Deadman's Day
by Andráska Venora
Name(s):
This drug was originally conceived in the city of Melrath by an Eidisi scientist known as Kavian, after his research on madness was stolen by an old friend. Grieved and greatly insulted by this act of betrayal, Kavian set out to further explore the reaches of the mind, stumbling upon this project after noticing strange flight behaviors in crows who ate what would later be known as Dawn Berries from a bush he had never seen before. Fascinated by this finding, Kavian collected the berries and began to experiment with their properties.
As his friend gained fame in the scientific community from the stolen research, a great bitterness drove the Eidisi to push the boundaries further. Determined to reap justice, he began to create a drug that would alter one's mind in a way no one had seen before in hopes to outshine his old comrade and reveal him as a fraud. Later, it was said that the fumes of his experiments actually began driving Kavian to the same insanity he studied, allowing his revenge to overcome him and thus, Deadman's Day was born.
The name of this drug varies depending on the city and race, with those that know of it favoring Deadman's Day or D-Day. Individuals from the city of Melrath, or other Eidisi may simply know it as Death Dust, a substance that is to never be trusted, least one lose the most valuable piece of themselves - their mind.
Frequency:
Highly uncommon, this drug has been controversial since its circulation in underground drug communities during Ymiden 710, many suppliers refusing to sell it in fear of killing their clientele. Mostly seen in the seediest parts of Melrath, or in areas where its ingredients are more common, cities of little trade or tougher law enforcement are harder pressed.
Cost:
Varies depending on proximity to Melrath and levels of trade. Those in cities with a higher smuggling problem in their ports, or availability to poison crafters might have an easier time finding it, but this substance can range anywhere between 10gn-30gn per single dose. Distributors will almost always refuse to sell more than three doses at time, and can outright refuse business if they discover the buyer has had it twice already.
Appearance:
Deadman's Day comes in the form of a multicolored pill, or crushed powder, usually silver in color, speckled with blue and orange.
Toxicity & Hazards:
Deadman's Day received its name due to the three cycles it instills in the user - Morning, Noon, & Night. It is believed that after the first use it alters chemicals in the brain, making each continual use transition into the next cycle. Each "cycle" has its own feelings of extreme euphoria, a stable quality of this drug. These intense emotions are a reason the drug is so addictive. The second factor being, after wearing off (usually 8-12 hours after a taking a dose), the users experience great pain, all of the hormones in the brain that register happiness sapped and used up. For weaker minds, this severe depression is often too much and they desperately search for the next helping just to escape their darkening thoughts and paranoia. This state can last days, taking time for the mind to regenerate its stores of dopamine and serotonin, and more than once has caused suicide in its victims.
The first time D-Day is used, the user experiences Morning - classified by the hopeful nature and lovely view it paints the world in. Visions are often hazed in a soft pink glow or golden glow, people reporting seeing sunsets coming to life. They hear music that is not there, and feel as if they could achieve great things, such as world peace.
The second time this drug is taken, the user will be gripped with a sense of passion, even the most mundane tasks having the same allure as a monumental quest to the person's being. Mental puzzles and calculations are easier to perform, and increased productivity and sexual drive has been reported. Depending on the user, this state can be exciting, and they will become the life of any party, and as Noon suggests a lunch, they will crave food, their stomachs feeling like endless pits if they are not distracted in other ways. Hallucinations make the user feel as if they have made time slow, everyone moving at a lesser pace, but can often appear visually blurred, as if looking at an impressionistic painting.
Night, the last and most tranquil state of Deadman's Day is the calm before the storm. During it, people say that even death can bring no greater peace to a person. Everything is painted in tones of blue and grey, and music sounds sweeter than ever before. A greater emotional depth is granted to the taker, those dealing with tragedy or heartbreak buying themselves a moment of reprieve. These hallucinations are about self awareness, with perceived images of the future playing in reflective surfaces such as mirrors, puddles, or even raindrops as they fall. Cravings after this state are enhanced, almost impossible to refuse. Users feel a sense of loss, devoid of themselves, believing another dose will restore them to their true selves.
Surviving a fourth use of this drug is unheard of, a madness creeping in and the pleasurable experiences of past use a distant memories. Terrible horrors await, screams and nightmares playing in the eyes of addict. There is nothing but pain, the body often unable to keep up and will start to fail shortly after the mind does. No one is quite sure the reasons for this.
Properties:
Made up of Dawn Berries, essences of the Psinia flower, and the crushed bones of a Sigh, this drug is not easy to make. Partaking in it usually requires eating a simple pill, or if in a more unrefined version, mixing it with a drink, or snorting the powder through the nose. Depending on the skill of who crafted it, the latter method can result in violent nosebleeds often unnoticed until after its effects have worn off.
Other Information:
Necessary skills to craft Deadman's Day include a expert level in poison and chemistry, and a competency in research or brewing. In the state of Night, it is important to note that these images of the "future" are still the perceptions of a drug user's mind, not actual visions (unless otherwise approved by a modertor). After each use of Deadman's Day, resisting another dose becomes harder than before. PC's will need high endurance and discipline for this to even be a possibility, and may not be the same person as they were before. Indulge with caution.
