User:Imperial Misanthrope/Eversio Inferi

The Eversio Inferi is an artificial species created by the Forerunner for the purpose of opposing and impeding/stopping Flood infection.

Origin
The Eversio Inferi (Forerunner for “Destruction of the Dead”) is an artificial Plantae created by the Forerunner in the final years of the Forerunner-Flood War. The species was never fully perfected to the Forerunner’s specifications, even though the attempt at this was the first operation by the Forerunner to follow in the evolution advancing technology developed by the preceding species, the Precursors.

The Eversio Inferi were designed as a species of plant-like beings with an intelligence based around their roots, which in a single forest are all interconnected. This intelligence was designed by the Forerunner to identify Flood via their “Super Cell”, so that the plant would be able to perform its primary function. The Plant’s primary function is to eliminate, or at least impede, Flood. The Second function is to remove anything that is or was previously infected by Flood infect, via absorbing said being. Both of these are achieved via its tentacle-like roots. Their third function is to cease the Flood’s ability to alter atmospheres by absorbing the mutagens and spores released by Flood infection, however this last function was accidentally evolved after 100,000 years in hibernation near also hibernating Flood specimens.

The Eversio Inferi exist only on the planet Coral, under the fascinated watch of 1051 Propound Assertion, the Monitor of Research Station 8472, the Forerunner research facility where they were created.

Biology
The Eversio Inferi in appearance, are tree-like beings that live on the surface of most any terrain, ranging from deserts to marsh land. They extend long and sophisticated branches with numerous diamond shaped leaves that extend usually about fifteen feet in the air. Their trunks are medium size in thickness, but quite durable, and are usually of a pale complexion, and the leaves are usually a pale green, giving the tree a deathly, hollow look.

Their roots are the strangest and most distinguishable parts of the Eversio Inferi. Unlike conventional plants, the roots of the Eversio Inferi are filled with artificially created muscle and nerve tissue, made of the same technological method used to create Huragok. In addition, they are artificially enhanced with extra tubules and sensory nerves. These differences result in the roots being able to act under the plant’s consciousness formed throughout the nerve cells along the lower half of its trunk and throughout its roots. Simply put, the roots are able to move with surprisingly fast reflexes, able to shoot out of the ground to ensnare their prey. Upon ensnaring their prey, the Eversio Inferi usually impales or tears the captured Flood asunder to make it easier to absorb. Unfortunately, the plants are unable to absorb anything of sufficient density, such as bones, so tend to leave skeletons behind. The nerve cells of the plant are encoded with the genetic signature of the Flood “Super Cell” used to mutate hosts, allowing them to sense Flood within about fifteen metres of the trunk.

The branches and leaves of the Eversio Inferi also perform a specific function. The leaves attract and absorb Flood spores; however this function was actually evolved during the 100,000 years of hibernation, and was not fully designed by the Forerunner.

Eversio Inferi grows at an exponential rate; a forest is made up of only 3-5 trees at most on average, single plants spawn an interconnected web of roots and trunks that ebb outwards continuously until they reach a certain predetermined size. The individual plants by no means work together, and will often snake roots and trunks into each other territory, and will attack the same prey if any Flood come into range.

Combat
The Eversio Inferi attack via their roots; using them as spiked tentacles and lightning fast whips. Against most forms of the Flood these tactics are very effective, Flood combat forms are usually taken down by the whips, and the more robust forms such as Pure Forms (Stalker or Ranged) are taken down via being impaled multiple times and ripped apart, though it would taken much longer to rip apart a pure form than a combat form. Pure form (Tanks), being coated in an exoskeleton of calcium deposits cannot be destroyed by either of these methods.

The other method of combat is to use the roots as constricting tentacles, though because the roots cannot extend indefinitely; this usually requires numerous roots, and the prey to be in close proximity to be successful. This method is used to combat Pure form (Tanks), although the exoskeleton provides ample protection against strikes and impaling, it does not provide sufficient protection against crushing strength when the roots constrict them, though it does take on average several minutes for the Tank’s armour to give.

Effectiveness
Flood Infection Forms
 * The Eversio Inferi works exceptionally well against infection forms, using their roots like whips, the infection forms easily explode under the barrage of whipping and are subsequently absorbed.

Flood Combat Form
 * Flood Combat forms can be somewhat trickier than Infection forms. Because of their more aggressive nature, incredible strength and jumping ability, they have a chance to dodge and escape from the roots of the Eversio Inferi, however more often than not the roots usually overpower them with multiple root attacks from all sides.

Flood Carrier Forms
 * The Carrier form is the Eversio Inferi‘s weakness. Since the plant requires physical contact in order to damage and kill the Flood, the Carrier form’s tendency to explode causes great harm to both the roots and the trunks of the Eversio Inferi. The only method around this is to use the roots as whips to strike the carrier form away, rendering its self-destruct harmless.

Flood Pure Form (Stalker)
 * The Stalker Form is perhaps one of the most difficult to destroy of the Flood forms, not because it is strong or durable, but because it is extremely fast and agile. The speed of the stalker form is enough to avoid most of the roots of a Eversio Inferi assault, but it must not remain in combat, as the longer the stalker form stays the more likely the roots will either catch, or damage it enough to kill it.

Flood Pure Form (Ranged)
 * The Ranged form is the stand off between the two species. The ranged form does not require getting within range of the Eversio Inferi’s melee assault; however the Ranged form’s spike based projectiles are near ineffective against the trunks and roots of the genetically engineered trees. The Ranged form would have to transform into one of its two other states and come into range for any kind of skirmish to take place.

Flood Pure Form (Tank)
 * The Tank form is one of the more complex Flood forms to fight. The only method that can actually damage a Tank form is to constrict it. For this to work, the Tank must be in close enough proximity to become constricted, and be near enough roots to hold it down, considering its massive strength. During such a struggle, it takes several minutes to break through the exoskeleton of calcium deposits, and to rip apart the Flood form itself, meaning that if there are numerous Flood forms about, there may not be sufficient numbers of roots to hold the Tank form long enough to overpower it.