From: [l--a--d] at [husc11.harvard.edu] (Lester Ward) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.cyber Subject: SR: Compounds, Flora and Fauna (oh my) Date: 8 Apr 93 04:13:36 GMT Here is a list of drugs our running group came up with. This is the effort of Seth Narins (basic drugs, drugs from fictional sources, and designer drugs), myself (the plants and animals) and Brijesh Gill (real drugs). Thanks to Adam Shostack for reality checks. These drugs are meant to follow the rules in Shadowtech. This file is written as a Neoanarchist Guide rather than a stodgy medicinal journal, so many street rumors are in the actual text rather than the decker comments. Note, take even the main text with a grain of salt, especially where the plants are concerned. As always, distribute at will, so long as no one profits. Enjoy, Wordman [l--a--d] at [husc.harvard.edu] ************************************************* * Better Living (and Dying) Through Chemistry * * * * ``I'm so high, call me `Your Highness'.'' * * -- Mike D. * ************************************************* __COMPOUNDS__ ``Death before dishonor, Drugs before lunch.'' -- Motto of the Aspen Drug and Gun Club The substances on this list can generally be found on `Plex streets from drug dealers. Occasionally, you need to find a doctor or a fixer to get some of these. Here's what the entries mean: Name: Normal name of the drug AKA: Also Known As. These are common street names for these drugs in various parts of the world. Inspiration: From where we stole this idea, or who created it. Speed: The speed with which the drug takes effect. Vector: How the drug must be administered. Duration: How long the drug lasts. Effects: These are the primary effects of the drug which all take place throughout the duration of the drug's effect. Crash Effects: After the drug stops working, these effects hit the body. The duration of these effects should be twice the duration of the drug, unless otherwise noted. Permanent Effects: These effects work on the body after the drug wears off, like crash effects, but will be permanent. Most of these entries have a saving roll to avoid these effects. Unless otherwise stated, these permanent effects must be resisted each time the drug is taken. Addiction Effects: These effects apply, in addition to all the other effects, when the user becomes addicted. All effects are permanent unless otherwise noted. Most effects have a saving roll to avoid them. One note on effects: any drug that has Stim Patch-like effects may be detrimental to a magician's Magic Rating just as Stim Patches are (see SRII pg.115 and 250). Also, the block-allreferred to is from an issue of Kage and has the following effects: If you are under the effects of a block all, each time you are injured, you roll a number of dice equal to your Willpower plus the rating of the block- allagainst a target number equal to the number of physical damage boxes taken. Each success on this test allows you to ignore the effects of 1 box of physical damage. The damage is still there, however. _Depressants_ ``Alcohol is very important for young people because it provides a sort of `liquid adulthood'. If you are young and you drink a great deal it will spoil your health, slow your mind, make you fat--in other words, turn you into an adult.'' -- P.J. O'Rourke, Modern Manners Name: Alcohol AKA: eth, courage, fire water, booze, etc. Inspiration: reality Addiction: 2m Tolerance: 3 Strength: 50 Speed: 1d6 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 1d6/2 hours Cost/Dose: 1-10Y Street Index: 0.8 Legality: Legal Availability: Always Effects: Charisma -1, Quickness -2, Intelligence -2, Willpower -1 [Resist all with Body(10-(proof/20))], clumsiness, unrestrained behavior, block-all(proof/25), tranq(proof/20) Crash Effects: Quickness -1, Body -2, Intelligence -1, nausea, headaches, irritability Name: Barbiturates AKA: Amytal, phenobarbital, damn it all Inspiration: reality Addiction: 4m,3p Tolerance: 3 Strength: 5 Speed: 10 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 1-16 hours Cost/Dose: 1Y Street Index: 0.8 Legality: 6P-M1 Availability: 4/3 hours Effects: Charisma -1, Quickness -2, Intelligence -2, Willpower -1, clumsiness, sleepiness, calm, block-all(1), tranq(5) Crash Effects: Quickness -1, Body -2, Intelligence -1, nausea, headaches, irritability Name: Benzodiazepines AKA: Valium, redundant, etc. Inspiration: reality Addiction: 2m,2p Tolerance: 5 Strength: 5 Speed: 10 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 4-8 hours Cost/Dose: 1Y Street Index: 0.9 Legality: 6P-M1 Availability: 4/3 hours Effects: Charisma -1, Quickness -3, Intelligence -2, Willpower -1, clumsiness, sleepiness, calm, block-all(3), tranq(6) Crash Effects: Quickness -1, Body -2, Intelligence -1, headaches, irritability Name: Butaqualide AKA: beauties Inspiration: Effinger novels Addiction: 5m Tolerance: 3 Strength: 10 Speed: 1d6 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 1d6+1 minutes Cost/Dose: 20Y Street Index: 2.5 Legality: 5P-M1 Availability: 5/1 hour Effects: Quickness -3, Willpower +1, Charisma +2, euphoria, sleepiness, tranq(4), block-all(4) Crash Effects: irritability Name: Chloral Hydrate AKA: drop, noctec Inspiration: reality Addiction: 4m,3p Tolerance: 3 Strength: 5 Speed: 30 seconds Vector: Injection Duration: 5-8 hours Cost/Dose: 2Y Street Index: 1.0 Legality: 4P-M1 Availability: 5/4 hours Effects: Quickness -3, Intelligence -2, Willpower -2, clumsiness, sleepiness, calm, block-all(3), tranq(6) Crash Effects: Quickness -2, Body -2, Intelligence -1, nausea, headaches Name: Glutethimide AKA: glue, Chevy Chase, lemonade, doriden Inspiration: reality Addiction: 3m,4p Tolerance: 4 Strength: 3 Speed: 10 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 4-8 hours Cost/Dose: 3Y Street Index: 1.0 Legality: 4P-M1 Availability: 5/4 hours Effects: Charisma -1, Quickness -4, Intelligence -2, Willpower -1, extreme clumsiness, hallucinations, calm, block-all(1), tranq(3) Crash Effects: Quickness -1, Body -2, Intelligence -1, nausea, headaches, irritability, anxiety, insomnia Addiction Effects: Withdrawal from glutethimide is painful, causing convulsions, and possibly death. Name: Marijuana AKA: grass, weed, hashish, dubich, ganja Inspiration: reality Addiction: 3m Tolerance: 3 Strength: 10 Speed: 2d6/1d6 minutes Vector: Inhalation/Ingestion Duration: 4d6 minutes/1d3 hours Cost/Dose: 4Y/20Y Street Index: 0.5 Legality: 6-M1 Availability: 3/60 minutes Effects: Quickness -2, Intelligence -1, Charisma +2, Willpower -1, Body -1, Reaction -2, lethargy, euphoria, block-all (2) Crash Effects: Charisma -1, Reaction -1, Willpower -1, hunger, sensory sensitivity, Stimulant(1) Permanent Effects: Artistic skills +1 once per month of use [Charisma(6), +1 maximum total increase], Charisma +1 once per month use [Willpower(6), +1 maximum total increase] Name: Methaqualone AKA: alone, solo, quaaludes, ludes Inspiration: reality Addiction: 4m,4p Tolerance: 4 Strength: 2 Speed: 10 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 4-8 hours Cost/Dose: 3Y Street Index: 1.2 Legality: 4P-M1 Availability: 4/3 hours Effects: Charisma -1, Quickness -2, Intelligence -2, Willpower -1, clumsiness, hallucinations, calm, block-all(1), tranq(3) Crash Effects: Quickness -1, Body -2, Intelligence -1, nausea, headaches, irritability, anxiety, insomnia Addiction Effects: Withdrawal from Methaqualone is painful, causing convulsions, and possibly death. >>>[This also causes women to loose their morals, if ya catch m' meaning. Paradoxically, it kills the libido in men, which means that a couple on ludes is pretty fucked. Or not fucked, as the case may be.]