THE GUIDE TO HERBS FOR RPGs 5th Edition By Shaun Hately --==(AMBULANT IN FABULAM)==-- LEGAL NOTICE This guide is (c) Shaun Hately 1997 except where copyright is already owned by someone else. Portions of this guide are (c) Druann Pagliasotti 1996 and (c) Maya Deva Kniese 1996, and are used with permission. These sections are indicated and no challenge is made to their copyright status. All Rights are reserved on this guide. However permission is granted to distribute this guide in any way or form (on paper, on disk, via the internet etc) provided the following conditions are met. 1) no profit is made from the guide. A charge for materials, such as paper is permitted, but no profit is to be made. 2) the guide is distributed in its entirety. In particular this legal notice is attached, and the list of contributors is left intact. The guide should also be unedited, except for formatting which can be changed if necessary for purposes of presentation etc. This guide may be copied freely subject to the conditions above. It may be altered freely for use in peoples own games. However such altered copies should not be distributed (except within your own game group) without the permission of the creator, Shaun Hately. Obviously, I have no way of enforcing these conditions, but I have put a lot of work into this guide and I believe it is only fair that other contributors and myself get the credit (or the abuse!) we deserve. This guide has been inspired by games systems owned and copyrighted by others, most notably 'Dungeons & Dragons', and 'Advanced Dungeons and Dragons' owned by TSR Inc, 'Middle-Earth Role-Playing' owned by ICE, 'Maelstrom' written by Alexander Scott and published by Penguin, 'Dragon Warriors' written by Dave Morris and Oliver Johnson, and published by Corgi, and 'Tunnels and Trolls' by Ken St Andre. The author of this guide acknowledges this inspiration but does not believe that this guide infringes on their copyright. No challenge is made to the copyright status or ownership of any work. The author of this guide affirms his support of copyright laws, and the efforts of game companies and others to protect their rights and intellectual property. This is the opinion of the author of this guide, (Shaun Hately) only, and is not necessarily the opinion of other contributors to this guide, or of those people who are kind enough to host it on their websites. The author asserts his moral right to be known as the creator and compiler of this guide, and the moral rights of all contributors to this guide to have their contributions recognised. 'Dungeons & Dragons', 'Advanced Dungeons & Dragons', 'D&D', and 'AD&D' are trademarks of TSR Inc. 'Middle- Earth Role Playing', and 'MERP' are trademarks of Tolkien Enterprises, a division of Elan Merchandising Inc. The use of these and other trademarks is, in no way, intended as a challenge to their trademark status. The lack of symbols denoting their trademark status is, in no way, intended as a challenge to their trademark status. The author and contributors to this guide are in no way responsible for misuse of any of the substances contained in this guide. Certain portions of this guide contain material of a mildly adult nature. In the case of younger players, parental discretion is advised. CONTENTS Special Thanks Introduction How To Use This Guide Notes On The Use of Herbs by Druann Pagliasotti and Shaun Hately How Many Herbs Do I Know? Notes on Climatic Zones Notes on Locales Caveat The Herbal APPENDIX A: The Revised Herbalism Skill by Maya Kniese APPENDIX B: Addiction Effects APPENDIX C: General Information on Herbs APPENDIX D: Herbs by Season APPENDIX E: Herbs by Locale APPENDIX F: Herbs by Climatic Zone APPENDIX G: Conditions and Herbs For Treatment APPENDIX H: Real World and Fantastic Herbs APPENDIX I: Adventure Ideas References Acknowledgments SPECIAL THANKS There is an acknowledgments section at the end of this guide where you can find a list (unfortunately, it may be incomplete) of the people who have helped to make this guide, possible, through such tasks as editing, playtesting, and contributing herbs. If you like this guide, the credit must go to all these people. I believe that there are three people however who are worthy of my special thanks, and I would like to mention them here (in no particular order). The first of these is Ezra Van Everbroek. Ezra produced a hypertext version of the fourth edition of this guide, and also hosted it. This document allowed people to jump from place to place in the guide, and to find information easily. This website appears to be the place that those who found out about the guide through the web, most often obtained their information from. Creating such a large hypertext document can't have been an easy task and I salute and thank Ezra for undertaking such a task. The second person is Druann Pagliasotti. Shortly after the third edition of this guide went out over e-mail, Druann sent a list of new herbs adapted to the guides format to the ADND-L list. I contacted Druann and was kindly given permission to include these herbs in the fourth edition of the guide. Furthermore, Druann sent me a list of suggestions and clarifications to many of the herbs that I had already included in the guide, and suggestions on the long term storage and availability of herbs for purchase. There would have been a fourth edition of the guide without Druann's contributions, but it would have been a shadow of what it became. Last, but by no means least, I would also like to single out Maya Deva Kniese for special thanks. Maya contributed some herbs to this edition of the guide, but more importantly contributed a number of ideas, the most significant of which is the revised Herbalism proficiency (see Appendix A). Again, without Maya's contribution, I would have done a 5th edition, but there is no way it would have been as complete or as (I hope) good. These special thanks are not intended to diminish the contributions of other people to this guide. Everyone who is listed in the acknowledgments section contributed and deserves their place there. I simply feel that the three people listed above were worthy of special recognition. All these contributors share the responsibility and the credit for anything you like about this guide. Any criticisms, errors or dislikes that you have are solely my responsibility. INTRODUCTION "Anything green that grew out of the mould Was an excellent herb to our fathers of old." - Rudyard Kipling Welcome to the fifth edition of "The Guide to Herbs for RPGs", the third edition of this guide to be distributed by e-mail and across the Internet. Herbs have been a staple of fantasy literature for many years. Striders use of Athelas in "The Lord of the Rings" to cure Frodo, and Polgara's herb lore in "The Belgariad" and "The Mallorean", and Raistlin's use of herbal teas to calm his cough in "Dragonlance" are two examples that come to mind. The first edition of this guide was written in response to a request by one of my players for more detailed use of the Herbalism proficiency than that supplied in the core AD&D rules, and also to provide a general system which can be converted to other rules systems fairly easily. This was in 1990 or 1991 and that edition was nothing more than an adaptation of the herbs contained in Alexander Scott's Maelstrom RPG adapted to AD&D rules, a description of each herb, the chance of finding it, its preparation time, and its cost. This guide was quite useful, though several problems were found with it. The guide was used for a few years and my printed copy (done on a Commodore 64 and a 9 pin printer) became covered in pen and pencil additions and clarifications. In early 1995 I began GMing a new campaign and I decided to rewrite my herbal on my new 486. This second edition contained the same herbs as the first edition but with the addition of clearer descriptions, the addition of the Locale in which each herb could be found, and an Ability Check roll required to use each herb successfully. This herbal was much more useful than the previous one. In mid 1995, I gained net access for the first time, and discovered the phenomena of NetBooks, and unofficial supplements to various role playing games. I downloaded these and began to use them in my games. As a student I can not afford to buy all the commercially produced supplements for use in my games, and so these unofficial (and free!) supplements were a gift from the Gods. In December 1995 and January 1996, I revised my Herbal once again, incorporating herbs from the RPG Middle-Earth Role Playing (MERP), and on returning to University at the start of March, subscribed to the ADND-L e-mail list, and offered the Herbal to the inhabitants of that list. I received over 300 requests for the Herbal, and was informed that there was interest in Herbalism on the REALMS mailing list. I subscribed to this list as well, and offered the Herbal once again. I received more requests from this list. At the start of July, I released a fourth edition of the guide which for the first time included herbs submitted by other people, as well as herbs that I had designed through research outside gaming materials. In particular, special mention must go to Druann Pagliasotti whose assistance in compiling the fourth edition was considerable. Druann contributed new herbs, as well as sending me a list of suggested clarifications, and amendments to over forty of the herbs that I had designed. Since that time I have received more e-mail (both praise and criticism) from many of the people who are using my herbal, and this has once again encouraged me to put together a new revised edition. This edition includes even more herbs that other people have added to my rules, and some new herbs that I have developed, in total over 50 new herbs. It also includes more detailed physical descriptions of some of the herbs from previous editions where I have been able to find them. Most notably, it includes a revised Herbalism proficiency, which was largely developed by Maya Deva Kniese, whose contribution to this fifth edition was considerable. I welcome the contributions I have received to this guide, but as always all responsibility for any errors and discrepancies is mine and mine alone, although other contributors deserve full credit for whatever you like. The fifth edition also divides the `Locale' field of the descriptions into two separate fields, `Climate' and `Locale'. This was a commonly requested change, and I saw no reason why it could not be made. I welcome contributions, criticisms and comment on my guide, and will try to incorporate these in any future editions of the guide. Some people may have noticed that the title of the guide has changed from "The AD&D Guide to Herbs" (the title of the 1st-3rd Editions) to "The Guide to Herbs for RPGs" (4th and 5th Editions). This occurred because of advice that the original title was not compatible with the guides status as unofficial. Also the guide is no longer AD&D specific but designed to be used in other RPG rule systems. Please feel free to distribute this guide in unedited form in any format that you desire. I only ask that my contribution and that of other people is acknowledged and that the guide is distributed free of charge. NOTE: In my guide I have used the term "Autumn" instead of "Fall" to describe the season between Summer and Winter. I have also used the correct Australian English spelling for words. I have altered contributions received from other people for the sake of consistency. I have received e-mail criticising me for this, saying "you should use the American conventions, because most AD&D players are American." (By the way, this was not intended as a flame, but was part of some useful constructive criticism.) I have been taught English as it is spoken and written in my native country, and I will write and speak in that way. There are several reasons for this. 1) If I was attempting to write for a specific country, I would use their own conventions. I am not. I am writing this guide for everyone who requests it. I have received requests for the third and fourth editions of this guide from the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Australia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Holland, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Croatia and Zaire and possibly from other countries as well. 2) If I decided to write this guide in `correct' English, I would be faced with the problem of what is `correct'. Is it American English, that of the largest English speaking country on Earth or British English, the source of the language. 3) I believe that the differences in English from country to country are so minor that all English speaking people on Earth will be able to read my guide with no problems. 4) Finally, it is simply easier for me to write this guide in the form of English with which I am most familiar. I should note here that this herbal is not always 'accurate' in terms of the real use of herbs in our world. This is because my skills in Herbalism are very limited. I am not a professional herbalist just someone with an interest in the topic (especially from a gaming point of view). I have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible in terms of descriptions, but sometimes I am trying to describe a herb after seeing a black and white drawing. I have tried to be accurate in terms of naming the herbs, but some herbs have many different names. Bilberry for example is also known as Huckleberry, Whortleberry, Hurtleberry, Whin-berry, Wimberry, Black Heart, Hurts, and may even have other names that I am not familiar with. I have also ascribed to some herbs powers that do not exist in the real world. For example there is no herb that bestows infravision on a person in our world (as least I assume there isn't!) but such herbs do exist in the guide. This is because the guide has been written for a fantasy game, and I felt that the powers ascribed to these herbs in legend and tradition could actually exist in fantasy worlds. I would also like to apologise for the fact that some of the herbs contained within have no physical descriptions. This is because I have adapted them from other game systems and I can't find any physical descriptions in the original source material. This is especially true for those herbs adapted from MERP. If anyone feels that I have made mistakes in identifying herbs, or their curative properties, they should feel free to contact me, either by e-mail or by mail. For anyone who wants to find accurate books on Herbalism and its real life applications, please refer to the books in the reference section. Please do not assume this guide is accurate. Experimenting with plants can be very dangerous, and I accept no responsibility for any misuse. HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE This guide was originally written in order to allow a more detailed method of using the Herbalism Non Weapon Proficiency than that provided in the PHB. It may be used only by characters with the Herbalism proficiency. A revised Herbalism proficiency which can be used in FRPGs, appears below. The description of each herb contains the following information: NAME: This is what the herb is called. In brackets after each name is the name of the person who developed the herb for the guide, and the source of the herb if applicable. Available: This is the time of year when the herb is available, and the percentage chance for a person who searches for the herb for one day finding it. Climatic Zone: This describes the climatic zone or zones in which the herb can be found. Locale: This describes the region or regions in which the herb can be found. Preparation: This describes how long a herb needs to be prepared before it can be used. Cost: The cost before the / is the cost of the herb in raw form. The cost after the / is the cost of buying the herb ready to use. Uses: The number of uses indicates how much of the herb can be found at any one time. Ability Check: The ability check is the value that must be rolled under on a d20 for the use of the herb to be successful. If the ability check is listed as '?' it means that the herb may or may not have the powers attributed to it. If the ability check is listed as '-' then no ability check is needed for success. The GM should decide what effects these herbs have if any. Description: This section describes what the herb can do. The GM who uses or allows this guide in their games should examine it carefully before use, and remove or modify any herbs that they wish. This is particularly true for those herbs that have quite major powers. It will be noted that very few poisons are listed in this guide. This is for two reasons. 