Ta'Ardenai/Unique Materials

Ta'Ardenai/Unique Materials is an Official GemStone IV Document, and it is protected from editing.

Fauna, Flora, and Precious Materials of Ta'Ardenai

Fauna

Ta'Ardenai's wildlife is rich and diverse, with robust herds of deer, elk, and other ruminants roaming free. A sampling of the more unique fauna found in Ta'Ardenai are included here.

Alsira: The alsira is a tiny dormouse found in Ta'Ardenai and in Atan Irith (where it is known as a yatasa). They have a high-pitched, trumpeting squeak and a fur-covered skeletal protrusion between their ears. Their fur comes in a variety of shades of browns and greys, as well as black and white (and many combinations thereof). The most common is a white-speckled grey, and the rarest is all white (but not albino). Alsiras are so tiny, they can be found curled up asleep in larger flowers.

Aneuli Coney: Once a source of food and fur, aneuli coneys (sometimes just called aneulis) are incredibly large rabbits with sleek, soft fur. They are now mostly a household pet, but their shed fur is often gathered to make a type of angora yarn known as aneula.

Darkling Wood Sheep: While most commonly found roaming through the Darkling Wood, darkling wood sheep are often transplanted to other areas of the realm by the Ardenai. More can be found here.

Glimaerfish: While these colorful fish can be found in numerous areas, they are particularly popular with coastal Ardenai, perhaps because their pop of color stands out from the other, more subdued ocean life found there. They have mirror-like scales and come in bright, jewel tone colorations, silvers, and golds. Most glimaerfish are small and take well to indoor aquariums, so they are quite popular across Elanith as pets. Ardenai enjoy them in modified versions of their natural environment, such as creating optimal deep tidepool conditions along the coast. Their typically small size makes them a poor choice for a meal, but they are edible, and the Iyo of the Isle of Four Winds have perfected cooking them as a delicacy served on rare occasions.

Saetipha: Saetiphas are tiny, delicate spiders that use their silk to drift from place to pace. When drifting, they resemble miniature, upside down parasols, hence their nickname of "umbrella spider" or "parasol spider." They are typically a glistening black shade, but they also come in forest green, bark brown, and unusual blue-green. All of these colors can be found on the acipha bush, which is thought to be the original habitat of these spiders.

Thielfira: Also known as rose-ringed ravens, thielfiras are a corvid with, as one may expect, rose-hued feathers on their underwings. A mispronunciation of the Elven term in Common has led to the nickname "rose thief." These ravens have a tendency to be found near wild rose groves in Ardenai woods, and they have a magpie-like inclination for petty thievery, making the Common nickname more apt than its originators knew.

Veil'athys: Nicknamed "glow-whips," veil'athys are bioluminescent jellyfish found in the coastal waters of Ta'Ardenai. Glow-whips have a vicious sting, and their thin, whip-like form is known for entangling itself around other occupants of the water, including unwary swimmers. They come in all the colors of the rainbow, but a stunning iridescent turquoise is most common.

Flora

The woods of Ta'Ardenai are overflowing with flora. Thimbleberries, huckleberries, wild strawberries, and more mingle with evergreen trees and bushes, flowers, mushrooms, mosses, and lichen. It is a land of wild abundance with many unique variations of these common plants.

Acipha: The acipha is a flowering bush with ebon-speckled forest green leaves, blue-green berries, and pale pink flowers. Acipha berries are edible but incredibly tart. When sweetened with honey and dried, they make an excellent addition to Ardenai trail mixes. The dark brown bark is believed to have some medicinal properties, and it is frequently included in tisanes and tinctures to assist with minor aches and pains.

Amil: Amil is an Ardenai wild garlic found in the Darkling Woods. Rather than attempting to cultivate it in gardens, the Ardenai ensure numerous areas across the large woods have ideal growing conditions. Fortunately, it is a prolifically growing plant, as its mild peppery and garlic taste is sought after for Ardenai cuisine.

Celaeun: A gorgeous, redwood cedar, the celaeun grows abundantly in Ta'Ardenai. Its characteristic reddish bark has dark striations and is frequently used for trinkets and imbeddable objects. The wood itself is a rich, red-brown with golden undertones, a figured grain, and few knots. Unlike other cedars, the color rarely fades over time, making it prized for architecture and other woodworking. The wood, bark, and boughs are all fragrant with insect-repelling properties.

Daenys: Daenys is Elven for the flower known as wood violets, and Ta'Ardenai has a unique, gold-petaled wood violet that can be found throughout the Darkling Woods and other forests. Fortunately, it cultivates well, and Ardenai far from home often grow it in their gardens.

Imiren: These Ardenai toadstools (also known as "feyspots") always grow in fairy rings and are thus much beloved by the Ardenai in their storytelling. With psychotropic and hallucinogenic properties when properly prepared, the imiren are much coveted by the Inyexat for their druidic and alchemical experimentations. It was not uncommon, before they revealed themselves to Elanthia at large, for them to covertly travel to Ta'Ardenai to procure these.

Imiren have vivid red caps with bright white spots and a matching white stalk. They are short and chubby in appearance and tend to be surrounded by lush greenery and Ardenai buttercups. According to one Ardenai fairy tale, if one stumbles across a ring of imiren still skirted in the morning's dew, they should drink of the dew for a year's worth of good luck.

Jauelel: Jauelels are buttercups specific to Ta'Ardenai and are often found surrounded by fairy rings of imiren. They have five-petalled, sunny yellow blossoms dotted with flecks of ivory and hearted in a rose pink.

Lelelyia: Also known as queen's cup or bride's cap, the lelelyia is a deep forest bead lily found in Ta'Ardenai. Lelelyias have six, bright white tepals with crimson stamens surrounded by dark green leaves, and the flower is replaced by a single bright blue berry after pollination. While these are typically single-flowered plants, there is a rare double inflorescence that can occur and is considered lucky by some.

