Slither Flowers are named after their locomotion and the flower-like structure part of their biology. Olisthimalouloudi is derived from olisthos, Greek for slipperiness/slipping, and louloudi, Greek for flower.
Design
Development
The Slither Flower was designed by Erik Evert as florafauna-style monster submission for the "Isle of the Damned" art contest hosted by Evil Genius games in promotion for the game's upcoming expansion set. Winners had the chance to have their monster featured as an official creature and NPC, as well as a mail-order plush version.[2] The Slither Flower, along with the Tanystalker, was announced as the winning submission on July 31, 2023. Plush versions of the creatures were made for the winners.[3]
Appearance
The slither flower is basically a giant snake wearing a flower-like collar.
Personality
Slither Flowers are ambush predators, using their skin flaps and color changing to mimic flowers. They move in a serpentine fashion along the ground or water, preferring to move under the cover of litters of leaves or out of sight to avoid their predators. They hunt in places littered with debris but never in the same place twice in a fortnight and can survive for as much as a week without eating. If one is attacked, it usually attempts to retreat to a safe, inaccessible location, but if cornered it will continue to spray and bite in order to deter the attacker.
Origins
The Slither Flower is a species of Caecilian (legless amphibians) native to moist, tropical areas of Skull Island. The creature's face is covered by several flaps, or "petals," of skin, which it can open outward, by engorging the petals with blood, to disguise itself as a flower. The Slither Flower senses their environment with their petals, which detect thermal radiation and air pressure. The creatures move in a serpentine fashion along the ground or in water, preferring to move under the cover of leaf litter or otherwise out of sight to avoid predators. The Slither Flower never hunts in the same place twice within a fortnight. It can survive for as much as a week between hunts.
The Slither Flower hunts in debris-littered locations. Once situated, it constricts blood flow to the upper half of its body, which allows the creature to hold itself upright and to flare its petals, giving it the appearance of a flower. By means of chromatophores, Slither Flower can match the colors of other flowers in the area, though it does not always have the same shape or number of petals.
The Slither Flower attacks its prey by spraying an unsuspecting creature that has ventured too close with a caustic and toxic mist from its mouth. The mist burns flesh and potentially blinds the victim, and delivers a fast-acting paralytic neurotoxin. Once the prey is paralyzed, the Slither Flower bites the victim and drinks its blood until the Slither Flower is fully sated. Slither Flower venom can be effectively treated by washing it off with water within 10 seconds of exposure, before the nerve agent enters the victim’s bloodstream. When attacked, the Slither Flower usually attempts to retreat to an inaccessible location, but it will continue to spray and bite in order to deter an attacker if cornered.
Slither Flowers are among the numerous superspecies encountered on Skull Island.
Abilities
Camouflage
Slither Flowers engorge the flaps covering their face, or "petals", of skin - which they can open outward - with blood to disguise themselves as flowers. Once situated in a debris-littered location, they constrict blood flow to their upper body, allowing the creatures to hold themselves upright and flare their petals, this giving them the appearance of flowers. They can also mimic the colors of flowers around them, courtesy of chromatophores, though they don't share the same shape number of petals.
Petals
The creatures use these petals to sense their environment, which detect thermal radiation and air pressure.
Venom
Slither Flowers can spray their prey with a caustic and toxic mist from their mouths. It burns the victim and may blind them, while also delivering fast-acting paralytic neurotoxin. Once paralyzed, the prey is bitten by the Flower, which drinks its blood until fully sated. This venom can be effectively treated by washing it off by water within 10 seconds of these exposure, before the nerve agent enters the victim's bloodstream.
Novels: Arthur Adams • Eric Battle • Jimmy Betancourt • Greg Borenstein • Yvel Guichet • Drew Edward Johnson • Jann Jones • Lee Loughridge • Robert Napton • Arvid Nelson • Allen Passalaqua • Alan Quah • Richard Starkings
