Rampant use of poisons can quickly unbalance a game so the Game Master must keep tight control of all poisons allowed in a particular game.  The average character should not be able to recognize poisons unless he has previously been exposed to it in game play and definitely should not be able to sit down and whip up a batch of lethal liquid whenever he pleases.  Exceptions may be made in the case of alchemists, but once again no character should know every poison available.  By randomizing, a GM can give an assassin , alchemist, or scholar with knowledge of poison lore a “core” group of toxins of which he knows full details.  Any others, the character will have to research.

   Poison effects listed here are for humans.  It is up to the GM to decide whether and how such poisons will effect non-humans.  Normal creatures such as felines, canines, riding animals, etc., should have the same effects, and Trolls, Elves, Khazads, etc., will undoubtedly have different though similar effects.  On the other hand, iron eaters and dragons will probably laugh at even the deadliest toxins.

   These poisons must be ingested.  Lobbing vials of these poisons like hand grenades will be an unlikely tactic at best, whereas poisoning rations and leaving them in a monster’s path may very well succeed.

   Price and rarity of the deadliest poisons should keep their use under control.

Aedribas

Begins Effect: 6 minutes

Runs Course: 12 hours

Damage: 1 DP/ 30 minutes

Dose: 2 grams

Price: 50 Silver Pennies

Base: Animal

Odour: Flowery-sweet

Form: Green gel.  No colour when mixed.  Tastes slightly sweet. 

Symptoms: Feverish, hazy vision.

Availability: Common

Albor

Begins Effect: 5 minutes

Runs Course: 25 minutes

Damage: 1 DP/ 4 Pulses

Dose: ½ gram

Price: 80 Silver Pennies

Base: Plant

Odour: None

Form: Clear liquid.  Tastes slightly salty, darkens the colour of whatever it is mixed with. 

Symptoms: Hot and cold flashes.  Paralysis of vocal cords (makes spell-casting impossible) within 5 minutes of the poison first taking place and lasts until it has run its course.

Availability: Rare

Amber Lotus

Begins Effect: 6 minutes

Runs Course: 3 hours

Damage: 10 DP/ 3 minutes

Dose: 2 gram

Price: 600 Silver Pennies

Base: Plant

Odour: Cinnamon smell

Form: Dried, reddish-brown leaves.  Slight brown colour to what it is added to and can be spotted.  Tastes sweet. 

Symptoms: Shortness of breath, loss of sense of touch due to numbing in fingers, pain in joints.

Availability: Rare

Anthane

Begins Effect: 15 minutes

Runs Course: 2 hours

Damage: 1 DP/ 3 minutes

Dose: 1 gram

Price: 1400 Silver Pennies

Base: Mineral

Odour: Spicy smell

Form: Light gold liquid, yellow tablet, or yellowish powder.  Dissolves instantly.  No taste or colour. 

Symptoms: Hot flashes, “sparkly” vision, dryness in mouth and throat.

Availability: Rare

Blue Lance

Begins Effect: 10 seconds.

Runs Course: 20 minutes.

Damage: 1 DP/ 6 Pulses.

Dose: 1 gram.

Price: 1425 Silver Pennies

Base: Mineral.

Odour: None.

Form: Small blue tablet.  Dissolves instantly, leaving no colour or taste. 

Symptoms: Stabbing and disabling pain in all muscles, nausea and muscle spasms.

Availability: Rare.

Chrysolis

Begins Effect: 3 minutes

Runs Course: 6 minutes

Damage: 5 DP/ 1 minute

Dose: 1 gram

Price: 1200 Silver Pennies

Base: Mineral

Odour: None

Form: Either light green liquid or speckled green powder.  Tastes somewhat chalky, adds green tinge to any substance lighter than itself. 

Symptoms: Tightening in chest, pain in hands and feet, slight swelling in extremities.

Availability: Average.

Chuk

Begins Effect: 4 seconds

Runs Course: 5 minutes

Damage: 8 DP/ minute

Dose: ¼ gram

Price: 600 Silver Pennies

Base: Mineral

Odour: None

Form: Light orange powder.  Adds no colour and dissolves rapidly.  Tastes something like gin.

Symptoms: Alternating hot and cold flashes, shortness of breath, vomiting.

Availability: Rare

Cygo

Begins Effect: 6 hours.

Runs Course: 2 hours.

Damage: 1 DP/ 29 Pulses.

Dose: 1 gram.

Price: 1125 Silver Pennies

Base: Mineral.

Odour: None.

Form: Salt-like white powder. 

Symptoms: Shortness of breath, pronounced swelling of limbs and glands [constricting Armour should add 1 Point per Pulse until removed].

Availability: Rare.

Doom Wine

Begins Effect: 3 seconds

Runs Course: 10 seconds

Damage: 10 DP/ second

Dose: ¼  gram

Price: 6000 Silver Pennies

Base: Plant

Odour: Smells like fine burgundy.

Form: Wine-coloured liquid with bitter taste.  Darkens anything lighter than its base form.

Symptoms: Extremely fast-acting it is always fatal.  Pounding in head, gasping for breath, and then death.

Availability: Very Rare.

Drillweed

Begins Effect: 9 minutes

Runs Course: 2 hours

Damage: 1 DP/ 4 minutes

Dose: 1 gram

Price: 160 Silver Pennies

Base: Plant

Odour: Herbal scent

Form: Crushed brownish leaf.  Tastes “planty” like lettuce.  Leaf does not dissolve in liquid. 

Symptoms: Violent headaches, makes concentration virtually impossible due to pain.  Possible brain damage (permanent loss of 1 point of MA, WP, and LC for every 6 points of damage inflicted).

Availability: Rare

Ebony Dream

Begins Effect: 3 seconds

Runs Course: 10 minutes

Damage: 1 DP/ 3 seconds

Dose: ½ gram

Price: 2000 Silver Pennies

Base: Plant

Odour: None

Form: Black powder.  Dissolves instantly, tasteless, colourless.

Symptoms: Victim loses all physical senses, collapses, and is subject to vivid hallucinations generally of a pleasant nature as the poison kills.

Availability: Rare

Ebony Lotus

Begins Effect: 5 seconds

Runs Course: 40 seconds

Damage: 6 DP/ Pulse

Dose: 1 grams

Price: 2250 Silver Pennies

Base: Plant

Odour: Honey-like smell.

Form: Dried black leaf.  Darkens the colour of whatever it is mixed with.  Tastes like clover honey.

Symptoms: Hideous pain, gradual blindness, victim is permanently blind after taking 24 points of damage.

Availability: Rare

Fire Paw

Begins Effect: 5 hours

Runs Course: 30 hours

Damage: 1 DP/ 12 Minutes

Dose: 1 gram

Price: 1400 Silver Pennies

Base: Animal

Odour: Musky smell

Form: Small blue tablet.  Dissolves instantly, colourless but has a slightly acidic taste.

Symptoms: Searing pain throughout the body, usually disabling.

Availability: Rare.

Gopal

Begins Effect: 5 minutes

Runs Course: 15 minutes

Damage: 1 DP/ 10 Pulses

Dose: 1 gram

Price: 30 Silver Pennies

Base: Plant

Odour: Slightly vinegary.

Form: Light red liquid or tablet.  Tastes vinegary.  Adds slightly reddish colour when mixed. 

Symptoms: Swelling of fingers, ache in temples, nausea, may reduce dexterity as regards weapon use (temporary loss of 1 point of MD for every 6 points of damage inflicted).

Availability: Common

Green Lotus

Begins Effect: 2 minutes

Runs Course: 8 minutes

Damage: 1 DP/ 4 Pulses

Dose: 1 gram

Price: 200 Silver Pennies

Base: Plant

Odour: Honeydew melon

Form: Greenish powder.  Gives a slightly melony taste and greenish tinge to whatever it is mixed with.

Symptoms: Twitching of limbs, blurring of vision, slurring of speech as if drunk.

Availability: Very Rare

Ikrin

Begins Effect: 4 minutes

Runs Course: 10 minutes

Damage: 1 DP/ 6 Pulses

Dose: ½ gram

Price: 20 Silver Pennies

Base: Mineral

Odour: None

Form: Grey powder.  No colour when mixed.  Tastes slightly bitter and metallic. 

