Alchemy: Positoxins

Alchemy: Positoxins

Another D&D type of poison is the positoxin. Introduced in Libris Mortis and never mentioned again, they act as poisons to corporeal undead, while leaving all other creatures unaffected. They require the brewer to have the ability to channel positive energy - in GURPS terms I will replace it with the requirement of powers granted by a good deity. Also, this qualifies for a new specialty for the Poisons skill. Positoxins rely on mana and do not function in no-mana zones.

Poisons/TL (IQ/Hard)

            This skill gets a new specialty.

Positoxins: This specialty covers the knowledge of positoxins – special poisons laced with positive energy designed to harm undead. Prerequisite: powers granted by a good deity. Defaults: Poisons-4.

Bloodwine

This thick, crimson positoxin includes garlic in its creation, making it particularly harmful to vampires and

other undead with a vulnerability to garlic. An undead creature must make an immediate HT roll or suffer 1 non-incendiary burning damage. Every second for 9 more cycles it must make another HT roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -2 penalty to IQ until he heals above this threshold. After losing 1/2 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -4 penalty to IQ until he heals above this threshold. Though normally delivered by injury, this positoxin can also be consumed by a living creature to deliver it to a vampire or similar blood-draining creature via ingestion. A single dose, if consumed by a living creature, remains in the bloodstream for 24 hours. Any undead creature draining blood from a creature that has ingested bloodwine must make a resistance roll as if it had been injured by a weapon bearing the positoxin.

Form: Follow-Up Poison or Ingested Poison, see text.

Cost: $960 (singular); $345 (5-batched).

Recipe: $96; 6 days; defaults to Poisons (Positoxins)-4.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1 (Accessibility, Only on undead, -30%; Cosmic, Ignores poison immunity, +100%; Cyclic, 1 second, 9 cycles, Resistible, +450%; Follow-Up Poison, -20%; Magical, -10%; No Incendiary Effect, -10%; Resistible, HT, -30%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -2 IQ, +60%; Symptoms, 1/2 HP, -4 IQ, +80%) [14 / 5 = 3] + Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Bloodwine, +150%; Blood Agent, -40%; Extended Duration, 1,000x, +120%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Melee Attack, Reach C, Cannot Parry, -35%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [29]. Notes: “Bloodwine” is Burning Attack 1 (Accessibility, Only on undead draining your blood, -60%; Always On, -20%; Aura, +80%; Cosmic, Ignores poison immunity, +100%; Cyclic, 1 second, 9 cycles, Resistible, +450%; Magical, -10%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; No Incendiary Effect, -10%; Resistible, HT, -30%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -2 IQ, +60%; Symptoms, 1/2 HP, -4 IQ, +80%) [15]. The point cost of Burning Attack is divided by 5 as per Alternative Abilities.

Boneshard Paste

This positoxin includes bone fragments in its recipe, giving it a pale color. An undead creature must make an immediate HT-2 roll or suffer 1d-1 non-incendiary burning damage. Every minute for 5 more cycles it must make another HT-2 roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -2 penalty to HT until he heals above this threshold. After losing 1/2 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -4 penalty to ST until he heals above this threshold. This poison ignores poison immunity.

Form: Contact Poison.

Cost: $360 (singular); $130 (5-batched).

Recipe: $36; 1 day; defaults to Poisons (Positoxins)-2.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1d-1 (Accessibility, Only on undead, -30%; Contact Poison, -5%; Cosmic, Ignores poison immunity, +100%; Cyclic, 1 minute, 5 cycles, Resistible, +100%; Magical, -10%; No Incendiary Effect, -10%; Resistible, HT-2, -20%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -2 HT, +30%; Symptoms, 1/2 HP, -4 ST, +40%) [12].

  

Celestial Essence

This viscous golden substance seems almost to shine with an inner radiance. An undead creature must make an immediate HT-2 roll or suffer 1d non-incendiary burning damage. Every minute for 4 more cycles it must make another HT-2 roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -3 penalty to IQ until he heals above this threshold. After losing 1/2 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -4 penalty to DX until he heals above this threshold. This poison ignores poison immunity.

Form: Follow-Up Poison.

Cost: $450 (singular); $160 (5-batched).

