Let me tell you right now that poisons are no laughing matter in reality: Most will kill you and antidotes aren't really forthcoming. Thankfully, you're only gaming, so you can create some nifty antidotes to poisonous plant substances, but things look grim for my example characters below.

This article is using the standard medieval (Sword and Sorcery) level of emergency care. Obviously you can have poisonings similar to this in any other era. Modern medicine supplies stomach pumps and intravenous injections of all sorts of good antidotes to help repair the damage. However, if I wrote there is no antidote available that means there is none, regardless of technology level.

A large portion of plants now considered toxic and unhealthy were used voraciously in earlier times as medicines. Others were used in ritual and magic. Running out of room for this article, I realized that I'll have to re-introduce some of the cooler gamer-related stuff in a later article. No problem--anything to keep readers reading.

Healing Spells: In some cases, healing spells may be the only chance for the poor victim but it is the GM's discretion as to how many will be required. Doing a healing spell right off the bat may reduce the damage of the poison, but not remove all the poison from the character's body, allowing further damage. If you tend to believe the magic removes the poison, there is a chance that the poison caused long-term damage, such as hemorrhaging or kidney failure, that the healer must heal later on (or soon!). Consider that the healer also has to recognize that the character has been poisoned--many poisons have a period of time between ingestion and the onset of symptoms, by which point damage has already occurred. Some GMs may feel the healer may need to know what plant was ingested. The quicker the character is attended to, the less damage likely to occur. In cases of intentional poisoning, however, it may take a miracle.

Antidotes: Just because there're very few miracle real antidotes out there doesn't mean you can't make up your own in your realm. Maybe only the elves have the antidote; maybe the antidote is sap from the Crystal Tree of Askilar or something. This will help you drive your campaign even further and that’s always helpful.

For Ease of Poisoning: If you are just looking for a fast list of poison plants in case the characters were foraging and picked up something nasty, estimate that half of the poisonous plants out there will not need intervention. Out of the 50% poisons that require some sort of intervention, half will be survivable with mundane treatment of symptoms, and a quarter will require some sort of long-term treatment.

So your charts (on a d10) for this theory:

1–5: Nonfatal dose
5–10: Potentially Fatal dose

Non-Fatal:

1: Burning Sensation
2: Burning sensation with swelling of facial features
3: Burning sensation with swelling and ulceration
4: Burning sensation with severe swelling and difficulty swallowing
5: Acute inflammation accompanied by blistering and swelling of injured tissues. Hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty with speech develop (will require some intervention)
6: Nausea
7: Nausea and diarrhea
8: Nausea and vomiting
9: Nausea and vomiting with cramps and diarrhea
10: Constant vomiting and/or firehose-from-the sphincter diarrhea for a few hours (may require some intervention)

Potentially Fatal Plants:

1: Affecting nervous system, causing injurious convulsions
2: Affecting respiratory system, causing blueness
3: Affecting circulation, causing gangrene
4: Affecting nervous system, causing paralysis
5: Affecting Digestive tract, causing internal hemorrhaging
6: Affecting kidneys and liver, causing pain, bleeding, coma
7: Affecting throat, causing breathing to stop
8: Affecting brain, causing stroke
9: Affecting heart muscle directly, causing heart attack
10: Affecting respiratory system, causing paralysis of lungs

Below are examples of the harshest plants people can come across. These are not recommended for PC consumption, as it will suck mightily. However, they are useful as plot points for the various NPCs that the characters may across and need to help.

Those with medicinal uses can be found in urban locales and accidental poisonings by apothecaries and intentional poisonings by disgruntled murderers. Those without medical uses will more likely be found inadvertently in the wilderness or in premeditated assassinations. If anyone wants a picture of any of these plants or more info, you can contact me via PM on RPGnet by contacting "Jennifer."

Temperate and Northward

Wolfsbane, Monkshood

Where: Shaded moist soils.

Health: Used for nerve-related pain and as antifever, antiviral, and antitumor treatment.

