• Lore • [Rharne] Flora

[Rumour]

Rharne Flora

The flora listed in this thread is local to Rharne. Please feel free to reference it and use it in your threads. If you would like to suggest a new plant to add to our list, please do so on our Development Thread.

A broader list of flora and fauna found throughout Idalos can be found in the Lore Book.

Thanks!

Rharne Flora:

Blackcore Tree
Dusk Grapes
Ilaren's Cap
Lightning's Grasp
The Lighting Violet
Gasping Orchid
The Marauders
The Prickled Fist
Seductive Storm
Stormflower
Ywyngyll's Defense

[Rumour]

Blackcore Tree

Name: Blackcore Tree

Appearance: The blackcore tree looks similar to that of an oak tree until it is actually cut down and its core is revealed. The inner wood of a blackcore tree is extremely dark and has veins of black and gray running through it.

Description: The blackcore tree is native to the Ywyngyll Forest to the west of Rharne. Though the blackcore tree looks almost identical to an oak tree, one glaring difference is the way the tree germinates. Instead of acorns, the blackcore tree releases lightweight seed pods that are easily caught and carried away on the wind. The tree can grow to be roughly forty feet tall and eight feet in diameter.

Frequency: Rare

Special Properties: None

Additional Information: Due to its outward appearance, the blackcore tree is often hard to find and its price reflects this rarity. A skilled woodsman might be able to locate the tree by looking for a lack of seeds on the ground around its trunk.

Credit: Zenith

[Rumour]

Stormflower

Name: Stormflower

Appearance: A sun-like flower with cerulean petals arranged around a golden center. The stormflower typically has 3 – 4 inch flower stalks with evergreen leaves sprouting from the stalk in a basal tuft. The leaves have a smooth texture and are narrower at the base.

Description: Stormflowers are the most common type of flower found in the open fields of Rharne's Stormlands and are frequently used in floral arrangements or woven into flower crowns. They sprout in late Ashan or early Ymiden and last up to 14 trials once picked if placed in fresh water and exposed to sunshine, though die easily after being exposed to cold. As stormflowers age, their petals fall off and their stalks begin to wilt.

Frequency: Very common

Special Properties: Stormflower leaves are edible and can be mixed into salads, while the petals and golden center can be used in herbal teas. These flowers are rich in vitamin C and have medicinal properties that can give relief from indigestion.

Additional Information: It is rumoured that if a Rharnian gives one of these blue and yellow flowers to the man or woman they love, they will each receive a trial of luck. If they give that individual a dozen stormflowers, the Immortals will smile on their union and they will both be blessed with good fortune for the rest of the season.

These flowers are sold by the children who frequent the Pilgrim’s Ascent during the seasons of Ymiden, Saun, and Vhalar. Each stormflower costs 5sn.

Credit: Rumour

[Rumour]

Dusk Grapes

Name: Dusk Grapes

Appearance: A sturdy climbing grape vine that produces beautiful azure blue fruit often used in Rharne to create a signature wine known as “Starlight”. The bright green vine can grow up to seven feet in height and has silvery gray thorns that can easily injure an inattentive harvester. The grapes themselves are slightly larger than other more common species, being anywhere from an inch to two inches in diameter.

Description: Though also common to the wild Stormlands, Dusk Grapes are most frequently seen within the boundaries of local vineyards. It is said that Xiur gifted these grapes to Ilaren during a visit many arcs ago, and they've flourished in the region ever since. The fruit has a sweet delicate flavor that is favored for use in winemaking or simply for eating raw. The vine will produce fruit throughout the warmer months before going dormant when the first frost sets in.

Frequency: Common

Special Properties: Dusk Grapes can be used in winemaking and can only be grown successfully in the Stormlands. Hybrid varieties are sometimes seen growing outside Rharne, but none possess the unique rich color of the locally grown fruit.

Credit: Sephira

[Rumour]

Ilaren's Cap

Name: Ilaren's Cap

Appearance: Ilaren's Cap presents at maturity as a blue, bio-luminescent mushroom, from stem to the entirety of the cap. Their spores fall from little tendrils beneath the caps that resemble blue lightning bolts, hence the name.

