A variety of flora populate the world of Zalanthas, even if the bleak landscape would seem to paint a different picture.

Fruit

There are many different types of fruit in Zalanthas.

 

Ginka

Ginka fruit is from the Northlands but is also seen in Allanak, where it is most frequently consumed by the wealthy. A ginka fruit is the size of a large human's fist, and its skin is tough, pale lavender in color and is sharply spiked. The insides of a ginka fruit are blood-red and extremely juicy and nourishing. Ginka fruit is famous for its excellent if powerful sweet taste.

 

Horta

This thick, ropy vine is covered with blade shaped purple and green leaves. Large black horta fruit grow along the length of the vine from strong woody stems. The source of a prized wine made by the Tan Muark, this plant is almost never found growing outside their territory.

 

Jallal

The jallal fruit is tear-shaped, with delicate orange skin. A small stem extends from the apex of the fruit. The meat inside is tender and juicy, nearly the same as a ginka fruit.

 

Vordak

Vordak is an exotic, rarely known, dark purple fruit with an oblong shape to it. While being very watery and juicy, the insides are a lighter purple with a slight, tangy taste to it.

Herbs

Some plants are used in various crafts, particularly those dealing with bandage-making, brewing, dying, and perfume-making.

 

Agastakee

This tall, narrowly upright plant has sparse, drab green foliage, formed in clusters of tiny, tightly furled leaves which smell unpleasantly pungent. Deep pink spikes of bloom top the heavily branched stems. Native to the dangerous Thornwalker Mountains, this rare plant's uses are unknown.

 

Alecost

An astringent, minty smell arises from this small plant. Its leaves are finely toothed, pointed and silvery green. Some stems bear small heads of insignificant yellow blooms. Reputed to cleanse the blood.

 

Alnon

This slender, graceful tree stretches high, its upward-reaching branches adorned with sprays of fragrant white blossom. Native to the northern grasslands. Blossoms are used in floristry.

 

Arato

These oval leaves are dark green and fleshy, shot through with a faint purplish tinge. Sap oozes from the thick stems. Sap is used to thicken balms and unguents.

 

Artotis

This small tree holds wonderfully fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers, hanging from the branches like fluted bells. The blooms are a delicate cream shade, holding vividly yellow pistils. The small, oval leaves are pale brown, streaked with emerald green veins. Used primarily in floristry, this tree no longer grows in the wild, but exists only in cultivated gardens.

 

Arunca

Aromatic, feathery, threadlike leaves branch off of the main stem of this plant. Topping the hollow, ridged blue-green stem are large flat clusters of tiny, highly aromatic yellow blooms. Used to season and preserve food. This plant tends to prefer rocky northern terrain.

 

Asfadalar

This small fern frond is a vivid green, its leaves delicate and airy as a wooden comb. Also known as heartsolace. Brings pleasant, although sometimes overly vivid, dreams.

 

Ashkiss

Dusty grey and pallid, this sparse growth of lichen manages to survive on the minimal amounts of moisture in the air. Its powdery flakes look edible but utterly unappealing. Grows in arid terrain, on rocks.

 

Bakri

This compact bush grows a little higher than knee-high to a human. Dozens of short, slender branches terminate in a spray of fine green needles. In the heart of each cluster of needles is a tight, fist-sized brown cone. Generally grows in scrubby areas.

 

Belgoikiss

A slender, arched stem, lined with two lance-shaped leaves, ends in a tiny white bell-shaped flower, its smell unimaginably sweet and strong. Used in perfumemaking.

 

Belshun

The thin, gangly branches of this vine drape down across the earth in a weblike fashion, covered with narrow, drooping leaves in a purplish-green shade. Under some of the leaves, clusters of round, purple fruit in various stages of ripeness can be glimpsed. Belshun fruit is commonly eaten in the Northlands, where it is native.

 

Bhluang

This vine is comprised of thumb-length, greyish thorns, wickedly sharp, a ropey brown stem, and enormous dull green leaves, under a few of which grey-skinned fruit dangle in varying states of ripeness. Native to the depths of the Grey Forest, the red-fleshed bhluang fruit is a rare delicacy.

 

Bimbal

This small plant has thick, bulbous leaves, a dark grayish-green in color, sprouting in irregular leaves. The leaves are thick and chunky, each one filled with precious moisture, the waxy surface preventing evaporation. Sap has healing properties, sometimes used in bandagemaking.

 

Blackstem

The dark branches of this large, gangly bush are a deep ebon in color, holding hints of purple and green in their smooth surfaces. Tough, almost squarish dull green leaves are concentrated mostly on the lower parts of the branches, leaving the upper growth a collection of thin sticks, rattling together in dull cacaphony as the wind stirs against them. Its leaves used to make a robust herbal tea, this bush thrives in a scrubby environment.

