Submission (#6084) Approved

Those brave enough to bluster the wintry wonder of Strynhalde's great sea of snow may come across a curious flower. The petals shine translucent as though ice has come to life through the veins and roots of the flower. The common people of Strynhalde simply refer to this flower as an ice rose, although the more technical term for the wintry wonder is Eislalda. These flowers tend to grow near frozen bodies of water, and some speculate they boast an impressive underground root system that travels all the way to the source. In order to avoid being an easy target for animals scavenging for a snack, the petals and leaves of this flower resemble the terrain from which they form.  While they may look like ice, the flower itself is still soft and delicate to the touch, and those looking to harvest Eislalda must come prepared with the right materials to avoid damaging their structure. Much like the tress of Strynhalde, during the colder months the leaves of this flower will also begin to crystalize, and the petals will fold inwards upon itself. The result is a much more protective "bulb" that keeps the core of the flower safe from damage caused by high winds and snowstorms that sometime travel across the frostlands of Strynhalde. During this time the flower will be too cold to harvest, but easier to spot out in the open thanks to the strange shape they form. 

Despite the hassle to harvest Eislalda, they're still quite popular and will fetch a high price on markets. Especially those that are quite a distance from Strynhalde. Special mana crystals must be used to encase the flower in a protective resin and the preservation method is something that is kept quite secret from those not in the business. Some merchants even refuse to disclose such methods until years of apprenticeship of harvesting Eislalda has been completed! Even so, some traditions in Strynhalde involve the flower, such as an Elnin wanting to court another, or seen as a symbol for good luck when traveling away from home.