The Nyxacallis, or Night Lily, is a flower designed by House Telemanus' personal physician, Dr Liago. He designed it after a woman he once knew. If handled violently, the Night Lily will inject a poison that causes instant cellular death, but will remain docile if touched gently.
Appearance[]
The stem of the Night Lily has a flesh-like texture, pale white in color and slender. The flower buds are shaped like human dancers, and stained with deep violet. [1] Necrotic needles cover the leaves.[2] When touched, the stem changes color to indigo and deep purple. If touched violently, black thorns erupt from the base of the bud, injecting poison.[1]
Abilities[]
The flower is able to detect and measure kinetic reverberation within the air. When touched gently, the plant arcs into the hand "like a cat being scratched."[1] The poison it releases spreads through the body slowly, and is more painful than amputation.[2]
Involvement[]
Development[]
- 740 PCE
Inspired by a woman he once knew, Dr Liago began experimenting in his greenhouses in Zephyria on Mars, the ancestral home of House Telemanus.[1]
Interacting with Lyria[]
- 753 PCE
After thirteen years, a lifetime of research and many failed prototypes, Dr Liago had finally managed to perfect the genetic code for the Night Lily on Luna. While investigating strange new behavior in Sophocles regarding Pachelbel Birds, Dr Liago demonstrates the Night Lily's abilities to Lyria, Kavax's new valet, who finds it awesome. Sophocles then kills a Pachelbel on the window sill, and Liago shoos both fox and Lyria from his office.[1]
Sovereign's Defense[]
- 754 PCE
Throughout the Citadel on Luna, Virginia keeps many defense systems, one of them being the Night Lily. After the Day of Red Doves, Lilath au Faran went through and disabled all of Virginia's defense systems except for the Night Lily, unaware of their capabilities due to their spies disguised as Pachelbel Birds being unable to report back about them, because Sophocles killed the only one around when Dr Liago explained them to Lyria.
Virginia manages to manipulate the Abomination into a private talk in her office. Eventually, Virginia finds a Night Lily that had not yet died, and offers it to the Abomination. He snatches it from her, unintentionally injecting himself with poison. Poisoned herself, Virginia makes for her escape as Lilath bursts into the office. After a short fight resulting in one of Virginia's arms being shattered, she throws the Lily in at Lilath's face. She cuts her nose off in order to prevent the poison from spreading. Virginia escapes and cuts off her middle and rings fingers to stop the poison spreading. With the help of Kavax, Holiday and a team of Lionguards, Virginia escapes from Luna.[3][4]
Quotes[]
- "A rash? Ha! Death, this one courts." - Dr Liago, Iron Gold, Chapter 23
- "It invites gentleness. But if you rush your hand upon it... Cellular death!" - Dr Liago, Iron Gold, Chapter 23
- "He takes the flower. But he doesn't take it the way I would, or the way Adrius would. He takes it like an entitled child who spends too much time indoors. Violently." - Virginia au Augustus, Dark Age, Chapter 56
- "Night Lilies respond well to a gentle touch. They do not abide rough handling. Thet's when their necrotic spines come out to play." - Virginia au Augustus, Dark Age, Chapter 57