Ashroom

Ashrooms are a species of small, flat mushrooms, with a mottled light and dark grey coloration that indeed brings ashes to mind. They only grow in the Fairweather Mountains and the ice valley between them. They prefer dark or shadowy places with a warmer temperature than the rest of the frigid area they are found in, which means they mostly grow underground, but knowledgeable people can find small patches of them in other places, such as in the hollows of rotted out trees.

At first glance the ashrooms' appearance is enough to justify the name. The origin of the name, however, goes a bit deeper. The little fungi catch fire with but a spark. They burn brightly for their size, with a steady, pleasant and smokeless flame. This makes them a very efficient fuel source for underground settlements in the mountains that can sometimes grow their own supply of ashrooms, as is the case with Soft Stone Monastery . Travelers and adventurers also like to carry a supply of their own for emergencies and rangers will sometimes create caches or cultivate small patches in unlikely places.

The ashes left over after the these mushrooms burn are perhaps even more important. Mixed with a bit of water they are perfectly edible, quite nutritious, and actually very tasty. They can even be consumed dry but they do not go down easy and cause fits of coughing as they drift up into the nose. This property makes ashrooms even more valuable for travelers of all kinds, but in Soft Stone Monastery the monks prefer to turn the ashes into spices and condiments that can be used to enhance many dishes to great effect. And this what the name truly refers to.