Anchor Weed

Anchor Weed is a massive, carnivorous freshwater plant that feeds on the placid leviathans of its native planet's lakes and rivers. It coils itself at the bottom of a body of water and, when detecting a large enough "thing" above it (about SM+3, or six yards long), will reach up and wrest its prey to the bottom, usually crushing it.
== Stats ==
== Tactics ==
The anchor weed is typically only dangerous as a juvenile (where it will attack human-sized creatures), but can be devastating to riverboats. Using defoliants (or similar) is easy, but carrying them en masse tends to be illegal. Most folks traveling in anchor weed waters will carry sharp billhooks to pry off the vines manually, or simply fire their energy weapons into the water--the plant hates intense heat, and will release anything if it gets too hot.
== Ecology ==
Anchor Weed appears to be vaguely seaweed-like, but with a powerful muscle-like structure built into its stalks. It lives for an incredibly long time, catching and eating larger prey as it grows. It is often occupied by small fish that use the anchor weed's dense coils as a defense against large predators. In turn, the anchor weed seems to ignore the fish, and enjoy their occasional cleaning methods.
== Legends ==
=== The Swamp Queen's Task ===
It's said that a great hero's ship nearly sunk in the bogs when the Anchor Weeds rose from the deep and carried them to the shore. The Swamp Queen made them promise to perform some key task, but once the hero's boat was repaired, they left and didn't return. Ever since, the anchor weeds have pulled down any ship they encounter until the hero returns with the item the queen sought.Fanon
== Notes ==
* Most stats are a combination of rough estimates and assumptions. While the original entry mentioned "Size: 1/4 to 1 mile", this was rewritten to SM+4 to reflect a freshwater variety. Ocean-dwelling versions may be much larger, capable of binding a leviathan serp... or restraining a Lord Beneath the Ice.
== References ==