Imported Spices
As strange as it may seem, herbs - even with their medicinal values, became popular because of the flavorings they gave to foods. As preservatives, or even just to cover the taste of spoiling goods, most spices were worth their weight in gold.
There are numerous plants with alchemical value, many with more potency and many more with even less than the ones listed here. Some of the medicinal effects listed here are thought to proven, most - however are not.
Spices were stored in wax-sealed earthen pots in various sizes and shopped in crates of hay. The majority of the herbs lasted from 3-9 years when kept dry and stored in moderate temperatures. Spice merchants marked their earns with wax seals that bore their name and the date the pots were sealed. The spices lost almost 1/2 their value the moment that seal was broken. Unfortunately value, and market price do not have much in common.
There are dozens of herbs, grown locally, that are not mentioned in this article. This article does not intend to try to describe all the herbs available to the island of Hârn, but it does list the ones most commonly imported.
This article is written as a continuation of "HerbLore" by Columbia Games (which lists the first 25 herbs/drugs/potions.) Herbs are classified by their commonality.
| Commonality | Price |
|---|---|
| VERY COMMON | 3d/oz |
| COMMON | 6d/oz |
| UNCOMMON | 12d/oz |
| RARE | 60d/oz |
| VERY RARE | 120d/oz |
"This is a very general guide. Apothecaries may charge more for the products of the plants listed here. Prices are dependent on the difficulty of preparing the herb, as well as seasonal and local availability."
HârnLore 9: Herblore 1
This article is organized in the following manner
# NAME (Apothecaries Name) [plant's general effect]
Description - a general description of the plant, and how it grows. Annual (perennial) plants must be planted from seed each year, yearly plants grow year round.
Preparation & Dosage - How to prepare the plant and what amount is needed for a dose.
Effects - magical/alchemical/medicinal and other effects when the herb is taken and in which of its various forms. This may also include antidote information.
Notes - other notes of interest.
Author's Note: all of these are real world spices. Can you guess which is which? Hint - I haven't changed the the latin names of each spice.
Index:
#26 Blue Crescents (Pimpinella Anisum) [digestive]
#27 Royal Herb (Ocimum Basilicum) [poison]
#28 Evergreen Mint (Laurus Nobilis) [protection]
#29 Sweet Bite (Carum Carvi) [sugar]
#30 Groom's Aide (Elettaria Cardamomum) [breath freshener/poison]
#31 Lover's Lick (Apiumgraveolens) [aphrodisiac]
#32 Zeylancium (Cinnamomum Zeylancium burmannii) [flavoring/medicinal]
#33 Tongue Spice (Syzgium Aromaticum) [pain killer]
#34 Manna Spice (Coriandrum Sativum) [love potion]
#35 Wandering Spice (Cuminum Cyminum)
#36 Lulling Herb (Anethum Graveolens) [calmative]
#37 Meeting Seed (Foeniculum Vulgare) [breath freshener]
#38 Horn Spice (Zingiber Officinale) [curative]
#39 Cough Bane (Origanum Majorana) [stimulant]
#40 Mint (Mentha Spiata) [perfume]
#41 Yellow Bane (Brassica Hirta) [purgative]
#42 Mountain Joy (Origanum) [flavoring]
#26 Blue Crescents (Pimpinella Anisum) [digestive]
An annual plant that grows up to 3' in height, preferring to cling to rocks or buildings wherever possible. It produces a white, 6 petaled-flower a month into is life cycle. Two months later each flower closes into a pale blue crescent containing 3 to 6 seeds. Seeds must be harvested within 2 weeks. Grows along the borders of semiarid zones. Requires a deep water source.
Preparation & Dosage
The seeds are threshed and dried outside in the sun. They can be crushed and boiled into a syrup which is spread on bark and stored dry, or wax-sealed in a pot as a syrup. 1 pound of seeds generates 1/4 pound of sap.
Effects
Its licorice like flavor is used in many cakes and breads. The sap is a mild emetic if taken straight. Seeds beneath the pillow are said to drive away bad dreams. A tea made from the sap in 1/8th concentration will assist in digestion and relieve stomach and chest pains derived from eating.
Dosage: 1/10 pint taken orally, or 2 oz. of sap, or 4 oz. of seeds.
