Stage 90 - Darkest Night

Darkest Night is considered to be an illicit potion due to its addictive and dangerous nature. Popular in the 1990's and early 2000's, darkest night left the public eye in the late 2000s. The substance, primarily ingested would leave the user in a brief, euphoric state. Emotions, both good and bad would be heightened and even the depths of sorrow can be ecstasy when it is felt in every fiber of ones being, it is the sense that one is 'truly alive.' While in this state, the user would have reduced inhibitions the combination would leave some in a perilous state as they chose to cross the ocean on a broom without luggage, climb a mountain without gear or say something that was best left unsaid. Still, for the most part on the surface, it was not the potion that was dangerous but rather the choices the individual made while under the influence of the potion that proved to be detrimental.

However, the potion is also addictive. The temporary effects of the potion do ultimately fade, but not the memory of the bliss, the sense of freedom and being unshackled from their inhibitions. It was always when the potion ended that the consequences of their decisions became relevant and the bliss abruptly ended. This Pavlovian conditioning that the 'end was always bad' would make some users seek a consistent state of bliss. The world was just not nearly as bright, as cheery, experiences would feel muted and bland comparatively. In time, for those that partake just once and never again, this dichotomy would eventually fade after a short time, but for those prone to weakness, they would seek the happiness that they lost. Through the repeated, routine consumption of this potion, a physical dependence would occur. Their body would depend on the potion to 'feel much of anything' basically the rebound of the potion's actual effect on the mind but rather than it lasting a few hours or even days, this would last weeks or even months. This was the first stage of dependence. In the second stage, their body would start to change. This being where the term 'darkest night' came from, their eyes would become characteristically dark, as would the keratin in their nails, their teeth, even their bones although those would be unseen, and even their hair. This is a progressive process taking months to transpire and it would take months more to reverse, but the withdrawal at this point becomes 'dangerous.' Agitation, delirium, hallucinations, tremors and even seizures were found in those attempting to stop darkest night 'cold turkey.'

As for how this potion is made, who made it and why it is starting to trickle back into society after so many years... that is an unknown.