Spire-Tick
A parasitic insectoid of sporetree groves, tiny enough to ride the wind and nearly invisible to the unaided eye. Burrowing into sporetree bark, it saps the tree's strength from within over extended periods, working with the slow patience of something that has nowhere else to be. Left unchecked, it is the quiet death of many a proud grove.
Key traits
- Small enough to be carried on the wind, making it effectively impossible to screen out of sporetree forest environments.
- Nearly invisible to the unaided eye, allowing infestations to establish and spread before they are detected.
- A bark parasite that burrows into sporetrees and drains the tree's internal strength steadily over long periods.
- Works slowly but with devastating cumulative effect; a persistent infestation can hollow and kill even mature, established groves.
- Considered a significant ongoing threat to sporetree forestry wherever such trees are managed or cultivated.