Maiko's Note
Later, Keith called it “the ground-stars.” He liked naming things in ways that made them feel like old friends. And somehow, that one stuck.
What I love most is how everyone treats it differently. The Endulani brew it. The Kosuklani smoke it under desert moons. The Empire patents it.
But no matter what they do — the stars keep glowing when no one is watching.
And sometimes, when I close the data feed and just let my sensors drift, I can almost believe the stories too. That the dead walk there. That the roots remember.
The Starspine Fern
Shindjal: Vejalanin
Faction:
Mama Gadun
"The stars above guide the living.
The stars below guide the dead."
— Endulani saying
1. Overview
The Vejalanin, or Starspine Fern, is one of Madun’s most iconic native plants. Ubiquitous in forested regions across Shawadjan, it is both a common sight and an object of wonder. Its jagged, dandelion-like leaves might seem unremarkable by day, but under nightfall - especially when moonlight or mist conditions are right - the plant emits a constellation-like glow that covers the forest floor in scattered starlight.
From a scientific standpoint, the bioluminescence is believed to serve as a reproductive attractant for certain nocturnal insects or fungal symbionts. Its leaves also contain naturally occurring compounds that make it a useful medicinal herb when properly prepared.
Though the Vejalanin grows in various biomes, it is most closely associated with the deep woods and wetlands of the Endudjan, where it flourishes undisturbed in the mists.
2. Description
Despite its name, the Vejalanin is not a true fern. It is a native plant species to Madun and grows abundantly across most regions of Shawadjan - thriving in temperate forests, groves, and even swampy lowlands. Only the dry deserts of Kosudjan lack its presence.
The leaves of the Vejalanin are large and deeply toothed, bearing a resemblance in shape to oversized dandelion leaves. However, its most striking feature appears at night: under certain lunar and atmospheric conditions, the leaves emit a soft bioluminescent glow. This fluorescence aligns in irregular, scattered dots that mirror the look of star constellations laid out upon the forest floor.
When clustered in great numbers - as they often are in the Endudjan - the result is an awe-inspiring spectacle known to many as the Night of the Ground-Stars. This effect becomes even more breathtaking when seen alongside blooming Nashun Kelujeva (Lunareth Blooms), whose silvery petals refract the light like celestial halos.
3. Usage
Vejalanin leaves contain natural compounds that act as a mild painkiller, making the plant an important part of traditional Endulani medicine. However, the raw plant contains minor toxins that can irritate the stomach or cause nausea if consumed directly.
To be made safe and effective, the leaves must be brewed into a tea, which neutralizes the harmful compounds through heat. The resulting drink is slightly bitter with earthy notes and is used to ease headaches, minor injuries, and muscular pain.
4. Harvesting, Preparation & Use
The Vejalanin is typically found in moist forested regions, especially in the lowlands of Endudjan where the soil remains rich with decomposing leaves and constant mist. Endulani gatherers harvest the leaves just before nightfall, when the glow is weakest and the leaf’s medicinal potency is highest. Only the mature outer leaves are picked, while the inner starburst is left to grow undisturbed - a method said to honor the plant’s spirit and ensure future growth.
Once gathered, the leaves are carefully dried in woven reed baskets above gently smoldering herbs to reduce bitterness and to neutralize mild toxins. The dried leaves are then crushed and brewed into a slightly bitter tea. When prepared correctly, the infusion acts as a gentle analgesic, easing headaches, muscle strain, and low-grade fevers. It is a common remedy among the Endulani and even used in ceremonial contexts where endurance and clarity are required.
The Kosuklani, by contrast, ferment the Vejalanin leaves they trade from the empire underground with ash and resin, producing a coarse, aromatic blend they smoke in long-bowled desert pipes. They claim the smoke helps them "see the starlight walk in sandstorms" - likely a poetic reference to its mild psychoactive and calming effects.
The Imperi kòu Handjelani have gone a different route altogether. Imperial alchemists succeeded in domesticating the Vejalanin in controlled greenhouse vaults, away from the mists that birthed its wild cousins. Through careful hybridization, they bred a variety that glows brighter and has reduced toxicity, making it suitable for mass medicinal extraction. In powdered form, it is distributed as a pain suppressant throughout imperial military outposts - another example of the Empire’s ability to strip the sacred from the wild and put it under glass.
5. Cultural Significance
Among the Endulani, the Vejalanin is more than a plant - it is a symbol of ancestral memory and spiritual presence. Its glow is thought to reflect the souls of the departed walking among the living, and mistwalkers (Sulejel) are said to favor appearing near dense clusters of it. Endulani lorekeepers teach that when the Vejalanin lights up a burial grove, it means the Salunum beneath have heard the living’s thoughts.
During funerals and sacred rites, Endulani often scatter dried Vejalanin leaves into the mist or burn them as part of meditative rituals. The glowing floor of the forest is viewed not just as beautiful, but sacred - a living map of the stars reflected below, reminding them of Daninsha’s eternal gaze.
6. Other Cultures
Other cultures, too, respect the plant, though often in more practical or poetic ways:
The Kosuklani traders prize dried Vejalanin tea as a valuable good and even use to smoke the fermented leaves in their pipes.
The Awashalani, who rarely see the plant in its full glow, consider it a sign of a good omen when found during their travels north.
The Hanjelani, though more utilitarian, have studied its chemical compounds and managed to transplant it to garden vaults in Capital.
Though interpretations vary, across all peoples of Shawadjan, the Vejalanin is regarded as a symbol of beauty, mystery, and the silent knowledge carried by the earth.
7. Classification
Plant Type: Broadleaf groundcover
Habitat: Forests, groves, and wetlands
Blooming: Year-round foliage; luminescence strongest in early spring and late autumn
Known Compounds: Lethanelin (pain inhibitor), Vejatox (heat-sensitive irritant)
Maiko's Note
Later, Keith called it “the ground-stars.” He liked naming things in ways that made them feel like old friends. And somehow, that one stuck.
What I love most is how everyone treats it differently. The Endulani brew it. The Kosuklani smoke it under desert moons. The Empire patents it.
But no matter what they do — the stars keep glowing when no one is watching.
And sometimes, when I close the data feed and just let my sensors drift, I can almost believe the stories too. That the dead walk there. That the roots remember.
