Spludd

Spludd is a plant-like organism that produces a fruiting body commonly consumed as a food. The exact origins of spludd are obscure, it likely originated among the old core worlds of the Empire of 1,000,000 Suns, where it is a popular food.

The fruiting body of spludd contains small seeds that are normally eaten with the flesh of the fruit. The spludd fruit (simply called spludd), is reminiscent of bread, of pudding and of meat, combining the textures of all three. It has a unique sweet and savory flavor and is high in both protein and short-chain carbohydrates.

Humans first encountered spludd on New Promise in the hills northwest of New Denver. Archaeological findings in the area suggest that the Convergence had been in that region sometime before humans first arrived in GSC 130.

Life Cycle

Spludd grows from a seed, like most plants. Upon sprouting it first grows leaves and a short stalk, then develops the fruiting body. The juvenile fruiting body is covered in a sweet nectar and pollinated directly by insects without going through the flower stage typical of most plants.

A spludd bud, at this early phase of development the fruiting body is considered inedible due to high levels of tannins.

A more mature fruiting body, this one is not quite fully ripe, but getting close.

The spludd fruit right after harvest.

After cleaning and preparation. Spludd can be eaten raw, or cooked into a wide variety of dishes.

A popular recipe featuring spludd as the main ingredient is this sweet and spicy cake.

Pictures made with ArtBreeder.

Squidbeast

Description

The Squidbeast is a large predatory animal native to New Promise. Terrifying the settlers, and preying off of smaller native animals, the largest populations of these creatures are found on the arid steppes, roughly in the triangle between Franklin City, Annan City, and Alexandria.

Glogvine

Glogvine is a short plant (average height is around 25cm fully grown), native to the highland regions of New Promise. The main stalk consists of several vines that twine and braid around each-other. The bright blue seed-pods attract foraging animals, and make a sweet and crunchy addition to a spring salad.

Pixielamp

Pixielamp is a segmented grass native to New Promise.  The name derives from a combination of the plant's small size (the tallest species is only 10cm tall), and the plant's most distinctive feature, the bio-luminescent flower it grows in the late spring.  These flowers come in a variety of colors with pink and greenish-yellow being the most common. 

Economics

Due to it's glowing flowers, Pixielamp found its way into floral arrangements and ornamental gardens across the galaxy, and various greenhouses on New Promise did a brisk business in this local plant.

Fire-grass

Fire-grass, also known as "Settler's Surprise", is a short, perennial grass native to the arid regions of New Promise.  Fire-grass has light blue-green leaves, and in the early summer produces small, white flowers.  Its most notable property is that which gives it its name.  The leaves of fire-grass contain a chemical that reacts violently with uric acid, bursting into flames when coming into contact with the substance.  Most animals in the regions where fire-grass grows do not excrete uric acid. 

When New Promise was first settled, several explorers, answering nature's call outdoors, were surprised to discover that they had inadvertently started grass-fires by doing so.  As farming and ranching operations expanded on the planet, extra care had to be taken to avoid the placement of animal-pastures in areas with fire-grass, and anyone needing to relieve themselves out-doors had to be careful of the vegetation. 

Fire-grass became a profitable export for the planet, being sold dried in sealed packets in kits of survival gear, as a means of starting a fire in an emergency.