Ginseng
Throughout The Gates and perhaps the rest of the Spirit World, there are many species of Ginseng to be discovered and utilized.
Croak gave DAN Wildcloak a few different types of Ginseng to experiment with, though they have yet to be fully analyzed or tested to see which satisfy Nicholas's Ginseng-lust.
Each root provided by Croak greatly resembled most any other ginseng you'd expect to see on the material plane. That is to say, they had the appearance of person-shaped roots and were roughly the same size of about 3-4 inches long. According to Croak, this is just a small sample of what The Gates has to offer in terms of the medicinal root, and that there are a great deal of other varieties out there to be discovered, harvested or...hunted.
Long-bearded Ginseng - Has an even more humanoid appearance than your average ginseng root, and from the "head" portion grows a long beard made of string-like roots. Cutting or grating the root for the usual ginseng preparation process yields regular looking insides, and the scent is reminiscent of mushrooms and other "earthy" flavors. It borders between bitter and umami, might pair well with certain tart fruits, florals, and the like. This ginseng, especially when combined with sage, seems to calm the mind and keep whoever drinks it well grounded. It almost feels as though one could have better mental fortitude against certain creatures, spells or other threats. Mental stability.
Stringy Sweet Ginseng - A rather unusual ginseng root, it hardly resembles ginseng at all though it does vaguely have a humanoid shape. However, rather than a more solid root as you'd come to expect, it is made up of hundreds of strings that have grown together, several of which are breaking free and sticking out into the air. It has a shockingly sweet smell with a hint of some berry or perhaps a grape just at the edge of the olfactory moment that was experienced. Whether or not that sweet smell persists into the prepared form of the ginseng as flavor is unknown until further tests are performed. The medicinal properties of this ginseng are also unknown. This ginseng is currently fermenting with some wet tea leaves and a spice reed, perhaps something amazing will come of this along with whatever ingredients might get added to the brew in the end. It'll take several weeks though before anything could be tried, and if DAN really wants it to evolve then they may need to wait several months after it has dried.
Citrus Heart Ginseng - Similar to the White Star Ginseng, this root is rather unremarkable at first glance as it has a perfectly ordinary ginseng appearance. However, when cut into it immediately releases a very pleasant, citrussy and floral scent similar to a combination of both oranges and orange blossoms. The cross section of this root has an orange heart regardless of how it is cut into or shaved. It seems like it would pair well with any citrus or floral additions you might have when preparing a ginseng tea. This ginseng appears to provide warmth, lots and lots of warmth. Especially when prepared with spice reeds, the warmth of the beverage coupled with the possibly spiritual or otherwise magical warmth from the root could provide some bonuses while traveling through colder environments.
Bitter Striped Ginseng - Has stripes along the outside, not concentric circles, just one long line that spirals of the side of the ginseng. Cutting through the root reveals that the lines go all the way through. It has an earth, umami, peppery smell that feels like it would go well with mint or sage or something. Tasting it revealed that it has a tiny bit of sweetness to it, but it is mostly bitter. This one has yet to be consumed in a tea.
Provided by Croak on Nurend 04, 308
White Star Ginseng - Has a rather "ordinary ginseng" appearance externally. Very much just a simple-looking root, however, when cut into, the cross-section of the root has a white star surrounded by the off-yellow portions of the rest of the root. No matter how it is cut into or shaved it always shows this white star cross section. It did have a rather mild sweet scent with the slightest hint of a young, still budded, tea leaf (white tea). Would likely pair well with a nice berry and tea, or twigs of pine. This ginseng appears to provide a great deal of energy and focus when brewed with basil and fresh berries. The energy and focus provided could help someone through even the most lengthy and dull of tasks.Long-bearded Ginseng - Has an even more humanoid appearance than your average ginseng root, and from the "head" portion grows a long beard made of string-like roots. Cutting or grating the root for the usual ginseng preparation process yields regular looking insides, and the scent is reminiscent of mushrooms and other "earthy" flavors. It borders between bitter and umami, might pair well with certain tart fruits, florals, and the like. This ginseng, especially when combined with sage, seems to calm the mind and keep whoever drinks it well grounded. It almost feels as though one could have better mental fortitude against certain creatures, spells or other threats. Mental stability.
Stringy Sweet Ginseng - A rather unusual ginseng root, it hardly resembles ginseng at all though it does vaguely have a humanoid shape. However, rather than a more solid root as you'd come to expect, it is made up of hundreds of strings that have grown together, several of which are breaking free and sticking out into the air. It has a shockingly sweet smell with a hint of some berry or perhaps a grape just at the edge of the olfactory moment that was experienced. Whether or not that sweet smell persists into the prepared form of the ginseng as flavor is unknown until further tests are performed. The medicinal properties of this ginseng are also unknown. This ginseng is currently fermenting with some wet tea leaves and a spice reed, perhaps something amazing will come of this along with whatever ingredients might get added to the brew in the end. It'll take several weeks though before anything could be tried, and if DAN really wants it to evolve then they may need to wait several months after it has dried.
Citrus Heart Ginseng - Similar to the White Star Ginseng, this root is rather unremarkable at first glance as it has a perfectly ordinary ginseng appearance. However, when cut into it immediately releases a very pleasant, citrussy and floral scent similar to a combination of both oranges and orange blossoms. The cross section of this root has an orange heart regardless of how it is cut into or shaved. It seems like it would pair well with any citrus or floral additions you might have when preparing a ginseng tea. This ginseng appears to provide warmth, lots and lots of warmth. Especially when prepared with spice reeds, the warmth of the beverage coupled with the possibly spiritual or otherwise magical warmth from the root could provide some bonuses while traveling through colder environments.
Bitter Striped Ginseng - Has stripes along the outside, not concentric circles, just one long line that spirals of the side of the ginseng. Cutting through the root reveals that the lines go all the way through. It has an earth, umami, peppery smell that feels like it would go well with mint or sage or something. Tasting it revealed that it has a tiny bit of sweetness to it, but it is mostly bitter. This one has yet to be consumed in a tea.
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