<<< -- Babble <06:14:38/9-13-54> Name: Nicotine AKA: death sticks, smokes, cancer in a nice easy to use package, etc. Inspiration: reality Addiction: 3m Tolerance: 1 Strength: 20 Speed: Immediate Vector: Inhalation, dermal, ingestion Duration: 3d6+3 minutes Cost/Dose: 2Y/pack Street Index: 0.8 Legality: Legal Availability: Always Effects: Willpower +1, Charisma -1, relaxant, Tranq (2) Crash Effects: Willpower -1, irritability, anxiety Name: Paxium AKA: joy, U.N., later, micky, slug Inspiration: Effinger novels Addiction: 2m Tolerance: 4 Strength: 20 Speed: 2d6 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 4d6 minutes Cost/Dose: 5Y Street Index: 2.5 Legality: 6P-M1 Availability: 3/60 minutes Effects: reduced aggressiveness, calm, sleepiness, tranq(6) Crash Effects: Willpower, Body, Quickness and Charisma -3 for 2d6 minutes [Willpower(5)], nausea, joint stiffness Name: Sonniene AKA: sunnies, rook, eclipse, summoner Inspiration: Effinger novels Addiction: 4m Tolerance: 3 Strength: 5 Speed: 2d6 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 1d6+1 hours Cost/Dose: 80Y Street Index: 3.0 Legality: 4-M1 Availability: 4/60 minutes Effects: Willpower and Charisma +2, Intelligence -2, euphoria, delusions of invulnerability, block-all(4) Crash Effects: Mental Attributes -2 for 4d6 minutes, tremors, timidity, depression Permanent Effects: Willpower and Charisma -1 [Willpower(5) for each] Addiction Effects: Willpower and Charisma -1 per month [Willpower(5) for each] _Designer Drugs_ ``A dealer? Hell, no, man. I'm a dream-sculpter.'' -- Madge, 2054 Name: Schwarzeneine AKA: Coranol, back, burnout, gung-ho Inspiration: Seth Addiction: 6p Tolerance: 4 Strength: 5 Speed: 1d6 minute Vector: Injection Duration: 1d3 hours Cost/Dose: 45Y Street Index: 3.5 Legality: 3-M1 Availability: 8/3 hours Effects: Intelligence and Quickness -3, Strength and Willpower +3, Reaction +6, aggressiveness, risk-taking, single-mindedness, as active Pain Editor Crash Effects: Intelligence, Quickness and Strength -1 for 1d6 hours, Quickness and Strength -1 for 1d6 days, tractability, double nature, lethargy, moderate stun wound Name: Shades AKA: cool, strut Inspiration: Seth Addiction: 5m Tolerance: 2 Strength: 5 Speed: 30 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 1d3 hours Cost/Dose: 30Y Street Index: 2.0 Legality: 5-M1 Availability: 4/60 minutes Effects: Strength and Intelligence -1, Charisma and Willpower +2, euphoria, subtle ``cool'', block-all(1), stimulant(1) Crash Effects: Willpower, Charisma, Strength and Quickness -1 for 1d6 hours, increased appetite (x2), possible sexual dysfunction [Body(6)], light stun wound Name: NuYou AKA: sailor, nuyen, virgin, charm, binder Inspiration: Seth Addiction: 6m Tolerance: 3 Strength: 10 Speed: 3d6 hours Vector: Injection Duration: 1d6 days Cost/Dose: 350Y Street Index: 3.0 Legality: 4-M1 Availability: 4/2 hours Effects: Charisma +4, Body +2, Quickness and Strength -1 Crash Effects: Charisma -3 for 1d6 weeks [time divided by number of successes from Body(8)], physical deterioration, anxiety Addiction Effects: Body and Charisma -1 per week [Body(5) for each] Name: Musk AKA: skunk, slink, strut, charlie, vamp Inspiration: Seth Addiction: 3m Tolerance: 3 Strength: 20 Speed: 2d6 hours Vector: Injection Duration: 2d6 hours Cost/Dose: 250 Street Index: 2.0 Legality: 6-M1 Availability: 3/60 minutes Effects: Charisma +2(vs. opposite sex)/-2(vs. same sex), sexual aggressiveness, pheromone stimulation Crash Effects: Charisma -1 >>>[Great for meets.}<<< -- Charmer <04:12:53/9-10-54> >>>[Unless you have tailored pherimones, which go completely out of control when this drug is in effect.]<<< -- Tom <23:54:32/9-13-54> Name: FoolKiller AKA: ripper, charge, egg in a pan, joker, Herc Inspiration: Cyberpunk 2020 Addiction: 5p Tolerance: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: Immediate Vector: Inhalation Duration: 1d6 days Cost/Dose: 35Y Street Index: 2.5 Legality: 3-M1 Availability: 8/3 hours Effects: Charisma and Willpower +3, Body +2, Intelligence and Quickness -1, feeling of invulnerability, unshakable confidence, zealotry, aggressiveness, as activated pain editor Crash Effects: Body -1, Willpower +1 for 1d6 days [Willpower(6)], Quickness -2 for 1d6 days [a Body(6) save will cut to -1], Intelligence -1 for 1d6 days Permanent Effects: -1 physical box per dose [Body(6)], Body -2(vs. pathogens and poisons) [Body(6)] Addiction Effects: -1 physical box per week [Body(6)], -1 physical box per month [Body(6)] Name: Diamond-Four AKA: straight flush, cleric, stitch, street doc, healing anger, berserker Inspiration: Cyberpunk Addiction: 2p Tolerance: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: Immediate Vector: Injection Duration: 2d6 days Cost/Dose: 1,500Y Street Index: 3.5 Legality: 3P-M1 Availability: 10/2 days Effects: Body +4(vs. poisons and pathogens), Willpower +2(vs. pain), Quickness -2, Intelligence -2, irrational fears/phobias, beserker rage, +2 physical box [10 max], Tranq(6) Crash Effects: Quickness and Intelligence -2 for 1d6 days Permanent Effects: +1 physical box (to 10 max) [and passing a Body(8) will give one more] >>>[This drug is wonderful. It is mainly for use against nerve gas, but it can repair some of the more sinister forms of cell damage cause by some of the other drugs on this list.]<<< -- Baby <07:18:43/9-14-54> Name: Genesios Three AKA: Black thunder Inspiration: Walter Jon Williams Addiction: 2m Tolerance: 5 Strength: 20 Speed: 1d6 turns Vector: Injection, Ingestion Duration: 1d6 + 17 hours Cost/Dose: 1,000Y Street Index: 8.5 Legality: 4P-M1 Availability: 14/2 weeks Effects: Intelligence +4, slight buzzing euphoria Crash Effects: none Permanent Effects: G3 rebuilds, repairs and stimulates growth of nerve cells (which do not normally grow at all). _Hallucinogens_ ``The hallucinogenic drugsIare not rude per se. But it can be difficult to observe the niceties of etiquette when you're being chased down the street by a nine-headed cactus demon.'' -- P.J. O'Rourke, Modern Manners Name: Ecstasy AKA: XTC Inspiration: Seth Addiction: 4m Tolerance: 4 Strength: 20 Speed: 2/2/30 minutes Vector: Inhalation/Injection/Ingestion Duration: 6d6 minutes Cost/Dose: 150Y Street Index: 4.0 Legality: 4-M1 Availability: 5/7 hours Effects: Charisma +5, Willpower -3, Quickness +4, sexual tension and prowess, euphoria, aggressiveness, mild hallucinations, extreme sensory stimulation [+3 perception, +3 T# to resist pain], as stimulant patch (2), Quickness-based skills +2 Crash Effects: Quickness -3, Strength -3, Willpower -3, possible sexual dysfunction, sexual hunger, deadly stun wound, quickness-based skills -2, reaction-based skills -1 Permanent Effects: Sterility [Body(4)] >>>[There was a popular drug called XTC around the turn of the century, which some people still take. This is not it. So make sure you know what you're buying.]<<< -- Caveat <21:14:34/9-16/54> Name: LSD AKA: acid, Lucy, lucid, wow, LDS, Spocko Inspiration: reality Addiction: 1m Tolerance: 2 Strength: 4 Speed: 20 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 1d6+2 hours Cost/Dose: 5Y/dose but 200Y/100 tabs Street Index: 1.5 Legality: 5-M1 Availability: 4/7 hours Effects: Quickness -3, Intelligence -4(cognitive), Willpower -3, possible uncontrolled astral perception [Essence(16), # successes * 10 is what percent of the duration time you are astral], Charisma -2, withdrawal from reality, intense hallucinations, as stimulant patch (3), as block-all(3) Crash Effects: Withdrawal from reality, lethargy, concentration-based activities -1, serious stun wound Permanent Effects: -1 physical box [Body(8)], Willpower -1 [Willpower(8)] Addiction Effects: Intelligence, Charisma, Reaction -1 per month [Body(8) for each], artistic skills +1 per month [Charisma(8), +2 maximum increase], Magic Theory +1 per month [Intelligence(8), +1 maximum increase] Name: MDA, MDMA, and other Amphetamine variants AKA: VR, Yeager, boxy Inspiration: reality Addiction: 2m Tolerance: 2 Strength: 6 Speed: 20 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 4-24 hours Cost/Dose: 10Y Street Index: 1.7 Legality: 4-M1 Availability: 4/7 hours Effects: Quickness -2, Intelligence -4(cognitive), Willpower -2, Charisma -1, withdrawal from reality, intense hallucinations, as stimulant patch (4), as block-all(4) Crash Effects: Withdrawal from reality, lethargy, concentration-based activities -1, serious stun wound Addiction Effects: Intelligence, Charisma, Reaction -1 per month [Body(8) for each] >>>[MDA is sometimes called Zen. MDMA is usually known as Exstasy. Both of these names appear elsewhere in this list, but they are different drugs. One of the problems with street culture is that it isn't very creative.]