Substances and their Applications Once in a harvest moon, in my many years traversing the wilds and byways of the land, I shall come across a unique substance. These occasions are always causes for celebration, for whether I be dangled o'er a vat of some putrid green ichor or have found myself half-naked the next day in a glade aside some lovely purple foliage with uniquely shaped bulbs, I am never disappointed in my subsequent inquiry. Why, you may ask? For knowledge is power, dear reader, and to Perseus--power is life. Illustrative Experiences Once, when the Lord of Maybury did fain to entertain me in his solaar, he bid his maidservant produce for us a bowl of slick green logenz. They seemed to be dull gemstones, but as he explained at length, they were in fact the alchemical candies known as Jandies. Delectable morsels, I found the Lord's company exponentially more satisfactory after he'd scoffed a mouthful of them. Of course, it was a rude awakening from bed that night to hear him rave at the pangs in his side, but such is the price of borrowed talent. He weathered a great deal better than the strongman who huffed Chortum Powder an hour too soon before his performance and wound up crushed beneath his own weight. Of course, not everyone fully understands the risk of these promising delights. Few who peddle in them would provision their would-be customers with accurate information, and an alchemist offering free samples is undoubtedly in search of a test subject rather than new friends. Adventurous Origins Another day I found myself preparing for some foul business in the curious subterranean shit-aqueducts humans are dedicated to installing beneath their more populous settlements. Some grave robber or other had overstayed the city's welcome, and some brutish fellows and I were removing him on the Burgomeister's dime. Whilst dousing my arrows in Wightsbane I noticed a certain teal moss seemed almost to shiver at my tips' descents into my quiver. Giving a prod and a whiff I soon deduced they sustained themselves upon the living dead, and thus rightly feared my tainted shafts. Once we were done with the mundane business of killing the necromancer I returned for samples--two weeks and a graveyard later, I had determined the moss could be sustained on the comfortably still-dead. Not only that, but I had begun the first distillation of what would come to be known as Dead Man's Brew. Wandering the roads of the land I chanced to come upon a dairy farm as dusk was settling. Not feeling so inclined to seek refuge in the forest in the style of my fey kith, I imposed upon the residents there in return for coin and tales of the road. Some time later, as the milk maid was in the midst of a most edifying explanation of the virtues (and lurid virtues some were, if I might add) of her quaint country hamlet, I happened upon a strange draconic relief upon a walking stave of her father's carved in most ghastly proportion and poor style. Inquiry into its origins brought about the revelation that not only was there a sizable kobold infestation in a nearby cavern, but that somehow the population had become so mollified as to peacefully conduct commerce with the farmers of the area. Spentroot, as the cretinous dragon-loving lizards I would later interrogate divulged, is an incredibly powerful thing. Suppressing aggression and making them remarkably personable, insofar as one can be strung by one's tale above a fire, the kobold tribe had all become addicts. Wondering why the locals hadn't informed me of this aberration it occurred to me both they and the kobolds shared a certain silvery gleam to the edge of their eyes. I found the silvery stuff cropping up beneath the local fir trees. Substance Statistics The following two pages detail substances and the rammifications of their (mis)use. The entries for individual substances are formatted based on the following categories: Name(s) lists the "proper name," followed by other terms for the substance.

lists the "proper name," followed by other terms for the substance. Primary Effect shows what the substance's main result is upon the user.

shows what the substance's main result is upon the user. Terminal Effects covers the rest.

covers the rest. Market Price describes the cost of a substance assuming it can be found regionally and is not outlawed.

describes the cost of a substance assuming it can be found regionally and is not outlawed. Addiction Check Rate describes the likelihood that any given usage of a substance will elicit an addiction check. It denotes a range on a d6. Each time a substance is used, a d6 shold be rolled and if the result is within the range a check is elicited.

describes the likelihood that any given usage of a substance will elicit an addiction check. It denotes a range on a d6. Each time a substance is used, a d6 shold be rolled and if the result is within the range a check is elicited. Location(s) Found briefly describes how/where one finds the substance.

briefly describes how/where one finds the substance. Addiction DC describes the necessary Saving Throw should a substance elicit an Addiction Check. Tables are provided on the following pages with statistics for the substances.

