13 Toxins

"All substances are poisons. There is not one that is not a poison. The correct dose differentiates a poison and a remedy."

- Paracelsus

Approximately one hour is needed for ingested toxins to pass into the small intestine, allowing absorption, but some chemicals do soak faster.

"Needs sugar…"

- Socrates

Aconite
Derived from the monkshood plant, aconite is an acrid and crystalline alkaloid in its pure form. Also known as wolvesbane, and commonly believed by Formourian peasantry to be proof against attacks by werewolves. The name is actually a Hobgoblin invention derived from their use of the poison on arrows targeting the Changing Folk.

Exposure: All parts of the plant are toxic. A wide variety of methods have been employed for exposure to this poison: ingested, injected, contact (usually only medicinally as a poultice), and even at least one case of a dried powder being blown into the face and eyes.

Symptoms: Tingling and numbness of tongue and mouth, formication (little buggses crawlin' all over), vomiting and severe gastric pain, laboured breathing, weak and irregular pulse, with cold clammy skin. Some have shown signs of giddiness, and others stagger but their mind remains clear. Aconite slays by irregular action of the heart.

Dosage: Even a tiny portion on the tongue causes burning and tingling. One-fiftieth of a grain will slay a small bird in seconds; one-tenth will kill a small animal in a few minutes. Even one-hundredth of a grain will cause localized effects for most of the day.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: The poison travels rapidly through the system. Even if a wounded finger is infected, not only will the limb feel great pain, but also the entire body is affected, causing a sensation of suffocation and other symptoms. Effects occur within the hour if ingested.
 * Chronic: The toxin is not lingering, and rarely has effects lasting longer than a day, excepting death.

Mitigation: Tincture of digitalis and stimulants may help regulate the heart and speed the flow of the poison through the body. The victim should be kept lying down and warm, with artificial respiration and friction applied as needed. Medicinal: Used to relieve pain for some conditions such as: neuralgia, lumbago, pleurisy, and rheumatism. There has been some success in using aconite to treat cardiac failure (injected) and acute tonsillitis in children (very weak dose). Care should be taken, as aconite can be absorbed through the skin, and there is no significant difference between medical and lethal dosages. A poultice containing aconite should not be applied to an open wound.

System: Rapidly acting, aconite symptoms show up within seconds. Save against chemicals at 16 if ingested or injected; the save is at 8 if absorbed through the skin. The initial saving throw is made one round after exposure (after 30 minutes for ingested), and continues every half hour. Each failed saving throw causes one point of damage directly to life points. Three consecutively failed saving throws additionally cause the victim to succeed on a system shock check or die.

Arsenic
Arsenic is a metal-like substance that is steel grey in colour, but may be found as a white or colourless powder. Arsenic has no special taste or smell, and thus is easily added into food, water, or air. As an elemental poison, arsenic cannot be destroyed in the environment; it merely changes forms and locations. Naturally occurring, it can be added into the air while smelting copper, lead, or tin, and is used both as an insecticide, as well as a wood preservative (as chromated copper arsenate, commonly known as pressure-treated wood).

Exposure: Air, food, or water—most arsenic compounds dissolve readily in water.

Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal haemorrhaging, and a 'pins and needles' sensation in the hands and feet.

Dosage: Very toxic when ingested—less than three one-thousandths of an ounce, but when airborne (typically breathed in as dust) the concentration of arsenic needs to be significant—you need to be saturated in arsenic dust or for a prolonged duration—a greater exposure is gained from dust inadvertently eaten rather than breathed.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: The vomiting, nausea, et al, are characteristic of both oral and inhaled exposure. Death is usually caused by cardiac arrest and fluid loss.


 * Chronic: Long-term exposure can lead to problems of the liver and other affected organs, and to a darkening of the skin and appearance of small 'corns' or 'warts' on the palms, soles, and torso. The circulatory damage that arsenic causes can lead to a worsening of the circulation in extremities. Arsenic can cause chromosomal defects, possibly including cancer.

Mitigation: removal of contaminated clothing and copious flushing of skin and eyes with clean water. Non-comatose patients can ingest large quantities of clean water to force the poison through the system. Typical methods for reducing toxicity (activated charcoal, vomitus induction, chelating chemicals) do not seem effective against arsenic. Little remains in the system beyond a day or so, unless exposure continues.

