Flora

This page includes old lore! It is no longer relevant to the current Verdict storyline

The world of Verdict and all of its planes are host to thousands of types and subtypes of flora to explore, discover, and make use of. Most of these plants can be ignored or not bothered with, generally, but a few stand out as particularly useful implements of both crafting and magic alike.

Plants		Rarity
Some herbs are known only to grow well in wild, untamed conditions. These are most often related to weeds or other garden invaders, but a few benevolent plants simply cannot be grown in a controlled setting easily.
Nightseeker	Nightseeker is an exceptionally uncommon and warped relative of Spriteseeker. It's known to only grow from the victims of a fatal Spirit encounter, though the infrequency of ordinary Spirit encounters- let alone lethal ones- further exemplifies Nightseeker's rarity.	Legendary
Starglow	Starglow is a fascinating herb that's only been seen a handful of times throughout history. Its growth conditions are thus completely unknown, but rumor has it that a Starglow's petals reflect the light of unseen galaxies- hence the moniker.	Legendary
Corpus Fruit	Medical fields wouldn't be anywhere close to "modern" without the aid of the Corpus Fruit. While very rare, the Corpus Fruit is an invaluable clotting and numbing agent. Its extract is borderline necessary for even rudimentary surgeries.	Epic
Praecantio	Most low-tier (and even high-tier) mages rely on outside sources of mana at times for their rituals and spells. Praecantio flowers are well-known as one of the primary methods of obtaining this "outside source of mana", as they are naturally very magical.	Epic
Bloodroot	A rarer sight than most, Bloodroot is notorious for cutting the untrained with its unusually razor-sharp leaves. Whether this admittedly mundane trait or something more nefarious earned the herb its name, one couldn't easily say.	Rare
Churchbell	Churchbells are famed among nomads as an exceptional "pick-me-up". Their flesh is juicy and nourishing, and they're even relatively magical, too.	Uncommon
Crystal Melon	Similar to a more traditional melon in function, the Crystal Melon is a luscious fruit with dozens of edible red sugar-crystals hidden within its rocky green rind. Whether there are consequences to eating these crystals can't yet be said. But they taste great.	Uncommon
Spriteseeker	Named for its propensity for growing near Spirits, Spriteseeker is a type of fungus-like bulb that sprouts on ground traversed by especially magical beings. It typically dies within a few hours of its spawning.	Uncommon
Creeping Moss	Moss itself isn't particularly special. However, there exists a specific brand of moss that can take inexperienced adventurers by surprise; Creeping Moss, usually bluer than ordinary moss, is a potent poison when introduced into a source of water, and typically grows in areas with an abundance of mana.	Mundane
Thistleleaf	Herbs don't need to be rare to be useful. Thistleleaf is a great demonstration of that fact, as alchemists anywhere would know; Thistleleaf is a must-have stabilizer or "base" for a good chunk of brews and potions.	Mundane
Rock Knot	A fairly mundane looking tree with gray bark. Under the first layer of bark is a section of wood as hard as solid stone. Conventional axes may blunt or shatter against this inner shell. At the center is a very porous, light, yet strong wood like balsa. While extremely difficult to cut down en-masse, if used in construction, a Rock Knot palisade properly built would stand as sturdy as stone walls. Tend to grow together in forests, which at times become thick and near impassable.	TBD
Pleasure Fruit	Large, bulbous berries that grow on a low bush. Look like a cross between a blue tomato and a strawberry. Extremely delicious and sweet, but highly addictive if too many are consumed. Next to zero nutritional properties. Extended use likely to result in malnourishment or death as the body shuts down from lack of needed vitamins and minerals. Safe as a minor additive to food and can be distilled for regular sugar.	TBD
Star Rose	A rare flower with golden petals arranged in a five-pointed star shape. Grows only in deep groves in perpetual darkness. Stamen can be ground up and concentrated to serve as a highly effective tranquilizer, painkiller, and anesthetic. Petals can be pressed for a paste with anti-microbial and wound-knitting properties. Extremely difficult to cultivate artificially.	TBD
