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Sylvari & Botany


FairyNuff.3452

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Yes, in Ghosts of Ascalon it is noted that some pollen falls from Killeen's hair.

We have no example of this, but we do know that sylvari appearances change based on their mental state and if/when they suffer trauma. If we have a sylvari who has a fear of snow, they could change during the winter or when in the Shiverpeaks.

Same as point two.

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@Konig Des Todes.2086 said:

  • Yes, in Ghosts of Ascalon it is noted that some pollen falls from Killeen's hair.
  • We have no example of this, but we do know that sylvari appearances change based on their mental state and if/when they suffer trauma. If we have a sylvari who has a fear of snow, they could change during the winter or when in the Shiverpeaks.
  • Same as point two.

Ok so following point 1.

  • Does this mean that Sylvari's flowery bits can be fertilised?
  • Any records of Sylvari growing fruit from themselves that is edible?
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Their physiology replicates those of humans, with analogous organs and structures. Not all of them work like those of a human, but they mimic it quite well enough.

Sylvari appear to have a certain degree of control over the plants that form their bodies, and they are also able to somehow 'shape' plants to make clothes, equipment, utensils and even buildings. This is likely because of the innate nature magic contained in their bodies.

In a way, you could say they are basically "plant elementals" rather than being actual plants. So the plants that form their bodies may be subject of afflictions that may affect plants, but not necessarily themselves. And just like how djinns can command elements including those that shape their bodies, sylvari can command plants.

For example, if a sylvari got powdery mildew in the leaves in their head, they could just cut them off and grew new ones. And they should shower a bit more often so that doesn't happen again.

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@FairyNuff.3452 said:

  • Yes, in Ghosts of Ascalon it is noted that some pollen falls from Killeen's hair.

Ok so following point 1.
  • Does this mean that Sylvari's flowery bits can be fertilised?
  • Any records of Sylvari growing fruit from themselves that is edible?

It would be better to think of the sylvari as the fruit of the Pale Tree, who just happen to be able to walk, talk and eat. It has been a while since I read Ghosts of Ascalon, but I think that pollen falling from her hair is more akin to dandruff than something that can mature fruit. As far as we know, the sylvari are completely incapable of reproduction in any way, and that would include growing fruit. Which, honestly, would be a little weird even for walking plant people.

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@FairyNuff.3452 said:Ok so following point 1.

  • Does this mean that Sylvari's flowery bits can be fertilised?
  • Any records of Sylvari growing fruit from themselves that is edible?
  • Not likely. They are sterile in the traditional sense of reproduction, so their flowers are undoubtably the same. This is likely all due to their origins.
  • No records of fruit growing off of sylvari in general. Though they are often likened to fruit of the Pale Tree.

@MithranArkanere.8957 said:For example, if a sylvari got powdery mildew in the leaves in their head, they could just cut them off and grew new ones. And they should shower a bit more often so that doesn't happen again.

I do not think this is the case. I recall hearing dialogue that talked about a Mender having trouble figuring out how to cure a sylvari who got mold in their leaves after being out in the wilderness.

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@Konig Des Todes.2086 said:[...]

@MithranArkanere.8957 said:For example, if a sylvari got powdery mildew in the leaves in their head, they could just cut them off and grew new ones. And they should shower a bit more often so that doesn't happen again.

I do not think this is the case. I recall hearing dialogue that talked about a Mender having trouble figuring out how to cure a sylvari who got mold in their leaves after being out in the wilderness.

Maybe it's how some fungi can be on your skin and are easy to wash, and others can be deeper like a yeast infection in a toenail. That particular mold would be harder to deal with. Powdery mildew is pretty superficial and can be easily washed with baking soda. That's why I used that example.

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@Konig Des Todes.2086 said:

  • We have no example of this, but we do know that sylvari appearances change based on their mental state and if/when they suffer trauma

This is actually pretty interesting, I've been doing LW s2 lately and noticed that Caithe now has Wynne's hair(!). She had completly different hair before, but sometime after killing her sister she decided, or was it unintentional, to take her hair style, but in her own white color.Canach is another example (this dude changed his whole face:)) and of course Ceara/Scarlet. Are there more?

