Consequences in 7th Sea are relatively straightforward. Either something happens to you RIGHT NOW, or you take wounds. But what about more lasting afflictions? How can we reflect those in play? With very few exceptions, the rules are silent on these. There’s the VENOMOUS Monstrous Quality (Core rulebook, pg 198). But that isn’t a very satisfying way to replicate the effects of the vast myriad of Vodacce poisons, some strange disease your Avalonian explorer picks up in the jungles of Aztlan or while delving into the ancient tomb of a Khemetic Pharoah.

After this question was posed on the Explorer’s of Théah Discord server (yes, there is one—and if you are a fan of 7th Sea, you need to be on it), I gave the prospect some thought. What sort of conditions and penalties work for lasting afflictions? How long should they last? Here is what I came up with. CURSES A curse is a supernatural affliction. How you end up on the receiving end of one is a matter for your game. Beating one could be a Story to itself. There are three Grades of Curses. Minor Curses last 1 scene (ie. the evil eye, a jinx)

Major Curses last 1 episode

Epic Curses last 1 season (or require a 3-5 Step story to Remove) (ex. the gypsy curse in Stephen King’s Thinner, Lycanthrope, etc) Curse Effects

Choose one effect from the following list that best reflects the condition the curse imparts on the victim. Some effects are more suited to certain ranks than others, but that is left to your discretion as the GM.

Lose your highest raise the curse prevents you from acting a certain way. Certain actions require 2 raises to perform. (Threat like Pressure.) Reputation (people tend to avoid you if they know you are “cursed”) Gain an extra Hubris Gain the Foul Weather Jack Advantage (player gets an extra story that must be resolved or bad thing happens) (3-point advantage, core rulebook pg 151) Player cannot activate her Virtue while under the effects of the curse. Player cannot spend/earn Hero Points while under the effects of the curse. (Not recommended for Epic curses!) The cursed hero acts normally, its his companions that suffer the curse effect. The hero is pursued by a sending/phantom thing. Roll d10 at the beginning of any scene, on a 1 the thing shows up to complicate matters. (Alternative: the GM may spend a DP to have the sending appear on the scene.) Gain the Dark Gift Advantage (Nations of Théah, vol 2, pg 206) AND a second 5-step story to remove it) Gain a point of Corruption. Once a hero is under the effects of a curse, future applications of the same curse have no affect. The hero can be cursed again for a different effect, or can be RE-cursed once the effect has been voided (even through a Story—because villains suck!). POISONS Like curses, there are three grades of poisons. Minor Poison effects last 1 scene

Major Poison effects last 1 episode

Epic Poisons last 1 season (or require a 3-5 Step story to remove) (ex. the poison from the movie, D.O.A.)

Poison Effects

Choose one effect from the following list that best reflects the condition the poison imparts on the victim. Some effects are more suited to certain ranks than others, but that is left to your discretion as the GM.

Lose your highest raise (just like the Venomous Monstrous Quality; this condition may cost a Danger Point). The victim is immediately rendered helpless! The poison’s antidote must be administered before the end of the scene or the victim becomes helpless until applied (plus X number of hours, usually 24). While the victim is poisoned, she suffers 2 wounds for every 1 she would normally take (and yes, that means she must still spend 1 raise to counter each wound). The hero suffers an immediate dramatic wound, plus X additional wounds (just like being hit by a firearm) The victim rolls 2 fewer dice (1 from trait and 1 from skill) for all Approaches while under effects of the poison. Villains roll +2 dice against the victim (exactly as though the hero had 2 Dramatic Wounds—and yes, this penalty stacks with that one). The victim must spend a HP to act (make approach, gather dice pool, etc) in the scene (just as if rendered helpless). Treat as a Hubris—the victim gains a Hero Point when his poisoned condition causes him trouble. The player receive a (3-5) step story that MUST be resolved or your hero dies (usually involves finding a special healer/antidote/etc.). At the GM’s discretion, this may be resolved at the same time as the hero’s current storyline, but it must be resolved FIRST. If the hero’s primary storyline is solved before the poison storyline, the hero dies.

Once a hero is under the effects of a poison, future applications of the same poison may no affect, depending on the condition. The hero can be poisoned again for a different effect, or once the effect has been voided.

Disease

Disease works just like curses and poisons. They grade effects are identical. Pick the effect from either list that best suits the effect you want and go with it.

Once a hero is under the effects of a disease, future applications of the same disease have no affect. The hero can be afflicted with multiple diseases, and voiding an effect is not the same as gaining an immunity (unless the GM says so—in which case, get it in writing!).

Curses, Poison, and Disease as a Consequence

All three of these conditions are can be presented as consequences. There are a few slight differences between them.

Curses attached to an item (say, a stolen Khemetic relic) can only be avoided by ridding oneself of the item. It must be destroyed, given away (and freely accepted, lest Corruption!), or returned to its original resting place. As long as the item is in the Hero’s possession, he is subject to the curse.

Curses laid by an individual (the stereotypical “gypsy curse”) are generally applied with Pressure, and as such should require two Raises to avoid in an Action or Dramatic sequence.

Poison can be attached to Dramatic Wounds. Drinking a vial of poison should have a consequence of 10+ wounds. If the hero does not spend raises to avoid all resulting dramatic wounds (so 6+ Raises), the affliction is applied.

Avoiding drinking a poison may have social consequences, and villains will often apply Pressure to this effect.

Poisoned weapons might work like firearms.

Disease can either be a group consequence, with Pressure from the environment (so 2 raises per hero to avoid or everyone gets it).

Weaponized diseases (like D&D’s Mummy Rot) can be attached to wounds. Epic Diseases should require at least a dramatic wound to administer.

Diseases can also be the result of Hazards (The New World, pg 199-200). This is a good alternative with the Treacherous Element (instead of a Dramatic Wound).