Ruby Flower

The Ruby Flower is a familiar sight to both Nelfin and Humans living in Daen. It is the most common herb used in the healing arts, capable of helping to alleviate a wide variety of illnesses though with a low level of potency. The flower is a type of marigold with a deep red color, said by some to be blessed by the Altalar deity Ceá’llë-maenë, or even Estel herself. Today, the flower is heavily cultivated and used by all healers.
History
The Ruby Flower is an ancient plant known to have grown across Daen for millennia, with exploration of Meraic ruins and limited examination of Tohn Valeer revealing iconography of the flower in carvings and images. In recorded history, however, the plant begins in myth. The Altalar of the original Elven Principalities told tales of Ceá’llë-maenë coming to Aloria and blessing the flower with healing properties as a gift to her worshippers, bestowing upon it its great crimson finish. Throughout the rise and the existence of the Elven Empire, the Ruby Flower was tied to this Goddess but also Estel as a whole. Elven city gardens were plump with the plant, temples to Estel were dotted in scarlet blossoms, and Elven fashion frequently made use of small, red flower iconography on fields of green. Unfortunately, however, that came to an end in the period of Imperial decadence that destroyed the Elven Empire. Void Worshipping Kathar destroyed many sites dedicated toward Estel during the Night of the Fallen Star, and from there, the flower escaped the carefully manicured plant beds of the Empire for the jungles and the plains as the Cataclysm took hold. The flower, however, survived all disasters that surrounded it.
In the aftermath of these events, the legend of the flower shifted. Cielothar were the main culprits in this new interpretation of the myth, as they now claimed Estel in her wisdom, had made Ceá’ llë-maenë bless the flower to aid the Elven races in the coming calamity of the Cataclysm. This myth soon became the most prevalent, used by the Cielothar, Avanthar, and low to middle-class Altalar, though the upper class still maintained the ancient mythology. Over time, the flower also became known to the Ailor for its abilities, which helped popularize its use by clinics across Aloria. Unfortunately, recent warfare on Daen has damaged several once abundant populations of the flower, and though they are expected to recover within a few years, some worry that the regrowth may not be fast enough to account for its excessive cultivation. However, most do not concern themselves with such matters and continue use it in their clinics and tend to it in their flower beds.
Appearance
The Ruby Flower stands anywhere between six to eight inches tall and grows in groups of three or more. The small flowers on top of its stem contain packed, folded petals with colors ranging from blood to golden red with bright crimson trim. The rest of the plant is forest green, with thin almond shaped lobes forming the leaves close to the base. Its roots are notably small and quite withered in appearance, needing little water as a result of the rich soil it grows in.
Uses and Abilities
The Ruby Flower is a medicinal herb, known well for its ability to help the body restore itself by boosting the healing abilities of the body, while also reducing light pain. In a pinch, pressing the flower head against an injured area is enough to soothe minor pains such as bee stings or poison ivy, while for more potent effects, the Ruby Flower can be ground into a paste or mixed into a potion. It may not be as strong as other herbs, but the bloom is frequently used as an ingredient in other potions and medicines to boost its effect quite substantially. Every part of the plant can be used in this process, though interestingly enough, different parts are specialized differently; the flower heads are best at healing the skin, the leaves for aches and pains, and the stem is effective in neutralizing external poisons.