'Ásehhrág Korhheith

Short introduction

The 'ásehhrág korhheith is a species of slug found all over the more humid and temperate regions of northeastern Erana. It is a relatively small animal reaching lengths of only about two thumbs widths in length and very slender. That is, why its name in Duinis 'Éch shows its grouping into the 'slender slug'-group with 'ás' meaning slender and 'hhrág' meaning slug. The second part of the name means crimson and refers more to the slugs use than its appearance. 'Ásehhrág korhheith are not a very common species and have no record of causing any harm.

Appearance, distribution and ecology

The 'ásehhrág korhheiths appearance is quite uniform despite its wide distribution. Their foot appears buttery yellow and is not sharply divided from the upper part of their body. Their general colour is a warm, dark brown. While the front part of the slug is smooth, the lower body shows some minor lateral and dorsal grooves.

This species of slugs can be found in the entirety of regions north of the Sévo Mountains and the Mukebahari Bay. In Tarrabaenia it is limited to lowland forests and riparian forests along the rivers or the lake district south of the Sévo Mountains. The 'ásehhrág korhheiths range does not extend further south than Savína though. Through the Sévo Mountains their area of distribution stretches further southeast into the Moiyeli Swamplands. To the East it is found on a thin strip of land through northern Andaperna stretching all the way to Nuat Duinis Talou.

Other than other species of slugs, 'ásehhrág korhheith do no harm to living plants and are not considered a pest. They are decomposers living off detritus like autumn leaves, wilting plants, fallen down blossoms, petals and fruit as well as rotting fruiting bodies of mushrooms.

They themselves are a common prey to all kinds of invertebrates, birds, amphibians and reptiles. Also their eggs are often consumed by mammals or the carnivorous sídé barmarou. Interestingly, although their eggs resemble red berries, birds stay away from them.

by Kveldulfr83

Clutches of eggs.

Behaviour, cultural role and use

As soon as the temperatures permanently rise above freezing, breeding time starts. It stretches over the entire end of spring, through the summer and ends early in autumn. As 'ásehhrág korhheith are hermaphrodites as almost all slugs of Samthô, it depends on wether at the moment carries eggs or is developing eggs or not wether it plays the role of the male or the female. Generally speaking slugs set up to play the role of the male are more active and live a more exposed life, probably to be able to easier get into contact with a slug carrying eggs. It seems like there is always a kind of balance between temporarily male or female slugs as to ensure reproduction stays possible.

They appear a few weeks before they can breed and stay active for some weeks after that period. During the cold months of winter they hide and hibernate below stones, heaps of leaves or under rotting wood. This is even true for those populations living further south, where there is only a cooler season, but no frost or snow. 'Ásehhrág korhheith do not climb up vegetation but are instead only found on the ground between leaves, herbs, moss and rotting plant matter. This is also where they lay their eggs in large bunches. They do not built nests or seek out holes or caves but rather lay their eggs in very damp areas.

While on the one hand being a very unremarkable animal, the 'ásehhrág korhheith gains its fame from the role it plays in several peoples' culture, all for different reasons. The Skaura Orohlen, Tarrabaenians and Duiniken are representative for the wide range of uses the 'ásehhrág korhheith can have.

'Ásehhrág korhheith caviar of the Skaura Orohlen

The Skaura Orohlen call this animal the kestenén weluk (chestnut-coloured slug) Their strikingly red eggs are a delicacy for the Skaura Orohlen. During summer they are harvested on almost every occasion when people venture out to hunt or gather food. The so called welokra hrognam (slug roe) is eaten after having been washed and, as the eggs carry a thin shell of calzium, marinated in vinegar. The vinegar is then also rinsed off and the eggs put on a leaf of krass, a herb with a light spicy aroma, often eaten raw in salads. These eggs are exclusively eaten this way.

Reptar isate and reptar arósó of the Tarrabaenians

Tarrabaenians call all slugs reptar. Depending on wether it is of any significance, be it as a pest, as medicine or for other purposes, a more defining adjective is added. This leads to the 'ásehhrág korhheith being two names in Tarrabaenian, going with the two very different uses known for this animal.

Reptar isate means 'blue slug' and is used for when these animals are harvested to be processed to dye. This is a practise mostly used in the province of Kammargo, where there are almost no plants available to win blue dye. The slugs are collected and washed thoroughly to rid them of their slime as well as possible. A paste of herbs called smígma is added to the water to hasten the process. The slugs are then rinsed off with water and thrown into a boiling light solution of ash lye. About fifty slugs fit into one módió (an ancient measure of capacity only used in Kammargo; about 635 ml) of lye. The slugs are boiled under a lid for a certain amount of time, which must be kept quite exactly as to not have the resulting dye turn from a warmish blue to a dirty greyish blue. The dye won from this process is called modiála after the measure of lye used in the production. It is filtered through cloth before being used as a dye for textiles or plaster. The colour is decribed by most as being very pleasing to the eye, but unfortunately not very lightfast and resistant to washing.

In Tarrabaenian cuisine its name is reptar arósó (orange/red slug), a dish despised by many and often described as an acquired taste. In fact the taste of the dish depends mostly on the herbs and spices used, while the texture of the slugs is, what requires the most getting used to. For reptar arósó the slugs are collected and kept in a damp bag of cloth for a day to defecate. They are then washed and simmered in a clear vegetable and herb stock with a few drops of either vinegar or juice of a sour fruit like barely ripe apples, grapes or briars or sloes. They are simmered until the stock reduces to a thicker sauce.

by Kveldulfr83

Reptar arósó, here served with olives and steamed beans as a cold dish.


'Ásehhrág korhheith as source for a liquid to treat stones for cutting and carving for the Duiniken

The Duiniken have found an entirely different way to use these slugs and are the only people to to so. Duiniken stone carvings like King Douhhsúl's Declaration have impressed the Tarrabaenians as well as the Messellat Mdûlûn from the beginning as opposed to virtually all other stone inscriptions their script is cursive. This stunning abnormality makes Duiniken stone carving, especially their Duiniken Cursive stand out from all other forms of stone carving. The Tarrabaenians have tried to imitate this art, but since the Duiniken regard their own art of stone carving as some kind of national treasure, the technicalities of it have always eluded the other people around the Duiniken. Tarrabaenians try to imitate the style by working with the minutest tools to make the carvings as soft and rounded as possible, but never reach the Duinikens carvings level.

The secret of the Duiniken is to use the 'ásehhrág korhheith as an ingredient for a liquid to prepare the stones before actually using any tools on them. For this, the slugs are collected, also put in a damp bag of cloth for a while to defecate and then washed. The clean slugs are then fed with a fermented paste of seeds called sílou. The feces of the slugs are then collected and mixed in equal parts with pure salt and vinegar. This mixture, called 'ou'ithahh is painted on the stone surface with a brush in the exact shape the stone is supposed to be removed. After soaking in for a while, the stone can, without issue, be carved away with wooden tools resembling a spoon. After the 'carving' process, the stone is washed, so the 'ou'ithahh does not soften and corrode the stone further, messing up the decoration or inscription. Only with this technology writing authentic Duiniken Cursive is possible.