Symptoms: Increasing shortness of breath, dry and bitter taste in throat, slight reddening of the eyes.

Availability: Rare

Iron Ale

Begins Effect: 15 minutes

Runs Course: 12 minutes

Damage: 1 DP/ 2 Pulses

Dose: 2 grams

Price: 200 Silver Pennies

Base: Mineral

Odour: Dried beer

Form: Light amber liquid.  Tastes like ale with slight metallic aftertaste.  Will colour any substance lighter in colour than itself. 

Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain.

Availability: Common

Jovara Root

Begins Effect: 10 minutes

Runs Course: 30 minutes

Damage: 1 DP/ 7 Pulses

Dose: 2 grams

Price: 1700 Silver Pennies

Base: Plant

Odour: None

Form: Goldish powder.  Dissolves instantly.  Tastes gingery, leaves no colour.

Symptoms: Nausea, shortness of breath, and disorientation.

Availability: Average.

Kukari

Begins Effect: 10 minutes.

Runs Course: 15 minutes.

Damage: 5 DP/ 20 seconds.

Dose: ½ gram

Price: 750 Silver Pennies

Base: Animal

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Tricks of the Trade

   Rarii tend to fight as part of a group.  They have characters to back them up, to watch their back.  An assassin works alone.  They have no one to rely on but themselves so their tactics must be adjusted accordingly.

"Assassin 101: You're not an Assassin."

   Assassins work underground. To some, assassination is not a life-style but simply a job. To others, assassination is something they're fascinated by and love killing with knives and gloat about it every chance they get in the city. The latter also tends to brag about being a cold-hearted snake (LOOK INTO HIS EYES) despite bouncing about madly telling everyone how they can't get it up without stabbing someone with a BIG KNIFE.

   The former is the proper way an assassin would view his job, while the latter is a bit of an idiot. Now, this isn't to say assassins can not be violent. Depending on the personality of your character and your subtlety, you can be any assassin you want. Heck, you can be the crazed-stabby-stab guy as long as you pull it off right. But first we should get to what it means being an assassin despite your personality.

   "Assassin 101: You're a bad ass."

   As mentioned before, you can have any personality for your assassin as long as it doesn't reveal their shady profession.

   You CAN be the crazed-stabby type as long as you keep it contained within you. This gives you a window to make a character very nervous in public, perhaps sweating all the time or wringing his hands in search of something to sate his lust for killing. These types are the most suspicious and I recommend it to those who already can handle assassins.

   The second type is probably the easiest to RP. You're level-headed and act as a commoner amongst people in whatever city you work in. Perhaps you're a quiet librarian, a nasty butcher, or a simple bar-maid who is well known for smiling at folks while serving the best drinks in the city. Whatever you choose for their low-profile profession is completely up to you and I recommend that you choose it wisely. Whatever you make your character do outside of killing reflects their personality.

Ex 1: The dwarven butcher is really a heavy-set assassin who gets his job done by poisoning food and sending it to his target, and relying on his bloody cleaver in case things get messy. He's still subtle despite his bulky size because he knows how to deceive the public eye and even has some great combat skills with his hatchet.

Ex 2: The harmless elven bar-maid smiles sweetly at her people, but will poison drinks or tamper with her bar to set traps. Perhaps her target comes into the bar and sits under a loosened chandelier? When going out to do the job, her lithe and acrobatic body gives her the ability to scale buildings with ease.

   These are just two little examples of the VAST amount of personalities for your assassin. Get creative, but remember to be subtle.

"Assassin 101: You're also a wimp."

   Now here comes the fun part: Limits. You have them. Perhaps your lithe assassin figure can easily sneak into a building, but should the -rare- occasion occur that you're caught or something goes wrong, you can ONLY flee. No, you're not going to fight anyone. No, you're not going to punch someone in the face. You're a pathetic worm and it's about time someone shoves a boot up your bum for sneaking around their homes and stealing their toothpaste, boy!

