Natural Effect & Treatment
The venom numbs the senses, starting with the wound itself. This prevents the injured from realising the seriousness of their injuries. Afterwards their other senses will follow, causing a delirious state and eventual collapse of exhaustion. Furthermore, the venom will prevent blood from clotting, so bleeding out is a common way to die.
There are various treatments to fight these symptoms, with grinded powders of other Beasts that are known to enhance senses instead. While not perfect, this will at the very least allow the user to stay alert. It is recommended that Wayfarers first try exposing themselves in a controlled environment, so that they can get used to the strange mental state the mixture will put them in.
Treatments that make blood clot more easily, also help at least partially stave off the bleeding out risks. Combined with salved bandages, external injuries will cease being a risk this way. However, internal bleeding is still a threat to the victim's life.
Conservation Methods
Some transport the venom in the venom glands of the slain Serpents, believing the natural storage is best. This is an incredibly naive view, as the gland will start rotting. After a mere week, even if kept cool, the venom will already have rotten too much to safely use.
The only more naive way of conserving the venom, is by capturing the serpent alive. While few nobles have died from getting a Delirium Serpent as pet, this is only because the merchants tend not to even make it to the market.
Specially-treated waterskins, airtight and kept cool, are a good way to conserve the venom at full strength for up to two weeks. For longer durations, one can boil the venom and dry it out to a powder. This will significantly weaken it but allow it to be used almost indefinitely. Experiments show that one month later versus five years later make little difference to the strength of the powdered venom. It also makes it easier to transport, much to the delight of smugglers.
Usage for Food
The main uses for the venom are meat tenderizing and to produce a natural high. Many hunted Beasts, especially the Serpent itself, have naturally tough meat that takes significant tenderizing. Soaking meat in diluted venom will tenderize it far quicker and better than other methods. However, washing with milk afterwards is advised. Without washing it, the meat will produce said natural high, which most folk cannot handle well.
Alternatively, consuming the venom itself will produce a high similar to when bitten, but more gently. Because the venom is only slowly consumed by the body, the high is weaker but longer. It is still advised to dilute the venom, otherwise it is easy to overconsume, with obvious lethal consequences.
Poison & Medicine
The venom is easy to recognise when consumed, since it immediately numbs the tongue and has a distinctive taste and smell. Disguising it is possible, though complicated. Instead, assassins may coat their weapons with the venom instead. Afterwards, they can tail their victim just like the actual Beast does, waiting for the victim to collapse. However, this requires properly conserved venom, so tends to only happen near the Frontier.
Meanwhile, some physicians have employed the powdered venom to treat patients suffering from blood that refuses to flow properly. Combined with other medicine to help reduce the delirious side-effects, the powder seems to actually help most patients. Some countries allow this usage, but only when strictly monitored.
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