Poison: Can be ingested or absorbed through skin. First signs appear almost immediately: tingling, burning sensation of lips, tongue, mouth, face, throat followed by numbness and feeling of constriction in throat, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision with possible yellow-green effects, tinnitus, prickling of skin, dimness of vision, low blood pressure, slow and weak pulse, chest pain, giddiness, sweating, and convulsions. Anesthesia gradually spreads over entire body, with subnormal temperatures and pronounced feeling of cold. At the end, severe pain occurs, associated with the paralysis of the facial muscles. Breathing is at first rapid, next slow, and then there is respiratory arrest. Slow paralysis of heart muscle causes death. Consciousness often continues until the end. Symptoms start rapidly, death occurs in ten minutes to a few hours.

Cure: There is no specific antidote. Artificial breathing can help; arrhythmias managed as needed, usually with cardiac stimulants. If less than a fatal amount is eaten, recovery occurs in 24 hours and is total.

Chance of Survival by Character: If a fatal amount is eaten: slim; +2 to difficulty of healing spells.

Baneberry

Found: Throughout north temperate zone in moist soils in partial to full shade.

Medicinal: Antispasmodic when mixed w/alum.

Poison: Berries and roots considered most poisonous. Can be confused for blueberries. The juice has direct irritant and burning action on skin and mucous membranes. A small dose is enough to induce burning in the stomach, dizziness, and increased pulse. Upon ingestion of a swallow, there is intense pain and inflammation of mouth, tongue, and throat, often with blistering and ulceration. Saliva increases profusely. Increased amount leads to nausea, bloody emesis, and diarrhea, severe abdominal cramping, convulsions, and shock, as well as dizziness, confusion, and convulsions. Death caused by loss of fluids of body, causing kidney failure. Renal damage symptoms include frequent, painful and possibly bloody urination, followed by a reduction or absence of urination. Reaction time is several hours to days. Forty-eight hours is average, but symptoms can start as early as thirty minutes.

Cure: The irritant effect usually limits the amount ingested. If there is evidence that a substantial quantity was swallowed, the stomach should be emptied, and demulcents like egg white or milk should be introduced. Replace fluids.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim; +2 to difficulty of healing spells, plus the character must roll again for kidney shutdown after 12 hours from last healing. Second healing spell has added difficulty of +1.

Cockle

Found: Found in wheat fields.

Poison: Whole plant poisonous, seeds even more so, especially if accidentally ground up with cereal. Causes rawness of throat, nausea, acute gastroenteritis, fever, giddiness, headache, delirium, severe stomach pain, weakness, slow breathing, sharp pain in spine, coma, and death from respiratory arrest. Onset occurs within a half hour to an hour after ingestion.

Cure: Empty stomach and treat symptoms.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim. +2 difficulty against healing spells.

Deathcap, Fool’s Mushroom, Death Angel

Found: Temperate to northern forests

Poison: Two main poisons: one is slow-acting and produces hypoglycemia and is responsible for the major symptoms; the other acts quickly and produces degenerative changes in kidney, liver, and cardiac muscles. Usually the symptoms show 6 to 15 hours after ingestion, but sometimes take as long as 48 hours--the longer the delay, the deadlier the result, because the liver is attacked immediately. First physical symptoms are usually nausea, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. After an early feeling of discomfort, there is a sudden onset of extreme stomach pains, violent vomiting, intense thirst, and cyanosis (blueness) of the extremities. If the liver is damaged, jaundice occurs. The sufferer remains conscious almost to the end, with brief periods of unconsciousness before lapsing into a final coma and dying. Because of severe dehydration, potassium levels usually cause cardiac arrest. Death may occur on fourth or seventh day, or recovery may take up to two weeks.

Cure: No known antidotes. First recourse is to empty the stomach.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim. Most of today's victims recover only after a liver transplant; therefore a character with healing will have to make multiple rolls to fix all the internal damage, one at the discovery of the poisoning to prevent further damage, one for each of the two poisons, and one to repair the liver, all at +2 difficulty.

Fly Agaric; Deadly Amanita and Panther Mushrooms

Found: Northern woods

Poison: Symptoms occur within a half-hour to three hours after ingestion. Two poisons lower blood pressure, slow pulse, cause stomach upset, light-headedness, and cause profuse water loss from tears, saliva, sweat, and diarrhea. Another two poisons cause dizziness, convulsions, delusions, violent headaches, blurred vision, muscle cramps, staggering, and coma. Effects can also include a sense of flying, visions, mood swings, and deep sleep. Respiratory failure and death may occur but only if a large amount has been ingested and medical attention not sought. The fly agaric also causes copious mucus in throat and closing of the throat. This may subside in 24 hours unless victim ate a large amount or was previously ill, in which case it could prove deadly.

