The goober!

Name: Bloatshroom

Species: Robustus Fungus

Found in: Snakemouth Den, Upper Snakemouth.

Appearance: these large fungi reach up to 20-25 CMS in height. They have a muted blue color scheme for their cap, with brighter blue dots scattered around. Due to the way their cap is formed, the gills are often visible. They have an incredibly chubby body, and a mouth with, weirdly enough, a purple tongue.

Habitat: unlike their much small relative, they prefer to stay up in…well, Upper Snakemouth, A.K.A. Snakemouth Labs. They seem to like bright lights, and, despite the Lab’s frigid temperatures, they have not yet grown accustomed to it…mayhaps that's why they've been moving to the Den area.

Lifestyle: similar to Jellyshrooms, these too are not very hostile, though they will awaken to protect other creatures that are connected to fungus. They are often found dormant in the ground, sapping up nutrients. They are blind,and use their own spores to sense their surroundings, which leads to bumping into other objects at times. When threatened, they will either hop up and jump on their opponent (and lazier ones may just stay on top of them), or spraying spores everywhere, which heals other fungi, and harms everything else, which also has the potential to cause their opponents (and non-fungus allies) to become numb.

Taming: same as the Jellyshrooms, harvesting their spores (though they don't mind nearly as much as Jellyshrooms), growing those spores in a dark and humid area, and voila, big boy that has now imprinted onto you.

Strengths: Their large size has given them the strength to resist most blows, as well as being harder to knock over. They are also resistant to poison, as expected of a shroom.

Weaknesses: they weak to ice and fire, though when they are on fire, their spores are as well, so they end up damaging everything in the nearby vicinity. They also struggle to hit flying foes.

Name: Jellyshroom

Species: Fungus Gelatinus Natus

Found in: Snakemouth Den, Upper Snakemouth

Appearance: reaching around 12-17 cms, they have a soft light blue cap, with several dark blue spots (the amount and size vary between Jellyshooms). Their main body is a dirty grey, and oddly fuzzy, with three ‘spikes’ at the bottom, and a singular large eye, white with a black pupil. They have four thin legs, with dark blue spores around the ankles. These are what enabled them to float, as they are full of helium (unlike their stationary cousins, who stay rooted to the ground and instead have luciferase).

Habitat: They are often found in caves that have access to water and wide open spaces, where they can be found either dormant or active. They can rarely be spotted near the mouth of Snakemouth, but they never truly leave the cave.

Lifestyle: Jellyshrooms, unlike most sentient plant life, are usually quite aloof, generally staying dormant in the ground, looking a lot like the other shrooms found in Snakemouth, though they do not glow. This is because the chemical they produce is helium, allowing them to ‘swim’ in the air, kicking all four legs out, then pulling them inwards to create lift. When fighting, it can either extend its legs and fling itself at the foe to kick and tackle them, and also spewing a poisonous glob from their top that weakens the victim's nerve system. When grounded (due to a hit that takes them out of the air, as the spores deflate), they tend to result to meek kicks instead.

Taming: the taking system for them is quite tricky, but it essentially is harvesting some spores from them, taking the spores to a dark and humid area, planting them, and then regularly watering them until they finish growing. They like to stick indoors, so they could serve a decent guard-like role.

Strengths: they are immune to poison, their floating avoids most attacks, and they have enough awareness to ambush ranged attackers, taking out their main weakness.

Weaknesses: They are weak to ice and especially fire, as fire burns their spores and forces them to be grounded for much longer. Ranged Attacks, of course, ground them.

Name: Underling

Species: Planta Fodiens

Found in: Bugarian Outskirts, Seedling Haven, Caves, Far Grasslands, Lost Sands

Appearance: reaching on average 8 cm, they have an unusual purple color scheme for their entire body, showing their venomous nature, with a green crown of leaves that rests just above their eyes. They have a rhombus like shape, with the sharp top helping them burrow into the ground. Their eyes are a bright yellow,just like their more common counterpoint.

Habitat: these jack of all trades can be found in any area with ground that's easy to burrow into, though they are strong enough to dig through softer rocks. They favor areas with weak prey.

Lifestyle: pretty much the most famous example whenever one talks about aggressive wildlife, these less common variants of the Seedling pick fights with just about any living being that catches their attention. This usually goes horribly for the Underling, as, unlike the Seedling, they don't even try to avoid attacking other animals, and sometimes even attack their own. Researchers (me included) are still stumped over why they would logically act like this. Irregular survival skills aside, these are able to burrow under the ground, protecting them from most attacks. When they attack via unearthing, they are able to poison others via fine, almost microscopic spikes on the top of their head that release a poison that manages to greatly lower one's heart rate and kill blood cells.

