  Horizon Bottled Sunshine
   
  SEATTLE MICROBREWS
  Gertie’s Kraken
  Broken Autopilot
  DENVER MICROBREWS
  Dunkelzahn’s Familiar
  43
  43
  BOTANICAL ADVANCES
  BOTANICAL ADVANCES
  BOTANICAL ADVANCES
  THE REBIRTH OF CHOCOLATE
  Posted by: Pistons
  Chocolate has had its troubles, which is quite distressing to some of us. These troubles 
  date to the early part of the century, when diseases such as witches’ broom, monilia, and 
  phytophthora were decimating the cocoa plant. The diseases were so devastating that some 
  farms lost forty percent of the crop. The International Ofﬁ ce of Cocoa, Chocolate, and Sugar 
  Confectionery (IOCCSC) met in 1999 to ﬁ nd ways to assure adequate cocoa supplies. 
  Another blow came when VITAS destabilized most of Africa, which is where seventy 
  percent of the world’s cocoa comes from. Cocoa prices skyrocketed. Then, somehow, things 
  got even worse. Radical transformation of the vegetation in the early 2020s, corporate land 
  grabs, and the wars to establish the Anyl, Amazonia, Asamando, and several other nations 
  all but eliminated the cocoa plant in its domesticated form by 2040.
  In 2042 IOCCSC funded an expedition to recover wild surviving Cocoa plants in an 
  attempt to reestablish cocoa supplies. Results were mixed—surviving plants were found, 
  but the environments were too dangerous or hazardous to build stable cocoa farming 
  communities.
  As part of the reclamation of cultural heritage, Nature-Taste and Productos Cultivatos 
  created a chocolate hybrid of the cacao plant that can produce fruit with high yielding 
  ﬂ avanols within a hydroponic environment. By 2055, “cacahuatl” was reborn. Chocolate-
  ﬂ avored soy still dominates the market, but cacahuatl has grown in popularity thanks to its 
  more authentic ﬂ avor. The most popular cacahuatl product is the Three Shadow Runner bars, 
  which are energy bars shaped like credsticks. They come in packs of three—the ebony bar 
  (thirty percent cacahuatl), the platinum bar (sixty percent cacahuatl with powdered sugar 
  coating) and the gold bar (forty percent cacahuatl layered with caramel).
  > The Three Shadow Runner product is a marketing ploy playing off the popular trids like 
  Suki Redﬂ ower and Karl Kombatmage. They’re good, and I like the commercials where 
  Mr. Johnson pays off the runners in candy bars.
  > Dr. Spin
  > Aztechnology is keeping tight security on their plant farms. Cocoa plants are the goose 
  that laid the chocolate egg. Stollwerck and Nestlé are already setting up jobs to probe 
  Aztechnology’s security.
  > Black Mamba
  
  44
  GAME RULES
  GAME RULES
  NEW POWERS
  Poisonous
  Type: P • Action: Auto • Range: Touch • Duration: Instant
  T e plant contains a natural toxin that is poisonous to characters 
  and other critters. Treat it as toxin (see p. 254, SR4A) with the follow-
  ing attributes: Vector: Ingestion, Speed: 1 minute, Power: 6, Ef ect: 
  Physical Damage. Note that some plants may have toxins with dif erent 
  attributes, as noted in their individual descriptions. In those cases, use 
  the noted toxin/drug ef ects instead of physical damage.
  POWER OF PLANTS
  The strength, skill, and power of the paranormal/blighted/
  mutant plant is based on Force instead of Magic Rating; the Force of 
  a plant is based on the density of the plant over an area or, in the case 
  of trees, its age. Density of plant growth needed for each Force point 
  is determined by the family of plants. T e minimum Force is 1. T e 
  maximum Force generated by plants is inverse to the complexity of 
  the plant species unless stated otherwise; algae can have huge blooms 
  of 300,000+ square kilometers, but the maximum force it generates is 
  4. Technically mold and fungi aren’t plants, but their power structure 
  is the same. Moss, ferns and grasses have a maximum Force rating of 6, 
  f owers peak at 12, while rare, old trees may have have a Force rating 
  exceeding 12. T e tables below show how to calculate Force for plants:
  PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES OF PLANTS
  All plants, unless stated otherwise, have a vulnerability to f re. 
  Plants also cannot move or react to attacks, having a Reaction and 
  Agility of 0. Body attribute can vary:
  Plants do not have a stun track on their condition monitor. Any 
  weapon or spell that does stun damage is resisted by twice the plant’s 
  Body.
  For Awakened plant Attributes:
  • Add Force to Body. 
  • If they have a power they can trigger or skill they can use, their 
  initiative is 2 x Force; for every four points of force, add one 
  Initiative Pass, up to a maximum of four IPs.
  • If they can move or have an active skill, the relevant skill ratings 
  and attributes (such as Agility) equal the Force. 
  T e dif erence between trees and the rest of the plant types is that 
  in game terms, the trees are large enough to be handled as individual 
  specimens, while f owers and such act more as an area of ef ect; either 
  as individuals planted in a garden or a single plant with multiple 
  runners/branches like a bush that f t the size criteria. 
  Example: Dorothy and her shadowrunning team meet 
  up with a shaman called Scarecrow. Dorothy gets a little 
  hungry and sees a few apple trees nearby. T ese apple trees 
  don’t like people touching their apples, and one of the tree’s 
  branches whacks Dorothy on the arm as she tries to pick an 
  apple. Dorothy hates doing things the hard way and pulls out 
  her katana to do a little tree trimming. Each Awakened apple 
  tree rolls initiative. 
  Later on Dorothy and her team stumble out of the 
  woods into a f eld of poppies. Not seeing any danger, they start 
  walking through the f eld. T e poppies are Awakened poppies 
  and they start pumping out sleeping gas. T e size of the f eld 
  exceeds 12 square meters, and Dorothy and her compatriots 
  cannot resist the ef ects of a surprise Force 12 attack. Luckily, 
  two of her teammates had their gas f lters on. T ey remain on 
  their feet and prepare to move against the f owers.
  Plant type
  Force per area
  Max Force
  Fungi/algae/mold
  1/10 square centimeters (or 10 millimeters)
  4
  Moss/ferns/grass
  1/50 square centimeters
  6
  Flowering plants/
  bushes
  1/250 square centimeters
  12
  Plant type
  Force
  Tree, sapling
  1–2
  Tree, young 
  3–4
  Tree, 10–20 yrs
  5–8
  Tree, 20+ old
  9+
  Plant Type
  Body
  Armor (Barrier rating)
  Flowers/ferns/moss/algae
  0
  0
  Bushes
  1
  0
  Tree, sapling
  1
  0
  Tree, young 
  3
  3
  Tree, 10–20 yrs
  5
  4
  Tree, 20+ old 
  8
  5
  Note: Armor Ratings of plants come into play as part of its barrier rating, not actual 
  armor to resist damage.
  NEW POWERS
  Poisonous
  Type: P • Action: Auto • Range: Touch • Duration: Instant
  T e plant contains a natural toxin that is poisonous to characters 
  and other critters. Treat it as toxin (see p. 254, 
  ing attributes: Vector: Ingestion, Speed: 1 minute, Power: 6, Ef ect: 
  PARABOTANY
  
