The Guide to Herbs for RPGs

THE GUIDE TO HERBS FOR RPGs
5th Edition
By Shaun Hately
--==(AMBULANT IN FABULAM)==--

This guide is © Shaun Hately 1997 except where copyright is already owned by someone else. Portions of this guide are © Druann Pagliasotti 1996 and © Maya Deva Kniese 1996, and are used with permission. These sections are indicated and no challenge is made to their copyright status. All Rights are reserved on this guide. However permission is granted to distribute this guide in any way or form (on paper, on disk, via the internet etc) provided the following conditions are met.

1) no profit is made from the guide. A charge for materials, such as paper is permitted, but no profit is to be made.

2) the guide is distributed in its entirety. In particular this legal notice is attached, and the list of contributors is left intact. The guide should also be unedited, except for formatting which can be changed if necessary for purposes of presentation etc.

This guide may be copied freely subject to the conditions above. It may be altered freely for use in peoples own games. However such altered copies should not be distributed (except within your own game group) without the permission of the creator, Shaun Hately.

Obviously, I have no way of enforcing these conditions, but I have put a lot of work into this guide and I believe it is only fair that other contributors and myself get the credit (or the abuse!) we deserve.

This guide has been inspired by games systems owned and copyrighted by others, most notably 'Dungeons & Dragons', and 'Advanced Dungeons and Dragons' owned by TSR Inc, 'Middle-Earth Role-Playing' owned by ICE, 'Maelstrom' written by Alexander Scott and published by Penguin, 'Dragon Warriors' written by Dave Morris and Oliver Johnson, and published by Corgi, and 'Tunnels and Trolls' by Ken St Andre. The author of this guide acknowledges this inspiration but does not believe that this guide infringes on their copyright. No challenge is made to the copyright status or ownership of any work.

The author of this guide affirms his support of copyright laws, and the efforts of game companies and others to protect their rights and intellectual property. This is the opinion of the author of this guide, (Shaun Hately) only, and is not necessarily the opinion of other contributors to this guide, or of those people who are kind enough to host it on their websites.

The author asserts his moral right to be known as the creator and compiler of this guide, and the moral rights of all contributors to this guide to have their contributions recognised.

'Dungeons & Dragons', 'Advanced Dungeons & Dragons', 'D&D', and 'AD&D' are trademarks of TSR Inc. 'Middle- Earth Role Playing', and 'MERP' are trademarks of Tolkien Enterprises, a division of Elan Merchandising Inc. The use of these and other trademarks is, in no way, intended as a challenge to their trademark status. The lack of symbols denoting their trademark status is, in no way, intended as a challenge to their trademark status.

The author and contributors to this guide are in no way responsible for misuse of any of the substances contained in this guide.

Certain portions of this guide contain material of a mildly adult nature. In the case of younger players, parental discretion is advised.

Special Thanks

Introduction

How To Use This Guide

Notes On The Use of Herbs by Druann Pagliasotti and Shaun Hately

How Many Herbs Do I Know?

Notes on Climatic Zones

Notes on Locales

Caveat

The Herbal

References

Acknowledgments

There is an acknowledgments section at the end of this guide where you can find a list (unfortunately, it may be incomplete) of the people who have helped to make this guide, possible, through such tasks as editing, playtesting, and contributing herbs. If you like this guide, the credit must go to all these people.

I believe that there are three people however who are worthy of my special thanks, and I would like to mention them here (in no particular order).

The first of these is Ezra Van Everbroek. Ezra produced a hypertext version of the fourth edition of this guide, and also hosted it. This document allowed people to jump from place to place in the guide, and to find information easily. This website appears to be the place that those who found out about the guide through the web, most often obtained their information from. Creating such a large hypertext document can't have been an easy task and I salute and thank Ezra for undertaking such a task.

The second person is Druann Pagliasotti. Shortly after the third edition of this guide went out over e-mail, Druann sent a list of new herbs adapted to the guides format to the ADND-L list. I contacted Druann and was kindly given permission to include these herbs in the fourth edition of the guide. Furthermore, Druann sent me a list of suggestions and clarifications to many of the herbs that I had already included in the guide, and suggestions on the long term storage and availability of herbs for purchase. There would have been a fourth edition of the guide without Druann's contributions, but it would have been a shadow of what it became.

Last, but by no means least, I would also like to single out Maya Deva Kniese for special thanks. Maya contributed some herbs to this edition of the guide, but more importantly contributed a number of ideas, the most significant of which is the revised Herbalism proficiency (see Appendix A). Again, without Maya's contribution, I would have done a 5th edition, but there is no way it would have been as complete or as (I hope) good.

These special thanks are not intended to diminish the contributions of other people to this guide. Everyone who is listed in the acknowledgments section contributed and deserves their place there. I simply feel that the three people listed above were worthy of special recognition. All these contributors share the responsibility and the credit for anything you like about this guide. Any criticisms, errors or dislikes that you have are solely my responsibility.

“Anything green that grew out of the mould Was an excellent herb to our fathers of old.” - Rudyard Kipling

Welcome to the fifth edition of “The Guide to Herbs for RPGs”, the third edition of this guide to be distributed by e-mail and across the Internet. Herbs have been a staple of fantasy literature for many years. Striders use of Athelas in “The Lord of the Rings” to cure Frodo, and Polgara's herb lore in “The Belgariad” and “The Mallorean”, and Raistlin's use of herbal teas to calm his cough in “Dragonlance” are two examples that come to mind. The first edition of this guide was written in response to a request by one of my players for more detailed use of the Herbalism proficiency than that supplied in the core AD&D rules, and also to provide a general system which can be converted to other rules systems fairly easily. This was in 1990 or 1991 and that edition was nothing more than an adaptation of the herbs contained in Alexander Scott's Maelstrom RPG adapted to AD&D rules, a description of each herb, the chance of finding it, its preparation time, and its cost. This guide was quite useful, though several problems were found with it. The guide was used for a few years and my printed copy (done on a Commodore 64 and a 9 pin printer) became covered in pen and pencil additions and clarifications.

In early 1995 I began GMing a new campaign and I decided to rewrite my herbal on my new 486. This second edition contained the same herbs as the first edition but with the addition of clearer descriptions, the addition of the Locale in which each herb could be found, and an Ability Check roll required to use each herb successfully. This herbal was much more useful than the previous one. In mid 1995, I gained net access for the first time, and discovered the phenomena of NetBooks, and unofficial supplements to various role playing games. I downloaded these and began to use them in my games. As a student I can not afford to buy all the commercially produced supplements for use in my games, and so these unofficial (and free!) supplements were a gift from the Gods.

