Vailroot

A sacred and elusive plant known for its shifting scent and its role in the creation of Tears of the Deep.

Vailroot is a pale, slender root system found only within The Hollow Beneath, the forbidden subterranean ruins below Pluvia’s mountain roots. The plant is rarely seen in full—it grows in narrow clusters, its roots curled like bone-pale ribbons around stone and old magic. It is deeply entwined with the Hollow’s strange ecology and cannot grow anywhere else.

Its most notable trait is its contradictory scent. When dry or untouched, Vailroot emits a strong, unpleasant rotting odor—something between mildew and overripe fruit. Many believe this is a natural defense mechanism, discouraging humans and animals alike from harvesting it. However, when exposed to fresh rainfall, the scent undergoes a sudden transformation: it shifts to a gentle, floral aroma, like crushed violets and soft myrrh. It is only in this state—when it has been kissed by the rain—that Vailroot can be safely prepared for use.

It is the key ingredient in Tears of the Deep , the rare silvery tea capable of soothing deep grief, restoring broken memories, and awakening the soul into the Veiltouched condition. The brewing process requires not just the root itself, but its companion bloom, the delicate Hollowshade flower, which grows near Vailroot only in the presence of the twin guardians of the The Hollow Beneath.

The roots must be carefully harvested and prepared by trained herbalists who work just outside the veil, never fully entering the Hollow for fear of succumbing to The Hollowing —the affliction that warps the mind and unmoors the self in those who linger too long.

Legends say that Vailroot first sprouted where grief once pooled in the Hollow’s deepest chamber, absorbing centuries of sorrow and transforming it into something beautiful—but only when it rains.