Botany

Transcribed by pharmacists, midwives and scholars alike, the compendium of known plants is ever-growing, just like the plants described within the pages of such a lexicon of knowledge. It serves as the very guideline for those wishing to explore the world and gain from it through various means, including gathering, processing, or simply obtaining specific botanical life. As such, the field of herbology has always been an important subject of study among the many species of Eseron, while the purpose of those studies has varied over the years, ranging from the creation of medicine, poisons, or mind-altering substances.

Similar to the many bestiaries one may find throughout Eseron, the compendium of Botany is just as important, causing similar classifications and categories to be applied to it, ranging from the rarity of the listed plants, their general size and scale, but also the specific type or category a plant might be sorted into.

Rarity

Common

Common plants can be found across the continents of Eseron, often growing in abundance in meadows, forests, or along roadsides. They are well known to all, most often being used daily for food, medicine, or craftwork. Most households, regardless of culture, can identify at least a few common plants by sight or scent, as they form the foundation of herbology and survival for many.

Uncommon

Uncommon plants are less frequently encountered and often tied to specific regions, soils, or climates. While not rare, they require a certain level of knowledge to seek out or cultivate successfully. Healers and herbalists prize uncommon plants for their more specialised properties, whether as medicinal tonics, culinary spices, or reagents for alchemical mixtures.

Rare

Rare plants are sought after for their scarcity and unusual traits. They may bloom only during certain seasons, require very particular conditions to thrive, or grow only in hidden corners of the world. Their value makes them a subject of trade, secrecy, and sometimes conflict. To stumble across such a plant in the wild is a fortunate discovery, though often one must brave dangerous environments to obtain them. At the same time, it is nearly impossible to cultivate those rare plants, with a few selected exceptions, making those plants worth a small fortune.

Epic

Epic plants defy ordinary classification, often possessing striking, unnatural qualities: blossoms that glow in moonlight, roots that heal grievous wounds, or fruits that alter the mind. They are linked to myths, rituals, and ancient traditions, and many are believed to carry magical or spiritual significance. To encounter or harvest an epic plant is to gain access to powers and knowledge far beyond the mundane, while selling one of those plants will bring in a fortune. However, due to their scarcity, not many of those plants have been properly researched, making their cultivation impossible and their usage unpredictable.

Legendary

Most legendary plants have only been mentioned in myths and legends, which have been spread through folksongs and stories alike. Some are said to bloom once in a thousand years, others to grow only where god-like beings have walked or great battles were fought. A legendary plant may heal entire kingdoms, poison empires, or alter the fate of those who dare to claim it, that is, if indeed it exists at all.

Scaling

Miniature

Miniature plants are the smallest forms of botanical life, often consisting of mosses, lichens, sprouts, and other low-growing flora. While tiny, they are crucial to ecosystems, forming the foundation for soil health and providing nourishment for countless creatures. Many miniature plants are easily overlooked, yet some carry potent medicinal or alchemical qualities. As such, one should never underestimate those miniature plants.

Small

Small plants include herbs, flowers, shrubs, and fungi that rarely grow taller than a person’s knee. These are the most commonly harvested by travellers and herbalists, as they are both plentiful and practical to gather. Small plants often serve as ingredients in meals, medicines, or simple remedies, and some contain subtle but important magical properties.

Medium

Medium plants are those of notable size, often waist to chest-high on an adult human. This category includes larger shrubs, bushes, and some sturdy herbs. Medium plants often serve as the defining flora of particular landscapes, forming thickets, groves, and fields. They are large enough to provide cover, forage, and resources such as wood, berries, or fibres.

Large

Large plants are significant in stature, reaching heights greater than most humanoids. This scale encompasses small trees, great ferns, and flowering plants whose trunks or stalks dominate their surroundings. Large plants are often valued for their timber, fruits, or protective canopies, though harvesting from them requires effort and caution.

Gigantic

Gigantic plants are monumental in form, towering above forests and landscapes. They include massive trees, colossal fungi, and legendary flora that shape entire ecosystems. Such plants may live for millennia, serving as sacred sites, natural fortresses, or the centrepieces of myths. To stand before a gigantic plant is to witness the raw, enduring power of Eseron’s natural world.

Classifications

Flower

Flowers are among the most widely studied plants, prized for their beauty, fragrance, and frequent use in medicine, alchemy, and ritual. Their blooms often attract pollinators, serving vital roles in ecosystems. Some flowers are harmlessly decorative, while others conceal toxins or rare properties within their petals and nectar.

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Grass

Grasses form the great carpets of Eseron’s meadows, plains, and hillsides, sustaining countless creatures through their abundance. While individually fragile, grasses dominate landscapes by sheer number and resilience, thriving in diverse climates. Beyond their ecological role, they are harvested as fodder, woven into goods, or brewed for simple remedies.

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Moss

Mosses are miniature, low-growing plants that thrive in damp, shaded places such as forests, caves, or riverbanks. Though small, they retain great importance, providing medicine, insulation, and even nourishment in times of scarcity. Some mosses glow faintly, suggesting an affinity with subtle magic.

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Vine

Vines are climbing, twisting plants that rely on other flora, stone, or structures for support. They can be harmless creepers or suffocating growths that overtake entire trees and ruins. Herbalists often use vines for their flexible fibres, while certain varieties produce fruits, flowers, or poisons highly sought after by herbalists.

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Shrub

Shrubs are hardy, bush-like plants that range from decorative hedges to wild thickets that dominate forests and plains. Many produce berries or seeds valuable for food and medicine. Shrubs are often resilient, with deep roots and dense growth, making them a reliable source of resources in varied climates.

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Tree

Trees are towering plants with woody trunks, ranging from modest orchard species to colossal forest giants. They provide timber, fruit, sap, and shelter, shaping much of Eseron’s landscapes. Many trees are revered as sacred, while others harbour unique magical or medicinal properties within their leaves, bark, or roots.

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Fungi

Fungi are a peculiar category, neither flower nor shrub, thriving in damp, dark, or decaying places. They range from edible mushrooms to toxic, spore-producing growths that can kill with a breath. Scholars of fungi note their strange relationship with life and death, as many feed on decay but also enable new growth in ecosystems.

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Other

The “Other” category exists for plants and botanical phenomena that defy conventional classification. This includes aquatic flora, parasitic plants, or those imbued with strong magical energies. Some scholars argue these plants form entirely separate categories, while others insist they are too strange or rare to sort neatly into established divisions.