 

Blood Mushroom

This large mushroom's flesh is a deep crimson, a reddish juice dripping from its broken stalk. A forest-growing edible mushroom.

 

Bloodroot

The narrow, dark green leaves of these small bushes are discolored with patterns of caked dust and sun blotches. Their roots are thick and knotted, some portion of them protruding above the surface to show the deep red color that gives them their name. Lives in scrubby or even thorny environments. The sharp, tangy root is used to season food.

 

Cavern Lace

At most, this wisplike web of lichen might extend half an inch from the surface upon which it grows, its base an incomplete mat of moist mosslike material. Extending up from this are tiny leaflike projections, curled from drying. It faintly exudes a musty, earthlike scent. Edible. As the name implies, this lichen grows in caverns, tunnels, and other dark, dank areas.

 

Chedya

This foul-smelling plant grows to about a cord in height, most of its bulk made up of finger-thick dull yellow stems. Several pore-like openings along the length of each stem ooze a sticky brown sap that emanates a rotten, sulfurous odor. Grows in semi-arid to arid environments, from scrub to desert. Has sedative properties.

 

Chuci

This hardy red vine is covered with dusky crimson leaves which shade a number of knobby red peppers. These edible peppers grow best on cliff sides.

 

Citrodora

These leaves are long and pointed, rough textured with a prominent central vein and a strong, lemony scent, arranged along the stem in sets of three. Tiny white flowers grow in loose clusters along the top of each stem. Used mainly in cooking, to lend its flavor.

 

Crone Mushrooms

Dark yellow spots dapple the surface of this sandy-grey mushroom. The crescent-shaped mushroom typically adheres to a rock or a wall along with other similar mushrooms. Although edible, the crone mushroom is generally avoided because it is identical in appearance to its poisonous cousin, the poxed crone mushroom. Found in caves, caverns, and underground.

 

Daggerthorn

The thorns this bush bristles with are thick and a dull purplish green in color, each at least half a handspan long. By contrast, the leaves are unremarkable: small green ovals which shelter among the thorns, shading a few tiny black berries. Generally grows amongst other thorny bushes.

 

Dimadal

This small tree's branches almost groan beneath the weight of the heavy melons they bear, the burden dragging each limb nearly to the ground. The leaves are wide and roundish, creating a dappled shade over the fruit's reddish skin. Because of its high moisture requirement, these edible melons are rare in the wild, although they can occasionally be found in forests, and more commonly in the gardens of the wealthy.

 

Drovberry

Standing about three cords tall, this lush plant has large ovate green leaves, a glossy, grass-green in hue. Large berries, shiny black in tint, bow down this plant's slender branches, replacing the greyish-violet and scentless bell-shaped flowers. The berries of this rare plant are highly toxic.

 

Dwarfflower

Short and squat, almost like a dwarf, the brownish skin of this plant has a leathery look, but is smooth and soft to the touch. Stiff, white-petalled flowers blossom all over the barrel-shaped center of the plant. Found in scrub plains, these flowers are decorative and can also be used to make a delicate herbal tea.

 

Earummage

This flat, spreading plant features leaves of a waxy blue-green color, each many-lobed in a curious cuneiform. Here and there at the nodes of the leaves, equally flat, discus shaped pink flowers grow. Found in the depths of the Grey Forest.

 

Efiliq

This tiny thorn is made of some transparent, glassy material. At the base, it shades to a dark green-black where it has been removed from whatever plant bore it. Also known as dreamdeep. Muscle relaxant.

 

Emerald Fungus

This gray lump of fungus, about a human palm in width, its edges flattened, is covered with a melange of tiny, emerald green spots. This edible fungus grows in caves.

 

Escrufoot

These dusty, olive colored leaves resemble the footprints of a small herbivore in both size and shape. They emit a strong, minty aroma. Purgative.

 

Eynana

The stems and leaves of these sprawling vines are pale yellow, almost white. Growing at intervals are large purple orchids, their petals spidery and fragile. The oils of this arboreal orchid are used in perfumes and scents, but also have moisturizing and softening qualities, lending them to use in high-end soaps and lotions.

 

Fafad

These long ferns are pale green, dusted with a silvery grey layer which gives them the texture of tarnished metal. Their leaves are long and elegantly narrow, curled in subtle spirals at each tip which mirror the overall curl of each long, airy frond. Used in air magicks.

 

Featherleaf

This leaf is long and thin, with many feathery side flaps. It is light brown in color, and has a slight sharp odor.

 

Felaz

This forest plant is thick with leaves and blossoms, both equally vivid in their purple hue. The edible fleshy flowers are highly prized for their sweet, candylike flavor.

 

Fenrel

Four waxy, dark-green leaves extend from a central woody stem. Each is spear-shaped and longer than an outstretched human hand, tapering to a fine point. A fine network of lighter-green veins cross-cross the surface of each leaf. Mildly poisonous when taken in large doses, fenrel is used in cooking, as a side-note to spicy dishes.