Cure: Empty the stomach. Cardio-stabilizers often used. Symptoms may subside in 6 to 24 hours. Death reported in several victims with concurrent diseases or who ate in abundance.

Chance of Survival by Character: Fair to good. A character with healing spells will have to make a roll for each type of the four poisons affecting the victim with a +2 difficulty. The hallucinations may be used as a plot point, however.

Belladonna, Deadly Nightshade

Found: Shade, alkaline/chalky soils in woods and wastelands.

Medicinal: Used as an anesthetic during ancient surgery. Dilates eye pupils and once used by Italian women to look seductive. Leaf plaster applied as effective painkiller. Antispasmodic for respiratory problems, rheumatic and muscular pains.

Poison: Dilated pupils; blurred/impaired vision; increased heart rate; hot, dry, red skin; dry mouth with difficulty swallowing/speaking; disorientation; hallucinations (more common in children); aggressive behavior; rapid pulse and respiration; urinary retention; fever, convulsions; coma; death. People w/glaucoma will get irreversible blindness. Reaction time is several hours to several days.

Cure: Induce vomiting. If severity of toxicity warrants intervention (hyperthermia, delirium), treat each symptom as it comes.

Chance of Survival by Character: Fair to good. A character with healing spells will have to roll for two poisons affecting the victim with a +1 difficulty. The hallucinations may be used as a plot point, however.

Water Hemlock

Found: Throughout temperate to alpine and tundra.

Poison: Restlessness and feelings of anxiety, pain in stomach, nausea, salivation, violent emesis, diarrhea, dilated pupils, labored breathing, sometimes frothing at mouth, weak and rapid pulse, violent convulsions terminated by death. Respiratory failure causes death. Takes 15 minutes to 1 hour from ingestion to die. Death may occur before medical attention is available.

Cure: Vomiting necessary to get rid of poison. Antispasmodics for convulsions. Assist respiration. Once convulsions occur or are imminent, do not continue vomiting.

Chance of Survival by Character: Real slim without magic assistance. Magic healing will need to be given within 15 minutes at a +1 difficulty; otherwise it'll take a +3 difficulty. If vomiting was induced immediately, that +3 difficulty becomes a +2. If the healing character is late to the scene by a half-hour, divine intervention may be necessary.

Ergot

Found: Parasitic on cereals and grasses worldwide.

Medicinal: Given by midwives in medieval times to stimulate contractions during childbirth. LSD first isolated from Ergot.

Poison: Nausea, vomiting, severe headache, numbness, pulmonary infiltration, coma, respiratory or cardiac arrest, death. Coldness of extremities and tingling pain in chest caused by contraction of blood vessels. Ingestion of drug tends to cause painful convulsions and contractions of muscles that cause permanent damage to central nervous system. Psychosis (including violent mood swings) can occur. Gangrene of fingers and toes result when poisoning occurs over several days. Reaction time is several days to weeks; poisoning through ergot can be cumulative.

Cure: Use antispasmodics. Empty stomach and use plant charcoal.

Chance of Survival by Character: Fair. Death is rare but can still cause permanent damage. A character with healing spells will have to roll twice with a +1 difficulty. The hallucinations may be used as a plot point, however.

Autumn Crocus (not saffron crocus)

Medicinal: Corm (bulb), seeds relieve pain and inflammation of gout in small amount.

Poison: Goats are immune and milk can have poison. On ingestion, there is immediate burning pain in mouth and throat with intense thirst followed by nausea and emesis. Difficulty swallowing, abdominal colic and severe, profuse, persistent, bloody diarrhea develop. There is extensive loss of fluid that may lead to shock. Cardiovascular collapse, delirium, sensory disturbances, convulsions, muscle weakness, and respiratory failure. Sudden death may occur after injection of a small amount. In chronic poisoning, hair starts to fall out in 10 to14 days. Fatalities occur in 50% of those poisoned. Reaction time is 2 to 6 hours. Death may take up to 2 to 3 days to occur. Patient is fully conscious until end.

Cure: Induce vomiting; use plant charcoal. Intoxication has prolonged course due to slow excretion of poison. Fluid replacement required. Analgesics, hypotensives, and atropine may help alleviate cramps and diarrhea. Chance of Survival by Character: Slim; +2 to difficulty of healing spells, plus the character must roll again for secondary symptoms. Injection requires +4 difficulty to heal or divine intervention.