   But seriously. As an assassin, MOST of us are not the well-trained direct combat types. Should you get in a scrap, you're going to rely on dirt in the face and being elusive AKA: GTFO'ing there. Our basic combat skills usually are not on par with the retard-strength hulking spiked refrigerator (AKA: Rari) that's looking at you funny.

   The most IMPORTANT thing though about our limits is our counter identity. Should we be discovered, our job is over. So never, ever, choose to stay and fight. Should a real fight occur for your assassin (Make sure it's a scripted one so you both don't look dumb), you should consider your alter identity. Flee if possible. If the person in question fights you in a bar, call for help. Don't think of valour, think of your life. Remember: To the world you are just a wimpy citizen, no one expects you to defend yourself.

"Assassin 101: Doing your Shady Job"

   Now you can't be an assassin without getting your hands dirty. Your character can work for any underground agency that hires you. This can be totally made up by you, being that little is known of the underground crime realm. Perhaps you could ask a friend of yours to hire you as their personal assassin!

   Another option is for you to post papers on an board or something, like an advertisement for getting things done. Don't put your name on it, just say, "If you want one less body breathing on this world, give a specific name and place it in a bag full of X amount of gold at a certain shady location." With your cunning skills as an assassin, should there be anyone sly enough to set you up for a trap you'll most likely spot them before they spot you. This promotes RP, so it's heavily recommended!

"Assassin 101: Lookin' good."

   There's a very misleading idea that all assassins should prance about in their death-dealing gear with an arsenal of weapons strapped to them. Any good assassin will cloth themselves as a casual citizen and conceal their weapon, or perhaps use it for another purpose (a hatchet for a butcher cleaver, or a thin knife used as a writing utensil).

   Remember, nothing gives you away more than running about with a dark hood on in broad daylight. At night time when you're on the job, but not when you're trying to lay low in the city.

   Try to terminate your victim from as great a distance as possible: Find out if your target has any enemies then go introduce yourself.  If you can convince the target’s enemy to take out the target then no one need ever know you were involved. 

   If you prefer to take a more direct option then poison is your friend: Poison the victim’s food, poison his wine.  Choose a poison which will begin to affect the victim hours after he has consumed it.  That way by the time the victim begins to be affected by the poison your character will be long gone.  Make sure the poison produces symptoms similar to a disease, so if a healer is called he’ll spend his time treating the victim for some sickness instead of poison.  Make sure to mix the poison with food or drink which will conceal its appearance and taste.

   Try shooting your victim.  What if your chosen victim doesn’t have any enemies and has food tasters taste all his food and drink before he indulges?  Then, you’re going to have to get close enough to shoot your target.  Get your hands on the most powerful poison you can find, coat your weapon liberally and let fly.

   Remember that when you shoot an arrow or bolt into some well-guarded victim you are gonna call down all kinds of trouble on yourself so have a horse ready and waiting.   

Short recap:

The DO's of an Assassin: You're a bad ass.

- Conceal weapons. Be it hidden in clothing or used for another purpose (see above)

- Take up a citizen job. Be casual, be kind, be deceptive. You have a second life, remember that.

- Wear citizen's clothing.

- Take up a hobby to reflect your personality. Things need to occupy our cool minds in between missions.

- Actually kill people, but ONLY your targets. Make sure no one sees you. (Durrr).

- Keep your lips sealed about what you do besides your hobby and citizen profession. Let no one know of your assassin second life.

The DON'T of an Assassin: You're stupid.

- RPing an assassin is not recommended if you're new to RP.

- Don't run around in your assassination gear in the city with big weapons.

- Don't talk about death every chance you get in the city.

- Don't play with knives in the city. Seriously.

- Don't say you're an assassin or were trained to be an assassin in the city or in public.

- Don't give your full name to people you don't trust. Give a false name, or only your first.

- Don't brag about your kill-count or how you would like to kill someone in public.

- Don't talk about your missions. Ever. Assassination makes you a tool, you are not supposed to think of the job after it's done.

Model Suggestions

·          Dardalion [David Gemmell]

·          James Bond

·          Rambo

·          Tarl Cabbot [Assassin of Gor by John Norman]

·          Waylander [David Gemmell]