 

Figori

These shrubs grow low, some bony branches dipping all the way to the ground, and others raising twisted arms towards the sky. Grows amongst dense vegetation. Both leaves and flowers are prized by florists for their vibrant orange color.

 

Filanya

This towering plant features green stalks clothed with tubular flowers, reddish purple at the bottom and shading into a creamy white at the top, spotted with ochre-yellow blotches, the flowers borne all along the angular stem. Used to make a fruity perfume, this plant grows among tall grasses.

 

Glimmergrass

The deeply indented, bitterly aromatic leaves of this plant are covered with fine silky hairs, giving them an odd silvery cast, as though touched with moonlight. Astringent qualities.

 

Glypah

This tall plant bears leaves which are large and glossy, divided into clusters of pale green along thick, ridged stems. A dimly bitter scent pervades the leaves. Found in thorny areas, its acrid scent is reviving.

 

Gohn

These yellow grasses have blades stretching four or five cords and bearing jagged, swordlike edges. One of the only southlands grasses.

 

Greelza

In color, these low, hand-sized mushrooms are a pallid brown, mottled with deep purple splotches. A spicy odor, much like cardamon, wafts from their edible flesh. This cavern-growing fungus is edible and can also be used as a seasoning.

 

Greenmantle

These bushes are a bright, almost surreally so, green, a vibrant color which blazes with life among their surroundings. Deep within their verdant interiors are clusters of small purple berries. These sticky berries generally grow in rocky areas, and make a uniquely fruity tea.

 

Harelle

Braids and knots of thin, black vines have grown into a sprawling city-state mass of vegetation, clinging to crevices in the cliff. Each corded vine is covered by sharp thorns at regular intervals, the tiny, purple tips oozing droplets of the same sticky fluid found in the cluster of pale-violet berries growing throughout. These rare vines generally only grow on cliff sides.

 

Haspeth

Much like a spineless cactus, this yellow plant has very thick skin. Thick yellow seeds can be picked off it. Found in the Red Desert, this plant's seeds are edible.

 

Heinspike

A ball the size of a halfling's head with dozens of long, sharp-looking spikes protruding in all directions, this plant looks to defend itself from the ravages of the desert quite well. Grows almost exclusively on the Shield Wall.

 

Hytenni

The pale, dusty-grey leaves of this small plant are covered with a symmetrical scattering of oval shaped pure white dots. Each leaf is curved upward around its edges in a cup-like fashion, with two leaves hanging from the end of each brittle stem. The leaves are used in some fever-reducing medicines. Traditionally found in the Grey Forest.

 

Japak

Japak is a vine which grows solely on maar trees, entangling with the weblike boughs. The constricting plant bears several offshoots from the main tendril, which elongate into spear-shaped leaves or melon-shaped brown fruit. Found in scrublands, this vine produces juicy, edible melons.

 

Japuaar

Sprouting from the rocky earth here is a slender japuaar tree. Many succulent cream-colored fruit droop lazily from the tree's long boughs. Covering the narrow trunk is a layer of smooth ivory bark that protects the heartwood from exposure. This rare tree of the Barrier Mountains produces creamy fruits which are almost spherical, and are highly prized by wealthy connoisseurs.

 

Jesstik

They lie close to the ground, leaving barren earth between where the rounded edges join together here and there in a haphazard pattern to form a single mass which covers a broad swathe of ground. From centers of the largest rounded bumpy lumps protrude cord long crystalline spikes. On the very tip of some of these can be seen brittle, fragile looking blooms. Grows exclusively in salty areas, and its decorative flowers and leaves bear a close resemblance to salt crystals.

 

Jherweed

The clump of weedy, light-brown tendrils that form this plant is spotted all over with tiny black seeds, about the size of a human's least fingernail. Native to sandy wastelands.

 

Jimpka Moss

This blue moss excretes a sticky substance with a horrible odor. Found in caves, this moss is highly toxic, and is distinguishable from very similar-looking mosses only by its smell.

 

Joybane

The round, woody stem of this plant is covered with small, rounded and lobed blue-green leaves dotted with oil glands which give off a strongly pungent aroma. Frilled, slipper-shaped greenish-yellow flowers blossom atop the rigid stem. Named for the pungent oil the leaves release when handled, which causes the eyes to well up with tears, causing involunatary weeping. Used as a seasoning, this plant grows in both scrub and desert climes.

 

Joylilt

This bright yellow-orange flower has fluted petals, radiating from a cone-shaped center, ragged with pollen. Repels insects and nightfevers.

 

Jurrix

This eight pointed leaf is edged sharply, and its material is harder than most vegetation, giving it a chitonous feel. Also known as thumbtangle.