Substances Primary Table Name(s) Primary Effect Terminal Effect(s) Market Price Addiction Check Rate Location(s) Found Addiction DC Sunglow +2 Int for 2d4 Hours -2 Dex for 4 hours after Primary Effect wears off. 3gp/dose 5-6 Steppe CON 12 Jandies +2d4 Charisma for 1d6 Hours Disadvantage on saving throws to resist disease, Int -1, for 6 hours after PE wears off. 10gp/dose 3-6 Swamp WIS 10 Charger +1d8 Temporary Hitpoints, +2 Str, until long rest or 24hrs passes From ingestion til end of TE, -2 Wis. At end of PE, -1d4 Strength for 2d6 Hours. 4gp/dose 4-6 Dry Areas CON 10 Chortum Powder +1d6 Strength for 1d4 Hours -2 Con immediately upon use until end of TE, -6 Str from end of PE for 2d4 Hours. 6gp/dose 2-6 Desert CON 12 Dead Man's Brew Damage Resistance: Necrotic, +1 Con for 6 Hours Damage Vulnerability: Radiant, -1 Charisma, for 24hrs from ingesting. 2gp/mug 1-4 Undead Heavy CON 8 Spentroot +2 Charisma for 2d6 Hours -1d4 Int from ingestion til end of TE, disadvantage on contesting others attempts to persuade/decieve you, advantage on Persuasaion, Disadvantage on Intimidate 2gp/dose 4-6 Temperate Forests WIS 10 Opium +2 Con, -1 Wis for 1d4 Hours; mild halucinations will visit you in the middle of this process, requiring an INT 12 to see through them From ingestion til end of TE, -2 Int. At end of PE, -1d4 Wisdom for 2d6 Hours. 1gp/dose 2-6 Tropical CON 14 Vendryn, "Booster" +2 Dex, +5 Ft. All Movement Speeds, 1d4 Hours -2 Dex, Half All Movement Speeds for 2d4 Hours from end of PE. 2gp/dose 4-6 Alchemical Synthetic CON 12 Stydr Juice, "Stupor Stew" +3 Con, -1 Int, Advantage on saving throws against cold environment, for 1d12+2 Hours -2 Con, -1d4 Int, for 2d6 hours from end of PE. 1sp/dose 5-6 Swamp CON 8 Ifyrdil +2 Wis, +2 Int for 2d4 Hours -2 Con, -2 Str from ingestion until end of TE. Temporary max HP reduction by 1d6, additional -1d4 Con from end of PE for 1d4 hours. 4gp/dose 5-6 Arctic CON 10 Gurghen, "Killer Red" +2 Dex, +1 Reaction\turn for 1 Hour -1 Dex, -2 Wis, for 2d6 hours after end of PE. 6gp/dose 2-6 Temperate CON 12 Gargoyl Wine Tremorsense 10ft, +2 Con, +1d6 Temporary HP for 1d4 Hours -1d4 Charisma from ingestion until end of TE; -2 Int, -2 Con for 2d4 hours after PE. 10gp/dose 3-6 Animate Stone WIS 14 Alcohol Advantage on Persuade checks with those similarly inebriated, Disadvantage on all social interactions with those not similarly inebriated -2 Wisdom after next rest for 1d4 Hours. You must consume at least one more than your Con bonus many doses of alcohol before testing for this. ~ 5-6 ~ CON 6-12 Polyhydral, "the Philter Filter" +1 HP from all healing dice rolled as a result of consuming a potion for 24 hours or until your next long rest. CON Saving Throw DC 10 is elicited at the end of PE's effects: if successful, no TE. If failed, -2 Con for every 1 point the saving throw failed by. 5gp/dose 6 Alchemical Synthetic WIS 12

