Nightwraith

Nightwraith is a leafy, green plant that grows in soil contaminated with ectoplasm.
When new or germinating seeds come into contact with ectoplasm, the seeds mutate and become nightwraith ectos. The plant then continues to draw nutrients from ectoplasm. It is one of the best signs of ghostly activity in the immediate area. If nightwraith is thriving, so are the ghosts. If it exists at all, ghosts are, or have very recently been, in the area. If nightwraith is wilting or dead, ghosts have been in the area not so long ago but are no longer present. Lots of shoots that are growing paler than the usual plant indicate that the seeds were mutated by ghosts passing through and have since been left with no continuous source of ectoplasm. Nightwraith is crucial to the study of ghosts and ectoplasm, and also to the activities of Ghouls.
Nightwraith will only fruit when regular ectoplasm has been available in abundance for at least a full lunar cycle. If nightwraith fruits, the area is sealed off and treated as an emergency assignment by Fantasma. If nightwraith is not dealt with in time (by removing the source/s of ectoplasm), the plant will begin reproducing. Specimens of nightwraith created by an existing nightwraith plant will photosynthesise their own ectoplasm. This will allow them to continue to exist and reproduce without a ghostly source. The third generation of nightwraith (the seeds from the second generation - the generation from the mutated plants fruiting), carry the zombie virus within the ectoplasm they produce. This virus is lethal and spreads like wildfire. Fruiting nightwraith is treated as a national health emergency.
Eating the fruit of a nightwraith plant will cause poisoning and death in anything from 15 to 30 minutes. The affected fish/animal/inset/human is then highly contagious with the zombie virus. On death, they will become zombies. Nightwraith poisoning or ectoplasmosis nightwraith, can be cured with experimental drugs. These have major side effects on the life-changing level, and only work half the time. Patients are not usually brought to a hospital due to the risk of contagion. Also because there would usually be no time to move them. If someone dies despite medical care (or before the drugs can be administered), their bodies are immediately incinerated by someone with fire magic.
Also known as the cuckoo plant.
Nightwraith fruits are large purple berries.

Basic Information

Anatomy

First Generation: other plants' seeds mutated by ectoplasm.
Second Generation: seeds of the first generation plants.
Third generation: seeds of second or other third generation plants.