In December 1995 and January 1996, I revised my Herbal once again, incorporating herbs from the RPG Middle-Earth Role Playing (MERP), and on returning to University at the start of March, subscribed to the ADND-L e-mail list, and offered the Herbal to the inhabitants of that list. I received over 300 requests for the Herbal, and was informed that there was interest in Herbalism on the REALMS mailing list. I subscribed to this list as well, and offered the Herbal once again. I received more requests from this list. At the start of July, I released a fourth edition of the guide which for the first time included herbs submitted by other people, as well as herbs that I had designed through research outside gaming materials. In particular, special mention must go to Druann Pagliasotti whose assistance in compiling the fourth edition was considerable. Druann contributed new herbs, as well as sending me a list of suggested clarifications, and amendments to over forty of the herbs that I had designed. Since that time I have received more e-mail (both praise and criticism) from many of the people who are using my herbal, and this has once again encouraged me to put together a new revised edition.

This edition includes even more herbs that other people have added to my rules, and some new herbs that I have developed, in total over 50 new herbs. It also includes more detailed physical descriptions of some of the herbs from previous editions where I have been able to find them. Most notably, it includes a revised Herbalism proficiency, which was largely developed by Maya Deva Kniese, whose contribution to this fifth edition was considerable. I welcome the contributions I have received to this guide, but as always all responsibility for any errors and discrepancies is mine and mine alone, although other contributors deserve full credit for whatever you like. The fifth edition also divides the `Locale' field of the descriptions into two separate fields, `Climate' and `Locale'. This was a commonly requested change, and I saw no reason why it could not be made. I welcome contributions, criticisms and comment on my guide, and will try to incorporate these in any future editions of the guide. Some people may have noticed that the title of the guide has changed from “The AD&D Guide to Herbs” (the title of the 1st-3rd Editions) to “The Guide to Herbs for RPGs” (4th and 5th Editions). This occurred because of advice that the original title was not compatible with the guides status as unofficial. Also the guide is no longer AD&D specific but designed to be used in other RPG rule systems. Please feel free to distribute this guide in unedited form in any format that you desire. I only ask that my contribution and that of other people is acknowledged and that the guide is distributed free of charge.

NOTE: In my guide I have used the term “Autumn” instead of “Fall” to describe the season between Summer and Winter. I have also used the correct Australian English spelling for words. I have altered contributions received from other people for the sake of consistency. I have received e-mail criticising me for this, saying “you should use the American conventions, because most AD&D players are American.” (By the way, this was not intended as a flame, but was part of some useful constructive criticism.) I have been taught English as it is spoken and written in my native country, and I will write and speak in that way. There are several reasons for this.

1) If I was attempting to write for a specific country, I would use their own conventions. I am not. I am writing this guide for everyone who requests it. I have received requests for the third and fourth editions of this guide from the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Australia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Holland, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Croatia and Zaire and possibly from other countries as well.

2) If I decided to write this guide in `correct' English, I would be faced with the problem of what is `correct'. Is it American English, that of the largest English speaking country on Earth or British English, the source of the language.

3) I believe that the differences in English from country to country are so minor that all English speaking people on Earth will be able to read my guide with no problems.

4) Finally, it is simply easier for me to write this guide in the form of English with which I am most familiar.

I should note here that this herbal is not always 'accurate' in terms of the real use of herbs in our world. This is because my skills in Herbalism are very limited. I am not a professional herbalist just someone with an interest in the topic (especially from a gaming point of view). I have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible in terms of descriptions, but sometimes I am trying to describe a herb after seeing a black and white drawing. I have tried to be accurate in terms of naming the herbs, but some herbs have many different names. Bilberry for example is also known as Huckleberry, Whortleberry, Hurtleberry, Whin-berry, Wimberry, Black Heart, Hurts, and may even have other names that I am not familiar with. I have also ascribed to some herbs powers that do not exist in the real world. For example there is no herb that bestows infravision on a person in our world (as least I assume there isn't!) but such herbs do exist in the guide. This is because the guide has been written for a fantasy game, and I felt that the powers ascribed to these herbs in legend and tradition could actually exist in fantasy worlds. I would also like to apologise for the fact that some of the herbs contained within have no physical descriptions. This is because I have adapted them from other game systems and I can't find any physical descriptions in the original source material. This is especially true for those herbs adapted from MERP. If anyone feels that I have made mistakes in identifying herbs, or their curative properties, they should feel free to contact me, either by e-mail or by mail. For anyone who wants to find accurate books on Herbalism and its real life applications, please refer to the books in the reference section. Please do not assume this guide is accurate. Experimenting with plants can be very dangerous, and I accept no responsibility for any misuse.

This guide was originally written in order to allow a more detailed method of using the Herbalism Non Weapon Proficiency than that provided in the PHB. It may be used only by characters with the Herbalism proficiency. A revised Herbalism proficiency which can be used in FRPGs, appears below. The description of each herb contains the following information:

It will be noted that very few poisons are listed in this guide. This is for two reasons.

1. I believe that a Herbalist should not use their art for nefarious purposes.

2. I believe that allowing players access to too many poisons can severely effect game balance.

Any GM who wishes to have detailed poisons in their games is referred to the “Netbook: Poisons of the Realm”, (author unknown to me) which I find to be excellent for the purpose. If you can find it, the rules for poisons sent to the GMAST-L list by Ron Knight (Modar) in late October of this year (1996) is also very good. “The NetBook of Poisons”, revised and expanded by Adrienne Mills, and based on the “Netbook: Poisons of the Realm” (mentioned in previous editions of this guide) is also very good and very detailed in its treatments of poisons.

It should also be noted that I have tried not to include herbs that could be classed as “Drugs” with the connotation of illicit use. This is because I do not and do not wish to be seen to be supporting illicit drug use. Having said that, for anyone who wishes to use drugs in their games, I refer them to `Appendix A: Drugs for Fantasy Role Playing Games', from the `Complete Guide to Alcohol for Fantasy Role Playing Games' which has excellent rules on all aspects of drug use including addiction and its effects. The drugs contained within it could be converted to my system fairly easily, although the system contained in that guide is already excellent for the purpose.

Finally, a note and a request. It has come to my attention, that people create and develop new herbs for their games and add them into this guide. I, of course, have no objection to this. However, I would appreciate it if you sent me a copy of these herbs. If they work in your games, they would probably work in other peoples, and should be included in any new edition of the guide (with full credit to you, of course). Again, people make changes to the guide, because they find mistakes, or discrepancies, or just things they don't like. That's fine, but please let me know. If you noticed something wrong, I would like a chance to fix it.

What you do with the guide in your own game is up to you. You can change and edit it in any way that you like. But please, if you distribute the guide, make sure that you distribute it in unedited form. If you have made any changes or additions, list them separately from the main guide. My name is on this guide, and while I'm perfectly happy to take the flak for any errors in it, I only want to be blamed for my own errors or for those of contributors, which slipped past me. I have been sent an e-mail from someone who thought a herb was too powerful. It was, because someone else had edited the guide and made it more powerful. It wasn't a major problem, but it was annoying.

