General Information
Name: Flaxroot
Class: Botanical
Type: Fiberplant
Colour: Pale tan to silver-gray
Smell: Mildly earthy with a faint dry sweetness, like sun-warmed straw
Description: Flaxroot is a low, spindly plant with thin limbs spiral. It clings to rocks, trees, or ruins, spreading in damp, shaded places such as gorges, cave mouths, forest undercrofts. Though its leaves are brittle and unremarkable, its true value lies in its bark: long, fibrous strips running the length of its stems and roots, tough as tendon but easy to peel once scored. When harvested and dried, the bark fibers split cleanly into threadlike strands that can be twisted, woven, or softened by hand. It is among the few naturally occurring materials in Keldrath that provides both strength and flexibility without tools.
Properties: Naturally fibrous and split-prone when dried. Mildly water-repellent when treated. With basic weaving, it produces coarse fabric suitable for clothing, bedding, tents, rope, and even bandages. When left untreated, fabric has a faint shimmer under moonlight. Unpalatable to animals and resists decay for weeks, making it ideal for outdoor wear. Fine treated threads are perfect for sewing.
Harvesting & Processing
Harvesting: Outer Bark Strips: Locate mature stems and surface roots (finger-thick or greater). Score along the grain with a sharp knife or bone blade, then peel in long sheets. Harvest only one strip per limb to avoid killing the plant — Flaxroot regenerates slowly. Inner Sheath Fibers: For finer thread, soak outer strips in lakewater for 1–2 days, then pull apart by hand to reveal a softer filament layer within.
Processing: Drying: Lay bark flat across a warmed stone or hang in a shaded, breezy place. Avoid sunlight — it causes brittleness. Fully dry in one day. Softening: Pound lightly with a mallet or stone to break down stiffness; twist between palms to make it thread-ready. Treating: Lightly dip in Blackoil or lightly grease with Drak Grease and leave to dry in shade.
Storage: Bundle dried bark in coils or thread skeins. Store in Drak Leather pouches or Rimeleek pots; must remain dry. Treated fibers (oiled or greased) keep for seasons.