Varietal Mint Seed rests in the palm like a tiny, sentient bead. Its shell is a pale, moonlit green, speckled with silver specks that catch the light as you rotate it between fingers. The texture is dry and papery, a whisper of resin when you rub it, and the scent blooms faintly—cool, peppermint-laced air that seems to carry through crowded markets. Lore ties these seeds to herbalists who traveled with caravans, whispering that mint could steady nerves and sweeten even the harshest tea. People swore that a single crushed leaf could invite a moment of calm, a brief pause before the next road. Planted in a modest pot or a garden patch, the seed awakens with patient care. It pushes a slender root into the soil, then a tiny shoot, and finally a stout stalk crowned with wrinkled leaves that carry the scent of rain and wintergreen. The leaves glow with a soft daybreak sheen; when crushed, they release a cool, clean aroma. Harvest yields are modest but reliable: a handful of fresh leaves that can be used fresh or dried, the perfect companion for a simple broth or a comforting cup. In gameplay terms, Varietal Mint Seed anchors a small but meaningful thread of life. The herb can be grown for cooking—minty broths, herb-infused breads, and cooling infusions—recipes that restore health, ease fatigue, and lightened burdens at the campfire. It’s a favorite for players who enjoy the rhythm of cultivation, letting you watch your plot fill with scent and color as you balance supplies, time, and taste. The plant’s leaves also find use in crafts and seasonal cosmetics, a reminder that even practical herbs carry character. Most importantly, mint becomes a quiet ally in moments of long exploration: a stall in the market of memory where you pause to sip a tea and let the world slow down for a breath or two. When it’s time to trade, stories tighten around the saddlebag-lined stalls of the Saddlebag Exchange. There, a modest number of copper coins or a small bundle of seeds can secure a plant that’s already earned a reputation among cooks and travelers alike. Prices vary with season and demand, but the value remains in the seed’s promise: that a little green can grow into something that feels earned, even in the most crowded, hurried days. The scent lingers long after the seed leaves your palm, a reminder that some treasures are best measured not by their rarity, but by the life they grow and the meals they season.