Addiction Table Name(s) Addiction Level 1 (Casual) Addiction Level 2 (Moderate) Addiciton Level 3 (Severe) Overkill Sunglow -1 Int for duration of TE, amberish colouring of skin under eyes. -2 Int, -2 Dex for duration of TE. Golden bags appear under eyes. -2 Int, -2 Dex for duration of TE. Whites of eyes tainted gold. Advantage on all sight based perception checks made during PE period that are in well-lit areas.. -1 Dex, Permanent Jandies -1 Int for duration of TE +1 Charisma Constantly, -1 Int for duration of TE +2 Charisma, -1 Intelligence constantly, -2 Int for duration of TE; disadvantage on Decieve checks. Use of "advanced" vocabulary and comprehension of complex sentence structure requires an Int Saving Throw, DC8-16 (DM's Discretion). -1 Int, Permanent Charger -1 Str for duration of TE -1 Wis, -1 Str for duration of TE -1 Wis, -1 Str for duration of TE; short rests elicit end of PE -1 Wis, -1d4 Max HP, Permanent Chortum Powder Casual addicts notice no ill effects. Part of why this one always sneaks up on the poor, admittedly stupid bastards. +1 Hour of PE, +2 Hours of TE +2 Hour of PE, +4 Hours of TE; Chortum powder renders the user infertile during this period, although medicine, magic, and other forms of rehabilitation can reverese this effect with great effort and expense; Addiction Range becomes 1-6 -2 Str, Permanent Dead Man's Brew +1 Hour of PE +2 Hours of PE The eyes start to turn a bit red. -1 Charisma Constantly, +3 Hours of PE; Grows incredibly white and pale, Addiction Rate increasd to 1-5 Death, Resurrection Returns to Live at ADL3 Spentroot -1 Wis during TE and PE, +1 Hour of TE -2 Wis during TE and PE, +2 Hours of TE +1 Charisma Constantly; -3 Wis during TE and PE, +3 Hours of TE; Must make a willpower save DC 8 at the beginning of combat to be willing to take a hostile action against any living creature. Failure results in making such actions impossible that turn, to be tested again at the beginning of all subsequent turns. -1 Int Permanently, Disadvantage on All Attack Rolls (until a successful addiction check against Spentroot is made). Opium +1 Hour of TE +2 Hours of TE, Addiction Rate now 1-6 +3 Hours of TE, Addiction Rate now 1-6; After every long rest there is a chance of suffering a Hallucination which must be seen through with an Int DC 15 check. -1 Wis, -1 Int, Permament Vendryn, "Booster" -1 Dex during TE +1 Hour of PE, +2 Hours of TE, -2 Dex during TE +1 Hour of PE, +2 Hours of TE, -2 Dex during TE; half all Movement Speeds whenever not in PE phase of Vendryn -1 Dex, Permanent Stydr Juice, "Stupor Stew" -1 Int thru both PE and TE -2 Int thru both PE and TE, Addiction Range now 4-6 -3 Int thru both PE and TE, Addiction Range now 3-6 -2 Int, Permanent Ifyrdil Addiction Range increased to 4-6 Addiction Range increased to 3-6 PE & TE Effects both increased by 2 Hours, -1 Str and -1 Con constantly -1 Str/Con, Permanent Gurghen, "Killer Red" -1 Dex, -1 Wis during TE -1 Dex, -2 Wis during TE; Addiction Range now 1-6 -2 Dex, -2 Wis during TE; Addiction Range now 1-6; frequently jittering, -5 Movement Speed -1 Wis, Permanent Gargoyl Wine Disadvantage on sight-based perception checks during TE, +1 Hour of TE duration Disadvantage on sight-based perception checks during TE, +2 Hour of TE duration Disadvantage on sight-based perception at all times, +3 Hour of TE duration, Gain Sunlight Sensitivity, as per PHB's Drow subrace. -1 Con, Permanent Alcohol -1 Int during TE -1 Int during TE, TE Length increased by +1 Hour -1 Int during TE, -4 Max HP, Disadvantage on attempts to resist disease -1 Int, Permanent Polyhydral, "the Philter Filter" Suffer from withdrawal unless a potion is consumed alongside Polyhydral, Addiction Range now 5-6 Suffer from withdrawal unless a potion is consumed alongside Polyhydral, Addiction Range now 4-6 Suffer from withdrawal unless a potion is consumed alongside Polyhydral, Addiction Range now 3-6, CON Saving Throw to avoid TE now at Disadvantage. -1d4 Max HP, Permanently

