Wiki - Poison Use

Poison Use

By GamingInGotham - Original post here

To coat a blade or impaling weapon with poison uses up a single dose, and requires an activate action. This canbe done prior to combat, but no more than one minute before the encounter begins. Once applied, a poison’seffectiveness on a weapon lasts for the duration of a combat encounter only (whether because it drips off, is worn away by a scabbard, or sees its effectiveness degrade through exposure to the air or elements). A single weapon may only be coated with a single type of poison at a time, and only with a single dose of the stuff. That is, doses can’t be “doubled up.” Note that a single enemy can only suffer the effects of a given type of poison once per encounter. “Concentrated” poisons are distinct from their non-concentrated counterparts for these purposes

Preparing Poisons

Player Characters can avoid paying (and attracting unwanted attention) by trying to harvest raw materials from the landscape. Harvesting one’s own ingredients requires an advanced Cunning (Natural Lore) test with threshold 10 and a TN based on the class of the poison in question: TN 11 for novice poisons, TN 15 for journeyman poisons, and TN 19 for master poisons. Each test takes a day of traveling the landscape.

Once the raw materials are in hand, preparing a dose of poison requires an advanced Cunning (Poison Lore)

test with threshold 10 and a TN based on the class of the poison in question: TN 13 for novice poisons, TN 15 for journeyman poisons, and TN 17 for master poisons. Each test takes two hours (novice poisons),

four hours (journeyman poisons), or 6 hours (master poisons) with access to a private place and appropriate tools of the trade—burners, tubing, vessels, and so forth—in each case. A decent working setup costs 1 gp at the very least and is diffiult to transport without damage. Superior and masterwork lab apparatuses cost a great deal more. On success, the test produces three doses of a novice poison, two doses of a journeyman poison (or two grenades), or one dose of a master poison.

Poison Descriptions

Novice Poisons

Crow Poison

This poison is mainly derived from the venom of a particularly nasty serpent.

Deathroot Extract

Deathroot is a common and relatively harmless plant. Those exposed to deathroot extract must make a TN 15 Constitution (Stamina or Drinking) test or suffer the effects for up to an hour. Those who fail suffer hallucinations according to the Deathroot Hallucinations table. The involuntary actions described last only for the victim’s next turn (15 seconds during which no other actions can be taken), but they continue to suffer disorienting minor hallucinations without mechanical effects for up to an hour.

Deathroot Hallucinations

Hale's Dust

Originally used to help subdue and quiet wounded or troubled soldiers who were too much for him to handle, others have since come up with more sinister uses. Its effects last for the duration of the encounter.

Spider Venom

Extracted from the massive arachnids the dwarves call deep crawlers, this poison can take the edge off a warrior’s skill. Its effects last for the duration of the encounter.

Journeyman Poisons

Adder's Kiss

Adder’s kiss is a powerful snake venom.

Concentrated Crow Poison

This wicked brew results from a long, complex distillation process. A character suffering its effects immediately moves to the end of the initiative order. Additionally, the victim must make a TN 15 Constitution (Stamina) test or cannot use any stunt costing more than 2 SP for the remainder of the encounter.

Concentrated Spider Venom

A concentrated distillate of an already-deadly natural poison. Its effects last for a day.

Fleshrot

Nasty stuff, fleshrot causes a victim’s skin to immediately begin to slough off, which is horribly painful and grossly noxious. Each round for 2d6 rounds, a victim must make a TN 15 Constitution (Stamina) test at the beginning of his turn to overcome the pain. If he fails he can only take a minor action that turn. A –2 penalty to social tests where a disgusting appearance would be relevant persists for a number of days equal to the number of rounds the immediate effects persisted.

Magebane

Mages aren’t exactly fond of this poison, as it siphons off their magical energy.

Master Poisons

Concentrated Magebane

A more potent version of magebane.

Marrowlock

This insidious poison runs ice through its victim’s limbs, all but locking them into place. Marrow lock’s victims can only take minor actions without consequence for the remainder of the encounter. To take a major action they must make a TN 15 Constitution (Stamina) test. On a success they suffer 1d6 penetrating damage and can carry out their action. On a failure they suffer 2d6 penetrating damage and can do nothing but howl in agony.

Quiet Death

A foul mixture of poisons infamous even in assassins’ circles, quiet death kills instantaneously—or doesn’t, if (say the legends) its intended victim is destined for greater things. Victims must make a TN 19 Constitution (Stamina) test, but also add their level to their roll.Those who succeed shrug off the effects. Those who fail fall immediately to 0 Health and soon expire according to the normal rules for dying. Attempts to stabilize victims of quiet death suffer a –3 penalty.