<<< -- Caveat <21:14:59/9-16/54> Name: Mescaline AKA: meska, mask, projects, Ghost Dance Inspiration: reality Addiction: 2m Tolerance: 2 Strength: 4 Speed: 5 minutes Vector: Air Duration: 8-12 hours Cost/Dose: 80Y Street Index: 2.0 Legality: 4-M1 Availability: 4/5 hours Effects: Quickness -2, Charisma -2, Reaction -2, Intelligence -2(cognitive)/+2 perceptive, Willpower -2, possible uncontrolled astral perception [Essence(16), # successes * 10 is what percent of the time you are astral], magical theory +3, dream state trance, intense hallucinations Crash Effects: Drowsiness, light sensitivity, increased appetite Permanent Effects: Magical Theory +1 [Intelligence(12), once per month of use], Charisma +1 [Willpower(12), once per month of use, +1 maximum increase], withdrawal from reality with continual use Addiction Effects: Intelligence -1 per month [Body(8)], Willpower -1 per month [Body(8)] Name: Phencyclidine AKA: PCP, dust, angel dust, stage, theatre, JWB Inspiration: reality Addiction: 5m Tolerance: 4 Strength: 2 Speed: 2 minutes Vector: Injection Duration: 1-4 days Cost/Dose: 25Y Street Index: 2.5 Legality: 4-M1 Availability: 8/14 hours Effects: Body, Strength, Willpower +3, Quickness -3, Intelligence -4(cognitive), Willpower -3, Charisma -2, withdrawal from reality, intense hallucinations, as stimulant patch (5), as block-all(5) Crash Effects: Withdrawal from reality, lethargy, concentration-based activities -2, serious stun wound Permanent Effects: -1 physical box [Body(8)], Willpower -1 [Willpower(8)] Addiction Effects: Intelligence, Charisma, Reaction -1 per month [Body(8) for each] Name: Ribopropylmethionine AKA: RPM, Round-baby Inspiration: Effinger novels Addiction: 8p Tolerance: 2 Strength: 2 Speed: 3 minutes Vector: Injection Duration: 1d6+1 minutes Cost/Dose: 100Y Street Index: 3.0 Legality: 3-M1 Availability: 10/7 hours Effects: Quickness -4, Intelligence -2, Willpower -6, Charisma -4, Strength +2, terror, fear, extreme hallucinations (personal fears), as stimulant patch(8), as block-all(6) Crash Effects: Tremors, paranoia, abject fear, recurring hallucinations, concentration-based activities -2, extreme sensitivity to fear, adrenal overload [automatic deadly wound to adrenal pump bioware] Permanent Effects: Quickness -1 [Body(8)], Willpower and Charisma -1 [Willpower(8) for each] Addiction Effects: Quickness, Willpower, Intelligence -1 per month Name: Zen AKA: Wu-li, bluemind, blewmind, in Inspiration: Seth Addiction: 5m Tolerance: 3 Strength: 10 Speed: 10 minutes Vector: Inhalation Duration: 1d6+3 hours Cost/Dose: 120Y Street Index: 3.0 Legality: 4-M1 Availability: 5/10 hours Effects: Charisma +4, Willpower -2, Strength -2, Quickness +2, Reaction -2, serenity, calmness, withdrawal from reality, hallucinations, block-all(3) Crash Effects: Charisma -1, Strength -1, Reaction -1, Artistic Skills +1, self-doubt, mental turbulence, chaotic emotions, concentration- related tasks +2 T#, sensory distraction [-2 perception] >>>[All right. One more time. This is not another drug called Zen. See MDA, above.]<<< -- Caveat <21:14:34/9-16/54> _Narcotics_ ``Heroin and the other `downs', natural and synthetic, are not polite. These drugs effectively eliminate the painful aspect of existence, which, nowadays, is almost all of it.'' -- P.J. O'Rourke, Modern Manners Name: Heroin AKA: H, horse, smack, K.R. Inspiration: reality Addiction: 5m,5p Tolerance: 3 Strength: 3 Speed: 1 turn Vector: Injection Duration: 1d3 hours Cost/Dose: 20Y Street Index: 2.5 Legality: 3-M1 Availability: 5/2 hours Effects: Body -2, Willpower +2, Quickness -1, Intelligence -1, Charisma -2, withdrawal from reality, block-all(6) Crash Effects: Stress Permanent Effects: Body -1 [Body(5)], Charisma -1 [Willpower(6)] Addiction Effects: Body -1 per month [Body(5)], Charisma -1 [Body(6)], -1 physical box per month, -1 mental box per month Name: Hydromorphone AKA: Pain water, dilaudid Inspiration: reality Addiction: 4m,4p Tolerance: 5 Strength: 7 Speed: 1 minute Vector: Injection Duration: 3-6 hours Cost/Dose: 250Y Street Index: 1.5 Legality: 3P-M1 Availability: 5/6 hours Effects: Charisma -1, Intelligence -4, Willpower +3 (vs. pain), tranquilized, block-all(7) Crash Effects: pain-sensitivity (+1 to all wound category modifiers), irritability, tremors Addiction Effects: Willpower -1 per dose [Willpower(6)] Name: Meperidine AKA: reaper, k'pla, demerol Inspiration: reality Addiction: 4m,4p Tolerance: 5 Strength: 4 Speed: 1 minute Vector: Ingested, injected Duration: 12-24 hours Cost/Dose: 500Y Street Index: 2.5 Legality: 3-M1 Availability: 6/6 hours Effects: Strong euphoria, Charisma -2, Intelligence -3, Reaction -2, Willpower +2 (vs. pain), tranquilized, block-all(6), nausea Crash Effects: irritability, concentration-based tests +3 T#, Willpower -2 (vs. pain), cramps, nausea, chills Addiction Effects: Willpower -1 to -2 per dose [Willpower(5), twice], Willpower, Intelligence and Charisma -1 per month [Willpower(4) for each] Name: Methadone AKA: Crystal Meth, annihilatrix, dominatrix Inspiration: reality Addiction: 2m,3p Tolerance: 3 Strength: 5 Speed: 1 minutes Vector: Inhalation (powder) Duration: 3-6 hours Cost/Dose: 50Y Street Index: 2.0 Legality: 4-M1 Availability: 5/6 hours Effects: Intelligence -1, Willpower +1 (vs. pain), tranquilized, block-all(5), euphoria Crash Effects: concentration-based tests +2 T#, Willpower -2 (vs. pain), watery eyes, loss of appetite, cramps. Addiction Effects: Willpower, Intelligence and Charisma -1 per month [Willpower(4) for each] Name: Morphine AKA: morph, shifter, no-brain Inspiration: reality Addiction: 4m,4p Tolerance: 4 Strength: 10 Speed: 1 minute Vector: Injection Duration: 3-6 hours Cost/Dose: 150Y Street Index: 1.25 Legality: 3P-M1 Availability: 4/3 hours Effects: Charisma -1, Intelligence -2, Willpower +2 (vs. pain), tranquilized, block-all(6) Crash Effects: pain-sensitivity (+2 to all wound category modifiers), irritability, concentration-based tests +2 T#, Willpower -2 (vs. pain) Addiction Effects: Willpower -1 per dose [Willpower(6)], Willpower, Intelligence and Charisma -1 per month [Willpower(6) for each] Name: Opium AKA: Pipedream Inspiration: reality Addiction: 4m,4p Tolerance: 3 Strength: 15 Speed: 10 minutes Vector: Inhalation Duration: 3-6 hours Cost/Dose: 50Y Street Index: 1.25 Legality: 5P-M1 Availability: 6/1 day Effects: Charisma -2, Intelligence -1, Willpower +2 (vs. pain), tranquilized, block-all(6) Crash Effects: irritability, tremors, panic, drowsiness, chills _Stimulants_ ``It is very rude to try crack a few times and not get addicted. This could throw any number of hysterical politicians and overwrought public health experts out of work.'' -- P.J. O'Rourke, Modern Manners Name: Amphetamines AKA: speed, benzies, dexies Inspiration: reality Addiction: 5p Tolerance: 3 Strength: 6 Speed: 5 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 2-4 hours Cost/Dose: 75Y/50 tablets Street Index: 1.5 Legality: 4P-M1 Availability: 4/3 hours Effects: Charisma -1, Willpower -1, Quickness +1, Perception +1, increased alertness, excitability, euphoria, increased pulse and blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite. Crash Effects: depression, apathy, disorientation, irritability, long period of sleep, headache (L stun wound). Name: Brown Study AKA: Net focus, karma, soma, silver Inspiration: Cyberpunk 2020 Addiction: 1m Tolerance: 4 Strength: 10 Speed: 30 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 2d6 hours Cost/Dose: 35Y Street Index: 3.0 Legality: 3P-M1 Availability: 6/6 hours Effects: Quickness -2, Strength -2, Reaction -4, Willpower +2, Intelligence +4, Technical/Knowledge skills +3, intense mental concentration, resistance to distractions, insomnia, possible psychoactive journey [Body(12-Body); 1d6+1 hours in length] Crash Effects: Quickness and Strength -2 for 3d6 hours upon recovery [resist with a Body(10) roll for each], lethargy, increased appetite (x3), moderate stun wound. Name: Caffeine Inspiration: reality Addiction: 1m Tolerance: 3 Strength: 50 Speed: 30 minutes Vector: Ingestion Duration: 1d6 hours Cost/Dose: 5Y/100 tablets Street Index: 1.0 Legality: Legal Availability: always Effects: Charisma -1, Willpower -1, anxiety, tremors, hyperactivity, reduced appetite, acts as stimulant patch (1) Crash Effects: Light stun wound Name: Cocaine AKA: coke, nose-candy, exec, C17H21NO4, snow Inspiration: reality Addiction: 6p Tolerance: 3 Strength: 5 Speed: Immediate Vector: Inhalation Duration: 1d3 hours Cost/Dose: 10Y Street Index: 2.0 Legality: 3-M1 Availability: 4/60 minutes Effects: Quickness +1, Intelligence +1, Charisma -2, Body -2, aggressiveness, risk-taking, block-all(3) Crash Effects: Depression, hyperactivity, moderate stun wound Permanent Effects: Charisma -1 [Willpower(6)] Addiction Effects: Body -1 per month [Willpower(6)], Willpower and Intelligence -1 per month [Willpower(4) for each] Name: Endorphins AKA: 'dorph, Fred Dorfman, inga, hoo'a hoo'a Inspiration: Cyberpunk 2020 Addiction: 4p Tolerance: 4 Strength: 5 Speed: 1d6 minutes Vector: Injection Duration: 1d3 hours Cost/Dose: 30Y Street Index: 3.0 Legality: 3-M1 Availability: 6/3 hours Effects: Intelligence and Quickness -2, Strength and Willpower +2, Body +1, reduced sensitivity to pain [-2 T#], single-mindedness, block-all(6), tranq(3), +2 T# to inflict pain Crash Effects: Intelligence, Quickness and Strength -1 for 1d6 hours [Body(4)], irritability, hyperactivity, aggressiveness, light stun wound, light physical wound Permanent Effects: Charisma -1 [Willpower(4)] Addiction Effects: Quickness -1 per dose [Body(4)], Charisma -1 per month [Willpower(4)] Name: J AKA: Johnny Mnemonic, rekall (pronounced as both ``recall'' and ``wrek-all''), squealer, this-is-your-life, honto Inspiration: Traveller 2300 Addiction: 1m Tolerance: 1 Strength: 50 Speed: 1 minute Vector: Ingestion Duration: 4d6 minutes Cost/Dose: 600Y Street Index: 4.0 Legality: 3P-M1 Availability: 10/3 hours Effects: Intelligence -4(cognitive)/+10(mnemonic), Willpower -6, extreme talkativeness, complete willingness to answer questions about memories, uncontrolled rambling about personal recollections, uncontrolled veracity Crash