  45
  GAME RULES
  CREATING YOUR OWN AWAKENED FLORA
  T e f rst step in creating Awakened f ora is choosing a plant type 
  and then assign relevant attributes. T en select the powers or skills for 
  your plant (see Running Wild for powers and SR4A for skills). Finally, 
  determine the Force; if it’s a tree, Force is based on age; if it’s not, Force 
  is based on the area the plant covers. 
  Example: Finn decides to create an Awakened apple 
  tree. T e plant type is tree, and he decides to give it Unarmed 
  Combat and T rowing skills (to throw apples, of course). In 
  planning a setting, Finn decides to have three young trees (Force 
  3) set close to each other. He ends up with this:
  Apple Chucking Tree (young trees)
   
  Force 3
   
  Body 6 (regular Rating of 3 + Force 3 for Awakened plant)
   
  Agility 3
   
  Armor (barrier rating) 3
   
  Initiative 6
   
  IP 1
   
  Skills: Unarmed Combat: 3, T rown Weapon (Apple): 3
  Note that as a tree that’s rooted and not sentient, it has 
  no Reaction skill to dodge bullets (though af er getting shot, it 
  would throw an apple as a response).
  Finn also wants to create a field of sleeping poppies 
  to go along with the trees. T e f eld is large (half a square 
  kilometer), maxing out its Force at 12. Since the poppies are 
  Awakened, the Force also counts as Body. T is means that the 
  stats for the plant look like this: 
   
