Gemets

As he stumbled through the cave, chest still heaving after the recent skirmish with the Goblins, Musnroll's heavy breath caught in his throat as his eyes were filled with a spectacular glow. Colours of all hues filled the strangely smooth cavern, which reflected and melded them in strange, mesmerising patterns. He stopped, forgetting completely the danger that still might follow him, and paused to take in the ethereal beauty. His eyes scanned the room, looking for the source of the light. Surely this was a spell or illusion, or perhaps he had been hit on the head harder than he initially thought, but no, through the mist he began to make out a myriad of plants of a like he had never seen before. They were scattered all over the cavern, some even under the water that stood still on the far side of the room. All shapes and sizes, with leaves, and vines, and the most peculiar flowers which seemed to be glowing somehow. Quickly he approached a small one ahead of him and knelt, peering at the centre of the flower. To his great astonishment he could see a silver gemstone, small, and dim on its own, but certainly glowing, nestled into the plant itself. Immediately he reached out to take it, but as he was about to rip it from the stem, a stray thought stayed his hand. Who am I to rid this place of such beauty? Maybe he had been struck harder than he thought, but nevertheless, with a final moment to take in the beauty of the strange cavern, he set off, determined and reinvigorated by this unearthly experience.

Gemets are an extraordinary plant, and are widely desired throughout Iatar for their beauty, and their value. They vary greatly in size and shape, and two can be growing next to each other with almost no similarities whatsoever, save for their one trait which classifies a plant a Gemet, their Gemstones. Gemets all house one or more Gemstones, and are one of the only ways known to grow and reproduce them, which makes them extremely valuable.
They were created from great exposure to The Chaos, mainly throughout the Chaos Era when Gods walked the face of Iatar. It seems that some Gemstones, when exposed to great amounts of Chaos, can be transformed into Gem Seeds, which eventually grow into Gemets. Since the Chaos Era, some wizards have discovered ways to infuse gems with Chaos specifically to create Gem Seeds, but the practice is not common.
Due to their Chaotic nature they can be found almost anywhere in Iatar, as they are extremely adaptable. However, finding them on the surface of the world is rare due to their value, most having been plundered and destroyed for their Gemstones. Some of the mortal races which live in the deeper parts of the world have been known to farm Gemets in some capacity, whether for the creation of wealth, or for other purposes. This is quite rare though, as the growth of Gemets is extremely slow, and many would not reach the maturity during the natural lifespan of most mortal beings.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Gemets can vary greatly in size and shape depending on their gem seed and their environment. Due to their Chaotic nature, they seem to be able to adapt to their surroundings better that many other plants, being able to grasp onto the roofs of large caverns, or digging deep into the ocean floor so as to not be swept away.
Most commonly, there is only a single Gemstone found in each Gemet, but specimens have been found that hold multiple Gemstones on a single plant. For example, wealthy Dwarves of Brin-Karak use a particular strand of Gemet that hangs from their ceilings as a type of extravagant chandelier.

Genetics and Reproduction

Gemets are grown from Gem Seeds, which can be made in two ways. Firstly, at the centre of every Gemstone grown from a Gemet, at least one Gem Seed can be found. These Gem Seeds will grow another Gemet of a similar shape and size to the parent plant, and this allows desirable Gemet strands to be farmed. Otherwise, there are magical techniques known to some that allow them to transform normal Gemstones into Gem Seeds. The two processes can sometimes be melded to allow some modification to existing Gem Seeds, giving some greater control when cultivating Gemet strands.

Growth Rate & Stages

Gemets are curious plants, as they are the only way known to Iatar of increasing the size and capacity of a Gemstone. As they get older, and depending on the initial size of the gem seed, they can grow an incredible amount. The process is slow however, and it is quite rare to find anyone taking the time to cultivate them for the purpose of farming Gemstones.

Ecology and Habitats

Gemets are often found in the dimly lit places of the world, whether in underground caverns, at the bottom of oceans, or in dense forests, they thrive where other plants may not survive. They are very rare out in the open, since they are quite timid plants, and are often overgrown and destroyed by the more aggressive photosynthesising plants around them.
The fact that they emit a glow relative to their size can sometimes have strange effects on the environment around them, as when they are found in dense enough patches, or a sufficiently large Gemet has grown to maturity, other plants can often be found growing alongside them, using their light as sustenance.

Biological Cycle

Gemets are fairly resilient to the short-term undulations of the weather, due to their extremely long lives. They will, however, be affected by major changes in climate, such as a significantly long heating period, or an ice age. In such circumstances, Gemets will often simply adapt to their new climate by changing their structure or colour, but in rare cases, if the change in environment was drastic enough, they may shed their Gemstone and reduce their size greatly. This is extremely rare, and has only been observed a handful of times, but in these cases, the Gemets will seemingly begin their life cycle again, growing a new Gemstone, and reforming their entire organism to fit the new climate.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

As Gemets contain Gemstones, many people desire them for their gems. Every Gemstone within a Gemet is imbued, and so many practitioners of magic find value in them as a source of Chaos, whilst others desire them for their value or beauty.

Lifespan

Unknown

Average Height

30 - 50 cm

Average Weight

100 - 300 g