Medicinal: Fowler's solution is 1% arsenic trioide and is used to treat skin diseases, asthma, fevers, and pain. Some organic arsenic compounds are useful antibiotics.

System: Save vs. poison at 18 when ingested, or 13 for significant quantities when inhaled—check the first hour after exposure, and for each consecutive hour, until exposure is ended. Failure on the saving throw results in 1D4 points of damage and fatigue. If three consecutive saving throws are failed, make a system shock roll to avoid coma and death; substantial doses—deliberate homicide or suicide—have a higher saving throw of 20 (with effects noticeable within an hour), and six saving throws must be made following the initial dose before the effects metabolize, failure for a substantial dose has the usual effects. Long-term exposure can prove lethal, but this is the province of the Game Master—be advised that inhaled arsenic leaves the body readily and rapidly (mostly through urine), but when ingested 95% of the substance is absorbed.

Belladonna
This is also known as death's herb or banewort, and perhaps confusingly, as poison black cherry or deadly nightshade. This plant is in the same family as the tomato, potato, tobacco, and chili pepper. The root is the most toxic part, but the entire plant is poisonous.

Exposure: Ingested, typically the berries. Belladonna is similar in appearance to several nontoxic plants. The berries are filled with an inky dark juice and are very sweet.

Symptoms: The voice is completely lost. The victim's eyes are much dilated. There is frequent bending forward of the trunk, and the hands and fingers are frequently in motion.

Dosage: Anything more than two or three berries can cause toxic symptoms. There are several toxic components of Belladonna, notably atropine—even one-tenth of a grain of this chemical can cause toxic symptoms.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: In addition to the noted dilation of the eyes and loss of vocal power, the neurotoxic effects can cause excitement, delirium, paralysis, and death. Heart rate is increased by 20-40 beats per minute—without a reduction in their force.


 * Chronic: Atropine decays within a few hours with little or no long term damage. Though they took such a deadly poison, belladonna sufferers recover quickly. Victims may experience secondary effects, such as hallucinations and light sensitivity, for several hours to several days after exposure.

Mitigation: The victim must swallow emetics such as mustard and water or vinegar, followed by pumping the stomach. Then apply magnesia and stimulants such as strong coffee. The victim must be kept warm and artificial respiration may be needed.

Medicinal: The various chemicals of belladonna may be extracted for a variety of uses. Small amounts of the juice applied cosmetically to the eyes cause them to 'brighten' by dilation. Perhaps ironically, belladonna can be used to relieve pain, inflammation, irritation, congestion, and convulsions.

System: A failed saving throw—against a 12—causes a point of fatigue for each point by which the roll failed. For example, if the victim rolls a 9, he suffers 3 points of fatigue. Remember that these fatigue points will reduce the chances of successive rolls. Once the points of fatigue exceed the victim's Willpower score, he must make a system shock check for each failed saving throw instead of taking a point of fatigue. Saving throws are made 10 minutes after exposure, and once each additional half hour for the next 1-3 hours.

Black Nightshade
This is also called common or garden nightshade, and occasionally confused with other similar plants. The toxic chemical, solanine, differs from the poisons in deadly nightshade (belladonna).

Exposure: Ingesting the berries can prove fatal, especially if unripe. The entire plant contains solanine, but unripened berries have the greatest concentration.

Symptoms: The initial symptoms are gastric: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

Dosage: Several green berries are eaten for toxic effects. Ripened berries (black and glossy) are the least toxic part of the plant, and several may be eaten without ill effect. Solanine is water and alcohol soluble, and survives baking (but not boiling).

Negative Effects

 * Acute: The acute effects of nightshade poisoning mainly affect the heart, central nervous system, and gastrointestinal system. Headaches, flushed warm skin, delirium, and the above noted gastric effects can lead rapidly to decreased breathing and heart rate, coma, and death.


 * Chronic: There are few long term effects. Victims surviving over 24 hours generally recover readily.

Mitigation: Other than providing fluid and support, no antidotes are known.

Medicinal: Used in the Byzant Empire externally applied to burns and ulcers. When used in this manner, it is said to reduce pain and inflammation. Nightshade is also used as an alternate die for indigo.

