Herbs: APPENDIX B: ADDICTION EFFECTS

APPENDIX B: ADDICTION EFFECTS

Reading through the guide, it may have been noticed that certain of the herbs contained within are addictive. In previous editions of this guide, I have not included any information on the effects of addiction, overdose, or withdrawal symptoms etc. This was because I do not wish to be seen as supporting or condoning drug use in any way, shape or form.

For the record, I do not condone the administration, or use of any drug except on the basis of competent medical advice. However I have decided to include this appendix in the new edition of the guide, after many requests from users of previous editions of the guide. All information contained in this appendix is completely optional, even more so than any other information contained within the guide. It is useful in a game environment by tending to limit the effectiveness of certain powerful herbs.

The undesirable effects of overuse will discourage PCs from becoming habitual users. However, I caution all GMs that forcing a player to play an addicted PC may be very distressing for the player. No player likes losing control of their character, and that may be an effect of addiction. Always remember the first priority of any game is to be fun.

A second warning. Drug use is a very contentious issue among certain people and groups. Don't let this fact get in the way of your games. Also the mention of drug use and addiction in games may distress some people. Please be careful.

Thirdly, a personal plea. Please never use any drug or herb unless prescribed by a medical practitioner, or a trained and skilled herbalist. A transient high, or a quick fix is not worth your life or your health. If you have any type of substance abuse problem seek help.

The suggested addiction effects contained in the appendix have been created for game purposes. They may or may not be accurate in a real world environment. This appendix is organised alphabetically, by the name of the herb. I have only considered powerfully addictive herbs. Those which are described as mildly addictive (such as Caffar, Callin or Tephrosia) should be role played by the GM and player, or ignored as the GM sees fit.

ADGANA
Chance of Overdose
Each time this herb is used, there is a 1 in 10 chance of Overdose
occurring. An overdose causes the recipients heart to race at five times
the normal speed for 1d12 minutes. At the end of this time the recipient
will die of massive internal bleeding. During this time the recipient
may be treated for ingested poison with a successful treatment allowing
their survival.

Addiction and Withdrawal
Whenever this herb is used the recipient must save vs Constitution or
become addicted. For every time after the first time the herb is used, a
cumulative penalty of 1 applies to this save. An addict is unable to
gain any benefit from the herb, but craves it nonetheless. They will
undertake any risk and do anything to get the herb. They will kill
anyone who stands between them and the herb. This is undisputable and
unavoidable.

Recovery from Addiction
It is almost impossible to recover once addicted to Adgana. The only
method is to go totally cold turkey for six months. During this time,
the addict will take any and all opportunities to get hold of the herb.
They will neglect everything else such is their fanaticism. They will be
prone to severe depression and may be suicidal. After six months they
will no longer crave the herb with such intensity, but will still do
anything to get hold of it, if they see it. They will also suffer a
permanent 1 point penalty to all attributes.

MUGWORT
Chance Of Overdose
An overdose may occur if this herb is administered three or more times
in any given 24 hour period. If this occurs, the PC must make a save vs
poison with a -2 penalty. Each time the herb is administered after the
third time in the 24 hour period, an additional cumulative penalty of -1
is applied to the save. For example if it has been used for the 5th time
in 24 hours, the total penalty will be - 4.

If overdose occurs the PCs metabolism will go out of control. The PC
must role under the Constitution on d20, or they will suffer heart
failure and die within 2d10 minutes. Poison curing magic or the
administration of a Navew nut has a 50% chance of saving the PCs life.
Even if the PC survives they will be all but incapacitated for 1d4 days.
There is also a (30-Constitution) % chance of the permanent loss of 1
CON point.

Addiction And Withdrawal
If this herb is used more than 3 times in a week (7 days) there is a 10%
chance of addiction, with any additional use of this herb in that week
raises the chance of addiction by a further 5%. This addition is
cumulative. An addicted character must make a Constitution check each
morning. If this is failed the PC is unable to function without a dose
of Mugwort, and will suffer the loss of 1 point of Constitution. If the
characters Constitution ever reaches 0, they will die. One dose of
Mugwort will restore their Constitution score back to normal levels.
Once addicted the PC will require double the normal dose of Mugwort for
it to have any normal effect, but the normal 3 dose rule for overdose
still applies.

