Dreamless Sleep Potion

Dreamless Sleep Potions are a type of potion commonly issued by medics and carers to those who have trouble sleeping at night, for any reason.
==Properties and Use==
Dreamless Sleep potions have no anaesthetic properties of their own, so they are commonly issued to injured patients alongside a more traditional anaesthetic. The recipes of Dreamless Sleep potions tend to be formulated so as not to interfere with the action of common anaesthetics in the system; although, if a particularly unorthodox anaesthetic is administered, then there may be unexpected side-effects.
Most field medics do not bother carrying them. Infirmaries, however, are more likely to, as they ensure a restful night's sleep to those who take them.
Their use is not restricted solely to injured parties - soldiers and ex-soldiers haunted by nightmares also use them, as well as any persons who have trouble getting to sleep otherwise.
They are not costly on the market - especially the Lesser through to Regular potions - as their ingredients are not rare. The exception to this are Major potions. Among adventurers, these are not difficult to get hold of, but the ingredient of Nightmare Vine (only growing in Shadowmoon Valley in Outland) makes them troublesome for civilians.
Colouration does not vary between strengths; labelling is key.
==Effects==
Most Dreamless Sleep Potions take ten minutes to take effect.
*Minor potions put the patient to sleep for 2 hours.
*Lesser potions put the patient to sleep for 4 hours.
*Regular potions put the patient to sleep for 7 hours. These are the type most commonly issued.
*Greater potions put the patient to sleep for 10 hours.
*Major potions put the patient to sleep for between 12 and 14 hours.
The sleep is deep enough that talking will not rouse the patient, although loud noises (such as explosions and shouting) will. Vigorous shaking will also wake the patient.
Neither nightmares nor dreams trouble the patient, no matter their source.
===Side-effects===
If imbibed by a shaman, Dreamless Sleep potions can interfere with augur-sight, as they prevent any and all dreams.
Dreamless Sleep potions can pose a special risk to demonologists and other warlocks. It robs them of the ability to fight back against any demons who may try to enter his or her mind during sleep, as these demonic threats are usually presented as nightmares which must be fought through.
Dreamless Sleep potions, if used regularly over an extended period of time, can also produce effects such as lethargy, nausea, apathy and disrupted natural sleep patterns.
If used every night for a period of more than a few months, the user may become dependant on the potions in order to get a normal night's sleep. This dependance can be broken by gradually reducing the use of the potions and the strength of the potions used over the course of about a month.
==Variations==
Another type of potion, that goes by the same name, is one which immediately puts the imbiber to sleep for between 12 and 10 seconds. In this time, they recover health and vitality at a much increased rate. The colouration is no different, and is frightfully similar to the colouration of the so-called Trolls' Blood potions. The effects of all three differ so that one is immediately able to tell which type of potion was imbibed. Again, labelling these things is key.
A variation called the Nightmare Potion is sometimes used at a patient's preference. It is as a Dreamless Sleep potion - it locks the imbiber into a sleep - but does not prevent their dreams. They are named Nightmare Potions because, if one has a nightmare, one is not able to wake up from it, even if they become lucid during the process of it.
==Ingredients==
*Minor potions through to Regular Potions require different parts and amounts of the Purple Lotus plant.
*Greater Potions require Dreamfoil and Golden Sansam.
*Major Potions require Dreaming Glory and Nightmare Vine.
==Administration and Dosage==
All known Dreamless Sleep potions are administered orally.
Reduced dosage of a given brew does not reduce its effect time, only its overall effects - so it will only make one drowsy.
Those with a higher body mass (e.g. Tauren) will need a higher dosage versus those of smaller body mass (e.g. children). As a general rule, if the mixture is of the correct dilution, the volume of potion imbibed should take up about the same amount of space as the fist of the imbiber.
The regenerative abilities of Trolls means that normal formulations of Dreamless Sleep potions will put them in a deeper sleep, but for a shorter amount of time. Troll alchemists have formulated alternative recipes with added ingredients to make the potions function normally when imbibed by trolls.
Category:Magic item