Alraune

Alraune are a plant-based variety of Fae.

Physiology & Behaviour
Alraune come in a wide variety in terms of what kinds of flowers they may appear as. They are female-only, and require human males for reproductive purposes.

All Alraune start off in their larval stage - commonly known as Mandrakes. Mandrakes are often mistaken to be a completely seperate non-sapient species, but this is false. Mandrakes spend most of their lives buried underground. When uprooted, they will release a deafening scream that can kill a human with ease. This is a defense mechanism. All Fae are resistant to the effects of the scream, but they usually do not have a reason to uproot a Mandrake, for they have no need or desire to consume it.

After 13 years, the Mandrake will be strong and healthy, and sprout a flower alongside its set of sprouts and leaves. By this time, not even the strength of ten men can uproot the Fae. This is the young adult stage

After 7 years, the flower will grow large enough - usually about 3 metres in diameter - and the roots will be deeply ingrained into the soil. The buds of the flower have developed into a fully humanoid figure that can partially detach itself from the flower, but must stay within the flower. This is known as the Alraune.

Due to the nature of Alraune, Alraune are usually bound to one spot and cannot leave said spot, much like how a plant is rooted to the same position for life.

Alraune can use their long roots and vines to intertwine with other Alraune and Radandar for telepathic connections, hence allowing Alraune to percieve things not within their reach, and share knowledge.

Alraune release a sweet-smelling nectar to lure human males for reproductive purposes. After the Alraune has mated with the human, it will shed its petals and thus will be able to move around with its body, spreading seeds throughout its environment. After it has spread its seeds that will grow into new Mandrake, it will shrivel and revert back to a Mandrake, retaining memories should it become an Alraune once again. As such, Alraune are considered immortal, as a dead Alraune will simply revert back to its Larval stage.

As opposed to predatory or herbivorous mannerisms, Alraune mostly rely on photosynthesis.

In some occasions, a Forestback Blendbeast or a Meadowback Blendbeast may eat the seeds of an Alraune, causing an Alraune to grow on its back. If this occurs, the Alraune will be able to control the minds and bodies of these Blendbeasts, much like parasitic fungi on ants. In addition to the regular method of spreading seeds, there is a 50-50 chance that the Blendbeast's offspring will grow to have Madrakes on their backs. The only cure for this is to remove the Mandrake at its early stages.

Breeding
Alraune rely on human males to reproduce. Their bare bodies, coated with their sweet nectar, will hang out of the flowers, and the scent that the nectar releases will flow through the air, attracting the human to them. The Alraune will invite the human into its flower, the acids from the flower burning the human's clothes off as the flower engulfs both the Alraune and the human, hence allowing them to perform sexual activity in private. After the process, the male is simply flung to the side, bare and covered in nectar and the Alraune sheds its petals, walking away and spreading the seeds as they are released through a long, menstruation-like process.

These seeds are destined to sprout into Alraune.

Weaknesses
Currently unknown.

Subvarieties
Alraune have different flower-bases for differing environments. Rose subvarieties are native to forested environments.

Notable Alraune

 * Rose

Trivia

 * Mandrake are said to be good for making tonics if prepared properly, and are often seen as prey for many beings, hence the reproduction rates of Alraune are higher than most Fae.
 * While younger Alraune tend to be more submissive, Older Alraune from 100 human year onwards tend to be more aggresive and assertive towards their mate. Their aggressiveness and assertiveness is said to be proportionate to how long they have been deprived of sexual intercourse.
 * Due to the nature of their life cycle and how Alraune can only mate once before reverting back to their larval stage, they are said to be 'eternal virgins'.