Shadeberries

"The color of midnight, the whisper of moonlight."

Shadeberries are one of Everwealth’s rarest and most sought-after natural luxuries, known not for their taste, but for the extraordinary dye extracted from their skin. When processed into ink or pigment, the berries retain a mystical luminance under the moon, appearing as a deep velvet blue by day, but shifting to an ethereal silver sheen in the night. Found only in ancient, mist-laden forests, their scarcity makes them a prize among tailors, alchemists, and artists, with garments dyed in Shadeberry extract often fetching small fortunes. Legends claim that cloaks woven with this dye allow their wearers to move unseen beneath the stars, though whether this is true or simply a tale spun by merchants remains unknown.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Shadeberry vines are pale and wiry, their roots twisting through the forest floor like ghostly tendrils, clinging to the ancient trees that shelter them. The berries themselves are plum-like in size, deep blue, and dusted with a silken silver sheen, appearing almost metallic in the right light. Their skins are delicate, bruising easily when handled, and their flesh is soft, bursting with sweet, honeyed juice when bitten into. Most strikingly, their pigment reacts to moonlight, causing the fruit—and any dye made from it—to gleam with an almost otherworldly vibrance.

Genetics and Reproduction

Shadeberries spread through slow root expansion, with new vines forming only when the plant has enough shade and moisture to sustain itself. Unlike other fruits, Shadeberries are ill-suited for seed dispersal, as most creatures that consume them fall into prolonged sleep, preventing them from spreading the seeds far. This significantly limits the plant’s natural expansion, keeping it isolated to a few select regions of Everwealth.

Growth Rate & Stages

• Seedling Stage: Takes root slowly, requiring a full year of moonlight exposure before sprouting its first vine.

• Maturation: Produces its first harvest after three years, with the berries only ripening under a full moon.

• Reproduction: Expands through root spread, forming isolated clusters in the darkest groves.

Ecology and Habitats

Shadeberries thrive in dense, ancient forests, where the canopies stretch high and thick enough to shroud the land in perpetual twilight. They refuse to grow in open fields or farmland, as prolonged exposure to sunlight drains them of their vibrancy, reducing them to little more than shriveled husks. The berries take root only in places where shade and moisture remain constant, often weaving their pale vines through moss-laden roots and damp, decaying foliage. Though prized for their unique properties, gathering them is no easy task, as their preferred habitats are often haunted by both natural and unnatural dangers. The Grandgleam Forest holds the richest known deposits of Shadeberries, though its depths are treacherous, home to creatures that resent the presence of trespassers. In the Hungering Marsh, Shadeberries cling to the rotting trunks of half-sunken trees, their vines winding through the bog’s blackened roots, where unwary gatherers risk being swallowed by the mire itself. Further east, in the Boulderrain Woods, the berries grow in isolated patches among colossal stones and jagged forest paths, their vines weaving between the ancient boulders where the wind wails like a mourning specter. Most elusive of all is the Moonlit Hollow, a rumored grove where no sunlight has ever touched the earth, and where Shadeberries grow larger than anywhere else—but those who seek it rarely return.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Shadeberries, while edible, are rarely sought for their taste alone. When ripe, they have a smooth, honeyed sweetness with a faint floral undertone, but when eaten before peak maturity, they are sharp and sour, leaving a faint tingling sensation on the tongue. While they do not provide significant nourishment, they are sometimes used as a flavoring agent in fine desserts, herbal teas, and ceremonial wines, particularly by nobles and mystics who favor their elusive nature. Despite their luxurious reputation, Shadeberries are not a staple food—their scarcity and slow growth make them impractical for survival diets. Instead, they are reserved for high-status meals, rare confections, or alchemical tinctures where their properties can be best appreciated. Some brewers infuse them into liquors, crafting night-dark wines that shimmer under the moon, while high-ranking chefs use them to create moonlit-glazed pastries that fetch exorbitant prices in Everwealth’s wealthiest circles. Though some wild animals attempt to eat Shadeberries, their unusual effects often leave creatures drowsy and lethargic, making them easy prey. Because of this, few species rely on them as a regular food source, and those that do—such as certain nocturnal birds and fox-like creatures—have adapted to metabolize them without ill effects.

Biological Cycle

Shadeberries do not follow seasonal growth patterns like most fruit-bearing plants. Instead, they appear to align with the lunar cycle, their pigments growing more intense as the full moon approaches and waning in potency after. If plucked before they are fully ripe, the berries shrivel into useless husks, their luminescent properties lost forever. This makes harvesting a delicate process—only those gathered beneath a full moon retain their brilliance.

Behaviour

Shadeberries are often called "Moon’s Ink" or "Starcaller’s Fruit," and myths surrounding them are as numerous as the stars themselves. Some believe they are a gift from old spirits, marking places where the veil between worlds grows thin. Others claim that those who eat them at midnight will hear the whisper of unseen voices, offering cryptic warnings or knowledge best left undiscovered. Though these tales may be superstition, the berries have long been tied to mystery, secrecy, and quiet power, their glow in moonlight lending them an air of the supernatural. For tailors and artisans, garments dyed in Shadeberry extract are said to capture the glow of the heavens, shifting like starlit water under the night sky. Nobles commission entire cloaks woven with Shadeberry dye, believing that wearing such fabric grants an almost spectral grace, allowing them to move unseen beneath the moon. The dye’s ability to subtly change its hue in different lighting has also led to its use in ceremonial robes, masquerade costumes, and high-ranking military attire, where its shifting brilliance conveys status, mystery, and power. For thieves and scholars, Shadeberry ink is highly valued, used to mark hidden passages, encode secret letters, or tattoo messages that only reveal themselves under moonlight. Many spymasters and smugglers rely on texts written in Shadeberry-infused ink, ensuring their messages remain unreadable until the night unveils them. It is rumored that entire volumes of forgotten knowledge have been transcribed in Shadeberry ink, their pages revealing truths too dangerous for the waking world—but only to those who know when and where to read them.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Shadeberries do not possess any active sensory capabilities, existing in a passive state like most flora. However, they exhibit a unique reaction to lunar exposure, their skins appearing dull and unremarkable by day but becoming radiant and silken under moonlight. This nocturnal pigmentation shift is not fully understood, though some theorize that the plant absorbs and reflects specific wavelengths of light. In the past, alchemists believed the berries held magickal properties, though their modern value lies in their use as luxury dyes rather than mystical artifacts.

Scientific Name

Vaccinium umbra lux

Origin/Ancestry

Some scholars claim they are a relic of the Lost Age, an alchemical mistake that escaped into nature and refused to die, while others insist they are simply a rare and beautiful anomaly of Everwealth’s wild heart.

Conservation Status

Shadeberries are exceptionally rare, their slow growth and unique environmental needs making large-scale cultivation impossible. Attempts to farm them outside their natural habitat have all failed, as the berries wither under prolonged sunlight and refuse to root in artificially cleared land. Their scarcity makes them one of the most valuable plant resources in Everwealth, with a single vial of pure Shadeberry dye capable of fetching a fortune. As such, the trade of these berries is closely monitored, often reserved for nobility, high-ranking artisans, and select alchemists.