The Grey Pith

Of all the drugs consumed in the west, none is as feared or as coveted as Gruumshan, or The Grey Pith. Formed from the spongy tissue of the Gruumask Mangrove Tree, found only in the (marshy southern edge of the) elven woods of The Horta (in Hariel Minuta), the grey pith is a highly addictive narcotic which also has some magical side effects, both desirable and otherwise.
The soft, spongy material acts upon the mystical pathways a magician's body uses to channel arcane forces, allowing mages to produce more potent effects with their spell casting.
The pith is harvested by a contingent of Kelti elves, dedicated to the Art of the Pith. They represent one branch of the elven family tree, and only breed amongst themselves. Some say either this, or the drug, has driven them mad over the years, and it's immediately clear upon meeting a "Pith Elf" that they aren't quite normal. Centuries of exposure to the raw pith and other eldritch forces originating in the swamp have given them potent and unusual abilities, and any wizard who attempts to raid the groves for his or her own supply typically meets their doom.
The pith harvest occurs twice a year, and availability tends to follow proximity to these events. It is outlawed in most civilized lands, but is somewhat common on the underground markets of the Southron Lands. However, due to the overall rarity of the pith and the expense to export it, a single vial of the substance might cost a thousand gold pieces. Nevertheless, those who swear by its properties proclaim the cost is justified.
The pith can be administered in several ways. It may be dried and then either burned in a brazier or smoked through a pipe. It may be injected in liquid form as well. However, the most potent manner (and the most costly) involves chewing on raw pith, often condensed in "stick" form. Only the most well-to-do mages can afford this extravagance, however.
After ingesting the pith, the wizard begins to feel its effects in around ten minutes. It produces a general sense of invincibility and bliss (+2 to all CHA based checks), as it opens the wizard's psychic pathways, allowing her to maximize her spell casting. In game terms, it allows arcane spellcasters to roll any necessary dice with advantage. It also makes any saves against pith-enhanced spellcasting roll with disadvantage. Damage rolls also roll double damage. Further, properties such as duration, number of creatures affected and range are doubled.
Though potent, the pith is also unpredictable, and has been known to fail at inopportune moments. Each time a spell is cast under the effects of the substance, the DM should roll a d10. If, on the first roll, the result is a "10," the improved powers fail, and the spell works without improvements. The next time a spell is cast, a roll of "9" or "10" means the spell gains no additional potency. Repeat this process each time a spell is cast, increasing the likelihood of failure by one each time.
In any event, the benefits of ingesting pith fail after a half hour.
Using pith more than once a day can lead to additional dangers as well. Each time it is ingested more than once in a 24 hour period, the user must make a DC 15 CON save. The CON save is repeated for each usage, with the DC increasing each time by 1. If failed, the mage permanently loses a spell slot of a randomly determined level. Only major restorative magics can repair this arcane damage.
Further, each time it is ingested more than two days in a row, the user must make a DC10 CHA save or become addicted to the substance. Each consecutive check increases the DC by 1, and any further usage is considered consecutive (after the initial two days), unless an entire week is allowed to pass without any additional usage. On a failed check, the user becomes dependent on the pith, and suffers a -2 CON penalty until they either pass a DC 12 CON Save (at disadvantage). The save may be attempted once per day. As long as no more drug is ingested, no more saves are necessary. However, once the next time the caster use pith, they instantly suffer a -2 penalty to CON and DEX until they pass a DC14 CON Save (at disadvantage). Once the save is met (one attempt per day), no further penalties persist. But now, if they use again, they instantly incur a -2 penalty to CON, DEX and STR and their ability to naturally heal damage is impaired, until they make a DC16 CON Save (at disadvantage). At this point, they cannot use pith again, or they will become permanently addicted, requiring a daily dose of pith in order to avoid a permanent case of the Stage Three penalties.

Utility

The pith is used by arcane casters (and some divine casters as well) to enhance their spell casting abilities. It works particularly well with divination magic. Some say it has other uses as well, and it is speculated that the drug may even allow its user to slip through time.

Manufacturing

The secret to the distillation of the pith is a closely guarded Kelti secret. One that never leaves The Horta. Not even the Kelti of the north know the process.

Parent Technologies

• The Grey Pith

Children Technologies

• The Grey Pith

Inventor(s)

The Kelti wild elves of the Horta are thought to have invented the Grey Pith.

Access & Availability

As it is only harvested by the Kelti of the Horta, they control the trade of the pith. It is banned in most civilized lands, including Varuum, but can often be found in the underground markets of Varuumae Corona.

Discovery

Discovered by the Kelti Elves of the Horta some thousands of years past.