Another thought: my trigger lists could make antitoxins. Require poisoned characters to avoid contact (A3) with food (B10 –> B4.3) for three days and then bath in blood (B2.5); inhale (A1) highly flamable fumes (B3.2) of a fire swamp pit; or see (A6) someone intent on sacrificing (B8.2) themselves for a holy cause. Not bottled solutions, but foolhardy missions.
Originally shared by Oliver Granger (watergoesred)
Detective Dee And The Mystery Of The Phantom Flame
Game rules for poisons always miss one fundamental element. They all discuss poison effect and duration. But duration is one of many poison triggers. Here are my random tables for determining poison triggers.
For example, when the poisoned crossbow quill stabs in your back, you don’t feel poisoned, just sore. The paralysis (the poison’s effect) is only triggered when you are immersed (A5) in water (B2.1). Better stay out of that boat till you get the antidote!
POISON TRIGGERS
A:Exposure to trigger
1 Inhale or smell
2 Eat, drink or taste
3 Contact or touch
4 Feel or experience
5 Immersion
6 See or hear
B:Trigger categories
1 Energy
2 Liquid
3 Gas
4 Solid
5 Thing
6 Motion
7 Emotion
8 Intention
9 Duration
10 Pick one and roll again
B1:Energy
1 Sound
2 Vibration
3 Electricity
4 Heat
5 Cold
6 Light
7 Darkness
8 Magic
B2:Liquid
1 Fresh water
2 Salt water
3 Oil
4 Sweat
5 Blood
6 Wine
7 Rain
8 River
B3:Gas
1 Breath
2 Flammable
3 Wind
4 Stagnant
5 Smoke
6 Steam
7 Bubbles
8 Fog
B4:Solid
1 Salt
2 Sand
3 Food
4 Meat
5 Plant
6 Metal
7 Earth
8 Fabric
B5:Thing
1 Shape
2 Colour
3 Symbol
4 People
5 Animal
6 Weapon
7 God
8 Fire
B6:Motion
1 Falling
2 Sleeping
3 Walking
4 Running
5 Climbing
6 Swimming
7 Talking
8 Shouting
9 Reading
10 Sitting
B7:Emotion
1 Hope
2 Fear
3 Pain
4 Anger
5 Greed
6 Pride
7 Lust
8 Envy
B8:Intention
1 To keep
2 To give
3 To attack
4 To flee
5 To hide
6 To love
7 To negotiate
8 To wait
B9:Duration
1 Instantaneous
2 Cumulative
3 Delayed
4 Permanent
Spout lore for sure; fail just makes the truth more unwelcome.
Or have the poisoner promise the antidote after they provide certain services. Even more fiendishly, the villian tells them how to neutralise the poison, it’s just that the reckless activities required just so happen to further the villian’s ends.
Go a step further, have the villain poison the hero and have him do reprehensible things in obtaining the cure. The damage to his reputation is a delicious victory.
I love this, So using this.
Well-known remedies: “Everyone knows the bite of the Lorning can only be cured by not sitting down for a month.”
Ask the local temple: “No no, the only cure for a Lorning bite is to give away all your worldly possessions and then walk west for 10 days.”
Summon a spirit: “The Lorning poison is fed by the sun. Dwell in the darkness below for 3 days and it shall die.”
Employer / poisoner: “In sum, don’t fall out of the barge. When you arrive at the metropolis with my goods safely delivered, look to my delivery seal. Impress its design upon the next sun you see rising over the sea, and you’ll be free from the bite of my Lorning and can pursue water sports and other more gainful employment.”