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Honey Ball is a small, rounded fungus commonly found within the western spindle-tree forests of Drowda, though recently it has been discovered in the northern areas of Ellador. The honey ball fungus is held as a form of sugary treat within Drowda and Ellador, though recently it is increasingly being found within the Regalian markets.
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| Official Name: Honey Ball. | ||
| Common Name: Coron glî (Elvish), Söt kluster (Northerne). | ||
| Classification: Fungi. | ||
| Common Use: A sweet-tasting treat once roasted. | ||
| Habitat: Cold, low-lying forested areas. Found in Drowda and some northern areas of Ellador. | ||
| Origins: Eastern forests of Drowda. |
Origins
Drowda’s eastern forests, with their towering spindle trees and frosty climate, house the honey ball fungi upon their snow-shod floors. Before the harrowing Void Invasion which rendered Drowda magically tainted and beset by horrific mutations of its ecosystem, the honey ball was originally a form of insignificant light “puffball” fungus which thrived in the cold east of Drowda. However, after the extensive leak of magic over Drowda’s expansive lands, the fungus was changed dramatically and morphed into a rich-tasting fungal growth amongst the icy forest floors. Its wizened spherical cap grew larger to the size of a marble, flecked with purple and encrusted with a flaky skin, hiding the sugary liquids deep within.
In Ellador however, it is speculated that either the winds carried the spores of the honey ball over the inner Storm Seas and caused it to grow upon the northern shores or that cowardly Drowdar sailors unknowingly brought it over as they made flight from their forsaken homeland.
Etymology
In the colossal black strongholds of the Drowdar, the Honey Ball is referred to as “Coron glî” and has been ever since its delightful taste was discovered. In the common tongue however, its official name of “Honey Ball” is more frequently used. Given that it may be found in the north of Ellador upon the frigid coastlines and mountainsides blanketed with carpets of snow, the various dialects of the Northerne tongue hold different and numerous variants upon the name—the main one being “Söt kluster” (roughly translating to “sweet cluster”).
Primary Use
The honey ball has a large amount of thick, blue liquid hidden within its globular head which has a rather sugary, syrupy taste. This liquid is the basis for the praise of the“honey ball,” given that it proves itself to be a venerable snack once roasted or baked, producing an appetizing candied refreshment much like popcorn. In marketplaces of Regalia or Ellador, it is not unusual to see sweet vendors with a tray of freshly-roasted honey ball heads and a collection of eager children awaiting a bite.
- In order to make the honey ball both consumable and gain access to its honeyed contents, one must roast the heads of the fungus until the flaky purple skin turns crisp.
- Drowdar hunters noticed the attraction which certain magically-contorted animals had towards the fungus between 170-180 AC, though the exact date is unknown. After uprooting the fungus, and investigating its qualities, they discovered it’s sweet honeyed contents once they had tried roasting the cap over the licking flames of a fire, and ergo warmed the syrupy liquid inside.
- All races may either enjoy or detest the taste of the saccharine nectar of the honey ball. It is an extremely sweet aliment, and so over-consumption can lead to people feeling sick quickly.
- Roasting or sometimes baking the honey ball is necessary to make it suitable for consumption. Eating honey ball without first doing so can result in minor stomach pains as the spores expand as a result of moisture and swell within the intestines. Kleinfolk or the A’rafa subrace of the Q’urebo often have more severe cases of this where they tend to become very bloated as a result of struggling to digest the spores and not having as strong a digestive ability as other races.
| Name | Appearance | Habitat |
|---|---|---|
| Honey Ball | A marble-sized, rounded sphere of a glossy lilac hue with a flaky coating and two layers of crust. Underneath the skin lie rows of thin spores, suspended within a viscous honey-like liquid of a translucent blue colour. The head of the fungus rests upon a thin, black stalk which roots itself deeply within the ground. | Honey ball grows well in chilly habitats and low temperatures. It is rather adaptable, being able to grow outside of its natural Drowda ecosystem- albeit in similar bitterly cold climates like that of Ellador. |
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