yopplwasupxxx 5665 Popular Post Share Posted May 1, 2020 ((Credits to @UnBaed for the pictures!)) PRIKABURREN (PRIKAZ BERRY), THE NATIONAL FRUIT OF HAENSE BY OTTO THE TARCHARMAN ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEKSANDRIYA VAN BIHAR (or, PRINCESS ALEXANDRA OF HAENSE) --- Introduction The frontier hinterlands of Haense, while dominated by the agricultural Biharist society that has governed our state for over two-hundred years, are not known for their staple crops and iconic agricultural output. Indeed, any and all farming done in the rustic country of Haense remains almost strictly sustenance farming: agriculture specifically for production of food for the grower and nearby villages, rarely exported out and sold for profit. This mostly comes from the short growing seasons pertaining to living in the northern reaches of humanity, which limits the variety of crops able to be successfully cultivated. Grains such as wheat, barley, and rye, with the occasional Rhenyari maize in the southern reaches of the kingdom, are the most popular, with the more mountainous regions growing stock such as potato and small vegetables. As aforementioned, most of these are typically consumed by the nearby denizens, and the harvest which is sold can seldom compete against more fruitful plantations of other, more temperate provinces. This does not mean, however, that Haense lacks any and all staple produce that can vy in the horticultural markets. Thanks to the brisk, frozen environment that our realm resides in, there is a small minority of boreal crops which thrive in our environment, ranging from the famous ‘winter wheat’ or the gannuts of the Hansetian fir trees. But none are more famous, more important to the livelihood of Haeseni farmers, and more envied by the agronomical economy of greater Orenia than the Prikaz Berry (or Prikaburren), a fruit which has been grown and cultivated by the peoples of the highlands for over a thousand years. First propagated by the nascent agriculturalists of the Huns-Waldor basin, later spreading to the northern Hansetian and Slesvician tribes through rudimentary trade, the different subspecies of Prikaburren can be found in nearly every corner of Haense. In the cold autumn of the north, this small, vine-like plant thrives in the early snows, germinating only after the first frost and allowing a suitable food-source for the beginning of the winter season. Known for its variety of tastes, ranging from the sweet and tart Roberteoburren (Common: Robert’s Berry) to the more sour Vildoprikaburren (Common: Wild Prikaz), they are a staple in many Haeseni dishes or consumed commonly outright. Furthermore, wines, jams, and teas are also frequently produced from Prikaburren, making them also one of the most versatile produce grown in the Haeseni province. This paper shall summarize in brevity the mythological origins of this fruit, highlighting its cultural significance, and detail the different types of Prikaburren, including the ways to cultivate them, their taste and physical appearance, and their use in the production of secondary commodities. --- Mythological Origins of the Prikaz Berry NOTE: For a full list of references, please see Haeseni Mythologie. The thousand-year war between the Sun-Lord Asseran and his lunar son Nikul wreaked havoc upon the lands of mortals, leaving the earth desolate and decimated from the centuries of bloodshed between divinities and demigods. Every race and being chose sides in this celestial conflict, whether under the banner of the Solar Rays or the Crystal Gleen, from the mundane race of proto-men (the pryr) to the first mortal gods and children of the Celestials. There was little respite, little rest in any capacity for the non-divines, the pryr, who although sided with Nikul and fought with him courageously, aided with the assist for his voidal magick, they still suffered immensely. Without the light of the sun to nurture their crops, the lands became cold and barren, and naught wheat or rye grew in the once lush fields and valleys cultivated by man. While the gods and mortals fought, the third Celestial, known as the goddess Sindhor, heard the plights of the creatures which lived upon her and held sorrow in her heart. Lady Sindhor was the deity of nature and the earth, to her she considered nature her most prized child- this included the plants of the world, now dying from the lack of sun upon the earth. In wanting to save her precious creation, she brought a petition to her husband Asseran the Sun, demanding he return the solar rays back to the earth and allow the plants to feel its nourishing touch once more. Despite all her pleas, however, Asseran remained staunch in his resolve, not wanting to aid his former subjects who unrighteous rebel against his undisputed rule. Spurned by her lover, she left the solar halls in shame and grief. As she made way back to her abode within the earth, tears swelled in her eyes, shedding them one by one upon the frozen ground below. They dampened the dirt, and from it came forth by her holy power great vines, able to survive without the sun and bearing from its tips great fruit. The mortal pryr saw this, and in rejoice praised her name, and in great bushels harvested the first berries for cultivation. From this mercy given by the Goddess of the Earth, the proto-men were able to eat and feed their families once more. The early stages of the war, dominated by Meargost and his armies of Olwolki, began to turn in the favor of the mortals of Nikul, no longer hindered by mass famine and death by starvation. The pryr called the small berries ‘Precza’, meaning in the ancient pryr tongue ‘savior, salvation’ (through the transformations of the ancient tongue to the more modern Naumarian, the name has corrupted to ‘Prikaz’). After the war, when father and son mended their differences and divided the year into two, much of the world returned to the seeds of barley and rye to fill their fields, and in the southern lands the berries were all but forgotten. In the north, though, where the bite of winter still stung fierce even after the Great Deluge of St Joren slaying the wyrm Jylig and melting the great glaciers of the northern lowlands, the Prikaz berries remained a crucial crop in order to survive sometimes deadly winter months. In the pagan era of the highlands, a festival known as Sindapricza was commonly held upon the sprouting of the first Prikaz vine, remaining one of the most popular festivals among the