Nivlen spears

A modern example of Paperweight's mycological life, nivlen spears are long-lived, black fungal structures that start life as fibrous webs of hyphae that slowly burrow into permafrost soil, merely eking out subsistence until nutrients from decaying plant or animal matter seep down into the soil.

Storing excess energy in oily hexagonal tubules, a patch of nivlen fungus will slowly push up the tall spear structures for which it is named, passing through snowfall with slow and steady growth. Eventually, the spear will extend above the surface of the snow, draped with long, vestigial tendrils that resemble leaves, which are typically poisonous.

Once it reaches maturity, the spear diverts its energy into forming exactly six spherical nodes within the tip of its largest tubule, packing each of them full of grainy spores and nutrients before splitting apart to dangle the six new nivlen berries out for scavengers to ingest, digest and excrete onto distant tundra or snowbanks.