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View Full Version : Have No Fear... I brought the Belladonna!


Labrat
Sep 3rd, '05, 08:28 PM
In just about every fantasy game I've seen (and FH being no exception) there has always been the option for purchasing some herbs and plants along with your swords, shields, backpacks and flint-n-steel. Now, if you really do your homework you can see that most of them listed (belladonna, garlic, holly, mistletoe and wolvesbane) have some mystical and/or warding properties to help the road-bound adventurer avoid supernatural troubles. But what about the medicinal properties? Has anyone considered using these herbs and plants (in a very loose manner) to do the following (all listed in FH p147):

Belladonna: AKA Deadly Nightshade, Tobacco; Belladonna Oral is used to treat the following:Increased Production of Saliva, Stomach Ulcer, Ulcer from Stomach Acid, Irritable Colon, Bedwetting (giggle giggle... Ator, I hope that was your waterskin that just broke...). Belladonna Oral may also be used to treat Pain During Periods (resist jokes here... resist jokes here!).

Garlic: Garlic has been used for the hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), high cholesterol (blood lipids), circulation problems (peripheral vascular disease) and the common cold (upper respiratory tract infections).

Holly: Diuretic: For their diuretic properties; Febrifuge: This same decoction has febrifuge properties so it is used to eliminate fever in processes like flu, intermittent fevers, bronchitis, etc.) ; Purge: To clean the bowels; Tranquilizer: The infusions of this plant exercise a tranquilizing function and they have been used in cases of hysteria and epilepsy.

Mistletoe: It diminishes high blood pressure and regulates the heart beat. Anti-epileptic; Anti-rheumatic

Wolfsbane: AKA Aconite; a cardiac and respiratory sedative.

So, next time you set out to track down and kill the Necromancer-of-the-week, grab some garlic and wolfsbane not only to ward off the vampires and werewolves, but as a way to thwart his Heart-Exploding Spell of Doom as well!

This PSA has been brought to you by a shameless lack of better things to do on a Saturday night once the kids are put to bed...

REFS: http://www.webmd.com; http://www.botanical-online.com; etc. Google it or use www.dictionary.com as well. Please consult your local chirurgeon or druid before self-administration... except for garlic, eat the heck out of that stuff.

Wilfred_Death
Sep 3rd, '05, 11:19 PM
Yeh, I've used herbs that way, typically if it's a setting where Paramedics defined as Herbalism is used.
Players may say " I use my herbs " to do 'Blah'
If they bring their 'Herbal' or search through one of mine, they say something like "I prepare a Tisane of Comfrey to help with the bruising"
I don't bother to make up 'special powers' for the individual herbs though, so it's not compulsory to have a 'herbal'. It just adds more colour.

Labrat
Sep 4th, '05, 05:38 AM
I agree, there's a fine line between 'livening up the story with realism' and 'realism overkill'. It's a rare and wonderful thing to play with people who appreciate the detail and respect that fine line. :thumbup: