| Class: | Gestalt Animate Plant to Vegimal beast or 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; usually one large specimen but sometimes several |
| Lair: | 100%; sessile |
| Size: | Elephantine or larger; most house-sized but could cover a continent |
| Move: | Sessile; none, but may have limber components |
| 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 widely, by specimen or sections within larger specimens |
| Int: | Varies; Basic Plant: none; generally inanimate Animate Plant: simple stimulus-response routines Eldritch awareness: cunning, with or without true consciousness Vegimal: up to complete sapience; possibly genius Godling: genii loci (locality godling), with appropriate powers |
| Spec: | Often, possibly several and varied; larger often psychically powerful |
| Posns: | Usually more than incidental; usually exist for a reason |
Unlike discrete animate topiaries, which SEE, architectural topiaries, which are firmly rooted in place, can be quite extensive gestalt beings; architectural topiaries range from minor garden ornaments to entire functional environments, vegetable equivalents of flesh environments, which SEE. Architectural topiaries range in aura or temperament, with or without intelligence or awareness, from enchantingly picturesque to disturbingly haunting; some are both at once, or have shifting moods or contrasting parts.
An architectural topiary may begin life as a simple hedge, nothing more than a basic wall that just happens to be a living plant organism. The topiary can grow physically either by the spreading of the original plant or by the incorporation of additional plants, whether these be added to the topiary intentionally by gardeners or whether the new plants are absorbed in to the topiary by the spread of its gestalt sentience.
Generally, architectural topiaries only grow to building-size, ranging from gazebo to castle size. Sometimes, entire towns may be composed of architectural topiary, whether each "building" is a separate entity or whether the town as a whole comprises one great gestalt being. There are even worlds where entire continents are swathed in single, vast topiaries; such tremendous topiaries may be cultivated by active alien civilizations as a form of organic architectural technology or the original gardeners may be long gone, having been forced to abandon the now lonely topiary - or having been consumed by it.
In parallel, but not necessarily in conjunction, some topiary grow mentally as well as physically. While some develop a strong unconscious and psychic abilities without ever achieving awareness, others undergo a gradual awakening from mere sentient plant to sapient Vegimal Folk.
Over time, the larger and more sophisticated the topiary, the greater the chances of it achieving subtle awareness, and then possibly true sapience. Topiaries subject to emotional stimuli, such as topiary mazes or topiaries used as living houses, are especially likely to develop awareness. If well tended by a competent topiary gardener, the topiary will develop along the lines intended, both physically and in terms of temperament (more or less…) If neglected, there is no telling how the topiary will develop.
Forms range from the simple common wall-hedge, perhaps embellished with windows or gates, which serves as little more than an organic barrier, to sophisticated topiaries emulating entire castles or villages, commonly with multiple stories. As the form becomes more sophisticated, so too the components of the topiary become more varied and sophisticated, as do its senses and its potential for action.
While the mass of an architectural topiary is solidly rooted, it may have flexible parts which function as limbs. Commonly, these may function as portals, swinging open and shut. Some sections may accordion, expanding and contracting to form shifting mazes. More sophisticated organs become more diverse and sensitive as the topiary becomes more complex - and more aware.
Most topiary are sensitive to tactile stimuli across most of their surfaces, and are able to distinguish a grasping hand from a brushing breeze. Many have vibration-sensitive leaves distributed about all of their surfaces, making the entire topiary one great sonar receiver, and thus be able to determine all that happens within and near them. Some grow organs for vision, scent, or other physical input.
As fine as these mundane senses may be, they are surpassed in many a major Topiary by a general psychic sensitivity. In some, the Topiary is simply aware of all that transpires in or about it. Other Topiaries must make a "psychic attack" - one as subtle as it is powerful - and "tap in to" the senses of those Folk of flesh who may be wandering about within the topiary. Such Topiaries essentially use those Folk within them as mobile sensory organs. These Topiary are especially likely to communicate through the subconscious, manipulating weaker minds; to sleep and dream within such a Topiary is to open oneself to its visions.
A few psychically powerful Topiary have been known to enthrall flesh Folk to serve it, but most great topiary are able to gain willing services in exchange for providing shelter and perhaps some ancient wisdom; anything as vast and ancient as some of these topiary are can be expected to take on the attributes of a genius loci (minor "locality godling"), meriting appropriate respect, care, and tribute, and likely granting appropriate benefits. Such a Topiary, itself a minor god, may be or form as part of its bulk a temple to some other deity whom it serves or at least is companionable with.
While some topiaries have only an inchoate or barely developed personality, some are distinctly, abet rarely overtly, benevolent or malevolent. Being very large, with numerous distinct parts and only a vaguely formed awareness can lead to a vast Topiary having different, more or less distinct personalities in its different parts. This is especially true where different Folk have, whether by dwelling within the topiary or be other significant actions within it, imposed different psychic auras in different parts of the topiary.
For further adaptability, architectural topiaries often harbor or are accompanied by complimentary mobile animate topiaries, which SEE. Such mobile companions may serve as more active parts of the general architecture, or may function as "free agents," moving about within or beyond the architectural topiary. Mobile topiaries may simply be ornamental or they may have more sophisticate functions, from pruning and otherwise cultivating to help maintain the architectural topiary (and each other) to serving visitors and punishing vandals or guarding against trespassers violating restricted areas.
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