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The Ruby Flower is a familiar sight to both Nelfin and Humans living in Daen. It is the most common herb used in the healing arts, capable of helping to alleviate a wide variety of illnesses though with a low level of potency. The flower is a type of marigold with a deep red color, said to be blessed by the Altalar deity Ceá’llë-maenë or Estel herself, having survived since the time of the Meraic. Today, the flower is heavily cultivated and used by all healers.
| Ruby Flower | |
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| Flora | |
| Official Name | Ruby Flower |
| Common Name | Estel’s Momento |
| Classification | Flower |
| Common Use | Medical, Cosmetic |
| Origins | Daen |
| Habitat | All locations with rich soil |
History
The Ruby Flower is an ancient plant long known to have grown across Daen for millennia, with exploration of Meraic ruins and limited examination of Tohn Valeer revealing iconography of the flower in carvings and images. In recorded history, however, the plant begins in myth. The Elves of the original Elven Principalities told tales of Ceá’llë-maenë coming and blessing the flower with healing gifts. Throughout the rise and the existence of the Elven Empire, the Ruby Flower was tied to this goddess but also Estel as a whole. Elven city gardens were plump with the plant, temples to Estel were dotted in scarlet blossoms, and Elven fashion frequently made use of small, red flower iconography on fields of green. Unfortunately, however, that came to an end in the period of Imperial decadence that destroyed the Elven Empire. Void Worshipping Kathar destroyed many sites dedicated toward Estel during the Night of the Fallen Star and from there, the flower soon escaped the carefully manicured plant beds of the Empire for the jungles and the plains as first the Cataclysm then the Elven Civil War and lastly the Orc Invasion rocked the Elven world. The flower, however, survived.
In the aftermath of these events, the legend of the flower shifted. Cielothar were the main culprits in this new interpretation of this existence as they now claimed Estel in her wisdom, had made Ceá’ llë-maenë bless the flower to aid the Elven races in the coming calamity of the Cataclysm. This myth soon became the most prevalent, used by the Cielothar, Avanthar and low to middle-class Altalar, though the upper class still maintained the ancient mythology. Over time, the flower also became known to the Ailor for its abilities which helped popularize its use by clinics across Aloria. Unfortunately, recent warfare on Daen has damaged several once abundant populations of the flower in central Daen though they are expected to recover within a few years, many citing their escape from the devastation of the Cataclysm as evidence. However, most do not concern themselves with such matters and instead use it in their clinics and tend to it in their flower beds.
Appearance
The Ruby Flower stands anywhere between six to eight inches tall and grows in groups of three or more. The small flowers on top of the straight stem are packed, folded petals with colors ranging from blood to golden red with bright red trim. The rest of the plant is forest green, with thin almond shaped lobes forming the leaves close to the base.
Uses and Abilities
The Ruby Flower is a medicinal herb, known well for its ability to help the body restore itself by boosting the healing abilities of said body, while also reducing the pain. In its raw form, pressing the flower head against an injured area is enough to soothe minor pain, while for more potent effects, the Ruby Flower can be ground into a paste or mixed into a potion. It may not be as strong as other herbs, but it can be added to other potions and medicines to boost their effect quite substantially. Every part of the plant can be used in this process, though interestingly enough, different parts are specialized differently as the flower heads are best with cuts, the leaves for aches and pains, and the stem and root are best for poison. The flower’s seeds can also be eaten for minor healing effects, such as alleviating headaches or joint pain. In large-scale consumption though, these effects do not present themselves.
Trivia
- Ruby Flowers can't grow in the Holy City itself, yet can grow elsewhere on the Regalian Crown Isle. The Estel faithful believe this is due to a mystical, religious reason but others claim soil differences, miasma and other possibilities.
- The seeds of the Ruby Flower are bitter with a sweet aftertaste.
- The plant only has a lifespan of one year but makes up for this due to a quick growth and reproduction cycle.
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