Poisons and Those Other Things (BtVS, Angel, Chill, Dark Conspiracy)

Poisons in Chill 2e

Chill Companion introduced a whole new layer of play to the game, but none of the books in the entire line address poisons. Some poisons are used as drugs or to enhance attributes, but they are still dangerous. The beneficial applications of these poisons are listed in their description. Contest the victim's STA with the poison's STR, or Pot. (Potency).

Poisons in Buffy/Angel

Are covered briefly on p.122 Core, but you do not double anything; simply pit the poison's STR against the affected character's CON. Death begins at -10 CON; Survival Throw until revival, if possible.

Poisons in Dark Conspiracy

Are covered on p.101 Core, and are listed below as dice, so 1p1 is (d6+d6poison). Once again, compare the poison's STR to the character's CON to see if the PC can resist the effects; this is a contested roll with the GM rolling "for" the poison. Whoever gets the most Success(es), or Success Levels, wins the contest.

This is merely the beginning of a periodically ongoing series, not a replete list. There is no gameplan going in, so it may be rewritten or reformatted later. This is just an introduction to the subject and some examples help to set the tone of the campaign. I could not include the key or legend due to the fact that I use fonts that won't show on Blogger, and/or your computer, and several are for non-commercial use only.* In this case, the Magic Factor is 5, leaning toward Supernatural as Superheroic. Sample poisons were chosen at random, though I took care to showcase a spread of different types with a focus on the festive. Happy Halloween!

Black Widow Venom
Save each round for half-damage vs. poison or take d4 LP (Angel) / SR 5 (Chill) / 1p1 (Dark Conspiracy) per round for 10 rounds.

Devil-Ale
Pot. 11 (1)
STR 1 - Ingested (Ing.), Drug
7¥

A pumpkin-flavored, pumpkin-colored liquid, Devil-Ale does a flat 2 LP (Buffy) / SR 2 (Chill) damage d3 rounds after ingestion, but the inebriant is cheap, readily available, popular with the ψ Kids, and... pretty fire. Available year-round, but most popular seasonally.

Devil Pale-Ale
See Buffy: Bad Brew. Available seasonally.

Drug/Inebriant - Inhalant (Inh.), Ing., Contact (Con.), (Rare) - x10¥ - AVAIL: C

Inebriants, often distilled from natural sources (Herbalism) though many are synthetic, produce desirable effects in one or more Critter Types (typically Human). Not all Drugs affect all Critter Types the same; some may be pleasurable for Vampires while poisonous to other Types, for example. A lot of things simulate or emulate the effects of Drugs (as well as Drug Addiction), such as electronic stimulants, Magic Boosting, et.al., and may have entries here - at least for completeness and hyperlinking; these are designed using the best Effects (and et.al.) the system allows, so might not be duplicatable.

Drugs can be Aphrodisiacs, Euphorics, Delusionary, Narcotic, Sedatives, and more; the commonality is that they are taken for the purposes of inebriation. Drugs are generally popular, especially amongst younger crowds and in socio-economically depressed regions, and thus widespread. However, their common availability does not always lower their price, due to their high demand.

Unless otherwise noted, Drugs usually provide:

+1 Social Actions
-3 Mental Actions (sometimes -3 Physical/Coordinated Actions)
-1 vs. Influence and Illusion

Roll WPR vs. the Drug's STR to avoid Addiction (ARPG, p. 34).

Cyberpunk 2020 Gear Listing, p.5.8-5.9
GURPS Cyberpunk, p. 57-59

Dus
STR 60 (6) - AVAIL S15, C17 - Powder, Alchemical Poultice - SR 3, 1p1 AGL

This poison delivers 2 LP / SR 3 to DEX, 1p1 AGL for Dark Conspiracy, every round until neutralized; if unrestrained, it delivers the same amount of damage to CON/STA once DEX is 0. 5 SL frees the victim from Paralyzation, but Dus must be removed by non-alcoholic, non- oil-based liquid (water, usually).

AVAIL S is Supernatural; C is Criminal. The attendant value is the DV for the item's Availability. So, a C15 means the character must have a (Solid) Criminal Contact/Information Source and beat a general DV 15 test to find the item. AVAIL codes without a contact code means the item is available on the general, open market; that means it is available in stores, from vendors, et.al. These AVAIL codes supersede those of Dark Conspiracy/Twilight 2000, are used in Empyrean, and are used for everything - Gear, Equipment, et.al.

