Grave Moss
A somber herb sacred to the dead and the suffering, especially in the settlements of Duskwood. This little moss is a personal favorite of mine- like recognizes like.
Colloquial names: Witches Blanket, Banshee’s Wail, Unquiet Grave (usually referring to the grave in which the moss grows)
Physical Description: Grave Moss, as it name suggests, is a tangled cluster small of grey-blue feathered stalks that grows in cemeteries, mausoleums, and tombs. It is primarily found in Duskwood. The moss grows in blankets and clumps across stone and earth like soft footsteps. Now, besides my own notes and the accounts of others, I have no definite proof the following is true, but I personally believe it is so: As told to me by the sages of Raven Hill, the moss only grows on the graves of those who rest fitfully- their spirits cling between this realm and the veil beyond. One can find bones amongst the larger clusters of moss, as if they have been pushed from to the grave to the earth in eerie simulacra. My nature is to leave an offering on the grave or try to speak to the spirit before collecting the moss- though not all are speakers for the dead, nor should they attempt this practice. The moss rarely blooms, making the drooping white flowers, no bigger than a match’s head, a rare and valuable prize. They seem to bloom with the most frequency at full moon.
Described Usage: Take care when harvesting this plant- and give to the dead that rest under it. In somewhere as spirited and unrestful as Duskwood, it is better to be safe than sorry- and likely cursed or haunted. Bread, beads, feathers, teeth, and lit candles are items frequently left when collecting this moss. When applied to a shadow-cursed wound directly, the moss aids in slowing the poison through the body. It is used by the local and passing apothecaries to create potions of both shadow infliction and protection. The apothecaries of the area tend to keep their methods secret and silent, knowing the superstitious nature of the community and ghost story the plant bears. Sometimes this is the nature of a place, and always, one must improvise. I learned how to use this plant by putting a selection of items on the ground before me in the graveyard I collected the sample. I then let something unseen guide my hands. The first thing I was guided to make was a potion of shadow protection, using the thick purple juice of the Kingsblood plant in conjunction with the moss. The two dissolve into one another within a day for reasons unknown- no solute is needed for this elixir. The second I was guided to make was a potion of shadow infliction. Deviously simple in nature, it is simply a large cluster of moss, preferably flowered, suspended in a vial of water. When held to moonlight, the moss releases a violet liquid into the water, both tinting the solution and rendering the moss in a living aquatic stasis. The moss will not die, and the water can simply be refilled and left outside near a full moon thereafter. When combined with any neutral oil, this concoction produces a substance called Shadow Oil, which is frequently applied to weapons. The oil inflicts dark misfortune to those whose skin it pierces, often engulfing their vision in shadow, burning their skin, or making a series of bad lucks follow them for some days.