System: The initial saving throw is made 30 minutes after ingestion, at a 14. Successive saving throws are made hourly for the next 24 hours. A failure indicates the symptoms worsen, and all subsequent saving throws are made at a -3. Three failed saving throws indicates coma and the victim must make an immediate system shock roll or die.

Botulism
An especially nasty and lethal form of food poisoning, botulism is caused by toxins from microbes (the bacillus Clostridium botulinum). This toxin is found in canned or other preserved foods, as air is poison to the wee beasties that cause it. It is possible that infants or wounds can become infected with the bacteria that cause botulism. Botulism toxin is the single most poisonous substance known.

Exposure: Ingested, typically from canned goods. Airborne spores in wounds or inhaled by infants.

Symptoms: Doubled or blurry vision, slurred speech and muscle weakness, dry mouth with difficulty swallowing. Gastrointestinal distress (nausea, pain, and vomiting) are the early warning signs for botulism food poisoning. Effects take hold within 18-36 hours, but may range from 6 hours to one week.

Dosage: One solitary microbe can cause infant or wound botulism; one meal will poison everyone who partakes.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: Paralysis and death from respiratory paralysis.


 * Chronic: Survivors may experience fatigue and shortness of breath for years.

Mitigation: Vomiting and enemas may help remove contaminated food still in the gut and prevent a worsening of symptoms. Constant medical care and supervision may possibly allow one to pull through after several weeks, but the chances of respiratory failure are still great. An antitoxin is being tested, but has already been proven unsafe for children [retest the saving throw if caught early]. Wound botulism may be surgically treated (scraped and sterilized).

Medicinal: One mage proposed that the toxin of C. botulinum could be injected into the face to enhance appearance; his beaten and broken body was found shortly thereafter in an alley.

System: Saving throws against both poison and paralysis at a 30 must be made to avoid neural and gastric distress, as well as muscular paralysis. Even if both saves are met, a system shock roll must succeed to avoid death. Non-regenerating survivors (or those without regrowth) must make an additional saving throw at a 16 or higher to avoid a permanent -3 on their Stamina.

Cyanide
In its pure state, it is a white crystalline powdered salt. It is used in hardening steel, mining gold, and electroplating. There is a distinctive bitter smell and taste, like almonds. This trait—and its ready miscibility as it is highly soluble in water—makes it easy for a poisoner to disguise it in almond flavoured food or drink. In fact, the taste of almonds is due in part to its cyanide content. As a gas or liquid, it is colourless. It is found in a surprising variety of plant seeds and pits, but is generally not released from this natural state unless chewed.

Symptoms: Headache, drowsiness, vertigo, weak and rapid pulse, deep and rapid breathing, a bright-red colour in the face, nausea and vomiting. Convulsions, dilated pupils, clammy skin, a weaker and more rapid pulse and slower, shallower breathing can follow these symptoms. Finally, the heartbeat becomes slow and irregular, body temperature falls, the lips, face and extremities take on a blue color, the individual falls into a coma, and death occurs. A strong and deadly dose can leave the victim with a very faint almond odour, but at this stage, the chemical is already throughout the body. Lesser dosages can cause these same symptoms, but will pass as the victim's body disposes of the toxin.

Dosage: Cyanide can be injected or inhaled, or added into food and drink. Some exposure can be made through the skin, especially cuts, abrasions, eyes, or mucous membranes such as the mouth. Enough cyanide to kill someone (one-tenth of a drop) can easily be hidden in an 'assassin's ring'.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: This toxin prevents the body from utilising oxygen, and couples this with other effects to shut down the central nervous system and breathing. At higher doses other organs, such as the heart, are affected.


 * Chronic: Cyanide readily oxidizes into less toxic substances. There are no long term effects of cyanide poisoning—other than possible death.

Mitigation: Rust it out: an immediate oxidizer such as chlorine or potassium permanganate must be applied, either before or after exposure. The window for opportunity with this method is only about 30 minutes. Of course, this method is not without its risks, as both the antidote and by-products are also toxic, just not quite as deadly.

Medicinal: Death by cyanide is difficult for even an experienced examiner to determine. It resembles a natural heart attack, and leaves little trace of itself in the victim's system.