Notes:
Commonly proscribed throughout Hârn and Lythia, as a curative for stomach aches and pains. Grown in Azeriani, and Tierezone along the edge of a semiarid regions. It is considered "uncommon"on Hârn and priced accordingly.
#27 Royal Herb (Ocimum Basilicum) [poison]
Native to Homora, it grows in many kitchen gardens throughout the known world. A low growing annual, the plant remains beneath 1' in height. It produces wide green leaves that shoot off a central stock throughout the growing season. As the leaves are picked, the stock sprouts more.
Preparation & Dosage
Leaves are picked when they are about half the size of a hand. Larger leaves should be discarded. The leaves are ground into a paste and boiled before being added to soaps or perfumes. The paste can be stored in a wax-sealed pot for up to two years if kept in a dark place.
Effects
The larger leaves have a very bitter taste, and most animals that eat them tend to become minorly ill. The small leaves are edible and have a sharp flavor that adds to most meals. The paste is mildly toxic, and can be distilled to produce a liqueur unlike any other.
The fragrance is commonly used in soaps and perfumes. Eating large amounts (10-20) large leaves will lead to a high fever in which the victim becomes insane within 24 hours. Peonians believe that if a leaf of basil is buried with them, it will serve as an additional protection until their spirit reaches heaven.
Notes
Considered Uncommon on Hârn, it is common in most kitchens throughout Lythia. Peonian settlements on Lythia cultivate the herb for use in religious rituals.
#28 Evergreen Mint (Laurus Nobilis) [protection]
Harvested from the evergreen laurel tree, that s native to the lands around the Venarian basin. They have a woody, astringent flavor with a pleasant, slightly minty aroma. Evergreen Mint is imported primarily from Karejia.
The plant is robust, growing up to 4' in height and spreading into a bush that grows year round in the Venarian climate. In colder climates the plant is rapped in blankets and covered in leaves to protect it from winter's chill.
Preparation & Dosage
The leaves are picked as they reach hand sized. Rings are sometimes made from bending new branches into circlets for competition winners to wear. The leaves can be sun dried and stored whole, or powdered.
Effects
A house with an Evergreen Mint plant near its door or window is said to be protected from lightning for so long as the plant remains healthy. Young women wash their hair with soap scented with Evergreen Mint to help protect them from evil. The plant is often dried and powdered into an incense that is burned when a woman gives birth - to protect the newborn from witchcraft or evil.
Dosage: 1/2 lb = 1 oz. incense.
Notes
Uncommon on Hârn, most noble households have already imported the plant. The incense is becoming more and more popular with midwives and in Peonian temples.
#29 Sweet Bite (Carum Carvi) [sugar]
Sweet bite has a sharp, pleasant, slightly bitter flavor with a sweet undertone. The plant grows 5-6' tall, with wispy leaves growing fern-like off a central stalk. Three months into its life cycle its pale yellow flowers turn into seed balls holding an average of 10 tiny seeds each. Each plant generates 50 seed pods on average. The plant grows almost anywhere so long as there is a yearly water source in the vicinity.
Preparation & Dosage
The seeds are picked within a week of their forming on the plant. They are threshed and dried in the sun. The seeds may be stored dry for up to 2 years before beginning to loose their flavor. The seeds may also be squeezed to produce a dark oil that is popular for cooking.
Dosage = 1/2 lb seeds = 1 oz. of oil
Effects
The seeds are used as a sweetener by most cooks in breads and other baked goods. If fried in a little oil and added to soup or stews, it will remove any "burnt" flavor from the pot. The oil is sweet, and sometimes mixed with other medicines to make it more palatable for children. The oil may also be used as a sugar substitute as necessary.
Notes
Sweet Bite is uncommon on Hârn, and common throughout Lythia.
#30 Groom's Aide (Elettaria Cardamomum) [breath freshener/poison]
The plant has a fruit like, floral flavor with some green and woody notes and a menthol undertone. The flavor is similar to ginger. Two months into its life cycle the pale white flowers turn into cream colored pods which each hold 5-10 seeds. It grows in the far east, along the coast as a green hedge in the wild. The cultivated plant is a annual plant.
