MOLLUSC TREE This case of sorcerous artifice is one of many of its kind which dot the hills in this area. Originally a byproduct of alchemical study, the mollusc tree is now harvested for both medicinal and culinary applications. A rare mollusc is fished, and immersed in an amniotic solution within the bulb of a specially cultivated tree. The ageing process is quite long and the mollusc actually lives in a torpor until its harvesting. Specific parts of the pickled mollusc meat are a much saught after delicacy, and the brine possesses a potent restorative effect when imbibed or applied as a salve. If the proper procedure is not followed, and the bulb split or tapped by a poacher, the mollusc will viciously attack, and soon suffocate, spoiling its meat.

