Forest

Crimson Heart

Where the bloodied fall, Crimson Heart rises. These gemstones can be as large as a thumb and possess a rubyish red gleam. They need no polishing as they are drawn from the ground already as pristine as a glass pane. The gemstone seems to pulsate with a glowing rhythm that gives it its name. It is believed that the Crimson Hearts form from the deceased in battle, a belief supported by their discovery among the fossilized bones of long-dead soldiers.

Vampires, to whom the hearts hold significant value, express a comforting presence when they are in their possession. They attest to a warm sensation, which the uninfected have yet to feel. When crushed into a powder and combined with water, it creates a red syrupy solution of a flowery aroma. This substance is often applied to Vampires with sunburns to soothe the corruption and mend the ghastly warpings it leaves behind. Frequent users are easily identified because it causes the body to flush with blood, resulting in rosy cheeks and pronounced lips. Even outside of Vampires, this appears to be the case, so it is sometimes used as a beauty product by the wealthy. 

Wilewood

As the mystical forests die, they give rise to a less-than-savory descendant: Wilewood. Petrified beneath the ground, their magic takes on a wickedness that remains laden in their barky exterior. The stone they transform into becomes charcoal-black and attains a similar consistency, crumbling to a powdery dust if handled carelessly. Despite its lithic form, it is no less flammable than its wooden forebears, igniting spectacularly when exposed to naked flame. Depending on the contact with other minerals, the smoke from the Wilewood fire can vary in color—corresponding to the metal’s distinct sheen*.

*e.g., Virdanite + Wilewood = Green Smoke

For centuries, con-artists and charlatans have used the smoky concoctions Wilewood makes to misdirect and misinform, claiming to be storied wizards or prophets of false faiths, and prey upon the ill-informed and naive. These wily cults rarely last long - the faux magic is not often believable - but are as frequent as summer suns. Not long after they’re discovered as frauds, they disappear—often in the very smoke they used to deceive people. 

Wilewood did not always carry this nefarious reputation: indeed, it remains a focal part of rural Faunish ceremonies. As burning the woods itself is frowned upon, it is often used as a surrogate to light homes and smoke-cook meals. Amidst festivals, the smoke accompanies lights and music with different colors representing different practices: white for weddings, black for funerals, green for celebrations, and red for alarms. Through these signals, the Faun tribes remain interconnected over vast distances, ensuring the celebration continues evermore. 

Moormist

At night, denizens of the forest witness the rising of Moormist. This natural gas emerges from fissures just below the ground—though by day they’re hard to find. Only in cooler temperatures – like in the dead of night – do they condense into their cloudish form. Listing a few feet above the ground, they resemble small weather formations that are solid enough to stand on if done with sufficient care. Many small creatures and plants* use them as a means of travel, carrying the tired and seeds to places they would not usually reach. When the day comes, the clouds evaporate and dispel their cargo, where they finally rest. 

*No heavier than 10 lbs. (4 kg.)

Moormist has been collected – particularly by Avians – for centuries. When contained in a jar, it appears as a colorless and odorless gas unless the temperature is suitable for its formation. Only during nightfall or in colder biomes like the Evergreens can Moormist generate these anchored clouds. Their uses range from assisting in traversal to saving one from a perilous drop—provided that it’s cold enough to allow. The saying, “To fall before the clouds form,” is popular amongst the Avians to imply impatience can bring a disastrous end.