The
Trinity Herb is the sacred herb of Eyasha,
Santharian
Goddess of Peace, and therefore widely
valued by many of her followers. It hosts a profusion of healing properties, and
is recognized as a symbol of peace and welcome all across
Sarvonia. Its intolerance for too much
sunlight has made it elusive anywhere but in
the shadiest forests. Elves and
Brownies were the first to discover and use
it, but its popularity is spreading as it is introduced in new environments. It
is found growing in large clumps, due to the unusual method by which it
reproduces.
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Picture description. A meadow with Trinity Herbs, the sacred herb of
Eyasha. Image
drawn by Seeker. |
Appearance. A deep
green stem shoots up from an unusually shallow root system. Only a few leaves
are found on each stem: three or four at most. Three is of course the most
common as hinted by its name, but four has been noted to exist on the plant. The
tiny leaves are usually no more than half a
nailsbreadth, and the stems
are usually only a nailsbreadth
long. Amongst the leaves there are other stems that are about twice as high as
the others. Atop these are the small white blooms of the plant, which encase the
small seeds inside. When the petals pop away, these seeds accompany them through
the air. They are generally bell-shaped but
become much more plump during the reproduction months. Streaks of red and purple
have been noted in the plant, though the creamy white hues are predominant.

Territory.
An extreme love for shade has taken affect on the growth of Trinity. They are
fairly common in areas where shade can be provided, but other locations will be
rejected by the plant. It is not that the herb want deep shade, merely that it
will not accept sunlight. It was originally
found in deeper forests, where its wishes were more easily fulfilled, such as:
the forests of the Krean, the
Paelelon in
Sarvonia, or the Emerald and Crystalwoods.
It is thought to have been introduced primarily in
Nybelmar and then transferred to
Sarvonia later as a result of its
usefulness. As its popularity grows, mostly due to the endorsement of the
Eyashenes, it is cultivated to grow in more
areas. Communities will often have public gardens of Trinity for anyone to use.
They were designed for aesthetics just as much as convenience and charity.
An odd habitat characteristic for the plant that several researchers have noted
is the herb's refusal to grow in areas where there are taller grasses growing
about it. It seems to have taken a liking to gusts of
wind, but the exact reason of the plant's
renunciation of such places is unknown. Of course the
Eyashenes would attempt to tell you that
this is another reason to prove the Trinity's closeness to
Eyasha. Their explanation is that the
Goddess of Peace is alternatively a
Wind Goddess. Therefore the tall grasses block the herb from accessing their
Goddess' element, which they believe the herb is naturally attracted to due to
its affinity with Eyasha.

Usages.
The Trinity hosts a wide variety of healing properties, fluctuating based on
what part of the plant is used. Its foremost use is as a sedative, as the juices
in the leaves are perfectly suited for this task. Very small doses are used by
the Mindsmoothers to simply calm the
patient, without evoking complete sleep. Getting such a small dose can be a
difficult task, as very little of the juice is required to make a user drowsy.
Unlike most herbs, its juices are exceedingly sweet and a pleasure to consume.
They have been known for being mixed in teas or sprinkled atop luscious cakes.
The less potent of its medicinal properties, its use as an anesthetic, stems
from its shallow root system. If a wound is still open, a couple drops of these
juices can be put on the blemish putting a damper on mild pain. Other herbs are
recommended for anything that is excruciating, but if more dynamic solutions are
unavailable, its mild numbing will suffice. These juices are rarely consumed,
unless a patient were to have open wounds in the throat or mouth. Woe to the
unlucky patient who would suffer such an unusual occurrence, as the juices of
the roots are quite the opposite in flavour to that of the leaves. Its bitter
taste will often remain in one's mouth for hours on end, an eternally unpleasant
experience.
The Trinity Herb can also be seen hung above the door of an inn, as a sign of
welcome to all. Humans, who see
Eyasha as a
Goddess of the Hearth in addition to
Peace, often hang her holy herb above their fire
places. Embroidery on robes of those dedicated to her, will often depict the
hallowed plant. The pure white candles used to celebrate
Eyasha's holiday can have sprigs of
Trinity tied around the base for decorative purposes. Though these are all valid
uses, its foremost service is as a healing regeant.

Reproduction.
When in the correct environment, this plant's growth is unusually rapid. Its
swift production seems to hasten further during the month of the
Singing Bird. If a single leaf
has been picked from one of the plants, it has been recorded that another leaf
will grow in its place within a couple of days. The accelerated development is
probably an instinctive way to make up for the fragile plant's short growing
period. Though it can be grown artificially by gardeners out of season, it will
only be found naturally in Singing
Bird and Rising Sun.
During these months the plant produces a surplus of seeds. The infant plants are
stored on the flowers, each of the needle-like petals is actually one of the
seeds. As more and more are produced the buds become rather bulbous. At such
times, the flowers will simply quietly burst, leaving all the seeds to land in a
dense area about the patch. Only a few have witnessed this small explosion of
petals, mostly due to its almost always occurring at night. Because of the
reproduction methods of the plant, they often grow in large patches as opposed
to being spread out.

Myth/Lore.
The primary myth surrounding this plant is that the variety with four leaves are
considered good luck. There is a bit of controversy surrounding this particular
story, but most believe it as a kind of minor superstition. Some extremists
however make pendants out of the four lobed plant, or collect them as if they
were precious gems. The Eyashenes condemn
such behavior, as they believe that the herb is
Eyasha's holy herb, and it should be
considered very disrespectful to don an alteration of such a divine gift.

Researchers. Most researchers study a wide variety of herbs so
that their knowledge of plants is extensive and impressive. However one
herbalist, Carvio Eksulos, an inhabitant of the city of Veltin, has dedicated
his life almost solely to studying Trinity. The
Caltharian man, like most of his
lineage, appreciated art in everything he did, and that was certainly apparent
in his studies of the plant. His foremost contribution was the rather obvious
idea of growing the plants indoors, so as to remove it from the
sun. "As long as they are kept away from open
windows," he says, "they shall grow successfully inside." Though he theorized
that the plant could be grown inside any building, he personally grew the herb
outdoors, as he also states that the herb grows best when away from
sunlight, but in the presence of
wind. During his studies of Trinity, he
calculated what he believed to be the best growing conditions for the plant, and
therefore greatly increased the rate at which his plants grew.
Now, being a Caltharian, he was
especially interested in the varieties of herb that contained colour, and used
them in aesthetic designs throughout his hometown. By arranging the plants in
pleasant patterns beneath the shade of a tree, the town was filled with serene
places that contained a deluge of the herb. The
Eyashenes in general must also be given some credit for the study of this
herb, as their worship of the
Peace Goddess has given them their interest in studying the herb.

18th Changing Winds
1668 a.S. |
Information provided by
Eléyr Fásamár
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