PEAK’s new Roots update in November 2025 has marked the arrival of a new series of badges that can be collected by players. One of these new badges is the Cryptogastromy Badge, which involves the Mandrake item and is tied specifically to the new second-stage biome. If you’re wondering how to earn the Cyptogastormy Badge in PEAK, all of the information you’ll need has been outlined in the guide below.
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How to Earn the Cryptogastronomy Badge in PEAK
To earn the Cyptogastromy Badge in PEAK, players will need to find and collect a Mandrake, then cook and eat it. Mandrake is a new consumable item that can be found in the Roots Biome. This means that players will first need to climb past the Shore and move past the first campfire to possibly enter the Roots, which is a second-stage Biome.
Until November 17, 2025, the Roots biome is a guaranteed stage 2 spawn, so players can most certainly make the most of this opportunity to get objectives such as the Cyptogastormy Badge taken care of early. After this date, the Roots will go into rotation with the Tropics biome in the same way the Mesa and Alpine work.
Where to Find Mandrake & What Does it Do in PEAK?
In PEAK, Mandrake can be found in the Roots biome. In order to find a Mandrake, you should be on the hunt for Medicinal Roots, as the Mandrake will look exactly the same as the latter whilst planted. Medicinal Roots are an orange plant that tends to grow in the ground, or on walls around the Roots Biome, so keep your eyes peeled.
Upon pulling a Medicinal Root from the ground, there is a chance that it will actually be a Mandrake. The main difference that you’ll notice between the two is that the Mandrake has a strange little face on it, and it will immediately begin screaming when held in your hands.
The scream of a Mandrake applies the Drowsy status effect, which can quickly lead to you passing out. However, if you have the Mandrake in one of your inventory slots, it will not actively scream. This means that you will either need to quickly swap it out of your active item slot or have been lucky enough to stumble upon a Portable Stove prior, enabling you to cook and eat it on the spot.
If you are able to store the Mandrake in an inventory slot, you should also be able to walk it up to the next campfire and cook it there. However, you will need to be extremely careful. If you become unconscious or drop the item for any other reason before reaching the campfire and cooking it, the Mandrake will fall out of your hands and begin screaming again.
If you are the last player alive, this can stun-lock you into a very sleepy death. If there are other players around, they may also fall victim to the screaming, too, so you’ll need to be wary.
After successfully cooking and consuming a Mandrake, you will be awarded the Cyptogastromy Badge. This badge will provide a little sprout hat for your headwear section of cosmetics as a reward, adding to the new customization options within your Passport.