Ghost Peaches
A new type of fruit that has started appearing in the peach grove near the cemetery.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Ghost peach trees begin life indistinguishable from normal peach trees. They have smooth, long oval-shaped leaves and dark-colored bark. The distinction from normal peach trees begins when the tree produces flowers, which are a deep blue with lighter blue markings on the petals. The stamens at the center of the flowers rise up 1-3 centimeters from the base of the flower and are purple with yellow heads.
These flowers first become normal-looking peaches, though if you eat them before they become ghosts, they are completely tasteless. When ghost peaches are ripe, they are semi-transparent but firm to the touch. They are also surrounded by a light blue flame-like aura that flickers like fire but does not respond to wind or rain.
Genetics and Reproduction
Ghost peaches don’t appear to reproduce normally. Rather, it's likely they one of the Planar Mutations that have been arising more frequently. The trees' proximity to a cemetery with ghosts in it likely means that the mutation is caused by the mundane peach trees crossing metaphysically with the energy of the Spirit Realm.
Growth Rate & Stages
Ghost peaches share the same lifecycle as regular peach trees except that, when a normal peach would be ripe, ghost peaches have only begun the final stage of growing. Eating the fruit at this stage reveals that the peaches are completely tasteless and slightly grainy. Instead, leaving the fruit on the tree past this point will cause the fruit to rot rapidly while still attached to the branch. This process takes roughly 5 hours from start to finish. Then, through a mechanism that eludes scholars, the rotten peaches vanish and are replaced by ghost peaches.
Ecology and Habitats
Ghost peaches currently exist only in a grove near a cemetery outside of Rockport.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Ghost peaches can be eaten raw, cooked, or made into juice or alcohol. Notably, they can be eaten and tasted by both alive and undead creatures, including ghosts. According to reports, the peaches taste like the essence of a perfect peach, making this fruit highly prized among the living and undead
However, living creatures that eat ghost peaches can experience certain side effects. Eaten raw, the person will experience uncontrollable chills for at least a minute afterwards. Cooking the peaches can eliminate this effect while preserving the taste, though whatever dish the ghost peaches are included in will cool almost immediately after being removed from the heat source, settling at a temperature around 55 degrees farenheit.
The most interesting effects occur when the juice of the ghost peaches are distilled into alcohol, such as wine or moonshine. When a living person drinks this, they will see a short glimpse of their afterlife. This vision can last anywhere from 10 minutes to a full hour after drinking a shot of ghost peach alcohol, depending on the person's alcohol tolerance. Afterwards, the person feels intense exhaustion for a period of time and may suffer a hangover the next morning. Despite these negative side effects, the experience can be highly addictive, especially if the person has dead loved ones they wish to see again. Drinking ghost peach alcohol will not actually connect you with those loved ones, but it will provide a very realistic simulation of that experience.
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