Guide to the Flowers of Aesry Surlaenis'a (book)

A Guide to the Flowers of Aesry Surlaenis'a: Journal One

Aesry Surlaenis'a is a delightful island for the flower collector. Nearly everywhere you look, exotic blossoms can be found. Many of the most beautiful blooms are found within the confines of the city itself, carefully cultivated in the courtyards by generations of the same families. Though some few flowers are believed to have been bestowed upon Surlaenis by the gods, most of them have no official symbolism. However, in my travels I talked to many residents of Surlaenis who told me the following tales about their beloved flowers.

So it is that I put quill to paper to record these tales. I hope that these tales will bring you as much enjoyment as the blossoms themselves. Readers will please note that some flowers have taken on a special symbolism over the centuries, a symbol ism which I have recorded here. Doubtless some will find these meanings go against their own conceptions. To those who do not agree, I say that these are hearsay only and certainly not writ ten in stone.

By my hand, Lashansa Visolela

* The Amethyst Vine Blossom *

The amethyst vine bloom has come to symbolize sincerity and honesty. In ancient times, amethysts were believed to be proof against all poisons, both the literal poisons like snake venom and the virtual venoms of lies, deceit and malice. This is the old naturalist belief that the gods shaped each rock and plant to show what it was useful for. Since amethysts are the hue of wine, they were reckoned to combat the evils of wine, and by association, that of all poisons. Drinking vessels carved from or lined with amethyst were believed to neutralize poisons before they reached the drinker, and so too circlets of amethyst colored flowers were believed to neutralize the poisons on venomous tongues before they reached the wearer's ears.

In time, an amethyst vine planted outside a business came to symbolize a sober and honest businessman. The wearing of amethyst vine blossoms (especially as a hair ornament, around the brow, or as earring ornamentation) shows that the wearer only listens to the truth. Given to someone, the amethyst vine bloom can be interpreted to mean either that you wish the receiver to disregard lies about you or that you wish the person to refrain from spreading falsehoods. If combined with negative flowers, the amethyst vine bloom represents that you believe the receiver to be the source of mistruths. If used on a wedding or engagement ring, the amethyst bloom is believed to mean, "I will never deceive you -- never deceive me," and is seen as a sign of true honesty between lovers.

* The Lilac Butterfly Blossom *

The lilac butterfly blossom symbolizes that all things are fleeting, and is a warning not to limit yourself to one goal. Butterflies themselves are the very essence of transient beauty. Though the creation of a butterfly may often take years for the lowly caterpillar, when at last the butterfly emerges from its cocoon it may have only days or in some cases mere hours to find a mate, breed and die. For all their beauty and grace, butter flies are brief moments of beauty doomed to die young. Butter fly bushes are often planted in places where students gather, to encourage them to meditate upon the message hidden in their shape: Those who have but one goal in their life are likely to succeed but are invariably doomed to the death of stagnation once that goal has been reached. The wise student sees that each goal is but the opening of one blossom or the hatching of one butterfly -- as one fades another rises to take its place.

A rather touching fable is told about the butterfly bush. It is said that the first butterfly bush was very homely though its blossoms were pleasantly colored and scented. The good-hearted butterfly bush was hurt that its humble charms were scorned while the beautiful but shallow vines were cultivated. One day a caterpillar, fuzzy and grotesque, came crawling among the vines begging for shelter that it might spin its cocoon. All the vines spurned it for it was ugly. When the caterpillar reached the butterfly bush, the tenderhearted bush gladly let the cater pillar shelter on it. Soon all the caterpillars in the area were drawn to the bush to cover it with their golden cocoons. Through the winter the bush kept vigil over its guests, protecting them as best it could. A monk wandering by saw the bush's valiant efforts and took it inside to shelter the bush during the cold winter. When spring came, the many cocoons burst open to reveal the gloriously beautiful butterflies within. As they dried their wings on the humble bush it was cloaked in such beauty as to make even the Gods weep. So it was from that day forward the butterfly bush was always covered in the spring with butterflies and a sprig of its blossom-bare bush came to be used as a pledge of future help.

* The Cherry Blossom *

Often taken for granted, cherry trees are difficult to cultivate even when conditions are ideal. The production of a truly wonderful and sweet cherry takes the care of an experienced gardener. Likewise, cherry wood is used by experienced wood carvers due to the fact that its dark wood is hard to carve well and can be unexpectedly fragile, but when handled correctly a piece of cherry wood furniture can last centuries. Cherry wood is prized above most woods for its fragrant scent. It develops a unique luster when polished with the right oils over many decades.

Therefore a cluster of ripe cherries has come to symbolize the fruition of plans long ago made, such as a wedding after a long engagement or the gaining of mastery in a craft after a long apprenticeship. When given as a love token or between friends, the cherries can either symbolize that the relationship is one of long standing, having grown sweeter over the years, or ex presses the hope of the giver that the relationship will be a lasting one.