Furthermore, I own the copyright on this guide (except where I have indicated that it is owned by someone else, and I have their permission to include the information). I have gone to a lot of trouble to try and ensure that I don't violate other peoples copyright, in order to avoid legal problems. If you add information into my guide, I may end up being legally responsible for information that I didn't want to be. I don't want that to happen. Having said that, if I have inadvertently violated anyone's copyright, please inform me and I will remove the material in question.

Finally leave my name, and the name of other contributors on the guide. A person was distributing the 3rd Edition of my guide under their name as if it was their work. They have since apologised to me, and I consider the matter closed, so I won't mention their name. The guide costs you nothing, but it represents a large amount of work on my part and on the parts of the other contributors. I think we deserve the credit for our work.

I receive no payment for this guide. It is simply a labour of love. But I would like to hear what you think of it, any praise or criticisms that you might have. Hundreds of hours of work have gone into this guide over the years, and I really like to know what people think, whether it is good or bad. Please e-mail me with comments at: drednort@bud.swin.edu.au

A special note: I have referred to a variety of diseases in this work. Some of my descriptions may be inaccurate and for that I apologise. I have no medical training, and the guide is intended only for games. It is also possible that some of my descriptions of diseases may offend some people. Again, I apologise. I have no intention of causing offence. If you do find any of this guide offensive, let me know so I can fix the problem.

ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A GUIDE FOR GAME PURPOSES ONLY. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, USE ANY OF THE HERBS CONTAINED IN THIS GUIDE FOR ANY REAL LIFE PURPOSE WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH AN EXPERT ON HERBS AND THEIR EFFECTS.

Shaun Hately, 11th February, 1997

Players with access to the 1st level Priest Spell “Locate Animals or Plants” will try to use it to locate specific herbs. If this occurs I would suggest that the Dungeon Master uses the percentage score given under “Available” in each herbs description as the chance that the herb will be detected each round, subject to the local environment and season. However I would remind the GM that according to the PHB, the results of this spell are always determined by the GM. If the GM does not want the herb to be found, it should not be found.

by Druann Pagliasotti and Shaun Hately

Unless otherwise indicated in text, any cut herbs and preparations of herbs only have a shelf life of 3d6 weeks. Dried herbs have a shelf life of 1d4 years if kept in a sealed container away from moisture (but not all of these herbs can be used in a dried form). Potions, on the other hand, have an indefinite lifespan - which is why they're more expensive yet still desirable.

A rule of thumb for purchasing is that the chance of purchasing an herb in a large city WITHIN its native region is equal to the chance of finding it in the wild (and the price will remain the same); the chance of purchasing an herb in a large city OUTSIDE of its native region is equal to half the chance of finding it in the wild (and the price will be half again as much); and the chance of purchasing an herb in a large city OPPOSITE of its native region (eg., artic vs. desert) is one quarter of the chance of finding it in the wild (and the price will be doubled or tripled).

The GM of an individual campaign must rule on the use of this guide. They must decide whether or not they wish it to be used at all, and they must modify it to fit their campaign. Some of the herbs contained in this guide are extremely powerful, and if they are overused they will unbalance the game. The prices given for herbs are only guidelines and must be treated with common sense. In plague years, for example the cost of herbs that protect against plague will increase incredibly. And if the characters stumble into a herbalist while supporting a friend who is on the verge of death from snakebite, the herbalist may decide to charge well above the going rate. Some apothecarists are nothing but charlatans and will sell anything while saying it is a wondrous herb.

Once again, I must point out that this guide is intended for use in games only. Do not use it as a guide to herbal medication. Many plants are highly poisonous and experimenting can be extremely dangerous. I accept no responsibility for any misuse arising from any edition of this guide.

The first two editions of this guide contained only about 40 herbs and so we never considered the need to limit the amount of herbs that a PC with Herbalism proficiency knew. Now there are a lot more herbs and such a rule does seem necessary. If PCs knowing of all these herbs does not cause a problem in your games, then just assume they do know all of them. If however, you want a rule to deal with situation, I would suggest the following. Once again I assume that you games uses a 3d6 Intelligence score similar to that used in D&D, AD&D, Dragon Warriors, and Tunnels and Trolls.

The PC herbalist starts with knowledge of 3 x INT x Level of Herbalism Skill herbs. That is a PC with a herbalism skill of 1 and an Intelligence of 12 will know of 36 herbs. A PC with a herbalism skill of 2 and an Intelligence of 9 will know of 54 herbs. Which herbs are known, should be decided by the GM with reference to the climate and terrain type in which the PC grew up.

In this new edition of the herbal, a new field has been added to the description of each herb. This is the Climatic Zone section. A normal world can be assumed to be divided into five climatic zones :- Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate, Cold and Polar. A few notes are below in order to help the GM determine which zone a given section of their world will fall into:

The above is a guide for game purposes only and is not absolutely accurate, geographically speaking. It must also be remembered that other factors, such as elevation above sea level, the location of rain shadows, ocean currents etc, also effect climate. Also, I have limited the number of climatic zones to the ones above, and there are many others. Some of the herbs may be found in a `tropical desert'. Under those circumstances it should be inferred that the herb is found in hot deserts, not that these deserts have `wet summers'.

One of the more important pieces of information contained in the description of each herb is the locale where it is found. A brief description of what I mean by each locale is outlined below in order to help you determine into which locale each area of your gameworld fits.

Some of the herbs contained in this guide have very powerful game effects, and have the potential to severely unbalance a campaign. The GM should ensure that they check each of the herbs thoroughly and modify or disallow it, if they feel it will unbalance their campaign. As always, the GM is the final arbiter in their campaign. What they say goes, no matter what this guide says. Remember that.

ADDER'S TONGUE (Shaun Hately)

The herb has one leaf which grows from a stalk about three inches from the ground. It's appearance gives it its name. The leaf must be boiled in olive oil and set in the sun for three days. At the end of that time the infusion can be used as a balm for wounds. In the event that the wound is infected the balm will draw out the infection within one day. However for that one day the damage caused by the infection will be twice as severe. If the wound is not infected the balm will increase the rate of healing by 1 hp for that day.

ADGANA (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series)

The leaves of this plant must be dried. They may then be crushed and eaten. It's effects diminish with constant use. The first time and second time Adgana is used it adds 2 to the user's Strength, Dexterity and Constitution for 2d4+4 minutes. The third time it is used it adds 1 to Strength and Dexterity for the same amount of time, the 4th time +1 is added to Strength only, and after that no benefit is ever gained. In addition to this, the herb is also highly addictive.