Dosage While substances and the abuse thereof can prove an impercise science, there are a few general rules one can rely upon. Every dose is assumed to be a 10th of a pound unless otherwise stated. Hence, to obtain the value of a pound of a substance, simply refer to the Substances table and multiply the Market Price there by 10. Jandies, a notable exception, come in doses of 1 candy which weighs about 1/50th of a pound. Let's just say most Kingdoms particularly invested in the public order have outlawed at least a few of the substances described here. Addiction Level Every time a saving throw is called for to resist becoming addicted and said saving throw is failed, the user's addiction progresses another addiction level. Addiction level progresses through three stages: "Casual," "Moderate," and "Severe." Casual addicts suffer from withdrawal symptoms but can stop using relatively easily. May be healed by Lesser Restoration, Heal, or Mass Heal. Moderate Addiction Level general increases the withdrawal symptoms and augments the negative effects of the substance, although it can sometimes aid the positive ones as well. It takes longer to get out of this stage than casual. May be healed by Lesser Restoration, Heal, or Mass Heal. Severe Addiction Level is very hard to break out from, is generally destructive to the character, and should be avoided. May be reduced to Moderate by Heal\Mass Heal. Addiciton Checks Anytime a creature consumes a substance a d6 is rolled. If that d6 roll falls within the ACR range for a substance, a Saving Throw is made of the type and DC described under Addiction DC on the Substances Primary Table. If that Saving Throw is a success, continue as normal. If it is not, the creature in question advances one additional Addiction Level. Refer to the Addiction Table to see the effects, which are applied in addition to the substance's normal effects. Overkill denotes failed Addiction Checks at the level of Severe Addiction where one may no longer progress in ADL. Withdrawal After 1 week of abstinence, a Casual (ADL 1) addict is cured of their addiction. After a week of not partaking of a substance, a Moderate (ADL 2) addict suffers from the substance's terminal effects as if though they had consumed it. They suffer from this at the end of a 24 hour period of after a long rest, whichever comes first, constantly for 2 weeks. If at the end of those two weeks they have fully abstained from consumption they are reduced to ADL 1. After 48 hours of not partaking of a substance, a Severe (ADL 3) addict suffers from a substance's terminal effects at the end of a 24 hour period of after a long rest, whichever comes first, constantly for a month. If at the end of the month they have fully abstained. Statistical Limitations No statistic may be raised above 22 by Substances unless some other factor (such as the Barbarian Feat to allow 24 Str/Con, manuals upping their respective stat's max by 2, etc) has taken the creature's maximum in the given statistic above a 22. This is considered the new roof for what a Substance may provide. Mixing Substances As a general rule the Primary Effect of the first substance taken is the only one which applies. Having taken a second substance whilst under any effects of another substance. Alcohol is a key exception to this rule, although consuming alcohol increases the difficulty of all subsequent Substance-elicited CON Saving Throws by 2 until the effects of alcohol are totally worn off. Stacking & Re-Upping Whilst the effects of substances cannot be stacked, to avoid the Terminal Effect one may "re-up." This has the result of re-rolling the Primary Effect, widening the addiction range by 1 (resulting in an Addiciton Check at Disadvantage if it becomes a 6\6 likelihood). This has the effect of doubling the Terminal Effects when they finally do occur--an event which is forced at the end of the next long rest if an individual makes it there whilst still under the effects of the substance. The static detriments, die rolled for variable detriments, and amount of time\die rolled to determine amount of time are all incremented up. Essentially, roll for terminal effects for as many doses as the creature has consumed conseutively.