Taming: Underlings are flat out not tamable. They refuse to acknowledge anything besides attacks from explorers.

Strengths: unsurprisingly, they have an immunity to most poisons. They're also unable to be hit by most attacks while underground.

Weaknesses: like most plants, they are weak to both Fire and Ice, due to being flammable and not having an efficient flow system, respectively. Also, those who can attack by shifting the ground or by burrowing can end up digging up the Underling, surprising them and unearthing them to be attacked.

Name: Inichas

Species: Eruca Spinosa

Found in: Snakemouth Den, a decent chunk of caves.

Appearance: Inichas is around 8-10 cms, with hardened black chitin, with five curled spikes evenly spread along the back. They have a dark brown head, with miniscule mandibles, glowing red eyes, a very soft and squishy light brown underbelly, with three pairs of stubby feet.

Habitat: Originally from just the Snakemouth Den before spreading out, Inichas thrive in the dark humid caves, usually residing in ones that have water sources inside or nearby. They rarely leave their caves, for their eyes are sensitive to light.

Lifestyle: Inichas are notoriously aggressive for their diet of mostly Underlings and Mushrooms, which some claim to be because of the harsh environment of the Snakemouth Den, which has also hindered them from fully growing into butterflies. Nonetheless, they are one of many reasons why the average individual avoids caves, lest they find themselves getting ran into by the Inichas’s large spikes, which are strong enough to pierce even a beetle's chitin, and they can quickly curl into a ball to prevent attacks from sticking. Luckily, it is quite easy to spot one, as their eyes glow quite brightly in the dark, a trait they seem to be unaware of, as they make utterly no attempt on hiding as they ‘sneak’ up on victims. Although their eyes are bright, their feet make almost no sound as they trudge along.

Taming: Not many have attempted to tame these creatures, due to their high level of aggression and erratic behavior. However, I found that they are quite effective as guardians, due to their ability to scare off potential dangers. Mind you, this is done entirely by feeding them; they don't like being touched, period, and will often bite at your hand if you try.

Strengths: an Inichas’s chitin, once they curl up, is quite hard to attack through, with quite a few attacks bouncing right off. They're also resistant to most magical attacks as well. They have quite the impressive shell.

Weaknesses: Their eyes are very weak to sudden bright light, and when flashed, are blinded for quite a long time. They can also be flipped open, and although their spikes help alleviate the issue somewhat, they are quite helpless on their backs.

Name: Censwirl Beetle

Species: Turibulum Scarabaeus

Found in: Snakemouth Den, Wild Swamplands.

Appearance: These highly adaptive beetles have a dull purple carapace with a brighter purple underside, a black, hardened elytra, stilt-like legs that are often covered in spores of local mushrooms from their environment (as well as a few are from farther away), droopy black antennae that trail along the ground, grey blunt mandibles that are efficient at cutting a mushroom’s stem, and white eyes that have swirling pupils. Both the pupils and their mandibles turn to a color of the element they absorbed from mushrooms.

Habitat: They are highly nomadic: wherever there's an abundance of mushrooms, they tend to follow. They do, however, seem to prefer places that are dark and shaded.

Lifestyle: a recent discovery to Bugaria, the Censwirl Beetle are solitary creatures that have a strong liking for mushrooms, and have evolved to process most mushrooms’ poison in a unique manner: they expel the effects by glands that are below their wings, which they can weaponize by opening their elytra and fanning out the residue, which then spreads in a small radius around them. They find mushrooms by trailing their antennae against the ground, trying to smell the mushroom’s roots, then following the smell toward the object of desire, their legs folding as they crouch down and eat the mushroom. They also make sure to brush their legs against mushrooms to catch spores, so they can grow ones they like in more comfortable areas. Despite their large size (most of it being the legs), they are actually extremely docile, only attacking those that steal the mushrooms they were about to eat. Due to this, and the potential danger of their ‘incense’ attack (such as if they ate a danger shroom, or even Cordyceps), travelers and explorers are dissuaded from attacking these gentle giants.

Taming: it is quite easy to tame these creatures, surprisingly. All you have to do is feed them their favorite shroom (which you can tell by looking at how many of a certain kind of spire there is). Once you do so, you'll find…you don't get much technical benefits from them, as they are quite lax, But! You can ride them. Totally worth it. Just do mind to wear protective gear, in the off-chance they release mushroom residue.

Strengths: due to their height and agile legs, they have an easy time avoiding attacks, and their excessive mushroom munching has given them a resistance to most effects.

Weaknesses: Fire is especially effective against them, as all the spores in their system quickly combust. Managing to hit their legs also makes them tumble and crash to the ground. Do mind this'll release a lot of spores.

