Somniatoria

"Lord Moibus hear my words, and let me speak of the world that is today. Lady Myin hear my words, and let me speak of the people that are today. Hear and understand, for the actions that we undertake are a product of our surroundings. Take my words to your leader, Diyoth, speak well of the world and its people, and help him make judgement the right way..."

Somniatoria is a type of fungi found all over the Inner Sea area, where it grows in dark, damp places like inside rotten trees, caves full of rotting detritus, and carefully cultivated fields. It is only mildly edible, and unless prepared carefully, to remove all traces of the gills, it can cause stomach upsets, diarrhoea and vomiting. If the gills are removed, it can be eaten, but its main purpose is to be dried and mixed with a combination of herbs, to be used in Imperial funeral rites by priests of the Lords of Order.

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Properties

Material Characteristics

The stalks of somniatoria are between 5 and 10 centimetres long, with a cap of about 10 centimetres across and 5 centimetres high. The cap, which appears white in daylight, but glows green in the dark, is covered in spots that appear pale in the daylight, but are a lighter green in the dark, and it covers thin, wafer-like gills of the same colour as the spots.

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History & Usage

Cultural Significance and Usage

Only the very poorest and the most desperate use somniatoria for eating; the risk of not being able to remove all the gills and it causing severe intestinal discomfort is too great. Instead, it is almost exclusively used in funeral rituals, carefully cultivated and prepared. When properly dried and mixed with a special selection of herbs and spices, somniatoria is a powerful hallucinogen. 
Priests of the Lords of Order, during funeral rites, consume the mixture in small quantities after the reading of the Memoria Mortuorum. The resultant visions supposedly allow the priest to commune with the twins, Moibus and Myin, who help Diyoth determine the final destination of souls. The priests 'talk' to the twin gods, informing them of the state of the world whilst the deceased was living, hoping that the provided context will help Diyoth in his decsions.
The visions can last several hours, and eventually wear off, and continued use of the mixture can become addictive, and cause long-term ailments in the user. As such, priests are careful to spread use of between themselves, lessening the impact.

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Appearance in daylight and appearance in the dark

Type

Organic

Odor

Sharp, pungent (raw)
Peppery (prepared)

Taste

Earthy, savoury (when prepared)

Color

Pale white, with a green glow in darkness