It should be noted that the gradual loss of Constitution will cause the
PC to take on a wasted appearance.

Recovery From Addiction
The PC must manage to abstain from the herb for 10+1d4 days. Each day
they must make the above Constitution check. If they fail this check,
they will lose a point of Constitution as described above. On a day when
this occurs, if the PC has any chance to get hold of the herb, they will
do so, no matter what, unless they pass a Wisdom check with a penalty of
5. The GM may allow a bonus to this check, if the PC would have to do
something totally out of character, for example, a Paladin having to mug
someone to get it, but the roll should never be better than a base
Wisdom check. If the PC manages to survive the 10+1d4 day period, they
are no longer addicted, and will gain any lost Constitution points
(except those caused by overdose) back at the rate of one per day.
However if they ever use the herb again, they will instantly become
re-addicted.

NIGHTCALL
Chance of Overdose
If more than 1 teaspoons (1 dose) is ever taken in a 24 hour period, the
recipient has a (10% x number of doses) chance of overdosing. They will
become extremely sensitive to light, causing pain and combat penalties
(-2 penalty to combat in full light) for a period of 3d12 hours. They
will be unable to concentrate properly for the same period of time,
giving a 10% chance of miscasting spells.

Addiction and Withdrawal
Taking more than one dose of Nightcall at a time, or for more than three
consecutive days will cause addiction. An addict must have one dose a
day or suffer detrimental effects to both sight and hearing (each lose
approximately half their effectiveness. The addict cannot hear all
sound, and see everything as if it were dusk, even in full sunlight.)

Recovery from Addiction
If the addict goes three weeks without a dose, they can be considered to
have recovered from their addiction, but they can become addicted again,
if the exceed the one teaspoon dose.

SAFFRON
Chance Of Overdose
This herb is incredibly powerful. If the herb is used more than once in
a three day period, the PC must make a save vs poison with a -5 penalty
or die immediately from a massive brain haemorrhage. A third usage in
that period will automatically kill the character.

Addiction and Withdrawal
Addiction automatically occurs if this herb is used more than once in a
week. An addicted character will lose one point a day from two randomly
determined attributes, unless they have a dose of this herb. Any
addicted PC who has a chance to get the herb, will take it no matter
what. The following effects will occur if the respective attribute
scores ever falls to 0.

Attribute          Effect
Strength           The character becomes totally unable to move a muscle
                   - absolute paralysis of all voluntary bodily
                   functions.
Dexterity          The PC can move but only with spasms. They cannot
                   move faster than a shuffle and tend to fall at least
                   once per round.
Intelligence       The PC loses all knowledge and is functionally in a
                   vegetative state.
Wisdom             The PC goes totally insane
Charisma           The characters face begins to collapse. The eyes,
                   nose, ears and mouth become indistinguishable. Their
                   hands become gnarled and useless. They lose control
                   of their bodily functions and stink from perspiration
                   and other factors.
Constitution       The PC dies.

The loss of Constitution, Strength and Charisma points all serve to
alter the characters physical appearance.

Recovery From Addiction
The only cure for this addiction is powerful healing magic, although
lesser magic will restore the PCs scores back to their normal levels. If
the character is cured of their addiction their scores will remain at
their current levels, until some form of restoration magic is used.

If a once addicted character ever has Saffron again, they become
addicted with no chance of being cured. However this is unlikely to
occur, because such a character develops an almost pathological hatred
of the herb, and is likely to attack anyone in possession of it, and
destroy it whenever they see it. (This is up to the player and the GM,
but allows a lot of good campaign ideas.)

SUAEYSIT
Chance Of Overdose
If a roll of 20 is made by the herbalist when administering this herb
the PC will suffer a +4 bonus to all scores for a period of 1d10 minutes
and must make a save vs Constitution or die. If they don't die they will
collapse for 1d4 hours. When they awake all their scores will be at -4
for 1d6 days.

