Rundona

Rundona
Flora
Official Name	Rundona
Common Name	Angle-Cane, Riverrod, Waterrod
Classification	Reed
Common Use	Utility
Origins	Unknown
Habitat	Various

Rundona is a species of cane that grows across Aloria in swamps, marshes and riverlands. It has been, and still is being used by many societies and Cultures in a variety of capacities. Nowadays, however, this tall plant is used far more sparingly than it once was, save amongst those “cruder” Cultures and Races scattered throughout Aloria, in addition to the rural regions of those societies who are sophisticated. Still, the plant knows one major use in the civilized world, and that is in the creation of instruments.

History

Rundona has been known to various Races since their earliest years and exists across much of temperate and tropical Aloria. The Ailor of Ceardia and the Regalian Archipelago knew of the plant relatively early on, though only the Anglians made any major use of the substance due to their region’s copious rivers and swamps. In Ithania’s and Daendroc’s swamps, the plant also grew and was encountered by fleeing slaves who thanked their gods for the cover the plants provided. Other, non-fleeing plantation slaves were usually tasked with clearing the plant away to allow for the expansion of arable land. By the era of the Cataclysm though, and in the following century, the plant gradually fell out of use in most regions. Better materials were available for many, and the Regalian Empire’s expansion relied on the ores of the earth rather than the old, crude spears that had sometimes been fashioned by those desperate to fight the Elves. Today, Rundona remains populous across Aloria. Its many uses have drastically narrowed, and while some people in poor, rural swampy regions of Aloria make use of the plant for dwellings and a variety of other uses, wider Aloria has focused the plant into the production of musical instruments. While entirely reed-based instruments are far less common today, the reed of many woodwind instruments in modern music is still critical, and thus the plant still has a significant use by Ailor and other Races, primarily in this area of use.

Appearance

Rundona grows anywhere between 20 and 35 feet tall, with central hollow stems of three-quarters of an inch to an inch and a quarter in diameter rising up from the plant’s rhizome under the earth. The stems are various shades of green with narrow and pointed grey-green leaves a foot to two feet long, with a diameter of two to two and a half inches. Unlike Farran Cane, its closest relative, Rundona flowers in the later summer, producing a cluster of feathery plumes which are grey-green in color and are usually a foot and a third to two feet tall.

Uses and Abilities

Rundona can be used in a variety of ways, from the cane being used in construction, tool creation, and more to the leaves serving as crude bandages or weaving purposes. However, with the dawn of greater technological sophistication in the wake of the Cataclysm caused by the plurality and technology-combination tactics of the Regalian Empire, few regions actively make use of Rundona anymore. The few that do, such as the rural areas and Cultures of Daen and Corontium, often still make use of the plant for these uses. To most Alorians, Rundona reeds know only one major use: instruments. Particularly with the birth of the Dressolini and their vigorous exploration of the music landscape, modern woodwind instruments require small reeds to produce appealing sounds. As a result, Rundona shipments to Dressolini and Azzizzari lands are huge for what the plant is. Additionally, there do still exist crude musical instruments made from Rundona cane, but these too only exist in rural regions and less advanced Cultures and peoples across Aloria.

Trivia

• Rundona’s name appears to be nonsensical to most, but it is actually the rare instance of an Altalar term for a plant being Commonized directly and relatively recently at that, in 210 AC.

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Accreditation
Writers HydraLana Processors AlphaInsomnia, Arhbi, Wumpatron, WaterDruppel	Last Editor HydraLana on 05/16/2020.

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