Nursha

»… Although, sometimes seductive women and men do lurk in the forest, even that’s not an encounter one should long for. The mercenary Lucinda had walked a bit ahead when a youth resembling a Nanshemu stepped out of the forest. But then we noticed the leaves growing through his hair, a heavy floral scent wafted toward us, and his green eyes seemed to glow. The handsome stranger flashed a perfect smile, approached the dreamy-eyed Lucinda, and gave her a passionate kiss. Then he disappeared into the forest, as suddenly as he had come.

During the night, the guards reported that Lucinda had run into the forest. We followed her trail in the morning and found her near a massive tree, along with about two dozen of the “leaf hairs”, among which I also saw the youth. But we almost didn’t recognize Lucinda: her skin was green, her formerly wiry body now displayed curves pleasing to the Rahja, and the numerous scars on her skin had disappeared. As we stepped into the clearing, the creatures stopped their lovemaking and, scowling, shielded the tree from us. Sharp thorns even grew from the skin of some of the creatures. Lucinda hissed, “Go!” at us, an order we had to obey with a heavy heart due to the superior numbers. In reference to the tree nymphs of my homeland, I have dubbed these creatures “Uthurian Dryads”, but I definitely prefer the Cyclopean ones…«
— Rondrakles, adventurer, modern

The Uthurian Dryad, or Nursha, is a deciduous tree that infects humans and other races with a part of its self, usually through the kiss of one of its elder dryads. These dryads protect the tree, which in return cures its dryads of illness, grants them a lovely appearance and agelessness, as well as the ability to survive on sunlight and water alone. The dryads’ floral scent can enchant the opposite sex, and they hide thorns beneath their skin for defense. However, they are vulnerable to cold and light deprivation, which starves them over time. The transformation takes time, and strong-willed victims can evade the tree’s call for days or weeks. Some legends also speak of starved lovers or terminally ill people who voluntarily united with the tree. The older the tree grows, the more dryads it has and the stronger its call.

A cure by felling the tree, starving the dryads or deliberately banishing humus has a variety of effects, but is most likely to be successful if the victim has not been under the tree’s influence for long.

The fruits of the Nursha are considered a potency enhancer among the Uthurians, and their pollen can be processed into a respiratory poison that triggers an uncontrolled love frenzy in its victims.

Nurshama (Herbal Respiratory Poison)

Effect: It sends all breathing creatures within a 3-pace radius into a love frenzy, causing them to wildly attack one another. Their lovemaking will only be disturbed by direct threat to their lives. To shake off the effect, a Self-Control check +10 the age of the tree must be successful. However, the victim receives the +10 Lust disadvantage for the duration of the effect, and corresponding stimuli cause them to relapse into the love frenzy. Individual victims of the poison must find their own relief. The wild tribes often use it in their fertility rituals, but also to bloodlessly halt or capture enemies.

• Start: 2 CR
• Duration: d6 hours
• Price: about 80 ducats
• Durability: 6 months
• Production: Plant Lore +6 or Alchemy +9