AGRIMONY (Shaun Hately)

Agrimony reaches a height of 1 to 2 feet. It has leaves up to seven inches long, which are serrated, green on top and white underneath. It has yellow flowers with five petals which are arranged in a spike on top of the stem. Its dried leaves must be boiled in a pint of red wine for five minutes, and then left to stand for an hour. It should then be used on sprains and bruises in a compress. A successful application will cure sprains and bruises in half the normal time. Agrimony was also believed to produce very heavy sleep if placed beneath a persons head, so deep that the person could not be woken until it was removed. At the GMs discretion agrimony may have this effect, but I would suggest the potential victim gets a save vs poison with a very large (8-10) bonus.

`If It is leyed under mann's head,
He shal sleepyn as he were dead;
He shall never drede na wakyn
Till fro under his head it be taken'
Traditional English Rhyme

ALDAKA (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The roots of this plant must be brewed over a low fire for one week, and the resulting distillation drunk. If used successfully, sight will be restored to the recipient provided the eye remains.

ALETHER (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series)

Eating a handful of these orange berries will add +1 to both a characters chance to hit, and to their damage rolls for 2d6 minutes. The berries can be brewed in white wine to produce a drink that will add +2 to the recipients chance to hit, and temporarily give them 2d4 hp. This effect lasts for 2d12 minutes, and ends with the characters total collapse for 1d3 days unless they successfully save against poison. This brew will only be useful for one month after manufacture and then loses its potency.

ALKANET (Shaun Hately)

This plant has a thick red root, narrow hairy leaves, and small red or blue flowers. The root can be eaten directly upon being drawn out of the ground but will only keep for a week or so. The herb allows a +1 bonus to any saving throw vs ingested poisons for 1d8 hours after eating.

ALL-HEALE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

When All-heale is mixed in a pint of olive oil and applied to a wound, (one application per day), the recipient will heal even if still working as normal. With rest, the recipient will heal at three times the normal rate.

ALOE (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The leaf of Aloe applied to a wound, will double the natural healing rate of burns and minor cuts.

AMRANS (Druann Pagliasotti)

The lilac flowers can be prepared into a potion that rapidly cures wounds (3d6 if properly prepared (for 1 week), 1d4 if poorly prepared (for 3 days)).

ANGELICA (Shaun Hately)

Angelica's root should be boiled in water for an hour and then drunk in order to relieve coughs. The plant can grow to a height of eight feet. It has a hollow stem and has large, broad pointed leaves at the base of the stem. It has a cluster of white or pink flowers at the top of the stem. The herbs does not in any way act as a cure for any disease causing a cough, it merely reduces the amount of coughing.

ANISE (Shaun Hately)

Anise grows to height of about two feet, and is distinguished by its unusual leaf formation. At its base, the leaves are heart shaped and toothed, but as we progress up the stalk they are small and feathery. It has delicate white flowers which ripen in summer to produce small ridged seeds. These seeds should be crushed and left to stew for ten minutes in boiling water. The resultant mixture should then be strained and drunk as desired (it will keep for up to 3 months). A successful application will relieve hiccups.

ANSERKE (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The root must be applied to a bleeding wound. Within three rounds it will have stopped the bleeding. The recipient must not move for one turn or risk the wound reopening.

ARCHANGELICA (Druann Pagliasotti)

This white flowering plant has black seeds and roots with a sharp taste. The root, when brewed, makes a hot, peppery decoction that helps alleviate common colds, flu and congestions (doubles recovery time, adds +2 to Constitution rolls to prevent colds in bad weather).

ARFANDAS (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

If the stem of Arfandas is bound up in the dressing of a fracture, it will double the rate of healing for that fracture.

ARKASU (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

When the sap of the Arkasu plant is applied to wounds, it doubles the rate of healing. The effect is not cumulative.

ARLAN (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The leaf of Arlan when applied to a wound will heal 1 hp of damage if it is used within 5 rounds. Arlan will also speed a persons recovery from respiratory illness by five times.

ARNICA (Shaun Hately)

This plant grows to a height of 1 to 2 feet. It has a hairy stem on which its leaves are arranged in pairs. It has orange flowers. These flowers should be plucked and dried, and then boiled in a litre of beer. This should be applied to a compress which is wrapped around a bruise. A successful application will cause the bruise to fade within one day. The pollen of the flowers if inhaled will cause uncontrollable sneezing. A phial of arnica carried in a persons pocket is also reputed to help a person quit smoking.

ARNUMINAS (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The leaf of this plant should be applied to the site of ligament, cartilage, or muscle damage. If used successfully, it will double the speed of healing of such damage.

ARPUSAR (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The stalks of this plant must be brewed for one week in fresh water at the end of which time it may be drunk. If it is successful, it will heal any damage to a persons muscles that are capable of healing naturally within one day.

ASARABACCA (Shaun Hately)

Asarabacca is a creeping vine with many small leaves each on their own small stalk. It also has small purple flowers. These flowers must be brewed up on a fire and left to stand. When administered successfully to someone, they must save vs poison or be rendered docile, and incapable of violence for 3d8 hours. The brew has a distinctive purple colour, and bitter taste, so to be given secretly in food, the food must be able to hide these attributes.

ASH (Shaun Hately)

The bark of the ash tree must be stripped from its branches and boiled in clear water for one day. It should then be drunk as a cure for fevers, especially those caused by diseases such as malaria. It does not cure the cause of the fever but merely brings it under control within 2d6 hours. The ash tree is sacred to worshipers of Thor, who use its wood to make spears. The wood of the ash tree could possibly be used as an essential item in the manufacture of magical spears. Ash leaves should be boiled in water and drunk as a cure for the poison of viper bites (cures poison in 2d6 turns, any damage already incurred remains). The ash tree has ash grey bark, and black buds. Its flowers have no petals. Ash trees are also by tradition used to make stakes for the purposes of killing vampires. This belief stems from Roman times, when Pliny the Elder wrote that all evil things feared Ashwood.

ASHLINE (Seth Klein from Fantasy Star IV)

Ashline is a small red flower, with very pale green leaves. The entire plant must be mashed and boiled in fine red wine for one week and the resultant mixture mixed with olive oil. When this liquid is poured over a petrified person it will, on a successful roll, restore them to their normal state.

ATHELAS (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Also known as “Kingsfoil”. It appears as a vine with dark green leaves divided into four parts. According to legend, the leaves of Athelas when crushed by the hands of a King over the afflicted person are capable of curing anything.

"When the black breath blows
and death's shadow grows
and all lights pass,
come athelas! come athelas!
Life to the dying
In the King's hand lying!"
from "The Return of The King"

ATIGAX (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The roots of this plant must be brewed over a low fire for one day, and the resulting distillation drunk. If used successfully, sight will be protected from glare or blinding light for a period of nine hours. This herb can thus be used to limit the ill effects suffered by subterranean creatures (such as drow) in full sunlight.

