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Drugs on Mystara

by Cab Davidson

Fly Agaric

This familiar mushroom (white stem, red cap with white spots), as well as being lethally poisonous can also be (in controlled doses) a potent hallucinogen. In the Northern Reaches, Qeodhar and Southern Norwold there is a long tradition of priests and shamans using this mushroom to foretell the future, with only a minimal death rate due to its use.

The utilisation of this drug really comes into its own in the Broken Lands. Foraying groups of bugbears have been known to head as far as Canolbarth to pick this mushroom in vast quantities. It's picked, sliced, dried, and ingested shortly before battle.

Commencing one hour after ingestion, and continuing for 3d6 turns, any human, demi-human or humanoid under the influence of this drug will effectively have the 'fighting frenzy' skill (see Orcs of Thar: briefly, the character will continue fighting after reduction to zero hit points, until reaching a negative value equal or less than his or her constitution score).

Any humanoid already with this skill will continue fighting until such a point as they take twice as much damage as that below zero hit points.

Example: a bugbear with a constitution score of 15, fighting frenzy skill and under the influence of fly agaric will, if a skill check is made, continue fighting until reaching -30 hit points, at which point the dismembered remains will slump to the floor.

Coca Leaves

Known to the Azcan and Oltec peoples of the Hollow World, the leaves of this narcotic plant are typically chewed for the startling effect they have of relieving fatigue and coping with high altitutdes. Regrettably, while this plant has allowed many a party of weary travellers to cope with mountain passes that might otherwise kill them, regular use can lead to addiction (DM's discretion).

The use of coca (normally chewed with a little lime) can relieve the symptoms of ordinary fatigue for 1d6 hours; after that, further use can extend activity for 1d4 hours. Such extended use leads to chronic fatigue afterwards, with complete rest needed for twice as many hours as the extended 1d4 roll indicated.