1. I believe that a Herbalist should not use their art for nefarious purposes. 2. I believe that allowing players access to too many poisons can severely effect game balance. Any GM who wishes to have detailed poisons in their games is referred to the "Netbook: Poisons of the Realm", (author unknown to me) which I find to be excellent for the purpose. If you can find it, the rules for poisons sent to the GMAST-L list by Ron Knight (Modar) in late October of this year (1996) is also very good. "The NetBook of Poisons", revised and expanded by Adrienne Mills, and based on the "Netbook: Poisons of the Realm" (mentioned in previous editions of this guide) is also very good and very detailed in its treatments of poisons. It should also be noted that I have tried not to include herbs that could be classed as "Drugs" with the connotation of illicit use. This is because I do not and do not wish to be seen to be supporting illicit drug use. Having said that, for anyone who wishes to use drugs in their games, I refer them to `Appendix A: Drugs for Fantasy Role Playing Games', from the `Complete Guide to Alcohol for Fantasy Role Playing Games' which has excellent rules on all aspects of drug use including addiction and its effects. The drugs contained within it could be converted to my system fairly easily, although the system contained in that guide is already excellent for the purpose. Finally, a note and a request. It has come to my attention, that people create and develop new herbs for their games and add them into this guide. I, of course, have no objection to this. However, I would appreciate it if you sent me a copy of these herbs. If they work in your games, they would probably work in other peoples, and should be included in any new edition of the guide (with full credit to you, of course). Again, people make changes to the guide, because they find mistakes, or discrepancies, or just things they don't like. That's fine, but please let me know. If you noticed something wrong, I would like a chance to fix it. What you do with the guide in your own game is up to you. You can change and edit it in any way that you like. But please, if you distribute the guide, make sure that you distribute it in unedited form. If you have made any changes or additions, list them separately from the main guide. My name is on this guide, and while I'm perfectly happy to take the flak for any errors in it, I only want to be blamed for my own errors or for those of contributors, which slipped past me. I have been sent an e-mail from someone who thought a herb was too powerful. It was, because someone else had edited the guide and made it more powerful. It wasn't a major problem, but it was annoying. Furthermore, I own the copyright on this guide (except where I have indicated that it is owned by someone else, and I have their permission to include the information). I have gone to a lot of trouble to try and ensure that I don't violate other peoples copyright, in order to avoid legal problems. If you add information into my guide, I may end up being legally responsible for information that I didn't want to be. I don't want that to happen. Having said that, if I have inadvertently violated anyone's copyright, please inform me and I will remove the material in question. Finally leave my name, and the name of other contributors on the guide. A person was distributing the 3rd Edition of my guide under their name as if it was their work. They have since apologised to me, and I consider the matter closed, so I won't mention their name. The guide costs you nothing, but it represents a large amount of work on my part and on the parts of the other contributors. I think we deserve the credit for our work. I receive no payment for this guide. It is simply a labour of love. But I would like to hear what you think of it, any praise or criticisms that you might have. Hundreds of hours of work have gone into this guide over the years, and I really like to know what people think, whether it is good or bad. Please e-mail me with comments at: drednort@bud.swin.edu.au A special note: I have referred to a variety of diseases in this work. Some of my descriptions may be inaccurate and for that I apologise. I have no medical training, and the guide is intended only for games. It is also possible that some of my descriptions of diseases may offend some people. Again, I apologise. I have no intention of causing offence. If you do find any of this guide offensive, let me know so I can fix the problem. ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A GUIDE FOR GAME PURPOSES ONLY. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, USE ANY OF THE HERBS CONTAINED IN THIS GUIDE FOR ANY REAL LIFE PURPOSE WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH AN EXPERT ON HERBS AND THEIR EFFECTS. Shaun Hately, 11th February, 1997 NOTE ON THE USE OF THE AD&D "LOCATE ANIMALS OR PLANTS" SPELL Players with access to the 1st level Priest Spell "Locate Animals or Plants" will try to use it to locate specific herbs. If this occurs I would suggest that the Dungeon Master uses the percentage score given under "Available" in each herbs description as the chance that the herb will be detected each round, subject to the local environment and season. However I would remind the GM that according to the PHB, the results of this spell are always determined by the GM. If the GM does not want the herb to be found, it should not be found. NOTES ON THE USE OF HERBS by Druann Pagliasotti and Shaun Hately Unless otherwise indicated in text, any cut herbs and preparations of herbs only have a shelf life of 3d6 weeks. Dried herbs have a shelf life of 1d4 years if kept in a sealed container away from moisture (but not all of these herbs can be used in a dried form). Potions, on the other hand, have an indefinite lifespan - which is why they're more expensive yet still desirable. A rule of thumb for purchasing is that the chance of purchasing an herb in a large city WITHIN its native region is equal to the chance of finding it in the wild (and the price will remain the same); the chance of purchasing an herb in a large city OUTSIDE of its native region is equal to half the chance of finding it in the wild (and the price will be half again as much); and the chance of purchasing an herb in a large city OPPOSITE of its native region (eg., artic vs. desert) is one quarter of the chance of finding it in the wild (and the price will be doubled or tripled). The GM of an individual campaign must rule on the use of this guide. They must decide whether or not they wish it to be used at all, and they must modify it to fit their campaign. Some of the herbs contained in this guide are extremely powerful, and if they are overused they will unbalance the game. The prices given for herbs are only guidelines and must be treated with common sense. In plague years, for example the cost of herbs that protect against plague will increase incredibly. And if the characters stumble into a herbalist while supporting a friend who is on the verge of death from snakebite, the herbalist may decide to charge well above the going rate. Some apothecarists are nothing but charlatans and will sell anything while saying it is a wondrous herb. Once again, I must point out that this guide is intended for use in games only. Do not use it as a guide to herbal medication. Many plants are highly poisonous and experimenting can be extremely dangerous. I accept no responsibility for any misuse arising from any edition of this guide. HOW MANY HERBS DO I KNOW? The first two editions of this guide contained only about 40 herbs and so we never considered the need to limit the amount of herbs that a PC with Herbalism proficiency knew. Now there are a lot more herbs and such a rule does seem necessary. If PCs knowing of all these herbs does not cause a problem in your games, then just assume they do know all of them. If however, you want a rule to deal with situation, I would suggest the following. Once again I assume that you games uses a 3d6 Intelligence score similar to that used in D&D, AD&D, Dragon Warriors, and Tunnels and Trolls. The PC herbalist starts with knowledge of 3 x INT x Level of Herbalism Skill herbs. That is a PC with a herbalism skill of 1 and an Intelligence of 12 will know of 36 herbs. A PC with a herbalism skill of 2 and an Intelligence of 9 will know of 54 herbs. Which herbs are known, should be decided by the GM with reference to the climate and terrain type in which the PC grew up. NOTES ON CLIMATIC ZONES In this new edition of the herbal, a new field has been added to the description of each herb. This is the Climatic Zone section. A normal world can be assumed to be divided into five climatic zones :- Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate, Cold and Polar. A few notes are below in order to help the GM determine which zone a given section of their world will fall into: Tropical: the tropical regions are those located close to the equator. They typically have an average annual and monthly temperature of around of over 20C (68F). They also have a tendency to have wet summers and drier winters, as you get towards their boundaries. On Earth the Tropical region may be considered to be approximately 12 north and south of the equator. Papua New Guinea and Peru have tropical climates. Subtropical: the subtropics typically have anywhere from 4 - 11 months with temperatures of over 20C (68F) with the balance of the year having temperatures of between 10 - 20 C (50 - 68 F). It extends roughly between latitudes 12 - 25. Northern Australia and the Florida Peninsula both fall into this area. Temperate: the temperate regions are anywhere which has 4 - 12 months with temperatures between 10 - 20 C (50 - 68 F) and the rest of the year is colder. For convenience they can be considered to lie between latitudes of 25 - 45. Southern Europe, the USA and Australia generally fall into this zone. Cold: A cold region has 1 - 4 months with a temperature of between 10 - 20 C (50 - 68 F) with the rest of the year being colder. It can be considered to fall between 45 - 65 latitude. Canada, the southern half of Alaska and Scandinavia all fall into this region. Polar: The polar regions have a year round average temperature of less than 10 C (50 F). They lie above latitudes of 65. Greenland, Antarctica, and the most northern reaches of Canada, Russia, and Scandinavia all lie in this zone. The above is a guide for game purposes only and is not absolutely accurate, geographically speaking. It must also be remembered that other factors, such as elevation above sea level, the location of rain shadows, ocean currents etc, also effect climate. Also, I have limited the number of climatic zones to the ones above, and there are many others. Some of the herbs may be found in a `tropical desert'. Under those circumstances it should be inferred that the herb is found in hot deserts, not that these deserts have `wet summers'. NOTES ON LOCALES One of the more important pieces of information contained in the description of each herb is the locale where it is found. A brief description of what I mean by each locale is outlined below in order to help you determine into which locale each area of your gameworld fits. Coastal: These are the regions that lie near the sea, oceans, or possibly near large inland salt-water lakes. As a rule of thumb, I assume that the coastal regions can extend up to five miles inland, although this may vary from place to place. Desert: Most people assume deserts to be very hot places, such as the Sahara, the Australian Desert, or Death Valley, and indeed many deserts are very hot, but there are also cool deserts. A desert is normally defined as any area that receives, on average, less than 10 inches of rain a year, but for game purposes may be assumed to be any area that is very dry, without recourse to such official formulae. Forest: A forest is any area that is heavily covered with trees. There are both large forests, which may cover vast areas, or small forests. In medieval times, forests covered a much larger area of the world than they do today. Grassland: These areas, while mostly untouched by agriculture contain very few large tress. Instead they are mostly covered with grass, hence their name. The American prairies are a good example of grasslands. Hills: A hill is a relatively small raised area of land. They are often found at the foot of mountains, but may exist in their own right, separate from the surrounding landscape. Jungle: Similar to a forest, but normally thicker in nature, and found in more tropical environments. The Amazon is a perfect example of a jungle environment. Mountains: Very large, raised areas of land, often found at the borders of continental shelves. A notable feature of mountains is that they are, due to their height, often much colder than the surrounding land. Another feature is the rain shadow phenomena. It may rain very heavily on one side of a mountain, but not at all on the other. The Himalayas, the Alps, and the Rockies are all examples of mountain chains. Rivers: A river is a flowing stream of (normally) fresh water which runs to the sea. Rivers can be large (like the Mississippi, or Amazon) or very small, local creeks. Rural: This describes farmland, land that has been turned over to agriculture, but is only sparsely settled. Special: Where this is listed as the locale, read the description of the herb for more details. Swamp: Areas of very moist soil. The Florida Everglades are a good example of a swamp. Underworld: By Underworld, I refer to large underground complexes, ie the Underdark of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, the Mac Mordain Cadal from the works of Raymond E Feist, Ulgo from the works of David Eddings, or the Mines of Moria from Tolkien. It might also be assumed that the herbs may grow in smaller complexes, but I do not recommend it. Urban: Any area that is widely settled, such as towns, villages or cities. Volcanoes: When a herb is said to grow in this locale, it may grow actually within the mouth of the volcano, or merely on its sides (GMs discretion, unless the description makes it clear). Wasteland: This is the hardest area to describe. A wasteland may have once been any type of land, but has now been rendered totally inhospitable perhaps by some great disaster. Much of France after World War I fulfilled this criteria, as did Tunguska after the 1908 explosion. Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or Chernobyl also fulfilled this criteria. In essence, any area of your gameworld where some great disaster rendered the land uninhabitable, may fit into this locale. CAVEAT Some of the herbs contained in this guide have very powerful game effects, and have the potential to severely unbalance a campaign. The GM should ensure that they check each of the herbs thoroughly and modify or disallow it, if they feel it will unbalance their campaign. As always, the GM is the final arbiter in their campaign. What they say goes, no matter what this guide says. Remember that. THE HERBAL ADDER'S TONGUE (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 3 days Cost: 5 gp/ 15 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 The herb has one leaf which grows from a stalk about three inches from the ground. It's appearance gives it its name. The leaf must be boiled in olive oil and set in the sun for three days. At the end of that time the infusion can be used as a balm for wounds. In the event that the wound is infected the balm will draw out the infection within one day. However for that one day the damage caused by the infection will be twice as severe. If the wound is not infected the balm will increase the rate of healing by 1 hp for that day. ADGANA (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series) Available: Spring 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 week Cost: 10 gp/ 500 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence The leaves of this plant must be dried. They may then be crushed and eaten. It's effects diminish with constant use. The first time and second time Adgana is used it adds 2 to the user's Strength, Dexterity and Constitution for 2d4+4 minutes. The third time it is used it adds 1 to Strength and Dexterity for the same amount of time, the 4th time +1 is added to Strength only, and after that no benefit is ever gained. In addition to this, the herb is also highly addictive. AGRIMONY (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 1 week Cost: 2 gp/ 8 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence Agrimony reaches a height of 1 to 2 feet. It has leaves up to seven inches long, which are serrated, green on top and white underneath. It has yellow flowers with five petals which are arranged in a spike on top of the stem. Its dried leaves must be boiled in a pint of red wine for five minutes, and then left to stand for an hour. It should then be used on sprains and bruises in a compress. A successful application will cure sprains and bruises in half the normal time. Agrimony was also believed to produce very heavy sleep if placed beneath a persons head, so deep that the person could not be woken until it was removed. At the GMs discretion agrimony may have this effect, but I would suggest the potential victim gets a save vs poison with a very large (8-10) bonus. `If It is leyed under mann's head, He shal sleepyn as he were dead; He shall never drede na wakyn Till fro under his head it be taken' Traditional English Rhyme ALDAKA (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 5% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Mountains Preparation: 1 week Cost: 100 gp/ 1000 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence The roots of this plant must be brewed over a low fire for one week, and the resulting distillation drunk. If used successfully, sight will be restored to the recipient provided the eye remains. ALETHER (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series) Available: Spring, Summer 5% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 day (for potion) Cost: 10 gp/ 100 gp (for potion) Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -5 Eating a handful of these orange berries will add +1 to both a characters chance to hit, and to their damage rolls for 2d6 minutes. The berries can be brewed in white wine to produce a drink that will add +2 to the recipients chance to hit, and temporarily give them 2d4 hp. This effect lasts for 2d12 minutes, and ends with the characters total collapse for 1d3 days unless they successfully save against poison. This brew will only be useful for one month after manufacture and then loses its potency. ALKANET (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: none Cost: 2 gp/ 2 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 This plant has a thick red root, narrow hairy leaves, and small red or blue flowers. The root can be eaten directly upon being drawn out of the ground but will only keep for a week or so. The herb allows a +1 bonus to any saving throw vs ingested poisons for 1d8 hours after eating. ALL-HEALE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Autumn 75% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 2 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 7 Ability Check: Intelligence +1 When All-heale is mixed in a pint of olive oil and applied to a wound, (one application per day), the recipient will heal even if still working as normal. With rest, the recipient will heal at three times the normal rate. ALOE (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Autumn, Winter 55% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: none Cost: 5 cp/ 5 cp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence The leaf of Aloe applied to a wound, will double the natural healing rate of burns and minor cuts. AMRANS (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Spring 40% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rivers, Rural Preparation: 3 days/ 1 week Cost: 50 gp/ 50 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 The lilac flowers can be prepared into a potion that rapidly cures wounds (3d6 if properly prepared (for 1 week), 1d4 if poorly prepared (for 3 days)). ANGELICA (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Mountains Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 5 sp/ 1 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 Angelica's root should be boiled in water for an hour and then drunk in order to relieve coughs. The plant can grow to a height of eight feet. It has a hollow stem and has large, broad pointed leaves at the base of the stem. It has a cluster of white or pink flowers at the top of the stem. The herbs does not in any way act as a cure for any disease causing a cough, it merely reduces the amount of coughing. ANISE (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 25% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 10 minutes Cost: 1 gp/ 1 gp Uses: 5 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 Anise grows to height of about two feet, and is distinguished by its unusual leaf formation. At its base, the leaves are heart shaped and toothed, but as we progress up the stalk they are small and feathery. It has delicate white flowers which ripen in summer to produce small ridged seeds. These seeds should be crushed and left to stew for ten minutes in boiling water. The resultant mixture should then be strained and drunk as desired (it will keep for up to 3 months). A successful application will relieve hiccups. ANSERKE (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Tropical Locale: Coastal Preparation: none Cost: 75 gp/ 75 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 The root must be applied to a bleeding wound. Within three rounds it will have stopped the bleeding. The recipient must not move for one turn or risk the wound reopening. ARCHANGELICA (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Swamp Preparation: none Cost: 5 sp/ 5 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 This white flowering plant has black seeds and roots with a sharp taste. The root, when brewed, makes a hot, peppery decoction that helps alleviate common colds, flu and congestions (doubles recovery time, adds +2 to Constitution rolls to prevent colds in bad weather). ARFANDAS (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Autumn, Winter 50% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Rivers Preparation: 1 day Cost: 2 sp/ 3 sp Uses: 4 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 If the stem of Arfandas is bound up in the dressing of a fracture, it will double the rate of healing for that fracture. ARKASU (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Autumn 55% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: none Cost: 12 gp/ 12 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 When the sap of the Arkasu plant is applied to wounds, it doubles the rate of healing. The effect is not cumulative. ARLAN (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Autumn 60% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Grassland Preparation: none Cost: 20 sp/ 20 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -5 The leaf of Arlan when applied to a wound will heal 1 hp of damage if it is used within 5 rounds. Arlan will also speed a persons recovery from respiratory illness by five times. ARNICA (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 25% Climatic Zone: Temperate, Cold Locale: Mountains Preparation: none Cost: 1 gp/ 1 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence - 6 This plant grows to a height of 1 to 2 feet. It has a hairy stem on which its leaves are arranged in pairs. It has orange flowers. These flowers should be plucked and dried, and then boiled in a litre of beer. This should be applied to a compress which is wrapped around a bruise. A successful application will cause the bruise to fade within one day. The pollen of the flowers if inhaled will cause uncontrollable sneezing. A phial of arnica carried in a persons pocket is also reputed to help a person quit smoking. ARNUMINAS (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Autumn 70% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: none Cost: 6 gp/ 6 gp Uses: 5 Ability Check: Intelligence -1 The leaf of this plant should be applied to the site of ligament, cartilage, or muscle damage. If used successfully, it will double the speed of healing of such damage. ARPUSAR (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Autumn 40% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Rivers Preparation: 1 week Cost: 7 gp/ 30 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -7 The stalks of this plant must be brewed for one week in fresh water at the end of which time it may be drunk. If it is successful, it will heal any damage to a persons muscles that are capable of healing naturally within one day. ASARABACCA (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 1 day Cost: 3 gp/ 7 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 Asarabacca is a creeping vine with many small leaves each on their own small stalk. It also has small purple flowers. These flowers must be brewed up on a fire and left to stand. When administered successfully to someone, they must save vs poison or be rendered docile, and incapable of violence for 3d8 hours. The brew has a distinctive purple colour, and bitter taste, so to be given secretly in food, the food must be able to hide these attributes. ASH (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 50% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 1 day Cost: 5 gp/ 8 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 The bark of the ash tree must be stripped from its branches and boiled in clear water for one day. It should then be drunk as a cure for fevers, especially those caused by diseases such as malaria. It does not cure the cause of the fever but merely brings it under control within 2d6 hours. The ash tree is sacred to worshipers of Thor, who use its wood to make spears. The wood of the ash tree could possibly be used as an essential item in the manufacture of magical spears. Ash leaves should be boiled in water and drunk as a cure for the poison of viper bites (cures poison in 2d6 turns, any damage already incurred remains). The ash tree has ash grey bark, and black buds. Its flowers have no petals. Ash trees are also by tradition used to make stakes for the purposes of killing vampires. This belief stems from Roman times, when Pliny the Elder wrote that all evil things feared Ashwood. ASHLINE (Seth Klein from Fantasy Star IV) Available: Winter, Spring 5% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Mountains Preparation: 1 week Cost: 50 gp/ 500 gp Uses: 16 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 Ashline is a small red flower, with very pale green leaves. The entire plant must be mashed and boiled in fine red wine for one week and the resultant mixture mixed with olive oil. When this liquid is poured over a petrified person it will, on a successful roll, restore them to their normal state. ATHELAS (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Autumn 45% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: none Cost: 200 gp/ 200 gp Uses: 4 Ability Check: ? Also known as "Kingsfoil". It appears as a vine with dark green leaves divided into four parts. According to legend, the leaves of Athelas when crushed by the hands of a King over the afflicted person are capable of curing anything. "When the black breath blows and death's shadow grows and all lights pass, come athelas! come athelas! Life to the dying In the King's hand lying!" from "The Return of The King" ATIGAX (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 40% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: 1 day Cost: 40 gp/ 70 gp Uses: 5 Ability Check: Intelligence The roots of this plant must be brewed over a low fire for one day, and the resulting distillation drunk. If used successfully, sight will be protected from glare or blinding light for a period of nine hours. This herb can thus be used to limit the ill effects suffered by subterranean creatures (such as drow) in full sunlight. ATTANAR (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Autumn, Winter 45% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rivers Preparation: none Cost: 8 gp/ 8 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 Attanar is a moss, which when applied to the forehead of a stricken person, will cure