Final Embrace Flower

Description

The Final Embrace, also known as Death Flower, is a rather interesting parasitic ivy. It only naturally grows within the Death Nexus, but seeds have been transplanted to other regions for the purposes of cultivating a cure for the dreaded Plane Eater Curse.
The roots are a powdered white color; fine and delicate, but efficient in absorbing the life essence of the surrounding area. Without this source of energy, the Final Embrace will wither and die rapidly, releasing toxic fumes to poison any creatures that pass by in hopes their carcasses would prolong the plant's own life. This miasma kills other plant life as readily as creatures. The roots can settle within soil, stone or flesh if conditions are met adequately.
The leaves of this ivy plant are dark purple in color, with faint vein patterning near the edges. The leaves are oily to the touch and do not hold much benefit for cure or poison. They appear to be more for adding bulk to the plant itself and to provide shade and shelter for the roots if they are exposed.
The flower is the sought after part of the plant, truly, as both cure and toxin. The petals are rich obsidian black, turning a dark ruby red toward the center, where the pistil rests a striking, almost gilded, gold. The plant blooms early in its life cycle, and can regrow lost flowers no matter the time of year.

Treatment

The dark petals of the death flower can be plucked and placed over the site of an injury. Bandages can be used to keep these petals in place and they will absorb the curse or poisons that afflict the person, prolonging afflictions by months with regular visits to the healer to change the dressing.
The golden heart of the flower can be equally used, crushed and reduced down to a potent poison. Some particularly dangerous assassins have also covered their weapons with the seeds of the ivy plant, using the poison as an adhesive. This can cause the wound to not only be infected and poisoned, but also to start growing the beginning roots of a new Final Embrace plant.

Side-effects

While the plant can prolong a person's life or cut it dramatically short, all things have a price. Just as the poison can kill, the petals that absorb and halt the spread of a curse will prevent a wound from healing. This can be minor for small wounds, but larger gashes continuing to bleed could lead to problems related to blood loss.

Inventor: Unknown
Rediscovery: Reeki Fortra

Effective against: Curses, magical illness or plague
Growing Conditions: Druidcraft