Zydris

Zydris is an Official GemStone IV Document, and it is protected from editing.

Zydris

History and Description:

The zydris is a medium-sized tree with broad, erratically curving branches, capable of growing to heights of 40 to 60 feet tall after the roots have taken hold. The trees were tended to by a small subsect of Mrae'ni on the aelotoi homeworld and were revered by followers of L'Naere. In the fall, a pale ivory blush slowly spreads across the velvety pinnate leaves, culminating in a stark white canopy of foliage by the end of the autumn season. This breathtaking botanical phenomenon is called, "L'Naere's winter kiss," and, "the Lady's faewell," among aelotoi.

Ten divisions are typically present in the forking of the tree's trunk, unfurling into a sea of smaller wild branches. Towards the end of Charlatos, a delicate outer husk of silvery gold bark can be unraveled from zydrises and used for woven goods or parchment. A fine opalescent powder, called zycana, can be scraped from the raw wood underneath the stripped bark that has a significant numbing effect on contact. It was suspected that this side effect alone kept the kiramon from having any interest in the trees on Bre'Naere, making it valued and protected resource for aelotoi. Zycana has a citrusy sweet-tart flavor that can be added to spirits, ales, and a host of medicinal elixirs to further enhance a product's pain-dulling properties. Beneath the bark, the smooth, uncovered wood of the zydris tree will gradually turn from the creamy gold after the husk shredding in spring, to a deep silvered lavender hue by wintertime.

The wood can be readily dyed through many techniques, but varies naturally in color from a dark royal purple that develops in a winter growing season to a muted copper-gold when grown in the spring and summer. Rich black grain lines are infused into the surface, frequently depicting captivating patterns of cloudbursts, swirled marbling, and lacelike webwork. The heartwood matches the same matte kohl black as the diverse grain accents and is often best enhanced by a glassy, lacquered finish. Opening only briefly in the evening, the tree's sky blue blossoms make their first appearance in the spring, reaching their full lushness in mid Koaratos, and continue to taper off through the end of the summer. The flowers are singular, resembling miniature peonies in appearance, but bursting into a showy fan of yellow-green stamens at the heart of the bloom.

Zydris trees flourished profusely in the earth on Bre'Naere, but took much longer to cultivate in elven soils, and have finally been successfully established in a plentiful grove located in Cysaegir. Select aelotoi merchants who have negotiated trade agreements with the town will soon be able to offer the unique material to all of the general populace.