Mountains

Spindletree

The Spindletree is a tree of Azura’s old growth, having existed since really, the beginning of time! Found on the windswept ridges of the Three Kings, the Spindletree is an odd-looking tree of archaic origin. It is an exceedingly rare sight to spot one, for the strong winds atop elevated ridges knock down most of the saplings that try, and fail to take root in the rocky soil.

Their existence is believed to be obsolete, their purpose served. The leaves of this lost tree move softly, seeming to mimic shafts of golden wheat on a summer day, swaying calmly—a reminder of the good which still exists in a world of war and harm.

In the past, the Spindletree’s fibrous leaves were harvested and woven into fabric used by alchemists to construct colanders to sieve and separate the unwanted byproducts from the potions and elixirs they sought to brew. Supposedly, a Spindletree Sieve is one of the most effective strainers known to the world of alchemy. This same fabric may also be used to weave bandages and gauze, stronger than contemporary hemp or flax counterparts. Spindletree harvesters and weavers have become rarities in this day and age, the art of Spindleworking all but forgotten. Before the rise of the Pale, Steppe healers from Avont claimed that the colanders were so effective they could sift “spell from simplicity, venom from curse”. 

Horse Fern

Horse Ferns grow in large colonies, in rocky soil near the foothills of Mount Mors, wherever they can find running water. Horse Ferns typically grow with dark red feathery frond leaves and stalks that take root low to the ground to avoid the strong gusts of wind that threaten to uproot any vegetation. Unlike other common ferns, they reproduce via bulblets that form on the underside of the fronds and detach, propagating and creating colonies of Horse Ferns, similar to a “herd” of horses. They make for excellent fertiliser, especially helpful to herbologists wishing to scion certain plants or grow mana-rich flora that requires a particular soil. 

Bluethorn Hollies

Bluethorn Hollies grow in tight clusters on vines, thorny in nature and dark blue in colour, with jagged, patterned leaves. They glimmer ethereally during their nightly flowering periods, especially under the watch of a bright moon that simulates their growth most. Bluethorn Hollies are known for being a hardy plant, growing almost exclusively in the mountains. In addition to their robust nature, they are often used as a sleep aid, crushed, then diluted in milk and honey, for those plagued by nightmares or fits of insanity. If one were to pick a handful of hollies yet to ripen, and then proceed in the foolish thought of consuming them, they’d experience nothing short of a short hallucination.