fevers. It takes effect 2d6 hours after it is successfully administered. BALM (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 20% Climatic Zone: Subtropical Locale: Forest Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 3 gp/ 5 gp Uses: 4 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 Balm is a plant about 2 to 3 feet tall with squarish stems. It has oval, serrated leaves. It has small flowers which can be any shade from white to blue, which form small clusters at the base of the leaves. The herb should be boiled and given to women suffering menstrual pains (hey, someone has gone to the trouble of writing "A Guide to AD&D Sex" so this might be useful!) It also reputedly has properties of bestowing longevity, and so could be used as an ingredient in "Potions of Longevity" and the like. BARBERRY (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 20% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 3 hours Cost: 4 gp/ 9 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -11 The Barberry plant has sharp thorns on its twigs. It can obtain a height in excess of eight feet. It has roughly oval shaped leaves, which are smooth with toothed edges. It has pale yellow flowers which produce oval red berries, with a small black dot at their tip. Barberries should be ground up in cold water and be left to stand in cold water, and then boiled quickly. This mixture should be drunk as a cure for liver disorders such as jaundice. If successfully administered the cure should take effect within two weeks. However three failed applications mean that there is never any hope of cure by this method. BASE MULLEIN (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Always 90% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: none Cost: 10 sp/ 10 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence Base Mullein is very easily found due to the fact that its flower stalks often obtain a height of 8 feet or more. Its clear yellow flowers cover about 3 feet of the top of the stalk, and form a long funnel about an inch or two in diameter. If the leaves of this herb are applied to a burn within one hour, it will reduce the damage taken from the burn, by half. BASIL (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: none Cost: 3 sp/ 3 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 Basil must be used almost immediately on being picked. The leaves should be applied to the bite of a venomous creature, and it will then have the effect of drawing out the poison. It will give a bonus of +4 to the saving throw vs poison, or if the save has already been made and failed, it will allow a second saving throw at normal values. Any damage already sustained will remain. The herb has one upright stalk, and small white flowers. BASTIT (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Always 20% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: All Preparation: none Cost: 3 sp/ 3 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence +2 A small succulent that, when crushed, tends to repel parasitic insects, including mosquitoes and the like. It has a pungent but not unpleasant odour. (Lasts 1d6 hours but can be washed or sweated off. Easily noticed by tracking animals.) BELAN (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 35% Climatic Zone: Tropical Locale: Coastal Preparation: none Cost: 40 gp/ 40 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 The nut must be eaten to stop bleeding (including internal bleeding). Within two hours it will have stopped the bleeding. The recipient must not move for one additional hour or risk the bleeding restarting. BELRAMBA (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 3 days Cost: 60 gp/ 180 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 Belramba is a lichen. It must be brewed in water, and then drunk three days later. If used successfully, all nerve damage capable of healing naturally will be healed, at three times the normal rate. BILBERRY (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 1% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 15 days Cost: 500 gp/ 3000 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -13 Bilberries are small black berries. They must be mixed with pure alcohol and left to stand for fifteen days, at the end of which time they must be drunk. A successful application will give a human the same infravision ability as half elves, but a failed application may lead to the death (save penalty -4) of the person who drinks it, as if they had drunk a class J poison (Death/ 20 hit points, onset 1d4 minutes). BIRTHNOT (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Always 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Hills Preparation: 3 days Cost: 2 cp/ 2 cp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence Birthnot is a dark-leaved, flowerless vine. The dried leaves can be used to create a contraceptive tea effective on most humans, demihumans and humanoids, male or female. Must be ingested between 1 hour - 30 minutes before properties invoked. (70% effective; causes mild impotence in males 15% of the time.) BISHOP'S WEED (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 45% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 3 weeks Cost: 4 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 Bishop's weed is a small plant with pale blue flowers, and small pale green leaves. This herb will protect people from Plague (+5 bonus to saves vs disease). It is drunk in wine, and is effective for one week. In plague years, its price increases rapidly. BITTERMOURN (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Winter 5% Climatic Zone: Polar Locale: All Preparation: 2 hours Cost: 1000 gp and up Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -14 A rare, colourless lichen that grows on rocks beneath year-round ice. When crushed and strained, it creates a clear gel at freezing temperatures that melts into liquid when warmer. Imbibing a pint slows the aging process and grants a lifespan of twice normal length. BLACKBERRY (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 65% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: none Cost: 1 gp/ 1 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 The leaves of these small black berries should be crushed and applied to small wounds, where they can stop minor bleeding very quickly (within one round). BLACKROOT (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: All Preparation: none Cost: 4 gp/ 4 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 A tall plant with small, bell-shaped violet flowers and complex roots that are black on the outside and white on the inside. Blackroot's roots can be applied to fresh wounds in order to promote quick healing (applied immediately, gives 1d4 back to character at once). BLACK ROSE (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Spring, Summer 5% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: All Preparation: none Cost: 100 gp/ 100 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 This rare rose is easily identified by its black, velvety flower and long white thorns. The thorns are hollow and absorb liquids at a rate of a pint every 5 minutes. The liquid is stored in the plant's fibrous roots. The black rose's roots are often used to draw poison from wounds or, placed under the tongue, to absorb alcohol and prevent intoxication. Sometimes victims are tied down and pierced with the thorns to cause prolonged and painful exsanguination. BLOODKEEP (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Spring 20% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Coastal Preparation: none Cost: 4 sp/ 4 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence Tall stalks with jagged leaves and purple-red flowers, bloodkeep's fresh leaves can be bound to a wound to stop bleeding at once and quicken coagulation (apply within 2 rounds of injury to stop bleeding; character regains 20% - rounded down - of lost hit points at once). BORAGE (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 5 days Cost: 1 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 This plant has hollow, hairy cylindrical stalks which grow to a height of 1 to 2 feet. It has drooping flowers, red or blue in colour, which are shaped as a five pointed star at the top of the stem. The dried herb should be boiled in water and the infusion drunk. It is used to cure minor fevers such as those caused by chills, and influenza. It will relieve the fever in 1d3 hours. BRELDIAR (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Spring 35% Climatic Zones: Temperate Locale: Volcanoes Preparation: none Cost: 50 gp/ 50 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 This flower, when eaten, alters the way a person judges distance for a period of one hour. While under the influence of the flower, a person can add a bonus of two to ranged combat attacks, while subtracting two from melee attacks. BULL-RUSH (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Always 55% Climatic Zone: Temperate, Subtropical Locale: Swamp Preparation: 3 days Cost: 2 sp/ 3 sp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence +3 Bull-rushes are tall straight stemmed plants with many small flowers at the top of the stalk. These flowers must be ground into an ointment which is applied to a persons eyes or tongue. This herb will put someone to sleep for 3d12 hours. A roll of 1 on the ability check will put the person into a coma. BURDOCK (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 35% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 day Cost: 10 gp/ 30 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 This plant grows to about 3 feet tall. It has huge leaves with a whitish underside, and purple flours. Its root must be boiled in water and then the root eaten and the water drunk as a cure for syphilis. The person will be cured within a week. `They are Burrs, I can tell you, they'll stick where they are thrown.' William Shakespeare `Troilus and Cressida' BURSTHELAS (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 5% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: 1 week Cost: 110 gp/ 1000 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence Bursthelas must be brewed for one week in fine red wine before it can be used. It must then be drunk within one month or spoil. A successful draft will heal any fractured bones within the body within one to three days. CAFFAR (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Summer, Autumn 5% Climatic Zone: Tropical Locale: Desert Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 10 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence Caffar is made of the small caffar nut that is ground into a powder and brewed into a dark, sweet-smelling beverage, traditionally with a goat's milk base. Like kaffe or black tea, caffar can be used to delay sleep, but it has the side effect of making the ingester more psychically sensitive; psionicists' skills are greatly enhanced and even the unpsyighted are more sensitive to nuances in the environment and in others' manners, sometimes even to the point of detecting "auras" around certain objects. (Raises Wisdom [Intuition] by 1 for every 2 cups imbibed, to maximum of 19. Drinking 3-4 cups in one day causes jumpiness that increases as more is imbibed. Those who drink 5 or more cups in one day become slightly physically addicted to the substance and suffer headaches and mild stomach pains when their usage is cut back.) CALAMUS (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring, Summer 15% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Swamp Preparation: 1 day Cost: 5 gp/ 15 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -14 This rush grows in small grassy clumps. It can grow from about 2 to 6 feet in height and has very small yellow green flowers that jut out from the stem. The leaves are long, thin and light green in colour and smells faintly sweet. The root is white with a red brown peel. The root must be peeled and boiled in fresh water within a day of being picked, and should then be drunk by the recipient. Provided no permanent physical damage has been done to the person hearing organs, the herb may restore some small measure of hearing to a totally deaf person, perhaps 10% of normal hearing. In addition the herb has been reported to have aphrodisiac qualities (GMs discretion) and was used by certain Native American peoples to make their dogs fierce. CALCENA MUSHROOM (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series) Available: Always 2% Climatic Zone: Any Locale: Underworld Preparation: 2 week (for potion) Cost: 100 gp/ 1000 gp (for potion) Uses: 1 Ability Check: - Anyone who breathes in the spoors of one of these pink mushrooms incurs a -3 penalty on all saves vs illusions for 2d12 hours. The mushroom may be brewed into a potion by brewing tea and leaving the mushroom to stand in the tea for 2 weeks. The resultant concoction when drunk is a powerful hallucinogen. Anyone under the influence of it will see whatever the GM wants them to see. This effect also lasts 2d12 hours. CALLIN (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Autumn 30% Climatic Zone: Tropical Locale: Jungle Preparation: 1 week Cost: 5 gp/ 25 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 A dark nut that grows on the Callin tree in tropical jungles. When the husk is dried, ground and ingested, it thins the blood and strengthens internal organs, helping to prevent heart attacks. (If taken regularly, prevents heart attacks except under extreme duress. Addictive; causes nausea, dizziness and an increased chance of cardiac arrest if quit under unsupervised conditions after repeated use.) CAT'S TAIL (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 75% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 1 week Cost: 1 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 Cat's tail is a small plant with long thin spear shaped leaves rising from its base, and a single long, thin, soft flower at the top of the stalk. This herb when made into a salve, will heal all damage to a person's heel. CEPHALOPHAGE (Druann Pagliasotti, from Gene Wolfe's "Torturer" series.) Available: Always 5% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Special (see below) Preparation: none (if growing in correct area) Cost: 100 gp/ 100 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 A pale, fleshy fungus with a tough, rubbery consistency that is commonly found growing near carnivorous plants. The fungus grows upon corpses, absorbing the cadaver's life memories and personality; up to 10 different minds have been found absorbed by one cephalophage mushroom. Eating cephalophage will transfer those memories and personality quirks to the eater. (Effects last 1d3 hours and while they last the eater can access all of the dead person's mind. After the effects wear off, the eater may still succumb on occasion to "flashbacks" or personality instability; save vs. Intelligence when under intense stress or in a situation liable to cause such flashbacks.) This plant is condemned by