Preparation & Dosage
The seeds are picked within a week of their forming on the plant. They are threshed and dried in the sun. The plant may be picked whole (without the seeds) and mashed into a poisonous paste that is then boiled down to a thick syrup.
Dosage = 1/2 lb seeds = 1 oz. of paste
Antidote: large quantities of milk. If an emetic is applied, the victim will
suffer great burns along the inside of their throat.
Effects
The powdered seeds are a common flavoring. If the seeds, or the powder are consumed, ones breath is said to become sparkling fresh and clean. Grooms's Aide will even remove the scent of garlic from a man's breath. The syrup is a contact poison that leaves a fruity/floral flavor on its victims breath. Traditionally it is carefully painted on taburi and arrow heads of assassins. The poison works within 2 hours, causing an E5 shock roll. If ingested, the antidote may work. If the poison enters the body any other way than through the mouth magical or miraculous cures are the victim's only hope.
Notes
The Groom's Aid is very rare on Hârn, and uncommon in Lythia.
#31 Lover's Lick (Apiumgraveolens) [aphrodisiac]
The seeds are harvested off a bush like plant that grows in temperate regions year round. The seeds are oval in shape and light brown in color. They are so tiny that it takes 750,000 to make a pound. It has an aromatic and slightly bitter flavor.
Preparation & Dosage
The seed pods are picked off the plant just before they fall off, picking earlier is said to produce a weaker effect. The tiny seeds are crushed and either pressed into intense or mixed with fine sea salt.
Dosage = 1 oz. seeds = 1 oz. intense
Effects
The intense is a strong aphrodisiac that effects all who smell it. The aphrodisiac does not make the inhalers fall madly in love, rather they suddenly require companionship. The intense does not make anyone more beautiful, or more desirable, it only increases the need. As a salt it is commonly used in soups and stews to remove overly sweet tastes. Breads or other baked goods may be sprinkled with the seeds just before they are finished baking as a topping to add texture and taste.
The Lovers Lick is rare on Hârn, and uncommon in Lythia.
#32 Zeylancium (Cinnamomum Zeylancium burmannii) [flavoring/medicinal]
The spice grows on a tree that can take up to 20 to 30 years to mature. The plant grows upwards of 10' tall with thin branches reaching upward as much as outward. Its long leaves are oblong in shape.
Preparation & Dosage
In the summer the trees bark begins to shed. Large strips are carefully pulled free from the tree. These strips are laid out on a bed of leaves to dry it the sun for up to three weeks. As the bark begins to dry, it will curl and turn a dark brown. The bark is cut into squares the size of a full-grown man's hand, so that the curls will remain small and dry evenly. Curls that break, or pieces from younger trees that will not curl are powdered. Often the dried bark is first packed in green leaves from the tree.
Dosage = 1/8th oz. = 1 dose
Effects
This is a very popular flavoring for baking and for drinks. If mixed with water a black-brown makeup can be made. Women who wear it around their eyes claim it improves their eye sight. When worn on the lips it is said to heat the lips to an approved temperature.
Notes
None other than the spice merchants know exactly where this marvelous flavoring exists. It is rare throughout Hârn and Lythia. Luckily a little goes a long way.
#33 Tongue Spice (Syzgium Aromaticum) [pain killer]
These are the dried, unopened nail-shaped flavor buds of an evergreen tree. The trees take 6-8 years to mature, and grow only in the far east. Tongue Spice is propagated by seed. The seeds must be soaked for 2 days in sweetened water for them to sprout.
Preparation & Dosage
Tongue spice seeds are picked and sun dried throughout the summer. The seeds may be eaten whole, or powdered. If powdered it halves their storage life.
Effects
A popular flavoring for ham, pork, pickled fruit, unions, gravy and syrup. Ground, they are commonly added to most dishes. The dried seed, if placed in the mouth and sucked, removes the effects of inebriation from alcohol over a period of 1/5 th of an hour. The person sucking the clove will be come incredibly thirsty. Eating whole cloves is said to strengthen the mind and the visceral. Chewing on tongue spice will make one's mouth go numb, killing any pain within. An oil made from crushed tongue spice provides the same effect. It is a popular curative for toothaches and baby's teething
Notes
While very popular, it is very rare on both Hârn and Lythia. Rumor has it that the wealthy of Melderyn serve stickling pig embedded with Tongue Spice.