System: 100-300 parts per million of cyanide gas can kill in 10-60 minutes; 2,000 parts per million kills in less than one minute. Ingested or injected one to three grains (or about one-quarter of one-percent of a dram) can fell even a Troll. With any delivery method, the saving throw must be made at a 17 or better, per minute (once every 5 minutes for a reduced dosage), to avoid taking 2D12 points of damage directly to life points.

Ergot
Caused by alkaloids from a fungal disease (Claviceps purpurea) of rye grass—and occasionally wheat or other grasses—it is especially prevalent after severe winters and wet springs or other damp conditions.

Exposure: Ingested, typically in bread or other rye products.

Symptoms: Nervousness, pain, convulsions, and prickly heat are experienced. Limbs are cold to the touch. This poison is especially sneaky on the host plant as the sclerotium resembles rye grain. Often masked by the dark colours of most rye products, but in refined flour it has a distinctive red colour; there is no other indicator (such as taste or texture) that the rye is infected. Acute symptoms occur within a few hours, chronic symptoms can take weeks to show.

Dosage: Minimal—far less than one bite—can cause toxic effects. Eating even part of one loaf of bread infected with ergot can cause acute symptoms. In animals, amounts greater than 0.1% of diet can prove toxic; amounts under 0.03% of infected rye (as a portion of otherwise 'clean' rye) is considered safe.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: Convulsions, hallucinations, excitability, and dementia


 * Chronic: Gangrenous ergotism, where the low blood flow causes infections and burning pain leading to loss of ears, nose, toes, and other extremities; reduced resistance to further exposure; generalized immunosuppression. Acute ergotism causes none of these symptoms.

Mitigation: Dairy products minimally lower the effects of acute ergotism (ironically, ergot can cause animals to stop producing milk). The tissue destruction of chronic affliction is irreversible.

Medicinal: The blood-constricting effects have been used by alchemists to aid in childbirth. Lysergic diethylamide may be extracted from ergot. It can induce abortions, but only in dangerous levels.

System: Save vs. poisons at a 13 or higher for a small dose (such as a slice of rye bread), 16 or higher for a loaf, +1 per additional loaf's worth of infected meal. A natural 'one' on the save causes death. Normal failure on the save for a small acute dose causes excitable behaviour and nervousness accompanied by possible neck twitching—note that the lack of immediate symptoms or other warning signs could lead to further ingestion of larger doses. Amounts of one loaf or greater cause hallucinations and dementia (typical meals are at least one—2 or 3 rye loaves per meal are common among the Heldanic Freeholders). These visions are often frightening, as the vascular constriction and hyperexcitability typically cause a sense of panic—visions of chasing or horrific persecution are common. Chronic symptoms are nasty—save against poison at 15 or suffer a burning, prickly sensation on the extremities; continued exposure over a few weeks will lead to a divot in the flesh to forming—there is a loss of sensation below this line—the flesh will then slough off. An additional saving throw—for both acute and chronic sufferers—or 13 or better must be made to avoid a permanent -1 on future saving throws against disease and a further -2 against repeated exposure to ergot.

Hemlock
Poison hemlock is part of the parsley family. It is a large plant, growing up to ten feet tall. It is course and unpleasant-smelling. Some name confusion exists, as the name 'hemlock' also refers a genus of coniferous trees. Visual confusion may include the roots being mistaken for parsnips or anise—the seeds also resemble anise—or the leaves may be mistaken for its friendlier relative, parsley. Poison hemlock stinks of mouse and tastes bitter.

Exposure: All parts of the plant are toxic. Exposure is by ingestion. Livestock typically fall victim to this plant when it is inadvertently mixed in with feed.

Symptoms: A tendency to remain prone, from a variety of depressed nervous action, is unfortunately the first symptom that may be noticed, by then death is near.

Dosage: As little as one-fourth of one-percent of body weight can be a lethal dose. The juice of the fruit and seeds hold the highest concentrations of poisons. Four or five pounds of fresh leaves can easily kill a horse.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: Loss of appetite, excessive salivation, and bloating. The pulse is rapid but weak. Loss of coordination and trembling, but not convulsions as with water hemlock, accompanies dilated pupils and intense abdominal pain.


 * Chronic: Frequent urination and defecation, nervousness, and depression are common for survivors. Skeletal lesions form from long-term low-dose exposure, or any exposure to an unborn infant. Permanent nervous damage can occur. The ultimate chronic problem—death—is likely from exposure, and is caused by paralysis of breath and heart attack.