  Field of Sleeping Poppies
   
  Force 12
   
  Body 12
   
  Initiative 24
   
  IP 4
   
  Powers: Noxious Breath
  Note that while the f eld may be large and scary to cross, 
  it can’t move. Attacking it f om a distance might be the best 
  move.
  EXPANSION OF THE LOCATION TEST (OPTIONAL):
  T e Standard Test for locating reagents is found on p. 81, Street 
  Magic. T is expansion of the standard Location Test utilizes the clas-
  sif cations of dif  culty and natural state of the herbal reagent (raw, 
  natural ref ned, natural radical, or exotic). Taken together, these indi-
  cate how easy or dif  cult a single particular herbal reagent is to locate.
  Dif  culty to locate the reagent is broken down into f ve catego-
  ries: Geographic Accessibility, Political Accessibility, Size of Location, 
  Harvest Timeframe, and Dif  culty of Conditions. Each has a dif  culty 
  scale point value. T e sum of the values from each category is the base 
  threshold for the Location Test (Survival + Intuition).
  GEOGRAPHIC ACCESSIBILITY
  Easy (1): An open ﬁ eld, sparse woods
  Mild (2): Heavy woods, mountainous terrain, taiga
  Moderate (3): Dense jungle, deep ocean, desert
  Difﬁ cult (4): K2, beneath the polar icecap, Mariana Trench, J2 cave system
  LOCATION SIZE
  Easy (1): Regional (North America, Central America, Africa)
  Mild (2): Sub region (Appalachian Mountains, Amazon Basin, Gobi Desert)
  Moderate (3): A limited area totaling approximately one hundred square kilome-
  ters (Great Barrier Reef)
  Difﬁ cult (4): A speciﬁ c location smaller than a few square kilometers (the heart 
  reef in the Great Barrier Reef) 
  HARVEST TIMEFRAME
  Easy (1): Year Round
  Mild (2): Seasonal (spring)
  Moderate (3): Speciﬁ c week/under speciﬁ c conditions (heavy rain, ﬁ rst week of spring)
  Difﬁ cult (4): Speciﬁ c day/under unusual conditions (Feb 29th, in the shadow of a 
  solar eclipse, during a volcanic eruption)
  POLITICAL ACCESSIBILITY
  Easy (1): Country for which you have a SIN 
  Mild (2): Country for which you can get a travel pass
  Moderate (3): Restricted or hostile countries (Aztlan, Asamando)
  Difﬁ cult (4): War zone, unstable country (Amazonia, Tibet)
  CHALLENGING CONDITION
  Easy (1): Common animal or plant, lax security
  Mild (2): Restrictive smuggling laws, cultural issues (a cow in India)
  Moderate (3): Dangerous item to handle (Sangre Del Diablo), dangerous inhabit-
  ants (spirits or ghouls)
  Difﬁ cult (4): Religiously sacred item or heavily guarded (laésal tree)
  Adding up the dif  culty points provides the Location Extended 
  Test T reshold. Characters who wish to search for a more specif c 
  reagent (deer antler, amber, copper ore, fossilized bone, etc.) receive a 
  –2 dice pool modif er to the test. T e natural state of an herbal reagent 
  being harvested indicates how long the search requires before discover-
  ing an appropriate specimen. Some herbal reagents are found among 
  their mundane ilk and demand close scrutiny to identify them properly 
  (for example, a four-leaf clover in a f eld of three-leaf clovers).
  Intervals for Location Extended Test
  • Raw reagent: Base interval is one hour
  • Natural ref ned reagent: Base interval is one day
  • Natural radical reagent: Base interval is one week
  • Exotic Reagents: Base interval is one month
  Example: When Jinxed Jones requests to make a fetish, the 
  gamemaster determines that the reagent required is a four-leaf 
  clover, which is raw reagent that will be dried and preserved 
  into a ref ned reagent later. T e base interval for the Survival 
  + Intuition Extended Test is one hour. The gamemaster 
  considers clovers common enough to be found near Jinxed Jones’ 
  neighborhood near the suburbs (making both Geographical and 
  Political Accessibility Easy) harvested in the spring or summer 
  (Mild level for Harvet Timef ame). He does not need to look 
  
