Preserved Lunar Moss

Written by World Smithy

While every mortal soul gives off an imperceptible light, be they beast or man, plants do not have souls - thus, they give off no light at all. In this study, I will -
_{There is a distinct, muffled sound of whispers that can be heard coming from the magic mouth's recording. There is a slight shuffling of papers and the clinking sound of bifocals being gently placed on a table before the same voice bellows forth from the rock that bears uncanny, humanoid lips.}
I'm sorry, what do you mean you saw the grass glowing near a ruin while you were at an excavation site?!
_{There is a brief pause and the female voice, much calmer now after a slightly audible sigh, comes through the enchantment once more...}
Did you bring back a sample, at least?

— Dr. Greene, a Luminologist thought to be based in Eo' Wissae some ~700 years ago

Soft and Brittle

The moss itself has only been found to grow in and or around large sources of ancient arcane energy, particularly those that originated sometime in the Thaumition Era. The moss that is collected from these locations is said to be incredibly supple and soft, and as a result, it is easily removed from its place of growth. It is also to be noted that the moss needs to be handled with extreme care and caution so as to not crush the bioluminescence out of it. Researchers have also found that the luminescence only occurs under the light of the sister moons; it will not react to any other light. During the dim hours of the day the moss returns to a dormant, dull blue coloration.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

While, even to this day, Luminologists can not agree on one specific reason for why the moss behaves in the way that it does, it is widely agreed that it was not a naturally occuring substance before The Lightfall Cataclysm. Due to the sparse locations it has been found growing in, it is believed to be a highly magical, and unusual, plant. Thus, it is not thought to be possible to truly know the inner machinations of the moss. Arcanists in Eo' Wissae during the modern era have recently taken an interest in it, however, as there are movements to find an easier way to replicate its nebulous properties due to growing shortages of available Lunar Moss.

History

When this particular kind of moss was discovered at an excavation operation at the ruins of the Aetherwen known as Yhonio, it was a marvel, to say the very least. Before its discovery, it was long thought that any plant, animal, or insect unfortunate enough to have evolved to have bioluminescence would have been consumed by The Gloom. Luminologists across Vasara, before the discovery, came to similar conclusions regarding why there had been no known bioluminescent species on the continent: that cursèd fog hunts any lesser form of light and extinguishes it - brutally.

After its discovery, researchers eventually uncovered how to extract the bioluminescence from the moss without damaging it, allowing it to be kept in very small, magic fueled, growing plots for study. This find, in and of itself, is what led to a boom in Lunar Moss being more readily available for Luminologists. It was found that the bioluminescence taken from the moss was able to be used as a material, given some arcane insights and a craftsman's judgement. In 1,250 After Lightfall, the first Wisps were developed, which would later go on to be used in the construction of Tenebrous Bulbs - a lantern-like item that masks one's soul-light to the Silhouettes that stalk through The Gloom.

Significance

The discovery and subsequent development of Wisps allowed for the creation of the one known lightsource that is able to hide its bearer's soul-light from Silhouettes, while also parting the dense mists of The Gloom. Without Lunar Moss, travel across Vasara would be much more difficult.

A collection of Lunar Moss harvested for use in the making of a Tenebrous Bulb.

Item type

Raw Material

Creation Date

Discovered in 1,240 After Lightfall.
Large scale collecting began the following year.

Rarity

Ranges from Uncommon to Rare depending on geographic location.

Weight

2 lbs

Dimensions

Variable

Base Price

A small jar will typically run a craftsman about 15 Gold pieces.