Some other poisons and herbs, and their effects, include:

Allspice: Money, Luck, Healing
Almond: Money, Prosperity, Wisdom
Aloe: Protection, Luck
Aloes, Wood: Love, Spirituality

---
* Which makes it fine to use them here, I'm pretty sure, but since no one else has them installed, they aren't going to show anyway.

© The Weirding, 2024

NEW Unsane - We're F*cked

Unsane - We're Fucked

Should Unsane - We're Fucked not be found on YouTube, it has been censored.  Unsane - Sterilize (2017) can be found on competing streaming services.

© The Weirding, 2018

Three Six Mafia - Destruction, Terror

Three Six Mafia - Destruction, Terror

If this video does not appear, it has been censored by YouTube or possibly hostile foreign (or domestic) agencies peddling false claims.  Three Six Mafia - Destruction, Terror can be found on competing services.

© The Weirding, 2018

HP Lovecraft Beers

No, seriously: Narragansett brewery, out of Boston, has announced a line of brews honoring the late writer. It also indirectly honors one of Lovecraft's influences, Edgar Allan Poe. The honey ale is also an allude to a passage from one of Lovecraft's stories in which one of the creatures drinks a "space mead."

The announcement was made on Saturday, January 10^th, in Boston Magazine. The next beer in the line is in honor of Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth story, which explores the small, independent brewer's "dark side," and features art from an artist known to deliver.

© The Weirding, 2015

Bobby Brown Arrested

Bobby Brown, the late Whitney Houston's ex-husband and former music star himself, was arrested for DUI Monday afernoon after being pulled over for talking on his cell phone while driving. This is Brown's second arrest for DUI, and fourth arrest altogether. Brown came under scrutiny for playing a concert the night Houston was discovered dead, then leaving the funeral early.

© C Harris Lynn, 2012

Cocaine Contributed to Whitney Houston's Death

According to the coroner's report, Whitney Houston died from drowning due to cocaine use and heart disease. She also had several other drugs in her system that did not contribute to her death, including marijuana and Xanax. Houston was reported in the tabloids to have been partying heavily in the days prior to her death.

© C Harris Lynn, 2012

Demi Moore Was So High

It turns out Demi Moore had been doing whippits and smoking K2 the night she went to the ER. I'm no psychologist, so she may well have been partying to forget Ashton, but she was partying hard enough to put her old ass in the hospital. The 911 call indicates that Demi Moore was convulsing and "burning up."

Products like K2 are labeled as incense but are smoked directly to achieve a high. They are known to cause a rise in blood pressure and are thought to have been the cause of death in some teens around the country. Convulsions have been associated with this incense, also called "spice." There were other indications that the actress had been using Adderall and drinking Red Bull - both of which are also uppers.

A statement released following the incident stated that Demi Moore would be seeking help for her issues.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Amy Winehouse was No Victim, Amy Winehouse was No Hero

Amy Winehouse's death evoked a chorus from two sides of the simmering debate as to whether or not addiction is a "disease" which addicts cannot control. Now, before anything else is said (because most of you are not going to like what I say, but then few ever do), let me offer Winehouse's friends and family my sincerest condolences. I'm not familiar with her body of work, but "Rehab" is a fantastic song which proves her talent. The music world lost a great artist, and many people lost a great friend and family member.

Like Kurt Cobain -- the easiest and most direct comparison -- Amy Winehouse was a talented junkie. Like Cobain, Winehouse was poised on superstardom and, just like Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse died at 27. There have been so many who shared this fate (Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and others) that it has given rise to the pop-cultural legend of "The 27 Club." This concept has become almost as legendary as its members - so much so, it has even spawned a best-selling comic book series.

There is an undeniable Romantic quality to The 27 Club, but (with few exceptions) these artists' lives were tragic -- their deaths were not. The members of The 27 Club were, like Amy Winehouse, out-of-control addicts whose substance abuse finally caught-up with them, yet they have been lionized as geniuses in their passing. Some of them were brilliant, while others were merely popular musicians -- but whichever camp they fall into, none of them died from disease.

Addiction is not a disease and it's extremely offensive to people suffering from actual diseases to argue that it is. If you ever tell someone with ALS, AIDS, or cancer, "You know, addiction is a disease just like yours," I hope they beat the ever-living shit out of you. I hope they beat you so badly that they cripple you, then they visit you in the hospital and say, "You know, addicts are crippled just like you." Addiction, for the most part, can be cured -- at the very least, it can be treated, regardless of the substance or its hold on the person.