Mitigation: Tannic acid and strong stimulants, such as coffee, are used to counter hemlock. Mustard and castor oil can help counter the effects in the stomach. The body temperature must be maintained, and artificial respiration may be needed in an advanced case. It must also be known that a lack of response to sensation may not indicate that the victim is yet dead.

Medicinal: Despite the damage that this poison can cause to the nervous system, it is useful to stop spasms or severe convulsions, and against some types of epilepsy. The toxins counter-affect those of strychnine poison, and hemlock is sometimes used as a counter-agent.

System: This nasty poison shuts you down as it tears you up. Death occurs within only a few hours of ingestion. A saving throw versus poison at a 20 must be made hourly to avoid 1D4 points of damage directly to life points. Once a saving throw is failed, up to two system shock checks must be made: failing the first results in paralysis, the second in death. The mind is the last part of the body affected; even though you cannot move or respond, you are aware of exactly what is happening to you until your heart and lungs stop.

Henbane
Large leaves, with a thick woolly appearance, mark this plant. It is about two to three feet tall, with pale yellow hollow flowers at the ends of the thick stalks.

Exposure: The toxin is in both the seeds and the flowers. Typically, the seeds are dried and ingested. Alternately, it may be burned and inhaled, or a poultice made and rubbed into the skin.

Symptoms: Extreme visual hallucinations are accompanied by a drunken or sedated effect.

Dosage: Several dried seeds or flowers are eaten for a toxic effect. A reduced dosage has less severe effects. Effects last 2 to 20 hours.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: Dizziness, confusion, nausea, diarrhoea, extreme headache, blackout, amnesia and other violent psychological and physical reactions.


 * Chronic: Overdose, or continued use, may result in permanent insanity or death.

Mitigation: Henbane can be used proactively to reduce the effects of other toxins.

Medicinal: If taken in a small amount prior to being exposed to another poison, henbane gives a +3 to the saving throw while the henbane remains in the user's system.

System: 5% chance that needed information nay be gained from use. Potentially lethal doses (enough for the hallucinogenic effect) require a save against poisons/chemicals at a 14 every 20 minutes to avoid taking two points of damage.

Mercury
A shiny, silvery liquid metal, it is most dangerous as a gas—which is colourless and odourless. It is naturally found in all classes of rocks, especially in the mineral cinnabar (mercuric sulfide), which contains 86.2% mercury. It is used in producing of chlorine gas and caustic soda, and in extracting gold from ore or articles that contain gold, as well as in some technomantic items.

Exposure: Inhaled or ingested—particularly from fish or shellfish—however when eating (drinking?) metallic mercury virtually none of the toxin enters the body, as opposed to an 80% absorption rate for mercury vapours. Some organic compounds (notably dimethylmercury) can enter through the skin.

Symptoms: Lung damage, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increases in blood pressure or heart rate, skin rashes, and eye irritation

Dosage: A few drops can release vapours in the air sufficient to cause health problems. This is pervasive and difficult to remove—exposed walls, clothes, furniture, etc. can remain sources of the toxin for months or years.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: Tightness of the chest, burning in the lungs, and coughing; this leads to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increases in blood pressure or heart rate, skin rashes, and eye irritation. The absorptive nature of the toxin allows a toxicity to build within minutes. Acute effects are caused by mercury vapours.


 * Chronic: Mercury build up from the environment occurs very slowly in the body—a process that can take a year or more before symptoms appear—this causes it to build to dangerous levels in the food chain. Permanent damage to the brain, kidneys, liver, and developing fetuses; effects on brain functioning may result in irritability, shyness, tremors, changes in vision or hearing, and memory problems. Chronic effects result from ingestion or slow environmental build up.

Mitigation: Like most metals in the body, mercury's there for the long-haul. It remains for weeks or months—forever if exposure continues.

Medicinal: Used in cleansing rituals of certain traditions, notably necromancy and spiritism, where it is known as azogue. This use can expose the mage to the airborne toxin.

System: The saving throw against mercury poisoning is only 14 (rolled monthly for ingestion or every half hour for airborne), but this increases by one each successive time if exposure continues. Failure on the saving throw for mercury vapour causes 1d4 damage and reduces Stamina by one for several days after exposure (damage is, of course, cumulative). Failure against ingested mercury or other chronic exposure lowers all non-physical attributes by one per failed roll.

