[NR] First Flora - Chapter 470

The party steps into the seventh floor and everything changes.

Well, not really, but they had expected it to. After all, this is the floor where space veg is supposed to show up. Even Courtney had expected more.

Though as they traveled further into the floor things began to change in small ways that escaped them. The hallway widened out a little, the tardigroids began to look healthier, and the final step was the air getting a lot dryer. After all that, it wasn't until the group went around a corner a few hours into the floor that they noticed.

More because at that point there was a group of humanoid tardigroids all kneeling around a small patch of spongy kelpy  cactus bushes. As they spotted this, the group backed right up and took a moment to observe the group unnoticed. Though it wasn't hard to figure out what was happening, the monsters were chowing down on the stuff.

As the group watched, they got a good idea of what those plants were like. They grew up from a central point, into a bush-like shape. Though with leaves reaching upward that shared more similarities with kelp fronds than bush leaves.

The center of the plant wasn't satisfied with being normal either. Instead of branches, the fronds seem to grow off of a central body like that of a deep sea sponge, except more open. Then finally to top it all off, bulbs on the fronds had some sort of gas or magic to make them float while the main sponge-body was filled with gel like from an aloe plant with a texture to match.

Oh, and the patch as a whole looks like a grayscale gradient with white at the center. Jason is mostly certain that the outermost ring of plants would be black in color, except the tardigroids had likely eaten them already.

The group looks at each other and nods before Jason and Courtney move out from around the corner. Then with more stealth than should really be possible in a mostly empty hallway, the two sneak up on the group. Stealth that was placed as for once the tardigroids seem to be on the lookout for danger instead of just chilling.

As they get right next to the monsters, Rosha releases a barrage of arrows that washes across the entire honestly quite small group of monsters.

Monsters that just as they realize there is an enemy off in distance loses more than a few members as Jason and Courtney make their sneak attacks, felling a couple each on their first strike. In particular, Courtney manages to take out the only variant that was in the group. From there it was an easy clean up, leaving the group standing around the strange plants.

Rosha grabs one of the frond bulbs and after conjuring a small flame pops the bulb over it. This results in a woosh as the gas within instantly combusted. "Looks like they're floating with hydrogen."

Courtney shrugs, "You'll see later, but it is more appropriate to say this group is using hydrogen. Remember, they're going to show up on the ceiling and walls as well and can live in a zero G vacuum."

Rosha nods, "fair enough. That must be why the outer layer is so waxy and leather-like."

Courtney, "Very much leather-like. In fact, some people specifically use it to make rain gear. A little niche, but for a low level material, it does an amazing job. Beings who have a hard time with any moisture really like the stuff."

Jason frowns, "Wouldn't this place be more popular? The town outside doesn't feel busy enough for the dungeon to hold such an important crafting material?"

Courtney shrugs again, "Important? Yes. Unique or in high demand? Not at all. This isn't the only Deep Sky dungeon with vegetation. In fact, there are some that while more dangerous, have the plants right from the start and thus easier to harvest.

"Maybe if the plants started on floor one, it would be more popular. Though even then, the species that really need stuff like this, tend to already have their own gardens of the stuff or similar plants. If only because they do a great job of sequestering water away from them in the first place."

Rosha, "What kind of beings need to stay away from water like that anyway?"

Courtney, "There are a few sapients from the deepest deserts of NeoRealm. And it isn't so much that they can't touch water at all, but rather that they need to only get it in very controlled amounts. Every one of their cells is supercharged when it comes to grabbing moisture and holding onto it.

"Most creatures like that are only capable of handling new moisture through food. There are even some that if there is any humidity at all, their skin will begin to die as their very cells burst from sucking up too much water. Think of it like the reverse of spontaneous combustion. So suffice it to say, a plant that can be made into something like a mix between a spacesuit and a dehydrator is popular to them."

Jason frowns, "Now that you mention it, the air does seem dryer?"

Rosha nods, "Yeah, I could totally go for some chapstick right now."

Courtney laughs, "If you think this is dry, I can't wait until we get to the areas overgrown with the stuff. Those places practically have a negative humidity as moisture actively gets sucked out of the air."

Jason, "Do we have enough water on us for that? My pack is loaded up with water skins, but that sounds like a nightmare for staying hydrated."

Courtney shrugs, "If we were still in the first break it would be a problem. As it is though, our toughness will help maintain our water levels by tightening down on water loss. Once it gets really bad, you can expect to stop sweating and to start breathing through your nose more as your body adapts.

"We'll just have to be careful about overheating at that point as that will cut off one of the main ways the body likes to deal with heat. Though once again, toughness will come to the rescue as we will be more able to handle the heat. It just means longer down times to properly cool off."