Clinging to the blackened boughs of ashwood groves, the Cinder Fig glows faintly like a dying coal beneath cracked skin of deep crimson and soot-black bark. The fruit itself hangs heavy and bulbous, its flesh warm to the touch even in winter’s frost. Veins of molten amber pulse beneath its thin rind, and when split open, the inside glistens with tiny ember-like seeds drifting faint curls of fragrant smoke into the air.
The trees are most often found where dragonfire once scorched the land, or near old battlefields touched by destructive magic. At night, entire groves resemble fields of smoldering lanterns swaying in the dark wind.
The scent of the fruit is intoxicating—sweet like roasted honey and spiced wine—but prolonged exposure can stir hunger and aggression in beasts nearby.
Cinderheart Flesh:
Consuming a Cinder Fig fills the body with unnatural warmth. Travelers crossing frozen wastes prize the fruit, as a single fig can stave off cold for several hours. However, overeating causes feverish dreams and restless aggression.
Ashseed Burst:
When crushed or thrown into flame, the seeds burst violently in sprays of sparks and burning ash. Alchemists often dry the seeds for use in primitive firebombs and ignition powders.
Dragon’s Orchard:
Legends claim Cinder Fig groves first sprouted from the blood of dying dragons seeping into the soil. Some wyrms are fiercely territorial over these trees and consume the fruit to rekindle fading strength.