Mountain Dreambloom

Don't pick the -glowing flowers, children. They're not for human hands.

— Grandmother Bridget to her grandchildren

Not every community has access to clerics, alchemists or druids. Healers are in short supply across the world, forcing these smaller towns and villages to rely on natural plantlife to recover from illness. The mountain dreambloom is one of many such plants used in these small-town remedies.
The exact nature of a dreambloom's magic isn't known. They glow very faintly at night, leading scholars to assume there must be something magical about them, but they do not seem to emit traces of currently-known magical aura. What is known, however, is that the dreamblooms are responsible for creating potent healing potions and mind-affecting drugs, leading to their use in hospitals dealing with mental issues or a shortage of magical healing.
They have existed for millennia if the fey are to be believed, and are often confused with types of mountainous heather by those not trained to look properly. Some myths have risen up around the blooms, claiming that they contain the souls of baby fey or magic of the First World, and should only be touched in dire situations. There is no evidence to these theories, however.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Flowering shrubs that range from 20 - 50cm tall. Leaves are small and needle-like, and the bushes are evergreen. The flowers jut upwards and tend to be bright shades of pink, purple, or white.

Growth Rate & Stages

Dreamblooms are quick to grow but quick to fade; they are usually planted in autumn, and flower in winter under the cover of snow. Though some last until spring, this is extremely rare.

Ecology and Habitats

The shrub prefers mountainous climates and can usually be found in coniferous forests or upon stony slopes, often obscured by its mundane variant (Erica carnea). Some seek to cultivate it at their homes for its powerful medical properties and beautiful blossoms.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Prized for its uses in medical potions and in hallucinogenic drugs. Crushing the flower or infusing it into a potion releases some of the unusual magic trapped within its leaves, allowing the potion to take on extreme magical effects. It makes an extremely effective painkiller and can be used to intensify the potency of traditional healing potions, though will then be more mentally taxing on the drinker. It can also be made into a very effective sleeping potion when combined with other magical ingredients, and always provides vivid dreams.
In other forms of food or drink, it can grant strong hallucinations and a feeling of sleepiness. It has been used to create many recreational drugs across the years for this purpose, though studies of the plant have come no further in understanding what makes these uses possible. Recently, it has been used to create Elven Ale in conjunction with a series of other powerful magical ingredients. Whilst the exact recipe is unknown, the effects of Elven Ale seem to circle around making hallucinations into reality - those few unlucky enough to become addicted are usually altered beyond their wildest inaginations in the process.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Found in forests, upon mountains, and generally spotted across tundra.

Scientific Name

Erica somnia

Origin/Ancestry

Offshoot of the Ericaceae family

Conservation Status

Wildflower, not protected

Average Height

10 - 30cm