Description: Ilaren's Cap is commonly thought to be useless by laymen, despite its scarcity and brevity of its life cycle. For whatever reasons, certain mystics that revere Ilaren hold the mushrooms and their spores as sacred. The effect of the spores is a closely guarded secret by these mystics. The spores themselves can only bloom on the banks of the Isle Vyrelle, and will then only germinate on lake-ice during the coldest days of Cylus.

Frequency: Extremely Rare

Level of Danger: High

Special Properties: The mushrooms in their natural state are inert, and strangely wither and melt into nothing when exposed to sunlight. The spores, however, can be contained in an airtight container, and then cultivated in darkness. They will not bloom in any other season other than Cylus, and never in captivity. The mushrooms, when harvested properly (ie. during Cylus and otherwise kept out of sunlight) can be processed chemically to create an anti-coagulant agent.

The spores have a mild hallucinogenic effect on those who snort them, which grant strangely mundane visions of people that the user knows, giving them various samples of sound advice. They can be distilled to make potions that, when imbibed, afflict the drinker with a certain susceptibility to suggestion. Any other method of ingestion of the spores will cause an inexplicable case of pneumonia.

Additional Information: Most of the effects of this mushroom will need to be learned of from the mystics who are privy to its secrets.

Credit: Rorom

[Oracle]

Lightning's Grasp

Name: Lightning's Grasp

Appearance: With a stem of around eighty centimetres and a small but beautiful bud, the Lightning's Grasp is a unique and notable plant. When night time falls these beautiful plants will glow in vibrant colors, making them easy to find and incredibly stunning to look at, especially when grouped together in a small cluster. Finally, they will drop bright purple seeds when they have fully grown to fill the ground, sometimes causing big waves of purple to flood the air, making for a stunning sight for anyone there to see it. Despite the awe these florae bring there is an inherent problem they cause, as they will oftentimes lean towards anyone that comes near, leading some to believe they have a level of intelligence to them. This, however, is a theory that can not be proven.

Description: Found in fields all around the Stormlands, and grown within the Thunder Priestesses bases, these plants are not uncommon to see and are actually spreading at alarming rates. With only forty trials needed to grow the plants to full size, the Lightning's Grasp have begun covering entire fields with their midnight glow, alluring many and drawing them closer to the plant. When a man or woman walks near them, the plants will learn closer in an attempt to touch the person in question. While many view this as a beautiful spectacle, avoiding the touch of the plant is crucial.

Frequency: Common

Level of Danger: High

Special Properties: Many people view this plant as cute, but the real danger comes from the paralytic moisture coating the petals. When touching direct human skin, the petals will drop a small dose of a contact poison on to the skin, quickly rendering the area of contact paralyzed. This, without a cure, can take up to a trial to be fixed. However, because these plants are often at leg height and the effect comes suddenly, it can cause many to fall and land deeper in the plants - rendering their entire body immobilized. Sustained contact with these plants can be lethal as the poison starts affecting any and all vital organs. As such, these plants are often taken by the Thunder Priestesses and turned in to a weapon smear, capable of taking down someone with little to no damage done to them.

Additional Information: Watch your step

Credit: Varlum

[Oracle]

The Lightning Violet

Name: The Lightning Violet

Appearance: The Lightning Violet is a bioluminescent flower thought to have originated on Isle Vyrelle, however it can now be found all across the Stormlands. A highly adaptable species of violet, the plant has an electric blue stalk normally around 6 inches tall and pale violet petals that shimmer like the water of an ocean. Dull and simple in the daylight it is at night that these plants truly show their beauty, it is also at night that they are most easily identified as their glow gives them away. Some might describe the spectacle of finding a meadow of these glorious flowers as ethereal and surreal, like one was walking through a sea of lightning. They truly capture the imagination and offer everyone a connection and glimpse into the domain that Ilaren controls: lightning.

Description: These plants are believed to have spread from Isle Vyrelle, perhaps through pollination of a more standard violet species upon the mainland. Their adaptability and toughness is hard to rival as they will flower throughout all seasons except Cylus in which they pass into a dormant state. The bioluminescence that is within them also causes them to radiate a slight heat. Scientists have speculated that this may be why they do not glow in the day to avoid over heating themselves and why they turn grey and dormant in the winter, only producing the glow deep within the cells of the flora. It is somewhat agreed that this is how they avoid dying during Cylus, the process keeping the cells from being destroyed during the freezing and eventual thawing that effects many plants. The only real interaction with these plants from mortals is one of watching them and occasionally picking them; although they will only glow for the length of one night after being cut from their roots. Following that time, they will turn grey and die.

