This text is written in Alzhedo and is entitled The properties of lotus blossoms and dust. No date is listed, and the text appears to consist of a journal and compilation of research conducted by the Cavalarr regarding the different properties of various lotus blossoms and flowers. Subsequent additions to the compilation have been made by an “A.T.” expanding upon the original work and furthering the original research. Amid various charts, encoded segments, and other technical details, a few key passages read as follows:
… much of the pioneering work has already been conducted by sages and alchemists of Kara-Tur. Obtaining what legends and information I could as well as my own experiments have allowed for identification of the different known kinds of lotus blossoms as well as their various salient and prevalent properties, as well as methods of preparation for different kinds of applications.
(Even among each individual species of lotus blossom, there can exist a wide degree of variation in effect, owing to where the lotus was sourced, how it was prepared, and so forth. Lotus blossoms either exposed to various planar energies or originating from other planes of existence such as the Feywild have been found to have their properties amplified and enhanced in a variety of different ways, as my own research and experimentation has borne out. - A.T.)
The flower and its fragrance
… the lotus can be found in quantities ranging from a single blossom (as in the case of the black lotus) or a dozen blooms (such as the green lotus). The blossoms generate a fragrance which can have a variety of different effects upon those who inhale them. It is known to act as an aphrodisiac in the case of the brown, red, and yellow lotus, and as a powerful sedative in the case of the black, green, and violet lotus. The fragrance of the gray lotus is thought to induce catalepsy, whereas the blue lotus is believed to cause hallucinations. Depending on the particular lotus and its origin, the effects of inhaling a lotus’s fragrance can be dramatic, affecting those in its vicinity instantaneously and its effects lasting anywhere from minutes to hours and in some cases, even days or weeks…
(Among other variations of lotuses that exist, the amber lotus has been noted to have powerful sedative and lethargic properties. It is also possible to artificially select for different qualities in lotuses to retain or amplify on a generational level, following known methods of artificial selection, which can have a marked increase on the aforementioned acute effect of inhalation of the fragrance of a particular lotus. - A.T.)
Harvesting and preparation
… in order to extract and produce lotus dust, the lotus flower must be prepared soon after harvesting, ideally no more than two days after doing so. In order to prepare the dust to its full potency, the following procedure should be adhered to.
First, the flower should be washed in warm water before being placed in a bowl of pure silver. Use of other metals seems to produce an adverse reaction that limits or otherwise prevents the desired yield of dust from being produced.
Second, the preparation should be left in an area of darkness open to the air for a period of 24 hours. After this period of time, the flower should have turned into a paste.
Finally, this paste can be heated at moderate heat for two days, which ultimately produces dust with a color similar to the petals of the original flower. In its dust form, the properties of an individual lotus are greatly amplified and concentrated, making it apt to use as a form of potent poison, of which I detail below. Any dust produced in this way should be kept in an airtight vial or other sealed method of storage...
(Additional study has determined that it is ideal to wash the flower with water originating from a hot spring or other magically significant location for maximum yield and best results. This generates a unique alchemical reaction within the flower’s substance that ultimately produces the dust. Placing the preparation to be stored in metals other than silver produces an adverse alchemical reaction that ultimately degenerates the preparation. Furthermore, the yield of dust produced can be greatly increased if the paste is spread within the bowl prior to heating at the final step. Experimentation has revealed that the temperature optimum for heating is at the boiling point of water, which should be maintained for a period of 48 hours. - A.T.)
Properties of lotus dust
… the properties of various kinds of dust produced by preparations of extract of different lotuses are catalogued below. From what my research thus far has determined, except for a rare few varieties of lotus, the effects of most lotuses can be removed by traditional magical means of curing poison, and available preventatives against poison are also effective against the poisons associated with a given lotus. In other cases, time and rest seem to be sufficient to overcome the effects of most, but not all, lotuses.
(...different species and varieties of lotus extract can be prepared, either by mixing different kinds of lotuses together in precise proportions to achieve variable effects, or by altering the preparation process through alchemical or magical means. For instance, the use of certain schools of magic in conjunction with the preparation process can amplify or emphasize a given aspect of certain mixtures, making a poison more lethal, or more soporific, or so forth…)
Black lotus. This lotus reportedly is dull black. At this time, I have not been able to obtain a sufficient enough quantity of purified black lotus to determine the full range of properties of black lotus dust. Black lotus in impure and low doses has been known to be utilized as a psychedelic and sedative substance. From what information I have uncovered, a quantity of purified black lotus dust is likely to produce a lethal reaction that few poisons can match. I shall be sourcing a quantity of black lotus from Baldur’s Gate in order to more directly ascertain the qualities of the black lotus.
