Poisons

The use of poisonous substances to (purposefully) cause harm to another.

The use and availability of poisons within a given campaign is highly variable. Most historical medieval societies considered poisons a tangible Evil. Some campaign societies especially evil fantasy societies may tolerate comparatively high availability of poisons. These would be allowed for the following purposes:

Ritual or personal suicide;

a somewhat common "legitimate" use

Assassination;

or similar diabolical use is well documented.

Combat:

poisoned weapons are "dishonorable" in combat with political enemies but are (rare) occasionally tolerated in combat with racial enemies or predators. When fighting an army "known" to use poisoned weapons the incidence of "berserker" behavior is often substantially increased. Basically, if a fighter believes he is going to die from the poison anyway, his ferocity can be inspiring.

Within "polite" society, or organizations where trust is an important aspect of continued membership (such as an adventuring party) characters known (or even suspected) of carrying/using poisons will generally be eliminated.

Descriptions of poisons that may be available in your campaign (check with your GM) follow. These descriptions indicate results with the usual potency and dosage (in arbitrary game terms). The names of each poison are chosen to indicate a general family of poisons and not necessarily the only source - especially the organic poisons. The production of these poisons from their plant or mineral sources is hardly a science. Herbalists and Alchemists each have their own recipe generally resulting in concoctions with the listed (market) potency. Certainly many less potent versions exist (and may be sold by unscrupulous traders) and occasionally a higher grade might be procured by a well placed and persuasive individual. Your GM may alter the difficulty of the Constitution test downward as required to account for this but may only increase the posted difficulty by one or two levels to maintain game balance.

Organic Poisons

The potency of most organic poisons naturally degrades with time. For each week that passes since the original production of a particular poison, reduce the difficulty of the Constitution test by one. These poisons are eventually neutralized by biological processes. Recovery from an “unsuccessful” poisoning is accomplished through regular healing (including the use of etheric cures). Costs indicated are for a five "dose" vial.

Toxicity Chart

Curare

Curare is the only type of poison really effective in common (adventuring type) combat. Others are obviously available, but the toxic effects generally take much longer than combat itself, so the victim continues to fight at full capability. Curare begins its debilitating effects within a few seconds, and can kill quite quickly.

The poison is fairly harmless if ingested, therefor it must be administered to the blood stream directly to have the listed effect. In common usage a paste or oil is made and this is spread on a blade (poor), or arrows/bolts are soaked in it (better), or injection darts are filled with it (best). A "hit" with a poisoned weapon must do physical damage - not just fatigue - to cause subsequent deterioration in the victim’s capabilities. One combat round (20 seconds) after such contact the victim should make a Constitution test with difficulty (D1) for blades, (D2) for arrows/bolts and (D3) for injection. Success indicates that the toxin has run its course and will do no further damage. Failure indicates progression of the toxin. Make all combat and physical activity tests at one difficulty level higher and modify all combat percentage rolls by +/- 10% against as the muscles begin to relax and fail. Continue to make such tests every combat round until a success is acquired. Each failed test further diminishes combat and physical activities by increasing the difficulty of all test by one and all combat rolls by +/-10% against. Failure of five consecutive tests indicates respiratory failure (death). Recovery from the effects, if death is avoided, occurs naturally at one hour intervals. For each hour of recovery reduce the penalty by one difficulty level and +/- 10% in favor.

Once a small weapon has scored a "hit" of any kind on an opponent, it is no longer considered to be poisoned. This would include blades of less than 2 ft length and all axe blades, arrows, bolts and darts. Larger bladed weapons are effectively "poisoned" for 1 hit for every two feet in length - note that such weapons will be easily noticed as being poisoned. When a victim is hit multiple times with curare poisoned weapons, the effects are not cumulative, however, the victim must make his Constitution tests for each poisoning, every combat round. A single failure in each round will continue the effects.
Example:

Ylidrich is ambushed by a band of Knoblins and is hit by four of their envenomed bullets. The first he is able to avoid skin penetration by using the fatigue absorption rules, but the following three penetrate his skin and release their deadly poison. The next combat round Ylidrich rolls three constitution tests, failing two. The penalties are assessed and he continues fighting at +/-10% against. The next round he must again make three tests, applying the penalties if any of the three fail. This continues until Ylidrich either succeeds with all three tests in a round, or until he dies after failing five rounds of tests.

Yew

Yew is a fast acting poison - though not necessarily quick to kill. Primary symptoms of Yew poisoning begin a Constitution/4 minutes after ingestion when nausea and abdominal pain begin; increase the difficulty of all tests made by the character by one level and modify all combat percentage rolls by +/- 10% against due to this debilitation. Constitution/2 minutes after ingestion make a (D1) test against Constitution, failure indicates a heart attack and death Success indicates Constitution/2 hours of continued nausea and pain followed by, lethargy (reduce fatigue levels to one-half the current rating), trembling, staggering, coldness and/or convulsions further increasing the difficulty of all tests by an additional level and further reducing all combat percentage rolls by +/- 10% against. These secondary symptoms continue for Constitution/4 days when a final (D2) Constitution test is made. If it is successful, recovery begins immediately, with a cessation of the secondary symptoms within 60/Constitution minutes and primary symptoms persisting for another 24/Constitution hours. Failure indicates death.

