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

Crystal Rose

True Name Mydor
Frequency Very Rare
Quantity 1
Locale Deciduous Forest
Form Flower

Physical Description

The Crystal Rose is a fabulously beautiful flower. It perfectly resembles a normal rose in every way except that the petals are translucent and clear. These translucent petals appear to be crystalline and will even refract light like glass. However, the petals are soft, flexible and can be torn.

Crystal roses grow on small bushes that will typically have 3-6 blossoms. A single bush always grows alone. One never finds two bushes near each other, although it is not known why.

Physical Properties

None.

Magical Properties

The crystal rose has certain alchemical properties that make it a useful addition to potions. If the petals of a single crystal rose blossom are ground up and added to the ingredients and preparation of a potion, that potion will be greatly strengthened. The exact results vary greatly depending on the potion and the freshness of the petals. A skilled alchemist with fresh petals can expect a twofold increase in potency.

The best results come from petals pulled from a living crystal rose or from a blossom that has been recently plucked. Once plucked, the petals of a blossom will gradually fade and dry out, becoming more opaque and stiff with every day. As the petals fade, their alchemical value and potency is likewise decreased. This process takes seven days. Seven days after being plucked, the petals are fully opaque, very brittle and completely inert (no alchemical value whatsoever).

Geographic Distribution and Habitat

Crystal roses grow only in the forests of central Ithria.

Notes

There is a faint magical aura that clings to the flower. Many scholars believe this is evidence that the flower was originally created through magical means.

Finding one is considered good luck in Corvenia. Crystal roses are valuable to alchemists and wizards. The value of the petals depends on how fresh they are. In Carrikos, for example, a single living crystal rose blossom can be sold for as much as 33 gold carriks.

In order to avoid the fading that happens with a plucked blossom, some folk try to dig up a crystal rose bush and transport it, whole and living. While this is possible, it is very difficult to keep a crystal rose bush alive while transporting it. Generally speaking, these flowers are fragile and sensitive to environmental changes.

Crystal roses are very difficult to grow in a garden. Furthermore, if more than one crystal rose bush is grown in the same garden, both will die. It seems that there is some minimum distance needed between bushes and that distance is at least one thousand paces.

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