Effects: complete memory loss about duration of dosage Name: Methylphenidate AKA: skippy, jif, ritalin Inspiration: reality Addiction: 3p Tolerance: 5 Strength: 4 Speed: 5 minutes or 1 minute Vector: Ingestion, Inhalation, Injection Duration: 2-4 hours Cost/Dose: 25Y Street Index: 1.8 Legality: 4P-M1 Availability: 4/3 hours Effects: Quickness +2, Perception +1, increased alertness, excitability, euphoria, increased pulse and blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite. Crash Effects: depression, apathy, disorientation, irritability, long period of sleep, headache (M stun wound). Name: Phenmetrazine AKA: Devo Inspiration: reality Addiction: 5p Tolerance: 4 Strength: 5 Speed: 5 minutes or 1 minute Vector: Ingestion or Injection Duration: 2-4 hours Cost/Dose: 75Y/10 tablets Street Index: 1.5 Legality: 4P-M1 Availability: 5/3 hours Effects: Willpower -2, Quickness +1, increased alertness, excitability, euphoria, increased pulse and blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite. Crash Effects: depression, apathy, disorientation, irritability, long period of sleep, headache (L stun wound). Name: Spaz AKA: bitch, shrew, Mr. Ugly drivin' Inspiration: Cyberpunk 2020 Addiction: 5p Tolerance: 1 Strength: 5 Speed: Immediate Vector: Air, ingestion Duration: 2d6 hours Cost/Dose: 10Y Street Index: 1.5 Legality: 4-M1 Availability: 8/24 hours Effects: Charisma -3, Willpower -1, Reaction +2, Intelligence -1(cognitive)/+1(perceptive), Reaction-based skills +2, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, muscle tremors, reduced appetite, as stimulant patch (2) Crash Effects: Neural dysfunction (tremors, memory lapses, paralysis), moderate stun wound Addiction Effects: Quickness and Charisma -1 per month, -1 physical box per month Name: Triphetamines AKA: Tri-phets Inspiration: Effinger novels Addiction: 2m Tolerance: 4 Strength: 5 Speed: 1 minute Vector: Ingestion Duration: 1d6 hours Cost/Dose: 25Y/50 tablets Street Index: 1.5 Legality: 5P-M1 Availability: 5/3 hours Effects: Charisma -2, Willpower -2, Quickness +1, Reaction +1, hyperactivity, detachment from reality, reduced appetite, increased metabolic rate (x2), as stimulant patch (1) Crash Effects: depression, lethargy, nausea [Willpower (4)], light stun wound __FLORA__ Plants have long been used for their effects on the human body and other forms of life. What follows is a list of plants which contain chemicals or properties which may be of interest to the researcher or Shadowrunner. Each entry is described by the following categories: Name: The name of the plant Taxonomy: The scientific name for the plant Cost: Cost of plants is kind of a weird area. Sometimes it is the cost to get the plant which is listed, sometimes the cost of the main chemical in the plant. It's not perfect, but it's as good as our information could get. Street Index: This can vary widely depending on where you are. If you live in the NAN, for example, it'd probably be cheaper to buy peyote than it would be in Seattle. Legality: This is baseline Seattle, as always. Most of these plants are legal, but often the chemicals in them are not. Go figure. Availability: This can vary very widely, even more so than the drugs above. Many dealers will always have some of a given plant in stock, while another will never carry it. Consider the number to be a measure of the plants rarity rather than whether a particular fixer will have it. The time is how long it takes to find someone that has it, not how long it will take that person to get it. Appearance: This is a description of the plant, so you might recognize it. Climate: Rough climate or locality in which the plant grows Effects: The effects. Normally, your friendly neighborhood drug dealer isn't gonna know shit about most of this stuff. You need a talismonger, usually. Sometimes, you can score some of the medicinal chemicals from a hospital or street doc, but usually, your vitalis (that's ``vital talismonger'' for non-Denverites) is who you need to see. This can be a problem, because `mongers don't usually have the networks of fixers or dealers, so it's often a pot luck if vitalis carries what you need. If not, you'll probably have to find another `monger. You may even have to leave town to get what you want. One last thing: some nations have really odd laws on importation of plants like this. If a plant seems really expensive, you can bet that it's taxed to hell and back, or barred from entry. Name: Aloe (Awakened) Taxonomy: Aloe magivera Cost: 400Y Street Index: 2.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 8/2 weeks Appearance: Succulent cacti with a rosette of narrow, prickly-edged, fleshy leaves filled with bitter juice. Single leafless stalk growing just under 1 meter, terminating in an elongated cluster of down- pointing yellow to orange flowers. Climate: Aztlan, CFS, The Ute, Pueblo Corporate Council Effects: This plant can heal minor wounds [Moderate or less] when the juice is rubbed over or into it. This takes about 10 minutes for the magical effect to work, during which time, the wound tingles very powerfully [+1 to all T# for distraction]. It's powers are doubly effective against wounds caused by burns [Serious wounds or less]. Name: Autumn Crocus Taxonomy: Colchicum autumnale Cost: 20Y Street Index: 1.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 6/6 weeks Appearance: Herb which grows to 0.3 meters from an onion looking bulb. Large, lance-shaped leaves develop in spring. In the fall, a leafless flowering stalk yields a solitary white to pale purple crocus-like flower. Climate: Damp meadows, fields, woodlands and mountains, especially in the Canadian parts of the UCAS and northern Sioux Nation. Effects: Ingesting any part of this plant will cause a burning sensation in the throat, vomiting, and possible kidney and respiratory failure. [4D 1 hour after ingestion, Effects can last all day.] Name: Balsam of Peru (Awakened) Taxonomy: Myroxylon magibalsam Cost: 500Y/dose Street Index: 2.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 10/3 weeks Appearance: Thick, fragrant resin (smells like cinnamon when fresh and vanilla when aged) extracted from a shade tree of up to 20+ meters tall. The evergreen tree leaves are oblong 8cm, sprinkled with transparent dots. White flowers terminate the branches. Climate: Central America, southern Aztlan, northern South America Effects: When applied to wounds, the balsam acts as a coagulant. It also contains magical properties which can heal tissue (heals 1-3 boxes). The resin is slightly astrally active, and is sometimes used to shellac doors or windows to make them astrally secure (one dose can cover a square meter). >>>[In order to get this stuff to work for astral security, you need to do a bit of enchanting. No magic required, but it needs to be mixed with distilled water and tannin just right, and I mean just right. Watching the whole process astrally can help a bit.]<<< -- Karla Nash <01:03:29/3-16-54> Name: Barvine Taxonomy: Hedera magihelix Cost: 500Y/meter2 Street Index: 3.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 2/3 weeks Appearance: Climbing plant with woody stem which get reach 35 meters or more. Dark, glossy, veined, evergreen alternate leaves are triangular and three-lobed. Climate: Nearly anywhere Effects: An Awakened form of common English Ivy, this plant is dual natured, and as such is used to cover buildings to make them astrally impenetrable. >>>[Too easy. Just go through the windows.]<<< -- Coma <22:24:58/1-26-54> >>>[Most buildings which use this are very secure, and so have no windows. Or, often the windows are very small, oddly proportioned or barred (with the ivy on the bars). If there isn't a space big enough for a person's real body, their astral form won't fit through either. And you can't move the ivy from the astral plane in anyway at all. Simple and effective. Your best bet is to wait until someone opens a door.]<<< -- Quarrel <18:25:57/11-30-54> >>>[Since this type of security is just as capable of keeping astral things in as out, some installations may have a back way in. It'll be very well hidden, but you might get lucky.]<<< -- Niche <05:44:57/12-17-54> Name: Belladonna Taxonomy: Atropa belladonna Cost: 1,200 Street Index: 1.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 7/1 week Appearance: Leafy, smooth branched stem growing to a meter with dull green alternate leaves of unequal size on the upper parts. Solitary bell-shaped purplish-brown flowers (June-July) arising from the leaf axils are followed by glossy black berries with inky purple juice (September). Climate: Woods and wastlands. Eastern UCAS. Effects: Belladonna contains atropine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine. Once ingested, Belladonna is a deadly poison [5D] which begins working in minutes. Name: Black Nightshade Taxonomy: Solanum americanum Cost: 70Y Street Index: 2.