Mezereon

The poisons in Mezereon are well suited to long term storage without appreciable decay in potency. The storage potential requires some work immediately prior to administration as the dried seeds of this plant must be crushed or chewed in order to deliver the required toxins to the bloodstream, after crushing the poison decays normally. Primary symptoms of a burning sensation in the mouth, nausea, vomiting and stomach pains begin in about twenty minutes after ingestion. Increase the difficulty of all tests made by the character by one level and reduce any modify all combat percentage rolls by +/- 10% against due to this debilitation. Make a single (D3) Constitution test at that time, success indicates a mild poisoning with primary symptoms plus diarrhea continuing for 120/Constitution minutes.

Failure indicates the onset of secondary symptoms in 120/Constitution minutes: weakness (reduce fatigue levels to one-half the current rating) and disorientation further increasing the difficulty of all tests by an additional level and further reduces all combat percentage rolls by +/- 10% against. Make a (D2) Constitution test, success indicates a serious poisoning with secondary symptoms plus convulsions continuing for [Constitution/3]*10 minutes. Natural recovery in 48/Constitution hours. Failure indicates death.

Belladonna

The raw organic materials for this poison are readily obtained, thus it can be relatively inexpensive - or even produced by an amateur. The best -and most lethal form comes from the black berries of “Deadly Nightshade”. Primary symptoms are a dry mouth, flushed face, dilation of pupils, light sensitivity and rapid pulse. Secondary symptoms include breathing difficulties, constipation, convulsions, hallucinations, and coma.

Twenty minutes after ingesting the poison primary symptoms will begin. Make a (D2)Constitution test, success indicates a mild poisoning with continued primary symptoms for 25/Constitution hours. Note that characters so afflicted will tire easily, expending 2x the usual fatigue points in any activity (including the absorption of damage, or casting of Magic). Failure indicates the immediate onset of secondary symptoms and death in Constitution*10 minutes.

Death Cap (toadstool)

Many mushrooms contain considerable toxicity. The Death Cap is one of the most potent. The difficulty in administering this poison is that it generally requires the victim to ingest the uncooked toadstool directly (it doesn’t take more than two, a bite is usually sufficient).

After ingestion the victim will have no symptoms until Constitution/2 hours later when acute abdominal pain, vomiting and bloody diarrhea begin. This will persist for 24/Constitution hours and subside. Constitution/4 days later the continuing damage becomes evident in Liver and Kidney failure resulting in death. There is no Constitution save for this poison, however a combination of the Mend Blood and Mend Organ spells will cure both the poisoning and the damage at any time prior to death.

Rincin (Castor Bean)

The beans of the Castor oil plant contain small quantities of this toxin. The processing required to extract the toxin is however quite exacting, and not generally within the abilities of the medieval apothecary. If pure essence is extracted there is no Constitution save for this poison - fortunately this essence is very rare indeed.

This poison may be administered directly into the bloodstream by coating a weapon or dart with the extract or it may be ingested. Once administered make (D4)Constitution test, failure indicates the onset of primary symptoms of abdominal pain, vomiting and bloody diarrhea will begin in 60+(1d3*20) minutes and continue for Constitution/4 days resulting in kidney failure and death. A combination of the Mend Blood and Mend Organ spells will cure both the poisoning and the damage at any time prior to death.

Wolfsbane

This poison has seasonal availability, winter and mid-summer, as the toxins are concentrated in the unripe seed pods (mid summer) and the roots (winter) and otherwise not available in sufficient concentration for economical distillation.

After ingestion symptoms of burning sensations, feelings of coldness and sweating develop in Constitution*3 minutes. Make a (D3)Constitution test at this time, success indicates a mild poisoning, 20/Constitution minutes of vomiting will purge the system with no further damage. Failure indicates the onset of general numbness, vomiting and diarrhea with severe abdominal pain and death from cardiac arrest in Constitution*3 minutes.

Hemlock

This poisonous plant has an extremely wide variety of species, of various toxicity. Most are not particularly effective in the small doses required for efficient use as a poison. This entry refers specifically to the Hemlock Water Dropwort and/or Cowbane. The toxins are primarily found in the tubers or roots and can be dried or cooked without significantly reducing toxicity.

Initial symptoms occurring after ingestion occur within 1d2*Constitution*6 minutes and include nausea, salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, weakness of legs, dilation of pupils. . Make a (D3)Constitution test at this time, success indicates a mild poisoning leaving the victim exhausted - requiring a full 120/Constitution hours bed-rest for full fatigue recovery with no further damage. Failure indicates the onset of general muscular contractions and convulsions, difficulties in breathing and eventually unconsciousness and death in Constitution*5 minutes.

These rules are new, experimental, and subject to considerable modification. I'm indebted to the alt.suicide FAQ for much of the detailed information on these organic poisons, unfortunately I don't completely trust either the FAQ or my interpretations. Any constructive comments, particularly from learned reviewers, would be muchly appreciated. Just drop me an e-mail bholty@slonet.org. I am also looking for similar information for the mineral poisons, Arsenic and Quick Silver (Mercury) or others appropriate to the 15th century apothecary. The materials data sheets from OSHA are full of great information on how to prevent exposure, but not much on the details of (successful) poisonings with these substances. I can't imagine why not [evil grin].

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