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Suggestions / Re: Bioluminescent mushrooms and wood
« on: December 15, 2024, 01:12:01 PM »
This is a neat idea. I did some cursory "research" on this and found that in Finnish folklore the phenomenon is called "peikonkulta" lit. "troll's gold". In Finnish nature the mushroom you mentioned (Armillaria borealis) indeed causes this, but also a bioluminescent species of moss (Schistostega pennata) grows in Finland.
According to 16th century Swedish historian/cartographer Olaus Magnus, northern people marked their paths in night time forests with these plants, and sages/shamans used these for special effects.
Bioluminescent plankton is also found in northern sea waters, especially in White Sea, and Sami have known the phenomenon as "gallagas" or "gallagas-dolla". In Baltic shores glowing waters are much rarer, but in Finnish folklore it's known as: "merituli" which is apparently a direct translation from old Norse "morueldr" (both mean sea-fire); "noidantuli" (witche's fire) from a folk belief that glowing waters were a result of witchcraft.
According to 16th century Swedish historian/cartographer Olaus Magnus, northern people marked their paths in night time forests with these plants, and sages/shamans used these for special effects.
Bioluminescent plankton is also found in northern sea waters, especially in White Sea, and Sami have known the phenomenon as "gallagas" or "gallagas-dolla". In Baltic shores glowing waters are much rarer, but in Finnish folklore it's known as: "merituli" which is apparently a direct translation from old Norse "morueldr" (both mean sea-fire); "noidantuli" (witche's fire) from a folk belief that glowing waters were a result of witchcraft.