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Praeter Stew Horn is a fungus native to Drowda with an ancient history dating back to the Drovv of the north, who consumed the fungi as part of their everyday diet. Though the Void Invasion took many things away, it also added one effect to this particular type of fungus; the power of aiding digestion. Quick to grow and easy to eat raw, but often used in soup by the ergonomic Sihndar, the Stew Horn has become a key part of their diet. Unfortunately, it is also a crucial part of several other animals’ diets, such as the Norlda, which has brought many creatures into violent contact more times than can be counted.
| Praeter Stew Horn | |
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| Flora | |
| Official Name | Praeter Stew Horn |
| Common Name | Salphwand, Shadow Potato |
| Classification | Fungi |
| Common Use | Culinary |
| Origins | Drowda |
| Habitat | Mountains |
History
Praeter Stew Horn was well known in early times as a primary food of the Drovv people found to the north of the Allorn Empire. Its appearance at the time was far more appealing, growing in clusters in the mountains with a smoother surface and ovular shape. It also tended to be exported south as an exotic culinary ingredient enjoyed by the Altalar of Ithania and others beyond. When the Fifth Void Invasion came, the fungus curiously only suffered adverse effects to its appearance, becoming gnarled while the inside reportedly remained the same. The Cult of Dronnal recorded this change and the substance proved invaluable as part of what was likely the last meal of the great army of the Allorn who arrived to combat the Void. In the wake of the Cataclysm and the emergence of the Sihndar Race, those transformed by the leaking energies of the damaged Veil still know the knowledge of the Drovv, and knew to trust the hostile-looking but nutritious Praeter Stew Horn. With time, the fungus’ ability to aid in digestion was rediscovered, though it is unknown if the trait was a result of Essence mutation or had naturally been part of the plant since its ancient days. Its production took a significant hit when Alamat erupted into a firestorm, destroying many natural outcroppings of the substance. Fortunately for the Sihndar, soon after, interactions with external Races and efforts by other Xasters saw the production of the Stew Horn almost double in the span of a decade. While the spread of the Sihndar has seen shipments of the material leave Drowda with increasing frequency, the high population of the substance is unlikely to change as the Horn remains a staple of Sihndar cooking, especially in soups as that method is the best way to help spread the plant’s effects over the largest group possible.
Appearance
The Praeter Stew Horn is a twisted grey fungus that stands anywhere between three inches and a foot in height. It has the shape of a gnarled, slightly curled horn coated in a thick, dull grey-brown shell-like skin. This skin hides a fleshy, meaty inside with a potato-like taste. The meaty inside is colored light blue with glints of purple if held up to the light. The fungi grow in clumps at high altitudes, usually in caves or rock niches but can also be found on corpses.
Uses and Abilities
Praeter Stew Horn can aid in the digestion process, which is important for the martial Sihndar to maintain physical prowess and healthy existence. The fungus is commonly added to stews, giving it its trademark name, but it can also be eaten raw. When eaten raw, it has a discernibly starchy taste and tough texture.
Trivia
- The shell of the Praeter is rather disgusting, but some have taken to leaving it to dry and then drawing or cutting into it as a crude, temporary sculpture.
- The Norlda of Drowda are eager consumers of the Stew Horn, as the Void mutations caused by the Fifth Void Invasion weakened their digestive tract in favor of poison resistance. This weakness is sometimes used by Sihndar hunters to lure the animals into traps, but more often the two groups fight over patches of the fungi.
- Praeter Stew Horn is often compared to a hard-shelled potato by Sihndar trying to explain it to other Races.
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