northern Dulonians and Hansetians until its slow canonization process. Even after the religious and spiritual origins of the plant were all but forgotten, they have remained a staple of any Haeseni diet. --- The Four Types of Prikaz Berry There are four main strains of Prikaz throughout the northern lowlands and highlands, and though there are more exotic varieties, they remain the most common and widespread throughout the Haeseni state. Three of the four are domesticated specieses, cultivated in great numbers by farmers throughout the state, which include Rotprikaburren (or ‘Red Prikaz’), Hanzeoprikaburren (or ‘Hansetian Prikaz’), and Roberteoburren (or ‘Robert Berries’ / ‘Royal Prikaz’). The last variant, known as Vildoprikaburren (or ‘Wild Prikaz’), is typically only found in wild or semi-wild environments, though remains important for hunters and lumberjacks working deep in the untamed wilderness of the Haeseni state. All Prikaz typically grow on the sides of boulders (usually the specieses found in the wild) or on man-made posts created specifically for farming. It usually takes only a month till Prikaz first develops fruit, which is found on the end of the vines, however most farmers wait till three-four months when the berries are most abundant and ripe. The growing season for Prikaz usually begins at the beginning of autumn, though it can and is grown in the spring as well. When growing Prikaz, it is common to grow two different vines on one stake, in order to promote cross-pollination and have overall larger yield. For their names, I have also included the scientific Napierian name, written in Flexio, which can be found beside it. All Prikaz varieties listed belong to the genus Prescas. Vildoprikaburren (Wild Prikaz) | Prescas feroxi Place of Cultivation: Not Cultivated, mostly found in the lowland forests Color: Dull red Height: Around 4-5 ft. Yield per Vine: Around 0.5-1 lbs. of berries Taste: Slightly sweet (ripe), bitter/slightly sour (not ripe) Vildoprikaburren or Wild Prikaz (P. feroxi) is the most common species of Prikaz found in the wild. Due to any lack of proper domestication, Wild Prikaz is the most leafy of its peers, producing overall less berries in comparison and its vines containing bulkier foliage. In some variants, as well, thorns have sometimes been known to appear on the lower ends of the vines. The seeds within the berries themselves are also unable to be unconsumed (though not poisonous, they are very difficult to chew with their hard shells) and usually must be spat out upon consumption. The most common use for Wild Prikaz is by hunters and travellers in travelling on the road or in the frontier. They are also used occasionally in traditional medicine by the creation of Prikaz Tea (though Red and Hansetian Prikaz remain more common) in order to soothe headaches and dull pain in limbs and the back. Rotprikaburren (Red Prikaz) | Prescas rubri Place of Cultivation: Haeseni lowlands (incl. Capital Region) Color: Dark red Height: Around 7-9 ft. Yield per Vine: 12-16 lbs. of berries Taste: Very sweet (ripe), mildly sweet (not ripe) Rotprikaburren or Red Prikaz (P. rubri) is the most common species of Prikaz grown in Haense and is typically the stereotypical Prikaz when in the public’s imagination. Their leaves are the smallest of any other Prikaz (excluding Royal Prikaz, which only bears flowers) and they yield the most produce when tended to properly. Much like its deviant variant Royal Prikaz, the seeds within them are chewy and edible (and in some newer strains, nonexistent) which allows for easy cooking and consumption. Red Prikaz is used in nearly every derivative product that uses Prikaz, whether bakery goods, drinks, or even dyes. They are used to make Prikaz Wine, a fermented alcoholic beverage and the only wine produced in Haense solely from Haeseni produce, as well as commonly mixed in other drinks (such as Carrion Black to make Yopil, a common drink during Barovifest). Because of their sweet taste, Red Prikaz is also the most used in making jams and jellies. Red Prikaz is also the most common form of Prikaz (and fruit even) used in the Great Fruit Toss of Barovifest. Hanzeoprikaburren (Hansetian Prikaz) | Prescas hansei Place of Cultivation: Alpine Haense and northern frontier (incl. Almaanland) Color: Purple Height: Around 3-6 ft. Yield per Vine: 6-9 lbs. of berries Taste: Mildly sweet/sour (ripe), mildly sweet/bitter (not ripe) Hanzeoprikaburren or Hansetian Prikaz (P. hansei) is the variety of Prikaz most commonly found in the northern and mountainous regions of Haense. Their leaves are larger than their Red Prikaz cousins and require consistent pruning by farmers and cultivators. The seeds within them are harder though still edible, and compared to others produce the largest berries, while producing less berries overall. Hansetian Prikaz is used in cooking, usually in the form of pies, though not as often as their Red Prikaz counterparts. Usually they are dried and preserved in order to make dried Prikaz (much the common raisin made from a grape), which is a common staple in traveller’s diets and workers who are out in the frontier for long periods of time. Roberteoburren (Royal Prikaz or Robert Berries) | Prescas roberti Place of Cultivation: Haeseni lowlands, specially in gardens Color: Bright red Height: 5-8 ft. Yield per Vine: 8-10 lbs. of berries Taste: Very sweet (ripe), mildly sweet (not ripe) Roberteoburren or Royal Prikaz/Robert Berries (P. roberti) are the most recent variety of Prikaz, said to be created and cultivated by King Robert I of Haense himself. According to popular legend, they were first grown by the scholar-king in his grandeur Prikaz palace, whose walls were adorned by Prikaz vines on all sides. Unlike the other Prikaz, Royal Prikaz bears no leaves but flowers, which give a sweet and lively aroma when in full bloom. Royal Prikaz also bears no seeds within them and is a favorite of raw consumption. Due to the recent evolution of Royal Prikaz and its popularity among the gardens of the elite, they are most commonly only found in gardens, where they are used not specifically for their produce but rather their aesthetic appeal and cultural legacy of royal origins. Royal Prikaz is used to make a specific type of wine called Edeyvilse, found only in royal cellars and produced only by the most prestigious of vintors of the royal court. 30 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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