Poison Hemlock

Found: Damp habitats, open woodland, scrub

Medicinal: Sedative, pain-killing, eases spasms. Whole plant smells of mouse urine.

Poison: Usually causes rapid onset of irritation of mucous membranes of mouth and throat with salivation, nausea, and vomiting. Gradual weakening of muscle power, pulse is rapid and weak, pain in muscles as they deteriorate and die. Sight often lost, but mind remains clear. Abdominal pain is usually minimal and diarrhea not typical. Headache, dilated pupils, thirst, sweating, dizziness may occur. Death from paralysis of lungs. Does not cause convulsions. First symptoms start in half-hour; but it takes several hours for death. Quail are immune and eat seeds; the flesh of one quail can paralyze a man.

Cure: Vomiting works only if done immediately after ingestion. Plant charcoal given orally as soon as emesis ceases. Treat other symptoms. Despite apparent severity of these intoxications, mortality is low; only deliberate poisonings cause death.

Chance of Survival by Character: Fair; +1 to difficulty of healing spells, plus the character must roll again for tissue damage.

Lily-of-the-Valley

Found: Deciduous woodland, meadows.

Medicinal: Cardiotonic. Flowers and roots work like Digitalis, but less toxic. Reduces fluid retention from heart. Plant believed to treat gout, "comfort heart," and restore speech and memory (inhaling snuff of roots and flowers clears head).

Poison: Hot flushes, tense irritability, headache, hallucinations, red skin patches, cold clammy skin, dilated pupils, pain in oral cavity, nausea, emesis, stomach pain, cramping, diarrhea, excessive salivation. Toxicity usually expressed as rapid weak heartbeat, but slowed heartbeat sometimes leading to coma and death from heart failure. Reaction time immediate. Toxicity has variable latent period depending on quantity ingested

Cure: Induce vomiting. Provide plant charcoal and repeat later. Cardiac depressants can be used to control cardiac rhythm.

Chance of Survival by Character: Fair; +2 to difficulty of healing spells, plus the character must roll again later for heart.

Cort, Cortinarious (Mushroom) and Galerina Mushrooms

Found: Northern regions

Poison: Acts silently on liver and kidneys. Can take anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks to show symptoms; by then the liver and kidney are so damaged little that can be done. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, jaundice, urinary retention, blood-tinged urine, weakness, convulsions, coma, and eventual death.

Cure: None known. If vomiting occurs immediately after ingestion, can sometimes expel the poison, but most won't know they're poisoned until it's too late.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim. Today's victims recover only after a liver and kidney transplant; therefore a character poisoned with cort will most likely die. Healer must make multiple rolls to fix all the internal damage, one at the discovery of the poisoning to prevent further damage, one to repair the liver, and two to repair the kidneys, all at +3 difficulty.

Jimson Weed, Datura

Found: Temperate to warmer regions.

Medicinal: Leaves relieve asthmatic spasms, excessive salivation; flowers anesthetic. Aid nervous disorders and numbness, Applied externally to ease rheumatism.

Poison: Whole plant toxic, including nectar; however, seeds are most often implicated in accidental poisoning. Both seeds and dried leaves are used to deliberately induce intoxications when a delirium is sought.

Poison: Headache, vertigo, extreme thirst, dry burning sensation of skin, dilated pupils, blurred vision, loss of sight, involuntary motion, mania, delirium, drowsiness, weak pulse, convulsions, and coma ending in death. Less frequently encountered are elevated temp (common in young children), decreased bowel sounds, elevated blood pressure, urinary retention. Reaction time is several hours.

Cure: Treatment is symptomatic. Sedatives are effective for convulsions.

Chance of Survival by Character: Fair. Death is rare but can still occur. A character with healing spells will have to roll twice with a +1 difficulty. The hallucinations or delirium with amnesia may be used as a plot point, however.

Foxglove, Digitalis

Medicinal: Leaves increase strength of heart contraction and regulate heartbeat.

Poison: Pain in oral cavity, headache, nausea, emesis, abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, blurred vision, delirium, slow or irregular pulse, aberrant color vision, and death usually from heart attack. Increasing the force of the heart’s contractions, in excess it irritates heart and stimulates central nervous system. Reaction time takes 20-30 minutes.

