| Class: | Animate Plants, beast Vegimals and Vegimal Folk |
| Hab: | Setting: any High Fantasy; some SF alien or ultra-high-tech bioengineering Habitat: topiaries have been created for all climates and terrains |
| Fre: | Varies by location; ubiquitous to rare |
| Num: | Varies; as created and kept; by type / habitat if feral |
| Lair: | Varies; most patrol a set territory |
| Size: | Any; by type, from wee ducks to massive oliphants |
| Move: | By form; most amble, some run or swim; very few fly or burrow |
| Def: | Tough, tightly-woven dense spongy shrubbery absorbs blows Resists fire, electricity unless extreme or quite dry Unaffected by technology or magic not specifically plant-oriented |
| Att: | Varies; raking roots, stabbing sticks & batting branches typical |
| Int: | Minimal for animate plants, more for vegimals, up to sapient Folk |
| Spec: | Possibly; by type and individual, such as intoxicating flowers or sap-injecting thorns |
| Posns: | Generally only incidental; might be guarding something |
While almost all topiaries are descended from artificially cultivated forms, many sorts are now also found as feral populations, or "wildlings".
Unlike architectural topiaries, which SEE, which are rooted firmly in place and can be quite extensive, animate topiaries are discrete, individual, mobile plant life forms, composted of a single shaped plant, or, in some cases, a few select (usually symbiotic) plants woven together.
A topiary sculpted to represent multiple objects set together, as of a rider on a mount or as a drought beast pulling a cart loaded with toys, a mobile topiary of a triumphal arch surmounted by an alter replete with offerings or a strolling pavilion of topiary set with topiary furniture within and surmounted by topiary birds without, is almost always actually a single topiary, abet one of sophisticated form.
The most basic, simple animate topiaries were originally designed primarily or purely for ornamental purposes. Increasing botanical sophistication, whether among high-tech bio-engineers or among preternaturally talented gardeners of sophisticated High Fantasy cultures, took the art of topiary to new heights. They developed living, mobile sculptures, generally but not always of zoomorphic form, and made of them servants, simple or sophisticated, with senses and intelligence suited to their intended functions.
Naturally, underwater civilizations develop underwater topiary vegetation, both ornamental and functional.
As much care must be used when propagating, selecting, and training Topiary Folk to maintain desired mental qualities, such as a compliant attitude and willingness to serve as well as other desired behavioral traits, as is taken to promote desired the physical form.
Wildlings are topiary or Topiary Folk gone feral. Wildlings are under greater evolutionary pressure to adapt to more varied stimuli and so are more likely to evolve a higher intelligence than their tame or cultivated kin. Likewise, they often exhibit far more independent thought and have less of a service-oriented or "natural slave" mentality. Oddly enough, certain other behavioral traits, such as a tendency to pose in a picturesque manner, may be retained, especially if they serve a survival function (such as freeze-camouflage or, by being picturesque or useful, deter ravaging.)
Visual observation behavior, such recognizing authorizing uniforms or badges, or even distinguishing individual Folk, requires more sophisticated visual sensory capabilities and a more sophisticated neural system. Whether hand signals can be distinguished by echo-senses or by visual senses depends on the fineness of the senses in question and the discreetness of the signaling.
Alternatively, some topiaries exhibit showy blossoming. This may be seasonal or may be a continual show throughout the seasons. This may completely cover the topiary in a floral pattern, or the blossoms may be located selectively, as "highlights." Blossoms may also be present as more sophisticated organs. In the latter case, blossoms may be retaining for a very long time, older blossoms overlapping the production of their replacements.
Fruiting likewise is either absent, insignificantly minimal, or suppressed by pruning, or alternatively may be quite showy or evolved in to more sophisticated fruit-derived organs. Especially in the latter case, fruit drop may be inhibited to the point where the previous year's fruit overlaps the development of new fruit, so the topiary is never without fruit.
Topiary rarely breed true form seed. Some cultivators, usually professional breeders, actively gather and grow the seeds. While the results are usually undesirable, whether less functional (ornamentally or behaviorally) or, as happens on occasion, dangerous, there is always the hope of a new desirable development. More often, cultivators of topiary collections suppress breeding by seed. Many topiary have almost completely infertile seeds, or may have bred in to them self-pruning behaviors to eliminate seeds.
Alternatively, topiaries, like many other perennial plants, can be multiplied by division. This means dividing a large, mature specimen in to two or more parts. Unlike a cutting, each part of a division must contain all the organs needed for survival on its own. A distinct difference between topiary division and divisions of simpler perennials is that a topiary division must have some mobility, sensory organs, and sufficient neural functioning to survive as an independent organisms. If not, it will either die or must be sequestered in a nursery, simply being a more advanced cutting.
