Elderberry

Elderberry is a variety of fruit-bearing vine native to the Eastern Threshold, particularly prevalent in the coniferous forests of the northeast.

The vines are stiff and purplish, growing from seeds which have planted tendrils in the roots of larger trees. From these tendrils, the vine gathers nourishment, growing up around the tree trunk and branches to supplement its diet by sprouting small, thin leaves of its own. When leaves and parasitism have gathered sufficient energy, the vine bursts forth dozens upon dozens of small round berries, red-black in color.

The vines and leaves of the plant are somewhat poisonous, but the berries are sweet and delicious, though their colour is strong and leaves deep purple stains on skin and cloth that are difficult to scrub away, and the flowers are fragrant and also flavourful. A number of creatures, including humans, eat the fruit of the elderberry, and as such creatures often defecate amidst the roots of trees removed from their food sources, elderberry seeds are spread to new trees.

Elderberry vines have some acidity, allowing them to survive relatively inhospitable needle-strewn conifer forests, and their parasitism means they do not suffer the effects of conifers blocking light and acidifying soil. Few other plants can survive as effectively in that environment… competition in the East and Southeast (from friut-bearing vines such as the Joyberry) means elderberry vines are less prevalent in those regions, but with these removed by coniferous acidity, the elderberry has been free to flourish.

The god of the Elderberry, Sweet Harvest, was once removed from close association with humanity. As a parasite, her purview struggled: the spirits of various trees abhorred her and worked to oust her as she would weaken and slay their purviews, though she found particular welcome amongst the animal and bird gods of the conifer woodlands in the Northeast as their charges had few sources of food amidst inhospitable conifers. Giant Arboreal Sloths, Forest Baboons, Emerald Monkeys, and others consume the berries as a significant part of their diets.

The emergence of the Haltan Republic changed Sweet Harvest’s purview and opportunities greatly. She was offered chance, rather than keep fighting with the tree spirits, to join Halta’s pantheon. The Haltans would care for the trees, allowing the trees to support her vines, and her vines would bear more fruit to feed the Haltans. While the Elderberry normally fruits in the Water and Wood seasons elsewhere in Creation, cultivated in Halta its Wood crop has been displaced with bearing a crop at the end of the Earth Season and another midway through the season of Fire.

Humans across the plant’s range have fermented its berries to make a form of wine, sweeter and of deeper colour than red wine derived from grapes. The berries are also used to create purple dyes for clothing, particularly funeral shrouds. In Halta, the Elderberry vine sees a greater variety of uses: the flowers are used to create Elderflower Cordial, a flavourful drink which also contains the juice of a sweet fruit (usually a berry) and a sour fruit (usually citrus); the wealthy enjoy clusters of the flowers, breaded and deep fried then tossed with expensive imported cinnamon, as a dessert; and hollowed vines are dried and used as spiles to tap trees for sap. In the far East, some barbarian such as those of the Black Leaf Tribe use the curving vines to form flutes and pipes for their discordant music. ,