Hachnars Blade Venoms
Hachnar's Blade Venoms come in two varieties, Staying and Mouldering. One is useful for monster-hunters, the other for assassins..
Full Item Description
Upon creation, both venoms appear as a thick, clear goo. It is very thick to facilitate adherence to weapons.
Color is added to distinguish them - Red to Staying, Black to Mouldering.
If detailed magical detection is used, both strong temporal and necromantic magics can be detected in both venoms.
History
As Hachnar Velstrad developed his subterranean business( A sub I am still working on, but basically an alchemist show specializing in nasty and illegal items. , he sought different wares to provide to the underworld.
Some of his creations (notably Hachnars Demon Blood)required components which were very difficult to obtain, as the creatures would dissipate on death, and were dreadfully difficult to capture. As a result, the Venom of Staying was developed.
The research took a great deal of time, and one of the 'failures' along the way resulting in the creation of the Venom of Mouldering, which was useful for a completely different purpose.
Magic/Cursed Properties
These venoms are not normal poisons/potions. They cannot directly cause death to those affected by them. Ingesting these venoms has no affect on the subject, though any bite attacks made by the imbiber will deliver the effects. Note that the consistency of the substance makes it very difficult to swallow and will adhere well to teeth.
The effects of venom are such that they should be considered a magical attack as opposed to a poison with regards to any defences/resistances of the victim. Thus demons, undead and even some constructs are subject to it's affects.
GM's concerned about game balance may rule that these substances will not act in concert with any other poison types - the magic contained within tends to suppress physiological processes and so toxins are less or completely ineffective.
Both venoms are meant to be applied to weapons prior to striking the intended victims. Once applied, the venom remains potent for 1 hour, or until a successful strike occurs. GM's may wish to decrease the difficulty in resisting the toxin as the venom ages as another check against abuse.
Once a victim is affected by either venom, if they should die within 10 minutes, the venom will take effect.
Venom of Mouldering:
Once an affected subject dies within 10 minutes of being affected, their body will decay at a tremendous rate. This rate is high enough that they will collapse into dust and bones several seconds after death.
For purposes of healing spells the victim is considered to be dead for 10 years. If the victim is fated to become undead on death (through some other force, curse, etc), then they can only take on skeletal or non-corporeal form.
If desired, more powerful versions of this can exist allowing any number of effective years. In this case, naught but dust would remain of a victim.
Venom of Staying
This substance is used to preserve slain monsters at the moment of their deaths. It will forestall the physical and magical effects of death, allowing for preservation of creatures whose deaths result in their immediate destruction. Once 'stayed', normal decay will be held until 1 month passes, whereupon normal decay/death effects will happen.
Some creatures upon death will generate baneful effects (exploding, venting poisonous gasses, etc). These are held as well and use of this venom in combating such creatures would be ideal.
A secondary use of this venom is to allow it's use by persons anticipating their own imminent demise. After deliberately subjecting themselves with this venom, if they are slain withing 10 minutes, they will be easier to bring back from the dead.
Plot Ideas
Monster Hunting..
The primary use of the Venom of staying is to allow for acquisition of exotic magical creature remains, and so the main plot suggestion is obvious - the PC's either buy or are given (only if they have proven reliable suppliers) some of this expensive venom to use to obtain some desired carcasses.
Now what?
After a terrible battle, a powerful magical beast inflicted upon the world by an evil (Demon/God/Crazed Mage/High Priest) has been slain by the PC's. Using the Venom of Staying, the PCs have suspended, for a time, a massive retributive effect (plague, huge explosion, etc) and they now have to move the huge corpse somewhere so that when the venom expires, the area is not devastated. The PCs will need to move quickly as the area affected is huge, and they are far from a safe disposal site. In this case, you make wish to make the duration of the Staying somewhat less then the 1 month it normally lasts for. How much less is up to the evil GM.
Tools of the Assassin
The primary use of the Venom of Mouldering is to impede the dead from being raised. If the world-system used does not make this a likely scenario, then this venom loses most of it's value. It also does a good job of making identification of the dead difficult and if the option for a more powerful version is used, it may make hiding a body rather easy.
The PCs will likely run into this use after the fact - it can be used in a Mystery type scenario where nothing but some old powder, or a skeleton so old that it just can't be someone who was alive the day before...
Not Registered Yet? No problem.
Do you want Strolenati super powers? Registering. That's how you get super powers! These are just a couple powers you receive with more to come as you participate.
- Upvote and give XP to encourage useful comments.
- Work on submissions in private or flag them for assistance.
- Earn XP and gain levels that give you more site abilities (super powers).
- You should register. All your friends are doing it!
? Responses (8)
really good idea man i could use it quite a bit in my games...
How much does it cost. Are the ingredients hard to find. Does it take a lot of time to prepare.
One month? Are there any side effects to a raised person afterwards? Any side effects to a dead corpse, or the venom in a slain monster?
Do the two venoms counteract eachother?
Ages ten years? Are there any side effects to things in contact with the body? Could it possibly cause it to be more pestilant than normal, or acidic to the touch?
Can either of the venoms be administered after the death of the creature?
Assuming that all of that gets cleared up, I think that it is a nice Idea. I will probably use this. I could see people using it to cremate individuals...if it is useful post mortem.
I think that it makes a nice, low level item that can be fairly common. Good job. 7/10
I want the Mouldering venom. :)
I'm always torn by how much information to provide! :) Sometimes I go overboard.
Q. How much does it cost. Are the ingredients hard to find. Does it take a lot of time to prepare.
I'd leave that to individual game masters, as ingrediants usually vary on the creatures present in the world, and cost is similarly variable. Personally I consider the Venoms very expensive as they affect both Necromancy and Time.
Q. One month? Are there any side effects to a raised person afterwards? Any side effects to a dead corpse, or the venom in a slain monster?
The effects of death are stopped for 1 month(with Staying), and resume normally afterwards. I'd leave it to the individual GM towards making the effects retroactive.
Q. Do the two venoms counteract each other?
I would say so. One accelerates, the other stops. Or the only the first one administered could be the one that works. Again, I'd leave that ruling for the GM
Q. Ages ten years? Are there any side effects to things in contact with the body? Could it possibly cause it to be more pestilant than normal, or acidic to the touch?
The effects are limited to the body of the victem. Generally corpses 10 years old are just skeletons so little pestilance would be left. The process is too fast for normal chemical/biological processes to produce the normal side effects of a rotted body.
Q. Can either of the venoms be administered after the death of the creature?
My intention was no, especially Staying. If it were to be allowed with Mouldering, then it would be too popular with criminals. However, GM's can of course choose to lift this restriction.
Enjoyable and usable! Particularly the Mouldering.
+ .5 for the further explanation and info in comments. :)
Useful, in their own way.
Can the Mouldering take several minutes, rather than seconds? Me'thinks it would be creepier that way :)
That of course would be your call :)
You could also have it that the effects take upon impact, if the arrow would normally have killed the victim, which would be a terrifying attack. End result is a little more deadly, as before there was a 10 minute window to 'raise' the victim, but this change would make it impossible to easily raise the victims. For game systems with no easy raise-dead capabilities, this is just a neat special effect/terror weapon.