Addiction is something that can be controlled and even avoided entirely, unlike many real diseases. Make no mistake about it: Addiction is powerful and substances like heroin, nicotine, alcohol, and Prozac are physically addictive, as well as mentally and emotionally habit-forming. These kinds of substances are never easy to quit and can actually be deadly to stop taking without treatment. However, addiction is a lifestyle and -- until it spirals out of control -- a choice.

Many opponents of addiction as a disease will say flippant things like, "Just don't do drugs" or "[Drug addicts] shouldn't have started in the first place," but that's a gross oversimplification. Still, no substance known to man is truly addictive right out of the gates. It may affect some people that way, but only a very few, and those people are psychologically affected; there is no drug that makes a user physically dependent upon it after a single use. This means that, in order to become addicted, the user must consciously choose to consume the drug numerous times before addiction sets in. Users who claim to be addicted after "the first hit/dose" can only claim a psychological urge to use again, not an actual need to do so.

Addiction can easily creep-up on a person -- that's where the classic line, "I can stop whenever I want to stop" line comes from -- and long-time users can suddenly discover that no, they cannot just quit whenever they want, but short-time users do not face this problem despite what some insist (both drug-users and "professionals" who deal with them). Some say that methamphetamine can be addictive on the first try, but that has never been proven and is basically a scare tactic and/or "victim" rhetoric. Hard drugs like meth, crack cocaine, and heroin can be physically addictive after relatively few uses, though. 'Relatively few uses' still requires more than one or two uses, and every time someone decides to use, s/he is making a choice.

Don't forget that I'm a smoker. I've smoked cigarettes for 20 years and, despite the occasional chest pains and cough, I've no desire to quit. I know it would be good for me, I know cigarettes are detrimental to my health, and I know that I could at least smoke less were I to honestly try harder, but the truth is that I don't try as hard as I should because I enjoy smoking.

I've never tried to hide the fact that I'm addicted to nicotine, because I am and I know it. And while I can't just "choose" to stop smoking, I'm sure as hell not suffering from some crippling disease! In fact, I'm offended that anyone would even suggest that; I know people who have real diseases -- and you probably do too -- and not being able to quit smoking is nothing compared to what they face.

I would quit, or at least cut-back, if I could afford nicotine patches, which cost more than an entire month's worth of cigarettes. I've tried them before (on a very short-term basis) and they really did kill the cravings, so the only thing preventing me from quitting is the cost. However, I would stop smoking only because I know it's bad for me and not because I want to -- because I don't want to quit smoking! I enjoy smoking and it's one of my few real vices. Regardless, I'd be more than willing to try if I could afford to.

Amy Winehouse was worth something like $13 million -- she could have afforded the best medical care and support available, around the clock -- but she didn't even try. Hell, her only hit single was explicitly about how she refused to go to rehab! Our circumstances are worlds apart, and she looked like she might have had a disease or three, but addiction wasn't one of them; neither of us are/were so diseased.

Winehouse was considered a jazz singer, and jazz and junk go hand-in-hand. Her song "Rehab" was a semi-satirical, largely autobiographical, rock n roll rebel anthem. But Amy Winehouse was a real human being, not the caricature both she and the media portrayed her as. Maybe she lost sight of that somewhere along the way, and the drugs definitely played a big role in that (as did the constant public scrutiny engendered and fueled by the media), but she wasn't so far gone that she didn't realize she was circling the drain, she simply did not stop -- she didn't even try.

She canceled her European tour just a few weeks prior to her death after botching a performance in Serbia, yet she checked-out of a rehab clinic after only seven days. It's clear that Winehouse was troubled and this probably lead to her problems with drugs and alcohol, but she may well just have been a "party girl" who enjoyed insobriety until it became a way of life. She may not have tried because she she truly wanted to die, or she simply didn't care if she did. Whatever the case may be, she wasn't enthralled by some disease. Because addiction is not a disease!

Addiction is a mindset, a lifestyle, and largely a choice (or series of choices, if you prefer).

Do not idolize Amy Winehouse; she was no martyr and she sure as hell wasn't a role model. Neither was Kurt Cobain or Janis Joplin or Jim Morrison; those people were selfish junkies, and Amy Winehouse may well have been, too. Some of them, like Winehouse, were wildly talented and their passing left the world a poorer place, but none of them had a disease called addiction that robbed them of their lives; they all had some very bad habits and none of them sought help to control those habits.

