The Crystal Mushrooms

*An entry from Lorena's Guide to the Flora and Fauna of Ethermore*

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The Crystal Mushroom, Stone Shroom, or Blue Tooth Breaker is a well-known delicacy of Ethermore. Found primarily in the caverns spotted throughout the Etherial Mist Mountain range, this beautiful convergence of stone and fungi has sparked fascination and obsession over the years. Entirely inedible in its raw form, the crystal must be ground down into an immensely fine powder before being added to any dish. Those that have had the opportunity to sample it have described the flavor as an overwhelming sense of both earthy and sweet. It must be used in small amounts, however, as the flavor can easily overtake all other flavors. But, when added in just the right amount, as some describe, it will prop up its flavorful stage mates and humbly withhold its unique display until the rest of the dish has hand a chance to dance upon one's tongue. In other words, used the correct amount, the powered Crystal Mushroom will enhance other flavors and reserve its divine presentation as a mere aftertaste that hangs on the tongue for days after without ever going stale. It is rumored that human royals will eat only a pinch of powder and allow the flavor to satiate their hunger for days at time, providing a convenient means to maintain their royal figure. The only know entities that eat Stone Shrooms without grinding are a small tribe of dwarves that inhabit the caverns where these mushrooms are often found. Being the fungi has been readily available to them for centuries, it has been a staple food item and significant aspect of their culture. True aficionados in these dwarven groups have gone so far as to have their teeth replaced with harder stones and metals, like granite or even iron, to allow them to grind the crystals themselves as they eat the mushrooms. However, this practice has been discouraged in recent years as crystals not completely pulverized can puncture or slice a person throughout their digestive tract—the results of which lead to profuse bleeding and eventual death. Although commonly found in markets around the Etherial Mist Mountains, it takes skill and experience to find Crystal Mushrooms for one self. At a distance, the mushroom is indistinguishable from common blue quartz. However, upon closer inspection, one can see the mushroom shape within the base of the crystal formation. Almost as though the mushroom grows to adulthood before forming the crystal around it in preservation. What makes discovery difficult is the Crystal Mushroom's natural inclination to grow among large beds of naturally occurring quartz crystals. Meaning, without an experienced eye, a person must inspect each crystal in a field to find just one Crystal Mushroom as they tend to grow in isolation from other Crystal Mushrooms. Much like finding a six leaf clover in a vast pasture of clovers. Therefore, if one is interested in trying this fantastic delicacy fresh from the cavern walls, it is best to find an experienced guide. *To learn more about the world of Ethermore, visit https://ethermore.xyz/* [Crystal Image Source](https://opensea.io/assets/0x9619dabdc2eb3679943b51afbc134dec31b74fe8/1416/)