Scarlet Griphyte is a common succulent found in the northern territories of the Outer Sector Freeholds. It can be found naturally on both Hack-5 and on its semi-habitable desert moon of Iroh. The plant is a large formation of pinkish, burgundy, or scarlet succulents which grow in the coarse arid deserts of the planet and its moon. Typically there will be a main stalk which grows to be large, as tall as about four or five feet, surrounded by a dense outcropping of thorn-covered bramble. Surrounding this main stalk smaller growths of about a foot or two grow, usually in about a dozen or two per main stalk. Each plant stalk is topped with a large flower, in which its adult-stage leaves can be used for various medical and recreational usage.
The plant is quite plentiful on its homeworlds and grows in large fields stretching on for kilometres, and ever since the boom in the medical and recreational uses of the plant it has become a popular vocation for Hack-5 and Iroh's farming population. Though several MegaCorpos have tried to off-world the plant's production to other planets and systems for some unknown reason the Scarlet Griphyte will only grow to adulthood in the coarse and difficult sand of these two planetary bodies.
Because the product has become so sought after many farmers have to hire security teams to protect their crops from the rampant pirates and bandits that tend to call O.Sec F and Hack-5 itself as their home. And while the security teams aren't always successful in protecting the Scarlet Griphyte fields it does allow for some comfort that the farmers of Hack-5 and Iroh will have product to sell come harvest.
The boom in usage of the Scarlet Griphyte has been felt across the majority of the Delta Space and is used for a variety of popular purposes, both medically and recreationally. Because of this, and despite its prevalence on Hack-5 and Iroh, Scarlet Griphyte has become highly sought after and is sold at a premium price throughout the Delta Space.
The primary, and proven, use of Scarlet Griphyte is for the treatment of burns and bruises, and to help assist in the closure of small to medium cuts.
This can be done by slicing an adult-staged Scarlet Griphyte's leaves and extracting the thick goo inside, this goo even unprocessed can be applied to a wound to assist in the healing process.
Medical companies typically use large-scale extraction machines to collect this goo in large quantities, the goo is then turned into creams and ointments which be applied in a similar fashion as described above.
However, due to the propaganda of various quack doctors and medical MegaCorpos, the medical uses of Scarlet Griphyte have been greatly over-exaggerated. According to these quacks, Scarlet Griphyte can be used for a huge variety of medical ailments.
Leading to the creation of Scarlet Griphyte tinctures, teas, oils, pills, and more. Each with an exaggerated or completely made-up medical use, reported to cure any sort of ailment one may have. This tactic has unfortunately led many people down a hopeless road to recovery that will never arrive, the only thing accomplished is the lining of corporate pockets.
Another popular use of Scarlet Griphyte is for recreational purposes, when the plant is dried and powdered it gains moderate hallucinogenic properties when ingested. This form of Scarlet Griphyte is known as Griph. Griph is popular amongst recreational drug users for its pleasant and mild high, and energy-granting properties.
Pure Griph does not carry very many side effects, and while it is quite addicting, the worst side effects are typically only things like headaches, frequent nose bleeds, and some nausea and dizziness. Though these side effects can greatly worsen if large doses or frequent usage continues, with the worst symptoms being the formation of blood clots in users' systems. But these latter side-effects are only common amongst the hardest of users.
Griph is popular amongst businessmen, and blue-collar workers alike, though the former typically have more money to spend on the drug. Pure Griph comes at a premium cost due to its scarcity, access to Scarlet Griphyte itself, and the additional processing that it needs to undergo before it is able to use as a recreational drug.
Because of this dealers have begun to cut Griph with other narcotics in order to cut down on the usage of their Scarlet Griphyte supply and to increase their profits at the same time. This has created a much more dangerous drug with a slew of unpredictable side effects, some of which are severe enough to cause death.
Scarlet Griphyte is a succulent plant found only on the planet of Hack-5 and its moon Iroh in the O.Sec F territories of the Delta Space. Scarlet Griphyte can be used in the medical treatment of burns and bruises, and to assist in the closure of small cuts and wounds. However, quack doctors and medical MegaCorpos have vastly exaggerated their effectiveness in order to increase interest in the product.
A recreational form of the Scarlet Griphyte is also a popular use for the plant and it is highly sought after. Processed and powdered, Griph, as it is called in this form is a very popular recreational drug used by businessmen and blue-collar workers in order to experience a mild hallucinogenic high with very minor side effects. Greedy drug traffickers have however begun to cut the Griph with other cheaper drugs creating a far more dangerous and unpredictable drug.
Sadly, due to the increasing demands of Griph dangerous drug cartels have formed to grow, steal, process, and sell the recreational drug across O.Sec F. The cartels, most of which were former pirates, will do a variety of violent acts to gain both the unprocessed Scarlet Griphyte and its processed cousin Griph.
These dangerous bands of criminals have been known to attack farms directly, battling it out with hired security for control over the fields of crops. They have also been known to attack and knock off trade ships transporting the drug out of sector, ambushing them with numbers and stealing the cargo once the victim's ship has been disabled. All of this only adds to the already dangerous and chaotic territory of O.Sec F.
I like the way you've created both uses and exploits for this plant.