 

Kalan

This long leaved bush stands about five cords high, and is laden with kalan fruit. Known for its juicy, turquoise-fleshed fruit, the kalan bush thrives in rocky terrain, especially in the shade of cliffs.

 

Kanjel

Pale blue flowers with white-tipped petals crown these two-cord high, willowy stemmed plants. Long, tapering blade-shaped leaves droop to the ground, appearing to be in a constant state of wilt, though the plants seem healthy enough. Found in oases and grasslands. The flowers are used in an herbal tea.

 

Kaya

This thick black vine seems to thrive in a cave setting. Its large roots readily absorb the moisture while it also dissolves various mineral deposits. At various points among the vine there are little black shriveled fruits. Growing in caverns, this vine produces edible fruits.

 

Khee

This spindly plant is over three cords in height and crowned with miniscule clusters of flat yellow flowers. The finely cut, lime green leaves are wispy-looking and deeply aromatic, with a sweet, anise-like fragrance. The bright green stalk seems to grow out of a fleshy, white bulb. All parts of this plant are edible, and used in cooking or seasoning. The leaves are also used to make perfume. Found in a variety of terrains.

 

Kumiss Saucer

The large, grey-tinged leaves of this bushy plant arch outward from the center like the petals of a blooming desert rose. A bulbous saucer-shaped dome in the center composes the majority of the plant's bulk, and contains a milky-yellow sap, visible through the opaque pliable skin. Native to the depths of the Grey Forest, the 'saucer' contains a sweet milky fluid that gives the plant its name.

 

Kutai

Looking more like ancient and shaggy natural drapery, loose patches of spongy, dull-gray moss suspend lazily from the cavern walls and ceiling. Faded orange fruits enveloped within the clumps of moist vegetation peek through the colorless grey. Produces edible fruits.

 

Kzul

Slender, serrated leaves of a dull orange colour grow from the pale branches of this bush. At the ends of the twigs, between the leaves, are sharp thorns with barbed tips which drip some kind of yellow sap. Found in scrub and forest, the berries of this bush are highly toxic.

 

Lady's Mantle

The soft leaves of Lady's Mantle are blue-green and almost circular, with seven to eleven rounded toothed lobes joined by deep folds. The hairy green stem is topped by loose clusters of small greenish-yellow flowers. Native to the northlands, these flowers are both decorative and fragrant.

 

Lanturin

The foliage of this squat tree is thick and almost waxy, a deep and shining green, though each leaf is tipped with sharp edges. The dark trunk is corrugated with deeply wrinkled bark. Crimson blossoms blaze among the leaves. The huge blossoms of this tree are often used in perfumes, prized for the combination of sweetness and spice. Though native to forests, it can grow anywhere with sufficient moisture.

 

Laok

This straggly northern bush yields large, clear sweet berries that are often used in making wine or jellies.

 

Lavender

Long, narrow, fragrant, grey-green leaves grow at the base of the lavender plant. Rising out of the leaves are two square, woody stems crowned with spikes of small, highly scented lavender-blue flowers. Used to make a sweet, soothing perfume, this plant's range is from forest to nearly the edge of the desert.

 

Lifera

These globe-shaped flowers are composed of clusters of smaller blossoms, a mauvey pink in color. They smell unpleasantly rank. Used in cooking.

 

Lirathufavor

These elegant, graceful plants hold thin tapering spikes of small, star-shaped yellow flowers with a sweet, fruity scent. The gray-green leaves, edges serrated, grow in alternate large and small pairs. Used for perfumes and scenting bedding.

 

Maidenflower

Contained on a stem which resembles a jade carving, this bloom is striped in soft pink and green, deep-throated and packed with a cluster of golden-pollened pistils. A faint, airily sweet scent comes from within it. Reputed to restore potency.

 

Makras

A squat, fat trunk of maroon bark and undulating knots has given birth to a select few, very large, pod-ridden leaves that hang lazily from its ugly surface. This plant grows best where desert and scrub conditions mix.

 

Magnisa

The long, lance-shaped petals of these palm-sized flowers are paper thin and pure white in color, surrounding a deep violet blue center. The grey-green foliage is oddly shaped, each leaf resembling a misshapen hand. This plant is found in higher elevations, especially in the Thornwalker Mountains where it is native.

 

Marilla

This brownish-white tree stands about five cords in height and is about as wide as a human's thigh. Its bark is smooth and hugs the tannish wood beneath as it rises from the ground, odd because of its lack of leaves. Prized for its sweet sap, which is used for baking in the northlands.

 

Menelli

The ferny leaves are fan-shaped, a dusty gray-green in color. Among them are loose heads of drooping pink flowers, wavering gracefully at the end of each long stem. Stimulant.