Cure: Induce vomiting. Plant charcoal may be given repeatedly later. Fruit juices to avoid cardiac arrest. Conduction defects may require use of belladonna.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim. A character with healing spells will have to roll twice with a +2 difficulty. Other races may be immune to effects or have antidote.

Yellow Jasmine

Found: Woodlands

Poison: Extreme weakness, frontal headache, tremors, giddiness, visual disturbances, dry skin and mouth with a falling of jaw. Low body temperature, labored breathing, anxiety states, convulsions and extensor spasms of the extremities, general rigidity, and death. In death, face takes on masklike expression; pupils completely dilated and fixed. At high doses, death occurs within 10 minutes; at low doses in several hours.

Cure: Induce vomiting, use plant charcoal, administer fluids, respiratory support.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim. Works fast and kills even at low doses. A character with healing spells will have to roll twice with a +3 difficulty.

Henbane

Found: Mostly waste areas or sandy prairies from temperate into the north.

Medicinal: Digestive, urinary tract and asthmatic spasms. Leaves ease pain, reduce muscular spasm, and induce deep healing sleep.

Poison: Intoxication causes dry mouth with difficulty swallowing or speaking, tachycardia, dry skin, elevated body temperature, and possible rash. Causes dilated pupils, blurred vision, excitement, delirium, headache, and confusion. Hallucinations more common in smaller races.

Cure: Treatment of symptoms as they occur. Chance of Survival by Character: Fair. Death is rare. A character with healing spells will have to roll once with a +1 difficulty. The delirium may be used as a plot point.

Inocybe (Mushroom with torn/scaly fiber head)

Found: Abundant under conifers, especially white pines and in pine plantations, these mushrooms occasionally are found in hardwood forests.

Poison: Sometimes as quickly as one hour after ingestion. Symptoms begin with profuse sweating, salivation, stupor, rapid loss of consciousness. Face takes on blue hue, and lips swell and become redder as blood vessels dilate. Muscles become flaccid, though from time to time twitching of the extremities will be noted. Reflexes barely noticeable and pulse becomes difficult to find. Cardiac arrest occurs in only 4% of victims, as medical attention is usually reached soon enough.

Cure: It is possible to induce vomiting quickly and recover shortly after. Belladonna is antidote to mushroom poisoning.

Chance of Survival by Character: Fair; +2 to difficulty of healing spells, plus the healer must roll again later for liver at zero modifier.

Savin, Savin Oil

Found: Grows everywhere from Tundra to Desert.

Medicinal: Savin oil used to combat overdose of cardiac poisons like digitalis. In small doses enhances water loss and encourages menstruation to start. Once used for abortions—usually killed mother.

Poison: At high doses, it causes convulsions. On skin, oil causes blisters and sometimes decay. When swallowed, irritant causes gastroenteritis with hemorrhages and vomiting of greenish masses with etherlike odor. Frequent, bloody urinations, followed by an absence of urination occur, as well as a convulsive coma and acute kidney problems. Death from respiratory arrest in ten hours to several days.

Cure: Milk given to allay gastric irritation and then induce vomiting to remove material. Fluids encouraged, as long as kidney function is normal. Other symptoms as they occur.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim; +2 to difficulty of healing spells, plus the healer must roll four times: once for the poison and three times for the hemorrhaging, the coma, and the kidneys.

Mountain Laurel

Found: Temperate to northern climes

Medicinal: Powdered leaves used for skin diseases. Internally sedative and astringent.

Poison: Transient burning in the mouth develops after ingestion. After several hours, increased salivation, severe gastric distress, emesis, diarrhea, and prickling sensation of skin occur. The patient may complain of watery eyes, nose and mouth, headache, muscular weakness, dimness of vision. Breathing becomes difficult, heartbeat slows, followed by severe hypotension. Kidney failure can occur. Depression, convulsions, and paralysis follow. Coma and death come as quickly as 12 hours. Symptoms usually start in 6 hours, but can take several hours or days for death to occur.

Cure: Whiskey considered the best antidote to poisoning of this plant. Induce vomiting; fluid replacement required, respiratory support if needed. Belladonna for heart. Recovery complete within 24 hours if patient survives. Chance of Survival by Character: Slim; +1 to difficulty of healing spells, and the healer must roll twice: once for the poison and once for the internal damage.