(Black lotus has a dull black flower that resembles an orchid, while the pistils are of a similar, shinier color. Black lotus dust that has been prepared as described before does produce a highly potent and lethal poisonous agent, capable of inducing instant unconsciousness, with death typically following within minutes. Even those that manage to survive often remain unconscious for hours and are further affected by a trancelike lethargy for hours still after upon wakening. There does not seem to be any antidote to the poisonous effects of black lotus: only magical means can suffice...
...my collaboration with my colleague at the Garden of Contemplation has additionally allowed me to procure a quantity of black lotus originating from the plane of Faerie, which have additional magical properties that can be specifically targeted or enhanced depending on the preparation process, modifying its lethality to instead create a powerful soporific and psychedelic agent. In my discussions with my colleague at the Garden of Contemplation, it is my belief that a more magically potent and lethal variety of black lotus still may exist within the heart of the Gloaming Court in the Feywild. Further research will need to be conducted.- A.T.)
Blue lotus. ...this lotus reportedly has blue petals. While I have not been able to directly confirm for myself, blue lotus is thought to produce odors which can induce various hallucinations. According to legends from Kara-Tur and elsewhere, a concentrated quantity of blue lotus dust can grant prescient qualities to those that inhale the dust as well as to enhance the potency and duration of divination magic. I have yet to find a reliable source for this variety of lotus to confirm its properties at this time...
(The blue lotus is also an orchidlike flower, with sky-blue petals, a dark purple center, and deep blue-black pistils. The blue lotus has proven difficult to source, but I have obtained and experimented with a sufficient enough quantity to come to a few conclusions regarding the flower. First, as mentioned, blue lotus dust does indeed have powerful hallucinatory effects, which seems to grant a degree of prescience to those who inhale the dust, allowing for viewing of events past, present, or future. One must take care however: partaking too much in the effects of unworked blue lotus can have highly deleterious effects, including death as if one had inhaled an extract of black lotus...
...if blue lotus dust is used as a reagent in conjunction with at least 5,000 gold pieces worth of diamond dust when utilizing any divination spell, the effects, range, and duration of the spell appear to double. However, the scarcity of blue lotus and cost of such a procedure make it an unsustainable procedure to say the least. In my own experiments, a mixture of black lotus and blue lotus in certain proportions creates an extremely potent psychedelic agent. The prescient qualities of blue lotus seem to be modified in such a mixture, as it is unclear if it involves prescience of the actual world, prescience of the events of another world or reality, or perhaps even a form of retrocausation by which to realize events that are witnessed. Once I should be able to obtain another batch of blue lotus, further research will need to be conducted.- A.T.)
Brown lotus. ...this lotus is thought to be nearly as dangerous as the black lotus, and it is nearly as scarce as well. I have sourced a supply of brown lotus for my own experiments and in conjunction with a review of the available legends and reports have come to the following conclusions. The flower itself has light brown petals, with a dark brown center, and gray pistils. Dust prepared from an extract of brown lotus has severely debilitating effects on the mind of any who inhale the poison, causing a regression in mental capacities and judgment to that of a young child. From what I have been able to determine, the effect is identical to that of a feeblemind spell, affecting a target for a period of up to two months. To recover from this effect requires the afflicted to rest in peace and quiet and to avoid any strenuous mental activity: failure to do so seems to delay the recovery period by one week per day of strenuous mental activity. Even if the afflicted should manage to avoid the worst, some degree of debilitation of one’s intellect can be expected for a few hours. Magical means of curing poison seems to prove sufficient to instantly cure this effect however...
Gray lotus. ...thought by many to only be a legend, I can personally confirm that gray lotuses are indeed real and their storied capacities well rooted in reality. Gray lotuses can be found in areas that have been intensely charged with negative energy, with some even originating upon the Negative Plane itself. While I have not been able to procure quantities of the latter as of this time, through my contacts, I have sourced a few blooms of gray lotus for purposes of experimentation, from which I can report the following. As aforementioned, the fragrance of the gray lotus creates a powerful sense of catalepsy, with those afflicted stuck in place as though paralyzed and their minds in a state of disorientation. Typical exposure results in effects lasting from one to four hours, though I have documented cases where subjects have suffered the effects for a period of up to one month upon even a single isolated exposure.
Legends and rumors have abounded of necromancers utilizing the gray lotus to create zombified entities. From my own research, these legends are rooted in fact, albeit exaggerated: I have not thus far found gray lotus to have the capacity to transform living beings into that of the undead. However, if quantities of gray lotus are mixed with grave dirt and the crushed bones of an undead creature, it creates a powerful mixture that is capable of utterly dominating the will of any who should inhale its fragrance. Those who fall victim to it become compliant, following the instructions of the first person to command them and none thereafter. From my studies, the effect appears to be similar to that of the various dominate spells. These effects typically last no longer than a tenday, though repeated exposure to extract of gray lotus can serve to prolong the effect, potentially indefinitely as depending on one’s supply of gray lotus. The affect and behavior of such affected individuals likely is what gave rise to the legend of gray lotus producing zombies, but my own research has not revealed such a capability at this time...