 

Moon Rose

A plant for a dusk garden, the ruffled, clear blue blooms of this plant unclasp their hooked cover at twilight and open their blossom to the moons, welcoming the night with their delicately-sweet fragrance and mysterious emissions of white, phosphorescent light. Moon roses are highly sought-after garden plants, especially among the well-to-do. The sweet, floral fragrance of the flower is used widely in perfumes. Medicinally, moon rose petals have anti-depressive qualities, and so are often used as expensive additions in sedative-type medicines for the affluent.

 

Mossbush

This squat bush, named for its ability to cultivate its own moss, is about two cords tall and twice that in diameter. Sprouting from the main trunk are several branches, each furnished with slightly thorny yellow- spotted brown leaves. Many tendrils of brown moss wrap about the shrub, obscuring the leaves and making the plant seem as though it was shrouded in spiderwebs. The moss is good to put on wounds. Grows in a variety of environments.

 

Murfa

The leaves of this slender, dainty tree are the same silvery grey as its bark, almost metallic. Its white flowers swell into thickskinned, fleshy fruit. Growing in groves, the edible fruit of this tree is tart and creamy in flavor.

 

Oetir

The unevenly ridged edges of this half-circular fungus curl upward, creating a fist-sized indentation on the surface. Hundreds of tiny, quartz-hued spines protrude from the underside of the bowl-shaped lip, encircling the base of the fungus like a row of jagged, skewered teeth. This mushroom grows primarily in forests, although it can occasionally be found in caverns. A foul-tasting but safe-to-drink slime pools in the 'bowl' of its cap.

 

Opsala

Clusters of bulbous yellow fungus grow in an erratic, circular patterns, ranging from palm-sized to the size of a small blunted, bone daggers tip. Their flesh is spongy and as yellow as kumiss-cheese. This edible fungus can be found in caverns.

 

Panthis

This feathery blossomed plant shades from dark, purplish-red through a subtle, almost white, pink. The gossamer soft, foamy spikes of blossom are made of silky, fine tendrils, clustered atop glossy, variegated foliage standing two or three cords high. This plant's colorful blossoms make it a favorite for gardens, but it is native to the Thornwalker Mountains.

 

Pelzaik

This small, chord-length swath of pale green fungus has several nodule shaped spores protruding from its matted surface. The fungus itself is stringy in texture, with a sickly moist glazing holding it together in deformed clumps. The unusually large-sized spore clusters are hanging on the ends of fragile white stalks, and appear bloated with internal pressure. Found in the Grey Forest.

 

Peshek

Thickset, this brown leaf is rather sharp-looking. It is slightly curved, and must have been plucked from the stalk with some difficulty, judging from the tear at the base. Relieves thirst but at the price of heightening fevers.

 

Petoch

This tree is quite short, growing to just under five feet in height. Its trunk is all twisted and gnarled, and it grows at unusual angles. Brownish leaves sprout from its scraggly branches. One of the few southlands trees, the edible petoch fruit grows in highly adverse conditions.

 

Pfafna

This flower is a brilliant, almost shimmering white, almost as though each petal had been dusted with some opalescent powder. Its five petals are long and tapered, making it resemble a star in shape, and it smells sweetly of citrus and mint. Used in candymaking and some wines.

 

Pickleberry

Little pickle-shaped berries dot the outer rind of this strange-looking plant. Its color blends well with the sands, and it is shaped much like a rock or tuber. Growing in sandy conditions, the pickleberry plant produces sour, edible berries.

 

Precos

Covered with fan-shaped leaves striped in tones of gold and green, this small bush is almost perfectly round in shape. Delicate yellow flowers float among the foliage, some in the process of ripening into yellow- shelled seeds. The edible seeds of this plant can be harvested in its native sandy habitat.

 

Quirritail

Small, feathery black flowers completely cover the rod-like stem of this tall plant, giving it the appearance of being covered in fine, black down. The leaves are large and wooly, bearing an inky, bluish hue darkened by the black hairs that cover them, and sprout from the very base of the fuzzy stalk. The leaves of this plant, which is commonly found in rocky areas, are commonly used in poultices.

 

Rakal

The round pale green stem of this herbaceous plant branches out into finely- cut, threadlike bright green leaves, which carry a strange but not unpleasant, pungent odor. Atop the upper branches are loose, flat pale pinkish-mauve flowers and tiny, bright green seed pods. Used extensively as a seasoning, this plant is common to the Scrublands.

 

Redheart

A small strand of ivy curls gracefully, its green leaves patterned with a lacework of red and gold veins. Tiny scarlet flowers are scattered along its length. Reputed to warm the blood.

 

Runebane

Large oval leaves, crumpled and wilted a little from rough handling, are scattered with a mottling of white spots. A funnel shaped flower, purplish blue in color, is mixed in with the foliage. Causes numbness.