  46
  GAME RULES
  in a specif c location—anywhere in the broad region works, 
  making the Location Size Easy. T e clover is a common plant, 
  so the Challenging Condition is also Easy. Added together, these 
  make a threshold of 6; Jinxed Jones must succeed in a Survival 
  +Intuition (6, 1 hour) Extended Test. 
  When Jinxed Jones later wants to build a weapon foci, 
  the gamemaster determines that he must retrieve a perfectly 
  formed seed (a Natural Refined Reagent) from a Sange 
  del Diablo tree (Challenging Condition: Moderate) in the 
  rainforest (Geographic Accessibility: Moderate) in Amazonia 
  (Political Accessibility: Dif  cult, Location Size: Mild) during 
  the monsoon season (Harvest Timef ame: Moderate). T at 
  means he must succeed in a Survival + Intuition (15, 1 day) 
  Extended Test.
  EXPANDED DEFINITIONS 
  OF REAGENT CATEGORIES
  T e def nitions below provide further def nition of types of 
  reagents, expanding on information on p. 79, Street Magic.
  Raw Reagents: As they are found in nature, raw reagents have 
  little inherent magical properties. Without alchemical processing they 
  have no appreciable potency by themselves. Only af er a given quantity 
  of the reagent is located and gathered can an alchemist remove 
  impurities through ref nement to achieve an appropriate potency. 
  Ref ned Reagents: Processing raw reagents successfully provides a 
  concentrated mana potency that can be used for magical enchantment. 
  Radical Reagents: Further processing ref ned reagents yields 
  an even greater potency of compounds called Radical reagents. By 
  eliminating more impurities and further concentrating the latent mana, 
  an alchemist unlocks the potential of a compound.
  Natural Ref ned Reagents: Natural processes have done some of 
  the alchemist’s work already. An ecosystem that has been inf uenced by 
  magic can spontaneously produce natural ref ned reagents, although 
  these typically have inherent dangers when dealing with them or 
  their ecosystem. T is natural process could be as simple as pollination 
  between Awakened species, decomposition of fallen fruits, or as complex 
  a ley line that causes variable inf uences during dif erent times of year. 
  Although these reagents can be used by the layperson without alchemical 
  processing, the ef ects are quite unpredictable, resembling that of a 
  random street drug. Permanent damage and death have been attributed 
  to the consumption of natural ref ned reagents in their raw form.
  Natural Radical Reagents: As with natural ref ned reagents, 
  nature has found a way to self-ref ne, producing naturally potent 
  radicals not typically found even among their naturally refined 
  variants. Plants that achieve this capability are typically dangerous to 
  handle. Consuming a raw natural radical can cause mental and physical 
  damage, as well as permanent loss of Essence or even death.
  Exotic Reagents: Special magical properties and extreme rarity 
  set these reagents apart. Exotic reagents are of en found in hard-to-
  reach, hostile, places. T ese are usually natural ref ned reagents or 
  natural radical reagents that are particularly dif  cult to f nd and likely 
  protected by powerful paracritters that also value them as part of their 
  diet or territory. 
  Unique Radicals: There are some reagents that are so rare 
  that there exists only a single source, or they possess such unique 
  characteristics that there are no equivalents. No verif ed unique plant 
  radicals are known to exist, but legends speak to the possibility of 
  incredible plants grown on the metaplanes. It is said that the Tibetan 
  barrier was created using Longfeng, or Dragon wind, a unique radical 
  of air. No alchemical processing is required for unique radicals. T eir 
  supernatural properties are such that they are already radical reagents. 
  T e most retold unique botanical radical is of one that formed a tree 
  known as the World Tree that serves as the home of a great dragon. 
  RULE CLARIFICATION ON COMPOUNDS 
  REGARDING CRITTER POWERS
  T is section clarif es the use of the critter powers for magical 
  compounds.
  Innate Spell
  For magical compounds, innate spell works dif erently on several 
  points:
  • Force of the spell is based on the Potency of the compound (See 
  Potency p. 48)
  • LOS range with a single target is limited with magic compounds. 
  Substitute LOS with arcing (see Arcing, p. 48)
  • Area ef ect is limited with magic compounds. Substitute area 
  ef ects with radiant (see Radiant, p. 48)
  • Drain is the same as the spell listed and is resisted by Intuition for 
  mundane beings or Intuition + Magic for Awakened beings. It 
  is considered stun damage if the potency of the potion is less 
  than or equal to the subject’s Essence.
  • To manipulate magic spells derived from a compound, subjects 
  use their Willpower rating. T is includes Awakened subjects.
  GUIDELINES FOR THE 
  CREATION OF COMPOUNDS
  Compounds can come in a dizzying array of forms limited only 
  by the imaginations of players and gamemasters. T e examples here are 
  not the only forms of compounds, but they serve as a guide to some 
  of the possibilities. While each has a characteristic application, they 
  also have distinct limitations due to their method of use, intrinsic 
  weaknesses, and the way they imparts enchantments upon a subject. 
  Compounds come in three basic forms:
  • Paints that assist in channeling powers of the compound directly 
  to the subject. 
  • Poultices and topical applications that are generally used in heal-
  ing; they are applied directly to burns, lacerations, poisoned, 
  diseased, or otherwise damaged areas.
  • Potions, which impart power throughout an individual’s body. 
  T is can have a short-term detriment, as it taxes the mind, 
  body, and spirit to accomplish its ef ects.
  Duration Length
  Duration of a compound depends on the type of application as 
  well as its Potency. T e average duration of a compound is the user’s 
  Essence + 1d6 hours, with a maximum duration of 12 hours. Paints 
  have a shorter duration, lasting only 1d6 hours. 
  For all compounds, if the subject wishes to increase the duration 
  from hours to days, then the gamemaster should change the ingredi-
  ent required to be more dif  cult to obtain, such as unique or exotic 
  radicals, or retrieval from a more dif  cult location for naturally ref ned 
  or radical reagents. 
  in a specif c location—anywhere in the broad region works, 
  making the Location Size Easy. T e clover is a common plant, 
  so the Challenging Condition is also Easy. Added together, these 
  make a threshold of 6; Jinxed Jones must succeed in a Survival 
  +Intuition (6, 1 hour) Extended Test. 
  When Jinxed Jones later wants to build a weapon foci, 
  the gamemaster determines that he must retrieve a perfectly 
  formed seed (a Natural Refined Reagent) from a Sange 
  del Diablo tree (Challenging Condition: Moderate) in the 
  rainforest (Geographic Accessibility: Moderate) in Amazonia 
  (Political Accessibility: Dif  cult, Location Size: Mild) during 
  the monsoon season (Harvest Timef ame: Moderate). T at 
  means he must succeed in a Survival + Intuition (15, 1 day) 
  PARABOTANY
  