Frequency: Common

Level of Danger: Non-existent

Special Properties: These plants are surprisingly useful to the night time ecosystem of the Stormlands, their glowing attracts many species of insects which will feed upon the pollen of the Lightning Violet during the night. This allows the insects to feed while making sure the violet can easily reproduce. However, the plants also attract frogs and lizards that have learned to seek out these plants in search of the insects that feed there. This miniature ecosystem acts as a limiting factor on the number of insects within the lands and also the spread of the violets, helping to keep a balance that is ever present in nature.

Additional Information: It has been considered that these plants may be able to provide a form of glowing dye. However, no one has yet to manage it, most failing at the first hurdle of extracting the glowing matter without causing impurities or dilution that ruins the effect. Neither has anyone been able to figure out how to replicate the reactions that occurs within the plants either.

Credit: Lucas Nardovino

[Oracle]

The Prickled Fist

Name: Prickled Fists

Appearance: The spherical cacti range from three to six inches in diameter and can weigh from two to ten pounds, all the depending on the quantity of the cluster growing together. The stems are a dull green color, though the dust from the Stormwastes often clings to the plant, giving it a brownish tint during much of the arc. Tiny areoles sit between the stems, which ripple like that of a pineapple, and the spines grow out in a five-sided star pattern across the entirety of the plant. They bloom in the latter half of the Ashan season for about a fortnight, producing a vibrant purple color.


Description: One of the few plants that can survive the desolate Stormwastes, these cacti grow in small clusters among rocky terrain and in the more shaded areas, few that can be found, in the area. Given the lack of extensive fauna in the region, this plant has evolved over the centuries to self-pollinate their seeds that then attach to the flower blooms in the spring season. As the flowers wilt, the wind carries the them far distances until the debris settles and the seeds germinate elsewhere. The Prickled Fist is a squat and tough plant, both of which are necessary traits in this harsh environment.


Frequency: Uncommon


Level of Danger: Low


Special Properties: Like most cacti, The Prickled Fist conserve water in their stems, making it a vital plant for any wanderer or resident who tries to travel in The Stormwastes. The yield is low for any one plant, but these cacti tend to grow in clumps of eight to twelve, so there is often more than enough to sustain a small party as long as they're not solely reliant on the plants. The one downside is the water is tainted with the Fist's natural pollen which has a hallucinogenic effect, if too much of the liquid is consumed. Side effects include feverish dreams and an increased reaction to visual stimuli.

Additional Information: Besides the water, the spines can also be harvested and are sturdy enough to be used as makeshift needles in sewing kits if necessary

Credit: Mute

[Oracle]

Seductive Storm

Name: Seductive Storm - Tempestatem Dulcia Facit

Appearance: 14 - 16 inches when mature, has an faint static sound that echoes from it

Description: Native to the plains of Rharne, the Seductive Storm is a remarkable flower that blooms with their pink petals tipped in bright blue appear to be almost hand painted! Shorter in stature, the Seductive Storm typically has smaller leaves than other Rharne flowers. The small pink lily is adored for its pink to lavender-blue blooms that appear very late in Ymiden and early in Saun. This bulbous perennial is native to the forests and even the sheltered areas of the plains of Rharne, where it grows in moist, often shaded, locations. Delivering a clump of green, strap-like leaves in very early spring, the flowerless clump remains photosynthetic until it dies away in early summer. Leafless stems rise from the ground in mid- to late-Ymiden. Each stem is topped with a cluster of four to six pink, trumpet-shaped flowers, each with six petals edged with a vibrant light blue color. Some plants' flowers are deeper rose-pink while others are pale violet-blue. Insects are the primary pollinators but in some areas, small birds may also visit the blooms. Bulbous, three angled pods willed with flattened black seeds are produced during the end of the Hot Cycle. These plants rarely germinate in a garden.

Frequency: Common

Level of Danger: Only when taken in drug form (Dangerous) as it can cause damage to your liver and bladder.