 

Saltbush

Growing here is a saltbush, one of the more common forms of flora found in the mountainous regions of Zalanthas. The plant has brown-speckled yellow leaves and a thick, maroon trunk that connects its leaves to its root system. Used as a seasoning, this plant is found in the dangerous regions inhabited by mantis.

 

Sandspider

Long and thin, this leaf looks a lot like a spider's leg. Reddish brown in color, it blends into the desert sands quite well. Reputedly an elven aphrodisiac.

 

Seereye

Oblong, tapering leaves, midgreen in color, accompany a spray of small fragrance-less salver-shaped flowers, their color a delicate pale blue. Reputedly wilts in the presence of lies.

 

Severed Ear

This fungus is a pale grey in color, and shaped oddly, bearing a strong resemblance to a severed human ear. Mildly hallucinogenic.

 

Shrintal

This blue-blossoming plant's flowers each have four silky, paper-thin petals, making the blossoms resemble butterflies. Used in perfumemaking and floristry, this plant grows near forests.

 

Sicorra

Soft golden leaves are scattered along prickly haired vines of green tinged with red. Yellowish green flowers, set in papery globes, are scattered along the newer growth. Also called vinefruit for its edible brown fruits, this plant tangles among thornbushes.

 

Sikilip

This pale green leaf, roughly triangular shaped, is dusted with silvery hairs, so fine as to be almost imperceptible. Skin irritant.

 

Sivifi

This wiry bush is clearly a product of the desert, its narrow, almost rectangular leaves designed to conserve their precious moisture. In color, they are grey, with only the slightest hint of green evident beneath the surface, shading to a dusty rose at the very tip. A few orange flowers grow deep within the bush, near the base, as shaded as possible by the upper foliage. Its seeds are used to flavor one variety of cheese, and are edible themselves. Found in otherwise desolate areas, particularly in the southlands.

 

Smallage

Small greenish cream clusters, making up the flowers, tip a ridged, woody stem. Shiny green leaflets are scattered along the branch's length.

 

Spiceweed

The leaves of this plant are long and narrow, a deep blue-green in color. The double flowers of deep pink, floating above the dark foliage, carry a sweet, powerful fragrance. A sweet, spicy tea is often made from the flowers, along with perfume. Blooms in scrubby or grassy terrain.

 

Stalp

Jagged, triangular shaped leaves covers the chaotically tangled netting of this large, sprawling vine. The vine itself is leathery in texture, with a pinkish- red coloration that darkens as the individual branches reach further away from its roots. Sharp hook-shaped thorns with a bulging, sack-like base grow from the base of each pale, red-streaked leaf. Grows in the Grey Forest, where it is avoided for its poisonous thorns.

 

Stingtongue

This tiny leaf is perhaps an inch wide, perhaps a trifle less. It is perfectly circular, and a deep blue-green in color. Named for its bitterness, this herb is useful in reducing fevers.

 

Sweetbreeze

The tassled leaves of this hip-high plant are a dull blue-green and grow in feathery, loose threads. Tiny, highly aromatic, yellow flowers are arranged in flat clusters atop the plant.

 

Tambura

This angular grass is a deep, rusty red, shading to almost gold along its knife-shaped leaves. Each stalk holds a feathery head of small, deep red seeds. Grows in drifts among other grasses. The seeds are edible.

 

Tembotooth

These leaves are long, narrow, and glossy green. Brushed, they release a warm, peppery scent with hints of anise. Chewed for their mildly stimulating qualities, and used in cooking.

 

Templar's Heart

Blossoms of a bright red, a shade resembling human blood, adorn each of the spidery crimson vine's lanky tendrils, spaced at intervals with slender, pronged thorns. The flowers of this southern vine are used to make a rare perfume.

 

Tenichi

These long calyxed, purple flowers with bright yellow stamens are borne on long stalks, the leaves a glossy purplish green in color. Growing in oases, this plant bears both vibrant blossoms and small edible figs.

 

Thilareyn

A sprawling tangle of vines running every which way, this plant seems to subsist on the dry climate of the desert. Tendrils depend from the vines, each one leading down into the ground, anchoring the plant. From the vines grow small, hard berries. The berries of this desert vine are edible.

 

Tholinoc

The cream-colored clusters of tiny blossoms borne at the end of the furrowed, reddish stem give off a sweet almond fragrance while the wrinkled dark green leaves, their undersides a pale gray, bear a hint of wintergreen. A drop of clear sap oozes from the broken end of the branch.

 

Thugi

This pepper plant thrives in rocky terrain. Its scraggly, purple-green leaves shade small, wrinkled black peppers. This extremely hot, edible pepper grows in the southlands.

 

Thumbberry

Several plants, their dark green leaves vaguely triangular and thickly veined, grow clustered here, so close together that it is impossible to distinguish where one ends and another begins. Growing in the shade of trees, this plant produces sweet, fat red berries.