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 6/2 weeks Appearance: .3 to 1 meter tall, with oval to lance-shaped leaves. White flowers with five backswept petals. Black berries Climate: Sunny Effects: All parts of this plant are poisonous when ingested (5D) and can kill within minutes. Name: Calabar Bean Taxonomy: Physostigma venenosum Cost: 250Y Street Index: 1.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 6/4 weeks Appearance: Vines rooting in riverbanks, climbing up to 20m into the trees. Large, purple flowers hand in the spring. After the flowers fall, 15cm pods develop, containing two or three flat maroon seeds Climate: Calm rivers in dry climates, in the delta. Mainly found in the Niger Delta. Effects: A drink made of the powdered beans contain physostigmine, which paralyzes the heart, causing death; often, however, the drink is rejected by the stomach before the drug can effect the body. [On a success of a Body(5) roll, the concoction is vomited, otherwise, the drink will kill the person in 10-30 minutes.] >>>[A lot of gangs in the Seattle area have taken to using this bean drink as an initiation technique. If the newcomer pukes, he's in, if not, he's buried.]<<< -- Flash <10:01:32/4-29-54> >>>[Physostigmine can counteract the effects of atropine.]<<< -- Doctorjack <02:32:44/8-18-54> Name: Catnip (Awakened) Taxonomy: Nepeta magicataria Cost: 100Y Street Index: 1.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 4/5 days Appearance: Upright herb, 1 meter tall with branching square stems and toothed, heart-shaped opposite leaves covered with downy grey hairs. Clusters of pale lavender tubular flowers (June-October) with purpulish spots grow at the ends of the main stem. Minty smell Climate: Throughout North America Effects: This plant secretes an oil which cats of all types find irresistible. It is as effective as its mundane cousin on mundane cats, but especially effective on paranormal felines, including Talis Cats, Sabre-Toothed Cats, and even Tiger Shapeshifters. It causes a very powerful euphoria in such creatures with few ill effects, and can reduce aggressiveness. >>>[When making friends with an angry Talis Cat, this plant can go a long way.]<<< -- Coma <10:19:45/2-30-54> Name: Chat Taxonomy: Catha edulis Cost: 5Y/leaf Street Index: 1.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 4/3 hours Appearance: Small leafy trees, very small white flowers. Climate: Ethiopia Effects: Chewing the three or four leaves of this tree for 10 minutes or so causes increased alertness, relief from hunger and fatigue, and mild euphoric high. [as stim patch(3), +1 Quickness]. Shredded leaves can be used to make a tea which has the same effect. >>>[This tea, when brewed with honey, is called Arabia tea and has some importance to Arab culture.]<<< -- Fariba al-Hassan <01:59:30/2-17-54> Name: Demonseed Taxonomy: Buxus magisempervirens Cost: 500Y/fruit Street Index: 2.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 6/3 weeks Appearance: Shrub from 1 to 2 meters high with small, juicy, elliptical leaves, dark green above and pale below. Clusters of small inconspicuous red flowers (April-June) produce small red, horned capsules containing seeds. Climate: Only cultivated. Effects: Crushing and drying the ripe fruit and seeds of this Awakened form of Boxwood, then inhaling the powder will bestow resistance to about all forms of spiritual activity [+2 to t# for spirit attacks and -2 to Power of any form of attack from a spirit]; however, this powder is slightly toxic [3S, immediate]. The effect lasts for 3-8 hours. It's main attraction for magicians is that any spirit summoned by a magician under the effects of this powder will be much less able to harm the magician should it go free [treat all attacks from the spirit on the summoning mage as if it were of a force equal to one-half (round down) its actual force]. As long as the magician was under the effects of the drug during the actual summoning of the spirit, this effect will last for the spirit's entire existence. >>>[When summoning big elementals or allies, this stuff can be a good move.]<<< -- Quarrel <19:48:15/4-28-54> >>>[You will never find this in the wild. This is because it is the results of a ritual involving it's mundane counterpart boxwood. It will only grow indoors.]<<< --Arianna <18:13:15/8-6-54> >>>[I don't suppose you'd clue us into the ritual, would you?]<<< -- Coma <18:20:15/8-6-54> >>>[You suppose correctly.]<<< -- Arianna <18:21:20/8-6-54> Name: Foxglove Taxonomy: Digitalis purpurea Cost: 200Y Street Index: 2.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 10/2 weeks Appearance: A rosette of long-staled leaves with 1-2 meter stem growing out. Leaves are lance-shaped to oval. Spires of white to pinkish to red thimble-shaped flowers (June-September) are speckled with red dots. Climate: Fields, moist clearings. Cascade Mountains Effects: Chewing a leaf can cause paralysis and even death. [3D, plus, if any damage is taken, reduce natural Quickness by the number of boxes taken. If quickness reduced below zero by one-half (round- down) its original value or more, death results; otherwise, one point returns each hour, allowing mobility when Quickness reaches above zero.] This also has the odd effect of making Fox shapeshifters sneeze uncontrollably [Willpower(5) each minute exposed to ignore effects). Name: Godflesh Taxonomy: Stropharia cubensis Cost: 100Y per mushroom Street Index: 2.0 Legality: 5-M1 Availability: 7/3 weeks Appearance: Small, wispy mushrooms with thin stems and narrow, white caps. Climate: Yucatan Effects: One of the strongest hallucinatory mushrooms, Godflesh was used ritually by Mayan in northeast Oaxaca. Eating this fungi caused severe hallucinations, which are very realistic. True reality is ignored. [Quickness -4, Charisma -1, Reaction -3, Intelligence -2(cognitive)/+4 perceptive, Willpower -1, Artistic Skills +2, tests requiring concentration at +2 T#.] Hilarity generally overtakes a user just before hallucinations begin. Name: Healing Snakeroot Taxonomy: Sanicula magimarilandica Cost: 1,000Y Street Index: 1.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 6/1 week Appearance: Thick, dark green, undulating, snake-like root. Leafless flower stalks over 1 meter. Leaves at base with long stalks, oval to elliptical, unequally toothed, often with deeply cut leaflets. Flower clusters in June and July with 23 jet black blossoms. Climate: Meadows, thickets and shady, moist, woodland soils down eastern North America. Effects: One of the only plants with naturally black flowers, Healing Snakeroot is an Awakened form of Black Snakeroot, and is often found with them. The flowers can make a permanent dye which is often used in Seattle and Pueblo to paint patterns on skin, which act as tattoos until the top layer of skin wears off. While containing no healing properties by itself, a paste made from the root when eaten by a wounded person can make magical healing easier [-2 to target numbers of Heal and Treat spells]. This effect however takes five minutes to manifest after ingestion. The root can make enough paste for 4-8 doses. Name: Hemlock Taxonomy: Conium maculatum Cost: 150Y Street Index: 2.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 6/2 weeks Appearance: Lacy leaves and small white flowers arranged in umbels. White root. Crushed leaves emit sour, mousy odor. Climate: Open places throughout North America Effects: Hemlock is poisonous when ingested (3D), especially the seeds and roots (6D) Name: Herb Mercury (Awakened) Taxonomy: Mercurialis magiannua Cost: 3,000Y Street Index: 1.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 8/4 weeks Appearance: A leafy-stemmed herb growing to 50cm, with light green lance-shaped to oval leaves with rounded teeth, arranged in opposite pairs. Small yellow flowers borne on spikes in the leaf axils. Climate: Waste places. Eastern North America Effects: The juice of this plant, when mixed with oil, forms a salve which magically protects what it covers from fire and heat [-3 to power] until it is washed or worn off. A single plant can yield enough juice to cover, when mixed, an average sized human being. >>>[Only a magical Enchanter can do the mixing, but it is a straightforward process, as long as no human save the enchanter touches the juice until the mixture is done.]<<< -- Alta <08:41:42/2-11-54> Name: Hound's-tongue (Awakened) Taxonomy: Cynoglossum magiofficinale Cost: 200Y Street Index: 1.