Culture - Special Herbs and Foods

In Haven, there are a number of “special” foods and herbs found that do not exist around the world, or that are too taboo to be served in restaurants or sold in grocery stores. This is a work-in-progress alphabetical list, with information about each item including which species can and cannot ingest it.

Alcohol

Various kinds of alcohol can be found in Haven, just as it can in the rest of the world as well.

Who it affects: Alcohol can be consumed by all species, and all species can feel its effects, though the fae may only receive light effects. Vampires, werecreatures, and shifters will need to consume large amounts fairly frequently in order to keep their buzz, while fae will have a much harder time getting a buzz off of human-grade alcohol. Vampires can also ingest this drug through the blood of an inebriated human with much more immediate effects.

What it does: When consumed, alcohol gives the drinker a buzz that can induce feelings of happiness, relaxation, or sadness. When too much is consumed, the drinker becomes drunk and can experience extremes of all emotions, including anger. They can also lose control of motor functions and speech, and sometimes the consumption is so great that they black out.

Other species: For the fae, an easier buzz would come from Fae Wine.

Catnip

Catnip is a wild-grown and farmed plant that has addictive and relaxing properties, especially for felines.

Who it affects: Werecats, shifters of the feline persuasion, and some fae.

What it does: The raw plant, as well as the oils, can be used as a legal recreational drug similar to marijuana, inducing a wide range of reactions from energetic playfulness to purring relaxation.

Other species: Other species can ingest catnip, usually through herbal tea, though its relaxing properties are barely worth mentioning.

Coffee

Coffee is a drink that is very common amongst humans, but its secret lies with Artiodactyla-classed shifters, such as pigs, hippos, camels, llamas, goats, sheep, deer, and cattle. It is said that the raw coffee plant, and the coffee beans themselves, act as an aphrodisiac for these hybrids.

Who it affects: Shifters that are considered Artiodactyla, such as pigs, hippos, camels, llamas, goats, sheep, deer, and cattle, amongst others.

What it does: The raw plant and beans act as an aphrodisiac for these hybrids.

Other species: Other species can ingest coffee beans safely and may get a rush of caffeine and energy from them.

Fae Wine

Fae wine is a specific kind of alcohol produced by the fae and meant only for fae ingestion. It is made from various fruits and contains deadly amounts of alcohol as well as magic to make it more potent to the drinker.

Who it affects: The fae are the ones who ingest this wine for the most part, though vampires can easily drink it without dire negative effects as well. Shifters are able to handle fae wine, but get drunk very quickly.

What it does: Fae wine produces a very quick buzz to those who can ingest it, causing the drinker to go from sober to trashed in very little time. It is similar to human alcohol as far as how it affects the drinker, though the magic inside of fae wine may interrupt the ability of shifters and fae to use their own abilities. For vampires, it can cause a loss of control over motor function and speech.

Other species: Werecreatures get sick when fae wine is ingested, as the magic it contains screws with the magic that is inherent in a werecreature. Enchanted and Cursed humans can ingest very small amounts of fae wine, but will grow inebriated very quickly. If too much is ingested by a human, it could cause alcohol poisoning and even death.

Forget-Me-Nots

This is a naturally-growing plant in Haven with light blue flowers. Farming it is illegal because of its effects on the fae population. Forget-Me-Nots are usually destroyed in the wild of law enforcement comes across them.

Who it affects: The fae of all courts.

What it does: The scent of forget-me-nots repels fae, providing protection to humans and other species. If touched, the flowers sting their flesh, and if consumed, it stops their flow of magic and cuts them off from nature for a short time. It may also induce sickness such as vomiting or fever.

Other species: Other species are neutral to forget-me-nots. It is safe for human ingestion as well as ingestion by other species.

Garlic

Garlic is a tasty (and healthy!) herb that grows naturally in Haven. It is also farmed, and appears in many human meals.

Who it affects: Garlic has healthy properties for humans, but vampires cannot stand it.

What it does: For humans, garlic can improve the immune system. For vampires, it’s a repellent. It does not necessarily harm them, but they cannot stand the smell or taste of it, and it could make them sick.

Other species: All other species are neutral to garlic.

Marijuana

Cannabis is a wild-grown and farmed plant in Haven, primarily used for the production of hemp as well as the recreational drug use of marijuana.

