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    Golden Everlasting

    Common · Xerochrysum bracteatum

    Healing · Alchemical · Magical · Defensive

    Terrain Coast, Forest, Grassland, Hills

    Description

    Golden Everlasting encompasses annual or perennial herbaceous plants. The stem is usually solitary, ranging in height from 12 to 47 inches (30–120 cm). The leaves are simple, alternate, with entire, uncut edges. The inflorescences resemble baskets measuring 0.8 to 2 inches (20–50 mm) in diameter. The flowers are tubular, often weakly colored. The few outer flowers are often pistillate, while the rest are bisexual, with a five-toothed corolla.

    Location and Habitat

    Golden Everlasting is found in various countries around the world, from Western Europe to Southeast Asia and India. This means that almost the entire Eurasian continent is familiar with and honors this plant; each nation has found something personal in it, a piece of their own history.

    Rarity and Availability

    In nature, it is commonly found and is not a rare plant. It is easily accessible.

    Effects and Uses

    The "flowers of immortality" possess truly magical medicinal properties, recognized in traditional medicine. Tibetan monks drink a decoction of this flower to achieve longevity.

    Harvesting & Preparation

    • A DC 10 Wisdom (Nature) check or Wisdom (Survival) check identifies Golden Everlasting by its bright yellow-golden, papery flowers in "basket" inflorescences (0.8-2 inches in diameter).
    • At GM’s discretion, gathering the flower at dawn or midnight can increase its magical potency, perhaps giving advantage on the collection or crafting checks.

    Items & Effects

    • Wind-Warder Talisman. A small satchel or locket containing a dried Golden Everlasting blossom, rumored to protect travelers at sea.
      • Creation. Requires 1 hour and a DC 10 Wisdom (herbalism kit) check or Wisdom (Survival) check.
      • Use (Worn).
        • Stormbreaker’s Blessing. You gain advantage on Survival checks related to weather or navigation at sea.
        • Wind’s Favor. Once per long rest, as a bonus action, you can reduce strong wind effects (natural, non-magical storms only) targeting you or your party for 10 minutes. Instead of being heavily impeded, you move at normal speed.
    • Golden Everlasting Decoction. A medicinal tea or brew from fresh Golden Everlasting petals, known for its healthand longevity-boosting qualities.
      • Creation. Requires 2 hours, a DC 13 Wisdom (herbalism kit) check, and fresh blossoms collected at dawn. One batch yields 1d4 doses.
      • Use (Ingested).
        • Vigor of Life. For 8 hours, you gain 5 temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns for the first minute of combat (once per short or long rest). If combat lasts over a minute, no additional temp HP is gained.
        • Poison Ward. You have advantage on saving throws against ingested poisons for the duration.
    • “Eyes of the Ancestors” Incense. Burning Golden Everlasting to commune with ancestral spirits, gain confidence, and protect against evil.
      • Creation. Requires a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check or Wisdom (Medicine) check; the blossoms must be dried for at least one week in a special container. One successful batch yields 2 uses.
      • Use (Burned).
        • Smudge Cleansing. When burned over 10 minutes, all creatures in a 10-foot radius are cleansed of minor curses or hexes (similar in effect to a 2ndlevel remove curse (PHB, p. 271, but only works on curses up to CR 1 or low-level magical misfortunes, at GM’s discretion).
        • Ancestral Guidance. For 1 hour, each affected creature gains a +1 bonus to saving throws against fear and mind-affecting effects, symbolizing the protective presence of ancestors.

    Lore

    Golden everlasting (from the Greek helios—"sun" and chrysos—"gold") is a symbol of health, resilience, longevity, and remembrance of ancestors and their support in difficult times.

    There is an old legend associated with the Golden Everlasting. Elders used to say that whoever found this herb would be able to calm the wind on the water, protect themselves and their ship from storms, and even catch fish with their bare hands, without nets. Gathering the Golden Everlasting was worth doing at a special time—the very first night of the year, exactly at midnight. People believed that at this precise hour, unclean forces roamed the bodies of water and scattered the Golden Everlasting to pacify storms.

    However, an ordinary person could not find this plant. Only those born blind could sense when they stepped on the Golden Everlasting—at that moment, it was as if their eyes were being pricked by needles. If they managed to pick the herb not with their hands but directly with their mouths, they would gain its incredible power: they could open treasures hidden since ancient times.

    From Witch’s Herbs 5E, p. 52 · Fern Flower Press