With gaunt faces, charcoal skin, and coarse crimson petals, hanamori are a race of sentient plants believed by many to be harbingers of death. This reputation is not wholly unfounded, for hanamori are physiologically sympathetic; their bodies reverberate in harmony with the fleeting spirit of creatures that die in their presence, taking on traits of the deceased for a short time. The slaughter of a mighty beast is felt by its hunters as a surge of physical strength, and the passing of a sage as a transcendent moment of heightened wisdom. As a result, hanamori have a complex relationship with death; to die in their presence is to pass a glimpse of oneself to another, for a short time.  

Reactive Physiology

  A hanamori’s sympathetic physiology extends to the world around them. While they can briefly share in the physiology of creatures who die, they can permanently take on the physical characteristics of their environment over a longer duration. Humid jungles might impart a hanamori with a permanent scent of rich flora, while icy mountains cause their body to forever be chill to the touch. Hanamori adventurers who travel the world end their lives as a collage of the habitats that succored them, a jigsaw infused with environmental memories ever bonded to their form.  

Burning Emotions

  Hanamori are naturally passionate and active. They think, speak, and adapt swiftly, and are known for their fiery tempers and zealous loyalty. With short lives, hanamori see little value in holding grudges or overanalysing a situation, preferring to think on their feet and revel in the heat of each moment. A hanamori’s emotional state can be read on its body: its petals blush darkly when enraged, and the tips of its branches sprout new buds during periods of prolonged grief. It is said that if a hanamori loses a true love, it will forever bloom.