Addiction and Withdrawal
The addiction is psychological in nature. The PC can choose not to take
the herb any time they wish, but many will not due to the consequences.
As Druann (the herbs creator) says taking the herb increase all the PCs
attributes for 1d4 hours. I suggest that after this period has elapsed
all the PCs scores, and their saving rolls will drop by -1 for an
equivalent number of days. The way to counteract this is to take another
dose and raise the scores again for 1d4 hours, and then the scores will
drop by 1 for an additional 1d4 days again. In other words say a PC has,
at the end of each 'up' period, lasting say an average of 2.5 hours,
another dose of the herb in order to keep the scores up. If  they do
this 10 times in succession, thus giving them 20.5 hours of 'up'
periods, they must then put up with 20.5 days of 'down' time. They can
quit if they like, and suffer no more disadvantage than lower scores for
3 weeks or they can continue taking the herb.

Recovery From Addiction
As described above, all that is necessary to recover from addiction to
this herb is a desire to quit, and a willingness to accept the
consequences.

TATEESHA
For the purposes of this appendix, I will only consider the addictive
effects of the silks. The mildly addictive qualities of tateen nuts will
not be considered here.

Chance of Overdose
If a 20 is rolled on the ability check when administering this herb, the
recipient will overdose. Overdoes will also occur if Tateesha silks are
smoked more than once in a 24 hour period. Overdose of this herb will
cause the recipient to lose touch with reality for between 10 and 30
minutes. They will hallucinate, normally that they are being attacked,
and they will treat any approach by a person as an attack. During this
period of hallucination, they will fight with a -3 penalty to any attack
rolls, are incapable of using spells of any sort (although they are
quite likely to think that any spells they cast have been effective.)
They will also be able to endure wounds that would normally cause
unconsciousness. After the initial effects described above, the
recipient will collapse into a coma for 3d6 hours. They will awaken with
a severe headache, and no recollection of the events following their
overdose. There is a 1 in 20 chance that they will suffer a stroke
during this coma, which may (10% chance) kill them, or (20% chance)
leave them paralysed down one side.

Addiction and Withdrawal
Addiction may occur if Tateesha silks are smoked more than once in a two
week period. The chance of addiction begins at one in six, but increases
by a further one in six each time the herb is used during that two week
period.

A Tateesha addict is extremely lethargic, and finds it very hard to get
excited or involved about anything, except another dose of the herb.
Their Intelligence and Wisdom scores are 1 point lower than normal
unless they have smoked Tateesha in the previous two days. An addict
experiencing withdrawal will smoke the herb at any opportunity, unless
they make a save vs poison. A successful save allows them to suppress
the craving for 2d6 hours, although they still suffer the Intelligence
and Wisdom penalties.

Recovery From Addiction
A Tateesha addict who manages to do without the herb for more than a
month will no longer suffer the Intelligence and Wisdom penalties,
although they will still use the herb at any opportunity unless they
make their save vs poison. At this stage, though, a successful save will
suppress the craving for 1d4 days. If an addict manages to go an
additional 2 months (a total of 3 months) without the herb they will no
longer experience this craving. Any use of the herb, after being
addicted will instantly readdict the person.

WORMWOOD
I have had grave concerns about including this information on addiction
in the guide, and as Absinthe is so dangerous, as compared to other
substance contained, I will not provide game rules. I suggest that the
GM not allow the use of Absinthe in his games. It is only mentioned in
the guide for the sake of completeness in the section on Wormwood. While
Wormwood is a herb, like the others in this appendix, Absinthe is a
dangerous drug of dependency with NO beneficial effects, and is
therefore outside the purpose of this guide.

The author of this guide (Shaun Hately) wishes to make clear that he is
absolutely opposed to any misuse of drugs, and accepts no responsibility
for any misuse of the material contained within this guide. This is a
guide for RPG purposes only. It does not seek, in any way, shape or form
to advocate or encourage the misuse of any substance, natural or
manufactured.