Name: Midge

Species: Sanguisuga Minor

Found in: Golden Hills; Golden Path, Lost Sands, Bugarian Outskirts.

Appearance: Midges are around 15-25 centimeters tall on average, If one were to measure them from abdomen to proboscis. Their typical color scheme are shades of dark brown and beige, dark brown on their touch carapace, which extends from their proboscis to their back, and beige for the rest of their body, being their underside, and their long abdomen. They have a long proboscis that ends up taking up their entire face, dull beige eyes that make them look always tired, a pair of long wings in the ‘Odonata’ shape, four long, spindly legs, and a long, thin, four segmented abdomen. Below the wings, there is a bump-like shape that shows a bit more of the midge’s soft underside than the rest of their chitin.

Lifestyle: Midges show a pack like mentality: you fight with one, you fight with them all. They are found most often in caves and/or shaded areas, though will be in more open areas if hungry or bored. Midges actually are predators to many plant based creatures, as males feed off of nectar, honeydew, and plant sap. Females, the much more disliked of the two, require blood meals in order to sustain enough protein for their eggs. The larva, often found under heavy objects that are near bodies of water, or sometimes nests made lovingly by their parents, munch on algae, bacteria, and organic matter in the water. Their sole main attack is via skewering their prey or opponents with their long proboscis, drinking bodily fluids and quickly healing from the meal, though if a midge is sluggish, they may just awkwardly belly flop as well.

Taming: It is much easier to tame the male than it is for the female, because one (usually) doesn't have spare blood on their person. To tame a Midge, there are two ways, with the second making it easier to tame a female, but overall a lot more dangerous. The first one is simply showing a calm, friendly nature, avoiding young, as Midge are fiercely protective of their larva, and feeding them honeydew or other sweet liquids. While they won't actively follow you around, they will show a great amount of friendliness and trust towards you, eventually to the point where they trust you around their young. This also has the benefit of bonding with the entire pack.

One could also steal, or ‘adopt’ for those who find the former word too harsh, a larva. Do note that this will infuriate the parents, and they will constantly hunt you down until they are killed. Once you ‘acquire’ the larva, you can feed it a variety of soft or liquid foods, though do note females will require high protein food. In exchange, you'll have a very loyal companion that'll lay down its life for you once it fully grows.

Strengths: They often fight in packs, attacking one at a time, and fly out of range for melee strikes. They may also have the possibility to absorb electricity, as the Broodmother shows.

Weaknesses: strong winds forces them to stay grounded, And, as expected of a bug, very weak to Ice. In Addition, those who are strongly Poison inclined may find themselves poisoning midges if they feed off of that individual.

Name: Golden Seedling

Species: Planta Aurea Ambulans

Found in: Anywhere in Bugaria with the Seedling species.

Appearance: As expected with a creature with “Golden" in the name, these plants have a bright yellow hardened shell, one that is absurdly sturdy. Their body is similar to a Underling’s, except more conical instead of a upright diamond, and they also have a crown of leaves just above the widest part of their body, and a literal ‘crown’ on top of their head, which is three very sharp spikes. Unlike most Seedlings, they have a visible mouth, a wide joyous smile, black beady eyes, and orange stubby feet. Between the leaves, during warm times, one may find Tangy Berries growing from them. This is one of many reasons why they are so sought after.

Habitat: They can be found in any habitat that already has known Seedling populations in the area.

Lifestyle: These marvels in plant sapience are highly covered by almost everyone, for various reasons: some want the wealth they seem to hoard, some want the Tangy Berries that grow from their leaves, and some simply want the strength they gain from beating these creatures, though this is usually the reason why there are many stories of unprepared travelers getting beaten by the Golden Seedling, due to their ramming attacks and ability to jump hight into the air and divebombs, and their nigh-impenetrable shells also being quite painful, since their leaves are quite sharp, not to mention sometimes they may just run away. not many really know what they do as a species of the Seedling; for one, they share the ability to grow Tangy Berries, like the Seedling King. However, they are found in many places where Seedlings that can't be spawned by the King are as well, such as the Flowerlings and Plumplings. I'm of the belief they serve a similar purpose; helping repopulate certain species of the Seedling family tree. It would explain why they're so rare themselves, why they're everywhere, and why they're so tough. However, there is no truly solid evidence for my claim, so I'll have to study more about them before I put out a hypothesis.

Taming: nobody has truly tamed a Golden Seedling; indeed, they seem to be highly resistant to even interact with bugs or anything other than Seedlings outside of self-defense. They would be a major breakthrough when it comes to food, however, if they ever are, due to their ability to grow Tangy Berries.