some religions as unholy, believed to prevent a soul/spirit from attaining the afterlife. (from Gene Wolfe's Torturer series) CHAMOMILE (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring, Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: Negligible Cost: 2 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 This plant can grow up to 2 feet tall, and has a branched stem. It has few leaves, and these are finely divided. The flower heads have yellow centres which are domed in shape with a hollow at their very centre. The petals of this plant bend backwards towards the stem. The flowers from a single plant must be immersed in boiling water and the resultant drink consumed. This drink is very bitter and is normally mixed with honey but this is unnecessary. The drink will last for approximately 2 months after manufacture, while the leaves can be dried, and will then keep for up to three years. A successful use of this herb will have a calming effect on the consumer. CHERVIL (Shaun Hately) Available: Always 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: none Cost: 10 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -5 Chervil is used to dissolve blood clots, which can help to prevent complications caused by injury. The clots are dissolved within 1d3 turns. CINQUEFOIL (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 10 gp/ 15 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -5 This plant creeps along the ground on long slender stringlike stalks. It has five or seven part leaves, and small yellow flowers. The stalks must be boiled in white wine or vinegar and then drunk. The herb will then act as an aphrodisiac, and increase the recipients Charisma [Appearance] by 1 for 1d4 hours. COLEWORT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Spring, Summer 70% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: none Cost: 6 sp/ 6 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 Colewort is a small plant with a single large glossy leaf, and small white flowers with four petals. Anyone who chews on the flowers before drinking will remain sober for the entire evening. Its effects protect only against alcohol, and not against any other drug or toxin. COLTSFOOT (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring, Summer 25% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Mountains Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 2 gp/ 4 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -5 The plant has a single golden yellow flower borne at the top of a six inch tall stem with long pinkish woolly scales. These flowers are crushed and mixed with honey, and applied as a poultice to infected wounds in a effort to draw out the infection. It does not cure any damage. COMFREY (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 50% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 day Cost: 4 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -5 Comfrey grows to a height of up to 3 feet. It has stiff, angular and hollow stalks which are covered with rough hairs. It has pink, mauve white or cream flowers. Its thick black root is the portion used in Herbalism. It should be boiled and wrapped in a poultice which is then wrapped around a broken limb and increases the speed of healing by fifty percent. It can also be used in a bath by women in order to give the impression that they are virgins on their wedding nights. COW PARSNIP (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Always 45% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 6 weeks Cost: 3 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 7 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 Cow parsnip has small leaves covered with tiny hairs. These hairs must be made into a salve. Cow parsnip will cure madness for a short period (a few hours). Repeated application over a two week period may (GMs discretion) cure insanity altogether. COW-WHEAT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 50% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: 1 week Cost: 2 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence Cow wheat is a small straight stemmed yellow-green plant. Its pale yellow flowers produce a white powder when crushed, between two hands. If this powder is placed into food or drink it will cause a person to act as if drunk. For those who desire game mechanics to deal with drunkenness, please consult the Intoxication Table in the 1st Edition AD&D DMG, page 82. Each dose of this herb successfully administered will increase the level of drunkenness by one step. CULKAS (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Always 40% Locale: Desert Climatic Zone: Tropical Preparation: none Cost: 35 gp/ 35 gp Uses: 10 Ability Check: Intelligence Each application of Culkas will cure one square foot of sunburn. DAGMATHER (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 40% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: 1 week Cost: 6 gp/ 28 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -7 The spine of this plant must be brewed for one week in fresh water at the end of which time it may be drunk. If it is successful, it will heal any damage to a persons cartilage that are capable of healing naturally. DAINABERRY (Maya Kniese) Available: Autumn 20% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rivers Preparation: None (or 3 weeks) Cost: 2 gp/ 8 gp Uses: 3d10 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 The Dainabush or Sleepberry is a creeping, thorny vine, much like a bramble. Young vines are about 5 mm thick, with 2 mm long thorns. Older vines can become as thick as 10 cm, with curved thorns up to 5 cm long, although this requires many years of growth. Young vines are light green, with 3 lobed green leaves. Older vines grow reddish brown, darkening to black, with leaves, such as there are, dark green in colour. The vines flower in early summer, with light blue, bell shaped flowers. In autumn, it carries dark blue or purple berries, which are fleshy, almost crunchy rather than juicy. The berries are slightly sweet and quite tasty, but have a strong effect on mammals: those who eat them fall asleep. The berries have this effect on mammals only, but a single berry is enough to bring down any man sized or smaller mammal, and given enough berries, even the greatest mammal will fall asleep. There is no saving throw, although the sleep caused is quite normal, and a sleeping creature can simply be awakened. Although the berries can simply be eaten to cause the effect, it is also possible to dry them carefully, and grind them into powder. This powder is weaker (save vs poison to avoid), but will keep a long time. The powder can be added to any food or drink, but has a very sweet taste. DARNELL (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Autumn 40% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 3 gp/ 7 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 These tiny yellow flowers will, if eaten, cause dimness of the sight for several hours. This dimness means that in full light the character will see as if on a moonlit night. This herb does effect those with infravision or ultravision. DARSURION (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 50% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Mountains Preparation: none Cost: 3 sp/ 3 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 The leaves of Darsurion when applied to a wound will heal 1 hp of damage if used within 3 rounds. The effect is not cumulative. DEADLY-NIGHTSHADE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 75% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 1 week Cost: 4 gp/ 8 gp Uses: 4 Ability Check: Intelligence +3 This plant can grow up to five feet tall. It has soft green spreading leaves, and purple flowers and berries. The berries must be left to stand in water for a week and the distillation drunk. Deadly nightshade will put someone to sleep for 4d8 hours. They cannot be woken. A roll of 1 will kill them, a roll of 20 will render them insane. DEGIIK (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 25% Climatic Zone: Tropical Locale: Coastal Preparation: none Cost: 100 gp/ 100 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 Degiik leaves must be given to someone at the point of death (at -10 hp and not losing any more hit points). They will keep the person alive for one day. DELREAN (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 80% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 3 sp/ 3 sp Uses: 4 Ability Check: - The bark of Delrean should be boiled into a paste and then smeared on the skin. It will then repel any insect from coming near the recipient, but the foul stench will reduce their Charisma (Appearance) by 1d2. It is effective for 5d6 hours. DITTANY (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer, Autumn 55% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rivers Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 1 gp/ 5 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence This herb grows six or eight inches high with square stalks and sort round leaves. The leaves must be dried for two weeks and then be boiled in ale or wine. It is then applied as a lotion. Dittany can be used to draw splinter and bone fragments from a wound. It is also an effective antiseptic for cleaning wounds, and can therefore prevent infections caused by dirty water etc. DOG ROSE (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer, Autumn 70% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural, Urban Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 1 sp/ 10 sp Uses: 10 Ability Check: Intelligence The dog rose grows to about ten feet in height and has very sharp thorns. In spring and early summer it has pale pick flowers which turn into vivid orange seed pods at the end of summer. These pods must be dried and then eaten at the rate of one per three days to avoid scurvy in environments where this disease is common (ie, on long ocean voyages.) Certain ancient and medieval cultures believed that placing a dog rose in a coffin would prevent the body within from rising as undead. DRAAF (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Spring 60% Climatic Zone: Subtropical Locale: Coastal Preparation: none Cost: 5 sp/ 5 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 The leaves of Draaf must be eaten in order to restore 1d3 hit points, as long as they are eaten within 10 minutes of the damage being inflicted. DRAGONTEARS (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Spring 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Desert Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 100 gp/ 100 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 This rare, small, translucent succulent grows primarily in the low desert. When crushed, it exudes a sweet, milky white substance with numbing properties. Properly prepared, dragontears promotes rapid healing and prevents scarring from wounds. Drinking dragontears can be fatal, as its numbing properties can cause choking or heart failure. (Cures 1d8 hp, always prevents scarring.) DRAGONWORT (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 25% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Mountains Preparation: 3 days Cost: 100 gp/ 300 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence This plant has a gnarled, erect and cylindrical stem. It has wavy leaves, dark green on top, bluish green underneath. It has pink flowers that cluster in a spike at the top of the stem. The root of this herb should be boiled over a low heat for three days, and the infusion drunk by people with smallpox and the plague in order to effect a cure. The value of this herb increases greatly in times of plague. DWARF MALLOW (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Swamp Preparation: none Cost: 1 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 This small plant has a single primary stem from which other, shorter stems ending either with leaves or with small pick flowers. These flowers when crushed and mixed with honey and salt into a poultice will relieve the pain of bee stings on a successful application. In addition the crushed flower may be mixed with oil and smothered onto the body in which case, no bees will approach for 1d4 + 2 hours. At the GMs discretion, this effect may extend to other small insects. EBUR (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Spring 45% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Coastal Preparation: none Cost: 22 gp/ 22 gp Uses: 5 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 The flowers of Ebur must be eaten each day. If the treatment is successful the rate of healing for a sprain will be doubled for that day. EDRAM (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 15% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Rivers Preparation: none Cost: 30 gp/ 30 gp Uses: 4 Ability Check: Intelligence -10 Edram is a moss which when eaten will cause bones to heal at one and a half times their normal rate. ELDAAS (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Spring, Summer 5% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Coastal Preparation: 2 days Cost: 2 gp/ 4 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -1 This tall, blue-flowered plant with spike-shaped leaves is the base for medicines against nausea, usually taken in the form of a bitter-smelling and -tasting herbal tea. Eldaas is used to counteract the nausea associated with hangovers, motion sickness, morning sickness, and more common illnesses. (Adds + 2 to saves versus Constitution for each level of potency the herb is brewed at, to a maximum of + 6 - however, at this strength eldaas can cause dry mouth and constipation. Lasts 1d6 hours regardless of potency level.) ELECAMPANE (Shaun Hately) Available: Winter, Spring 15% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: none Cost: 1 sp/ 1 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence This plant has a thick root, with leaves that are white on the bottom and green on top, as well as showy yellow flowers. The root may be eaten in which case it will cause the recipient to vomit. This effect, while useful in removing ingested poisons from the system, will leave the recipient weak (- 1d4 to Constitution for 2d6 hours). For this reason it may be used as a mildly debilitating poison. ELVISH GALINGALE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Spring, Summer 35% Temperate: Polar Locale: Forest Preparation: 1 week Cost: 1 gp/ 2 gp Uses: 5 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 Elvish Galingale grows to about four feet in height. It has a triangular stem on which grows a tuft of grass like flowers. The roots are boiled and left to stand for a week and the resulting decoction is then drunk. This herb increases the flow of blood. This is very useful when a person is cold. However if a person is bleeding, either internally or externally, or is wounded it will double the speed of loss of blood. Its effect lasts 1d6+1 hours. ENTRISTE (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Subtropical