Vampire Melon

The vampire melon is a non-sentient plant life form that occurs when a mundane melon is left in the direct moonlight of the first Full Moon in Lithantide .

Basic Information

Anatomy

Vampire melons look nearly identical to mundane watermelons, save for the red veins that creep across their flesh as they absorb blood from creatures around them.

Genetics and Reproduction

The vampire melon may more accurately be classed as the metamorphosed stage of a mundane melon, rather than a separate species, due to its inability to reproduce on its own.

Stages of Vampire Melon Metamorphosis

1. Mundane melon, typically watermelon, reaches maturity on or near Beltane.
2. Melon then receives direct moonlight from the moon during Lithantide. Note: Successful metamorphosis is more likely in years where the moon's perigee is highest (ie., during a Lithan supermoon).
3. Melon extracts blood for the first time from surrounding creatures through root system

Ecology and Habitats

Due to deforestation of their evolutionary habitat, vampire melons no longer reproduce in the wild. However, several regions, such as the Greater Southern Rainforest may receive enough moonlight some years to produce them without direct intervention from farmers.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Vampire melons feed on the blood of living creatures around them. While the exact mechanism is unknown, their root system seems to be their primary, if only pathway for feeding. Therefore, cutting the roots of a vampire melon will lead to its eventual starvation. Furthermore, it cannot feed on creatures that have no direct physical pathway to the ground such as flying creatures that do not touch down, or incorporeals.

Conservation Status

There is much debate as to whether vampire melons should be considered threatened. While their numbers are low, mass-production of vampire melons is possible during several days at the beginning of Lithantide.