Worldbuilding: Plants of Calithwain
Heartthorn: Purple Flower, grows in Seln, in out-of-the-way spots. Heals people who are deathly ill. (Nerana)
Lavaroot: One of the more deadly poisons, grows in forests of north Calithwain (Magic Portal)
Nulaan’s Kiss: little white flower used in spells, enhances water element, found on Nulaan’s isle and nearby, right beside fresh water. (Fire Demon Lady)
Flamethorn Root:
Nightbloomer leaf: giant white blossom, can only pick at midnight, causes deep sleep. Works faster than more common plant used by healers. Nightbloomer porduces a nasty headache after use (Nerana) enchances several poisons (Magic Portal)
Iceleaf?
Blackwood- tree that grows in Seln area, wood is favored for magic staffs (Jhara’s tale)
Kara nut oil- spell component, smells unbelievably horrid, especially when treated to increase potency. (Dirk)
Ritorin leaf: powerful poison. Causes death or dangerous illness, takes weeks to recover with no antidote, days to recover with it. Antidote is steaming yellow liquid. (legends)
Ichar paste: delicacy of Seln, spicy, served at breakfast. Made from Charan vinegar and 2 types of berry. Purple paste. (legends)
A fabled plant that’s part of Sidaria’s compact can even speak and has limited movement.
Sidaria’s compact makes the plants healthier, more powerful.
Jixil’s Guard: Small yellow flower. Crush a few and swallow them and you disappear to any sort of spell or magical trace. (Tough Alliances)
Dreamblossoms Lotorinum. Induce mild drowsiness and visions. Don”t work for everyone. Few side effects.
Gimmermoss: grows in caves of Seln, brought artificially to Lotorinum’s old sewer system. Glows faintly pink and smells sour. More of it in cool weather.(Tough Alliances)
Something that tastes like chocolate but better.
Grasping Orchid: attacks people, root is spell component. Also part of Sidaria’s compact but very dangerous.
Duran’s Lulling A pale pink fungus that gently clouds reality. Grows in damp areas. If you wake up and find it within reach, you will eat more and more until you cannot escape. (White crystal)
Sindaberry bushes: pink berries, grow in Calithwain. (legends)
Moonflower root. Has a warm smell, like honey and moss. The common painkiller used by healers in Alcanster. A painkiller, with side effects of dizziness and sleepiness.
Carnivorous plant that entices people with color and smell, drips syrup. Syrup tastes fantastic, incredibly expensive. Lives in Calithwain.
Standard vs rare treatments (quality of knowledge, availability and price of ingredients.
Earth herbalism
Willowbark tea: fever cure Willows are available in Lotorinum, Alcanster, and Calithwain, but very rare North of there. The price rises as one goes North and they must import.
Ginger is a known diaphoretic, meaning it causing one to sweat, also use as compress for congestion. Comes from Jubarti desert but widely planted.
Coriander seed oil is strongly antibacterial against several organisms. Standard.
Tamarind is considered a mild digestive. It is used to treat bronchial disorders and gargling with tamarind water is recommended for a sore throat. It is antiseptic, used in eye-baths and for the treatment of ulcers. Being highly acidic, it is a refrigerant (cooling in the heat) and febrifuge (for fighting fevers).
Fennel: eyewash, snakebite remedy. It should not be used in high dosages as it causes muscular spasms and hallucinations. Used in Lotorinum where there are lots of snakes.
Fir needle oil- thin with yellow tinge, steam distill for colds and congestion. Smells Fresh, woody, earthy, sweet. Common in Northern kingdoms, rarer as people travel South.
Rosewood oil similar to Fir needle oil description. Used for colds and skin problems. More common in South.
Potatoes come from Tin’Kar
The Circle dares to cut wand wood from the sacred Living Tree of Alcanster/Calithwain. It’s in the center of the dark forest and sacred to dryads. Maybe it’s the oldest hamadryad, peaceful and contemplative. Knows the answers to many ancient puzzles. The tree speaks and feels pain, knows many great secrets. Suggested Compact to Sidaria or at least says it did.
Tlingta fruit
Lingberries are so tart that they’re usually made in to jam or pies. They prevent scurvy.
Spell Components:
Powdered obsidian
Nulaan’s Kiss
Firebird Feather
Brazier
Flamethorn Roots
Valerie Estelle Frankel has won a Dream Realm Award, an Indie Excellence Award, and a USA Book News National Best Book Award for her Henry Potty parodies. She’s the author of over 80 books on pop culture, including Hunting for Meaning in The Mandalorian; The Villain’s Journey; Star Wars Meets the Eras of Feminism; History, Homages and the Highlands: An Outlander Guide; and Who Tells Your Story? History, Pop Culture, and Hidden Meanings in the Musical Phenomenon Hamilton. Many of her books focus on women’s roles in fiction, from her heroine’s journey guides From Girl to Goddess and Buffy and the Heroine’s Journey to books like Superheroines and the Epic Journey and The Many Faces of Katniss Everdeen. Her Chelm for the Holidays (2019) was a PJ Library book, and now she’s the editor of Jewish Science Fiction and Fantasy, publishing an academic series for Lexington Press. Once a lecturer at San Jose State University, she now teaches at Mission College and San Jose City College and speaks often at conferences. Come explore her research at www.vefrankel.com
