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WILDLIFE

COMMON FLYING MANTA RAYS

The pigeons of Pandoria. You can find them flying above your head on any Island. They are so common that they are often depicted in art, often seen from below. They are kept as pets to keep away smaller predators, but they are not a useful farm animal.

GREAT FLYING MANTA RAYS

Commonly referred to as simply mantas, these gentle beasts are a much bigger cousin of the common manta ray. They are used as transport by many pandorians. Whether you are a drifter or simply want to go from one end of the island to another, you can count on them to get you there. Even though pandorians can change shape, not everyone has the energy to fly across two islands. I’ve travelled on these a few times myself – amazing experience, once you convince yourself you are not terrified of falling down the abyss.

SHADOW SEEKERS

No one is sure how they came to be, but they appeared shortly after Garnok’s return to Pandoria (see: THE GARNOK CONUNDRUM). They have a strikingly similar appearance to formless pandorians. Makes me wonder whether the shadow seekers evolved to blend in with the local population. Touching one is ill advised – once you are near a shadow seeker, it drains you of your energy. If you wait too long, you might not survive.

VEGETATION

PURPLEGRASS

In reality, purplegrass is no grass at all. Nor is it completely purple. Whoever named it needs to reconsider their naming convention. It is of similar structure to algae, with a purple and yellow coloration to its leaves. It can reach from one to infinite meters into the air, depending on how it’s feeling at the moment. Manta rays are particularly fond of its taste.

CRYING AIDEEN

It generates bioluminescence with its roots, which travels to the leaves and glows a soft pastel pink. It’s used as a fashion accessory by many pandorians (see: FASHION). Unfortunately, the glow doesn’t last long after plucking the leaves from the tree.

THE WITCH TRAP

The shrub got its name after a scatterbrained witch. She threw herself in the bushes because of an impossibly big glowing cap mushroom in the middle. She ended her trip with an empty basket and a very frustrated paragraph in her botanical notes. Its original name was pointy red shrub, which is admittedly a lame name for any plant.

GLOWING CAP MUSHROOM

Small in size, but their bioluminescence is bright enough to work as a small lamp. Very common. They are edible, once you cook them for a while – they don’t lose light even after you throw them in a pot, so your dishes will have a soft yellow glow around them.

UMBRELLA MUSHROOM

This particular mushroom is, unfortunately, not edible. It is, however, made into one of the oldest and most durable materials used in clothing. Pandorian craftspeople carefully tear off the top layer of the mushroom cap and dry the material for several days. Once it dries, it toughens up, all the while keeping its elasticity. It was used in the production of leg wraps and is still a viable material today.