Crystal Grass is a rare and beautiful plant. In fact, it is so rare that few may ever see it in their lifetime. However, Crystal Grass can thrive in any climate or condition so long as it meets certain conditions. While appearing to be made of crystal it is just as flexible and sturdy as regular grass. An interesting property of this plant is that when the wind blows through it Crystal Grass produces a mournful melody.

Appearance. Crystal Grass is made of a crystaline substance which appears to be fragile, but in fact, is as flexible and tough as normal grass. Anyone who has seen it find it to be a beautiful sight when the light hits it just right so that it makes a rainbow of colored lights shining in all directions. It is translucent, but it always appears as a multitude of colors so long as any amount of light shines on it. It produces a sweet mellow tune when the wind blows over it, but this melody always has a sad note to it. Crystal Grass grows to be no more than 5 nailsbreadths tall, and for all purposes appears to be the same shape and width as common grass. It can be cut or broken, but it will only grow to its maximum height. Crystal Grass tends to grow in a similiar pattern as common grass where as it is clumped together.

Territory. Crystal Grass appears to be able to grow in any climate or condition. Oddly it doesn't grow in large fields and it doesn't spread. It is however noted that Crystal Grass will appear on old battle fields and seems to mark some elven graves. However, it cannot be moved from the location it grows in. For some unknown reason when it has been tried the Crystaline Grass turns green and within a day becomes common grass.

Usages. Crystal Grass has no practical use. It has neither healing properties nor poisonous ones. It is completely harmless. Some elves use it to mark the graves of those they feel are the most significant losses. Its melody actually has almost a hypnotic effect on the human race and makes people melancholic. This effect is multipied greatly with the spectacular sight of such a plant.

Reproduction. Crystal Grass is a strange plant. It cannot reproduce in the same sense as other plants. It starts from what seems to be a spore, nobody knows where this spore has come from. All that is known of this mysterious spore is that it is generated by certain elven bloodlines. This appearance is believed to be totally random. Many believe it has to do with the fact that it tends to appear over graves and battle fields.

Myth/Lore. Crystal Grass has one single myth around it. Most people, humans especially, believe that elves are born of the land and thus are held sacred to the land, and when the blood of the elves is taken into regular grass the land causes it to become this Crystal Grass. They believe that the melody it produces is a lament from the land itself thus its sad nature.

Researchers. The original research on this plant was started by an elf named Lelinia. She kept detailed notes on Crystal Grass in a black leather book. After her mysterious disappearance the book seemed lost. However, it was actually found by a human salesman named Dreynis. He sought out this beautiful plant that he was reading about, and even wrote a little in the book about it. He passed the book down his family for a couple generations. Then it came to the hunter Jerim. Jerim became a semi-close friend to an elf named Servin Darkchild. Sadly, Jerim fell prey to a pack of wolves as they passed through the Mithral Mountains region. Servin took the book and later left it with a human girl named Jeslin. Jeslin ran across Crystal Grass and added her own research, more like poetry, to the book. Jeslin grew quite old and left the book to her son Gravis. Gravis carrried the book with him as a reminder of his mother. He eventually came to be friends with the elf Sinen Darkchild, son of Servin. Unfortunately, Gravis fell prey to a pack of wolves in the Mithral Mountains just like Jerim. Thus, the book came to Sinen. After spending a little time researching this plant, Sinen, who had pressing family matters to attend to, handed over the notes to Alia Locktear who now currently further researches this rare plant.

Below you can find some excerpts of the mentioned book:

Excerpts from original writings of Lelinia:

"I have stumbled across quite a strange plant. I think I shall call it Crystal Grass. It is quite beautiful when the sun shines as it does now. The brilliance of color is quite remarkable. [...]

As I sit here now observing this marvelous plant a mid-summers breeze has begun to blow. This crystaline grass produces a mellow sound. I'm afraid its melody sounds almost sad to me. [...]

Until now I have feared to touch this grass. It appears so delicate, but as I touch it now I have discovered that it is as soft as any of the green grass which covers our precious land." (p. 5 and 15)

Excerpt from original writings of Dreynis:

"An enchanting melody has floated upon the wind. Mystified by this tune I followed the sound upon the wind until I found a small field hidden inside a forest. In small clusters throughout this field a strange grass grows. It must be this Crystal Grass I have read about. [...] The moon's pale light causes the crystaline blades to sparkle with a multitude of colors. If I had not read it from the notes of this book I would swear this is a fragile plant. In fact, I couldn't simply believe it. Alas, it is the truth. The blades do not shatter between my fingers." (p. 32)

Excerpt from the writings of Jeslin:

"Nestled sweetly in a secret grove,
Precious Crystal Grass does grow,
And upon a starry, moonlit night,
This place, so beautiful, comes into sight.

Mourning sounds I hear,
And I shed a single tear,
My heart aches and wish's to go away,
I will myself to stay.

These apparent fragile blades I feel,
they seem to me to be unreal,
They bend and curve and blow in the wind,
To break them down I do not intend.

I'll leave this place before the break of day,
For it seems I cannot bear to stay.
The beauty of the Crystal Grass - what for a sight,
will forever haunt my dreams at night." (p. 43)

-- "The Crystal Grass" (edited and published by Alia Locktear)