 

Tiktak

This shaggy plant bristles with a mass of spiny, grey leaves, each clump of foliage suspended at the end of a pale brown, contorted branch. It stands only a cord or so tall, but is several cords in circumference. This forest plant produces sour, inedible berries.

 

Verrinbloom

The leaves of this small plant are dark green ovals. The tiny flowers are a pink so pale they appear almost white at first glance. Aids eyesight and cures troubles with vision.

 

Virsha

The tear-shaped, serrated leaves of this sprawling vine are colored a deep scarlet. Each tendril of the vine carries one or more cluster of tiny purple-blue fruit. The stems and trunk of the vine are a maroon color and are covered with a paperlike black bark. Native to the Barrier Range, the fruits of this vine are edible.

 

Vishith

Within the tangles of this vine-like scrub-bush may be seen several peach-colored fruits the size of a human fist. The branches themselves appear healthy and ropelike, with small, stiff leaves sprouting from them. These carnivorous plants produce an edible fruit and are native to the Shalindral Mountains of the north.

 

Whitebloom

Growing in graceful clumps, large fernlike leaves tinged with a pale magenta blush spread themselves out fully. This low growing plant is dusted with tiny white flowers.

 

Wylrith

The trunk of the tree is lean and smooth, lacking any type of knobby outgrowths. The branches intertwine with each other at the tip of the tree and spread out, their leaves creating a parasol-like canopy above the trunk. This tree, native to the Shalindral Mountains, is useful mainly for shade.

 

Yuku

A black-hued vine often used for wicker and baskets, which grows in the Grey Forest. Sometimes a very bitter, purgative tea is made from its roots.

Small Plants

There are many plants that cling to the ground of Zalanthas.

 

Citron

Citron flowers have long, roughly textured, and pointy leaves arranged in groups of three on the stem. These flowers have a thick, lemony scent coming from the tiny white flowers that grow in clumps at the end of each stem. Even with its smell, it has no real definitive taste. Citron's lemony scent is used in luxury products, like soap and perfume.

 

Ocotillo

Ocotilloes are small weedlike plants which have an extremely large root system for their size. Commonly found upon sand dunes, their extensive root system is necessary so that the plants may find enough water to sustain itself. A light-grey bulb covered with wispy water-sacs forms in the center from which sprout twiglike tendrils foliated with narrow, serrated leaves. The leaves of the plant are dark green in the center with a dull violet at the edges. The plant has many uses, with the sac being used as a water container by the poor to the bulb being cooked both as food and also as a sour season that has a sour oniony flavor beloved by southerners. The plant is also a favorite for wine-making in Allanak, however unlike the bulb in the center, the leaves are sharp and dangerous.

 

Thornwood

The prickly leaves of this bush threaten any intrusive hand. Clusters of bright red fruit grow in fragrant clumps among the barricade of sharp black thorns. Thornwood is used both to describe a particular plant, and to describe thorny plants in general. Where it grows in abundance, the plant pierces passersby with its thorns, and some varieties inject a paralyzing poison and suck moisture from the victim through hollow thorns. This moisture is then used to produce edible fruits.

 

Loreshi Shrubs

Short, thorn covered bushes no more than four feet high; very dark indigo wood, varying to the green depending on the shrub's age, with pointed green leaves and a scaly grey-green bark on its reedy stems. Found on the edge of the Grey Forest.

 

Pech Grasses

Bladed in stiff, spearlike leaves, this tall grass grows a few cords high, shaded in dry browns and thin edged gold. Good grazing, pech grass is the most common type of grass in the Known World.

 

Numut Vines

These ragged vines, colored the grey of death, grow in knots and tangles. They reach eagerly for any support, interlacing shrubs and trees in the vicinity with a web of chalky growth. Growing primarily in the northlands, numut can survive anywhere that there is other growth for it to feed off. Used to make rope and in basketweaving.

 

Grebel

Short, purple-brown mossy grasses which often grow between rocks or can cover flat plains, called both "greb-grass" and "the grebel" as collective, excellent grazing for most animals, and is especially populous near oases and mudflats.

Trees

In the northlands of Zalanthas is the Grey Forest, home to many different variety of trees.

 

Agafari Tree

Agafari trees, slow-growing hardwoods, can achieve impressive heights, particularly in dense forests where they stretch loftily to outcompete neighboring trees for sunlight. When situated in more open landscapes, they tend to adopt a broader, more expansive structure, spreading their limbs in a grand display. These trees are easily identifiable by their signature grey bark and slender, weeping leaves that can span up to two cords in length. Younger agafari sport a lighter shade of green on their leaves, which deepens as they mature. A rare spectacle in ancient specimens is the transformation of their leaves from green to purple, often presenting a captivating gradient of these colors. As they age, these trees take on a characteristically gnarled look, showcasing knots and distinctive burls that tell tales of their long-standing endurance. Producing a pale but tough hardwood, they are a staple wood throughout the Northlands, and the products created from it reach many population centres in the Known. The wood's durable nature allows it to be used as jewelry, weapons, shields, as well as to serve building purposes. Baobab is another commonly used wood.

