Black Lotus Dust

Black Lotus Dust
Poison Rank 10
Value: 10,000 gp
Delivery: Contact
Effect: The target is Marked for Death [SE, ST 6d10 vs CON]. If the target does not save within 10 segments, the target dies.
Creation: The oils of the Black Lotus are extracted with extreme care. It is then blended with a bit of flour to lessen its volatility, and left to dry into a powder. To touch the dust is death and many have died attempting to create Black Lotus Dust.
Components: Black Lotus Extract, Flour
"Death is merely the next phase of life. This exquisite little fellow here, nestled in the darkness of our charming grotto, proves such a thing simply by existing."
——Shen of Leaves, Grandmaster Alchemist

Description

Black Lotus Dust is made by carefully juicing the petals of the exceedingly rare Black Lotus flower, a curious plant that only grows within secluded, well shaded areas. The flower itself appears as black as midnight at the tips of its ovular petals, and then fades gradually to a point of white at the Pistil in the center. Every Black Lotus Flower has exactly ten petals, each petal capable of producing one dose of the extraordinarily potent chemical. When the poison is extracted, it appears as semi-translucent black liquid, which is then mixed with a small amount of flour until the liquid is fully absorbed. The dust is recognizable by the unusual pitch black color it takes on once it is completed.

Lore

The creation of this poison was certainly no accident, although there were many periods of trial and error in its development over the years. Many poisons can be applied and used in their liquid forms, but alchemists found that the deadly chemical by itself was so potent that the liquid, if even a tiny bit seeped into the skin, could prove deadly to the user. Thus it became necessary to dilute and dry the poison so it could be handled safely. Once this method was developed, the sale of Black Lotus Dust became a lucrative underground market. This process only weakens the poison before use. Once the dust is absorbed into the body, the poison of the Black Lotus is just as deadly as it is in it's natural state.