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I see the slyvari as plant life that varies drastically depending on where it was grown. Take a humble cactus and it's ability to go ages with out water what if the slyvari where the same?. Also things like Venus fly traps and other carnivorous plants I see thous as the origins of necromancy in the slyvari culture. Death becomes life etc. They surly are a fascinating culture and race.

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@Yadovid.5863 said:

  • We have no example of this, but we do know that sylvari appearances change based on their mental state and if/when they suffer trauma

This is actually pretty interesting, I've been doing LW s2 lately and noticed that Caithe now has Wynne's hair(!). She had completly different hair before, but sometime after killing her sister she decided, or was it unintentional, to take her hair style, but in her own white color.Canach is another example (this dude changed his whole face:)) and of course Ceara/Scarlet. Are there more?

Not so explicitly. There are a few NPCs who change appearance - Morrigu, who is met in both Caledon Forest/White Stag plot and Twilight Arbor (and has dialogue for White Stag sylvari in TA proving they are one and the same) does have a different appearance between the two locations. But those three (Caithe, Canach, Ceara) are the only ones brought up explicitly.

@Filodendron.6053 said:If sylvari are "fruits" of the Pale Tree, does that mean they can be planted and grow into new Pale Tree?

They're likened to fruit, but seedless fruit would be the best comparison. We do see mordrem seeds which can grow into mordrem but otherwise mordrem reproduce like any other dragon minion - by corrupting matter into its domain (in this case, into plants) or growing its domain into an offshoot (more common for mordrem, also seen with branded).

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Based on the books and some examples, I like to think their matter entirely plantoid, but they mimic the organs of humans. Hence they have a heart, which pumps sap, and a skeletal structure. But their intensins may be completely different, it could just be one big stomach all the way through, filled with acids, to break down fish, meat, fruits and nuts. That I don't know. We need an official biology book, Anet!

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@castlemanic.3198 said:

Better ask Phlunt this question (wasn't he the asura that experimented on Malomedies?)

No, that was Kudu. Unless you're talking about the Season 2 asura experimenting on Canach and the other Secondborn - that was Vorpp.

@Ayakaru.6583 said:Based on the books and some examples, I like to think their matter entirely plantoid, but they mimic the organs of humans. Hence they have a heart, which pumps sap, and a skeletal structure. But their intensins may be completely different, it could just be one big stomach all the way through, filled with acids, to break down fish, meat, fruits and nuts. That I don't know. We need an official biology book, Anet!

Actually, we were explicitly told they do not have the same organs as humans but have organ systems that function the same as human organ systems (e.g., they may not have a stomach but they do have a digestive track), and they do not have a heart was something specifically told - their blood flows the same as in plants.

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From what I remember Sylvari were only designed to be more acceptable to humans and other races. So they have human like features, but they're not necessarily functional. Technically all of them are sexless due to them coming from the Pale Tree. (That's the only way they reproduce) And thus the sexual dimorphism that is shown to be implemented is more of a design to help other races associate readily with them and be more comfortable.

Caith in Edge of Destiny book actually discusses this topic with Rytlock and Logan I believe. She has digestion and stuff but it's more similar to carnivorous plants.

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Actually, they are not sexless. There is indeed a clear male and female notion. But they lack genders.

Sexes being biological, genders being societal. They do not have gender roles and would find it fully acceptable for men to wear dresses (this is probably why TA light armor is an evil ball gown made of plants).

They do have the external reproductive organs, and can indeed have sex. But they lack internal sex organs, thus cannot procreate.

(also I find it funny that sex is not censored, while god is - EDIT: apparently god is no longer censored)

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@castlemanic.3198 said:

@Vesuvius.9874 said:Do sylvari inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen like normal plants do?

Better ask Phlunt this question (wasn't he the asura that experimented on Malomedies?)

We do have some information with which we can derive an answer to this question:

Sylvari do photosynthesise. A sylvari that gets a lot of sunlight is more energetic and needs to eat less than one in the dark. However, they're not able to get all of their nutrition this way.

From this, we can probably conclude that they do take up carbon dioxide and water and turn it into organic molecules and oxygen like plants do. However, they don't fulfill all of their energy requirements that way, so even in full sunlight, they probably use more oxygen than they produce.

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