Privet; Shrub

Found: Chaparrals. Hedge plant surrounding gardens and estates elsewhere.

Medicinal: Flowers yield mild perfume, oil infusion reduces wind/sunburn.

Poison: Can cause severe skin rashes. Most cases of poisoning come from eating ripe berries. Severe gastroenteritis, frequent vomiting, watery stools, abdominal colic, collapse, kidney damage, and fall of blood pressure all culminate in death. Gastroenteritis may persist for 48 to 72 hours. Lethal dose can cause death in 2 hours.

Cure: Induce vomiting and treat symptoms. Fluids should be replaced to prevent dehydration.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim to fair, depending on dose; in cases of survivable poisoning, +1 difficulty to heal and a second roll with no modifier to fix kidney damage. For lethal doses, +2 to difficulty of healing spells, and the healer must roll three times: once for the poison and twice for the internal damage.

Cardinal Flower

Found: Wastelands along stream beds. Prefers acid soil.

Medicinal: Expectorant, stimulant, antispasmodic, emetic.

Poison: Nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, prostration, dilation of pupils, stupor, coma, convulsion, death. Convulsions lead to respiratory failure. Reaction time one to several hours.

Cure: Induce vomiting; assist respiration as needed. Give anticonvulsants and belladonna as needed.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim; +2 to difficulty of healing spells.

Mandrake

Medicinal: One of oldest narcotics. Root sedative for depression, anxiety, insomnia, anesthetic for surgery, w/leaves used externally for pain relief. Both root/leaf tea produce initial excitement, then torpor. Hallucinatory effect.

Poison: Primary symptoms are severe diarrhea with vomiting, insensitivity, heavy sedation, coma, and death. Atropine tends to reduce secretions, decrease gastric juices, and shut down intestines. Also causes pupil dilation and slowed heart rate. Takes a few minutes to a half-hour.

Cure: Induce vomiting and treat symptoms.

Chance of Survival by Character: Fair in cases of accidental poisoning. Slim in cases of murder. A character with healing spells will have to roll with a +1 difficulty. The hallucinations may be used as a plot point.

Mayapple

Found: Moist woodlands

Medicinal: Laxative, hepatic tonic, antibilious, cathartic, hydragogue, stimulant, external counter-irritant. Moderate doses: drastic purgative w/some cholagogue action.

Poison: Ingestion of plant parts or extracts (other than fruit) causes severe gastroenteritis, headache, giddiness, emesis, catharsis, and collapse. Ingestion of large quantities or repeated topical application of the resin has produced fatalities characterized by coma; depression of deep tendon reflexes; renal failure; and blood abnormalities. Poison especially potent when combined with alcohol. Death can occur within 14 hours.

Cure: Fluids and anti-vomiting drugs indicated. Blood transfusion may be necessary. There is no other specific therapy.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim when large quantity is consumed or moderate amount is taken with alcohol; +2 to difficulty of healing spells, plus the character must roll again for kidney shutdown after 12 hours from last healing. Second healing spell has added difficulty of +2.

Castor Oil Plant; Castor Bean

Found: Temperate near oceans and on subtropical islands.

Medicinal: Oil used as laxative, purgative after poisoning, ointment for inflamed eyes.

Poison: Burning in mouth, nausea, vomiting, cramps, drowsiness, cyanosis, stupor, circulatory collapse, blood in urine, convulsions, coma, and death. Toxic agent causes a breaking up of red blood cells even at extreme dilution, severe hemorrhaging results. Induces labor in pregnant women, Apparent begins only after latent period of several hours or days. Death may occur up to twelve days after ingestion. First symptoms take anywhere from two hours to two days. Other effects secondary to massive fluid loss and intestinal dysfunction. Ingestion of 2-6 seeds of this extremely toxic plant may be fatal

Cure: Empty stomach. Demulcents to protect stomach. Replace fluids.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim. +2 to difficulty of healing spells, plus the character must roll again for hemorrhaging and for loss of fluids, both at +2 difficulty.

Elderberry

Found: Everywhere

Poison: Injudicious consumption of raw berries usually have laxative effect that does not require medical attention. Leaves, roots, bark, immature berries are poisonous and cause dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, gastroenteritis, respiratory difficulty, convulsions, tachycardia, and possible death. Reaction time in several hours.

