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{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left: 10px;"
{{Info flora
|
|image          = BlackOrchid.png
{| style="border:0px solid #A3B1BF; float:right;" width="270px"
|officialname    = Black Orchid
|- style="background:#FFCDEE; height:34px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; text-size:large"
|commonname      = [[Alu]]’s Eye, Dae Lotte
|'''Black Orchid'''
|classification  = [[Flower]]
|- style="vertical-align:middle;"
|origins        = [[Kilarallis]]
| style="height:120px" valign="top"|
|habitat        = Rivers
[[File:BlackOrchid.png|200px|center]]
|commonuse      = Utility, Cosmetic
|}
|}}
|- style="vertical-align:middle;"
The Black Orchid is a flower that has long been a part of the island nation of [[Kilarallis]]. It was originally discovered by the [[Allorn Empire]], who found the plant distasteful and so spread the negative opinion on to their slaves. After the [[Cataclysm]] however, it became a popular dye ingredient on the island which soon spread offland to the [[Regalian Empire]] due to the rich and dark purples the flower could produce. Kilarallis now guards this source of income zealously, sending agents and spies out after those who steal the plant or who cultivate stolen seeds or specimens. Despite this dark practice, the Black Orchid remains a positive symbol of Kilarallis.  
| style="height:20px; width:270px; text-align:center;" | '''Official Name:''' Black Orchid.
|- style="vertical-align:middle;"
| style="height:20px; width:270px; text-align:center;" | '''Common Name:''' N/A
|- style="vertical-align:middle;"
| style="height:20px; width:270px; text-align:center;" | '''Classification:''' Flower.
|- style="vertical-align:middle;"
| style="height:20px; width:270px; text-align:center;" | '''Common Use:''' Aesthetic and religious.
|- style="vertical-align:middle;"
| style="height:20px; width:270px; text-align:center;" | '''Habitat:''' The forests of [[Kilarallis]].
|- style="vertical-align:middle;"
| style="height:20px; width:270px; text-align:center;" | '''Origins:''' Ancient.
|}
The black orchid is a flower that has long been a part of [[Kilarallis]] Culture. Once thought to be a bad omen or the cause of many a traveler’s misfortune, the religion of Gestalt has accepted it into their myths as a plant that warns of the end of days.
==Origins==
Found in the few forests that lay in Kilarallis, the black orchid has been a part of Kilarallis' history as far as anyone can remember. It was originally seen as a vile and evil flower due to its color and the superstitious belief that they would bring bad luck upon those who saw or ran into them. This began to change however after it was encountered by several explorers and merchants who noted that soon after seeing the flower growing at the side of the path their party fell into trouble and a life was lost due to a hidden cliff face. Some people pointed out that perhaps the flower was actually a warning of danger and not the cause.  


However, real change in the perception of the plant came much later. A reputable healer was in the forest searching for herbs to help heal the soldiers of his patron noblemen when he came across the flower. He saw the herbs he was looking for on the other side of the patch of orchids and walked through. Yet he suddenly tripped on something in the patch and found himself looking over the edge of a vertical cave entrance. He claimed the plant saved his life and that they warned of danger. The Church of Gestalt worked this into their belief system concerning Kanda in their early days, saying that if the plant began to grow in vast excess, Kanda will not be far off. As such, the flower has been uprooted from its native habitat of the forest and placed in Kilarallis noblemen’s gardens and close to churches of the faith to warn them of the danger.
==History==
The Black Orchid was a plant originally found on the island of Kilarallis by the Allorn Empire who established a colony there. It was generally dismissed and viewed with negativity for unknown reasons, the opinion quickly rubbing off on the many slaves brought into the region. Their own explanations were that it was a plant belonging to a god of death and tricks. To most [[Ailor]] slaves, it was Alu while it was any number of a myriad of dark deities from [[Qadir]] polytheism and there were others from other cultures and races as well. By the time of the Cataclysm, these beliefs existed in an endless echo chamber. However, following the Cataclysm and the takeover by Prince Annél’lásion of the island, these urban legends were swept aside in favor of logic and reason. Seeing the plant as a valuable part of the economy, the leadership of Killarallis moved to reproduce the flower, harvest it and make it into dye which they then began to trade with nearby [[Etosil]]. From Etosil, the rich purple dye found its way to Regalia, which prompted interest in the island. While this was rebuffed, the flower’s importance only grew from there and today can be found growing in the wild as well as in special plantation areas that operate to harvest and process the flower into dyes for international sale in addition to use on the island. It is also now a symbol of the island nation, appearing on their flag and is zealously guarded by the inhabitants.  


===Etymology===
==Appearance==
Originally called the “shadow flower,” its name was changed to “bat orchid” once tradesmen brought specimens of the normal white, pale yellow, and purple types. The “bat” portion came about due to the belief in the region that bats can see dangers even though they live in the dark. It was then changed again to “black orchid” to still keep a reference of its obvious colour once it was adopted by the Church as an apparent early warning sign of the end of the world.
The Black Orchid is a quarter to a half a foot wide flower with four to six black petals and a violet center in the shape of a bell or a horn. They grow in clusters along the banks of rivers in Kilarallis.
 
==Uses and Abilities==
If the petals of the flower are plucked, chopped and then boiled in hot water, a black or very dark mixture can be created which can be mixed with other dye ingredients to produce dark and somber colours of black, dark purple, dark blue and dark grey. The water must be at a boiling point and is normally left for around a day for the dark coloration to enter the water properly. [[Asha]] and [[Humans]] can also use the plant’s dye on their fur or hair to turn it black and the results are known to last several weeks.


