Description:
The Rooting Chalice Lichen is a rare, ground-dwelling lichen found in deep forest hollows and ancient groves saturated with moisture and shadow. It forms elegant, cup-like structures that rise slightly above the mossy floor, like tiny chalices carved from stone and glass. Each “cup” drips with condensation, and its rim pulses faintly with color in the presence of decay, giving it an eerie, reverent presence—like an offering dish left out for the forest.
Stems & Growth:
- Technically stemless, but forms a low, goblet-like cup from coiled, fibrous lichen matter
- Anchors deeply into the soil or decaying wood with thin, hair-like rhizoids
- Often grows in rings or loose clusters, forming natural circles in shaded clearings
- Outer edges may darken or emit faint light during twilight or damp weather
Leaves (Structures):
- The “chalice” is formed by fused lichen lobes that mimic the shape of a shallow cup
- Interior is smooth, damp, and often glows faintly green or violet when disturbed
- Outer surface is textured like bark or bone, often slick with condensation
Spores:
- Line the inner cup in a faint, dust-like layer
- Released when the cup is filled with rainwater and overflow begins
- Spores are said to react to rot and decay, thriving in places rich with old death or transformation
Folklore:
"It is whispered that Rooting Chalice Lichen only grows where something has been willingly buried—an offering, a promise, or a secret. Forest shamans use its glowing cups in rituals of remembrance, dream-sending, and decay magic. Some say if you drink rainwater from its cup, you’ll dream of whatever was lost beneath it. Others claim the lichen listens—and that some cups never dry."
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