A cherry blossom is often interpreted to mean, "good things come to those who wait," but I have also heard it said that cherry blossoms symbolize the ephemeral stage of womanhood when youth is in full flower before the solidity of matronhood and family. Cherry blossoms woven amongst ripe cherries worn on a bride's brow nicely bring together good wishes for a long and productive marriage. Cherry trees or cuttings or even uncarved cherry wood are often given as symbolic gifts. A cherry tree or something made of cherry lasts longer than a lifetime.

* The Cassiope Blossom *

A sprig of creeping cassiope is often given out as gentle nudge to those who otherwise overlook the wearer. This low growing bush is often ignored due to its unappealing fuzzy foliage and unpleasant scent. For those who look closely though, the creeping cassiope bush has delightful blossoms.

A Guide to the Flowers of Aesry Surlaenis'a: Journal Two

My investigations of Surlaenis and her beautiful flowers continue. I believe I must have drunk an ocean's worth of wine with the residents of this delightful town to loosen their tongues about their pride and joy, their flowers. Included in these pages are more myths and legends about various flowers, including the gods who seem to hold considerable sway in this sea-locked isle -- namely Eluned and her aspects Drogor and Lemicus. Some of the tales contained within this journal entry are quite sad, so I urge those of tender heart to bring a handkerchief with them and please not drip tears on the pages.

By my hand, Lashansa Visolela

* Eluned's Tears *

There are two legends for the existence of the seafoam white flowers that bear a blue heart the shade of the ocean at noon. One says that the Eluned's tears flower sprang from the tears that Eluned shed when the World Dragon ravaged her oceans. It is said that the gentle goddess appeared in pools in Surlaenis, weeping as if her heart would break as the dragon swam in the oceans, killing what he could and destroying what he could. A young boy found the goddess at one such pool. Her tears drip ping onto the rock were the color of seafoam, and as he looked at them, they reflected his own sea-blue eyes. The boy sat by the goddess, transfixed by her beauty and her sorrow, neither eating nor drinking for several days. Finally the goddess took note of him, and for his vigilance she transformed him into the first bush of Eluned's tears that ever after would grow so that they could gaze upon their own reflection in the water.

The other legend says that when the World Dragon ravaged the oceans, he befouled the springs of Aesry Surlaenis'a, causing them to become brackish. The people cried out in their thirst as their pools of formerly fresh water turned to undrinkable salt. Moved by their cries, Eluned appeared at one such pool, drinking the water into herself. As she cried for her people and her oceans, she took the salt out of the pool. Her tears fell white as seafoam from the salt in them. The people praised her and brought her flowers, but none proved as lovely as her tears, which the people sighed over and collected. Eluned promised from that day forward she would protect the fresh water of Surlaenis as well as its seas so that the people would never again go thirsty. As a token of her oath, she left behind the transfigured tears that would evermore grow beside the pools and fountains under her protection.

* The Crimson Honeysuckle *

It is said that the petals of the crimson honeysuckle are dyed by heart's blood. Long ago an epidemic swept the island of Aesry Surlaenis'a, twisting the features of its victims before killing them. The family of one girl was stricken, but miraculously her two younger siblings and betrothed were far from home when the disease's ravages became plain. The young woman proved resistant to the disease, and so she burned her family farm and her parents' bodies, then walked to the cliffs overlooking where her love had gone fishing. By signs and shouts she let him know about the disease and urged him to flee to a safer harbor. But her lover ignored her cries and climbed up the cliff toward her. In order to save him, she threw herself from the cliff into the sea far below. The drops of blood from her feet, cut and torn from her long journey, sank into the roots of the heretofore pristinely white honeysuckle and dyed its blossoms crimson.

Crimson colored honeysuckle is exceedingly rare and is often found growing in certain places or over certain graves. If transplanted, its blooms fade to white or yellow, never crimson, so to this day it is still believed that the crimson honey suckle can only flourish where blood and tears have been shed.

Honeysuckle is a long-lasting flower. There are records of honeysuckle bushes being planted as mere seedlings next to a newly built home, only to have totally engulfed the ruins of that same home some centuries later. The blossoms of the honeysuckle vine begin to bloom after the first thaw and continue to bloom until first frost. However, all those who live next to the fragrant vines know that their fragrance lingers on them all year long. Despite their fragile appearance, honeysuckle is a hardy vine that takes well to almost any kind of soil, even the poorest, needs little encouragement to bloom, and does well in shade or sun. For these reasons white honeysuckle is often worn at weddings or worn as a perfume by new brides. The fresh smell of the flower and its pure color symbolize the new bond of love.