==Primary Use==
If the leaves of the flower are picked off and dried, it can be made into a tea thought by the Church of Gestalt to give the foresight and good judgement, while in fact it does nothing but taste sweet. Some churches also grind it up into a near powder and throw it into onto their bread. This is also said to give the eater the same effect as the tea but very few people actually believe that.
*Apart from religious assumptions based on its apparent “power,” the tea in fact does nothing to [[Human]] races.
*The Church assumed that because the flower is a warning of danger, it will pass on the power of better sight for upcoming dangers to those who consume it as a tea.
*There are also no known effects to other races of Aloria.
*Combined with some mint, the tea helps somewhat with digestion issues, although this is not widely known. Only certain botanists or tea masters would know about this effect.
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*A vast number of shadow orchids were once given as a gift to the [[Regalia]]n Emperor in 259 AC. It is not known what he did with the shipment yet some think it was burned because none of the flowers made it into the Imperial Palace Garden or any other location.
*Due to the isolationist tendencies of Kilarallis, there are few specimens of the Black Orchid elsewhere on Aloria, resulting in the occasional smuggling of the plant out of the state.
*As the Church of Gestalt might think the flower as a herald of the end, they wish to be assured that Kilarallis are the first to be warned of the end whenever it comes and as such has restricted the shipment of these flowers. As such, few specimens exist elsewhere in Aloria.
*The belief that the plant was a killer and evil started when a story circulated by the island’s slaves stated that a woman gathering water had been pushed into the water by the plant; she more accurately tripped on a clump of the flowers, fell into the water and then over a nearby waterfall to her death.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Appearance
!Habitat
|-
| valign="top" width="200"|Shadow Orchid.
| valign="top" width="200"|A 7-17 cm wide flower with four to six black petals and a violet center in the shape of the bell of a horn that grow in small clusters.
| valign="top" |The Black Orchid grows in Kilarallis, normally around the forests of the island.
|}


{{Flora}}
{{Flora}}
----
{{Accreditation
====Accreditation====
|Artists = Lithiel_Everlast
----
|Writers = HydraLana
*Written by [[User:The_Shadow_King3|The_Shadow_King3]].
|Processors = SupremeCripple
*Art by [[user:Lithiel_Everlast|Lithiel_Everlast]].
}}
*Processed by [[User:Shayin|Shayin]], [[User:Plecy|Plecy]] and [[User:Levers|Levers]].
[[category:Flora]] [[category:Flowers]] [[category:The Azoras Flora]]
[[category:flora]] [[category:flowers]] [[category:Ornaments]] [[category:Kilarallis]]

Revision as of 16:09, 12 October 2021

Black Orchid
BlackOrchid.png
Flora
Official Name Black Orchid
Common Name Alu’s Eye, Dae Lotte
Classification Flower
Common Use Utility, Cosmetic
Origins Kilarallis
Habitat Rivers

The Black Orchid is a flower that has long been a part of the island nation of Kilarallis. It was originally discovered by the Allorn Empire, who found the plant distasteful and so spread the negative opinion on to their slaves. After the Cataclysm however, it became a popular dye ingredient on the island which soon spread offland to the Regalian Empire due to the rich and dark purples the flower could produce. Kilarallis now guards this source of income zealously, sending agents and spies out after those who steal the plant or who cultivate stolen seeds or specimens. Despite this dark practice, the Black Orchid remains a positive symbol of Kilarallis.

History

The Black Orchid was a plant originally found on the island of Kilarallis by the Allorn Empire who established a colony there. It was generally dismissed and viewed with negativity for unknown reasons, the opinion quickly rubbing off on the many slaves brought into the region. Their own explanations were that it was a plant belonging to a god of death and tricks. To most Ailor slaves, it was Alu while it was any number of a myriad of dark deities from Qadir polytheism and there were others from other cultures and races as well. By the time of the Cataclysm, these beliefs existed in an endless echo chamber. However, following the Cataclysm and the takeover by Prince Annél’lásion of the island, these urban legends were swept aside in favor of logic and reason. Seeing the plant as a valuable part of the economy, the leadership of Killarallis moved to reproduce the flower, harvest it and make it into dye which they then began to trade with nearby Etosil. From Etosil, the rich purple dye found its way to Regalia, which prompted interest in the island. While this was rebuffed, the flower’s importance only grew from there and today can be found growing in the wild as well as in special plantation areas that operate to harvest and process the flower into dyes for international sale in addition to use on the island. It is also now a symbol of the island nation, appearing on their flag and is zealously guarded by the inhabitants.

Appearance

The Black Orchid is a quarter to a half a foot wide flower with four to six black petals and a violet center in the shape of a bell or a horn. They grow in clusters along the banks of rivers in Kilarallis.

Uses and Abilities

If the petals of the flower are plucked, chopped and then boiled in hot water, a black or very dark mixture can be created which can be mixed with other dye ingredients to produce dark and somber colours of black, dark purple, dark blue and dark grey. The water must be at a boiling point and is normally left for around a day for the dark coloration to enter the water properly. Asha and Humans can also use the plant’s dye on their fur or hair to turn it black and the results are known to last several weeks.

Trivia

  • Due to the isolationist tendencies of Kilarallis, there are few specimens of the Black Orchid elsewhere on Aloria, resulting in the occasional smuggling of the plant out of the state.
  • The belief that the plant was a killer and evil started when a story circulated by the island’s slaves stated that a woman gathering water had been pushed into the water by the plant; she more accurately tripped on a clump of the flowers, fell into the water and then over a nearby waterfall to her death.

Accreditation
Writers HydraLana
Artists Lithiel_Everlast
Processors SupremeCripple
Last Editor HydraLana on 10/12/2021.

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