Lelelyias prefer evergreen forests and are particularly prolific within stands of cedars, especially the celaeun.

Lyrenia: Flourishing in the dry and sandy coastal areas of Ta'Ardenai, lyrenias are a type of sea holly. Ardenai lyrenia are most commonly an intense sea blue, but there are pink, lavender, and green varietals. The spiky, palmate leaves are thick and metallic green. Many Ardenai enjoy weaving these leaves into crowns at summer solstice celebrations, and the plants themselves are popular in gardens for their unique beauty.

Lytani: The lytani is a deciduous tree found throughout southern Ta'Ardenai. Known for its wide, sturdy leaves, the tree is also coveted for its sturdy, hard wood for interior woodwork. The wood is a rich, light brown shade with an open grain that contrasts nicely with darker woods frequently used in building.

Mhalithe: Mhalithe is the name for numerous bioluminescent mosses that can be found growing along the large rivers of Ta'Ardenai. Mhalithe come in various shades of green, and they are coveted for inclusion in Ardenai mosseries.

Pixiebells: Colloquially known as "pixie-in-a-pulpit" or "pixie-o'-pulpit" with no Elven translation, these plants thrive in woodsgardens and the wild, requiring moist, shady environments. Rising on their stem up to two feet, pixiebells have two glossy bright green leaves comprised of three leaflets. In the late summer or early autumn, clusters of vibrant crimson berries can be picked. These berries have mild soporific effects and are beloved by birds; the Ardenai sometimes brew them into teas and ales as they add a bright, tart note that accents the primary flavors well. The brown-striped, green flower rises between the leaves on its own stalk, its cylindrical hood hiding a celadon and violet "pixie" at the center. The "pixie" is actually the plant's spadix -- a spike of minute flowers.

There are several Ardenai fairy tales that involve the pixie-in-a-pulpit, most including whimsical versions of tiny fey living in the flowers.

Sel'elun: The sel'elun is an unusual luminescent vining flower. It is specially cultivated to be used in Ardenai architecture, and its pale blossoms are typically either pink, peach, or violet. These night-blooming flowers glow dimly in the dark then close up tightly at the first hint of dawn.

Thilban: Thilban is a type of thistle common in Ta'Ardenai, especially the northern parts. Numerous herds graze here, but they leave the prickly plant alone. This cannot be said for the Ardenai, however, who admire its resiliency and beauty in bloom (especially the iridescent lilac-toned thilban) and its usefulness in herbal medicines and remedies.

Vipaet Grape: The vipaet grape is named for the Vipiraet family, a family of prominent vintners known for their port. Vipaet grapes are grown only in northern Ta'Ardenai, and the crop is entirely controlled by the Vipiraets. They stand up to a fall frost well, and thus are frequently used in ice wines. The grape itself has vaguely floral notes with a pleasant tartness.

Precious Materials

Aneula: Aneula is a type of angora made from the brushed fur of the aneuli coney. It is sleek, soft, and holds a dye well. Aneula is used in making sweaters, gloves, and warm linings for winter garb.

Apysel: Nicknamed "forest nacre," apysel is actually a type of amber native to Ta'Ardenai. Apysel can be found in several autumnal hues, the coloration dependent upon the other flora found in the area during its formation. The most common shades are dark jacinthe, hemlock green, and dark yellow. Ardenai cherish apysel that have caught a small insect or bit of flower in its midst.

To unfamiliar ears, apysel sounds vaguely like "appease" in Common, and in some areas of the human empire, the giving of an apysel is meant as an offering or apology (something to appease an offended party).

Celsylk: Created from the pulped underbark of the celaeun, celsylk is a silken fabric prized for its sturdiness while maintaining a lovely drape and elegance. It is naturally a reddish brown, much like the cedar tree from which it is made, but it is frequently leached of color and takes a dye well.

Ardenai typically save celsylk for more formal occasions, but its tear-resistant nature means casual pieces, such as a shirt, pouch, or cloak lining are not unheard of.

Elun'vaen: The elun'vaen or forest moonstone is found in Ta'Ardenai lands, and its opalescent, dark green coloration makes it a popular one in Ardenai jewelry.

Faetha Dye: Extracted from a specially cultivated moss, faetha dye is a unique, deep moss green also known as "thousand-year green." It is said that the moss that yields faetha dye only reaches this shade of green after it is a thousand years old. Because of this, it is customary to give gifts dyed faetha green upon an Ardenai's millennial birthday. Fortunately, the springy moss is relatively common, and mosseries throughout Ta'Ardenai try to grow several patches across numerous millennium to ensure a ready supply of faetha green.

Lily Jade: Lily jade is a family of jade specific to Ta'Ardenai, but it is widely traded for its unique colorations.

Lily jade is a bright white with gold and crimson speckles, similar to several lily varieties growing throughout the elven lands. Stargazer jade is also known as pink lily jade (or more rarely stargazer lily jade) and is so named for its resemblance to stargazer lilies. It has a pale-to-dark pink primary coloration with dark pink-brown speckling. Tiger jade may also be called tiger lily jade, orange lily jade, or jacinthe lily jade. As one may expect, its primary color is a rich orange with darker orange-brown speckling like its namesake flower.

Mykal: Mykal is a supple, suede or leather-like fabric made from mushrooms and fungi native to Ta'Ardenai lands. The forest gnomes in Ta'Ardenai keep the creation process confidential, but they trade widely in this naturally grey material. It takes a dye, but most Ardenai and forest gnomes prefer it in its natural state.

OOC Note

• See the main Ta'Ardenai document for material availability