Jade Bamboo
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Jade Bamboo is a tall, slender plant with smooth segmented stalks ranging from pale green to deep emerald. When mature, faint mineral veins become visible beneath the surface, giving each segment a translucent sheen. Under moonlight the stalks appear to glow softly, though in daylight they resemble ordinary bamboo at first glance. When struck, the stalks produce a clear, resonant tone rather than a hollow knock, a trait often used to identify mature growth.
The plant grows in dense groves along river valleys, terraced hillsides, and mist-heavy lowlands. It requires constant moisture but rots quickly in stagnant water, which limits its growth to well-drained soil near flowing streams. Farmers identify healthy stands by the clarity of the stalk surface. Clouded or dull bamboo indicates mineral depletion and is not harvested. Cutting Jade Bamboo too close to the root damages the grove and prevents regrowth for years. Skilled harvesters remove only the upper segments, allowing the plant to recover within a single growing season.
Several creatures interact with Jade Bamboo without damaging it. Small birds nest among the upper stalks, using the mineral veins as reflective deterrents against predators. River fish often gather beneath groves where fallen leaves cool the water. Larger animals avoid chewing the stalks, as the fibres resist tearing and splinter unpredictably. Some monks claim the gentle resonance produced by wind through the groves has a calming effect, though this has not been proven.
Beyond its primary role in construction and equipment, Jade Bamboo has numerous secondary uses. Thin slats are layered into lightweight armour and shields, offering surprising resilience against arrows. Musicians craft flutes and chimes from selected stalks, as the resonance holds pitch even in humid air. Alchemists grind the inner fibres into stabilising agents for potions that would otherwise spoil. In some regions, strips of bamboo are woven into clothing linings to regulate body heat and reduce fatigue during travel.
Improper processing ruins its value. Over-drying causes the stalks to crack and lose their resilience. Fire hardening works only under precise conditions, as excessive heat destroys the mineral veins. Groves are often protected by law or tradition, and unauthorised harvesting is considered a serious offence in many Han territories.
Primary Use: Armour or shields incorporating Jade Bamboo gain +1 AP against ranged attacks.
Secondary Use: Clothing lined with Jade Bamboo grants +10 to Endurance Tests against fatigue for one journey.
Harvest: Average (+20) Trade (Herbalist) or Outdoor Survival. Failure yields brittle stalks with no special benefit.
Price: Raw stalk: 1–2 gc, Worked slats or instrument-grade pieces: 3–5 gc
Primary Use: Jade Bamboo equipment reduces the difficulty of one Speed-based defence roll per day.
Secondary Use: When incorporated into gear, grants an asset on one fatigue or travel-related task per day.
Harvest Difficulty: 3
Price: Raw stalk: 30–50 shins, Processed material: 80–120 shins
The plant grows in dense groves along river valleys, terraced hillsides, and mist-heavy lowlands. It requires constant moisture but rots quickly in stagnant water, which limits its growth to well-drained soil near flowing streams. Farmers identify healthy stands by the clarity of the stalk surface. Clouded or dull bamboo indicates mineral depletion and is not harvested. Cutting Jade Bamboo too close to the root damages the grove and prevents regrowth for years. Skilled harvesters remove only the upper segments, allowing the plant to recover within a single growing season.
Several creatures interact with Jade Bamboo without damaging it. Small birds nest among the upper stalks, using the mineral veins as reflective deterrents against predators. River fish often gather beneath groves where fallen leaves cool the water. Larger animals avoid chewing the stalks, as the fibres resist tearing and splinter unpredictably. Some monks claim the gentle resonance produced by wind through the groves has a calming effect, though this has not been proven.
Beyond its primary role in construction and equipment, Jade Bamboo has numerous secondary uses. Thin slats are layered into lightweight armour and shields, offering surprising resilience against arrows. Musicians craft flutes and chimes from selected stalks, as the resonance holds pitch even in humid air. Alchemists grind the inner fibres into stabilising agents for potions that would otherwise spoil. In some regions, strips of bamboo are woven into clothing linings to regulate body heat and reduce fatigue during travel.
Improper processing ruins its value. Over-drying causes the stalks to crack and lose their resilience. Fire hardening works only under precise conditions, as excessive heat destroys the mineral veins. Groves are often protected by law or tradition, and unauthorised harvesting is considered a serious offence in many Han territories.
Jade Bamboo
Type: Special Plant Material (Uncommon)Primary Use: Armour or shields incorporating Jade Bamboo gain +1 AP against ranged attacks.
Secondary Use: Clothing lined with Jade Bamboo grants +10 to Endurance Tests against fatigue for one journey.
Harvest: Average (+20) Trade (Herbalist) or Outdoor Survival. Failure yields brittle stalks with no special benefit.
Price: Raw stalk: 1–2 gc, Worked slats or instrument-grade pieces: 3–5 gc
Jade Bamboo
Type: Crafting materialPrimary Use: Jade Bamboo equipment reduces the difficulty of one Speed-based defence roll per day.
Secondary Use: When incorporated into gear, grants an asset on one fatigue or travel-related task per day.
Harvest Difficulty: 3
Price: Raw stalk: 30–50 shins, Processed material: 80–120 shins
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