Garmint

Its fibers are similar in strength and texture to regular hemp. However, their color is a deep green and they are naturally infused with the aroma of a rare mint species that grows in shadowy environments, known as cavemint. The fabric feels softer on the skin and maintains a cooler temperature than its surroundings.

Tests against known pathogens have revealed its disease-preventing qualities. Remarkably, the scent does not fade when washed and often outlasts the garment’s structural integrity.

Dwarves have used odor-masking techniques since ancient times to make life more bearable in the hot, humid conditions of mines, forges, and underground fields.

After generations of experimentation, true innovation came when dwarven expertise met gnomish ingenuity. Through a combination of science and magic, the two races created a hybrid plant combining the properties of cavemint and field hemp. This plant can now be cultivated at scale to supply local manufactures.

The name garmint is said to stem from a Proto-Dwarven root, gar (“cloth”), and mint to reflect its fragrant nature. Most suspect, however, that this is clever gnomish wordplay — which wouldn’t be out of character for the species.

The scent is associated with cleanliness, comfort, and class. Garments made with garmint are significantly more expensive than regular cloth and are primarily worn by the middle and upper classes.

Variants of higher quality may feature stronger scents, extended durability, or cooling properties that remain effective even under the hottest Harvest sun.

Dwarves are particularly fond of garmint, claiming it even wards off subterranean monsters. For the uninitiated, encountering someone wearing garmint is an almost spiritual experience — many compare it to being in the presence of Anara herself.

This material is mostly used in the garment industry, but there are other applications it is being considered for. One emerging application includes food containers that take advantage of its natural insect-repelling properties.

The fibers are extracted from the mint-hemp plant in a process similar to that of traditional hemp, though extra care is taken to preserve the aromatic oils within.

Garmint fibers are spun into linen-style fabric, suitable for a wide range of applications — most notably undergarments, tunics, nightgowns, and ceremonial robes. Travelers and adventurers are among the most enthusiastic clients of this growing industry.

Some people claim that garmint hemp irritates their skin, others complain that its pervasive scent dominates the air in upper-class districts, deeming it tacky.

Fears have been expressed that widespread cultivation of this hybrid might impact other crops providing sustenance for the population. Some devout worshipers of Anara consider this amount of experimentation on nature to be a defilement of the Verdurous Mother's natural order..

The wealthiest individuals often fill their wardrobes with garmint shirts, trousers, and undergarments. Higher-ranking officers in the army and navy receive ceremonial garmint uniforms, often supplied at no cost, as a mark of prestige by the manufacturers.

Garmint clothing can be found in the upper-class markets of Fiorlas and Skarm, but are rare elsewhere.

Dorian manufacturers take great pride in dressing foreign nobility, and demand for exports is steadily increasing.