Special Properties:

Flower Nectar: Used primarily as an aphrodisiac, the nectar of the Seductive Storm lives up to the name its been given. The nectar is as sweet as honey and when one drinks it and it increases arousal, which is great for foreplay and setting the mood for any carnal interaction. Taking excessive amounts or using for extended periods of time can cause severe damage to the lining of your liver & bladder, so take sparingly.

Stems: The safest form of the plant, it acts as an erectile dysfunction cure when ground into a fine powder and imbibed with a liquid.

Additional Information: None

Credit: Yavanna E.

[Oracle]

Ywyngyll's Defense

Name: Ywyngyll's Defense

Appearance: Almost as tall as the trees themselves, and extremely wide with spikes pointing out from the entire flora, this fungi is very difficult to avoid. There isn't a set weight for the plant, seeing as some are larger and more mature than others, but a fully grown Defense can weight at least two hundred lbs. The entire Defense is purple, or a deep, sickening blue, and in some rare cases, a deceptive green or bright pink. Spikes support the entire plant from the ground up, and bulbous parts of the plant extend in multiple directions, with spikes attached to every part. At the very top of the plant are the hoods, which have far less spikes and are likely there for simple reproductive and survival reasons. Underneath the hood are clusters of seeds, which are stringed together in clumps through a mossy and sticky residue (which is harmless).

Description: It's rumored that the Ywyngyll Forest outside of Rharne is alive, filled with undocumented and lethal species of fauna and flora. Despite the lush habitat and impressive wood marking the forest, very few are brave enough to venture into it despite the potential rewards. The entire forest is a living, breathing entity, a collection of nature connected by the Unabor, and the five hearts of the forest are seen as it's lifeblood. Yet, there is little that stops aggressive researchers and woodcutters alike from venturing too deep within it's wood or near a heart. Many who explore the Ywyngyll are seeking to exploit it's ecosystem, and should someone explore the deep parts of the forest or venture near a heart, they will be met with the Ywyngyll's Defense.

These defensive fungi are extremely large and unable to be avoided, and they cling together closely. Each plant is perhaps 5 to 20 feet from each other, making some areas of the forest simply impossible to get through unless the plant is destroyed. If someone were to cut themselves on one of the many spikes, a toxin will be injected swiftly into the person. This toxin that the Defense produces is similar to the color of fungi, so either blue, purple, pink, or green, and it oozes out like blood from the plant, and can chew through and melt armor quickly. Despite the color, the effect remains the same: Any who gets the toxin merely on their bare skin will suffer from intense exhaustion, and they will faint usually shortly after being exposed. It is not lethal at all, but first paralyzes and exhausts the target, before forcing them into a dreamless sleep.

Yet, this is not the most terrifying part of the plant, for when something is cut on it, sometimes even the animals in the forest, the plant will emit an immediate and high pitched screeching. It serves as a defensive alarm for the entire forest, and it signals that something is near. The Ywyngyll's Heart and the animals alike will understand that an invader is near, likely with ill intent although not always, and so the animals drag the unconscious body of the person affected to the nearest heart. From there, the person will wake, and face judgement as to why they are there. Some may die, but few return if the heart decides that the person could benefit the forest. Those blessed by Moseke are most likely to be safe when traveling through the forest, as the hearts recognize they are normally kind souls.

If someone were to attempt to harvest the plant, they must do so in a specific way, they must harvest the sacs of seeds residing underneath the hood, however this is easier said than done seeing as large, poisonous spikes are in their way and the hoods can be up to 20 feet off the ground. If they were able to do this however,, they are able to plant the seeds collected and grow the plant for themselves or others. However the plant will only reach at maximum a quarter of the size outside of the forest, and it will no longer have any siren or 'alarm' abilities. The toxin however can be still secreted, but seeing as obtaining the plant is difficult and almost unheard of, the toxin is not sold on the public market usually and someone seeking to use it will need to find a highly specialized person, who will likely sell it at an outrageous price.

Frequency: Extremely Rare outside of Ywyngyll, uncommon in Ywyngyll (only found near hearts and in deeper parts of the forest)

Level of Danger: Low

Special Properties: This was described in more detail in the description section, but the plant produces a toxin which can chew through armor and then paralyze, exhaust, and eventually make those affected pass out or faint.

Additional Information: None.

Credit: Ministry