Shurbakal: Difference between revisions

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{{Info flora
{{Info flora
|image          = noimg.png
|name            = Shurbakal
|officialname    = Shurbakal
|officialname    = Shurbakal
|commonname      = Spine Fruit, Orc Blood Fruit, Crown Plant
|commonname      = Spine Fruit, [[Eronidas]] Blood Fruit, Red Pineapple
|classification  = Shrubs
|classification  = [[Shrub]]
|origins        = Guldar
|origins        = [[Westafar]]
|habitat        = Tropical
|habitat        = Tropical climates
|commonuse      = Culinary, Combat
|commonuse      = Culinary
|}}
|}}
Sometimes called the ‘king-among-fruit’ for the spiked crown of leaves that protrude from the top of the fruit, the Shurbakal is an orcish plant originally cultivated in the western portions of [[Daen]]. Often overlooked at first due to its hard, spiny exterior and deep crimson coloration, the blood red flesh of a Shurbakal is surprisingly sweet and has been a favorite treat among Orcs since their domestication. Believed to have been brought from [[Guldar]] as one of the few non-aggressive plants by the [[Orcs]] as they migrated to [[Daendroc]], the fruit quickly took to the soft soils of its new home. Its popularity among the orcs grew ever higher once they began not only eating them but using them as a spined club with which to beat the wildlife. Finally, despite the Shurbakal lacking popularity among farmers, as it is difficult to grow, the sweet fruit and juice it produces has seen rising popularity among [[Ailor]] and [[Nelfin]], leading to more and more farmers across Daendroc attempting to produce the cash crop.
Sometimes called the “king-among-fruit” for the spiked crown of leaves that protrude from the top of the fruit, the Shurbakal is a plant originally cultivated on distant [[Guldar]] now transplanted to wider [[Aloria]] by the [[Eronidas]]. The blood-red flesh of a Shurbakal’s fruit is surprisingly sweet and has been a favorite treat among Eronidas for many millennia. It is difficult to grow, taking plenty of time and care, though the sweet fruit and juice it produces is certainly worth it for many. It has seen rising popularity among non-Eronidas, resulting in Shurbakal being farmed across the broad swath of tropical terrain.


==History==
==History==
Nelfin and Ailor scholars are in agreement that Shurbakal originates from the distant, hostile shores of Guldar. There is no evidence among Imperial Elven records that indicate that the fruit was present in any cities in the region of Daendroc before the Orc’s arrival. The plant's thick shell and spines also indicates a natural affinity towards what most scholars know of Guldar’s natural habitat. After the Orc's arrival, they began planting their first crop, which took to the more fertile soil with ease. After that point, they simply spread seeds whenever they established a new camp and the fruit continued to grow on its own. There are some patches of the coastline that are too thick with the plant to even navigate without receiving a number of cuts and bruises. It wasn’t until around 243 AC when Ailor plantation owners got their hands on some seeds that the rest of the world realized that the plant was more than just a spiky bush. Over the next few decades, a few farmers would begin planting Shurbakal but most limit the amount they plant because the species is known to quickly overtake as much land as possible. With the recent Ailor-Orc alliance, a handful of Black Iron Orcs have begun trading the fruit to Regalia in exchange for some higher quality metals. Whether this deal will last, however, is up in the air.
Shurbakal was a beautiful fruit which initially grew on Guldar, among the jungles of the [[Avarr]]. A plant they initially enjoyed (as its rich red juices and coloration was highly emblematic of the blood they so craved as part of their violent society), the Eronidas they oppressed came to highly value the fruit. When the Avarr were eliminated by the [[Dragon]]s, the Eronidas quickly took to growing Shurbakal, and embraced it as a key part of their culinary culture. Their love of fruit extended to other plants beyond the red pineapple, but Skurbakal remained part of many dessert centerpieces at feasts. When the Eronidas fled Guldar in their exodus, they took the fruit with them, but its consumption was rationed. Harder to grow in the unique farms the Eronidas had established, and unable to grow well in the short spans of time the Eronidas spent on most of the [[Westafar|Drifting Isles]], the crop dwindled among the fleets. At last, when the Eronidas reached wider Aloria and split off, some fleets had entirely lost access to Skurbakal, or found themselves in territories whose climate was not suited to the growth of the plant. Those Eronidas who landed in [[Westwynd]] and [[Altaleï]] were soon able to make the bush thrive, however, and it remains a key part of Eronidas' agriculture to this day. Non-Eronidas have increasingly come to enjoy the fruit as well, from the [[Kathar]] who live beyond the Dread Empire and seek red liquids to mimic those of the Dread Kathar, to the wealthy [[Ailor]] who always enjoy an exotic dish.


