Vamp Rose

Vamp roses are noted for their distinct coloration and size. To note, they are the only species of "black" (actually very dark maroon) roses to exist. Their stems, leaves, and thorns are likewise a waxy black color. Certain mutant varieties of vamp roses bear deep violet, blood red, or even silver blossoms.

Their sheer size makes them ideal for hedges. One plant can grow up to seven feet tall and span 5 feet across.

Vamp roses need water, soil, and the light of the moon to live, but the only way they can reproduce is if they drain blood from animals or passersby. Their blossoms are actually evolved not only to attract pollinating bats, but to tempt potential prey into coming close enough for the plant to snatch.

When they drain blood, they are able to make "rose hips" which, when planted into the ground, make new vamp roses.

Vamp roses are endemic to the Ill-Fated Fields. They thrive in areas with an abundance of Dark magic and do best under abundant moonlight.

During the day, vamp roses are dormant. One can still get scratched up if traversing through a hedge of vamp roses in the daytime, but they will not feed. In this state, the plant will appear to be slightly wilted.

During the night, however, vamp roses are active. They will actively try to entangle animals and travelers in their thick, vinelike stems, sticking their thorns into them. These thorns act as syringes; they are hollow on the inside, allowing the plant to suck up the blood of its prey. This is usually not too painful as the plant produces a mild anesthetic. Once the vamp rose has had its fill, it will let its prey go.

The amount of blood lost is usually quite negligible. If you are caught by a vamp rose, the best thing you can do is hold still, stay calm, and wait for the plant to let go. Fighting and squirming can cause the thorns to bury themselves deeper in your skin and lead to more damage than you intended. What's more, vamp roses do not carry diseases that sentient beings can catch. There is no need to fear contracting a deadly infection transmitted by a vamp rose, though it is wise to clean all wounds with soap and water after the fact.

To drain their prey's blood, vamp roses produce two chemicals that are useful in medicine. One is an anticoagulant while the other is a mild anesthetic. The former is most often used to make heart medicines, while the other makes a sufficient painkiller. Care must be exercised in the latter case, as the anesthetic vamp roses produce can be habit-forming.

Vamp roses also make for excellent protective hedges; not only are they tall, wide, and thick enough to deter intrusion, their thorns and vampirism discourage potential trespassers as well. Vamp roses are planted all around the wall surrounding Ravenheart Castle for this reason.