ATTANAR (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Attanar is a moss, which when applied to the forehead of a stricken person, will cure fevers. It takes effect 2d6 hours after it is successfully administered.

BALM (Shaun Hately)

Balm is a plant about 2 to 3 feet tall with squarish stems. It has oval, serrated leaves. It has small flowers which can be any shade from white to blue, which form small clusters at the base of the leaves. The herb should be boiled and given to women suffering menstrual pains (hey, someone has gone to the trouble of writing “A Guide to AD&D Sex” so this might be useful!) It also reputedly has properties of bestowing longevity, and so could be used as an ingredient in “Potions of Longevity” and the like.

BARBERRY (Shaun Hately)

The Barberry plant has sharp thorns on its twigs. It can obtain a height in excess of eight feet. It has roughly oval shaped leaves, which are smooth with toothed edges. It has pale yellow flowers which produce oval red berries, with a small black dot at their tip. Barberries should be ground up in cold water and be left to stand in cold water, and then boiled quickly. This mixture should be drunk as a cure for liver disorders such as jaundice. If successfully administered the cure should take effect within two weeks. However three failed applications mean that there is never any hope of cure by this method.

BASE MULLEIN (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Base Mullein is very easily found due to the fact that its flower stalks often obtain a height of 8 feet or more. Its clear yellow flowers cover about 3 feet of the top of the stalk, and form a long funnel about an inch or two in diameter. If the leaves of this herb are applied to a burn within one hour, it will reduce the damage taken from the burn, by half.

BASIL (Shaun Hately)

Basil must be used almost immediately on being picked. The leaves should be applied to the bite of a venomous creature, and it will then have the effect of drawing out the poison. It will give a bonus of +4 to the saving throw vs poison, or if the save has already been made and failed, it will allow a second saving throw at normal values. Any damage already sustained will remain. The herb has one upright stalk, and small white flowers.

BASTIT (Druann Pagliasotti)

A small succulent that, when crushed, tends to repel parasitic insects, including mosquitoes and the like. It has a pungent but not unpleasant odour. (Lasts 1d6 hours but can be washed or sweated off. Easily noticed by tracking animals.)

BELAN (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The nut must be eaten to stop bleeding (including internal bleeding). Within two hours it will have stopped the bleeding. The recipient must not move for one additional hour or risk the bleeding restarting.

BELRAMBA (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Belramba is a lichen. It must be brewed in water, and then drunk three days later. If used successfully, all nerve damage capable of healing naturally will be healed, at three times the normal rate.

BILBERRY (Shaun Hately)

Bilberries are small black berries. They must be mixed with pure alcohol and left to stand for fifteen days, at the end of which time they must be drunk. A successful application will give a human the same infravision ability as half elves, but a failed application may lead to the death (save penalty -4) of the person who drinks it, as if they had drunk a class J poison (Death/ 20 hit points, onset 1d4 minutes).

BIRTHNOT (Druann Pagliasotti)

Birthnot is a dark-leaved, flowerless vine. The dried leaves can be used to create a contraceptive tea effective on most humans, demihumans and humanoids, male or female. Must be ingested between 1 hour - 30 minutes before properties invoked. (70% effective; causes mild impotence in males 15% of the time.)

BISHOP'S WEED (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Bishop's weed is a small plant with pale blue flowers, and small pale green leaves. This herb will protect people from Plague (+5 bonus to saves vs disease). It is drunk in wine, and is effective for one week. In plague years, its price increases rapidly.

BITTERMOURN (Druann Pagliasotti)

A rare, colourless lichen that grows on rocks beneath year-round ice. When crushed and strained, it creates a clear gel at freezing temperatures that melts into liquid when warmer. Imbibing a pint slows the aging process and grants a lifespan of twice normal length.

BLACKBERRY (Shaun Hately)

The leaves of these small black berries should be crushed and applied to small wounds, where they can stop minor bleeding very quickly (within one round).

BLACKROOT (Druann Pagliasotti)

A tall plant with small, bell-shaped violet flowers and complex roots that are black on the outside and white on the inside. Blackroot's roots can be applied to fresh wounds in order to promote quick healing (applied immediately, gives 1d4 back to character at once).

BLACK ROSE (Druann Pagliasotti)

This rare rose is easily identified by its black, velvety flower and long white thorns. The thorns are hollow and absorb liquids at a rate of a pint every 5 minutes. The liquid is stored in the plant's fibrous roots. The black rose's roots are often used to draw poison from wounds or, placed under the tongue, to absorb alcohol and prevent intoxication. Sometimes victims are tied down and pierced with the thorns to cause prolonged and painful exsanguination.

BLOODKEEP (Druann Pagliasotti)

Tall stalks with jagged leaves and purple-red flowers, bloodkeep's fresh leaves can be bound to a wound to stop bleeding at once and quicken coagulation (apply within 2 rounds of injury to stop bleeding; character regains 20% - rounded down - of lost hit points at once).

BORAGE (Shaun Hately)

This plant has hollow, hairy cylindrical stalks which grow to a height of 1 to 2 feet. It has drooping flowers, red or blue in colour, which are shaped as a five pointed star at the top of the stem. The dried herb should be boiled in water and the infusion drunk. It is used to cure minor fevers such as those caused by chills, and influenza. It will relieve the fever in 1d3 hours.

BRELDIAR (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

This flower, when eaten, alters the way a person judges distance for a period of one hour. While under the influence of the flower, a person can add a bonus of two to ranged combat attacks, while subtracting two from melee attacks.

BULL-RUSH (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Bull-rushes are tall straight stemmed plants with many small flowers at the top of the stalk. These flowers must be ground into an ointment which is applied to a persons eyes or tongue. This herb will put someone to sleep for 3d12 hours. A roll of 1 on the ability check will put the person into a coma.

BURDOCK (Shaun Hately)

This plant grows to about 3 feet tall. It has huge leaves with a whitish underside, and purple flours. Its root must be boiled in water and then the root eaten and the water drunk as a cure for syphilis. The person will be cured within a week.

`They are Burrs, I can tell you, they'll stick where they are thrown.'
William Shakespeare `Troilus and Cressida'

BURSTHELAS (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Bursthelas must be brewed for one week in fine red wine before it can be used. It must then be drunk within one month or spoil. A successful draft will heal any fractured bones within the body within one to three days.

CAFFAR (Druann Pagliasotti)

Caffar is made of the small caffar nut that is ground into a powder and brewed into a dark, sweet-smelling beverage, traditionally with a goat's milk base. Like kaffe or black tea, caffar can be used to delay sleep, but it has the side effect of making the ingester more psychically sensitive; psionicists' skills are greatly enhanced and even the unpsyighted are more sensitive to nuances in the environment and in others' manners, sometimes even to the point of detecting “auras” around certain objects. (Raises Wisdom [Intuition] by 1 for every 2 cups imbibed, to maximum of 19. Drinking 3-4 cups in one day causes jumpiness that increases as more is imbibed. Those who drink 5 or more cups in one day become slightly physically addicted to the substance and suffer headaches and mild stomach pains when their usage is cut back.)

