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Old 03-06-2020, 07:31 PM   #1
Yssa
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Default Henbane

I was reading about a theory that Viking Berserkers might have used a plant called henbane to induce their battle rage.

Quoth Wikipedia: "Henbane seeds have been found in a Viking grave that near Fyrkat, Denmark in, that was first described in 1977. This and other archaeological finds show that H. niger was known to the Vikings. Analysis of the symptoms caused by intoxication of this plant suggest that it may have been used by berserkers to induce the rage state that they used in war."

I know there's the berserk disadvantage, but I'm wondering about how you would run an herbal berserk impetus.

I think the actual rage state would be pretty much the same. The main differences would be that it never cues on injury and that anyone could get into that state, if they had the proper henbane dosage.
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Old 03-06-2020, 07:49 PM   #2
Anthony
 
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Default Re: Henbane

Ignoring whether henbane actually has that effect (it might, but probably with other nasty side effects, like PCP) I'd probably just treat it as the regular Berserk disadvantage with self-control number based on dose.
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Old 03-07-2020, 10:35 AM   #3
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Default Re: Henbane

Atropine intoxication rarely presents as violence; usually you get hallucinations, incoherent speech, and inability to recognize familiar people. No long-term side effects are reported, but the literature doesn't include people who take it repeatedly afaict. Immediate side effects include nausea, headaches, seizures, photosensitivity,
vision problems, and in large doses death. While it's not at all unlikely that henbane was used for some ritual/religious purpose, I wouldn't think it's a very good candidate for berserkergang.

Incidentally, there's a similar idea about woad and Celtic warriors going about, which is definitely false. Woad isn't psychoactive at all.
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Old 03-07-2020, 11:37 AM   #4
Dalin
 
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Default Re: Henbane

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony View Post
I'd probably just treat it as the regular Berserk disadvantage with self-control number based on dose.

I like this idea. Kinda like a berserker potion.
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Old 03-07-2020, 12:56 PM   #5
Anthony
 
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Default Re: Henbane

I suspect the simplest drug explanation for berserkers is alcohol, though lots of drugs can generate something berserker like by disrupting the normal paths for psychological incapacitation, which are basically:
  1. If I keep doing this, I might die (disrupted by anything that interferes with the ability to recognize danger or realize that the danger applies to you).
  2. This hurts, and if I stop maybe it will stop (disrupted by any painkiller).
As a side note, it's probably realistic to modify 'consciousness' rolls based on the enemy's reputation for accepting surrender.
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Old 03-07-2020, 07:42 PM   #6
Yssa
 
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Default Re: Henbane

Ok, so here's what I'm thinking:

First of all, let's call it "Foolsbane" so we don't need worry about what a real plant does or doesn't do. (Who the fools are -- those who take it or those they attack -- is up for debate).


1 dose = grants the effects of high pain threshold for an hour

2 doses = grants effects of high pain threshold and the bravery spell, and allows you to ignore combat paralysis, cowardice, and phobias. If in cobat must take an all out attack against the nearest enemy each turn. If an ally or neutral party is situated so that they are a more obvious target than the nearest enemy, make a self control roll at 15 minus the number of doses in the past 24 hours failure means you perceive the ally to be an enemy, and attack.

3 or more within in 24 hours = Roll HT - number of doses to resist poison. On a failure, 1d per dose toxic damage. (It can be mixed into someone's food as poison.)

Foolsbane can be bought in town for $20 per dose or gathered in the wild with naturalist or wilderness survival (1 dose per margin of victory).
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Old 03-08-2020, 05:57 AM   #7
Anders
 
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Default Re: Henbane

If this is only available to trained people (or as a mystical gift), you could buy it as an advantage with the Trigger limitation. But maybe that's too complicated for DFRPG.
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Old 03-08-2020, 08:42 AM   #8
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Default Re: Henbane

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Originally Posted by Anders View Post
If this is only available to trained people (or as a mystical gift), you could buy it as an advantage with the Trigger limitation. But maybe that's too complicated for DFRPG.
That's the hard case.

As a bit of equipment, it's self balancing because the opposition can obtain and use it too. As an advantage though, you have to figure out how big an advantage going Berserk at will actually is - and that's difficult if you want it to be at all consistent with the "disadvantage" value for the involuntary case.
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Old 03-08-2020, 10:48 AM   #9
Yssa
 
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Default Re: Henbane

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anders View Post
If this is only available to trained people (or as a mystical gift), you could buy it as an advantage with the Trigger limitation. But maybe that's too complicated for DFRPG.
For me, the point of making it herbal is so anyone can use it, regardless of advantages/disadvantages. In fact, it would be most likely used by character with disadvantages/values that make the berserk disadvantage unlikely. . . You are trapped in a tunnel and the only way out is to charge forward through the enemy lines as quickly as possible but you're worried the battle-wary cleric and wizard but chicken out and turn back? A couple doses of Fools bane and they'll lead the way!
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