Silverthorn

Silverthorn can refer to a shrub-like plant grown in the Northlands or to the lethal poison derived from the plant's berries. It is used to poison wells or blades in Betrayal at Krondor, and can be neutralized with Silverthorn Anti-Venom.

Description
Silverthorn is a shrub-like plant with silvery thorns, a rose-like stem, and fat red berries. Much of the plant is lethally poisonous; one thorn-scratch can kill within minutes and one berry contains enough bloodlike juice to provide the same property to an arrow or blade. Weapons are treated with Silverthorn by crushing the berries against them to wet them with the poisonous juice. The plant should only be handled with utmost concentration, and anyone preparing or handling Silverthorn-treated weapons must take great care to avoid accidental death.

History
Ten years ago, following the ascension of Arutha conDoin to the Princedom in the Kingdom of the Isles, Silverthorn poison was used to wound Princess Anita conDoin. Father Nathan of Krondor created a new anti-venom to be taken internally, saving her life.

Though Silverthorn is now harvested prolifically on the shores of Moraelin and in the Northlands, the new strains are less harmful, posing the possibility that its lethality comes from soil nutrients near the Black Lake.

Literature
The history and uses of Silverthorn are detailed in a volume on poisons which can be read in The Vaults. Additionally, mention of both the poison and its antidote in Chapel's Rmur n Whepuns may date the ancient book's addendum on poisons and treatments to within the past ten years.

Properties

 * Stackable up to 20. Each sprig takes up one Inventory space.
 * One dose is sufficient to envenom one sword or a quiver of arrows. The effect on swords lasts for the duration of one battle, while each arrow in a treated quiver remains poisoned until the quiver is used up. A Poisoned character loses Health/Stamina for each round of battle and each day during which the poison is not cured.
 * Armor treated with Silverthorn Anti-Venom will neutralize a poisoned blade on contact and prevent poisoning damage from Silverthorn-treated swords or arrows. Poisoned water can likewise be neutralized with a dose of the anti-venom, as can the poisoning of a party member, though extra Restoratives might be needed to bring the victim back to health.

Trivia

 * A party member who attempts to use an item inappropriately stops and attributes the mistake to distraction, musing ironically about "putting jam on my sword and eating toast laced with silverthorn" next.
 * Raw Silverthorn is not lethal in the books, requiring a difficult arcane ritual to distill the poison. The toxin is described as long-acting, causing a deep sleep that eventually leads to death.
 * The poisoning of Anita conDoin and the search for a cure are detailed in the novel Silverthorn.