Riftcoil Ivy grows around small spatial faults, forming spiral tendrils that make the distance inside each loop shorter than the distance outside it.
Structure
The vine has paired teal leaves that curl into tight spirals as they mature. Violet-black stems carry rows of red pressure nodules, while thick root anchors fasten to stone, metal, or the stable edge of a mapped route.
A growing tip circles the smallest nearby spatial fault. Once a complete loop forms, the stem begins drawing low levels of rift energy through the red nodules.
Distance effect
Space measured through a mature coil can be shorter than space measured around it. A tool pushed through one side may appear at the opposite side before its handle has crossed the loop.
The effect is limited to the interior of the vine, but overlapping coils can create misleading paths. Residents have reported stepping toward a wall and returning to the same marker several meters behind themselves.
Reproduction
Seed pods develop close to the root crown and remain sealed while a route is stable. When the local fault widens, the pods split and release heavy seeds that roll toward the nearest fixed boundary instead of downhill.
Field safety
The Transit Authority paints a red line beyond the outermost roots. Residents do not reach through a coil, follow a tendril around a corner, or cut a stem, because a broken loop can release its stored distance all at once.