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 6/2 weeks Appearance: Hairy stem up to 0.5 meters tall with pointed alternate leaves and clusters of small reddish-purple flowers (May-August) followed by prickly fruits in the form of burs. Climate: Sandy and rocky roadsides high in the Rocky Mountains. Effects: Boiling the leaves of this plant, the removing them and boiling off the water, leaves behind a yellowish slime. Mixing this slime with grain alcohol yields a toxin which inhibits the barking reflex in canine forms, including paranormal dogs like bargeists and hell hounds. Injecting a dog with this chemical will prevent them from making any sound at all for 1-6 hours [Dog needs to make a Body(9) test]. >>>[This can really confuse the hell out of dogs, often giving you enough time to get by.]<<< -- Coma <05:36:41/1-3-54> Name: Jamaica Quassia Taxonomy: Picrasma excelsa Cost: 400Y/kg Street Index: 3.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 8/6 days Appearance: An ashlike tree, up to 20m tall, with pinnately compound leaves and clusters of small rose-colored flowers. The wood and leaves Climate: Jamaica Effects: A bitter resin can be extracted from the wood of this tree (about 40ml per kg), which acts as an incredible natural insecticide. This resin is extremely effective against insect spirits [acting as a 8S poison (this number includes the effects of the vulnerability to insecticides)]. >>>[Yow. Talk about misinformation. We used some of this stuff loaded into NarcoJet rounds, and it worked great, with only one problem: bee spirits are completely unaffected by it. In fact, it seems to heal them and the scent of it attracts them, as well as normal bees.]<<< -- Coma <23:47:36/4-10-54> Name: Kava Taxonomy: Piper methysticum Cost: 30Y/leaf Street Index: 3.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 6/2 weeks Appearance: Shrub with broad, heart-shaped leaves webbed with network of prominent veins. Climate: South Pacific Effects: Chewing on the leaves vigorously, soaking them in water or milk, then drinking the liquid produces a euphoric state, and when the user sleeps, the sleep is deep and dreamless. In large enough quantities (triple dose) can increase the force of heart action while decreasing pulse rate, induce a hypnotic state and paralyze large skeletal muscles, like those in the legs. >>>[I don't know why, but metahumans with allergies to sunlight really don't take this drug well. It can cause nausea and even coma. [5(level of allergy) stun damage.]<<< -- Misha <02:57:49/2-2-54> Name: Mandrake (Awakened) Taxonomy: Mandragora magiofficinarum Cost: 1,000Y Street Index: 2.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 12/5 weeks Appearance: Vine-like member of the nightshade family with sparse, ovate leaves and whitish flowers. The root is turnip-like, contorted into a shape resembling a human being. Climate: Mediterranean, also under hanged bodies. Effects: Mandrake is credited with much more than it can actually do. Often in legend a catalyst for love magic, ritual sorcery and other sympathetic magic becomes much easier to cast on someone with whom the caster has shared mandrake [-2 to T#]. Mandrake is an aphrodisiac. Eating mandrake also makes connecting magically to other minds easier [+1 die to Mind Probe, spells which control or alter conscious thought, and mana detection spells for 1d6 hours]. Continued use of mandrake can pose hazards to magical ability [make a Magic test against a target number of 2 plus the number of times mandrake has been used in the past 28 days to avoid loosing a Magic point]. Name: Mirror Basil Taxonomy: Ocimum magimasilicum Cost: 500Y Street Index: 3.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 8/2 weeks Appearance: Bushy and up to a meter tall, with a square stem and many branches. Opposite, shiny green to purple, toothed leaves which are elliptical to oval and about 3cm long. Small white flowers grow in whorls of seven at the ends of the branches from June-September. Climate: temperate North America, often hidden among common basil. Effects: This Awakened form of common basil is thought to be the source of the legendary association of basil with the basilisk. Drinking a tea made of died mirror basil leaves will render the imbiber completely immune to the gaze of a basilisk for around an hour [(1d6+4) x 10 minutes]. >>>[What they don't tell you is that anyone who uses this stuff will be targeted first by a basilisk's bite. I guess its some sort of smell or something (at least to them, I couldn't smell a thing) which really ticks them off. The plant itself doesn't seem to have this effect on them.]<<< -- Coma <06:39:17/7-3-54> >>>[This plant is often used in foci and fetishes for barrier and transformative magic.]<<< --Ericka <14:17:59/11-10-54> Name: Moneywort (Awakened) Taxonomy: Lysimachia maginummularia Cost: 5,000Y Street Index: 1.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 12/5 weeks Appearance: A creeping vine with trailing stems up to two meters long with glossy round leaves in opposite pairs. Golden yellow flowers (June-August) 2 to 3 cm across with five petals marked with dark spots. Climate: Moist shores, roadsides, meadows and grasslands in southern UCAS, northern Atlantic coast and the Pacific coast. Effects: The juice of this plant, boiled with wine and honey and ingested forms the most powerful magical healing agent known [will heal six boxes of damage]. It begins working within minutes and takes 10 to 60 minutes to work, depending on the wound's severity; however, it makes the user very sleepy for hours after application. This plant must be harvested specially, and handling by mundanes spoils its effects. One plant provides up to four applications. >>>[On the streets, the syrup this plant makes is called beautiform, hiber, and le morte vim. It works wonders, but it tastes like shit.]<<< -- Doctorjack <14:45:27/5-28-54> Name: Opium Poppy Taxonomy: Papaver somniferum Cost: 15Y Street Index: 1.5 Legality: 5-M1 Availability: 4/3 weeks Appearance: White, lavender, red or purple flowers with four large petals with dark centers Climate: Most of Asia and the Mideast Effects: This plant is the source of opium--the main ingredient the manufacture of morphine and heroin--as well as codine. Name: Pareira Taxonomy: Chondrodendron tomentosum Cost: 100Y Street Index: 2.5 Legality: 8-M1 Availability: 10/2 weeks Appearance: High climbing vine with woody stems and broad, veined leaves and bundles of what look much like hard, dark green grapes. Climate: Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Amazonia Effects: From the stems of this plant is extracted a poison called curare. This is a very deadly poison, which relaxes the muscles of the body, even to the point of stopping the lungs from working. Curare can, in fairly small doses, paralyze a man in minutes (7D, 1d6 minutes onset time), leaving him immobile and asphyxiating until he dies. >>>[If this gets into your blood, you will be very, very sorry.]<<< -- Blow <23:40:42/3-22-54> >>>[Not necessarily, if you've got the right wires. This toxin has been around for a long time, and many better blood filter cyberware systems were designed specifically to fight it. Seems like any system over level 3 works about 50% better against curare than against other blood-borne poisons. The same doesn't seem to hold for bioware.]<<< -- Doctorjack <21:35:27/6-28-54> Name: Peyote Taxonomy: Lophophora williamsii Cost: 125Y Street Index: 2.5 Legality: 3-M1 Availability: 9/2 weeks Appearance: A tomato-sized round cacti, fleshy, greyish to chalky blue, with 5 to 13 ribs with pencil-like tufts of woolly white hairs instead of sharp spines. Massive carrot-like taproot. Tiny pinkish to creamy white flowers on top. Climate: Aztlan desert, southern NAN deserts Effects: Peyote contains over 56 alkaloid substances which act as drugs in humans, including mescaline (q.v.). When slices of peyote are chewed, the following effects happen within minutes: Quickness -1, Charisma -1, Reaction -1, Intelligence -1 (cognitive)/+3 perceptive, Willpower -1, and hallucinations. When prepared properly and smoked, peyote can have a very profound effect: Quickness -3, Charisma -1, Reaction -1, Intelligence -2(cognitive)/+4 perceptive, Willpower -1, possible uncontrolled astral perception [Essence(12), # successes * 10 is what percent of the time you are astral], magical theory +4, Artistic Skills +2, tests requiring concentration at +2 T#, dream state trance, intense hallucinations. Addiction information and crash, permanent and addiction effects are as per mescaline. Duration of chewing peyote is 1d6 hours, smoking 3d6. >>>[The ``proper'' preparation mentioned is a magical ritual. You need an Awakened enchanter.]