Nicotine
One of the Kingdom of Formour's chief cash crops, tobacco is widely used in Midian. However, few are aware of its more sinister side. We are not referring to the usual tripe and lies: it causes cancer, it kills its users by the thousands, big tobacco companies don't care, smoking will make your head rip free of your neck and go on a killing rampage, etc. Nor are we referring to what is painfully obvious, even to other smokers. Instead, we refer to the refinement and use of nicotine as an assassin's tool. While tobacco is the most readily available source of nicotine, other plants do contain some, although in greatly reduced amounts: (in decreasing order) horsetail, celery, milkweed, belladonna, papaya, jimsonweed, corkwood, cocoa, clubmoss, potato.

Exposure: Voluntary use is burned and inhaled, occasionally dipped, chewed, plugged, or snuffed. As a poison, it is nearly always injected.

Symptoms: A dizzying rush of increased blood pressure and a highly stimulated or agitated state accompanies nicotine poisoning. Sweating, rapid pulse, vomiting (quite common), drooling, burning sensation of the mouth and throat (note that this is even from injection), and (ironically) nervousness, are also common for acute toxicity.

Dosage: The lethal dose for a 200-pound Human is well over 32,000 cigarettes. If injected however, the dosage required for lethality drops to 40-45 cigarettes worth. This amount of pure nicotine is only about 40-60 milligrams—a few drops under the tongue results in a quick death within a couple of minutes.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: Remember your first drag? Multiply that by lethality.


 * Chronic: Say 'hello' to routine nicotine cravings. Ironically, what is arguably the most lethal and addictive component of tobacco has little long term biological effects—it's the other stuff in a cigarette that gets you in the long run.

Mitigation: None, keeping the victim calm while the toxin is hopefully disposed of by the victim's body is the best method currently known. Nicotine poisoning is still relatively rare (unless you're a bug), so no better treatment has yet been devised. The elimination half-life of nicotine in the body is about 0.8 hours in smokers and 1.3 hours in non-smokers.

Medicinal: Smoking tobacco is sometimes prescribed to calm one's nerves—especially for one already addicted. It also can alleviate some types of headaches, and some types of abdominal pain or cramping.

System: There is only one saving throw made to prevent nicotine poisoning, with a 24 or better for success. Failure means that seizures and death can occur anywhere between five minutes and four hours after exposure. The Game Master may make the saving throw for you (or otherwise hides the results). Why don't you have a smoke while you sweat it out?

Scorpion Venom
Specifically, this is the venom of the Shaker Scorpion, so called both for the convulsions that precede death, and the shaking of one's boots in the morning to avoid stepping into one. The Shaker Scorpion is a very small yellowish-tan scorpion with a black band on the second tail joint. It is about the size of a knuckle joint, with relatively small pincers, and is found in the northern region of the Byzant Empire. As far as scorpions go, the Shaker is relatively non-aggressive. A favourite of assassins, this small arachnid produces milky venom that can coat a blade for nearly an hour before drying, and has no known cure. When you poison someone, such as via a coated blade, then they know that they've been poisoned (it hurts like Hell). Another favourable trait—for an assassin—is the sudden onset of cardiac arrest: "No, I'll be fine, it just burns…" thump.

Exposure: Subcutaneous exposure is the preferred method; it may be injected, but this doesn't seem to increase the effectiveness. The poison has no appreciable effects if ingested, or burned and inhaled.

Symptoms: Pain, swelling at the site of the sting, numbness, respiratory paralysis, muscle twitching, and convulsions. The victim will also itch uncontrollably over the entire body once the poison begins to fully take hold—much like being bitten by thousands of mosquitoes.

Dosage: Dozens of Shaker Scorpions must be harvested (typically with a damp sponge left out overnight under a box) to create enough poison to slay a person. The poison is typically mixed with bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and oils to form a paste that can be smeared on a blade, or mixed with ammonia for reservoir-tipped daggers and darts. Once exposed to air, the venom begins to break down—a pasted blade will dry within an hour—but can last months if completely sealed.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: Intense burning pain is the most notable effect for the victim. The pain rapidly spreads beyond the injection site, and can make an entire limb feel as though it is on fire. Numbness of musculature sets in within moments, making the affected area difficult to move or feel anything beyond pain. Death is sudden, and by cardiac failure.


