Swan Maize

Fire of the Amber Suns

I am your creator, your caretaker, and your gardener, as I flay you for the prosperity of the city I request that your demise lights the sparks of the Amber Sun before me.
~ Rotineg Xu'lab, the Ideal of the Gardener

Known as Sunc'yc-teosinte to the Curnias, Swan maize is a sacrificial plant of immense power that was created by Rotineg Xu'lab through the combined usage of traditional cultivation techniques and shamanic Dan'chas. Given that the plant proved instrumental for the creation of many of the first Amber Suns and still greatly strengthens the purifying quality of a Sun, it possesses great cultural importance to the Curnias, which is only eclipsed by that of the Amber Suns themselves.
Due to this, only members of the upper class, as well as a few selected members of the middle and lower class that serve as gardeners and guards, are allowed to come close to the plant. Any attempt to even viewing the plant without proper authorization is considered as a major crime and punished accordingly, which usually entails a rather bloody execution of the delinquent.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Swan Maize possesses a single straight stem that is reinforced by small stripes of lignified fibers and calcified bark, which grant it a great level of stability while simultaneously maintaining a high degree of flexibility. The stem is light green in coloration, which decreased in intensity towards the upper parts of the plant.
Clusters of white-colored leaves emerge at regular intervals from the stem of the plant. The ends of these leaves often unravel into singular fibers, which gives them an appearance strongly reminiscent of down feathers, which together with their water-repellent properties greatly influence the naming of the plant.
The roots of the plant are lined with claw-like thorns that enable the Swane Maize to anchor itself within most types of substrates. Furthermore, these thorns also aide in the extraction of nutrients and liquids from the various host plants the Swan Maize requires for its growth.
The upper parts of the plant are completely covered by multiple layers of smooth corn silk, which give of a blissful smell of such intensity that it is able to overload the sense of smell of various species, including the Curnias themselves. Due to this, all gardeners that are tasked with the care of the Swan Maize are forced to wear perfume-soaked scarfs over their noses. Given their lower rank in society, the members of the Fellowship of Corn are barned from wearing such exquisite garments and instead rely on tanned hides covered in animal fats for their olfactory protection.
Beneath the covert of corn silk, the numerous corncobs of the plant are located which contain hundreds of brightly colored kernels. While the kernels of unripe cobs are of a bluish-gray color, fully matured ones take on an intense orange coloration that is interstratified by small black dots.
While the kernels are initially neatly arranged within the cob, older ones commonly overgrow and fuse with each other, which results in a tumor-like appearance of the overall cob. Despite this sickly appearance, ripe cob contains such high levels of Vitae-energy that even individuals that are not attuned to the currents of the Great Rivers are able to perceive a slight glow.
Given its artificial creation and the arcane means by which it is propagated Swan Maize possesses no flowers or functional seeds and therefore completely relies on its Curnias caretakers in order to multiply.

Genetics and Reproduction

Don't ask questions that would force me to compost you.
~ Sitserga A'vu, Lord-Gardener

As Swan Maize is completely sterile it requires a specialized, shamanic ritual know as the Sutlas Sul'itur-Munarg ("Dance of the Golden Grain") in order to be propagated. Given that the many Lord-Gardeners regard this ritual as a sacred legacy passed down to them from the Ideal of their profession it is no wonder that even a small inquiry on the procedures of the ritual usually results with the questioner being turned into fertilizer for the plants of the Pyramid-Gardens.
The few Lord-Gardeners that don't react in this violent manner usually only make small remarks about "beautiful dances" and "clouds of vibrant colors" before sternly changing the topic of the conversation. Given that these descriptions basically fit every conceivable type of shamanic Dan'cha these remarks are just a polite way of saying nothing over the nature of the ritual.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Swan Maize is incapable of feeding itself via photosynthesis and instead relies on its caretakers to feed it with numerous host plants, such as Rainsong flowers, sweet bark, and Stoneshell cherry. Due to this Swan Maize can easily be grown underground or within windowless buildings.
In addition to numerous host plants, Swan Maize has to be supplied with a steady stream of Botas-flavored fairy dust in order to sustain its rapid growth rate and to enable the accumulation of Vitae-energy within its swelling kernels.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

A mere drop of this perfume is more worth than hundreds of your kind, and that is me being unusually generous.
~ Sudiviv Musarem, Archhuntress

Given the great amount of time and resources required to grow even a single cob of Swan Maize, it is not surprising that every part of the plant is utilized to its fullest potential. Given the fact that Swane Maize is one of the most valued plants within the plant-focused culture of the Curnias, these products are only available to the highest parts of a city-states society.
The corncobs of the plant are almost exclusively utilized as sacrificial offerings for the Oita'cirpa Eregrets ("Sun of Tears") and the Oita'cirpa E'arret ("Sun of Soil"). During festivals of great importance, a small number of kernels might also be consumed by the current ruler of a city-state and its closest allies.
The leaves of the plants are utilized in the creation of various high-class dishes and delicacies, such as the Xaperc Aettam ("Sizzling Treat"), which is a highly popular dessert made from dried Swan Maize leaves, whose feather tips have been soaked with either honey or fruit slurry.
The fragrant corn silk is often used for the ennoblement of the clothes worn by the upper echelons of a city-state. Especially the Sugelirolf ("Smoking Cuirass") worn by Lord-Gardeners contain a high amount of silk threads that are usually dyed in a great variety of colors. Dried and finely ground threads of corn silk are also used in the creation of precious spice blends and highly valued perfumes.
The flexible yet sturdy stems of the Swan Maize are generally used together with its thorn-lined roots in the production of various tools and implements utilized in the acquisition of botanical sacrifices. Examples of such items include the bows utilized by Archhuntresses, the sicles carried of Lord-Gardeners and the sacrificial knifes used by Highpriests. Furthermore, many city-state rulers wear a crown or diadem made from this material.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Due to its artificial nature and the intense care it requires, Swan Maize is unable to survive on its own and is therefore confined to the Pyramid-Gardens of the various Curnias city-states.

Scientific Name

Zea cygnus aurelius

Lifespan

2 - 4 years to reach its "sacrifical" age

Conservation Status

Given that Swan Maize is one of the most powerful botanical sacrifices, it is no wonder that it is heavily guarded by an elite group of Erivres Aref known as the Fellowship of Corn. Additionally, a handpicked group of Rotara assist the various A'iraipot in the cultivation of the plant.

Average Height

3 - 4 m

Average Weight

Cobs: 1.2 - 2.5 kg