Pitstraw (Toxivena occultans)

Alias: None
Origin: Ukhaalstaag (subsurface caverns, ruins)

The Pitstraw is a highly toxic, grass-like plant native to Ukhaalstaag’s subsurface caverns and ancient ruins. It is characterized by a low, sprawling growth pattern that visually mimics fallen pinestraw or decayed pine needles—an appearance that renders it nearly undetectable in its natural environment. Its extreme toxicity targets the autonomic nervous system, presenting no immediate symptoms upon contact but resulting in inevitable death within hours. This lethality has earned it the grim adage: “Don’t even look at it.” Often encountered near devolved humanoid zones, its presence signals extreme biological hazard and isolation.

Terrain

Pitstraws colonize the damp, nutrient-rich soils of Ukhaalstaag’s subterranean ruins and caverns. They propagate outward across decaying stone and metal structures, favoring stagnant airflow and constant humidity. They are entirely absent from arid, open, or sunlit biomes.

Lifespan

10–20 years. Maturity occurs within 2–3 years, at which point the plant begins releasing spores—particularly during extended phases of subterranean humidity stability.

Height

Mature specimens form dense mats 0.1–0.3 m in height, spanning 0.5–1.5 m laterally. Juvenile clusters under 2 years typically cover 0.2–0.6 m.

Uses

• Ecological Role: Attracts small subterranean fauna for pollination, though few survive exposure. Contributes to nutrient cycling via bioaccumulation and local organismal death.
• Cultural Significance: Universally feared by Ukhaalstaag explorers. Featured in numerous cautionary tales and pre-expedition training modules. No functional use due to extreme lethality.
• Guidance: Direct contact is fatal. Observation should be conducted remotely. Protective suits and respirators are mandatory for any traversal through affected zones. Disturbance of soil or airflow may trigger toxic spore dispersal.

Notes

Recorded in the Comprehensive Field Codex during the Era of Absolute Expansion (~3,000 years before modern Geba), Pitstraw remains one of the most insidious threats in subterranean exploration. Its resemblance to ordinary detritus, combined with its delayed-effect neurotoxicity, makes it a critical threat in ruins known to harbor devolved humanoids such as the Ukhaal Walkers. Extant and undiminished, it is categorized as a persistent ecological hazard in all mapped regions of Ukhaalstaag.