Yellow is the color of sorrow and endings, so the yellow honey suckle is the symbol of the ending of a relationship or condition that once brought happiness. When given to a beloved one the message is "Your memory will linger with me and bring me sweet sorrow for all my days," an allusion to the lingering fragrance of the honeysuckle vine. More dramatically, yellow honeysuckle is sometimes portrayed enveloping a home or bed or grave as honeysuckle is wont to do, to say that the sorrow felt at parting will consume the giver until death. All in all, the use of the yellow honeysuckle is often used as a lover's ploy to win sympathy at the close of a relationship.

* The Kelpbell Blossom *

Kelpbells are said to grow where Lemicus walked on Surlaenis. Due to their sacred nature they are cultivated but never picked. Sailors sometimes carve kelpbells onto their ships or wear tattoos of kelpbells to ward off Drogor and attract the attention of Lemicus during hazardous sea crossings. Kelpbell earrings are also very popular with sailors who believe that the design will keep the earring safe with them. As a side note of inter est, sailors often wear elaborately wrought earrings of precious metals and gems. Sailors will spend their last copper to pur chase or have made a beautiful earring set with a rare gem, for the earring is the sailor's only easily stored wealth. Upon the sailor's death, it is the duty of the ship's captain or mate to send the sailor's earring to his family to be sold. There fore sailors choose designs that symbolize luck for the jewelry. The incorporation of kelpbells in the earring's design shows both piety to Lemicus and a plea to her that at least the ear ring be allowed to return to the sailor's family. Once received, the kelpbell design tells the newly widowed spouse that the good wishes of their departed loved one are with them. Occasionally wives of sailors choose to keep their lost one's earring and pledge never to marry again; thus the kelpbell is often interpreted to mean a devotion not even death can sever.

Kelpbell jewelry is often incorporated into the design of love tokens given to sailors as well. A shirt hand-stitched with a kelpbell design promises that the one who made it will be true. A weapon sheath or harness embossed with a kelpbell design is often given as a parting gift to a young soldier of fortune as a way of saying "May Lemicus walk with you". A weapon etched with a kelpbell is often gifted to a favored leader or captain by his crew or cohort to show that they are willing to follow him wherever he may lead them.

Most unusual of all the flowers of Surlaenis, this strangely blossomed tree is often seen as proof that the gods once walked the Mortal realms. If the kelpbell represents the footsteps of Lemicus and Eluned's tears her sorrow, then truly the shark tooth blossom must be the bloodstained tooth of Drogor.

* The Sharktooth Blossom *

No official mythology exists to explain the presence of the sharktooth trees though the sailors whisper that the trees sprang into existence during the time when the World Dragon was loose in Elanthia. It is said Drogor reveled in the storms caused by the mighty dragon and took many sailors' lives, sending his sharks to feast on the drowning. A young cabin boy dared to challenge the mighty god to spare the lives of those who sailed in the Reshalia seas. Drogor mockingly accepted the challenge and set the young lad to fight his most dread shark. When the time for the battle came the lad stood in the shallows of the beach forcing the huge shark to flounder. The shark roared his challenge and the smaller cabin boy dove into the gullet of the shark, avoiding its mighty teeth. From inside the shark's mouth he was able to slice out the shark's gills, slaying his mighty opponent without taking a single scratch.

In a rage, the mighty Drogor retreated from the Reshalia shores vowing vengeance one day. The bloody teeth of the shark when buried sprang up as the first sharktooth trees. True to his word, Drogor exacted his revenge on the cabin boy who, when a grown man and a captain, dared to venture out of Reshalian waters during a storm. From that time the sharktooth blossom has been known among sailors as a sign of a promise made but not yet kept.

* The Lily *

The delicacy of the lily is often seen as the perfect symbol of purity, for the lily grows apart from other flowers and keeps to herself. Thus, the pure white lily is seen as the symbol of perfect purity both of body and of spirit. The pure white lily is often worn by brides and grooms at their first weddings, young men and women of courting age, or woven around the crib of a newborn. More tragically, lilies are used to decorate the graves of the beloved deceased. One scholar speculated that the mourners hope that laying the lilies next to the body of the deceased will remove the dark and impure parts of their souls, leaving them light and pure so they may ascend to walk the Starry Road unencumbered by the weight of their mortal past. This refers to the belief that when mortals die they are placed upon a Starry Road which manifests itself as a blazing meteor at the death of one whom the gods felt showed particular promise or who was well beloved by the gods. Those who die and walk the Starry Road must leave behind all that ties them to the mortal plane -- friends, possessions, identity -- so that they can be reborn with a clean slate. It is the belief of some that the lilies remind the deceased to shed these burdens and become purely empty of their former life.

* The Snowdrop Blossom *

Snowdrops are said to have sprung from the tears of a man who loved a frostweaver. The man fell in love with the ice maiden, who taunted him cruelly for his courtship of her. The man was not discouraged by her taunts and spent his entire life seeking a way for them to be together in life. Moved by pity and admiration of his undying love, an immortal hand caused his frozen tears to be transformed into snowdrops which sprang from the icy ground to show him that all hope was not lost. It is not recorded what happened to the love-struck man but one can hope he took some comfort in the snowdrops.

