Tunamel Root

Tunamel Root is a bulbous, fleshy root with long, pointed tubers. It is a tan colour with a faintly bluish hue in the light, and when harvested smells like dry earth with a hint of the sea air.

Tunamel Root is found only in scattered regions of the Silver Wastes, and can be difficult to locate. It tends to grow in hard soils and rock formations, with large, deep root systems that can coil and twist around rocks and other obstacles. Tunamel plants have been found growing out of the bones of long-dead and partially buried large animals, particularly the skulls.

Tunamel has long been known as a delicacy amongst food items due to its unusual taste and expense. Being difficult to harvest because of the hostile environment within which it grows, Tunamel has always been an acquired taste, but also a sign of wealth and good health. This is mainly because the root is rich in nutrients and has provable health benefits; serving such a food material at a banquet is considered a great display of affluence.

It's use as an alchemical and herbological ingredient has a much shorter history, being discovered only within the last 500 years by a small research team sent to explore the island off the north-east coast of West Silvers. The team were looking specifically for alchemical and medicinal ingredients, and through a process of experimentation discovered that Tunamel Root could be turned into an oil. At the time, the properties of this oil were unknown, and as the team were returning from West Silvers to their native West Eirinn, their ship was attacked and their research stolen.

Despite having copies of the research and additional samples of the oil, the team decided not to publish their findings and to continue working in secret in the hope of finding who had stolen their material. The culprit was never found, and the properties of Tunamel Oil remain secret to this day.

Tunamel Root as a foot item was originally discovered 2000 years ago by an unnamed explorer who got separated from his group while travelling the Wastes in search of safety. While he did not find such safety and the group ultimately left the Wastes, they did find the Tunamel, after the explorer was forced to eat the root when his rations were finished.

Tunamel Root Oil was discovered 500 years ago, but the specifics of its discovery are kept secret as the research was stolen.

Tunamel Root has no use in everyday life due to its great expense. It is considered a luxury food item and its oil form is a closely guarded secret.

Considered a statement of wealth across A'arde, the Tunamel Root is almost exclusively used as a show of prestige by Aristocrats worldwide.

As an Oil, it is hardly ever used due to its secrecy.

While Tunamel Root can be eaten raw, it is considered more palatable if it has been roasted or grilled. The root can also be boiled and pounded to a paste to use in soup.

While the exact refinement process of Tunamel Root Oil is kept a closely guarded secret, it is known amongst small circles linked to the original exploration team that extremely high pressures are required for extended periods of time in order to create the oil.

Tunamel Root is predominantly used as a food, and has no known by- or side-products known to everyday life. However, amongst small circles, Tunamel Root Oil is an alchemical and herbological medicinal product that can be used as an anti-anemia medicine, as a powerful hallucinogenic, or as an ingredient in a potent hemotoxic poison.

As an anti-anemia medication, it can be ingested in its pure form and has few side effects save from some minor indigestion. However, it has a pungent smell and tastes terrible, so is recommended to be consumed with a spoon of honey.

The hallucinogenic effects of Tunamel Root Oil are potent enough to induce visions, which have proven to be 82% accurate when perceived by a trained visionary. This suggests that Tunamel may have links to one of the Fate Gods, or to a Spirit or Ancient of a similar portfolio. However, prolonged exposure to burning Tunamel Root Oil can cause episodes of mania that persist several tenday after exposure.

When used alongside Haemabloom to create a poison, it becomes known as Red Bloom and causes violent ruptures of the blood vessels inside the body, often resulting in bleeding from multiple, if not all, bodily orifices at once. However, it is a slow-acting poison, and can take several hours to take effect. If treated quickly, a full recovery can be made, but it is a slow, traumatic killer if left unchecked.

The use of Tunamel Root is not dangerous when used as a foodstuff.

Refining Tunamel Root Oil can be dangerous due to the high pressures required for extended periods of time. Improper application of the forces required can result in serious injury, or even death.

There are no known environmental impacts of the harvesting of Tunamel Root.

Tunamel Root is considered a luxury staple as it is incredibly expensive. It is collected and exported by a single company, The Tunamel Company, based out of The Marked Coast, which has been in existence for around 480 years.

Prior to the formation of the Tunamel Company, the collection of Tunamel Root was done sporadically by Nobles who coveted the prestige of the root. However, this resulted in large loss of life due to the hazardous nature of the Silver Wastes and entry into the continent for the purposes of Tunamel collection were strictly controlled.

After the formation of the Tunamel Company, a law was passed making it illegal to collect Tunamel Root without permit, which only the Tunamel Company has. This is predominantly to prevent further loss of life due to the nature of the Wastes, which are dangerous even for experienced adventurers in the area.