#34 Manna Spice (Coriandrum Sativum) [love potion]
A small pale green plant, it grows up to 3' in height. It has a small white flower. The center of the flower forms a fruit that turns a pale red when ripe. The fruit dries into 8-10 seeds. It is an annual plant that is seeded by birds in Arzelora.
Preparation & Dosage
The leaves can be used fresh, or dried in the sun and crushes. The fruit is poisonous if eaten raw. If cooked it creates a deep red paste.
Dosage = 1oz leaves = 1 oz powder
1 oz fruit = 1/4 oz paste
1 fruit = 8-10 seeds
Effects
The leaves, fresh or powdered are a common seasoning, adding a sweet, slightly lemonish taste to the dish. The seeds are pan fried and added to baked goods, or ground and used as a flavoring. The paste is used as a dye. If the fresh fruit is eaten in abundance, the victim will require an emetic, or sicken and die within 10 days. Smaller amounts lead to stomach pains and mild fevers. The paste is harmless and tasteless.
Notes
The dye is the most common use of this herb. Its seeds are a local flavoring considered "exotic" on Lythia. It is very rare in Lythia, and almost impossible to find on Hârn.
#35 Wandering Spice (Cuminum Cyminum)
The herb grows several thin, green branches that end in a cluster of tiny green leaves. The plant flowers a month into the growing season, and by the fourth month, the flower has folded into 4-6 white seeds each hanging from a delicate green branch, beneath the foliage.
Preparation & Dosage
The seeds are hand picked and allowed to dry for up to 2 weeks in the sun. The seeds can be then stored whole, or ground.
Effects
Many physicians proscribe the wandering spice for headaches, and mild fevers or discomfiture. The seeds are often mixed with Tongue Spice or Manna spice in equal proportion to create a powder. The powder is mixed with 2 parts water, and taken twice daily. Some physicians add brandy or rum instead of water to the mixture.
Dosage = 1 seed = 1 oz
Notes
Wandering spice is rare on Lythia, and very rare on Hârn. Legend says that Wandering spice keeps both lovers and chickens from wandering.
#36 Lulling Herb (Anethum Graveolens) [calmative]
An annual plant it looks similar to Wandering Spice, but its leaves appear more hair like. It is native to Lythia, and grows in among the foliage in the shade of large trees. It is an annual plant that blooms in the first month of the growing season, and produces seeds between the third and the fourth month. Its seeds are a light brown in color.
Preparation & Dosage
The whole seeds are dried. The leaves can be chopped and used fresh. A tincture can be made from soaking the leaves in vinegar. The flavored vinegar is mixed in equal proportion with oil for a popular salad dressing.
Dosage = 1 lb chopped leaves + 1 liter vinegar = 1 1/2 liter
tincture (straining is optional)
2-3oz seeds = 1 dose
Effects
The seeds are often crushed and mixed with honey. When fed to a child (roughly 2-3oz of seeds) the mixture has a calming effect on the child's stomach. The leaves are popular in salads, or creating a salad dressing. It is also a common herb to use in pickling. A handful of seeds thrown into a new hearth is said to protect the house, and its members, from witchcraft for a year. Children often have rattles made with the seeds as a protection from witchcraft.
Notes
Common in Lythia, it is uncommon in Hârn. While native to central Lythia, it now grows throughout the continent in kitchen gardens.
#37 Meeting Seed (Foeniculum Vulgare) [breath freshener]
Meeting seed is the dried fruit of a perennial in the same family as the lulling herb. This plant has finely divided, feathery green foliage and golden yellow flowers. It grows in dry areas and its seeds can only be sown after a spring's monsoon.
Preparation & Dosage
Seeds are ready for harvest when they harden and turn a greenish gray. The plants are then cut by hand and dried. The seed has a warm, sweet, agreeable flavor and odor similar to licorice and anise seed.
Dosage = 1 seed
Effects
The seeds, if chewed raw, give the breath a slightly lemon flavor. It has several purifying qualities. If eaten regularly, it is suppose to provide vigor to the body. It is said to also increase the eyesight and hearing of the young and old. If ground and mixed with milk the seeds can cure toothaches and colic.