The seemingly delicate snowdrop blooms in the snow in defiance of the killing cold giving hope that when the cold ends, life will begin anew. Those who have chosen a difficult life path often wear snowdrops to show that they will not be discouraged. Given as a lover's token the snowdrop promises that all obstacles can be overcome.

A Guide to the Flowers of Aesry Surlaenis'a: Journal Three

This will be my third volume on flowers of Aesry Surlaenis'a and hopefully not my last! As I sit here staring at the blank pages I can only hope that those who read the following entries will travel to Surlaenis for themselves to witness her great bounty of beauty. I am happy to say that this volume contains no sad tales to relate. Though I have yet to find any humorous tales relating to the flowers, who knows what the future may bring?

By my hand, Lashansa Visolela The Year of the Crystal Snow Hare, 370 years since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer

* The Geshiloira Flower *

As white as new-fallen snow, the geshiloira flower is often planted near places where its rare beauty can be appreciated, such as on the edges of roads or near government buildings. The cool scent of the geshiloira flower brings to mind the cool breezes off the snow, a literal breath of fresh air and relief in the maritime climes that it favors. Traditional island hospitality dictates that the visitor be given a welcoming bouquet of flowers, and thus geshiloira flowers are favored both for their reviving scent and their color, which will flatter any tone of skin or shade of cloth is it placed next to.

Thus the snow-white geshiloira flower has become a symbol of hospitality, welcome and good will. When worn as a hair ornament the geshiloira flower promises that the person wearing it will think only pleasant, welcoming thoughts. Bards and their companions favor the perfume of the geshiloira flower to spark the imagination and refresh the weary.

* The Lyrandia Blossom *

Lyrandia blossoms are sweet-smelling, beautiful flowers found in profusion on the islands. Although occasionally found else where, they require much effort by the gardener. Much like honeysuckle, lyrandia blossoms are cultivated for their beauty, fragrance and hardiness once established. The mark of a successful and patient homeowner is a thick covering of lyrandia blossoms over the courtyard gate. Because lyrandia requires special care to bloom all year, the blossom has often been seen as the symbol of the long-term planner and estate owner.

The vine prefers the gentler clime of the cities. The gift of a lyrandia blossom could be interpreted as well-wishing for one's financial future. Worn stitched into a coin purse or moneybelt the blossom boldly declares one as a shrewd businessperson. The lyrandia blossom is sometimes worn imprinted into clothing to show one is a person of leisure.

Similarly, the gift of a wilted lyrandia blossom is a sign of ridicule. A wilted lyrandia blossom stands for failure, impatience, lack of planning, or financial ruin. When gifted to an ex-spouse or fiancee, the wilted blossom clearly states, "You did not spend enough time cultivating me."

* The Melilot Blossom *

The cheerful melilot could never be seen as a flower of ill omen. Its pleasant scent and cheery color is a delight to the senses. The melilot requires frequent watering and a location that is partly shady during the heat of the day. Melilots close during the night though the experienced horticulturist can coax them to open with a torch or other light. Melilots are often found near shops where customers are encouraged to pick them, for the melilot blossoms do not fade as normal blossoms do until they are picked. For every blossom picked, two more bloom shortly afterwards. Therefore, in order to keep the melilot bush bursting with fresh blossoms, the flowers must be picked.

The delightful blossoms are often given away as tokens to guests leaving, expressing their host's hope that they will return. Melilot blossoms are often given in reply to a question or suit to express a friendly rejection: "No, but we can be friends."

* The Shar'nath Blossom *

Unique to Aesry Surlaenis'a, the delicate shar'nath blossom needs careful tending or it will not bloom. The blossoms are jealously guarded by their growers, causing many a feud among the homeowners who competed fiercely for young plants to raise. Young men and women of daring climbed walls to pick a single blossom for their darlings. Finally the government was forced to step in. The solution was to make available a public flower bed for all to enjoy. Today the shar'nath blossoms are traditionally preserved and worn by brides on their wedding day but only if the blossoms are gathered and gifted to them by their groom. The wearing of the shar'nath blossoms symbolizes that the groom prizes his bride beyond all gold or other treasure.

The wives and husbands of sailors often wear preserved or freshly picked shar'nath blossoms to show that they will wait for their loved one to return.

It is also believed that shar'nath blossoms that leave Surlaenis will cause ill luck for the wearer. Therefore, real shar'nath blossoms are never worn by islanders outside of their homeland. Curiously, however, many believe that jewelry shaped like the shar'nath flower is free from bad luck, will remind those leaving the island of their native shores, and bring them home again.