Locale: Desert Preparation: none Cost: 25 gp/ 25 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 A small-leafed ivy that hugs the ground. Entriste's leaves absorb liquid and, when crushed, may be used to draw poison from a wound. (1 leaf absorbs a quarter-pint of liquid. Causes 1d4 damage but draws 100% of poison from a wound if applied within 5 rounds of insinuative poisoning, -25% for each round thereafter. Does not work against gases or "instant-death" poisons. Most poison effects are weakened if the poison is at least partially removed.) FALSIFAL (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Spring 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Swamp Preparation: 1 hour or less Cost: 3 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 A wide-leafed plant with large pink flowers and thick roots containing a slimy gel. When the root is pulped, mixed with water and used as a poultice, it is effective against fresh burns, aiding rapid healing. The root-gel can also be thinned and drunk as a thick tea to counter the effects of blood loss. (On burns, add 2 hp/day for each of the first 3 days of rest the character takes. Used to counter blood loss, victim regains 1d3 hp/day instead of 1.) FEBFENDU (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 5% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Coastal, Rivers Preparation: 1 week Cost: 90 gp/ 900 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence The roots of this plant must be brewed over a low fire for one week, and the resulting distillation drunk. If used successfully, hearing will be restored to the recipient. FELMATHER (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Spring 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Coastal Preparation: none Cost: 10 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -7 The leaves of this plant should be placed under the tongue of a person in a coma. If successful, the person will awake in 1d6 hours. If a roll of 20 is made, the persons mind will be destroyed. FENNEL (Shaun Hately) Available: Autumn 20% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 5 sp/ 1 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence Fennel has thick stems, and bright green, lacy leaves and routinely grows to about five feet in height. (There is a rare form which has a bronze stem. In terms of its use, it is identical to the common fennel). In summer it has golden, yellow flowers. These flowers turn to seed in early Autumn. The seed heads must be harvested and left until the seeds separate from them. The seeds may then be mixed with boiling water to make a tea. This tea has the effect of relieving hunger pains in the recipient for 2d8 hours, However it does not in anyway act as a substitute for food, and any damage due to starvation will still occur. FETHERFEW (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 65% Climatic Zone: Temperate, Subtropical Locale: Forest Preparation: 3 weeks Cost: 2 gp/ 4 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence +3 This herb grows to about 18 inches in height. It has many small white flowers. The flowers must be dried and then boiled in white wine. The resulting mixture must be drunk. This herb will remove the effects of vertigo from a person for up to twelve hours. It does this by stabilising the persons inner ear. FIRE-FLOWER (Shaun Hately from C.S. Lewis' `Chronicles of Narnia') Available: Summer 1% Climatic Zone: Subtropical, Tropical Locale: Mountains Preparation: 10 years Cost: 1000 gp/ 100000 gp Uses: 100 Ability Check: - It is suggested that this herb be found in one location on an entire world, ideally in a Mountain range in a tropical or subtropical region (The Mountains of the Sun). This is a small bush which has one pale golden flower and small red berries with the appearance of a live coal. The flowers of the bush must be taken and crushed into a diamond vial, and left to cure for ten years. This is also the amount of time needed for a single flower to bloom. A single drop of this elixir will heal any illness or injury, but will not allow limbs or other appendages to grow back. This is an incredibly powerful herb, and is likely to only exist in the hands of powerful lords and kings. FLOURE-DE-LUCE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Always 60% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: 3 weeks Cost: 3 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence The Floure-De-Luce is also known as the Blue Flag. It has broad and flat leaves shaped rather like a sword. The flowers are purplish blue and the roots which tend to stretch themselves along the surface of the ground are reddish brown on the outside. The root must be mashed and boiled in water and left to stand for at least twenty days before drinking. This herb removes bruises from a body very quickly (within 1d4 hours). FOOTLEAF (Maya Kniese) Available: Spring, Summer, Autumn 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: None Cost: 10 sp/ 10 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 This 30 cm high plant has 3 thick, fleshy leaves, dark green and covered with soft hairs. The leaves form a rosette, lying on the ground, and form the actual plant. The light green blades that account for its hight are actually sheathes from which flower stalks grow during the summer. From each of the sheathes (there can be as many as 30 to a plant), a single flower stalk grows with tiny purple flowers. The thick leaves, which can become as large as 20 cm across, can be torn loose and put inside your boots (One leaf to a boot), enabling you to walk all day without tiring or even getting footsore. FUMITORE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Spring, Summer 80% Climatic Zone: Cold, Temperate Locale: Coastal Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 3 gp/ 6 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence The stems of fumitore are angular and branching, and grow to a height of about 1 foot. It has grey-green divided leaves, and small pinkish-white flowers with purple tips. This herb prevents hair growing on a characters eyelids. (SEE: MOUNTAIN SETWALL) GALLOWBRUSH (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series) Available: Winter 5% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 day (for potion) Cost: 10 gp/ 50 gp (for potion) Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 This briar is red in colour with bright crimson thorns. Any mammal pricked with these thorns must make a save vs poison with a +1 bonus or fall asleep for 1d4+2 x 10 minutes. Even if they save the victim still feels drowsy. The thorns can also be brewed into a drink when mixed with water. Anyone drinking this must save vs. poison with a -4 penalty or fall asleep for 1d6 hours. GARDEN FLAX (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Spring, Summer 55% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 3 gp/ 6 gp Uses: 5 Ability Check: Intelligence +3 The brown seeds of this herb (which has deep blue flowers) if chewed remove all pain from a characters wounds. It will also prevent a character from feeling anything. He could walk through a fire and feel no pain. There is a 10% chance per hour that a character moving normally will suffer 1d2 hp damage, while under the influence of this herb. This occurs because the character doe not notice minor bruises or scratches. It was widely believed in medieval times that if the seeds of this plant were strewn across a vampires path the vampire would be unable to proceed further, until it had counted every seed. At the GMs discretion this may be a use for this herb in FRP campaigns. GARIIG (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 60% Climatic Zone: Tropical Locale: Desert Preparation: 1 day Cost: 55 gp/ 70 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -10 Gariig is a small cactus. It will restore all hit points to a wounded person if eaten within two days of being harvested. GEFNUL (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 60% Climatic Zone: Polar Locale: Volcanoes Preparation: 1 day Cost: 200 gp/ 500 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 Gefnul will totally cure and heal the recipient if eaten within one week of harvesting. A roll of over the Herbalists intelligence will kill the recipient, a roll of twenty will kill the recipient beyond the ability of a raise dead spell to revive him. GOAT'S RUE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 60% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 6 gp/ 15 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -10 This herb will cure poison if ingested within one hour of the poisoning. Any damage already taken, including death, remains. Goat's Rue grows to about 3 feet tall. It has hollow branches and pale whitish blue flowers that hang down in spikes. The flowers must be dried before use. GOLDEN CROWN (Shaun Hately from Feist and Wurts' `Empire' Trilogy) Available: Spring 10% Climatic Zone: Subtropical Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 1 gp/ 2 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 The golden flowers of this small yellow-green plant may be made into a poultice that is used to stop bleeding. One successful application will normally stop minor bleeding, or staunch the flow of major bleeding until it only minor (a second application will stop the bleeding altogether). This herb is often used by midwives to staunch the flow of vaginal bleeding after birth. GOLDEN LUNGWORT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 80% Climatic Zone: Temperate, Subtropical Locale: Forest Preparation: 1 week Cost: 1 gp/ 2 gp Uses: 6 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 Golden lungwort has large oval leaves, covered with small hairs, and small pale blotches. It grows to a height of about 1 foot, and has small bell shaped flowers with five petals which change colour from pink, to mauve to blue. Flowers of different colours are often found on the same plant. This herb heals the ears of all aches and pains. GUARDSEYE (Maya Kniese) Available: Always 5% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Grassland Preparation: 20 minutes Cost: 100 gp/ 100 gp Uses: 1d4 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 This 40 cm high perennial has smooth, dark blue leaves and a woody stem. It has white, cuplike flowers, with purple flecks on the inside. In autumn, the plant dies except for a thick root than can be up to 50 cm long, but even dead, it does not shed its leaves. Thus the all year availability, for it is the leaves that are important. When cooked in water, the resulting tea will grant the drinker the ability to detect all life forms within 500 m. This includes hidden, invisible, phased, ethereal and similarly affected creatures. The effect last for fully 6 hours. GYLVIR (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Autumn 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Coastal Preparation: none Cost: 100 gp/ 100 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence-2 This is an algae. When eaten it allows a person to breathe underwater (and only underwater!) for a period of four hours. HARE'S EARS (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 55% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Mountains Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 2 gp/ 5 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 This herb cures skin diseases. HARFY (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: 1 week Cost: 150 gp/ 150 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence The resin of this herb must be applied to a bleeding wound. It will immediately stop any bleeding. HART'S TONGUE (Shaun Hately) Available: Always 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: none Cost: 2 gp/ 2 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 This fern resembles a deer's tongue, hence its name. When a single frond is eaten, it serves to immediately decrease the recipients libido for 2d4 days. For this reason it is often of value to those undertaking a vow of celibacy, or who must be away from their loved ones. It does not diminish performance in any way, merely desire. HAWKWEED (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Always 75% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 4 gp/ 6 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence This herb increases a character eyesight for 1d4 turns. They can see twice as far, and when in missile combat, all ranges are treated as if one less. Hawkweed has oval leaves, covered with small hairs on the underside, and green on the top. These leaves surround the plant at the base of the stem, and small yellow flowers tinged with red at the tips. HEALWELL (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: All Preparation: none Cost: 1 sp/ 1 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence A common enough herb to make it into most gardens, healwell is a small flowering plant with bright yellow flowers. Its pale green leaves secrete an oil that can be rubbed on small injuries. (Cures 1 hp/oz of oil, 1 round/oz to apply; not useful on wounds over 2 hp.) HENBANE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer, Autumn 90% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 week Cost: 1 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence This herb will reduce the effects of poison weapons, but only if taken before the weapon strikes. In the case of non fatal poisons the effect is completely nullified, but in the case of fatal poisons, the only benefit is a +3 to Saving Throws. Henbane has large, thick, soft woolly leaves, and thick stalks about 2 to 3 feet tall. It has hollow pale yellow flowers at the top of the stalk. Either the seed or the flowers must be dried and then eaten. The effect last 1d8 hours. HOREHOUND (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 90% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Coastal Preparation: 4 weeks Cost: 1 gp/ 5 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 This plant has angular greyish stems and grows to a height of three feet. It has oval shaped tooth edged, ash green leaves. It has small creamy white flowers which group at the base of the leaves. This herb will cause the recipient to vomit up any poison in their system. It is effective only against ingested poisons. The person will be incapacitated by nausea for 1-3 days. In the case of an `instant death' poison, the person can be saved if the herb is successfully administered within one round, but they will be incapacitated for the full three day period. HORSEWEED (Maya Kniese) Available: Spring, Summer, Autumn 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: None Cost: 7 gp/ 7 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 This 25 cm high plant has many broad, double sawed leaves growing in a rosette. It grows large, yellow composite flowers, which will quickly grow hairy seeds that will fly far on the wind. The plant often has flowers and seed simultaneously. If a generous amount of the leaves is fed to a horse or