Where the taba plant grows, life will follow— Huxoth proverb
The taba plant is a spiky shrub, about three feet high. Though it will grow in a variety of environments, it is usually found near a water source, and it particularly thrives on acidity. The most common place to find the taba is where the local water source has been poisoned, killing off other, less hardy plants. While it can be found anywhere the soil is particularly acidic (it has even been found on
Igbi and Lowoni), it is best known for its growth in the
Great Northern Desert , where it is cultivated by the
Huxoth people, who also give it its name.
The taba (meaning "venom" in the
Huxoth language) has a misleading name because the plant itself is not poisonous. In fact, though it thrives in environments which are are poisonous to other wildlife, the leaves of the taba themselves are not dangerous to eat because the plant creates a natural enzyme which neutralizes most toxins. Therefore, the taba is not only common in the Huxoth diet, it is routinely used as an anti-venom for travelers who are bit by poisonous snakes. This can be achieved either by directly eating the taba or by crushing the leaves into a paste and spreading this on the bite. The taba must be used quickly, however, in order to be effective. If the venom spreads through the body too quickly, the taba's enzymes will not be able to neutralize everything.
Because the taba grows naturally in the Northern Desert, the Huxoth have also used it as a marker of places which may or may not be safe to build a camp or even a village. The presence of the taba could indicate that the area is poisonous. It can also, however, indicate that previous toxins have been removed from the soil or water, allowing other wildlife to thrive once more. Usually, when an area is found to be poisoned, the Huxoth wait for the taba to grow there, and return each year to check for other signs of life, in order to determine whether or not the area is safe again. An exception to this rule is the oasis village of
Peth, which was poisoned nearly forty years ago. Though the taba plant grows thick there, the Huxoth continue to avoid the area, believing the deaths of the villagers were caused by a curse from the god of death himself.
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