Alaria is a vast realm, its true size undiscovered even by my long life of extensive exploration and research. My journeys have shown me that Alaria’s main land mass seems beyond measure, with the lands to be reached over the known and unknown seas seeming to stretch out further than any Human could travel in one or even several of their lifetimes. It is a stunningly diverse world, filled with a large number of Greater and Lesser races, countless monsters and animal species, and an even more staggeringly large variety of vegetation.

The lands across the oceans are strange, exotic places. But most reading this guide will live on the large, unnamed, seemingly endless central land mass of Alaria. Although the northernmost regions of this land mass are frozen wastelands, most of it is temperate, with the vast arboreal landscapes known as the “Wilds” being the norm. Mountain ranges and vast river networks run through this overgrown world, with ancient secrets hidden under the overgrown wilds. Only where civilization has begun to be reborn after the long darkness that followed The Great Collapse are open fields and cultivated lands common.

Yet whether you find yourself deep in the Wilds or in lands reclaimed by civilization there will be common forms of vegetation you’ll be able to find. Most often these common flowers, trees, and other plants have uses as potion or spell components, with many scholars (myself included) believing they are so universal because they were cultivated and spread by the civilizations that existed before The Great Collapse. Perhaps that cultivation is WHY vegetation with magical properties is so common across Alaria, although many think our world is just a naturally magic-filled one and the magical nature of so much vegetation needs no further explanation.

Regardless of HOW they came into being there is countless vegetation worth recording in this guide. In this section of my guide you will find a mix of both common and rare vegetation, their only common attribute being that they are worthy of note.

Astragalus

Astragalus is a pretty pink flower that grows in clusters close to the ground. They are commonly found as dense clumps in forests or around the edges of open fields. Thanks to their vibrant colors and how easy it is to grow and keep them lush they are also often found in the gardens and yards of people who live in smaller towns and villages. They are much less rarely seen in larger towns or cities as they do not thrive in an urban environment.

Some mistake them as weeds because of how easily they grow and spread nearly everywhere outside large cities. It is true that if allowed to grow untamed Astragalus will choke out other plants they are far too useful to be considered weeds.

The thick tangle of roots one finds when pulling Astragalus from the earth can be cleaned and used for a variety of purposes, and their pink flower petals are even more useful. Many simple medicinal teas use Astragalus root as a main ingredient, and Astragalus petals are a mainstay of healing potions.

But one must be careful when dealing with Astragalus petals! When healthy those petals remain a vibrant pink color, but many report that a change in hue to more of a darker red can spell disaster. Red-petaled Astragalus still has healing properties, but when its roots are used in herbal teas or its petals are used to brew potions other alarming effects occur. The most common is an unnatural and confusing rush of arousal, one that isn’t often easily connected with the healing potion or tea recently drank as there seems to be a time delay before this effect kicks in.

What causes some Astragalus to change to this red variety is unknown. It is said that once changed the fragrance of the flowers becomes magically altered, smelling to each person like whatever odor leaves them most aroused. I can confirm from firsthand experience this is true, and that the research partner I was with described a very different fragrance from what I smelled.

Perplexingly this change in color, fragrance, and magical properties when used in herbal and alchemical creations is not just something that happens only to growing Astragalus. Dried roots and petals stored in alchemist’s chambers or herbalist’s kits have been known to seemingly spontaneously convert to this altered form of the plant, often at the most troubling of times.

Tangle Bush

The wild Tangle Bush is a hazard both feared and hated by explorers. The “living vines” of a Tangle Bush attach themselves to native plant life, hiding their presence as their vines spread through their botanical host. Eventually the Tangle Bush fuses itself to its host, altering its appearance to better blend in with the life form it’s invaded. Before long the Tangle Bush becomes more than a parasitic interloper, it becomes the dominant part of the native plant, unrecognizable for what it is till it’s too late.

Tangle Bushes will respond to the presence of any sentient being, its living vines attacking anyone that gets too close. The host plant will seem to come alive, tentacle-like vines and branches shooting from it to grab and wrap firmly around limbs and body to pull the attacked person into the bush where even more of the living vines will ensnare their prey.

Why a Tangle Bush does this is not understood as the plant itself is not carnivorous. It will continue to constrict its prey as long as they keep trying to break free, and if one fights long or hard enough this can lead to the plant strangling its prey. But if one can manage to calm down and try not to fight the Tangle Bush will ease its grip on its prey, simply holding its victim in place.

Even though a calm mind and body can easily keep a Tangle Bush from harming or even killing someone escape often proves to be impossible without the aid of someone not ensnared. Only with the help of someone to cut you free will a Tangle Bush provide little danger. Being rescued is normally a simple thing, especially since most Tangle Bushes will not attack more than one person at once.

Although Tangle Bushes can be found growing wild in nearly every corner of Alaria they are far more likely to be found in places where magic is strong. Why the plants are so attracted to such places is a mystery, although some guesses can be made. The very nature of a Tangle Bush suggests that at one point in ancient history the curious plant was cultivated with the aid of magic. That cultivated Tangle Bushes are to this day often used as a kind of natural security is near proof they were created for this purpose.