similar creature, it will be able to travel all day without tiring, even if moving at a gallop. IRONHARD (Maya Kniese) Available: Summer, Autumn 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Hills Preparation: None Cost: 15 gp/ 15 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 This 2 foot high plant has dark blue leaves with a thick white hair growth on the underside. It grows all summer and the first half of autumn, and has many small yellow 6 leaved flowers. The plant has a milky white sap, which can be rubbed onto the skin, hardening it and granting a 1 bonus on armour-class for one hour. JAFFRAY (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Summer 10% Climatic Zone: Tropical Locale: Desert Preparation: 2 days Cost: 10 gp/ 15 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 A clove-like herb that is normally ground up and sprinkled into other dishes or drinks as flavouring, Jaffray also acts as a mild aphrodisiac, increasing sexual interest and general sensitivity to the surroundings. Face flushes, pupils dilate, breathing quickens, and skin becomes preternaturally sensitive. The herb has a mildly cinnamon-like flavour and its potency is not affected by being cooked. The herb is also sometimes used to counteract suspected poisoning, since it increases resistance to poison yet is so common as to be inoffensive if added to a meal. (Wisdom -2, Constitution +2, causes mild, pleasant sense of intoxication. Effects last 1d4 hours. Regular usage will build the user's tolerance to the drug, requiring greater amounts to achieve the same effects. Immunity is possible.) JINAB (Shaun Hately from Feist and Wurts' `Empire' Trilogy) Available: Always 10% Climatic Zone: Subtropical Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 5 gp/ 7 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 The dark chocolate brown bark of this small fast growing tree, may be eaten in order to allow a person to remain awake for one whole week, without the need for sleep. At the end of this period, they will collapse, absolutely exhausted for four days, and will capable of only half movement for a further week after that. JOJOJOPO (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Autumn 60% Climatic Zone: Polar Locale: Mountains Preparation: none Cost: 9 sp/ 9 sp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -5 The leaf of this herb, when applied to frostbite will cure 2d6 points of frostbite damage. JUNIPER (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 20% Climatic Zone: Temperate, Subtropical Locale: Mountains Preparation: Negligible Cost: 4 gp/ 4 gp Uses: 10 Ability Check: Intelligence -8 The Juniper tree can grow up to ten feet in height. It is an evergreen, which has prickly stiff foliage. The berries appear in early summer, but take three years to ripen to the stage where they are useful. Unripe berries are green, ripe ones are bluish-black in colour. Because of this rather long period of ripening, it is wise to never denude a tree of berries. A normal sized tree will have between 100 and 200 ripe berries. 15 of these berries should be crushed and mixed with boiling water. When the liquid has cooled, the infusion should then be drunk in order to relieve muscle pains for 3d4 hours. This liquid will only keep for a month under normal conditions, but can be mixed with an alcoholic spirit to increase its lifespan indefinitely. According to some gipsy traditions, a sprig of juniper kept in a house would protect the inhabitants from vampire attacks. This may actually work at the GMs discretion. KATHKUSA (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 30% Climatic Zone: Polar Locale: Wasteland Preparation: none Cost: 50 gp/ 50 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence This plant is found only in the most inhospitable regions. When a leaf of the plant is eaten, it will (if used successfully) raise a persons strength +2 (or 20 percentage points in the case of exceptional strength) for 1d10 rounds. However if the Intelligence check is failed by more than three, the person will collapse into unconsciousness for one hour. KELVENTARI (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Always 50% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: none Cost: 19 gp/ 19 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 If the crushed Kelventari berries are applied to a burn within one turn on its infliction it will heal 1d3 quarters of all damage caused by the burn, no matter how much damage was taken. KILMAKUR (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 45% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: 1 week Cost: 65 gp/ 300 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 The roots of this plant must be brewed over a low fire for one week, and the resulting distillation drunk. If used successfully, the recipient will gain a bonus of +2 to all saving throws versus fire based attacks for 1d10 hours. KLAGUL (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 60% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: 1 day Cost: 30 gp/ 50 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 The buds of this plant must be boiled for a day and then eaten. After boiling they will keep for six weeks. When eaten, they will if successful give the recipient infravision for six hours. KYLATHAR (Maya Kniese) Available: Summer, Autumn 10% Climatic Zone: Subtropical Locale: Forest Preparation: None Cost: 20 gp / 20 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: None The Kylathar or Changeberry is a strange plant indeed. Anyone who eats the yellow, soft, plum sized fruits instantly has two random stats exchanged; Strength with Constitution, Wisdom with Dexterity; anything is possible (the GM should determine which statistics are exchanged). There is no saving throw, and no cure (no easy one anyway; if you as DM want one, make it up). Eating more of the berries will simply cause more stats to be randomly exchanged. Short of magical storage, the fruits will spoil and rot within 2 days after plucking. The bush itself grows about 2 metres high, with long, dusty green leaves, which are slightly sawed. The flowers grow in groups of 4 to 8, and are yellowish white with orange edges. The flowers grow in late spring, the fruits are ripe in autumn. LAISHABERRIES (Maya Kniese) Available: Summer, Autumn 10% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Forest Preparation: None (1 day for jelly) Cost: 20 gp each/ 40 gp for jelly Uses: 3d20 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 Laishaberries, also known as fruit of silence, grow on dark green, knee-high bushes. The leaves of the bushes are hard and waxy, and stay on long into autumn, sometimes even into winter. Concealed under the leaves, the red, cherry sized berries grow. In spring and early summer, the bush grows small, fragrant, wax blue flowers. The berries, which are equally fragrant, begin as hard white fruits, turning soft, red, and juicy as they ripen. The berries taste quite bland themselves, although they can be used to add a special taste to all kinds of jellies. When ripe, the berries can be eaten raw, and will each heal 2 hp of damage, or speed the recovery from most diseases. However, they will also render the eater mute for 20 minutes for each berry eaten. Also, if more than 5 or 6 berries are eaten at a time, a saving throw vs poison is required to avoid severe stomach cramps. A jelly made from the berries themselves loses both the healing and silencing powers (and the danger of cramps) of the fresh berries, but the curative effects for most diseases is doubled; fresh berries reduce the recovery time by one day for each berry eaten, the jelly halves the time. LAND CALTROPS (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 60% Climatic Zone: Tropical Locale: Forest Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 2 gp/ 5 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -1 If applied to a snake bite within one turn, it will draw out the poison. Some very venomous snakes give bites that are incurable by this method, and so the herb has no effect against `instant death' poisons. It may (at the GMs discretion) provide protection against other, non- fatal animal poisons.) LARNURMA (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series) Available: Spring 3% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 week (for oil) Cost: 10 gp/ 100 gp (for oil) Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 This tree has round purple fruit, which are about the size and consistency of plums When eaten this fruit will heal 2 hp per fruit. These fruits cannot be dried and will rot within two weeks of picking. However the juice of three fruits can be mixed with olive (or other vegetable) oil, and left to stand for a week. This oil has an almost unlimited life. Rubbing this oil into the recipients skin will ease muscle pains, and also restore 1d4 hit points. LAUMSPUR (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series) Available: Spring 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 4 days (for potion) Cost: 100 gp/ 500 gp (for potion) Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 This is a green plant with small red flower, which are renowned for their healing properties. These flowers can be eaten fresh or dried for later use. If not dried they will become useless within 1 week. The flowers can also be brewed over a very low heat in fresh water to produce a `potion', which cane be drunk for its healing effect. When consumed, the herb will, on a successful herbalism check, heal 6 hp damage with fresh leaves, 4 hp using dry leaves, and 6 - 8 hp using the brew. LEOPARD'S BANE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 25% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: none Cost: 5 gp/ 5 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence This is a poison that kills animals (but not monsters) that eat it, but has no effect on humanoids, demi-humans or humans. LESSER CENTAURY (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 25% Climatic Zone: Temperate, Cold Locale: Mountains Preparation: none Cost: 5 gp/ 5 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 This plant has rosy-pink flowers, which are splayed out like a five pointed star. These flowers if eaten within one day of being picked will cause the recipient to vomit up any ingested poison within their body. The person will remain very weak for 1d3 days, can only move with great difficulty and is totally able to perform any useful actions. LUNGWORT (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 10% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 day Cost: 1 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -9 This plant has broad leaves covered with dark spots, resembling diseased lungs. It is used in the treatment of diseased lungs, by boiling the leaves and drinking the infusion. The effect of a successful treatment is to render breathing easier and to clear fluids from the lungs caused by a whole array of diseases - pneumonia and tuberculosis to name but two. It does not actually cure the disease, but merely relieves this symptoms. With some diseases that alone can be the difference between life and death. MAKEBATE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Always 35% Climatic Zone: Tropical, Subtropical Locale: Desert Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 1 gp/2 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 This herb will counteract the poison of scorpions if taken within 2 turns of the bite. Any damage, including death, already taken will remain. MANDRAKE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Spring 40% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 4 weeks Cost: 3 gp/ 5 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence +1 The root of this herb sends the recipient to sleep. The sleep will last five hours, during which time the person cannot be woken except by a neutralise poison spell or potion. The root is said to bear a resemblance to the naked male form, hence its name. The plant has several dark green leaves which are about 1 foot long. The purple flowers of the plant are bell shaped. The root of the plant must be boiled on the night of a full moon and left to sit for an entire month before use. According to Ancient Egyptian legend, the sun god, Ra, sent Mathor to earth to punish mankind. Mathor's slaughter was so intense, that Ra took pity on man, and forced Mathor to drink the blood of his victims mixed with Mandrake root. He fell asleep and when he awoke was unable to remember why he had come to earth, and so the slaughter was ended. MARIGOLD (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring, Summer 40% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural, Urban Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 2 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 4 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 Marigold can grow to a height of two feet and has rows of flat orange and yellow petals around a central disc. These flowers must be dried and then mixed with olive or other vegetable oil to produce a soothing balm which will soothe and clean small wounds, in order to prevent infection. MARJEROME (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Always 35% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Grassland Preparation: 6 weeks Cost: 2 gp/ 6 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 This herb removes the colour from the skin of a person who has had yellow jaundice. The herb has angular stems which grow to a height of 1 to 2 feet, which are reddish in colour and are covered in small hairs. It has ovate shaped leaves which surround the stem and grow smaller and smaller towards the top of the plant. It is topped by pale pink flowers. MARSH MALLOW (Shaun Hately) Available: Always 20% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Coastal Preparation: 1 day Cost: 5 gp/ 8 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -7 This plant has a green fleshy stem and broad egg shaped leaves, both of which are covered with downy hairs. It has five petalled, pale pink flowers which sit at the base of the leaves. The root must be boiled and the resultant distillation applied to burns. If used successfully the herb will double the rate of healing for the burn. MARUERA (Seth Klein) Available: Spring, Summer 1% Climatic Zone: Subtropical and Tropical Locale: Mountains Preparation: none (or 1 week) Cost: 50 gp (each)/ 50 gp (each) or 100 gp for gum Uses: see description Ability Check: - In appearance this tree looks much like any other. It can be identified by its vivid green leaves. These leaves when chewed produce large amounts of oxygen from the carbon dioxide already in the persons breath. One leaf may chewed for up to ten minutes, before its properties are exhausted. The leaves are often boiled and the resultant infusion added to other substances to produce a gum. A piece of this gum will allow the recipient to survive without oxygen for 2d4 x 10 minutes, provided they are conscious and able