Recipe: $45; 2 days; defaults to Poisons (Positoxins)-2.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1d (Accessibility, Only on undead, -30%; Cosmic, Ignores poison immunity, +100%; Cyclic, 1 minute, 4 cycles, Resistible, +80%; Follow-Up Poison, -20%; Magical, -10%; No Incendiary Effect, -10%; Resistible, HT-2, -20%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -3 IQ, +30%; Symptoms, 1/2 HP, -4 DX, +80%) [15].

Gravedust

This gray-brown powder derives its name from its resemblance to the grime common to tombs and other long-enclosed areas. An undead creature must make an immediate HT-2 roll or suffer 1d-2 non-incendiary burning damage. Every second for 6 more cycles it must make another HT-2 roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -2 penalty to DX until he heals above this threshold. After losing 2/3 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -4 penalty to DX until he heals above this threshold. This poison ignores poison immunity.

Form: Contact Poison.

Cost: $390 (singular); $140 (5-batched).

Recipe: $39; 1 days defaults to Poisons (Positoxins)-2.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1d-2 (Accessibility, Only on undead, -30%; Contact Poison, -5%; Cosmic, Ignores poison immunity, +100%; Cyclic, 1 second, 6 cycles, Resistible, +300%; Magical, -10%; No Incendiary Effect, -10%; Resistible, HT-2, -20%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -2 DX, +60%; Symptoms, 2/3 HP, -4 DX, +40%) [13].

  

Lichbane

This bone-white unguent is equally dangerous to all spellcasting undead, as well as to those that depend on IQ for their special attacks. An undead creature must make an immediate HT-5 roll or suffer 1d-1 non-incendiary burning damage. Every ten seconds for 8 more cycles it must make another HT-5 roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -3 penalty to IQ until he heals above this threshold. After losing 1/2 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -4 penalty to IQ until he heals above this threshold. This poison ignores poison immunity.

Form: Follow-Up Poison.

Cost: $540 (singular); $195 (5-batched).

Recipe: $54; 2 days; defaults to Poisons (Positoxins)-2.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1d-1 (Accessibility, Only on undead, -30%; Cosmic, Ignores poison immunity, +100%; Cyclic, 10 seconds, 8 cycles, Resistible, +200%; Follow-Up Poison, -20%; Magical, -10%; No Incendiary Effect, -10%; Resistible, HT-5, -5%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -3 IQ, +30%; Symptoms, 1/2 HP, -4 IQ, +80%) [18].

  

Liquid Mortality

This potent oil is thought by most undead creatures to be mere myth. An undead creature must make an immediate HT-3 roll or suffer 1d-1 non-incendiary burning damage. Every ten seconds for 8 more cycles it must make another HT-3 roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -4 penalty to ST and loses High Pain Threshold until he heals above this threshold. After losing 1/2 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -6 penalty to ST until he heals above this threshold. This poison ignores poison immunity.

Form: Follow-Up Poison.

Cost: $570 (singular); $205 (5-batched).

Recipe: $57; 2 days; defaults to Poisons (Positoxins)-2.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1d-1 (Accessibility, Only on undead, -30%; Cosmic, Ignores poison immunity, +100%; Cyclic, 10 seconds, 8 cycles, Resistible, +200%; Follow-Up Poison, -20%; Magical, -10%; No Incendiary Effect, -10%; Resistible, HT-3, -15%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -4 ST and negated High Pain Threshold, +90%; Symptoms, 1/2 HP, -6 ST, +60%) [19].

Sunlight Oil

A thin, slippery liquid, sunlight oil lasts only 24 hours in conditions other than bright light. An undead creature must make an immediate HT-2 roll or suffer 1 non-incendiary burning damage. Every minute for 60 more cycles it must make another HT-2 roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -2 penalty to ST until he heals above this threshold. After losing 1/2 HP to this poison, the victim gains a -2 penalty to DX until he heals above this threshold. This poison ignores poison immunity.

Form: Contact Poison.

Cost: $840 (singular); $305 (5-batched).

Recipe: $84; 4 days; defaults to Poisons (Positoxins)-3.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1 (Accessibility, Only on undead, -30%; Contact Poison, -5%; Cosmic, Ignores poison immunity, +100%; Cyclic, 1 minute, 60 cycles, Resistible, +1,200%; Magical, -10%; No Incendiary Effect, -10%; Nuisance Effect, Spoiled in darkness, -10%; Resistible, HT-2, -20%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -2 ST, +30%; Symptoms, 1/2 HP, -2 DX, +40%) [28].