CALAMUS (Shaun Hately)

This rush grows in small grassy clumps. It can grow from about 2 to 6 feet in height and has very small yellow green flowers that jut out from the stem. The leaves are long, thin and light green in colour and smells faintly sweet. The root is white with a red brown peel. The root must be peeled and boiled in fresh water within a day of being picked, and should then be drunk by the recipient. Provided no permanent physical damage has been done to the person hearing organs, the herb may restore some small measure of hearing to a totally deaf person, perhaps 10% of normal hearing. In addition the herb has been reported to have aphrodisiac qualities (GMs discretion) and was used by certain Native American peoples to make their dogs fierce.

CALCENA MUSHROOM (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series)

Anyone who breathes in the spoors of one of these pink mushrooms incurs a -3 penalty on all saves vs illusions for 2d12 hours. The mushroom may be brewed into a potion by brewing tea and leaving the mushroom to stand in the tea for 2 weeks. The resultant concoction when drunk is a powerful hallucinogen. Anyone under the influence of it will see whatever the GM wants them to see. This effect also lasts 2d12 hours.

CALLIN (Druann Pagliasotti)

A dark nut that grows on the Callin tree in tropical jungles. When the husk is dried, ground and ingested, it thins the blood and strengthens internal organs, helping to prevent heart attacks. (If taken regularly, prevents heart attacks except under extreme duress. Addictive; causes nausea, dizziness and an increased chance of cardiac arrest if quit under unsupervised conditions after repeated use.)

CAT'S TAIL (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Cat's tail is a small plant with long thin spear shaped leaves rising from its base, and a single long, thin, soft flower at the top of the stalk. This herb when made into a salve, will heal all damage to a person's heel.

CEPHALOPHAGE (Druann Pagliasotti, from Gene Wolfe's “Torturer” series.)

A pale, fleshy fungus with a tough, rubbery consistency that is commonly found growing near carnivorous plants. The fungus grows upon corpses, absorbing the cadaver's life memories and personality; up to 10 different minds have been found absorbed by one cephalophage mushroom. Eating cephalophage will transfer those memories and personality quirks to the eater. (Effects last 1d3 hours and while they last the eater can access all of the dead person's mind. After the effects wear off, the eater may still succumb on occasion to “flashbacks” or personality instability; save vs. Intelligence when under intense stress or in a situation liable to cause such flashbacks.) This plant is condemned by some religions as unholy, believed to prevent a soul/spirit from attaining the afterlife. (from Gene Wolfe's Torturer series)

CHAMOMILE (Shaun Hately)

This plant can grow up to 2 feet tall, and has a branched stem. It has few leaves, and these are finely divided. The flower heads have yellow centres which are domed in shape with a hollow at their very centre. The petals of this plant bend backwards towards the stem. The flowers from a single plant must be immersed in boiling water and the resultant drink consumed. This drink is very bitter and is normally mixed with honey but this is unnecessary. The drink will last for approximately 2 months after manufacture, while the leaves can be dried, and will then keep for up to three years. A successful use of this herb will have a calming effect on the consumer.

CHERVIL (Shaun Hately)

Chervil is used to dissolve blood clots, which can help to prevent complications caused by injury. The clots are dissolved within 1d3 turns.

CINQUEFOIL (Shaun Hately)

This plant creeps along the ground on long slender stringlike stalks. It has five or seven part leaves, and small yellow flowers. The stalks must be boiled in white wine or vinegar and then drunk. The herb will then act as an aphrodisiac, and increase the recipients Charisma [Appearance] by 1 for 1d4 hours.

COLEWORT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Colewort is a small plant with a single large glossy leaf, and small white flowers with four petals. Anyone who chews on the flowers before drinking will remain sober for the entire evening. Its effects protect only against alcohol, and not against any other drug or toxin.

COLTSFOOT (Shaun Hately)

The plant has a single golden yellow flower borne at the top of a six inch tall stem with long pinkish woolly scales. These flowers are crushed and mixed with honey, and applied as a poultice to infected wounds in a effort to draw out the infection. It does not cure any damage.

COMFREY (Shaun Hately)

Comfrey grows to a height of up to 3 feet. It has stiff, angular and hollow stalks which are covered with rough hairs. It has pink, mauve white or cream flowers. Its thick black root is the portion used in Herbalism. It should be boiled and wrapped in a poultice which is then wrapped around a broken limb and increases the speed of healing by fifty percent. It can also be used in a bath by women in order to give the impression that they are virgins on their wedding nights.

COW PARSNIP (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Cow parsnip has small leaves covered with tiny hairs. These hairs must be made into a salve. Cow parsnip will cure madness for a short period (a few hours). Repeated application over a two week period may (GMs discretion) cure insanity altogether.

COW-WHEAT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Cow wheat is a small straight stemmed yellow-green plant. Its pale yellow flowers produce a white powder when crushed, between two hands. If this powder is placed into food or drink it will cause a person to act as if drunk. For those who desire game mechanics to deal with drunkenness, please consult the Intoxication Table in the 1st Edition AD&D DMG, page 82. Each dose of this herb successfully administered will increase the level of drunkenness by one step.

CULKAS (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Each application of Culkas will cure one square foot of sunburn.

DAGMATHER (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The spine of this plant must be brewed for one week in fresh water at the end of which time it may be drunk. If it is successful, it will heal any damage to a persons cartilage that are capable of healing naturally.

DAINABERRY (Maya Kniese)

The Dainabush or Sleepberry is a creeping, thorny vine, much like a bramble. Young vines are about 5 mm thick, with 2 mm long thorns. Older vines can become as thick as 10 cm, with curved thorns up to 5 cm long, although this requires many years of growth. Young vines are light green, with 3 lobed green leaves. Older vines grow reddish brown, darkening to black, with leaves, such as there are, dark green in colour. The vines flower in early summer, with light blue, bell shaped flowers. In autumn, it carries dark blue or purple berries, which are fleshy, almost crunchy rather than juicy. The berries are slightly sweet and quite tasty,^ but have a strong effect on mammals |those who eat them fall asleep. The berries have this effect on mammals only, but a single berry is enough to bring down any man sized or smaller mammal, and given enough berries, even the greatest mammal will fall asleep. There is no saving throw, although the sleep caused is quite normal, and a sleeping creature can simply be awakened. Although the berries can simply be eaten to cause the effect, it is also possible to dry them carefully, and grind them into powder. This powder is weaker (save vs poison to avoid), but will keep a long time. The powder can be added to any food or drink, but has a very sweet taste. |

DARNELL (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

These tiny yellow flowers will, if eaten, cause dimness of the sight for several hours. This dimness means that in full light the character will see as if on a moonlit night. This herb does effect those with infravision or ultravision.

