Gelid's Chorus

I thought I was hallucinating. Mushrooms - growing in abundance in the dead of winter! Gelid was looking out for me that night, I tell you.

— An almost-unlucky traveller

The middle of winter is generally not the ideal time to hunt for mushrooms, but Gelid's chorus is one of the rare exceptions. Endemic to the forests on the slopes of the Teeth, these unassuming but tasty mushrooms have saved the life of many a stranded traveller.
They are named for Gelid, the Monarch of Ice, as it is believed the mushroom is a gift from him to the people of Kaien and Serukis to help those near the mountains survive through the bitter winter.

Anatomy

Cap

The cap of Gelid's chorus can grow up to 10cm in diameter, but can be as small as 2cm. It is convex in shape, though its generally circular edges may be warped by their proximity to other mushrooms in its cluster. Younger mushrooms start off white in colour, and darken to a soft caramel brown as they mature. It is not uncommon for the cap to gradiate in colour, darker at the tip and paler around the edges.

Gills

The gills of this mushroom are adnexed, meaning that that only a small part of the overall gill depth is attached to the stem. They are white to pale cream and closely spaced.

Stem

The stem is thin, but tough. It starts off white when the mushroom is young, but darkens with age.

by Archenzo

Also Known As

Winter's Saviour

Average Cap Diameter

10cm

Average Stem Height

12cm

Edible?

Yes

Flesh

The flesh of Gelid's chorus is quite firm, yet gently slippery when cooked. It has a mildly sweet smell that is stronger in older specimens, and a sweet, mealy flavour. Younger mushrooms are much sweeter and firmer, lacking the slipperiness of the mature fruit body.

by Bianca Fazacas

Habitat

Gelid's chorus grows on dead pine wood on the slopes of the Teeth, where the trees are regularly covered with snow and ice. Unlike many other mushrooms, it can survive being frozen solid - in fact, it relies on the thawing process as a signal to release its spores. This means it is often abundant when other food is scarce, making it a vital part of the mountain ecosystem.
Attempts to cultivate this Gelid's chorus elsewhere have been relatively unsuccessful. It was thought to be quite a hardy mushroom, due to its survival in frigid weather, but it turned out to be rather fussy. It will only grow on the dead wood of the Caian mountain pine. Any other wood - even other species of pine - and it either does not grow at all, or grows weedy and unappetising.