==Appearance==
==Appearance==
The plant grows to be roughly a meter tall when with fruit, or a half meter without, and up to a meter across. At the base of the plant is a thick, woody stalk from which the long, green, fluted leaves of the plant extend outwards in all directions around the stalk. These leaves have a series of small thorn-like hooks along the sides that often snag passersby. Without fruit, the plant is relatively short, with most of the leaves hanging to the sides instead of shooting upwards. Twice each year, once around March and again around August, the budding of one to three flowers forms at the center of the plant. These flowers resemble a bell and are a bright pink coloration with a deep red base. After a few weeks, these flowers begin to turn into the initial stages of the fruit, which take roughly two months to grow to maturity. The fruit of the plant is roughly a half a meter, with the fruit being a quarter meter length and the fronds of the fruit another quarter meter. The outside of the fruit is a deep crimson color, and covered in a hard spiny skin. This skin is incredibly durable and takes a large, sharp implement to break open. The flesh of the fruit is an equally dark crimson color, and is rather stringy. The center stalk of the fruit is a harder texture but is said by those who manage to chew through it to be sweeter than the rest of the fruit. The fronds of the plant are a light pink in coloration, similar to that of the flower of the plant.
Shurbakal grows to be between three and four feet tall. At the base of the plant is a thick, woody stalk from which the long, green, fluted leaves of the plant extend outwards in all directions. These leaves are anywhere from one and a half to two feet long, resulting in the plant’s circumference being roughly the same as its height. These leaves have a series of small, thorn-like hooks along the sides. Twice each year, the budding of one to three bright bell-shaped flowers form at the center of the plant. These flowers have a bright-pink coloration with a deep red base. After a few weeks, these flowers begin to turn into the initial stages of the fruit. It then takes roughly two months to grow to maturity, the flowers ultimately all fusing together to create the final product. The fruit of the plant, known as a Shurbu, is roughly a foot tall and can weigh as much as ten pounds, with an egg-shape topped by a thick top of green brittling leaves. The fruit’s skin is red, as are its insides, but the external skin is covered in highly durable brown spines which protect the plant from most animals.


==Uses and Abilities==
==Uses and Abilities==
Shurbakal has found two primary uses; one as a food source, and the other as a beating implement. In cooking, the flesh of the fruit is incredibly sweet, yet tangy, and offers a unique flavor. It can be cooked to caramelize some of the natural sugars, however most Orcs prefer to simply eat it raw. The skin of the plant offer minor nutritional value, but the fronds are occasionally boiled into tea as a means of easing minor headaches. The central stalk of the fruit is considered a delicacy among Orcs, as it is stores a majority of the sugar of the plant. They have created a special dish, known as Shur-Drak, which is the dried central stalk cut into thin strips. These are often brought on campaign and used as an energy boost on long marches. Some non-Orc farmers have even begun drying it as well, but instead of slicing it, they grind it down to produce sugar, finding that the tanginess of the fruit carries through to the finished product. In combat, the fruit has found use among the orcs as a cudgel. The thick skin of the fruit allows the wielder to hit a number of softer targets without breaking the fruit, and the spines cause some additional damage. This method of combat, however, rarely sees actual usage in warfare, but instead is used when hunting or as a last ditch effort.  
Shurbakal is primarily used in cuisine, with the Shurbu it produces being a sweet and tangy substance. They are commonly cut open and eaten in the traditional Eronidas way involving such fruit, but outsiders largely just cut them into triangles or keep them as rings. In addition, the fruit’s juice is an exotic ingredient drunk whole, though rarely at a very high concentration, for it is often deemed too tangy, and is sometimes incorporated as a sweetener. From candies to ice-related dessert dishes, the Shurbu has many uses. However, the Eronidas have also created a special dish, known as Shur-Drak, which has the central stalk dried and cut into thin strips. These are often brought on military campaigns and used as an energy boost on long marches. They also find themselves capable of producing crude sugar through the grinding of the dried stalk, allowing for them to sweeten dishes but also harvest something else of value for export.


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*To say that Orcs “farm” Shurbakal is like saying that Regalians “dabble in” war. The most tending they do with the crop is the initial throwing of a bunch of seeds onto the ground, after which they simply wait until the crops grow to maturity.
*Shurbu juice is occasionally kept in bars to be mixed with a dark rum. The resulting beverage is called a “Setting Sun,as the Shurbu juice mixes with the rum creating a similar appearance to the sky at sunset.
*Shurbakal are an invasive species in Daendroc, and have quickly claimed large patches of fertile land along the western coastline. Since the orcs do nothing to tend to the plant, it grows unhindered bar the occasional wildfire that sweeps through the region.
*Shurbakal sugar is a rare trade commodity sold to [[Regalian]] traders known for its unique taste.
*Shurbakal juice is occasionally kept in bars to be mixed with a dark rum. The resulting beverage is called a “Setting Sun”, as the Shurbakal juice mixes with the rum creating a similar appearance to the sky at sunset.
*Normal pineapples are a product of Altaleï and Westwynd, with some believing they were developed from Shurbakal plants heavily altered by [[Elven]] cultivators in the final millennia of the [[Allorn Empire]].
*According to rumors, a clan of Orcs have carved out the core of a Shurbakal and replaced it with a stick of dynamite, which they lob at their enemies. They’ve taken to calling them ‘exploding pineapples’.
 
