For years, the nation of Estrago was prosperous and ambitious. Renowned for their beautiful art and architecture such as grand cathedrals and monasteries. The People understood their roles in society and performed their tasks well. The different classes got along and the feudal system seemed to be successful. However, there was always this looming feeling of tension from the lower class. The system essentially prevented any real growth in their life, regardless of how hard they worked. The class they were born in decided the course of their life without fail. Despite their desires, the peasants obeyed the laws to avoid punishment. However, one day, this family of peasants were exploring the forests of Waldgreen and stumbled across a suspicious looking mushroom. Although it was against the law to take anything from the king’s lands, they quickly consumed a few. Magically, they felt much more energized. Their back pain from working the field suddenly disappeared and some of their arthritis was relieved. They instantly started feeling better. Upon their return they were ecstatic. Armed with this knowledge, surely they will be rewarded and receive special treatment if they tell one of the druids of this life changing substance. They returned and told the druids who at first did not believe them.  

However, the next day, they went to see for themselves. The druids each tried a mushroom, and in addition to the health benefits described by the peasants, they also received special runic powers. They knew the nation, if not the world, was about to change. They had just discovered the ability to cure all diseases. Before this however, there was some unfinished business to deal with. The next week, the peasant family mysteriously disappeared, never to be found again. 

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The druids knew their discovery was significant. The potential for societal benefit seemed infinite. Unfortunately, the path of personal profit piqued their interest just a little more. For the next few years, they kept its location a secret and farmed it. Desperate for power, they quickly controlled the supply, and therefore controlled the people. But first, they needed to build a culture around the mushroom to generate demand. 

 

Originally, the medical culture of the civilization was focusing on prevention. People made sure they had physical, mental and spiritual health. Without much medical knowledge, the best way to be healthy was to prevent illness in the first place. However, once news of this mushroom spread, people quickly abandoned that lifestyle.  Little by little, the solution to everything medical related became the mushroom.  Even doctors sponsored by the druids wrote about the wondrous effects of this new cure. The peasant thought this was great at first. After all, it's hard work maintaining all of those areas of health when you can just eat one mushroom anytime something is wrong. 

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 This new era of Estrago begins and shifts everything, from the culture, to the government, to the economy. Everything begins to revolve around this special commodity. Successfully establishing the monopoly, the druids slowly hiked up the price to something ordinary people could hardly afford. But the mushroom was so effective, that there was no need to even research other medicines. For members of the lower class however, this meant they were completely in the dark. The only medicine they knew of was this mushroom. So, with such a culture strategically built around this magic mushroom, people often had no choice but to take the financial blow.  

 

The people look toward the government with no avail. After all, the very same monopoly that profits off their disease controls the government with their runic powers. The peasants may not have power in the way of their roles, but any group with enough numbers does inevitably hold power. This will need to take advantage of this to create the change they want to see.