<<< -- Poboy <07:49:59/1-5-54> >>>[It is very unlikely that this will make you walk astral space. Most people are unaware that many of the attributes sought by magicians from peyote are actually from an extremely rare awakened form of the plant. Here's a listing of it: Name: Peyote (Awakened) Taxonomy: Lophophora magiamsii Cost: 12,500Y Street Index: 1.0 Legality: 3-M1 Availability: 14/5 weeks Appearance: As normal peyote, but always with 7 ribs. Not all 7- ribbed peyote plants are awakened. Climate: Aztlan desert, southern NAN deserts, very rare however Effects: This will almost always send mundanes into the astral [Essence(3) # successes * 15 is what percent of the time you are astral], and might even get magicians to the metaplanes [Magic(9) # successes is the quest rating]. Note that the latter can be fairly deadly if you are not ready for it. Other effects are: Quickness -3, Charisma -1, Reaction -1, Intelligence -3(cognitive)/+4 perceptive/+7 to aura reading, astral perception, magical theory +5, Artistic Skills +3, dream state trance, intense hallucinations. This peyote is non-addictive and has none of the normal crash effects; however, you have little control of any astral body gained during the trip and may possibly stay in astral space too long. Also, magicians may experience a degradation in power for a time after coming down, especially if they went to the metaplanes.]<<< -- Quarrel <09:01:27/1-29-54> >>>[Well, whatever. I do know that peyote highs are nothing like mescaline highs. Peyote goes for all the senses, including smell and touch, and is, wellIkaleidoscopic. Right before you start hallucinating, this flashes of color trance across your vision. There is an old legend that says that El Santo Nio de Peyotl survives in the plants.]<<< -- Red Pawn <08:31:36/7-17-54> >>>[A peyote cult eventually turned into the Native American Church, which is still around. They had 250,000 members during the 1970's, but numbers are a bit sketchy now. They are dedicated to brotherly love, high moral principle, abstention from alcohol, and other niceties.]<<< -- Holly <01:18:59/11-2-54> Name: Rauwolfia Taxonomy: Rauvolfia serpentina Cost: 100Y Street Index: 1.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 4/1 week Appearance: 0.5 meter, graceful and woody. Oval leaves, dark green above and paler below, in whorls of three or four along the stem. Small pink to white flowers borne in terminal clusters produce tiny, oval, fleshy fruits which turn a shiny purple-black when ripe. Climate: Only grows in the wild. Mainly in Indonesia, India and Thailand. Effects: Chewing the root of this plant brings on a detachment while meditating [+1 to philosophic and artistic skills]. Over 50 chemicals can be extracted from this plant, including some to treat mental illness and high blood pressure. The fruits are rumored in folk lore to cure lunacy and lycanthropy. They also act as powerful tranquilizers [Tranq 6]. >>>[Holy men in India, including Mahatma Gandhi, commonly used the root.]<<< -- Wolf <21:54:29/6-25-54> >>>[I don't know about lycanthropy, but I've seen the fruits prevent shapeshifters from changing to their animal forms, at least temporarily.]<<< -- Quarrel <17:20:13/6-11-54> Name: Sea Onion Taxonomy: Urginea maritima Cost: 10Y Street Index: 1.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 6/2 weeks Appearance: A cabbage-sized onion, weighing up to 6 kilos. Leafless, purple flower stalk with a long cluster of whitish or rose covered flowers. The onion is either white or red. Climate: The white variety is found in sandy coastal areas fringing the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, and South Africa. The red is found mostly Algeria and Cyprus. Effects: Both varieties of onion are loaded with chemicals, mostly those which stimulate heart activity. The red variety contains a highly poisonous substance called scilliroside. When ingested, it would be lethal, but the human body vomits it out immediately before it takes effect. It is a lethal rat poison, however, as rats and other rodents are not able to vomit. The red version is much harder to find, as it is not harvested for its other drugs [x5 cost]. >>>[Devil Rats will eat the red Sea Onion like candy, until it kills them. One weird thing, though, is that the outer layers of the onion and the layers close to the heart have no chemicals in them at all. Only the layers in-between are useful.]<<< -- Misha <14:20:31/6-1-54> Name: Sinicuichi Taxonomy: Heimia salicfolia Cost: 250Y/dose Street Index: 2.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 9/4 weeks Appearance: Small, sparsely leafed shrub, with twined green leaves up the stems and 6-petaled, white flowers at mid-stem. Climate: Central America Effects: Picking the leaves from the sinicuichi and letting them wilt, then crushing them in water and fermenting the mixture in the sun will produce a drink with very unique properties when ingested. Most distinctive among these are vivid remembrances of the past (as far at childhood, or even pre-natal memories) and solely auditory hallucinations. These effects are accompanied by a giddy, drowsy euphoria, a darkening of vision, a shrinking of the surrounding world, and altered time/space perception. A single plant can prepare from three to eight doses. Name: Smooth Strophanthus Taxonomy: Stropanthus gratus Cost: 400Y Street Index: 5.0 Legality: 3P-M1 Availability: 10/4 weeks Appearance: Woody, climbing vine, up to 10 meters or more. Uses branches like arms to climb trees rather than tendrils. Glossy evergreen leaves, thick and leathery. Terminal clusters of beautiful, bell-shaped, purple and white flowers resembling begonias, but which smell like roses at night. Climate: Deciduous forests in tropical West Africa Effects: The flowers are used for ornamentation. The plant is the source of the compound ouabain, a powerful, immediate heart stimulator. When this chemical is injected in small quantities, it can save humans from recent heart damage. In larger doses, it is very lethal [7D, immediately]. >>>[This was used as arrow poison by tribes in Africa long before Dr. David Livingstone brought it to European attention.]<<< -- Doctorjack <01:07:57/4-13-54> Name: Fly agaris (Awakened) Taxonomy: Amanita magimuscaria Cost: 1200Y/mushroom Street Index: 4.5 Legality: 5-M1 Availability: 10/3 weeks Appearance: Think musroom with white, thick base and crimson head, with white splotches. Starts as an egg-sized, fluffy ball which appears as if wrapped in white wool. As it grows, it bursts, revealing the red skin. Climate: Siberia, northern India Effects: This mushroom, when properly filtered, provides a user with an intoxication, much like alcohol with an added side effect: an empathy for those around him, especially if those around him are also using the drug. [+2 Charisma, -2 bonus to Charisma, Etiquette and Negotiation target numbers, for 1d3 hours; double this effect towards those also on the drug. Also Quickness -2, Intelligence -2, Willpower -1.] This has earned this mushroom the name ``brotherhood'' on the streets. The proper method of filtration is to pound out the juice, and filter the juice through a wool cloth, then mix it with water, milk, honey or barley water and drink. >>>[This mushroom is the plant which was known as Soma to a group in northwest India circa 1600 B.C. called the Aryans. It is the only plant in the world to have been deified; almost 160 books of hymns were written about Soma. Soma seemed to have vanished from the earth for nearly three millennia, and it was not until 1970 that R. Gordon Wasson connected Soma to the fly agaris. He had to wait until the Awakening for Soma to reach its full effect, though, as it works magically.]<<< -- Arya ben-Yosef <19:23:25/4-5-54> >>>[So that's where Huxley got the nameI.]<<< -- Ivy Tower <10:18:38/5-6-54> >>>[A more arcane filtration (in both senses of he word) is to let rain water soak into the mushroom, then perform an enchantment, and eating the mushroom. If done correctly under moonlight, the resulting effect allows a better communal with spirits [1 extra service from a summoning].]<<< -- Quarrel <01:37:29/5-26-54> >>>[There's yet another filtration, chummers, and it's hanious. First, get some people to consume the stuff made by the first kind of filtration. Then, drink their urine. It's gross, but it works wonders. It works for about five ``generations'' unless one of those is a magician. I did it, chummers, and I'm here ta tell ya, I thought I was talking to God. [Any astral quest undertaken while under this filtration is performed as if it were 2 Rating points lower for the purposes of target numbers and numbers of dice used. Also, any conjuring test is at a -1 T# bonus.]]<<< -- Inga <21:27:57/11-10-54> Name: St. Michael Taxonomy: Angelica magiarchangelica Cost: 500Y Street Index: 2.