Cinder Pearls

Cinder Pearls are a rare plant found thriving within cold environments. They're known for being a key component to the ecosystem, supporting life that would otherwise be incapable of surviving within the bitter cold. Lesser known is the dust that's made from their stiff buds; crushed cinder pearls create a powerful stimulant that's colloquially known as Spice.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Cinder pearls earn their name from the round bulb found at the head of the stem. Two large leaves flank either side of the stem from the bottom, while the bulb at the top gives off a dull, reddish glow that's much more noticeable at night. They also radiate a faint heat around them, offering an air of warmth that frequently leaves patches of permafrost or snow uncovered in the areas they grow at.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The most curious trait of a cinder pearl is its magical properties. The plant itself feeds upon the cold, and generates heat as a 'waste' product. Cold air is devoured and siphoned from the area, which in turn leaves nothing but heat around the plant. Hotter settings leave cinder pearls wilting and rotting away as a result, due to the lack of cold around them, whereas tundras or icy landscapes allow them to thrive.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Cinder pearls have a variety of uses; survivalists often see them as a pleasant haven that can help keep warm when trapped within the cold. When gathered, the pearls still radiate a powerful heat -- or more accurately, 'feed' on cold by draining it into the pearl. This leads to a warming effect that saps away frigid temperatures around them. 
Further more, they have a stimulant effect. Cinder pearls can be crushed and refined into a fine, reddish powder, called Spice on the black market. This red powder is used in two ways; when refined by an alchemist, it's generally far more safe. Tonics and energy potions are frequently crafted using crushed cinder pearls, and careful experimentation also allows for the creation of special tonics that temporarily bestow a cinder pearl's effects; draining cold from an area, including the drinker, resulting in warmth that protects them from the harsh cold.
If unregulated, it's a powerful stimulant. Spice can typically be ingested through snorting or rubbed on the tongue, but either achieves the same energetic, fleeting rush. This is also dangerous however, as over-use of cinder pearls can result in the user's body absorbing far too much cold around them, until their body overheats and leaves their organs boiling themselves alive.