Crypt Thorn

Crypt Thorn is also called Suicide's Gift because this ugly thorn vine only grows on the graves of suicide victims. The vine is black in color with small leaves purple/green that sprout out seemingly randomly. It curves and curls back over itself and over the grave, rarely spreading more than a few inches off of the grave site. Where the vine makes contact with the ground it will add more roots. Once it takes hold in an area it is nearly impossible to get rid of unless the body below is removed. This has resulted in several cemeteries refusing to bury the remains of suicide victims, or accidents where the true motives were unclear. Wealthier families may still pay for a plot in a local cemetery and bury and empty coffin to keep up appearances or to allow the family a location to visit to grieve. The actual body may be cremated or buried in an alternative location. There are some cemeteries that offer to bury suicide victims, each one claiming that they are there to honor the memory of the deceased, but it is nearly always a front for a drug cartel wanting to grow crypt thorn. They will even pay for the burial of poor victims that are believed to be suicide victims. 
Crypt thorn is one of the most dangerous and addictive drugs available in the Ervelt Region. It is used in a selection of other alchemical drugs, such as Mourning Dew, or taken on its own. The sap is the part that has the effect and it is typically mixed with some sort of drink to make it easier to swallow. Those who use it say that it takes away all of the pain and torment in their lives. This can be physical pain or emotional pain. While it does numb this pain for a time, it does nothing to prevent it from returning when the drug wears off. This results in the pain seeming even more intense when it returns.

History & Usage

Everyday use

Crypt Thorn is seen as a very dangerous and serious drug, not the sort that people are accepting of. Crypt Thorn users are seen as a danger to themselves and possibly to others. If someone suspects a person of crypt thorn use they will readily turn them in.

Hazards

People who use crypt thorn are seen to be a to themselves. There are reports of someone high on crypt thorn cutting their arm off and then laughing at the way the blood spurted. Physical and emotional pain are severely dulled, so they rarely think of the consequences of their actions while they are doing them. It isn't that they become manic, but more that any sort of inhibition is removed. Prolonged use results in physical affects to the body, though they are often not a direct result of the drug. The person doesn't feel hunger, so they rarely eat. They don't notice the pain of an untreated injury and walk around on a compound fracture. They also don't notice the pain of a small injury and continue to do whatever it is that injured them, so they are often covered in small scars. If they live in a colder region, they may lose fingers or toes to frostbite without reacting to it. They overall stop taking care of themselves in any shape or form, sometimes taking on the appearance of undead. 
Another large hazard with the withdraw from it. It is advised to have clerical attention for anyone attempting to get off of crypt thorn and to have restoration and protection from poison at the ready. Even with clerical assistance, the process of getting off of crypt thorn is a painful experience. They say that the person must feel all of the pain that they have avoided, and that it all comes rushing at them at once. There are many who would rather die than to go off of crypt thorn for this reason. Many of the people who are caught using or distributing crypt thorn choose to end their own lives than go to prison and risk experiencing the withdraw. Some guards will take pity on them and "accidently" leave a dagger in their cell rather than find out what creative means they have of ending their life. Those who do successfully get off of crypt thorn may still return to using it.

Distribution

Trade & Market

It can be very difficult to find someone willing to sell crypt thorn to someone new. This isn't because they don't want to get the person addicted or any noble cause like that, but more because they want to limit the number of people who could make accusations. Care is taken so that few people know the actual seller, they will instead arrange for a drop off system where they both have a key to a drop box and some sort of signal for a purchase.

Law & Regulation

Years ago, there had been an attempt to see if it was possible to use crypt thorn medically, but they have all resulted in failure. The participants always wanted a slightly higher dose than what they had been given, and when given a higher dose they wanted a slightly higher one yet. When refused, they would start to seek it out on their own. All medical experiments in prescribing crypt thorn have been outlawed. The only exception to this is the Temple of Dosyn is attempting to research a program that would wean users off of crypt thorn slowly to reduce the number of deaths associated with it. It is highly controversial and they do not make it known to the general public.
Any other possession or use of crypt thorn is highly illegal and will result in being held by the guards. The person is typically interrogated, sometimes promised another dose of the drug if they give up the names of their providers. The person is as good as tortured by their own bodies withdraw and tend to give up the answers. The guards may be good to their word and provide another dose, or not. Theoretically they would go to Skeleton Isle Prison, but few make it that far before killing themselves.

Mechanics

Yeah, just don't do this one, but if you do then you need to hand the DM a post-it note with your hit points because you are no longer tracking those. When a creature attacks you will not be told the damage that is dealt to your character. There are a few other misc things that you would also ignore, but those will be mentioned as they come up.

Value

Expensive, 5 gold or more per dose

Rarity

Readily available if you know who to ask, overall rare though

Odor

in large quantities it smells like overripe fruit, odorless in small quantities

Taste

Sickeningly sweet with a metallic aftertaste

Color

deep red