 * Chronic: No specific long-term effects. The pain from a normal sting of a Shaker Scorpion will fade quite rapidly after a few hours of torment. As many people who develop a resistance to this venom will develop instead an allergic response to future exposures. Note that this is primarily an immune response, rather than an action of the toxin itself.

Mitigation: None. The complexity of the chemical cocktail in the sting, and the variance in allergic responses makes developing antivenin pointless. Nearly all traditional methods of alleviating a scorpion sting are counterproductive with Shaker venom.

Medicinal: A variety of scorpions' venoms are used for medicinal purposes: everything from heart disease to mumps to cancer.

System: It must be noted that the potentially fatal effects only apply to someone who has been exposed to the toxin at least 7-10 days previously. This poison is amazingly fast, however it is not as efficient as some of the other toxins on this list. The action of death is via a combination of chemicals that shut down the heart's neural and motor activity—it 'forgets' how to beat—along with a type of anaphylaxis-like response. Since the toxin targets the heart, and the blood fully circulates through the body seven or eight times per minute, the poison begins acting within a single round. The second round after exposure, the victim must make a saving throw against poison at a 12 or better to avoid convulsions and heart failure. If the saving throw is failed, the victim will die within moments (make a system shock check to see if the victim dies or recovers fully after 3D20 minutes). As the victim's body will process the toxin as a collective substance, no further saving throws are needed—even if stabbed again by the same envenomed blade—unless 20 minutes or more has passed since the initial exposure. Note that the poison coating is generally washed off by the victim's blood after a successful stabbing or slice, and may be knocked off by the envenomed blade repeatedly striking armour or being parried. It is the Game Master's decision as to whether a second victim may be poisoned—or even a first victim, if he or she defends sufficiently.

Note: Very few people are killed by Shaker Scorpions. A single sting from a live Shaker is often dry (no poison injected), and is painful but not lethal, even with a full dose of live Shaker venom. No saving throw or other system mechanics are needed. Only small children, and the infirm elderly have ever been killed by a Shaker Scorpion.

Strychnine
This alkaloid stimulates the central nervous system causing increased reflex excitability in the spinal cord, which results in a loss of the normal inhibition of spread of motor cell stimulation, so that all muscles contract simultaneously. Strychnine is also dangerous when heated as it emits highly toxic, odourless fumes. This toxin is alchemically derived from the seeds of Strychnos or Loganiaceae, and is soluble in alcoholic beverages (but has a very bitter metallic taste).

Exposure: Injected, inhaled, or ingested—even on the skin it can cause an allergic response.

Symptoms: Convulsions and hypersensitivity to stimuli; the victim is fully aware, and in great pain. Symptoms appear within 15-30 minutes—up to an hour or so when ingested with an absorptive meal.

Dosage: A lethal amount is about one five-hundredths of an ounce; a much smaller dose is needed when injected or under a cut.

Negative Effects

 * Acute: Painfully damaging convulsions, the direction of which is indicated by the strongest muscle on each joint—typically a splaying-out effect. This is followed by a period of muscular relaxing and possible unconsciousness due to exhaustion. These episodes last one or two minutes, and occur every 10-15 minutes—sooner if exited by any sensory stimuli. Death is by asphyxia, as breathing during episodes becomes difficult to impossible.


 * Chronic: Other than death, no long-term effects of strychnine poisoning have been identified. The toxin metabolized readily; even two potentially lethal doses within 24 hours do not have a cumulative effect.

Mitigation: Generally neither possible, nor needed—a non-lethal dose will exit the body within a day or so. Charcoal can be used to absorb ingested strychnine if consumed within a few minutes of exposure [+3 on the saving throw]. An anticonvulsant may help prevent damage or death, but none have yet proved rapid enough.

Medicinal: Only useful for killing—it is used against pests and predators, as well as one's fellows—other attributed properties either do not exist, or do so only in lethal doses.

System: The classic save-or-die type poison: death occurs within 1-3 hours after exposure. An initial saving throw against poison at 22 will avoid the eventual asphyxiation and reduce possible damage by half. Additional saving throws against paralysis must be made for each episode of convulsions at a 16 or higher, or 1D4-1 points of damage occur.