to chew. The herbs main use is in allowing the recipient to survive in oxygen poor or free environments such as underground. When a tree is found it will normally have 3d100 leaves. Taking too many leaves can harm the tree. The tree has a chance of dying equal to the percentage of the leaves taken. For example if 30% of the leaves are taken the tree has a 30% chance of dying, if 50% are taken it has a 50% chance of dying. The leaves are also said to have a calming effect when chewed (GMs discretion). MASTERWORT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 95% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 3 weeks Cost: 2 gp/ 7 gp Uses: 7 Ability Check: Intelligence -15 Masterwort grows to be about three feet tall and bears umbels of white flowers. It has winged dark green leaves like those of a maple tree. The leaves must be boiled and left to stand for at least twenty days before use. This herb is used as a protection from plague, giving a +2 bonus to any saves vs disease. MEGILLOS (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 75% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Mountains Preparation: none Cost: 1 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence The leaves of this herb increases a character eyesight for 1 turn. They can see twice as far, and when in missile combat, all ranges are treated as if one less. MELANDER (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 65% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Rivers Preparation: 1 day Cost: 12 sp/ 20 sp Uses: 4 Ability Check: Intelligence Melander is a moss that must be brewed in clear water. The resultant distillation must then be drunk. It will then add +1 to all saving throws vs disease for a period of 1d10 days. MILKWORTE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Spring, Summer 95% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 4 gp/ 8 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -16 This herb protects from (for 1d4 days) and treats cholera (cures cholera in 1d4 days). MIRENNA (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 60% Climatic Zone: Cold Locale: Mountains Preparation: none Cost: 10 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 The berries of Mirenna will heal 1d2 hp when eaten. MOUNTAIN GARLICK (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Always 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate, Cold Locale: Mountains Preparation: 1 day Cost: 8 gp/ 9 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: ? This herb is said to repel evil spirits. MOUNTAIN SETWALL (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Always 40% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Mountains Preparation: 3 weeks Cost: 1 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -7 This herb cause hair to grow on a characters eyelids. (SEE: FUMITORE) MUGWORT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 55% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 2 weeks Cost: 2 gp/ 4 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -7 The effects of this herb last for two hours. During this time the character can function at negative hit points, or beyond the point of exhaustion. Mugwort can grow to be taller than a man. It has a stiff and angular stem, reddish brown in colour. It has deeply incised smooth leaves which are dark green on top and silvery white underneath. It has small, yellow-green or yellow-red flowers arranged in long spikes at the top of the stem. THIS HERB IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. REPEATED USE IS VERY UNWISE. NAPWEED (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 40% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 week Cost: 1 gp/ 1 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -11 This plant has a single main stem with small fern like leaves, and small pink flowers growing from it. These flowers must be dried, powdered, and mixed into wine and then drunk to counter the effect of injected poisons. A successful application means that only half normal damage is taken from the poison. In addition to this use, the flower is often counted as a symbol of faith between lovers and is used to decorate and garnish foods at weddings. According to Greek mythology, this plant was used by the centaur, who wounded by Hercules with an arrow poisoned with the Hydra's blood, treated himself with it. NAVEW (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Winter 60% Climatic Zone: Subtropical, Tropical Locale: Rivers Preparation: 5 weeks Cost: 4 gp/ 12 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: 50% The seeds of Navew dropped in a drinks or on to food before it is eaten acts as counteragent to ingested poisons. It prevents the death of a person poisoned in that meal, though they may still be very ill. NIGHTCALL (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Summer 10% Climatic Zone: Tropical Locale: Desert Preparation: 2 days Cost: 50 gp/ 50 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 A blue-grey herb smelling faintly of nutmeg that heightens the user's senses. Overdosage or prolonged usage causes photosensitivity, distraction and nervousness; on the other hand, prolonged usage can also make the effects permanent. Nightcall gradually dyes the long-term user's hair, teeth, nails, horns, or scales midnight blue. (The minimum dose of 1 tsp gives the eater +100' sight range, +10% hearing, and +1 to Wisdom/Intuition and Dexterity scores. The effects increase proportionately to the dosage, to no more than +400/40/+4. Dosages over 1 tsp, or 1 tsp taken several days in a row, will cause addiction.) OEDE (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series) Available: Spring 1% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 2 weeks (to dry) Cost: 1000 gp/ 10000 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: ? One of the most valuable and prized of all plants, this bush has laves that are almost golden in colour. These leaves can be dried, but if they are not will last only two weeks. This means the drying process must be begun within an hour of the leaves being picked. These leaves can according to legend cure any disease. Whether or not the leaves have this power is up to the individual GM. OIOLOSSE (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 1% Climatic Zone: Polar Locale: Elven Forest Preparation: none Cost: 1200 gp/ 1200 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -10 This herb will restore an Elf to life if given within seven days of death. OLUS VERITIS (Shaun Hately) Available: Winter 15% Climatic Zone: Temperate, Cold Locale: Rivers Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 5 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 4 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 Olus veritis is pale green in colour and grows right on the edge of rivers. The leaves are rough in texture, and have tiny thorns all along their edges. A leaf should be baked in an oven for one hour and then dragged across the skin of the recipient, cutting their flesh very slightly. The recipient, must save vs poison or be compelled to answer all questions, absolutely truthfully for the next 1d6 x 10 minutes. Up to three uses of the herb can be made in a 24 hour period. If any more than this are made the recipient will die within 3 hours of the third dose, or instantly if five or more doses are administered. OLVAR (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Winter 30% Climatic Zone: Polar Locale: Coastal Preparation: none Cost: 300 gp/ 300 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -8 The flower of the Olvar bush must be given to a person on the point of death (at -10 hp, and not losing any more). It will then keep them alive for 2d10 days. ORACH (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 45% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 6 weeks Cost: 2 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 Orach grows to about 3 or 4 feet in height. It has a whitish stalk, pale green leaves and greenish-white flowers. The seeds must be gathered, bruised and left to stand in pure alcohol for six weeks. The mixture must then be drunk, one spoonful a day for a week. The herb will cure yellow jaundice. It leaves a yellow colour in the skin. PALLAST (compound) (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Summer 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Swamp Preparation: 2 hours Cost: 5 sp/ 1 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 "Pallast" is a compound made of the pale, papery bark from willows and the roots of marshmallows. When ground together and imbibed, pallast cures minor aches and pains, especially headaches and pain from abscessed teeth, sore muscles, and so forth. Pallast itself is a very bitter pale powder, and is usually served in a heavily sweetened tea. (Relieves minor pains but does not restore lost hit points.) PALMA ELDATH (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Always 60% Climatic Zone: Cold, Polar Locale: Mountains Preparation: none Cost: 3 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 3 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 This herb keeps a person warm for one night or one day, and prevents them suffering from exposure. This can mean the difference between life and death. PARGEN (Shaun Hately from Alexander ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Summer 1% Climatic Zone: Tropical Locale: Jungle Preparation: none Cost: 2000 gp/ 2000 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -15 A single berry from the Pargen Tree will restore a person to life (-1 point of Constitution) if given within 4 days. PATTRAN (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Summer 20% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 3 days Cost: 10 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 The root of a small, shrub-like plant with dark green, shiny leaves and thorns, Pattran is used to relax the muscles and encourage sleep. In mild dosages, Pattran causes a general feeling of relaxation, eases sore, strained or sprained muscles, and similar aches. In larger doses, Pattran causes sleepiness. Pattran tastes like a combination of mint and rich soil. (For sleep dosages, user may voluntarily choose to sleep well or, if resisting, save versus poison at +3. Effects last 2d4 hours; if asleep, the user will sleep and awaken normally.) PENNYROYAL (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 25% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural, Urban Preparation: none Cost: 3 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -4 Pennyroyal is a low creeping herb with a squarish stem and small dark green leaves which grow in pairs. The flowers grow in round clusters which are mauve in hue. The leaves should be plucked and while fresh be thrown into a persons bath water. They may then have an aphrodisiac effect on anyone the recipient attempts to influence in the next 1d4 days (assume that 1 is added to the recipients Charisma for this period). In addition, if dried (takes two weeks), the leaves may be sprinkled among books, and will then act as an insect repellent. These make the leaves highly prized among mages and sages who will normally pay 12 gp for the dried leaves. PEONY (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 5% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 1 gp/ 2 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -2 This plant with its delicate pink flowers may be boiled into a powerful healing draught, capable of stoping all bleeding, internal and external immediately. However a roll of 1 on the Herbalism check by the herbalist, will kill the recipient in 1d4 minutes, as they suffer a massive heart attack. The herb can be deliberately used as a poison by using five times the normal dosage. PERIWINKLE (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 45% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 1 gp/ 10 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -8 The plant is a creeping vine with dark, green shiny leaves and pale blue flowers. The flours must be crushed into a powder and administered orally. If used successfully the herb will stop all bleeding, both internal and external in one turn. The recipient must not move for one hour or risk reopening the wounds. PETIVERIA (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 20% Climatic Zone: Subtropical, Tropical Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 day Cost: 1 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 This plant has a single stem with dark green, shiny leaves growing from it. It is topped by very thin, yellow flowers. The petals of these flowers should be tied into a poultice, where they will, on a successful application act to bring down swelling and bruise over the course of a one day period. PRINCE'S FEATHER (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer, Autumn 45% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 hour Cost: 1 gp/ 2 gp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence -6 This herb has red-green leaves and long pink flowers. The flowers must be beaten into powder and eaten by the recipient. If successful, the herb will halve the rate of internal bleeding within 1 turn. RAMPALT (Druann Pagliasotti) Available: Summer 20% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 1 day Cost: 5 cp/ 5 cp Uses: 1 Ability Check: Intelligence This dark-colored root grows on a plant distinguished by its waxy dark green leaves. When the root is boiled down, it turns into a thick, strong-smelling greyish liquid that cures congestion when boiled in water and inhaled. (Relieves stuffy head, opens sinuses, for as long as the steam is breathed + 2d6x10 rounds.) REWK (Shaun Hately from ICEs "MERP" RPG) Available: Autumn 60% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: 1 day Cost: 9 sp/ 1 gp Uses: 4 Ability Check: Intelligence -7 The nodules of the stem of Rewk must be brewed in clear water for one whole day before drinking. It will then cure 1d3 points of damage. RIBWORT PLANTAIN (Shaun Hately) Available: Spring 30% Climatic Zone: Temperate, Subtropical Locale: Urban Preparation: none Cost: 1 gp/ 1 gp Uses: 2 Ability Check: Intelligence -3 This plant has a cluster of dark green leaves, with marked parallel veins at its base, a single stem topped by a cluster of tiny, pale orange flowers. The chopped leaves are applied to the flesh to reduce bruising. A successful application will remove slight bruises altogether within an hour, more severe bruises will take 1d4 days. ROSE CAMPION (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's "Maelstrom" RPG) Available: Summer 80% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Forest Preparation: 3 weeks Cost: 1 gp/ 3 gp Uses: 6 Ability Check: Intelligence -7 This herb will protect against scorpion stings for three days. It will protect against only one sting. It will protect against `instant death' venom. RUE (Shaun Hately) Available: Summer 25% Climatic Zone: Temperate Locale: Rural Preparation: None Cost: 1 gp/ 1 gp Uses: