Fell Euphoria
Transmission & Vectors
Individuals suffering from this condition have consumed an excess amount of ashen tassel, a plant found in Zalityu.
Causes
The effects of chewing a single leaf of the ashen tassel plant induces mild euphoria and excitement. Under its influence, individuals become very talkative It also causes an increase in motor function. It can induce manic behaviours and hyperactivity, although individual reactions vary. Effects take roughly twenty minutes to show. Those who've been consuming it will have dilated pupils for approximately 2 hours following their initial dosage.
Side effects include constipation and increased heart rate. Long-term use has been known to turn a person's teeth a slightly greenish colour. The more prolonged the use, the darker this colour gets. Life long users have been seen with grassy green teeth. These people are susceptible to a wide range of stomach problems, diminished sex drive, and a serious loss of appetite.
Habitual users have been known to have psychotic episodes. Prolonged consumption creates an uplifted mood and a sense of release.
Symptoms
There are several effects associated with consumption of a single leaf of this plant. Not everyone will experience it the same way which is why not everyone becomes addicted to it.
Short term
- alertness
- arousal
- confidence
- euphoria
- friendliness
- concentration
- talkativeness
Prolonged use
- insomnia
- psychosis
- suppressed appetite
- thought disorder
- verbosity
Long-term
- depression
- hallucinations
- impaired inhibition
- heart attack
- psychosis
Treatment
The only known treatment is to stop consuming the plant. Many users feel this is not possible so they continue to seek it out regardless of what it does to their health.
Prognosis
Unless an individual quits taking the leaf, the loss of appetite will eventually lead them to starve to death if the other deleterious effects don't kill them first.
History
Chewing the leaves of the ashen tassel is culturally accepted among the Zalites and has been since before their country was established. The talkativeness effects the leaves give was seen to put people on even ground. It was believed that if two warring clans met and chewed the leaf together then they would be honest with each other. To chew the leaf or chewing the leaf and other variations on it are common Zalite phrases meaning anything from sitting down to talk or asking for honesty.
Addiction to the leaf was rare before Zalityu was established as it had yet to be cultivated and could only be found growing in the wild. Each roaming clan had a person whose sole task it was to collect and preserve these leaves. They kept careful maps of where they'd found the plant growing so more could be collected in the future. The leaf was so important to the early Zalite culture that it fetched a high price from wandering merchants.
Cultural Reception
Those individuals who have become addicted to this plant aren't generally looked down on in Zalite society. All efforts are made to try and help them recover although there are some who simply refuse help. There are recovery centers in some of the bigger towns set up to try and help them.
The Chant of Earth's official position is that it frowns on over consumption of it and does its best to discourage farmers from growing the plant. Unofficially it recognizes the cultural significance of the plant and pretends that this cultivation isn't happening as long as its not being exported to any of the other countries.
Naturally, it makes far too much money on the black market in the other four countries and so some unscrupulous farmers have managed to make a great deal of money for themselves that way. It's just lucky for them that it can only be grown in Zalityu.
Addicts outside of Zalityu aren't so lucky as substance abuse is generally frowned on and one imported illegally from Zalityu doubly so. These unlucky individuals are left to their own devices and inevitably wind up either starving to death or dying of heart attacks.
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