Strengths: highly resistant to all kinds of attacks, with some bouncing off their shell harmlessly entirely, and lacking the usual weakness to Fire and Ice, you'll find no weakness except for…

Weaknesses: sedative weapons. They can't attack or flee if sedated, so you can attack them without fear of being shredded apart. You can also offend them for similar results, although they obviously will be able to fight back.

Name: Seedling

Species: Bugarica Ambulans Planta

Found in: Bugaria; Bugarian Outskirts Seedling Haven, Snakemouth Den, Golden Hills, Golden Path

Appearance: These sapient plants have a dark brown, shiny shell, with tan insides that keep their seed inside moist. They have leaves that sprout around the yellow nub (or flower) on top of their head. These leaves often grow almost as long as their body, hiding most of their features, and sometimes blinding the seedling, as they struggle to move those leaves due to a lack of any form of upper appendage. They have pale yellow eyes that are said to see through the dark, and stubby feet that help them wander around, also pale yellow.

Sometimes, they can found with four white petals on top of their stem; these are classified as Flying Seedling, or Bugarica Planta Volans. The only other difference is that their flower is elongated away from the body, to prevent the petals blowing the leafs off of their body. The stem also retracts to the normal size. These petals are fragile, and fall off when the Seedling is struck. The Seedling can grow them back within a couple days if it survives or escapes the fight that grounded it.

Habitat: These sapient seeds shuffle around often in areas near plentiful food or water, such as the river that comes from the Snakemouth Den, or the vast amount of leaves and dew from the Golden Hills. Their birthplace is the Seedling Haven, as something in the ground makes them grow at an alarming rate there. It is also their safest place, as the river cuts it off from the traveler's path. They most likely travel through a tunnel or pathway unknown to bugs in order to reach the Bugarian Outskirts and other areas. Occasionally, one may find them in the Snakemouth Den, though their more aggressive cousin, the Underling, drives off more timid specimen. There are also reports of them even being farther up north, out of Bugaria.

Lifestyle: born from a Seedling King's tangy berries, or from another, as of yet undiscovered plant (I can't help but wonder if it may be something underground), these round hard-shelled plants are quite numerous, and surprisingly aggressive. They raid crops, pick fights with nearby wildlife, and will attack anyone who so much as looks at them too long. However, they do not have the strength to back it up: even children often defeat Seedlings if they try, mostly due to the seed's clumsy fighting style: with haphazard charges and not much else in their repertoire, they end up exhausting themselves and subsequently getting killed. Their flying counterpart fares a little better: due to their flight, not many can easily strike them, and they take advantage of this via swooping down and kicking for their main attack. However, even the slightest amount of damage will cause their petals to break off, and they'll stay grounded for a couple days, plenty of time for something to pick them off. Nowadays, they risk local extinction in the Bugarian Outskirts, due to the Ant City and the Explorer's Association being very close by. The Seedling Haven is much safer, as it's cut off from the main path, and there's been talk of making it a truly safe haven for them, outlawing fighting them in the Haven. How they'll enforce, I don't have any clue.

If a Seedling manages to survive a very long time, they'll be seen as wise and powerful, and 'crowned' by their kin. This manages to cause a mutation in their genes, giving it an immense boost in strength and vitality. They also begin growing Tangy Berries, which can grow into several species of Seedling if they're threatened. These Seedlings, as mentioned earlier, have a shorter lifespan, but they are extremely devoted to the king, gladly laying their lives down for it. If not, the berries will stay there, and even be harvested, though it's not advisable; it greatly offends the king, making it feel like it's being treated as livestock.

Taming: despite what one might think, grabbing a Seedling's... Well, seed, and growing it does not tame it. It'll imprint on you when it fully matures, and that does make the process a lot easier, but to fully tame, you must make sure to feed it and show a calm, reserved attitude, though you can use intimidation if you feel it's aggressive. Once tamed, they don't have much purpose at first except as a pet, as they do not grow food, and their insides are not very filling (not to mention their shells being quite tough, though if one is desperate, they could use the shell as a whetstone).

Strengths: Their durable shells are very good against blades, and their plentiful numbers mean they can overwhelm. The flying version also easily avoids most grounded attacks.

Weaknesses: heavy blunt weapons can crack their shells, they end up exhausting themselves easily, and stabbing into their eyes often kills them instantly. Fire and Ice related attacks are also quite dangerous, as, being plants, they're very flammable, and have extremely poor body temperatures. And specifically for the flying variants, long weapons can negate their flight, and as previously mentioned, getting hit at all grounds them. Wind attacks can also end destabilizing them, sending them away, or crashing them to the ground.