Mandrakes

Borgalorean mandrakes are flowering plants found in the wild throughout much of Jælondis, known for their large, anthropoid roots and unique behaviour. The plant produces pheromones meant to attract most herbivores and cause them to browse on the leaves or try to dig up the mandrake, at which moment the makes a noise which can knock out or even kill any creature within a short radius.
Predators waiting a safe distance away or alerted by the sound then eat the carcass and in turn provide the mandrakes with nutrients that sift through the soil, and early lowland dwarves, elves, goblins and Humans sometimes took advantage of these plants by driving herds of deer and other animals into mandrake patches.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Traditionally, mandrakes are grown far away from settlements and other fields and protected by tall fences to

deter herbivores, and people need to either plug their ears or imbibe potions that cause temporary deafness prior to harvesting the plants.
Such mandrakes are grown primarily for the leaves -used as ingredients for a variety of potions-, but in recent centuries, new varieties have been cultivated that are both quieter and sport larger roots, which are prepared and eaten¹ in much the same way as potatoes, which are not found in Borgalor. The latter are particularly popular in the Southlands, where mandrakes were introduced by elven, goblin and human colonists in places less suited for growing cereals, and mandrake chips- and fries are now sold throughout Borgalor.

Mandrake chips by Lappalingur

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¹Unlike our world's mandrakes, borgalorean ones are not toxic.

Domesticated and wild mandrakes by Lappalingur

(Note: Not to scale)

Origin/Ancestry

Jælondis