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title: Rhodofolia
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Blood-red hallucinogenic algae. An infamous but poorly understood organism that was first documented in the waters of the [[Great Sea]] about a century ago, it has gradually proliferated over the years, eventually reaching the point where the bay upon which Vesper Ridge was founded came to be known as the “[[Sea of Wine]]” for its striking red color. The algae itself is often referred to as “red wine.”

Though it may appear innocuous at first glance, rhodofolia has claimed far more lives than the monsters of the [[Barrens]] or the sinister-looking subterranean [[cave horrors]]. Voraciously carnivorous, this algae feeds by exuding psychoactive vapors into the air above the water, which take hold of the mind of any creature unfortunate enough to be downwind of it. From that point, through chemical mechanisms currently unknown, the algae lures its victim to wander toward the red water, and then quickly dissolves flesh and bone alike with highly corrosive enzymes secreted from its underwater roots.

Survivors of rhodofolia vapor poisoning describe the experience as vividly hallucinatory, inducing feelings of euphoria “like falling under a spell,” and claim that the algae itself smells irresistibly sweet once you’ve caught a whiff of its vapors.

Mysteriously, mercifully, all of the rhodofolia in the Sea of Wine vanishes as the sun goes down, leaving the waters safe for fishermen to trawl during the nighttime hours. And then, when the sun rises again, the algae rapidly materializes with the morning light. Whatever happens to the algae at night is currently unknown to science.