General Information
Name: Vellaflax
Class: Botanical
Type: Sheathleaf
Colour: Pale ivory to warm gray with faint purple veining
Smell: Fresh bark and linen, faintly sweet when fresh-peeled
Description: Vellaflax is a tall, hollow-stemmed plant found in cool meadows, gentle hillsides, and abandoned farmland. It typically grows in stalks that reach a height of 1.2 to 1.5 meters. The stalks are surrounded by long, overlapping outer sheaths, which are soft, wide, thin, and fibrous, resembling flexible hide or plant vellum. One of the notable characteristics of Vellaflax is that it requires no drying; the leaves can be used immediately after harvesting. Once removed from the stalk, the leaves remain flexible for several days and gradually stiffen into a tougher sheet over time. Those harvested from well-maintained cultivated fields—where they are well-fed, watered, and pruned—can produce leaves nearly the size of a human forearm. This makes them highly sought after for creating scrolls and codices.
Properties: When the outer sheath leaves are peeled from a live or freshly-cut stalk, they come away smooth and intact. They are naturally flat, supple, and writable, with a slightly translucent appearance when fresh. These leaves readily absorb Blackoil ink, Flamor ash, or pressed symbols. They feature a smooth, skin-like surface and have a slight internal structure that prevents easy tearing. Over time, they become stiffer, allowing for the creation of long-term records when properly bound. Additionally, they are naturally pest-resistant due to a faint bitter sap. Fully biodegradable and flammable, these leaves can even be used as fire starters when aged.
Harvesting & Processing
Harvesting: To prepare mature stalks, slice them open and peel the sheath leaves from the base upward. Use a sharp Veldstone knife or blade to avoid tearing. Discard the inner pith, as it is too wet and rubbery, along with the topmost ring, which is usually bruised from the weather. Handle the leaves gently; if they are tightly rolled or roughly handled after being peeled, they will curl. Each stalk typically yields 3 to 5 usable sheets, depending on the quality of the soil.
Processing: No drying is required. Avoid rolling the leaves unless absolutely necessary. For record-keeping purposes, you can bind aged leaves with Flaxroot and press them under weight for several days to create a crude codex. To preserve the leaves for years, lightly coat them in purified Drak Grease and allow them to dry in a dark place for a few days. This process will slightly darken the sheets but will also make them waterproof.
Storage: Store flat in a dry, dark place, such as wooden boxes. Avoid moisture.