The World Of Khoras - Fauna and Flora - Flora - Jungle

Tara Root

True Name Tara
Frequency Rare
Quantity 1d4
Locale Jungle, Rain Forest
Form Root

Physical Description

The tara plant is a squat bush of broad, emerald green leaves with several odd looking blue cones sprouting out through the top. These strange looking fuzzy cones are actually springs with hundreds of tiny blue flowers. These are known as tara sprigs. The leaves secrete a resin which causes an itchy skin rash. The roots of this plants are long, thin green tendrils tipped with small nodules. This plant goes by "tara root" because that is the part for which it is cultivated. The name "tara" comes from the word "tarah" which means "blue" in the language of the myrian tribes.

Physical Properties

The milky white nodules of the roots are quite valuable. Once the plant is found, the nodules are gathered, carefully skinned and dried very slowly. The resulting shriveled dried husks are white and wrinkled. If eaten, it will counteract the effects of and cure the dreaded Stiffening disease. The tara root is the only known non-magical cure. Repeated doses, usually four to eight, are required to complete cure the disease.

Once a plant has been harvested of its nodules, there is only a 30% chance that the plant will survive. If the plant survives, it will regrow new nodules within a month. The dried nodules loose their potency in about 3 months. The dried nodules can be transported easily, but the plant itself is delicate and usually does not survive long distance travel.

Tara root is a finicky plant that prefers dark, wet conditions and warm, humid air. It grows only in rainforests and jungles of Ithria and Qeshir. It is exceptionally difficult to get this plant to grow anywhere else. All attempts to domesticate the plant have failed.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat

Most tara root comes from Myria and Karth where it is can be found in the most remote and dense parts of the jungle.

Notes

Several of the myrian tribes gather and prepare tara root because they know that foreigners will pay well for it. This rare plant commands exorbitant prices in southern realms where the Stiffening disease is more common. Some tribes and visiting herbalists will mark the locations of tara root plants and try to keep the plant alive for multiple harvestings.

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