Amy Winehouse was no hero and Amy Winehouse was no victim; she was a talented, troubled artist who lost her life to continually making bad choices -- the worst of which was not trying to stop.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Supes' Best Friend Headed to Jail

Sam Jones III, who starred as Clark Kent's best friend for the first three seasons of WB/CW's Smallville, was sentenced to one year in prison for the attempted sale of over 10,000 oxycontin pills. The actor/CEO/mogul (self-described) exclaimed, "God is great!" as he left the courtroom.

God declined comment.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Conaway Comatose

Jeff Conaway -- former star of Taxi, Grease, Babylon 5, and more -- was found unresponsive in his home on May 11^th. He was admitted to the hospital in a coma. While the cause is unknown, doctors strongly suspect an overdose of painkillers.

Conaway appeared twice on VH1's Celebrity Rehab, though he did not make it through either season. Though this is far from the first time the troubled actor has been admitted to the hospital for drug-related issues, doctors said the 60-year-old's recovery is uncertain.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Charlie Sheen's Rants Lead to Two and a Half Men Cancellation

Charlie Sheen made headlines all week with rants he made live on the Alex Jones radio show, much of which was aimed at Two and a Half Men creator/producer, Chuck Lorre. After a series of these rants, CBS and Warner announced yesterday that they are canceling Two and a Half Men for at least the rest of the season. Sheen remains defiant, noting he'll "go make movies with superstars," before leaving for the Bahamas with a couple of porn stars.

All of this began several months back, when Charlie Sheen was arrested in Denver for domestic abuse. Last October, reports say police found him outside New York's Plaza Hotel, naked, screaming racial epithets at the top of his lungs. A completely different porn star was locked in his bathroom. Another bender in January, 2011 landed him in the hospital and production on his sit-com, Two and a Half Men, was halted. Throughout this time, Sheen was in and out of rehab.

Sheen began calling radio shows on the 16^th of February. He also sent hastily-scrawled messages to various websites. His on-air rants and tirades were increasingly insulting to Chuck Lorre, creating a situation which quickly escalated. Warner Bros. and CBS made the decision to pull the plug on the remainder of the season yesterday, citing Sheen's behavior.

Charlie Sheen's Two and a Half Men contract has no "morals clause," which would allow producers to fire him for behaving in a way that reflects poorly on the show.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Ziggy Marley's Marijuanaman

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Comedian, Greg Giraldo, in Critical Condition Following OD

Stand-up comedian, Greg Giraldo, was rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital after collapsing in his hotel room over the weekend. Giraldo, who has discussed his struggles with drugs and alcohol, overdosed on prescription pills and is in critical, but stable, condition. Giraldo most recently served as a judge on NBC's Last Comic Standing but is also a frequent contributor to Comedy Central.

Early reports speculated the popular stand-up comedian had attempted suicide, but sources later rebuked that claim, calling the incident "accidental."

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Lindsay Lohan's Baby Bump, Failed Drug Test, Standing Bench Warrant

A judge has issued a warrant for Lindsay Lohan's arrest after a drug test turned-up positive for cocaine and amphetamines. Sources say LiLo will remain free until Friday, when she is due in court. Many experts expect her to do between 30 and 45 days

A week or so back, the rumor mill churned with tales of Lindsay Lohan hitting a baby buggy with her Maserati. There were several versions of the "baby bump" story, from her barely touching the buggy to her tearing down the street and through both infant and mother, slowing just enough for the windshield wipers to sweep away the blood of the innocent. Either way, the story was never really confirmed, but all revised scenarios agreed that, if it did happen, it was just a little bump. A little baby bump.

Now though, Lindsay's failed drug test could land her in jail for up to 30 days before the hearing. If she is remanded to custody Friday, she will remain in jail until her hearing, which could be set up to 30 days later. If the judge decides to give her jail time due to the failed drug test, it would be on top of the time she spends in jail, waiting for court.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Paris Hilton Charged with Felony Possession

Paris Hilton is to be charged with felony drug possession following her weekend arrest in Las Vegas. A policeman following Hilton and her boyfriend noticed a trail of smoke coming from their vehicle which smelled like marijuana. During booking, Hilton is said to have pulled lip balm from her purse at which time, a baggy containing 0.8 grams of cocaine fell to the floor.

The pair were booked and bailed and released early Saturday morning. The felony possession charges are set to be filed later today.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Lohan Determined to be Mentally, Physically Healthy

Not that one, the really effed-up one. No, not that one either; Lindsay. Lindsay Lohan -- has been found "physically and mentally healthy," though by whom remains unknown. Her lawyer spoke to reporters, but said any information about LiLo, aside from that, is "confidential."