Where the adult topiary is actually composed of two or more distinct symbiotic plants, each component plant may be propagated separately, only forming a true topiary when the juvenile component plants are joined and fused.
Grafted topiaries are a special case. In grafted topiaries, the component plants are grown separately, usually with complete populations of each type of source plant. To create a new topiary, the desirable portions, such as roots, stems, and branches bearing particular foliage or flowers, are then cut from growing source plants and grafted together to for the complete topiaries, which are then grown further to maturity. Source plants are usually grown in separate, sequestered beds, their parts harvested as needed.
Zoomorphic sculpture topiaries are usually composed only of the basic dense foliage of any good topiary. Some are ornamented (or armed) with additional parts, analogs of animal organs or parts more exotic. These may include woody branches or thorns mimicking horns, tusks, or claws. They may also include garlands of long-season blooms or fruit the "animals" appear to be "wearing." Such flowers and fruit may have functions beyond mere ornamentation; perfumes may be intoxicants or aphrodisiacs, or be subtle weapons, whether for purely defensive use against vandals or for more offensive use against trespassers in general. Fruit may be similarly perfumed ornaments or may be presented as a mobile picnic or snack buffet.
Some zoomorphic topiaries are sculpted with saddles or howdahs or similar accoutrements; these may be functional or purely ornamental.
Striders often have bare, woody lower legs to minimize entailment with any undergrowth the topiary may pass through.
The simplest striders have minimal sensory abilities and minimal neural capabilities. They have effectively no intelligence, simply wandering randomly across the landscape, orienting towards sunshine or, in the case of excessively hot days, shade, and occasionally seeking water, whether on an as-needed basis or as an ornamental function.
More sophisticated striders have more diverse senses capable of finer discretion and have more complex neural systems. Intelligence ranges from primitive, or basic, to quite sophisticated.
Squirters
While primarily ornamental, some topiary waterfowl can squirt water. This is usually done periodically, as an ornamental fountain, often in complexly choreographed "dancing water shows," but may also have the capability to blast water as a high-pressure squirt gun. Such squirt gun topiary waterfowl pump the water directly from below them, and so have an unlimited firing potential. While the water blasts may cause only minimal actual damage, bruising like a prison &fire hose,& such blasting will very effectively foil targeting of missile weapons or the execution of spell castings or other fine manipulations, as the irregular bursts batter their target.
The aggressive behaviors of squirters are generally triggered by a set list of observable actions designed to discourage "undesirable behaviors," typically including littering or poaching by unauthorized fishers. Local Folk will know the rules, and may be amused by directing strangers to violate them. Typical simple rules might be, "No one may approach within a yard of the water's edge," or "Squirt any who stray off the paths."
"Gumming geese" are very like squirting ducks but can add a gumming agent to the water they squirt. This transforms the water to a gel, functioning very like a web attack. Gumming geese are typically set to act like ornamental squirting ducks, but have a stronger defensive function. As an example, where a bridge or path of stepping stones leads across the water to a restricted area, Folk attempting to cross who do not display appropriate signs of authority will initially be subject to a warning soaking by squirting ducks, and then, should they persevere in their foolish attempt at intrusion, the trespassers may be subject to the gumming geese's water webs.
A trespasser who soon ceases to intrude will find the gel to be thin and easily wiped off the face, with little risk of suffocation, although being gel-soaked is a clear mark of bad behavior to any arriving guards. Should a more persistent trespasser penetrate deeper in to forbidden territory, heavier gel will entangle and set firmly, restricting movement and increasing the chance of deadly suffocation.
Typical embellishments of topiary trees include trunk niches for displaying sculpture or hanging (weatherproof) poem scrolls, bird nesting holes, or hidden cavities, concealing picnic necessities or security devices.
Like tree topiaries, topiary sculptures may have display niches, storage cubbies, concealed compartments, bird nests, or other features.
A sculpture of a gardener with integral wheelbarrow can (if not purely ornamental) cart materials about in "his" barrow, but, as "his" arms are sculpted as holding on to the barrow handles, "he" cannot let go and so cannot load or unload the barrow. If more sophisticated, "he" might be able to use the beak of the barrow to scoop up material or as a pour-spout to carefully tip out the barrow; "he" might also be sufficiently canny to use the hard, sharp bow of the barrow as a weapon, ramming any who interfered with "his" work.
A topiary ballerina might be quite flexible, sculpted with functioning joints, or "she" might be limber as a serpent with no distinct joist at all. More likely, "her" movements would be limited by the pose "she" was sculpted in. Clasped hands could not unclasp, and a leg raised with knee bend and foot resting upon thigh could not be lowered. A ballerina topiary in such a pose would be forced to hop about on one let (no doubt gracefully and even coquettishly); vandals might be surprised at how strong "her" ever-clasped arms could squeeze if "she" got their loops about a target.
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