DARSURION (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The leaves of Darsurion when applied to a wound will heal 1 hp of damage if used within 3 rounds. The effect is not cumulative.

DEADLY-NIGHTSHADE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This plant can grow up to five feet tall. It has soft green spreading leaves, and purple flowers and berries. The berries must be left to stand in water for a week and the distillation drunk. Deadly nightshade will put someone to sleep for 4d8 hours. They cannot be woken. A roll of 1 will kill them, a roll of 20 will render them insane.

DEGIIK (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Degiik leaves must be given to someone at the point of death (at -10 hp and not losing any more hit points). They will keep the person alive for one day.

DELREAN (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The bark of Delrean should be boiled into a paste and then smeared on the skin. It will then repel any insect from coming near the recipient, but the foul stench will reduce their Charisma (Appearance) by 1d2. It is effective for 5d6 hours.

DITTANY (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb grows six or eight inches high with square stalks and sort round leaves. The leaves must be dried for two weeks and then be boiled in ale or wine. It is then applied as a lotion. Dittany can be used to draw splinter and bone fragments from a wound. It is also an effective antiseptic for cleaning wounds, and can therefore prevent infections caused by dirty water etc.

DOG ROSE (Shaun Hately)

The dog rose grows to about ten feet in height and has very sharp thorns. In spring and early summer it has pale pick flowers which turn into vivid orange seed pods at the end of summer. These pods must be dried and then eaten at the rate of one per three days to avoid scurvy in environments where this disease is common (ie, on long ocean voyages.) Certain ancient and medieval cultures believed that placing a dog rose in a coffin would prevent the body within from rising as undead.

DRAAF (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The leaves of Draaf must be eaten in order to restore 1d3 hit points, as long as they are eaten within 10 minutes of the damage being inflicted.

DRAGONTEARS (Druann Pagliasotti)

This rare, small, translucent succulent grows primarily in the low desert. When crushed, it exudes a sweet, milky white substance with numbing properties. Properly prepared, dragontears promotes rapid healing and prevents scarring from wounds. Drinking dragontears can be fatal, as its numbing properties can cause choking or heart failure. (Cures 1d8 hp, always prevents scarring.)

DRAGONWORT (Shaun Hately)

This plant has a gnarled, erect and cylindrical stem. It has wavy leaves, dark green on top, bluish green underneath. It has pink flowers that cluster in a spike at the top of the stem. The root of this herb should be boiled over a low heat for three days, and the infusion drunk by people with smallpox and the plague in order to effect a cure. The value of this herb increases greatly in times of plague.

DWARF MALLOW (Shaun Hately)

This small plant has a single primary stem from which other, shorter stems ending either with leaves or with small pick flowers. These flowers when crushed and mixed with honey and salt into a poultice will relieve the pain of bee stings on a successful application. In addition the crushed flower may be mixed with oil and smothered onto the body in which case, no bees will approach for 1d4 + 2 hours. At the GMs discretion, this effect may extend to other small insects.

EBUR (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The flowers of Ebur must be eaten each day. If the treatment is successful the rate of healing for a sprain will be doubled for that day.

EDRAM (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Edram is a moss which when eaten will cause bones to heal at one and a half times their normal rate.

ELDAAS (Druann Pagliasotti)

This tall, blue-flowered plant with spike-shaped leaves is the base for medicines against nausea, usually taken in the form of a bitter-smelling and -tasting herbal tea. Eldaas is used to counteract the nausea associated with hangovers, motion sickness, morning sickness, and more common illnesses. (Adds + 2 to saves versus Constitution for each level of potency the herb is brewed at, to a maximum of + 6 - however, at this strength eldaas can cause dry mouth and constipation. Lasts 1d6 hours regardless of potency level.)

ELECAMPANE (Shaun Hately)

This plant has a thick root, with leaves that are white on the bottom and green on top, as well as showy yellow flowers. The root may be eaten in which case it will cause the recipient to vomit. This effect, while useful in removing ingested poisons from the system, will leave the recipient weak (- 1d4 to Constitution for 2d6 hours). For this reason it may be used as a mildly debilitating poison.

ELVISH GALINGALE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Elvish Galingale grows to about four feet in height. It has a triangular stem on which grows a tuft of grass like flowers. The roots are boiled and left to stand for a week and the resulting decoction is then drunk. This herb increases the flow of blood. This is very useful when a person is cold. However if a person is bleeding, either internally or externally, or is wounded it will double the speed of loss of blood. Its effect lasts 1d6+1 hours.

ENTRISTE (Druann Pagliasotti)

A small-leafed ivy that hugs the ground. Entriste's leaves absorb liquid and, when crushed, may be used to draw poison from a wound. (1 leaf absorbs a quarter-pint of liquid. Causes 1d4 damage but draws 100% of poison from a wound if applied within 5 rounds of insinuative poisoning, -25% for each round thereafter. Does not work against gases or “instant-death” poisons. Most poison effects are weakened if the poison is at least partially removed.)

FALSIFAL (Druann Pagliasotti)

A wide-leafed plant with large pink flowers and thick roots containing a slimy gel. When the root is pulped, mixed with water and used as a poultice, it is effective against fresh burns, aiding rapid healing. The root-gel can also be thinned and drunk as a thick tea to counter the effects of blood loss. (On burns, add 2 hp/day for each of the first 3 days of rest the character takes. Used to counter blood loss, victim regains 1d3 hp/day instead of 1.)

FEBFENDU (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The roots of this plant must be brewed over a low fire for one week, and the resulting distillation drunk. If used successfully, hearing will be restored to the recipient.

FELMATHER (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The leaves of this plant should be placed under the tongue of a person in a coma. If successful, the person will awake in 1d6 hours. If a roll of 20 is made, the persons mind will be destroyed.

FENNEL (Shaun Hately)

Fennel has thick stems, and bright green, lacy leaves and routinely grows to about five feet in height. (There is a rare form which has a bronze stem. In terms of its use, it is identical to the common fennel). In summer it has golden, yellow flowers. These flowers turn to seed in early Autumn. The seed heads must be harvested and left until the seeds separate from them. The seeds may then be mixed with boiling water to make a tea. This tea has the effect of relieving hunger pains in the recipient for 2d8 hours, However it does not in anyway act as a substitute for food, and any damage due to starvation will still occur.

FETHERFEW (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb grows to about 18 inches in height. It has many small white flowers. The flowers must be dried and then boiled in white wine. The resulting mixture must be drunk. This herb will remove the effects of vertigo from a person for up to twelve hours. It does this by stabilising the persons inner ear.