Further, sources are saying Lindsay Lohan was misdiagnosed with ADHD early in her childhood. They believe her use of prescribed Adderall had the opposite effect: Because Lindsay does not suffer from ADHD, the medicine "[drove her] off the rails," Dr. John Sharp, a neuropsychologist at UCLA told reporters.

Adderall is a "close cousin" of methamphetamine, and its effects are very similar. Dr. Sharp also noted that Adderall "can destabilize you and make you more prone to mood swings." He also said it was "dangerous," but discontinuing its use is easy with professional help.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Girl School - C'mon, Let's Go!

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Mallrats' Jeremy London Headed to Celebrity Rehab

Mallrats star, and alleged kidnapping victim, Jeremy London, is headed to Dr. Drew Pinski's Celebrity Rehab this season. London will be joined by Janice Dickinson, Jason Wahler, Rachel Uchitel, Frankie Lons (Keyshia Cole's mother), Jason Davis, and Leif Garrett. Tila Tequila originally rounded-out the list, but decided against it (and the producers were more than happy to let her go, according to some sources). VH1 has not announced a premiere date, and insiders say filming was postponed for some time while they searched for a suitable cast.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Lindsay Lohan Sentenced to 90 Days Jail, 90 Days Rehab

Lindsay Lohan brokedown as the judge ruled that LiLo must spend 90 days in jail, followed by 90 days in rehab. She must turn herself in by July 20^th at 8:30am to begin serving her sentence. The court asked her to surrender herself and begin serving her sentence immediately, but Lohan's lawyer pleaded that the actress be given two weeks to prepare.

Lindsay Lohan's sentence follows several, widely-reported "gaffs" in which her SCRAM bracelet lit-up, suggesting the actress may have been indulging in alcohol or drugs, but the judge pointed to a number of possible probation violations stemming all the way back to 2007, when Lindsay Lohan was first placed on probation.


Lindsay pleaded tearfully for leniency, saying she expected no special treatment, but that her work schedule was different from that  of most peoples'. RightOn, an alcohol program which monitors Lohan, said she had missed seven court-mandated classes over a 27-week period.


Michael Lohan was "dismay[ed]" over the sentence, which mother, Dinah Lohan, called "unfair," but said he was 'satisfied she is going to rehab.' He appeared on Larry King Live with Dr. Drew Pinski (called it, bitches!).


Some gossip sites reported earlier that Lindsay was served papers for a civil suit upon entering the court, but I've not confirmed that (cuz it's Midnight here and I'm lazy -- besides, I get to skate for the Drew Pinksi thing).

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Ziggy Marley's Marijuanaman

Berkeley, CA - 1 July 2010 - Grammy Award-winning musician Ziggy Marley is adding another title to his already impressive resume: comic book author.

The first issue of Ziggy's book, MARIJUANAMAN, will hit store shelves across the country on April 20, 2011. In support of his book, Ziggy will be making an exclusive one-day-only appearance at Comic-Con International. On Saturday, July 24^th, Ziggy will be signing MARIJUANAMAN posters with publisher Image Comics from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at booth #2729. Joining him will be artist Jim Mahfood (MIXED TAPES), and co-writer Joe Casey (GODLAND, OFFICER DOWNE).

Five-time Grammy winner and Reggae icon, Ziggy Marley's early immersion in music came at age 10 when he sat in on recording sessions with his father, Bob Marley. For the next decade, as front man to Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers, Ziggy released eight best-selling albums, garnering three Grammys, with such chart-topping hits as "Tomorrow People" and "Tumbling Down." Ziggy's first solo album, DRAGONFLY, was released in 2003, to much critical acclaim. His second solo release, LOVE IS MY RELIGION, won a Grammy in 2006 for Best Reggae Album. His third solo release, FAMILY TIME, scored him a Grammy in a new category: Best Musical Album For Children.

Now, Ziggy is blazing into the comic world with his latest project, MARIJUANAMAN. Ziggy's new superhero, Marijuanaman, is from a planet that is in desperate need of THC. Marijuanaman seeks to save Earth's marijuana fields from destruction by the drug company PharmeXon, and thus saving his home planet from destruction.

"I have been reading comics since I was a little boy in Jamaica,” Ziggy declares. “I am very excited to be a part of Image Comics, Comic-Con, and the comic book community."

Don’t miss Ziggy Marley's appearance at Comic-Con International 2010, where he will be signing limited edition Marijuanaman posters at Image Comics, booth #2729, on Saturday, July 24^th, 2010, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The first issue of MARIJUANAMAN will be in stores April 20, 2011.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010