Who it affects: Marijuana is mostly used by humans, but is also popular amongst the fae. Vampires can also feel effects of marijuana, though they have a better chance of getting high if the product comes from a plant that’s grown naturally. Vampires can also ingest this drug through the blood of an inebriated human with much more immediate effects.

What it does: The consumable parts of the plant can be smoked, ingested, or used as topical oils for both recreational drug use as well as medicinal use. For humans and fae, it provides a high that can be calming and relaxing. It may cause strange food cravings. For vampires, a much larger dosage must be used in order to reach any sort of high, though it can be achieved.

Other species: Other species can ingest or use marijuana, though it is more likely to be used medicinally as shifters and werecreatures’ bodies seem to reject the addictive properties. Vampires get an easier high by drinking the blood of an individual who is already inebriated from the drug.

Mistletoe

Mistletoe is a wild-grown and farmed plant most often seen at Christmas time, when bunches of the leaves and berries are hung over doorframes. Mistletoe also has a more supernatural effect on canines.

Who it affects: Werewolves, canine shifters, and some fae.

What it does: The leaves of the plant as well as the berries act for canines in much the same way as catnip does for felines. The plant is considered a legal recreational drug, inducing a wide range of reactions from energetic playfulness to relaxation.

Other species: Other species do not feel the same effects from mistletoe that werewolves and canine shifters do. The plant, if ingested, can cause illness in humans.

Mugwort

Mugwort is a naturally-growing and farmed plant in Haven, with many medicinal properties as well as uses in religious and ceremonial rituals.

Who it affects: Mainly, marine shifters.

What it does: Mugwort acts as a sort of recreational drug for marine shifters, inducing a relaxed and happy state like catnip does for cats. For humans, it is sometimes burned as incense, or brewed as tea, as a way of relaxing before bed, having similar effects to chamomile.

Other species: Other species can feel minimum effects of Mugwort, its relaxing properties similar to chamomile.

Peyote

Peyote is a cactus-like plant that must be farmed in Haven. It is not naturally growing. It has psychoactive properties, and is often used in religious or ceremonial rituals.

Who it affects: Peyote is mainly used by humans and fae.

What it does: For humans and fae, it can cause euphoric auditory and visual hallucinations. It is also used to obtain spiritual insight, “visions” or supposed “prophecies”, and can be used as an anesthetic or pain reliever.

Other species: Other species can also consume peyote, but with little effect. Humans have to be careful as to how much is ingested, because large amounts can have negative medical effects.

Sage

Sage is a naturally-growing and farmed plant in Haven that has medicinal properties and is sometimes used in religious or ceremonial rituals.

Who it affects: Humans, Black magic-using fae, and vampires.

What it does: For humans, sage can be medicinal. For vampires, sage is similar to garlic, in that they cannot stand the smell or taste. It could cause allergic reactions that can be as serious as sores on the body, or vomiting. For fae, specifically ones that are more involved in black magic, sage can be used the same way it is against vampires. The closer to black magic a fae is, the more sage affects them.

Other species: Other species are neutral to sage, though Seelie fae sometimes use it in their own rituals.

Salt

Salt is a mineral that is imported into Haven. It is widely used by humans in their culinary adventures.

Who it affects: Humans and fae are affected.

What it does: Humans use salt as flavoring for their food, but salt is also healthy as it contains iodine. For fae, salt can be used to trap them. If it is poured in a circle around them, that fae is stuck until the circle is broken.

Other species: Other species are neutral to salt.

Wolfsbane

Wolfsbane is a highly toxic flowering plant that is farmed in Haven. It does not grow naturally. It is characterized by its purple appearance, and is sometimes used in alchemy and the dark arts.

Who it affects: Mostly, wolfsbane affects werecreatures.

What it does: This plant, used either whole or ground up, burns the skin like acid. If it is ingested, it can cause severe illness, including vomiting, and sometimes even lead to death if it is not purged immediately. While under the effects of wolfsbane, a werecreature loses their ability to transform until the body has healed, which happens at a mortal rate.

Other species: Vampires can handle wolfsbane without issue. Fae often use it in their ceremonies and rituals. Shifters have mild reactions to the plant, but do not see serious negative effects, and to humans, the plant is deadly – either by touch or ingestion.