{{Flora}}
{{Flora}}
{{Accreditation
{{Accreditation
|Writers = Doc_Cantankerous
|Writers = HydraLana
|Processors = HydraLana, Enkiduu, LumosJared
|Processors = FireFan96, MantaRey
}}
}}
 
[[category:Flora]] [[category:Shrubs]] [[category:Altaleï Flora]] [[category:Westwynd Flora]] [[category:Westafar Flora]]
[[category: Shrubs]] [[category: Flora]]

Latest revision as of 22:33, 15 November 2023

Shurbakal
Noimg.png
Flora
Official Name Shurbakal
Common Name Spine Fruit, Eronidas Blood Fruit, Red Pineapple
Classification Shrub
Common Use Culinary
Origins Westafar
Habitat Tropical climates

Sometimes called the “king-among-fruit” for the spiked crown of leaves that protrude from the top of the fruit, the Shurbakal is a plant originally cultivated on distant Guldar now transplanted to wider Aloria by the Eronidas. The blood-red flesh of a Shurbakal’s fruit is surprisingly sweet and has been a favorite treat among Eronidas for many millennia. It is difficult to grow, taking plenty of time and care, though the sweet fruit and juice it produces is certainly worth it for many. It has seen rising popularity among non-Eronidas, resulting in Shurbakal being farmed across the broad swath of tropical terrain.

History

Shurbakal was a beautiful fruit which initially grew on Guldar, among the jungles of the Avarr. A plant they initially enjoyed (as its rich red juices and coloration was highly emblematic of the blood they so craved as part of their violent society), the Eronidas they oppressed came to highly value the fruit. When the Avarr were eliminated by the Dragons, the Eronidas quickly took to growing Shurbakal, and embraced it as a key part of their culinary culture. Their love of fruit extended to other plants beyond the red pineapple, but Skurbakal remained part of many dessert centerpieces at feasts. When the Eronidas fled Guldar in their exodus, they took the fruit with them, but its consumption was rationed. Harder to grow in the unique farms the Eronidas had established, and unable to grow well in the short spans of time the Eronidas spent on most of the Drifting Isles, the crop dwindled among the fleets. At last, when the Eronidas reached wider Aloria and split off, some fleets had entirely lost access to Skurbakal, or found themselves in territories whose climate was not suited to the growth of the plant. Those Eronidas who landed in Westwynd and Altaleï were soon able to make the bush thrive, however, and it remains a key part of Eronidas' agriculture to this day. Non-Eronidas have increasingly come to enjoy the fruit as well, from the Kathar who live beyond the Dread Empire and seek red liquids to mimic those of the Dread Kathar, to the wealthy Ailor who always enjoy an exotic dish.

Appearance

Shurbakal grows to be between three and four feet tall. At the base of the plant is a thick, woody stalk from which the long, green, fluted leaves of the plant extend outwards in all directions. These leaves are anywhere from one and a half to two feet long, resulting in the plant’s circumference being roughly the same as its height. These leaves have a series of small, thorn-like hooks along the sides. Twice each year, the budding of one to three bright bell-shaped flowers form at the center of the plant. These flowers have a bright-pink coloration with a deep red base. After a few weeks, these flowers begin to turn into the initial stages of the fruit. It then takes roughly two months to grow to maturity, the flowers ultimately all fusing together to create the final product. The fruit of the plant, known as a Shurbu, is roughly a foot tall and can weigh as much as ten pounds, with an egg-shape topped by a thick top of green brittling leaves. The fruit’s skin is red, as are its insides, but the external skin is covered in highly durable brown spines which protect the plant from most animals.

Uses and Abilities

Shurbakal is primarily used in cuisine, with the Shurbu it produces being a sweet and tangy substance. They are commonly cut open and eaten in the traditional Eronidas way involving such fruit, but outsiders largely just cut them into triangles or keep them as rings. In addition, the fruit’s juice is an exotic ingredient drunk whole, though rarely at a very high concentration, for it is often deemed too tangy, and is sometimes incorporated as a sweetener. From candies to ice-related dessert dishes, the Shurbu has many uses. However, the Eronidas have also created a special dish, known as Shur-Drak, which has the central stalk dried and cut into thin strips. These are often brought on military campaigns and used as an energy boost on long marches. They also find themselves capable of producing crude sugar through the grinding of the dried stalk, allowing for them to sweeten dishes but also harvest something else of value for export.

Trivia

  • Shurbu juice is occasionally kept in bars to be mixed with a dark rum. The resulting beverage is called a “Setting Sun,” as the Shurbu juice mixes with the rum creating a similar appearance to the sky at sunset.
  • Shurbakal sugar is a rare trade commodity sold to Regalian traders known for its unique taste.
  • Normal pineapples are a product of Altaleï and Westwynd, with some believing they were developed from Shurbakal plants heavily altered by Elven cultivators in the final millennia of the Allorn Empire.

Accreditation
Writers HydraLana
Processors FireFan96, MantaRey
Last Editor HydraLana on 11/15/2023.

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