Sacred 2:Book 2 - Ancaria's Herbs

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From Herbs
Book 2

Ancaria's Herbs - Their Effects, Use and Special Features

• Thread Rush - grows in high grass and on the edge of fields. Cooked and thickened you get a sticky spread that can be applied to aching eyes or any kind of bruise, where it should remain for up to one day. It can also lessen the after-effects of too much alcohol when applied to the temples and forehead It's a staple supply for any healer that lives near a tavern or barracks.

• Purple Coneflower - can be found on dry and sunny plains, but never in the shadows. If you chew it, it can dispel bad breath so can be used to counter the effect of hermit leaves. As a spread it can protect the skin from the sun, and in it's liquid form has a calming effect on the stomach and digestion. If the dosage of the liquid is too high, it can occasionally lead to a blue discoloration of the skin. There's no known antidote against this state.

• Shadow Moss - grows in damp and shadowy places, mostly in caves and swamps. You can cut it out of the ground and immediately apply it to contusions, sprains and broken bones without any preparation. Bandages with shadow moss should be changed on a daily basis. It's not advisable to eat it, even if you cook it, because it can lead to delusion, fever and death.

• Hermit Leaves - can be found in almost every deciduous forest of Ancaria, where they grow between bushes and under old leaves. Hermit leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, and they ease the pain of all kinds of sores. Applied on the skin they reduce pain in neck and ears, but afterwards the skin smells awful for several days. Eating it leads to bad breath, but this can be countered with purple coneflower. It makes a nice seasoning for all kinds of hearty meals, but eating hermit leaves with large amounts of alcohol can lead to flatulence and diarrhea.

• Mandragorum Officinarum - is also called the "herb of lovers" and grows in rocky and sandy areas. This is one of the herbs every man and woman in Ancaria knows. The flowers have no scent, but when mashed and mixed with food will cause the person who eats it to fall in love with the first person they see. The responsible herbalist will make it clear to all interested buyers that the feeling cannot be removed by eating the herb again, so extensive planning should be used when considering serving it in food. The Mandragorum Officinarum stems can enhance potency, and it's possible to remove unwanted body hair by using a spread made with this herb.

• All-Herb - grows in stagnant water and swamps. Cooked with water and consumed hot it can help with colds and internal organ problems, especially the lungs and liver, and the same liquid is good for polishing tarnished silver. All-herb can induce a deep slumber with pleasant dreams, warts will disappear when it is applied to them, it can reduce pain in the head and teeth and speed up the healing of wounds when the bandages are soaked in the liquid. You can also use it to sweeten food, but you should never use it uncooked because when consumed raw it can cause hair loss, cardiac arrest and even death.

• Fire Lance - this is the rarest plant in Ancaria, because it only grows in the craters of active volcanoes. It should be harvested with extreme caution because the stems contain a potent acid, one that can corrode skin, leather and even metal. The recommended harvesting method is to dig them out with their roots, and cook them in a huge tank of water before trying to transport them. This impressive long and red plant was used only as an exotic spice at the tables of Princes and Kings for a long time, then it was discovered that its roots can heal dream fever and the dreaded yellow blazes.

• Celandine - an unimposing plant, it grows near brooks and other running waters as long as the temperature doesn't get too warm. A Celandine draught is good for your digestion, but the effect kicks in after a few minutes so the timing and place it's taken should be considered well.

• Speckle-Moss - grows on the trunks of old broad-leaved trees, but only on their northern side. When applied to the skin or scalp it can reduce dandruff, dry skin, skin irritation, rash and athlete's foot. After eating it you have the temporary belief that you're a llama. Nobody knows why this happens.

• Desert-Herb - a rare plant that can only be found in the places where ocean and desert meet. Chewing the fresh or cooked leaves triggers a state of euphoric happiness that can last for several hours, but being prepared as a tea clearly reduces the effect so you'll only feel a pleasant contentedness. Desert-herbs help the patient cope with the grief of losing a loved one or similar situations. It should not be eaten for long periods of time, as prolonged use can lead to paralysis of the legs and stultification.

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