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.

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