[✗] Submission for Red Spiny Caterpillar (and its various stages)

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Name of your plant/reagent:

Red Spiny Caterpillar (and its various stages)

Appearance:

 

Red Spiny Caterpillar

Spoiler

True to its name, the Red Spiny Caterpillar is covered in hollow red spines capable of piercing skin, which contain a mild poison as a form of defense against beetles and other predators, while in humans it causes mild irritation, and itchiness. The Caterpillar is born in the beginning of Autumn, usually inside the carcass of a deceased animal by the hundreds, where it will live for several days consuming the animal in its entirety. When the animal is fully consumed the Caterpillar will make its way onto the Ashtree (while not exclusively living on the Ashtree, the Red Spiny Caterpillar does prefer it.), where it will begin to eat the leaves of the Ashtree, which if unchecked, swarms of Red Spiny Caterpillars will pick the tree clean of leaves, causing the death of the tree. After about a month, the caterpillar will begin to form a chrysalis.

 

Chrysalis

Spoiler

The chrysalis of the Red Spiny Caterpillar is the pupal stage of the caterpillar's life. The chrysalis resembles that of a leaf of the Ashwood tree. Generally the Red Spiny Caterpillar will cling to the underside of a branch and create a button of silk fastening itself to the branch, once fastened the caterpillar will begin to form a hardened shell around itself where it will begin the final stages of metamorphosis. After nearly a year, the Red Spiny Caterpillar will emerge from its shell and begin its final stage in life, the Red Widow Butterfly.

 

Red Widow Butterfly

Spoiler

The Red Widow Butterfly is an extremely poisonous insect, consumption of the butterfly will lead to eggs and a necrotizing agent being released into the body, causing the organs to begin to melt from the inside(Note: This necrotizing agent is not strong enough to evoke death in people, in people it will elicit symptoms similar to a relatively mild rash, the necrotizing agent will however kill insects and small animals like birds and rodents who might eat the butterfly.), after death the caterpillars will hatch and begin to use the body as a source of food, beginning the insects life cycle again. While not poisonous to the touch, skin contact with the Red Widow will cause a rash similar to that of poison ivy. During the Autumn, the Red Widow will emerge from its chrysalis in swarms, where they will gather in Ashwood trees in flocks of hundreds of Butterflies or more, spawning and laying their eggs. During the summer when the Ashtree comes alight they will migrate South, where they will begin to gather in Elderwood trees, a relative to the Ashwood, where they will live the rest of the summer months until they die.

 

Location:

 

Red Spiny Caterpillar

the Red Spiny Caterpillar is generally found within the bark and branches of the Ashwood tree, its preferred habitat, yet it is not uncommon to find it climbing the branches of trees in any environment, as prey that it emerges from may carry the eggs far distances before expiring.

 

Chrysalis

The chrysalis of the the Red Spiny Caterpillar is found on the underside of branches generally on the Ashwood tree, yet once again, can be found anywhere that the the Red Spiny Caterpillar makes its way to.

 

Red Widow Butterfly

The Red Widow Butterfly is generally found near the Ashwood tree from which it emerged from its chrysalis, but may be found anywhere that the the Red Spiny Caterpillar has made its way to and formed a chrysalis, during the summer the Red Widow Butterfly may be seen migrating south in large flocks to find elderwood trees where they will gather until they die.

 

Raw effect(s) of the plant/reagent:

 

Red Spiny Caterpillar

the Red Spiny Caterpillar causes itching and irritation of the skin in humans if one were to touch it with their bare skin.

 

Chrysalis

The chrysalis offers no raw effects from touch or taste, yet if the caterpillar inside detects movement, it will begin to shake its abdomen, creating a “rattling” noise, similar to a rattlesnake to scare off would be predators.

 

Red Widow Butterfly

Upon touch or consumption of the Red Widow Butterfly, any contact with bare skin will result in rash and irritation and possible inflamation similar to that of poison oak or ivy, yet human skin is too tough for the necrotizing agent and eggs of the butterfly to cause any lasting damage to a human.

 

Harvesting:

 

Red Spiny Caterpillar

the Red Spiny Caterpillar can be plucked directly from the ground or the branches of a tree, although it is prudent to wear gloves as not to cause any inflamation or irritation. From there, the caterpillar can be stored in any storage device that would prevent the caterpillar escape like a mason jar or a bucket. The caterpillar may also be mashed into a paste and stored in any storage device that would reasonably contain it.

 

Chrysalis

The chrysalis can be plucked directly from a tree, although one should be careful not to be too rough or they run the risk of damaging the chrysalis, once removed from the tree, the chrysalis can be stored in any container. The chrysalis may also be crushed with a mortar and pestle into a powder and stored in a dry container. 

 

Red Widow Butterfly

The Red Widow Butterfly may be caught with any means that would normally catch a butterfly, but is usually caught by means of a net. caution should be taken to wear coverings like gloves to protect the skin from coming into contact with the butterfly as contact with the skin will cause inflamation, itchiness, and rash. the butterfly may be kept alive in an enclosure, otherwise, the wings may be plucked and stored in a container, taking care not to crush or damage the wings, nor allow them to become wet.

 

 

Red Lines:

 

The poison will not kill a person, but may kill small animals like birds, rabbits, and possibly small cats.

The ill effects of the various forms of the Red Spiny Caterpillar last only for 2-3 roleplay days (itchiness, rash, irritation)

The Red Spiny Caterpillar can NOT be farmed, it must be found in the wild.

 

Spoiler

The Red Spiny Caterpillar and its various stages are part of a larger “Ashwood Tree” ecology and ecosystem that has been worked on and left un-posted for several years, I figured with the recent Ashwood Rewrite, it may be time to start touching up and posting this lore.

 

 

 

Alchemical Sign(s) (put N/A if none):

 

Red Spiny Caterpillar

Earth

 

Chrysalis

Earth

 

Red Widow Butterfly

Air

 

 

Alchemical Symbol(s) (Put N/A if none):

Red Spiny Caterpillar

Poison x2

Death x1

 

Chrysalis

Growth x3

Life x2

Slowness x1

 

Red Widow Butterfly

Swiftness x3

Poison x2

Vigour x2

[Sorcerio 4594]

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