Cure: Treatment of symptoms as they occur.

Chance of Survival by Character: Fair. Death is rare. A character with healing spells will have to roll once with a +1 difficulty.

Tansy

Found: Throughout

Medicinal: "Oil of tansy" used to kill intestinal worms, induce abortion, encourage menstruation. Humans often poisoned by taken overdose of oil or tea from leaves.

Poison: Convulsions, frothing at mouth, violent spasms, dilated pupils, quick and feeble pulse, kidney problems, and death. Dermatitis caused by touching plant. Reaction time is several hours.

Cure: Induce vomiting and treat symptoms.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim to fair, +1 difficulty to heal and a second roll with no modifier to fix kidney damage.

Yew

Found: North temperate zones.

Poison: Dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, severe gastroenteritis, abdominal pain, dilated pupils, weakness, rash may appear, pale skin, lips cyanotic, convulsions, shock, coma, and death; develops within 1 hour. Heart arrhythmia and hypotension may be observed. Death due to cardiac or respiratory failure. Allergic anaphylactic-like reactions may result from chewing needles. Survival after poisoning is rare.

Cure: Stomach should be emptied, and plant charcoal administered. Respiratory and cardiac support must be given as required.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim; +3 to difficulty of healing spells, plus the character must roll again for heart at a difficulty of +2. Anaphylactic shock would require just one healing roll at +2 difficulty.

Tropics

Crab's Eyes

Where: Tropics and subtropics

Poison: Must ingest broken or chewed seed; mature seed nontoxic when whole. Onset occurs after period of many hours to 3 days, depends on number of seeds and degree of pulverization. Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sometimes ulcerous lesions in mouth and esophagus, tachycardia, convulsions, hemorrhages throughout entire gastric mucosa and ilium at site of gut-associated lymphoid tissue, coma, and death from heart failure.

Cure: Long latent period associated with this poisoning, so the plant should be removed as quickly as possible. Maintain fluids and treat symptoms. The ingestion of one well-chewed seed may be fatal despite intensive care.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim; +1 to Difficulty to Healing Spells. Damage sustained from internal hemorrhaging and ulcers must be healed separately.

Ackee

Found: Tropical Islands

Poison: The arils in the immature fruit are poisonous. The arils become edible when fruit is ripe and used in cooking. Poisoning occurs when people inadvertently eat immature fruit and can reach epidemic proportions during the winter months. Poison causes hypoglycemia. Sometimes nausea and vomiting begin two hours after ingestion. The victim appears symptom-free for another 8 to10 hours, and then is suddenly hit with renewed emesis, convulsions, low blood sugar, coma, and death. Or the character eats some and six hours elapse before convulsions and coma occur. Diarrhea and fever are notably absent. Convulsions occur in 85% of all cases. Death can occur 24 hours after ingestion. An autopsy would find hemorrhages in brain.

Cure: Intoxication is associated with high mortality. Induce vomiting, treat symptoms. Maintaining sugar is highly important. Can use fluids and fruit juices.

Chance of Survival by Character: Usually slim. If the victim has the first type of reaction where he vomits immediately and is symptom-free for eight to ten hours before dying, the healer, with a +1 difficulty, will stop the poisoning before it gets bad. In cases where the character has several hours pass before vomiting again or for the first time, it will take a healing spell at +2 difficulty to stop the poisoning and another roll at +1 difficulty to remedy the internal damage.

Yohimbe

Medicinal: Block responses of parts of the autonomic nervous system. Increases blood pressure. Aphrodisiac, probably stimulates production of testosterone. Dilates blood vessels of skin and mucous membranes. Increases pelvic circulation and stimulates erections; lowers blood pressure.

Poison: Bark causes dilation of blood vessels in animals and man, effective dose very close to toxic dose; people w/normally low blood pressure should avoid completely (elves?). May cause alarming blood-pressure rise, even strokes, when taken with cheese, red wine, or foods containing tyramine.

Cure: Treat stroke or high blood pressure if they are recognizable and occur.

Chance of Survival by Character: Fair. If the victim samples a dose and then eats the above foods, the risk of stroke triples. A character must perform a healing spell at +2 difficulty to stop the poisoning and another roll at +1 difficulty to remedy the stroke.

