THE
AR'PUN
GRASS
("SHAKEGRASS") |
Ar'pun or
Shakesgrass is one of the hardiest desert grasses on
Caelereth, thriving in extreme dryness,
heat and other unforgiving conditions. Growing in patches, it can reach two
peds in height, and can be
found in places where no other plants can survive. From the south of the
Aj'Nuvic Grounds to the freezing,
but dry, regions of Northern Sarvonia,
Ar'pun can survive all but that which others need to live -
water.
Appearance.
A tall, pale, silvery-green grass of up to two
peds in height, Ar'pun has
thin straight blades that start at a mere three
nailsbreadth wide and taper
elegantly to sharp and dry browning points. Sheathed in between two tall leaves,
the flower and eventual seed stalks have a circular cross-section and are mostly
hollow. The flowers are quite difficult to discern, like many grass blooms, and
are coloured like the grass itself - composed of tiny feather-like twists. There
are, on rough counting, about a hundred such flowers per flower-head, and about
one flower-head to every twenty normal blades. When the flowers turn to seed,
they darken to oval grains of an almost black green and give a faint dry
rattling sound when moved by the breeze, almost like the sound of the far
distant sea. In higher winds, the whole
plant sways and bends, flexible at all times, ready to spring straight again
when the air once again breathes calm. For
roots, the Ar'pun has a tangled mess of thin white fibers that may reach down as
far as three peds to try to
gather moisture. For its part, Ar'pun does much to halt or slow the movement of
the sands with its net of fine roots and can lend stability to areas where there
may be none.
Territory.
Ar'pun is a uniquely desert dwelling plant, being unable to withstand extended
periods of high dampness or rainfall. Subjected to any such glut of
water, Ar'pun rots just above the
root-ball and the tall elegant leaves collapse, never to rise again. Indeed
though, one could say that the Ar'pun thrives in those places where other plants
would quickly wither, and can be found 'flourishing' in the inhospitably dry
Southern Aj'Nuvic
Grounds, sporadically in the valleys of the Great Dunes, and in stunted form
on the borders of the Lands of Pain. Heat, vast amount of
sun, occasional high
winds, dryness,
earthen salts and bitter cold nights are
the Ar'puns favoured conditions.
Usages.
Ar'pun has, for all known time, been used as a source of rough grazing for the
aka'pi and the somewhat smaller aka'lol, though these animals will seek sweeter
grass when they can. Animals raised on a diet of Ar'pun have been found to have
brighter eyes than others, though the softness of their coat sometimes suffers
and a diet of Ar'pun alone is not recommended.
The Shendar find uses for Ar'pun, as
they find uses for all things in their lands, and have
utilized the split blades of grass for weaving temporary baskets and
brief shades against the sun. Ar'pun will
be most often seen, however, used woven into a wrapping for small cakes of
maturing aka'pi cheese. The leaves of the Ar'pun contain the moisture of the
cheese, and impart a pale green colour to the soft outer rind, and a taste that
can be called closest to roasted nut. While not the only method of cheese
wrapping, Ar'pun wrapped cheese is very common and certainly not unpleasant to
even a non-Shendar's tongue.
Reproduction.
A perennial grass, Ar'pun flowers and brings forth seeds once a year, though few
of them ever manage to sprout in these harsh environments. At around the month
of the Sleeping Dreameress, Ar'pun sends its flower spike up and by the end of a
month, it has come into subtle bloom. Then, by no later than Passing Clouds,
almost in reverence of Baveras, Ar'puns
flowers have withered swollen to the hollow rattling green-black grains that
make the distinctive sea wash sound. These grains, when ripe, fall from the
plant and roll, bounce or are strewn by autumnal
winds to find crevices to rest in. It will
be half a year before they may first try to sprout, and some choose not to for
several years, such is the hardiness and patience of Ar'puns grains.
Myth/Lore.
One of the most common tales told among the
Shendar dealing with Ar'pun Grass is
the story about Arila the Faithful and her encounter with a
sand demon:
Information provided by
Firewyre
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