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 6/4 weeks Appearance: Herb with thick, hollow stems up to 2 meters. Pinnately compound leaves, with toothed leaflets and enlarged sheaths at the base of the leaf stalk. Climate: Temperate steppe in high latitude UCAS Effects: Chewing the root of this Awakened form of angelica can boost the immune system [+1 to resist diseases for 1d6 hours] and has very odd effects on the astral aura for a few hours. Most of these effects are not noticeable, but it does make the user slightly immune to many of the powers which nature spirits can use. [+3 dice to throw off effects, such as alienation, et. al.] This root also increases appetite for its duration [x2]. >>>[This aura fluctuation is not significant, but can confuse low force watchers sent to find you.]<<< -- Quarrel <09:21:19/8-25-54> Name: Strychnine Tree Taxonomy: Strychnos nux-vomica Cost: 50Y/berry Street Index: 2.5 Legality: 6-M1 Availability: 10/2 weeks Appearance: Medium-sized deciduous evergreen, with a thick, crooked trunk. 9cm oval leaves are borne in pairs and deeply veined. Small, loose clusters of greenish flowers at the branch ends, followed by fleshy, orange-red berries 4cm wide. Climate: Tropics and subtropics in southeastern Asia and Australia. Effects: The berries are bitter and very lethal when consumed. Victims of strychnine poisoning suffer violent seizures, sometimes nearly bent in half, without losing consciousness. The face is often distorted into a hideous mask. Death by strychnine can take up to an hour [6D. Make test every ten minutes, subtracting 1 from the power until the power reaches zero or the victim is dead.] Name: Tess' Bloom Taxonomy: Orchidaceae magisupplus Cost: 10Y Street Index: 1.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 3/3 days Appearance: A medium sized member of the orchid family, with white petals with black and green flecks toward the center of the flower. Climate: Tropics, Hawaii Effects: Discovered two years ago by a free spirit called Dion Kimber, this Awakened orchid has rapidly infused the magical community, especially magical security companies, and is grown greenhouses everywhere. Although rather commonplace for an orchid, it possesses a pleasing, brilliant astral aura. It is mainly harvested for its ability to raise the background count in areas in which it prospers. The extraneous astral patterns created by a room full of these plants has been called extremely beautiful, and compared in intensity to that within major cathedrals [Background Count = 4]. Name: Torus Buckthorne Taxonomy: Rhamnus magifrangula Cost: 1,000Y/berry Street Index: 5.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 10/4 weeks Appearance: Deciduous shrub, up to 4 meters tall. Glossy oval green leaves, 2-7cm long. Green to grey bark. Small greenish white flowers grow in small clusters at the leaf joints from May to June. Most distinctive are the pea-sized berries which are torus (doughnut) shaped, the only berries ever found that exhibit such a shape. The berries turn from green to red to black. Climate: Eurasia, North Africa, northeast UCAS, Quebec Effects: This plant is the Awakened form of Alder Buckthorn. Eating the berries will, within minutes, make the user more resistant to magical forces. [One berry will give an extra die of magical defense to mundanes and magicians alike, but only for themselves, it cannot be extended to another. Eating berries is cumulative, but only to a number of extra dice equal to one-half Essence (round up). The magic resistance will last for 1d6 hours.] >>>[Only the red berries will help. You can tell if the berries will work by looking astrally into the empty center. If the berry is effective, the hole will be filled with astral energy.]<<< -- Quarrel <02:35:18/5-12-54> Name: Vambane Taxonomy: Allium magisativum Cost: 300Y/bulb Street Index: 1.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 5/2 weeks Appearance: With its white bulb, composed of small cloves, and pungent odor, this plant is completely indistinguishable from garlic. Climate: Pastures, open woods. Eastern North America Effects: This Awakened form of garlic provide the basis for the legend that garlic would repel vampires. Vambane reacts strongly with humans and metahumans infected with HMHVV, irritating mucous membranes and irritating skin. Even the odor can cause such effects, although to a much more minor extent. >>>[I don't think this always works. I've only seen it twice, once it worked, once it didn't.]<<< -- Torment <14:45:27/5-28-54> >>>[Could be that it isn't always effective, but I think it more likely that you got slotted by your Talismonger. There is absolutely no way you can tell vambane from normal garlic. None. Not even astrally.<<< -- Misha <07:05:20/7-16-54> >>>[Hmm. My experience was that the reason this stuff works is that it is a powerful psychological deterrent. Nothing happens immediately after exposure, but after about a day, an HMHVV carrier's lungs start burning, itching skin, watering eyes, etc. None of this is damaging, but can very very distracting because nothing helps the irritation and it lasts for months. So, the next time the vamp smells the stuff, he runs like hell, if he's smart.]<<< -- Vanth <06:03:45/8-1-54> Name: Underdog Taxonomy: Apocynum magicannabinum Cost: 500Y Street Index: 3.0 Legality: Legal Availability: 3/5 weeks Appearance: Branching stems, 1-2 meters tall, with oval to lance- shaped leaves in opposite pair. Inconspicuous green-white flowers and 18cm slender pods, containing silky, tufted seeds. All parts of the plant produce a bitter, milky sap. Climate: Thickets and fields in Temperate UCAS, often around hemp dogbane plants. Effects: An Awakened form of hemp dogbane, the sap of this plant, when mixed with alcohol, forms a poison lethal to paranormal dog- forms, like the bargeist and hellhound [8D, Instant]. A single plant can yield up to 10 doses of this drug. __FAUNA__ A few animals are worth mentioning. You're on your own in terms of how you get these damn things. Numbers here are nearly meaningless, but can give a rough idea. Conditions and location will alter the price, legality, street cost, and availability of these animals. Name: Cyrano Taxonomy: Nasus magitrilleanus Cost: 1,500Y Street Index: 3.0 Legality: 6-M1 Availability: 14/3 weeks Appearance: A very small (3mm thick, 1 cm long) invertebrate earthworm-looking parasite. Skin color changes monthly, but is always consistent, usually bright pastel colors. Climate: Jungle Effects: These small parasites are becoming very popular in big cities. When placed in one nostril, these worms slither up the sinuses and hook into the hosts bloodstream. After brief but severe pain, the cyrano drinks the blood of the host, replacing it with a fluid from its own body. This fluid provides a constant, dulling euphoria in its host [-2 Intelligence, -1 Willpower, -4 Reaction, as Level 1 damage compensator]. This effect lasts until the parasite is removed. Even after very short exposure, the parasite's fluid is very addictive [Addiction: 8p after removal (+1 for every two months of life with the parasite]. An addict is fine as long as a parasite lives within him. Without it, he will die within weeks [-1 Willpower per week, resist with Body(8)]. >>>[Jesus. Is that a worm in your nose, or are you just glad to see me?]<<< -- Punnisher <08:13:27/2-9-54> >>>[This worm alters the users aura, pretty significantly. It is easy to spot if someone using one of these things, but even if you are familiar with the persons aura from before, it becomes unrecognizable, though it is obvious that the person is under the influence of the worm.]<<< -- Quarrel <15:01:30/5-19-54> >>>[Each time the worm changes color, it causes about an hour of extreme pain. Once done, the user's aura (as well as the worm's) has mutated. This can be useful if people have a habit of tracking you by aura, but it is rarely worth it.]<<< -- El Majid <14:11:46/10-17-54> Name: Gin toad Taxonomy: Bufo mexicalus Cost: 500Y Street Index: 1.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 8/1 week Appearance: A small brownish green toad, with very slick skin short jumping legs. Climate: Central America Effects: The oil on the skin of this toad is a hallucinogen, especially when mixed with alcohol. Seattle clubs are beginning to serve this in back rooms. You get a martini and a toad in a cage, you let the toad swim for a while, take it out and drink. This often kills the toad, but not always. The hallucinations are solely visual, and are not very powerful. [-1 Quickness, -2 perception, for 1d2 hours.] Name: Marine toad Taxonomy: Bufo marinus Cost: 1500Y Street Index: 2.5 Legality: Legal Availability: 8/1 week Appearance: These are large brownish toads with slightly oily, slick skin, and a pale bump (a poison gland) behind each eye. Climate: Central America Effects: The oil of the skin of these animals is a poisonous hallucinogen. Pinching the poisons glands can cause a powerful neurotoxin to shoot out. When this toxin makes contact with mucous membranes, death usually results [at the end of the combat turn, 6D]. Licking the toad's skin, in moderation, is mostly safe, and yields a hallucinatory experience on par with LSD.