Dream Lotus

"As I stared at its dancing, glowing anthers, I leaned in for a whiff. I cannot say what the smell was, but I was struck instantly with thoughts of wealth and freedom."

— excerpt from a traveler's journal

Called malvildam by the elves, dream lotus is a rare and powerful plant that grows among the ruins of Maloria. It is said to possess the essence of mortal dreams, and many claim to hear the voice of Malorel himself when they imbibe it.

APPEARANCE

Like its namesake, dream lotus has wide blossoms and blooms on the surface of small, calm bodies of water. During the day, it is relatively unremarkable. While the sun it up, it closes its petals and appears as a muddy blue bud that lightens closer to the tips of the petals. After sunset, however, the bud opens to reveal vibrant indigo petals with a cluster of glowing white anthers at their center. Under the water, the stem is a dark, nearly-black green.

PROPERTIES & EFFECTS

Dream lotus is mostly known for its hallucinogenic properties. When inhaled, its pollen invokes blissful feelings in a person, bringing to mind thoughts related to dreams and happiness, such as money, fame, adventure, etc. These effects are less intense during the day, and grow more intense the closer it is to midnight. In locations where several blooms are clustered together, the pollen can be thick enough to induce dream-like visions that leave their "victims" in a fugue state. While not dangerous in and of itself, this state has resulted in unfortunate fatalities when lone travelers have made the mistake of breathing in the heavy pollen while immersed in the flowers' watery home.

USES

The most popular use of dream lotus is as aid for peaceful sleep. Dried dream lotus petals appear frequently in charms and formulas for poultices and potions. Such uses grant only minor effects, as much of the flower's more potent properties come from its pollen and nectar. These can be harvested as well, and are frequently bought by undermarket alchemists who use them to make an addictive potion laughingly called Divinity. This hallucinogenic substance fills its inbiber with incredible, but temporary, euphoria that quickly leave them begging for more. Too much, however, will cause one to enter Eversleep.

A lesser-known property of the dream lotus is its ability to induce dreamscaping. This property is found exclusively in the flower's anthers, and only by harvesting and storing them using a very specific method can it be utilized. Anthers successfully harvested in this way can be ground into a powder which, when mixed into suitable liquid and drunk, produces truesight visions in the form of dreams. These dreams are often open to interpretation, but undeniably reveal the truth in one way or another. Scryers and seers across Dalnaes will pay handsomely for such powder.

Geographic Distribution

• The Enchanted Wood