  47
  GAME RULES
  Effects of a Magical Compound
  For the ef ect that the compound allows, there should be one unit 
  of the specif ed reagent. No more than three ef ects can be added into 
  a single compound. T ese general ef ects are not an exhaustive list of 
  possibilities. General ef ects for each type of reagent:
  Ref ned reagent: Single Sense enhancement, +1 to attribute or skill. 
  Radical reagent: Multi Sense enhancement, +1 to +3 bonus 
  to attribute or skill, positive physical quality (Toughness, 
  Hardened, Murky Link) at 10 BP or less.
  Natural ref ned reagent: Critter power enhancement (mun-
  dane critter power), metagenic quality (p. 110, Runner’s 
  Companion) at 10 BP or less.
  Natural radical reagent: Critter power enhancement (mundane 
  or paranormal critter power).
  Exotic reagent: Any previously described ef ect.
  Unique radical reagent: Gamemaster’s option (see Magical 
  Compounds in Your Campaign, p. 88, Street Magic).
  Side Effects of Compounds
  T e downside of using magical compounds can be brutal. T e side 
  ef ects of compounds should be proportionately inverse of the ability, 
  power, attribute bonus, or other ef ect granted. For example, a com-
  pound might deliver an increase to one or two of a character’s physical 
  attributes. At the end of the duration, the character could reduce those 
  attributes to 1 (or the lowest natural rating for a character’s metatype). 
  Other possible side ef ects are immediate damage (either Stun or 
  Physical) upon end of the duration; the severity should at least be 
  slightly greater than the benef t received. T e side ef ect should last at 
  least as long as the initial ef ect.
  Choose exotic ingredients
  Considerations for the ingredients should take into account the 
  plants type, location, power or ability it conveys, quantity of units, and 
  the ref nement level required. Although plants tend to exist in a speci-
  f ed ecosystem under particular conditions, describing each type and 
  location extends beyond the scope of these guidelines. Generalizations 
  should be used to reduce or eliminate excessive research in order to 
  accurately depict the aspects of botany, environment, and geography. 
  Select plant types or parts to be used 
  T is serves as a description to the general type of plant that is 
  being sought. Some examples are: herbs, grass, scrub/brush, mush-
  room/fungus, moss, algae, lichen, fern, flower, tree, cactus, etc. 
  Additional descriptive terms of the components can also be used 
  such as seed, nut, berry, sprig, stem, leaf, fruit, root, bud, bulb, petal, 
  and sap/milk. A specif c name of plant is not strictly required; exotic 
  plants, however, should be named.
  Location
  Locations are as diverse as the plants that exist. T e vast types 
  found across the planet can be daunting when investigated thor-
  oughly. You may chose to be  specif c about the continent, ecosystem, 
  or narrow portion of either, but describing such things is beyond the 
  scope of these guidelines. Keeping the location generalized will help 
  identify how dif  cult it is to locate the plant and gather it, as well as 
  general information about the ecosystem in which it might be found.
  Power or Ability 
  A gamemaster may f nd it necessary to create a new plant in order 
  to provide players with the vehicle for the intended ef ect, or they may 
  use one of the plants already described that possesses the power they 
  want. Players may already have a power or ability they wish to replicate 
  when approaching the gamemaster with a proposal. Knowing the 
  power or ability desired may help the gamemaster in developing the 
  other information about the plant.
  Quantity of units
  T e units needed to make a compound is based on the Potency 
  (p. 48).
  Ingredient refinement required
  Based on the intended Potency, the gamemaster should choose 
  the level of ref nement required to achieve intended results (see 
  Potency, p 48).
  Building Fetishes
  Fetishes are built with one unit of ref ned reagent. 
  Addiction
  T e power magical compounds provide can be addictive. If, 
  within a single week, a character uses enough compounds whose com-
  bined Potency is equal to or greater than their Essence, the character 
  must make an Addiction Test (p. 256, SR4A). T e threshold is 2, plus 
  1 for every 2 points of Potency over the subject’s Essence. If the subject 
  fails, he becomes addicted. T is means that in order to satisfy the crav-
  ing, the subject must use a compound (or multiple compounds) with 
  at least a combined Potency equal to their essence on a daily basis to 
  avoid the ef ects of withdrawal.
  MIXING MAGICAL COMPOUNDS
  T ere is no predicting what side ef ects will occur when using 
  a combination of magical potions, tinctures, and poultices, etc. If a 
  subject tries to use a second magical compound before the prescribed 
  duration of the f rst compound wears of , side ef ects may occur. T e 
  subject makes an immediate Essence + Body Test and consults the 
  table below
  Modifiers
  • –1 die per magical compound used with overlapping durations
  • +1 die per 3 points of unaugmented Body rating
  • +1 die per 3 points of unaugmented Willpower rating
  
