Kaituri's Gift

• Plant Body: Irlahana plants grow from bulbs, able to flower year after year unless otherwise disturbed. At full growth they stand around 1-1.2m tall with narrow swordshaped leaves, which fall lax around the central upright flower-topped stems. 
• Flower: Each stem typically has 3 flowers which open out into a loose fan of 3 larger drooping petals and 3 smaller straight ones. The petals all have a deep dusky pink central colour which fades out to a rich violet purple, with a lighter shade of blue lining the outer edge. 
• Seeds: At the end of it’s reproductive cycle the petals of the flower fall and a new bud forms, this full of the seeds. The seeds themselves are dark black/brown in colour, thin circular discs of approximately 0.5 cm diameter.

With the plant dying away and reflowering the following year it is not necessary to preserve and plant fresh seeds each year. The seeds themselves can be dried and still maintain their efficacy for years.

The seeds are the primary part of the plant used as a contraceptive agent. They can either be simply swallowed whole or others prefer to brew them into a tea. It appears to have no impact on the effects, and is simply a personal choice.

The flower head and petals are used in the production of the aphrodisiac scent, however due to the subtle smell of the flower itself it takes a large amount of the flowers with much distillation to make even a small amount of the effective perfume.

Irlahana plants are surprisingly hardy and durable and seem to flourish in nearly any climate, from the cool slopes of the Channan Mountains to the hot summer grasslands south of Morkine. They are a common sight across much of Tordronnen, both growing wild and in many a garden.

Perfumes distilled of the flower petals will lose its special potency after a few months depending on the specific method and any other preservatives used.

Once properly dried the contraceptive seeds of the Irlahana will be effective for years, which allows for long term harvesting and storage.

The use of Kaituri's Gift as a preventative for pregnancy has been documented as far back as the early centuries of the Time of the Tome. Manifests of shipped items and common apothecary supplies include mentions of this plant, suggetsing it's common ussage across all of Tordronnen. As the common name for the Irlahana suggests, there is no contoversy nor critisism around the use of a contraceptive. The freedom of choice that it provides is in keeping with the principles of the worship of Kaituri.

The secondary use of the aphrodisiac scent of the distilled flower was stumbled upon by the alchemist Beatriz Fiorata, from Tariad in the year 1168. After some years of experimentation she was able to confirm her findings and began to sell her own simple version of the scent from her small apothecary stall. It swiftly gained popularity and Fiorata made her fortune in the creation and selling of the Irlahana compound to perfumers all over the country. She managed to keep the specifics of her distillation method a secret for many years, before eventually selling her knowledge for an astronomical sum.

The use of the seeds is extremely common and can be found in near enough every household. It is easily aqcuired either from general stores and apothecaries or simply foraged for in the countryside. Many homes will have a space put aside to grow the plant, providing an ongoing supply of the seeds.

Perfumes containing the Irlahana scent can easily be found in stores, however it is often expensive and therefore less easily accessible. When it is found at a cheaper cost there is the risk that it is a counterfeit and any effect is purely a placebo effect.

The use of Kaituri's Gift seeds was common in coming of age ceremonies as an acknowledgement of reaching maturity, and the responsibility that goes with it. The symbolic extent of the ceremonies has reduced over the years, however it is still expected that parents will ensure their children enter adulthood with an understanding of the use of Kaituri’s Gift. 

There were initial concerns about the potency of the distilled Irlahana flower and whether its use was ethical. A few groups called for its removal from sale however this was declined at any higher legislative level following further investigation. Experiments showed that although the scent does indeed have a notable aphrodisiac effect, it does not rob the individual of their cognition, senses or capacity to make decisions.