Everstone's Gift

"The only thing rarer than Evermoss itself, are the people who have consumed it. It is traditionally eaten raw or steeped into an herbal tea. The effects are varied and not well documented. Reports of inhaling the smoke of the herb abound, but few written, trustworthy, accounts exist. Study on the strange moss and it's effects continues." - Encyclopedia Gloratium

Evermoss, the moss that only grows on Everstones in northern Galladia, can be consumed, either raw or steeped, and is known to have a wide variety of effects.

The effects of Everstone's Gift consumption on the population not gifted with the Aura are the most diverse. Some believe this to be due to the Aura present in the Moss, and the connection it brings to the world's Aura, which can manifest differently among different peoples and races. For those Gifted, those able to wield the Aura, the effects are typically more uniform, and in some instances users have been able to manipulate the effects to suit their needs.

Transmission & Vectors

The Everstone's Gift is gained by consuming raw Evermoss or drinking water steeped with the Moss. The moss must be fresh to receive the full effect, while dried moss is known to typically only act as a sleep-aide. Some people have reported feeling as though they are under the Everstone Gift effect while travelling in northern Galladia, which bioaurist's have deduced to be an effect of the moss' spores being carried on the spring winds and subsequently inhaled.

Causes

There is no definitive understanding of why the Evermoss causes Everstone's Gift, but multiple hypothesis exist.

1. The moss is able to retain more Aura than other species of plant, and consuming it gives the user that Aura, which manifests in a variety of ways.
2. The moss itself is actually pseudo-sapient and has a connection to the Aura deeper than the inherent life force, which is then gifted to the person that consumes it (it should be noted this is a fringe conspiracy; although, many people who have partaken in consuming the moss claim that when next coming in close proximity to the Everstones, they can sense the presence of the moss, and can feel it "think". these have been largely discredited as Northern legends.)
3. The moss, by consuming parts of the Everstones and digesting them, inherit the Aura known to be associated with the Stones. The user in turn ingests the moss and a similar transfer takes place (this is the leading hyopthesis).

Symptoms

Non-Gifted

The Everstone's Gift presents itself across a wide-variety of symptoms. The most common, as with the dried compound, is a sleep aide and anti-anxiety effect. However, reports exist of hallucinations, seizures, sensitive hearing, sensitive eyesight, headaches, hyper-activity, depression, and muscle aches.

Gifted

The effects on the Gifted population are better documented, mostly because of the interest the Forefathers took in the compound when they first arrived in Galladia. For the population gifted with the Aura, Everstone's Gift can provide one of five side effect:

1. A boost in the user's ability to wield the Aura. Allows them to use more advanced spells and harness more Aura.
2. Foresight. User's have reported that they get glimpses into the future, typically for something tangentially related to their lives but not about themselves.
3. Ability to experience an event somewhere else (i.e. seeing a scene hundreds to thousands of miles away).
4. Feel the emotions of others (both human and otherwise) nearby. This effect can be somewhat dangerous if used in crowded areas, as the user may become mentally overwhelmed and pass out. Death is an uncommon side effect.
5. The ability to channel the Aura in ways typically impossible, such as into the User's own body (i.e. to run faster and longer, jump higher, hold their breath longer, better eyesight, etc.) or utilize one of the other effects. This is typically why the moss is so prized, but it takes someone exceptionally powerful with the gift to manipulate the Everstone's Gift in this way. 

Treatment

None. The side effects typically pass anywhere between a few minutes and a couple of hours.

Prognosis

It is difficult to tell how the Everstone's Gift will affect someone before they use it (besides Non-Gifted vs. Gifted users). Hence, it is typically not consumed lightly.

History

The Old Galladian peoples of northern Galladia have been consuming the Evermoss for hundreds if not thousands of years. They were typically used in a ritualistic nature, saved only for priests of the old gods, and those with The Gift. As with the Everstones, the Evermoss and it's subsequent effects are revered and worshiped by followers of the Old Galladian ways.

When the Forefathers arrived in Galladia, reports began to circulate of a magical substance that had wild properties and side effect. Few believed these legends, and it was not until the founding of the Academies that research was finally done into the condition. Much is still unknown about the effects of the Everstone's Gift and why symptoms vary so widely.

Cultural Reception

The Everstone's Gift is mostly thought of as a legend/fairy-tale in most parts of the known world, with only the peoples of The Northern Arm and Northern Galladia truly believing. Professors of the Academies are traditionally split on whether the stories are true or false, but most prominent bioaurists accept the effects and believe more research is needed. Old Galladians traditionally revere the Everstone's Gift as part of their cultural heritage.

Type

Magical

Parent

Evermoss

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Rare