Note
In its native lands, Meeting seeds are often used as a welcomed form of barter. It is very rare on Hârn.
#38 Horn Spice (Zingiber Officinale) [curative]
A pungent, lemony, warm and sweet herb. It requires a consistently warm and moist climate with ample sunshine and heavy rainfall.
Preparation & Dosage
The plant is propagated by dividing and planting the root-like structures of the central plant. After about a full year of growth, the plant is dug up, washed, boiled and laid in the sun to dry for about eight days.
Dosage = 1/8th oz
Effects
Cooking with Horn spice is said to cure many women's aliments. A few Lythian towns have begun powdering the spice and sprinkling it atop ale or beer and the drink is stired with a hot poker. To date Horn Ale has not spread far from Eastern Lythia.
Horn spice is said to be the cure for most mysterious ailments. The spice can be powdered, or eaten "fresh" from the field.
Note
The popularity of this herb has made it uncommon in Lythia, and rare in Hârn. Luckily a little of this spice seems to go a long way.
#39 Cough Bane (Origanum Majorana) [stimulant]
A low, bushy perennial, it grows 12-18 inches high. It has a distinctly aromatic green and pleasant woody flavor, with a slightly bitter undertone. It grows best in Dalkesh, and the coastal edge of Beshakan.
Preparation & Dosage
Fresh leaves are cut and dried by hanging them in bunches in the autumn winds.
Dosage = 2 oz dried = 1 oz fresh
Effects
A popular curative, it is a mild stimulant and a cure for coughs, and rheumatism. A dose an hour mixed with hot water allows a healthy man to remain awake and alert for that hour. At the end of the hour, his fatigue is doubled. Dosages may be repeated until, at the end of the hour, the patient collapses into a deep sleep for up to 24 hours.
Notes
The herb is uncommon in most of Lythia, and rare on Hârn.
#40 Mint (Mentha Spiata) [perfume]
A low-growing bush, it is found throughout Lythia, wherever there is equal shade, sun and water. The plant's leaves are picked when they are shiny green.
Preparation & Dosage
The leaves are washed and either stored fresh, or left to dry tied together in bundles and hung upside down in the wind.
Dosage = 1 leaf = 1 oz powder
Effects
This herb is highly aromatic. Courtesans chew it to clear their breath, and some nobles have their courtyard sprinkled with this herb so that each step produces an aromatic effect.
It is used most commonly in perfumes, and bath scents.
Note
A popular, and common plant, throughout all of Hârn and most of Lythia. Eastern cultures place fresh mint in their doorways to welcome visitors with a pleasant scent.
#41 Yellow Bane (Brassica Hirta) [purgitive]
This seed has a clean and fresh aroma and a pungent, biting flavor. It can be grown in most temperate climates. The seed can be used as the whole spice or in ground form. It is planted in early spring and is an annual that grows about 24 inches high, producing bright yellow flowers with four petals. The seed pods are rough and hairy, containing the small yellowish seeds that are about 1/12 of an inch in diamerter.
Preparation & Dosage
The seed is picked and removed from its pod. The seeds can be used whole or ground. The sees are saturated with grape juice or "must". A clean cloth is dipped into a plaster of the powdered seed and very little water.
Dosage = 10 seeds = 1 oz
Effect
The cloths, if placed immediately on an ache or pain, tend to draw the ache out of the body. These plasters will induce the sweats to break fevers, and ease breathing.
Note
This seed has no aroma when dry. It must be moistened for about 10 minutes to produce its sharp, hot, tangy flavor. It is very popular throughout Lythia as a condiment. It is rare in Hârn.
#42 Mountain Joy (Origanum) [flavoring]
A low growing bush, the Mountain Joy lives in the lowlands and plains beneath the mountains of Gothmir.
Preparation & Dosage
Its leaves are gathered, and dried or stored fresh.
Dosage = 2 leaves = 1 oz
Effects
The leaves are used as a flavoring for food, and wines alike. It is not as sweet as cough bane, and more bitter and pungent.
Notes
The herb is common in Southern Lythia, and rare on Hârn. Those that try it, tend to take plants with them.
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July 16, 2001
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