Alias: None
Origin: Ngorrhal (glacial valleys, rocky slopes)
The Rockjaw Mat is a rugged, ground-hugging plant native to Ngorrhal’s wind-scoured valleys and high-altitude slopes. Characterized by its thick, interlocking leaves that resemble stone jaws clamped over terrain, it is visually indistinguishable from surrounding rock in situ. These leathery, frost-resistant structures grip bedrock tightly, anchoring loose soil and creating stable niches in some of Geba’s most volatile elevations. Their spread forms natural windbreaks and thermal shelters for microfauna surviving in alpine extremes.
Rockjaw Mats flourish in the glacial valleys and cold, rocky slopes of Ngorrhal, favoring frost-covered ground with minimal organic moisture. They are entirely absent from humid rainforests, lowland savannahs, and volcanic ecosystems.
They live 25–40 years, maturing over 5–7 years. Reproduction occurs through tough, wind-dispersed seeds released during brief windows of atmospheric stability in late frost seasons.
Fully grown mats stand 0.2–0.5 meters tall and spread across 1–2 meters of rocky surface. Younger specimens (under 5 years) typically cover 0.3–0.8 meters before establishing mature root clamping behavior.
Recorded in the Comprehensive Field Codex during the Era of Absolute Expansion (~3,000 years before modern Geba), Rockjaw Mats were studied extensively for their geological reinforcement properties in volatile alpine terrain. Their camouflaged form and deeply embedded roots make them deceptively easy to overlook by untrained observers. Extant, resilient, and emblematic of Ngorrhal’s unforgiving slopes, they remain integral to Frost Sentinel survival strategies and alpine ecological balance.