Cat's Nip

Cat's Nip is a separate and distinct plant from catnip, despite the similarity in name. It grows natively in the meadows and fields in the Ervelt Region and can easily be identified by the distinct broad leaves with a silvery dusting. It grows best in wet sandy soil and can be found next to quick flowing streams. The plant can grow up to a foot high with a single stem and tends to be found in bunches. There are light blue flowers that grow on the top once it matures, and then small black seeds that fall near the plant and sometimes wash farther down the stream to start a new bunch. Cats Nip is not hard to find, but it is only potent in the late spring when the silvery dust is the strongest. The more silvery the leaves are the more potent they are. Some people have attempted to separate the dust from the leaves, but there has not been any success with this.

History & Usage

Everyday use

People who use Cat's Nip report that it makes them more relaxed and playful, similar to the effect of catnip on cats. While it is effective on all humanoids, everyone agrees that Tabaxi have a stronger reaction to it. Healers explain that this is not actually true, but that people perceive them to have a stronger reaction because of the expectation that Tabaxi have a stronger reaction. Overall, most people view cat's nip as barley a drug. Someone going to a friend's house to use cat's nip would be viewed the same way as someone going to a friend's house to have a few strong drinks. It shouldn't be overdone, shouldn't be an everyday thing, but hardly a reason to get up in arms.
The place where there is much stronger views on cat's nip is in the Temple District, particularly among the followers of Ervos. Because cat's nip only grows in the Ervelt Region, some say that the temple should encourage the use and make efforts to either get it legalized or at least get an exemption for the temple. They see it as a gift from Ervos directly. However, this has not been the case for all of the followers. There is a very vocal sect that is against cat's nip and goes out of their way to inform everyone about the dangerous effects. They present the worst possible side effects as though they were common, or use stories about people who have used cat's nip and done terrible things as proof of its evil. Kingsley Glover is at the forefront of this movement and it has gotten much more publicity since he came to power.

Distribution

Trade & Market

It is not too difficult to find someone willing to sell cat's nip, though no one does it in public as it is still illegal. The easiest place to get it used to be the Temple of Ervos as many there saw it as a gift from Ervos himself, but this has changed dramatically since Kingsley Glover came to power. Farmers, shepherds, and anyone else who spends a large amount of time outdoors outside of Ansbridge will typically know the location of a few bunches of it as it grows wild in the Ervelt region. Many of them will harvest some of it for their own personal use, but could be convinced to part with it. Other than that, many herbalists will have some cat's nip stowed away in the back, hidden among all the other dried plants. And naturally, someone knows a guy who can get it. All of this is very seasonal though, as cat's nip is only potenet when the silvery dust is the strongest.

Storage

Cat's nip is best fresh, but when that is not possible it should be dried and stored flat with the silvery side of the leaf facing up. Care is taken not to jostle the leaves too much or they may lose some of the silvery powder. Some people will incorporate cat's nip leaves into cigars so that they will not have the opportunity to lose their powder. Between being dried and being consumed, they should be handled as little as possible.

Law & Regulation

Cat's nip is illegal, though guards are unlikely to do anything about it unless there is a direct complaint made. Some people have called for the city to send guards out to the streams and destroy the bunches of cat's nip before it gains the silvery coating, but this was quickly abandoned because the guards have no jurisdiction outside of the city and there is wildlife that depends on the plant. If someone launches a complaint about someone using cat's nip, the guards will typically let the person off with a stern warning and have them surrender the cat's nip to them. The one exception for this is the Temple District where the guards actively seek out users/distributors and will put someone in the guard house for having cat's nip on them.

Mechanics

Cat's nip takes effect in 1d6 minutes and will last for 1d4 hours. During that time, the person has disadvantage on wisdom and intelligence related skills. They have advantage on charisma skills when the person they are dealing with is also under the effect of cat's nip.

Value

low value, a few copper to a few silver depending on potency and time of year

Rarity

highly seasonal

Taste

Bitter and metallic

Color

Sage green with a silvery dusting