Mertia's Guide to Medicinal Mycology

by Mertia Laasenfast

Found in the Royal Library of Malthier in Toldemer

In my many years as a village healer and later as a court physician to the lord of Sharonot, I have learned more about local mushrooms and fungi than I would have ever expected. In addition, I have come across a surprising amount of healers and medicine men who do not understand how to utilize the powerful properties of these mushrooms. Because of this, I have decided to write a brief guide to some of the more prominent fungi found in the area of Malthier and across many of the northern kingdoms. I have included both descriptions and sketches in order to aid herbalists and hobbyists and whomever else as best I can. Without further ado, I shall begin:

Blue Horn

As the name suggests, Blue Horn grows in the shape of a blue bardic horn instrument. It prefers damp, dim areas that are never in direct sun, but not entirely devoid of light. It is mostly found in marshy areas under outcroppings of rock or thick brush. It can easily be grown in an herbalist's laboratory as long as its conditions (water and high shade) are met, and is often grown in countryside kitchens for culinary use. As for healing properties, Blue Horn is most commonly boiled fresh for about fifteen minutes and then used as a sort of tea to treat nausea.

Kalesar's Hat

Kalesar's Hat is found in caves underground where no sunlight reaches. It is named such because of its slightly pointed shape that resembles the mitre worn by priests in the Order of Kalesar. As one might creatively guess, it is often farmed by dwarves and used for various things. It can be grown in common household cellars as well, but remember that it prefers moderately dry environments. With regards to medicine, Kalesar's Hat has a few interesting properties. Most useful for doctors: it can be dried and ground into a powder, then mixed with half as much wheat flour and water to make a paste. This paste can be applied to burns and wounds to soothe the pain and accelerate the healing process. Due to its long preparation time, it is best to always have prepared powder on hand.

Princess Truffle

This is the rarest of the fungi I will mention, but is very worth knowing about if a healer can get his hands on it. The Princess Truffle grows in dry areas with partial sunlight, generally preferring much warmer weather than Malthier offers. Because of this, it is more practical to obtain this from merchants and traders than to actually forage for it. That said, it is not entirely unheard of in our kingdom, so it is best to keep one's eyes open. Although the Princess Truffle is widely regarded as a culinary delicacy, particularly by the nobility of Falorum, it has a few less-known but important uses for medicine. First, it can be cooked and consumed as a cough suppressant and a painkiller. Only a very small amount needs to be used for this. Secondarily, the Princess Truffle can be consumed raw to counteract many common venoms in Malthier from spiders and snakes. Finally, it has been suggested by some healers that if it is ground into a powder and combined with fragrant herbs of one's choice, it can be burned as an incense to promote clear headedness, endurance, and overall well-being.

Rabcap

A-ha! I bet there are many experienced herbalists reading this who didn't expect to see this here! For those not in the know, I will explain why. Rabcap is actually poisonous when not prepared properly, and has a rather sinister reputation as one of the most important ingredients in Bisius Sidius, an infamous and deadly toxin that Bellicatian assassins use both on their weapons and as an additive to food or drink. But enough talk of death! Rabcap can be found in similar climes to Blue Horn, except that Rabcap likes more light than Blue Horn and can tolerate drier soil. It is easily identifiable by its dark brownish-red cap center and white fringe. It is most common in the wild in late summer, and very hard to find in winter and early spring. Although it is known as very poisonous, the stalks of the mushroom, if carefully separated from the cap and soaked in brine for at least two hours, can then be dried (by fire, if necessary) and stored for use as an antidote to the very poison derived from Rabcap. In addition to that, many wizards claim that the prepared stalks are also effective at temporarily increasing the body's magical flow. I am no practitioner of higher magics, so I am unable to confirm this claim myself.

Wetwisp

Like Blue Horn and Rabcap, Wetwisp can be found in moist soil, usually in marshy areas, but prefers more sunlight than either of the previously mentioned mushrooms. It is easy to identify with its medium brown spongy top and tall, white stalks. Many know Wetwisp for its immune system fortification properties. When cooked and consumed, it is said to increase vigor and accelerate the healing process for many maladies. For those very reasons, and the fact that it is so easy to find, it is good to have on hand.

( Note: sketches to come later )