Herb Lore

Herb information will consist of a mixture of generic and system specific information. All herbs have a potency rating which is a system independent guide to how potent it is - will use the potency tables in 'Deadly Doses: A Writers Guide'. On a scale from 1 to 6, where 1 is pretty ineffective and 6 is highly toxic.

The term herb is used to describe all manor of chemicals. They can be harmful or beneficial. Some are hallucigenic. Not sure how yet to deal with potency/resistence and healing herbs.

Also need to look at addictive herbs at some point as well.

The statistics given for each type of herb assumes the dose suggested above. More or less can increase the effectiveness. Sometimes, too much can have the opposite effect, especially if the host's body rejects it too quickly for it to have an effect.

Potency also assumes the prepared form. Preparation will be listed in the description.

The method of administring a poison is normally one of ingestion, inhalation, injection or contact. Contact poisons will work normally if injected or ingested. Other types will probably not work on contact (though will have a reduced effect if they do) and may or may not work if administered by another means.

Need notes on how to prepare a herb, how difficult it is to find and where it is found. All of this can be kept generic, though may need system dependent notes on how to interpret it (e.g. 'Easy' in Ars Magica might mean difficulty 6, in Yags it would be 15).

See Herb Lore for a discussion of how poison rules work in Yags.

The following XML example gives a description of Aconite, also known as Wolfbane.

<herb name="Aconite">
    <description>
        <aka>Wolfbane</aka>
        <aka>Monk's Hood</aka>
 
        <frequency region="Europe">Common</frequency>
        <preparation time="Minutes">Easy</preparation>
 
        <!-- Poison, Hallucigen, Soporforic, Remedial -->
        <type>Poison</type>
 
        <use>Protects from werewolves</use>
        <use>Mild poison<use>
 
        <short>A purplish blue flower used to poison wolves.</short>
 
        <potency>6</potency>
        <method>Contact</method>
    </description>
 
    <statistics xmlns="http://yagsbook.sourceforge.net/xml/yags">
        <method usage="Ingested">
            <strength>45</strength>
            <onset>Immediate</onset>
            <time>5 minutes</time>
            <reduction>5</reduction>
 
            <effects>
                <effect>Numbness</effect>
                <effect>Nausea</effect>
                <effect>Paralysis</effect>
                <effect>Death</effect>
            </effects>
        </method>
    </statistics>
 
    <statistics xmlns="http://yagsbook.sourceforge.net/xml/d20">
        <target>14</target>
        <primary>1d6 hp</primary>
        <seconday>1d4 Dexterity</secondary>
    </statistics>
</herb>