Cinderbloom

"We are taught that dragonfire destroys all, and we have seen this. Yet even in the places where dragons have wrought their destruction, even in lands they yet stalk, we see desolation and barrenness cannot prevail forever. After fire, there is growth, and amid the ashes, hope may be renewed."
~ Awst Heledh, grove warden

Among the many scars left by the dragon madness, few evoke more feeling or inspire more poignant lament than the Cinderwood. Song and legends tell of the wondrous glades of Cedig Brechna, especially among elves, for home it remained a cultural heartland even as they spread to other regions. The destruction wrought by the burning was terrible, but worst and most tragic is the betrayal that brought that devastation.

Yet as with all elvish songs, the laments for Cedig Brechna end with hope. For the elves sing that the falling sparks of the burning trees became the seeds of the first cinderbloom. The flower has become a symbol to all elves of the hope that perhaps one day the world will be bright again.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Cinderbloom grows exclusively among scorched landscape of the Cinderwood. Many scholors have theorized what combination of magical properties and native species created the plant, or whether seeds were brought to the ash-coated soil after the burning.
Cinderbloom is a short, hardy plant with woody stems that put out short sharp thorns. The buds form as gray-green pods that slowly turn black before opening. The dull black outer leaves fold back to reveal a flame-orange blossom with long upraised petals, orange along their length but black at their base, surrounding stamen of orange and black clustered together so that they resemble a live coal.

Additional Information

Domestication

Merchants in the Free Cities have tried to grow the plant outside of its normal environment to no avail.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Cinderbloom has been discovered to have several highly practical uses. The stems when made into a poultice have antiseptic qualities as a wound treatment, and many claim that chewing the petals functions as an antidote to many common toxins. The leaves have an acidic taste and have been adopted by many in the region as an herb in cooking.
As the plant grows wild and is prolific, the elves of the region to not begrudge harvesting some for both use and trade, but they do not permit any large scale harvesting operations, and are wary of folk wandering through the ashes of their homeland.

by Midjourney

Average Height

6 - 10 inches