 

Agafari trees grow in forests, the most common one known being near Tuluk.

 

Cynipri Tree

These trees are shorter cousins of the cylini, with a broader trunk with is more knotted and slightly darker, with an ugly olive-purple bark; leaves, as with cylini, are spear-shaped and serrated (can be dangerous) but are slightly longer and slimmer. Although not as common as baobab or agafari, cynipri wood make up a significant portion of the wood that is dealt with in Tuluk, and items made from this wood can be found all around the world.

 

Cynipri trees are uncommon, found in forests and rarely in grasslands.

 

Stemwood

Straight, thin treelike plants with a thin olive drab bark/skin; no evident leafage at all, and the stem does not divide into branches but remains a single stalk; at the tip of the plant, the bark is thin and membranous. This tip is where the stemwood collects water from the air through osmosis and conducts its photosynthesis, supplemented by the moisture its roots can obtain.

 

Baobab Tree

These trees are thick, dark maroon hardwoods, with dark crimson-and-grey bark; the trunk is somewhat bent, often branching into smaller limbs halfway up or less; leaves are similar to agafari, but purple in color, and a little wider. They are a staple wood throughout the Northlands, and the products created from it reach many cities in the world. The wood's durable nature allows it to be used as jewelry, weapons, shields, as well as to serve building purposes. Agafari is another commonly used wood.

 

Baobab trees grow in forests, the most common one known being near Tuluk.

 

Jallal Tree

The jallal tree is a thick tree with paper-like brown bark. It has leaves that are dark-greenish yellow on the end of thin branches. It is known primarily for the fruit it bears, the jallal fruit.

 

Whipleaf

Much like a shorter version of cynipri trees, these plants have flexible trunks covered with a reddish brown bark. The palm sized leaves are spear shaped and sharply serrated, each twice as long as the main stem, tearing at the ground around the stand with each motion of the wind.

 

Found in scrubby terrain, this plant produces bladelike, serrated leaves.

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Cunyati Tree

This tree is barely the size of a normal human, and its trunk is thickly ridged with greyish green bark. No branches show themselves except at the very top, where they eagerly push outwards, long fronds with clusters of thick shelled nuts at their base.

 

Found in scrub and forests, this tree is prized for its tasty, edible nuts.

 

Maar Tree

This appears to be a maar tree, by its twisted, dark yellow appearance and stubby size. At no more than knee height its trunk divides into a tangled mess of branches, each fringed with fern-like maroon leaves.

 

One of the only trees not found in forests; it ekes out existence in desert-like conditions.

 

Yypr Tree

Yypr trees form dense clumps that are usually around water. They can grow to twenty cords tall with their straight, dark brown barked trunks. They have green, needle-like leaves. They are also known to bend in the wind and retain that shape. These trees are very rare in either of the cities. They are incredibly slow growing, yielding a dense and durable timber. Notably, the wood is pale, almost white, and is often found with dark speckles throughout, a curious feature which makes it a novelty crafting material for those who can get their hands on it.

 

Cylini Tree

Cylini trees are particularly slender and thin, with a tendency to bend and sway, even to the point of appearing as if they might be uprooted by strong gusts. Their branches, much like the trunk, are covered in peeling greyish-green bark. Especially notable are the tree's leaves. The younger trees possess smooth, tear-shaped leaves that are leathery, plump, and hold moisture, lending them a slightly swollen appearance. These leaves take on a soft pale yellow color. The slightly older trees, on the other hand, feature serrated edges to their tear-shaped leaves, maintaining the same pale yellow hue. Cylini trees are fast-growing softwoods. The wood presents a pale golden brown hue. It is relatively smooth to the touch and exhibits a very subtle grain. Due to its soft nature, cylini wood is easy and quick to work with, making it a popular choice for decorative woodworkers, particularly those involved in carving or other detailed work. It is less suitable as a timber, as it less durable. It is more commonly used in the North, due to the proximity to the Grey Forest where, while uncommon, cylini trees may be found hidden away amongst the thick groves.

 

Pymlithe Tree

A stand of blossoms, dusty pink and pale yellow, wavers here, the dusty foliage blotched with the effects of little water, but still valiantly maintaining its unceasing struggle to survive. The bark and wood are a silvery grey in color, prized for woodworking, particularly since it has a pleasant, almost fruity aroma. The blossoms of this northern tree are used to make perfumes and fragrant bouquets.

 

Pymlithe trees are known to cluster into small groves, sometimes scattered in grasslands.