Vlaxifurm

Vlaxifurm are sessile organisms whose secretions are needed to stabilize hemoglobin and chlorophyll within Tryslmaistanian physics, without regular supplements of vlax, Earthly life is condemned to a slow death. Anemia from vlax deficiency is known as "the Weakness".

Biology
''"Vlax is believed common to all Worldplates, and has perhaps the most complicated life cycle of any Tryslmaistan replicator. Vlaxifurm starts life as a 8cm long transparent worm-like creature, that has a flat, screwdriver like head and a tapering body. Once a year, by the hundreds, the immature Vlaxifurm crawl blindly from the body of their parent, to travel in all directions digging under the soil. Some of the Vlaxifurm spawn fall off the edge of the Worldplate, where they are believed to drift to other Worldplates. Some are eaten by various crystal creatures, but others find their way to the great central sea, where they grow and feed. The larval Vlaxifurm drift like segmented cylindrical lanterns until they reach the next stage, whereupon the segments uncurl into thousands of flat, ribbon-like creatures fully half a meter in length. These Vlaxifurm ribbons then writhe out of the sea, and wriggle across the land to reach the outer deserts. There they will dig themselves into the sand, and gradually transform over many years into adult, immobile, Vlaxifurm domes. During every stage of their mobile life, Vlaxifurm diggers, floaters and ribbons excrete large amounts of concentrated Vlax, which settles into the soil, or sinks to the floor of the sea. It is this migration that permits the Green forests and grasslands to flourish, however, this growth is limited by the availability of water, and the fact that mobile Vlax production diminishes drastically as the crawler reaches the deep desert."''