The Substances in Close Review For the purposes of the scientifically minded I have endeavoured to most accurately catalogue the finer details of the various concoctions, edibles, smokables, and otherwise ingested substances I have up til now mentioned in passing or very sparesly. My hope is to educate you as to the less savoury aspects of adventuring in the hopes that you turn rather to a life of pious abistnence. That, and Perseus doesn't need any more ingrates driving up the asking price on half his grocery list items. Sunglow Faintly glowing golden powder derived from a rare yellow flower found growing primarily in steppes. Those who inhale this substance frequently have twitching, veiny noses. Needless to say, it is not terribly attractive. Additionaly, it has been known to render the ingestors somewhat infirm of grasp and step. Popular amongst the older nobles and scribes who need help focusing and rarely leave their chairs but for their beds. Jandies Lovely little jade coloured bobules that can be coloured in any of a number of ways as with food, although they retain their sheen best in their native green. Those who grow too fond of the substance tend to become dreadfully dull, but considering the number of dull and utterly charmless folk that plague the lands of the living as-is Perseus is perfectly fine with the morons of the populace giving themselves over to this substance with great abandon and furvor--alack, it is prohibitively expensive. Nobles and successful adventurers hoping to make a good first impression on nobles are the most frequent users. Charger This particularly dry weed produces a most heinous smell when smoked, which it often is by street toughs and criminal vagabonds looking to go into a fight. As such, the act of filling one's pipe with Charger may be seen as intent of aggression. Chortum Powder Snorting assorted miscelanious orange dusts is a generally inadvisable course of action, and is barely more so in the case of Chortum Powder. This borrowed strength of dubious quality tends to bite the user in the ass tenfold. Dead Man's Brew My own discovery, derived from a fungus that feeds on the corpses of the clambering dead and a-kinetically dead alike it can grant certain protections--and vulnerabilities--to those who consume it. It is of the most bitter taste and tends to taint the distillery used to process it. While I write here nothing to imply foreknowledge of probable hauntings coming from such activities as my pro-consul ensures me this could lead to future liability, one would be ill advised to set about producing this bitter brew near large graveyards, sites of historical battles or slaughters, or indeed anywhere near confirmed Necromantic activity. Just for general best-practices as a brewer, you understand. Spentroot Far more common than I initially believed upon finding it on the side of the road, Spentroot is a rather strange, silvery looking strand of tubules that grow up under and around the roots of trees to poke cautiously out into the sunlight--much like the faces of the now-dim who have ingested far too much of the stuff. The brief increase in likability it provides is not worth the trade off the Spentroot eater shall eventually incur, although its capacity to molify a hostile populace cannot be overstated. Opium Many enjoy the processed fruit of the poppy. As for me, I see it as the pass-time of the idle rich who'd rather stay home and imagine a dragon than scale a mountain and spy one hoarding over its lair. Their loss, says Perseus. Vendryn Some say "Booster" is the blight of the down-on-his-luck Alchemist upon the urban poor. Its ability to help one work with their hands and generally move quicker make injections of this purple liquid incredibly popular. Finding the needles to poke oneself with is a bit of a challenge, I am given to understand by a certain Halfling of good repute I once liberated antiquities with, but I take it on principle never to stab myself where it can be helped and am thus ignorant to say more. Stydr Juice Aaah, Stupor Stew. Cooking a certain mushroom produces a truly magnificent broth that keeps the masses dumb and warm. Some say it's a tragedy that folks are pushed to such extremes on the fringes of society, but personally I must wonder if they don't count the lack of mental awareness of their plight as a bit of an added bonus.