Elililine

The most precious of treasures that has been recovered from Morbhaine since the fall of the empire is the Book of Melos and the reclamation of the knowledge regarding the uses of elililine. Indeed, the plant and knowledge of it is perhaps one of the gods' greatest gifts to the people of this continent.

-- Anonymous, Thoughts of a Lililiner

Elililine is a plant that grows in the dense forests of Tamardam and Fidira. The above quote illustrates one of two intensely conflicting opinions of the plant. Elililine root is a potent analgesic, but the nectar of the flower is an addictive barbiturate and aphrodisiac. Certain methods of preparation distill from the nectar a clear liquid with hallucinogenic effects.

The flower of the plant is an intensely orange colour, its pistil a pale pink, as are the filament of its stamen. The anthers glisten with a golden nectar with a sweet taste and low viscosity. The root, stem and sepals of the flower are a brown-green to vivid green, and have a starchy, bitter taste. The scent of the flower is sweet and musky. The plant relies on the consumption of the flower whole, passing through the digestive system to bloom from droppings amidst fertile forest soil.

The root, when boiled, looses the most astringent bitterness, mellowing into a starchy tuber fit for consumption. Chemicals within the root dull pain, a side effect popular with people past and present. The root absorbs flavour well, and plays a part in many traditional Tamard and western Fidiran dishes. The boiling, drying, then grinding of the root produces a powder that alchemists have long used for the analgesic properties. The flower and nectar produce euphoric, hallucinogenic effects when consumed without preparation. These ingredients have been used raw and in conjunction with the root to prepare people for surgery. The hallucinogenic properties are important to some Tamard folk religions, but the flower and nectar find wider contemporary used in recreation rather than ritual. Some localities have strict regulations on the use, ownership and production of elililine.