Siren Reed	A marsh-growing reed. Reed portion has interesting acoustic properties naturally during high winds or when cut and dried. Sound passing through reed becomes slightly amplified and harsh tones become soothed. Excellent in producing wind instruments as notes come out clean and crisp very easily. Frond portion can be milled into a fiber for strings with similar acoustic properties. Strings always seem to be 'in tune' no matter what, though still require tuning when using more than one. Tones produced when the plant is alive seem to attract pollinating insects.	TBD
Blood Shroom	A beet-red mushroom found near carrion. Commonly grows alongside Hangman's Noose or near the lairs of predators. Soaks up blood from offal from which it grows larger and redder as it feasts. Acts as an excellent meat-substitute as the flesh is very similar and is an amazing source of iron and minerals. Smells like rotting meat unless vigorously washed before cooking. Edible after washing, but tastes like uncooked flesh.	TBD
Creeping Moss	Blue-tinted moss that can show up almost anywhere. Grows at a normal rate until it comes into contact with a source of magic, whereupon it grows rapidly, increasing up to ten square meters in a single hour at peak growth. Lack of soil can slow growth by up to ninety-percent, but will spread over even solid rock and water if not contained. Releases poisonous spores in water, tainting whatever water supply comes into contact with. Burns easily with fire. If contained and farmed, can provide an excellent agricultural base, though risks breaking containment through spores and accelerated growth. Tastes absolutely bland, but can be tolerable once steamed, salted, and buttered.	TBD
Lithograss	Less fecund sub-species of Creeping Moss. Green-hued and spreads at a far slower rate. Only grows on exposed rock or soils. It breaks down stone into mineral-rich soil but propagates slower without exposure to sheer rock. Generally found growing in shallow caves.	TBD
Quicksilver Root	A metallic-appearing fibrous root easy enough to spot from its luster. Notable for absorbing mercury in the soil to ward away wild animals. Otherwise unremarkable beyond being a source for the silvery alchemical fluid.	TBD
Sun Fern	Wheat-colored broad-leafs that grow in large numbers together. Often slick to the touch in a dark glossy coating of oil that it produces. While the fern itself is extremely temperature and flame resistant, the oil itself is highly flammable and has a fairly low ignition point. Burns out competing plants around itself to spread. Oil is easily extractable and serves as an excellent substitute for lamp-oil. An excellent lubricant, but not advised for machinery that produces large amounts of heat at risk of auto-ignition. Oil breaks down into harmless composing elements when exposed to water or excessive moisture.	TBD
Dew Bulb	A tear-drop shaped flower that grows like a lily pad on water sources. Feeds off many 'pollutants' in stagnant such as invasive algae, hydrocarbons, bacteria, and parasites. Absorbs up to half a liter of purified filtered water which is stored in its massive bulb. Can rapidly spread across water sources and cause major temporary droughts if their population is not kept in check until they break down due to lack of nutrients and expel their water contents.	TBD
Zephyr Tree	A tall and thin tree patterned like an Old World birch. Leaves appear normal save for a distinct white dappling around the edges. Aggressively consumes carbon dioxide around it and stores the converted oxygen within itself. At regular intervals, it expels this oxygen in massive bursts roughly every hour like clockwork. Though not a lethal danger, standing too close during a gust without protection can cause ringing in the ear, or even burst eardrums along with getting knocked off your feet.	TBD
Mana Seeker	A violet-tinged weed that looks like a seeding dandelion. If physically disturbed or an excessive amount of magic is discharged nearby, the seedlings will break off and float towards the nearest source of magical energies to embed themselves in. While a few seedlings won't even be noticed, they often appear in large swarms that dig into the body. With so many pods leeching off a person's mana, fatigue and potentially even death can result. While naturally resistant to magical attacks, with patience the seedlings can be removed by hand before they do serious damage.	TBD