Croton

Found: Mixed tropical forests

Poison: Externally, oil causes blistering and irritation (blistering can last up to 3 weeks). Internally, oil produces burning pain in mouth and stomach, bloody diarrhea, violent purging, tachycardia, coma, and death. One leaf or seed may be deadly. Reaction time immediate on skin contact, within 10 to15 minutes for ingestion.

Cure: Vomiting useless. Fluids encouraged as much as possible along with symptomatic treatment of pain, and kidney and liver damage.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim. In consumption, healer must make multiple rolls to fix all the internal damage, one at the discovery of the poisoning to prevent further damage, one to repair the liver two to repair the kidneys, all at +2 difficulty. In external blistering, no modifiers for healing spells.

Loquat

And other cyanide-containing pits, such as peaches, apples, cherries, cassavas.

Found: Subtropics.

Poison: Pit kernel toxic; unbroken seed harmless. Some hours may elapse before symptoms appear. Abdominal pain, vomiting, lethargy, and sweating then develop. Cyanosis is not inevitable. In severe intoxications, coma develops and may be accompanied by tetanic convulsions, muscle flaccidity, and incontinence.

Cure: Conscious patients may require only vomiting. In conscious patients or those who are losing consciousness, respiratory assistance should be instituted, and cyanide antidote should be administered.

Chance of Survival by Character: Good if conscious; Fair if unconscious, +1 to difficulty of healing spells.

Strychine

Found: Sandy soil, dry tropical forests

Medicinal: Bark, root, seed coat contain poisonous strychnine, brucine, once used to stimulate nerves. Now used in tiny doses for rabies, menstrual problems, paralysis. Poison: The patient may feel restless or anxious and experience spasms and hyper-reflexia. In severe poisoning, generalized convulsions with posturing develop, during which consciousness is maintained; spasms last a few seconds to several minutes. They are induced by external sensory stimuli and are not associated with confusion.

Cure: Support respiration. Persistent convulsions may require use of a general anesthetic or a muscle relaxant. Adequate urine flow should be maintained to avoid kidney troubles. Hyperthermia should be managed with external cooling measures.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim; +1 difficulty to healing spells. Damage to kidneys must be healed separately from poisoning.

Curare

Found: Tropics.

Uses: Bark treats cholera in India; leaves used as poultice. Curare harmless when swallowed.

Poison: Injection (from arrow) causes paralysis of muscles starting with the eyelids and face. Then there is inability to swallow or lift head, and then the poison continues to the diaphragm within seconds of injection. The pulse drops and paralysis of the lungs occur, death is due to respiratory failure. During the death throes, victim turns blue.

Cure: None. However, this poison only paralyzes for up to 15 minutes and then dissipates. If given artificial breathing for fifteen minutes or so, the paralysis lifts and the victim recovers with no further damage.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim; +3 to Difficulty to Healing Spell. The healer must get to the victim and do a healing spell as fast as possible. Once the victim falls unconscious, it may take some artificial breathing to get the lungs to work again even after a successful healing roll.

Arid

Jicamilla, Physic Nut, Bellyache Bush

Found: Found in and surrounding deserts and in tropics in poor soil

Medicinal: Purgative seed oil taken to stop bleeding, aid healing, applied to treat burns, herpes, eczema, ringworm. Fruit as contraceptive, leaf in fever wash. Root treats leprosy.

Poison: Onset of symptoms is usually rapid. Other symptoms are probably secondary to fluid loss and suppression of intestinal function. Severe poisoning may be follow ingestion of single seed. The seeds have a very pleasant taste. Difficulty breathing, sore throat, bloating, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, and leg cramps. The poison inhibits the intestine, resulting in death. Reaction time is fifteen to twenty minutes.

Cure: Induce extensive vomiting. Dehydration should be corrected.

Chance of Survival by Character: Slim; +1 difficulty to healing spells. Paralysis of intestines must be healed in separate roll from poisoning.

Lead Tree

Found: Arid to west southern areas.

Medicinal: All parts toxic, but commonly eaten cooked in by tribes. Toxin does not appear to be present in significant quantity in immature pod. Destroyed by cooking in metal vessel.

Poison: Ingestion causes loss of hair within 48 hours. In animals (possibly other races), consumption also results in cataract formation and growth retardation.

Cure: No treatment is available.

Chance of Survival by Character: Great! However, the character is now bald. No healing spell available.

Next Up: Plants in Folklore and Legend—another three-part I’m suspecting.