  48
  GAME RULES
  Potency
  In general, a compound’s ef ectiveness is tied to its Potency. 
  Potency determines the Force of the spell contained within the 
  compound. T e Potency of the compound can be improved by the use 
  of ref ned or radical reagents in the ingredients. T e maximum Potency 
  of a compound is 6. T e price of reagents listed in Street Magic is based 
  on a Potency of 1. T e maximum Potency for each type of reagent is 
  listed below.
  Listing of Potency Potential
  Raw reagents: Maximum Potency of 1
  Ref ned reagents: Maximum Potency of 3
  Radical reagents: Maximum Potency of 6
  Natural ref ned reagents: Minimum Potency, 2, maximum 6
  Natural radical reagents: Minimum Potency, 2, maximum 6
  Unique or Exotic reagents (p. 88, Street Magic): Minimum 
  Potency 6, maximum Potency is gamemaster’s discretion 
  T e Potency of the ref ned and radical is determined by the 
  number of units of raw or ref ned units used in the alchemical process. 
  Each unit of raw reagent used in the process adds one to the Potency 
  of the ref ned reagent, up to a maximum of 3. T e Potency of radical 
  reagents is based on the sum of the Potency of the ref ned reagents used 
  to produce it, to a maximum of 6. 
  Duration (Instant)
  Some compounds have an Instant duration, meaning they take 
  effect as soon as they are applied. The dose of the compound is 
  consumed, and the user must resist drain based on the Potency of 
  the compound.
  Effect (Radiant)
  If the compound has an area ef ect (e.g., Innate Spell (Combat 
  Spell)), the center of the ef ect is the subject who used the compound 
  with a radius equal to the Potency of the compound in meters. While 
  the subject can willfully activate the manifestation of magic, they 
  cannot exclude subjects from the Radiant ef ect unless stated otherwise 
  (for example, mana spells require line of sight, so someone behind the 
  subject is not in their line of sight and thus not af ected). Subject must 
  resist drain for each use of the ability.
  Effect (Arcing)
  If the compound has an Arcing range, then the manifestation of 
  magic comes from the subject and arcs to the target. T e range of the 
  arcing is Potency of the compound times Essence of the user in meters. 
  Subject must resist drain for each use of the ability.
  SAMPLE MAGICAL COMPOUNDS
  Remember that drain for the use of magical compounds is Stun 
  damage that is resisted by Intuition for mundane individuals, Intuition 
  + Magic for Awakened individuals.
  Poultices
  There are some magical compounds that are health related, 
  providing instant relief. Poultices are reserved largely for health ef ects; 
  these thick, paste-like compounds are applied to af ected areas to stave 
  of  infection, diseases, toxins, and healing. Healing compounds have 
  an instant duration. 
  Angel’s Vitae (Healing Potion)
  Duration: Instant
  Ef ects: Innate Spell (Heal)
  Drain: (Damage Value healed – 2)
  Description: Angel’s Vitae (and other healing potions) heal 
  wounds when ingested. Af er taking one potion, the subject 
  is unable to magically heal for a number of hours equal to the 
  Potency of the potion.
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 unit of natural herbal radical of nahala aloe leaf.
  Price per dose: 5,000¥
  Availability: 12
  Bad Dog No Biscuit (BNDB) Solution 
  Vector: Ingestion, Injection
  Speed: 1 combat turn
  Penetration: 0
  Power: Potency
  Ef ect: T is solution is only ef ective on canine-related species, both 
  Awakened and mundane. It has two primary af ects. First, the 
  compound blocks the neuromuscular signals to the vocal cords, 
  making the subject mute. Second, it af ects the subject’s ability to 
  use certain magical abilities that come from its mouth. T is in-
  cludes a barghest’s Paralyzing Howl and a hellhound’s Elemental 
  MIXING EFFECTS TABLE
   
  # Hits 
  Side Effect
   
  0 
  All compound beneﬁ ts (that have a duration) end immedi-
  ately and the subject suffers all cumulative after effects at 
  double the duration. After resolving the cumulative effects, 
  the subject takes 12 boxes of Stun damage. If the subject is 
  Awakened, they must make a Magic test (–1 die per magical 
  compound) or lose a point of magic permanently. Subject 
  must make an Addiction Test.
   
  1 
  The character experiences nausea and pain (active skills 
  receive a –2 penalty) and gains the Astral Hazing Quality for 
  the duration of the longest lasting compound. All compound 
  beneﬁ ts (that have a duration) end immediately and the 
  subject suffers all cumulative side effects. If the subject is 
  Awakened, they must make a Magic + Magic (2) Test (–1 die 
  per magical compound); failing means they lose 1 point of 
  magic for 12 hours. Subject must make an Addiction Test.
   
  2 
  The earliest compound’s beneﬁ ts end immediately and the 
  subject suffers its effects (if two or more are taken in the 
  same hour, the gamemaster decides which one ends)
   
  3 
  The effective duration of last-ingested compound is divided 
  in half (if two or more are taken in the same hour, each 
  duration is cut in half including remaining time if there was 
  a previously ingested compound).
   
  4 
  No side effect occurs.
  MIXING EFFECTS TABLE
   
  # Hits 
  Side Effect
   
  0 
  All compound beneﬁ ts (that have a duration) end immedi-
  ately and the subject suffers all cumulative after effects at 
  double the duration. After resolving the cumulative effects, 
  the subject takes 12 boxes of Stun damage. If the subject is 
  Awakened, they must make a Magic test (–1 die per magical 
  compound) or lose a point of magic permanently. Subject 
  must make an Addiction Test.
   
  1 
  The character experiences nausea and pain (active skills 
  PARABOTANY
  
  49
  GAME RULES
  Attack (Fire). Apply a –4 dice pool modif er to the subject when 
  using the power in question. 
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 natural herbal ref ned reagent of Hellhound’s 
  tongue seeds.
  Price per dose: 3,000¥
  Availability: 14R
  Broken Fang (Potion)
  Duration: Instant
  Ef ects: Innate Spell (Antidote)
  Drain: Toxin DV –2 
  Description: Broken Fang induces vomiting and expulsion of any 
  poison within the body. Af er it is ingested, the subject receives 
  the Low Pain Tolerance quality (p. 95, SR4A) for a number of 
  hours equal to the Potency of the potion.
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 unit of natural herbal radical of ipecac root
   Price per dose: 4,000¥
  Availability: 12
  Kuman-nhepa
  Duration: Essence + 1d6 hours, maximum 12 hours.
  Ef ects: Doubles the user’s resistance to non-magical stun attacks.
  Drain: 3
  Description: At the end of the duration, the subject suf ers 8 boxes 
  of stun (no chance to resist).
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 unit of natural herbal ref ned reagent from 
  the Australian swamp oak bark
   
  1 unit of natural herbal ref ned reagent from Australian she oak resin
  Price per dose: 12,500¥
  Availability: 16R
  Lot’s Curse 
  Duration: Special (see description)
  Ef ects: Petrifaction
  Description: T is compound causes slow loss of mobility and 
  petrifaction through calcif cation of the whole body. T ose who 
  ingest it receive physical damage equal to the Potency of the 
  potion every hour, and every other hour they also lose one point 
  of Agility. When their Agility reaches zero, they are paralyzed. 
  T e poison can only be cured by the creation of an antidote that 
  requires the Gomorrah fruit as a reagent.
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 unit of natural herbal ref ned Gomorrah fruit.
  Price per dose: 15,000¥
  Availability: 14F
  Panacean Dressing
  Duration: Instant 
  Ef ects: Innate Spell (Cure Disease)
  Drain: Disease power – 2
  Description: Panacean Dressing cures any disease with a Power 
  of 4 or less. At the end of the duration, the subject receives the 
  Asthma quality (p. 102, Runner’s Companion) for a number of 
  hours equal to the Potency of the poultice.
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 unit of natural herbal radical of the chaul-
  moogra nut
  Price per dose: 4,000¥
  Availability: 12
  Doppelgänger Juice 
  Duration: Essence + 1d6 hours, maximum 12 hours.
  Ef ects: Metahuman Form (limited to a specif c person)
  Drain: (Potency / 2) + 2
  Description: Doppelgänger Juice allows the subject to imperson-
  ate one specif c person. At the end of the duration, T e subject 
  loses all normal identifying marks such as f ngerprints or retinal 
  patterns, and their face becomes lose and sof , acquiring the 
  Cephalopoidal Skull quality (p. 116, Runner’s Companion). T ey 
  receive a –3 penalty to social skills for a number of hours equal to 
  the Potency of the potion
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 unit of natural herbal radical reagent of chi-
  mera tree fruit + a physical genetic sample from the subject
  Price per dose: 16,500¥
  Availability: 12R
  War 
  Duration: User’s Essence. Minimum 1 hour
  Ef ects: Innate Spell (Detect Enemies, Extended) 
  Drain: (Potency / 2) + 3
  Description: At the end of the duration, the character’s natural 
  Intuition, Logic, and Willpower are reduced to 1 for an equiva-
  lent duration.
  Ingredients: 2 units of natural radical herbal reagent silver sage 
  leaves.
  Price per dose: 8,000¥
  Availability: 10R
  Water Breathing 
  Duration: Essence + 1d6 hours, maximum 12 hours.
  Effects: Character gains the Gills quality (p. 113, Runner’s 
  Companion)
  Description: At the end of the duration, the subject has the Inf rm 
  quality (p. 95, SR4A) for a number of hours equal to the Potency 
  of the poultice.
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 unit of natural herbal ref ned reagent of pick-
  led kombu stalk
  Price per dose: 7,000¥
  Availability: 12
  PAINTS
  Paints are unique magical compounds that have physical drawbacks 
  instead of a magical drawback of at the end of the duration. T ere is Stun 
  damage that comes with the use of paints (see sidebar), but no drain.
  Apply all these with the use 
  of paint magical compounds:
  • Paints are washable (a good soaking breaks the magic).
  • Can be broken by a counterspelling or passing through a ward.
  • Only willing subjects can benef t from the paint.
  • T e wearer feels tired af er the end of the duration (takes 2 boxes 
  of Stun damage with no chance to resist).
  • Some have to be painted on specif c locations to work (eyes, hands, 
  etc.), and that location has to be exposed (no armor or clothing)
  • T e paints must be applied to the subjects’ skin in order to grant 
  the wearer the enchantment. 
  