Green lotus. ...this lotus is among the more common variety of lotuses, possessing deep green petals, a light green center, and bright yellow pistils. If this variety of lotus dust should be prepared, it creates a substance which can produce temporary paralysis upon inhalation, usually for a period no longer than twelve hours....
(...resilient or otherwise hardy individuals that are not immune to poison instead experience a duration of paralysis no longer than four hours instead.- A.T.)
Red lotus. ...this lotus has petals with a reddish-orange hue, but resembles a violet lotus in having a deep purple-black center and bright, yellow pistils. Dust from an extract of red lotus seems to have a highly corruptive or maddening effect, generating intense hallucinations that can last for a period of up to eight hours. From my own experimentation and records, the hallucinations experienced are invariably bizarre and consist of audiovisual hallucinations that also engage the other sensory faculties, and are often highly unpleasant and frightening. The effects of a red lotus thereafter can prove deep-seated, often resulting in some degree of behavior modification corollary to the hallucinations experienced, or even outright insanity for those who utterly succumb to its influence...
(...my own studies into the tales and legends surrounding the red lotus have additionally determined other varieties of this lotus that may exist in other planes. For instance, it is said that there are areas of the plane of Faerie, especially within the Gloaming Court, that have groves of red lotus of an even more vibrant scarlet shade, and likely with variable properties. I have yet to procure a source at this time to investigate its qualities in detail. A.T.)
Violet lotus. ...the petals of this lotus are a red-violet shade, with a deep purple-black center, and bright yellow pistils. A preparation of violet lotus can act as a powerful sedative, inducing lethargy to those that inhale it. However, it is most effective when ingested, in which it can act as a remarkably potent toxin. Within one to twelve hours of ingestion, the victim becomes afflicted with a debilitating sickness in which their body is assailed by the internal reaction of the violet lotus. The effects during this period of time resemble mummy rot, with victims suffering a tremendous loss of vitality during this time. At the end of the period, if the afflicted fails to withstand the effects of the poison, death is inevitable. Only magical means of curing poison seem to be the only method of alleviating such a poison....
Yellow lotus. ...this flower has wide, yellow petals, yellow pistols, and a glossy brown center. Inhalation of the dust created from this lotus creates potent lethargic effects similar to that of the brown lotus, but results in severe physical lethargy as opposed to mental lethargy. The afflicted have their muscle fibers atrophy almost instantaneously, impairing strength, reflexes, motor coordination, and even sense of balance. Those affected suffer from a significant loss to motor function for a period up to two months. Recovery from this effect requires a period of rest and relaxation, avoiding any significant activity and abstaining from moving where possible. Failure to do so in engaging in strenuous activity results in prolonging the effects by as much as a week per day of strenuous activity. Those that avoid the worst of the effects regardless seem to suffer from some degree of physical debilitation, albeit for no longer than an hour instead…
White lotus. … from what legends I have been able to uncover, this variety of lotus is rare on the Material Plane, likely to be harvested from other planes of existence such as the Feywild instead. White lotuses, unlike the lotuses mentioned thus far, are thought to have restorative as opposed to debilitative properties…
(...the white lotus has some petals of a solid white shade, resembling alabaster. Groves of white lotuses are known to grow in the Feywild: if the efforts at the Garden of Contemplation should prove successful, it may be possible to obtain a sufficient enough quantity of white lotus in order to study their properties in details. From what legends and stories among the fae that exist are, there is thought to be a curious connection between the red lotuses of the Feywild as well as the white lotuses, suggesting perhaps that the two lotuses are simply two stages in the lifecycle of the same lotus. Further research will need to be conducted.
Amber lotus. ...among other varieties of lotus flower that exist that have yet to be documented, I am pleased to report of a novel variety of lotus that does exist. While it would be easy to confuse and conflate the amber lotus with that of the yellow lotus, the amber lotus possesses distinct and unique properties that set it apart from the yellow lotus and warrant it classifying it as a different variety of lotus altogether. Amber lotus flowers resemble golden water lilies, with enormous flowers the size of sun flowers. Even in their natural state, amber lotuses can periodically release puffs of pollen that can have psychedelic and soporific properties. Inhalation of this natural pollen can induce drowsiness and even unconsciousness. At this time, I have harvested enough amber lotus to sustain several generations of them for further study and development...
In its purified form, amber lotus dust can induce severe physical lethargy similar to that of a yellow lotus but even more pronounced, but can additionally generate a powerful soporific effect that can instantly render one afflicted by it unconscious. The unconsciousness produced by the amber lotus seems to be pliable depending on method of preparation: it is possible to mix trace quantities of amber lotus with black lotus in order to render the poison created to have a powerful soporific, as opposed to lethal, effect. Adding in proportionate quantities of blue lotus also renders the mixture a powerful psychedelic, as aforementioned in my own notes regarding the blue lotus... - A.T.