  50
  GAME RULES
  Cat’s Haste 
  Duration: User’s Essence Rating
  Ef ects: +1 to initiative
  Description: T e paint must be applied to the user’s chest.
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 unit herbal radical reagent of catspaw blossoms
  Price per dose: 20,000¥
  Availability: 12R
  Hawk Eye
  Duration: User’s Essence Rating
  Ef ect: +1 to Perception 
  Description: Painted around eyes. 
  Exotic ingredient: 1 unit herbal ref ned reagent of Bishop’s lace seeds
  Price per dose: 15,000¥
  Availability: 12
  Mana Grounding
  Duration: User’s Essence Rating
  Ef ect: Grants Spell Resistance 1
  Description: Applied around the ankles.
  Exotic ingredient: 1 unit natural radical herbal reagent of the 
  haven lily leaves
  Price per dose: 24,000¥
  Availability: 14
  Soul Strike 
  Duration: User’s Essence Rating
  Ef ects: +1 DV to Unarmed Combat (note this cannot be com-
  bined with unarmed combat weapons such as brass knuckles)
  Description: Applied to hands.
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 unit herbal ref ned reagent. 
  Price per dose: 30,000¥
  Availability: 16R
  Shrouding Shadow
  Duration: User’s Essence Rating
  Ef ects: +1 to Inf ltration skill
  Description: T e paint should cover the user’s entire face.
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 unit herbal ref ned reagent of ashes of the 
  Dutch elm tree
  Price per dose: 25,000¥
  Availability: 14F
  Steel Spine
  Duration: User’s Essence Rating
  Ef ect: +1 die to Resist Fear
  Description: Painted around eyes
  Exotic ingredient: 1 unit herbal radical reagent of betel nut
  Price per dose: 18,000¥
  Availability: 12R
  Wingman
  Duration: User’s Essence Rating
  Ef ect: Grants the wearer Combat Sense 1
  Description: Painted on shoulders. 
  Exotic ingredient: 1 unit herbal ref ned reagent
  Price per dose: 27,000¥
  Availability: 14F
  NEW AWAKENED DRUGS
  Molu Root
  Duration: User’s Essence Rating
  Ef ect: Grants Spell Resistance 1 per clove of molu root eaten (molu 
  root has 1d6 cloves). Maximum ef ect is Spell Resistance 4.  User 
  must make a Body (3) Test or experience nausea (p. 254, SR4A) 
  for the duration of the compound’s ef ect. T e user also gains a 
  potent garlic odor if more than one clove is eaten, making them 
  easier to notice or track (+2 to Perception and Tracking Tests 
  against them that involve smell).
  Price per dose: 22,000¥
  Availability: 12R
  Mana Inhibiting Oil
  Duration: 24 hours – user’s Essence
  Ef ect: Inhibits the ability to cast spells or to conjure spirits by tempo-
  rarily reducing of the user’s Magic rating by the Potency of the oil.
  Price per dose: 50,000¥
  Availability: 16F
  Cat’s Haste 
  Duration: User’s Essence Rating
  Ef ects: +1 to initiative
  Description: T e paint must be applied to the user’s chest.
  Exotic Ingredients: 1 unit herbal radical reagent of catspaw blossoms
  Price per dose: 20,000¥
  Availability: 12R
  Hawk Eye
  Duration: User’s Essence Rating
  Ef ect: +1 to Perception 
  Description: Painted around eyes. 
  PARABOTANY
  
  51
  COMPILED PLANT INDEX
  COMPILED PLANT INDEX
  Austras kok  
   p. 4
  Awakened ivy (f ower)  
   p.126, Street Magic
  Black guardian vines (f ower)  
   p.127, Street Magic
  Black mana orchid  
   p. 5
  Brazilian kiwi  
   p. 6
  Caldwell lily 
   p. 37, SOTA 2073
  Chicago grey 
  p. 38, SOTA 2073
  Chimera tree  
   p. 7
  Crimson orchids  
   p. 8
  Deepweed  
   p. 9
  Devil’s breath  
   p. 10
  Divining lotus  
   p. 11
  Dropping pine  
   p. 35
  Explosive detecting f chus tree  
   p. 39
  Gomorrah apple tree  
   p. 30
  Ghoul caps  
   p. 39, SOTA 2073
  Glammergold  
   p. 39, SOTA 2073
  GloMoss (moss)  
   p. 127, Street Magic
  Guardian vines (f ower)  
   p. 127, Street Magic
  Hag bolete  
   p. 12
  Haven lily (f ower)  
   p. 127, Street Magic
  HellsHound’s tongue  
   p. 40, SOTA 2073
  Herculean strangleknots  
   p. 31
  Immortal f ower  
   p. 13
  Jani fern  
   p. 14
  Laésal tree  
   p. 16
  Lot’s Curse  
   p. 49
  Magnus kudzu  
   p. 41, SOTA 2073
  Metadrake  
   p. 17
  Molu  
   p. 18
  Nahala aloe  
   p. 19
  Porqupod  
   p. 20
  Prairie smite  
   p. 41, SOTA 2073
  Raskovnik  
   p. 21
  Sangre Del Diablo (tree)  
  p. 22
  Sangre Del Drago  
   p. 26, War!
  Sleeping willow  
   p. 23
  Slum slime  
   p. 32
  Spider fern  
   p. 24
  Teapot fern  
   p. 38
  Tumblenaut  
   p. 33
  Umdhlebi  
   p. 34
  Walking banana tree  
   p. 36
  Weeping tree  
   p. 25
  Whipcord viper lily  
   p. 26
  Xutuli  
   p. 27
  Yann orchid  
   p. 28
  Zieba Tree  
   p. 29
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Bestiaries/Shadowrun - Parabotany.pdf