FIRE-FLOWER (Shaun Hately from C.S. Lewis' `Chronicles of Narnia')

It is suggested that this herb be found in one location on an entire world, ideally in a Mountain range in a tropical or subtropical region (The Mountains of the Sun). This is a small bush which has one pale golden flower and small red berries with the appearance of a live coal. The flowers of the bush must be taken and crushed into a diamond vial, and left to cure for ten years. This is also the amount of time needed for a single flower to bloom. A single drop of this elixir will heal any illness or injury, but will not allow limbs or other appendages to grow back. This is an incredibly powerful herb, and is likely to only exist in the hands of powerful lords and kings.

FLOURE-DE-LUCE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

The Floure-De-Luce is also known as the Blue Flag. It has broad and flat leaves shaped rather like a sword. The flowers are purplish blue and the roots which tend to stretch themselves along the surface of the ground are reddish brown on the outside. The root must be mashed and boiled in water and left to stand for at least twenty days before drinking. This herb removes bruises from a body very quickly (within 1d4 hours).

FOOTLEAF (Maya Kniese)

This 30 cm high plant has 3 thick, fleshy leaves, dark green and covered with soft hairs. The leaves form a rosette, lying on the ground, and form the actual plant. The light green blades that account for its hight are actually sheathes from which flower stalks grow during the summer. From each of the sheathes (there can be as many as 30 to a plant), a single flower stalk grows with tiny purple flowers. The thick leaves, which can become as large as 20 cm across, can be torn loose and put inside your boots (One leaf to a boot), enabling you to walk all day without tiring or even getting footsore.

FUMITORE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

The stems of fumitore are angular and branching, and grow to a height of about 1 foot. It has grey-green divided leaves, and small pinkish-white flowers with purple tips. This herb prevents hair growing on a characters eyelids. (^SEE |MOUNTAIN SETWALL) |

GALLOWBRUSH (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series)

This briar is red in colour with bright crimson thorns. Any mammal pricked with these thorns must make a save vs poison with a +1 bonus or fall asleep for 1d4+2 x 10 minutes. Even if they save the victim still feels drowsy. The thorns can also be brewed into a drink when mixed with water. Anyone drinking this must save vs. poison with a -4 penalty or fall asleep for 1d6 hours.

GARDEN FLAX (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

The brown seeds of this herb (which has deep blue flowers) if chewed remove all pain from a characters wounds. It will also prevent a character from feeling anything. He could walk through a fire and feel no pain. There is a 10% chance per hour that a character moving normally will suffer 1d2 hp damage, while under the influence of this herb. This occurs because the character doe not notice minor bruises or scratches. It was widely believed in medieval times that if the seeds of this plant were strewn across a vampires path the vampire would be unable to proceed further, until it had counted every seed. At the GMs discretion this may be a use for this herb in FRP campaigns.

GARIIG (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Gariig is a small cactus. It will restore all hit points to a wounded person if eaten within two days of being harvested.

GEFNUL (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Gefnul will totally cure and heal the recipient if eaten within one week of harvesting. A roll of over the Herbalists intelligence will kill the recipient, a roll of twenty will kill the recipient beyond the ability of a raise dead spell to revive him.

GOAT'S RUE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb will cure poison if ingested within one hour of the poisoning. Any damage already taken, including death, remains. Goat's Rue grows to about 3 feet tall. It has hollow branches and pale whitish blue flowers that hang down in spikes. The flowers must be dried before use.

GOLDEN CROWN (Shaun Hately from Feist and Wurts' `Empire' Trilogy)

The golden flowers of this small yellow-green plant may be made into a poultice that is used to stop bleeding. One successful application will normally stop minor bleeding, or staunch the flow of major bleeding until it only minor (a second application will stop the bleeding altogether). This herb is often used by midwives to staunch the flow of vaginal bleeding after birth.

GOLDEN LUNGWORT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Golden lungwort has large oval leaves, covered with small hairs, and small pale blotches. It grows to a height of about 1 foot, and has small bell shaped flowers with five petals which change colour from pink, to mauve to blue. Flowers of different colours are often found on the same plant. This herb heals the ears of all aches and pains.

GUARDSEYE (Maya Kniese)

This 40 cm high perennial has smooth, dark blue leaves and a woody stem. It has white, cuplike flowers, with purple flecks on the inside. In autumn, the plant dies except for a thick root than can be up to 50 cm long, but even dead, it does not shed its leaves. Thus the all year availability, for it is the leaves that are important. When cooked in water, the resulting tea will grant the drinker the ability to detect all life forms within 500 m. This includes hidden, invisible, phased, ethereal and similarly affected creatures. The effect last for fully 6 hours.

GYLVIR (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

This is an algae. When eaten it allows a person to breathe underwater (and only underwater!) for a period of four hours.

HARE'S EARS (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb cures skin diseases.

HARFY (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The resin of this herb must be applied to a bleeding wound. It will immediately stop any bleeding.

HART'S TONGUE (Shaun Hately)

This fern resembles a deer's tongue, hence its name. When a single frond is eaten, it serves to immediately decrease the recipients libido for 2d4 days. For this reason it is often of value to those undertaking a vow of celibacy, or who must be away from their loved ones. It does not diminish performance in any way, merely desire.

HAWKWEED (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb increases a character eyesight for 1d4 turns. They can see twice as far, and when in missile combat, all ranges are treated as if one less. Hawkweed has oval leaves, covered with small hairs on the underside, and green on the top. These leaves surround the plant at the base of the stem, and small yellow flowers tinged with red at the tips.

HEALWELL (Druann Pagliasotti)

A common enough herb to make it into most gardens, healwell is a small flowering plant with bright yellow flowers. Its pale green leaves secrete an oil that can be rubbed on small injuries. (Cures 1 hp/oz of oil, 1 round/oz to apply; not useful on wounds over 2 hp.)

HENBANE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb will reduce the effects of poison weapons, but only if taken before the weapon strikes. In the case of non fatal poisons the effect is completely nullified, but in the case of fatal poisons, the only benefit is a +3 to Saving Throws. Henbane has large, thick, soft woolly leaves, and thick stalks about 2 to 3 feet tall. It has hollow pale yellow flowers at the top of the stalk. Either the seed or the flowers must be dried and then eaten. The effect last 1d8 hours.

HOREHOUND (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This plant has angular greyish stems and grows to a height of three feet. It has oval shaped tooth edged, ash green leaves. It has small creamy white flowers which group at the base of the leaves. This herb will cause the recipient to vomit up any poison in their system. It is effective only against ingested poisons. The person will be incapacitated by nausea for 1-3 days. In the case of an `instant death' poison, the person can be saved if the herb is successfully administered within one round, but they will be incapacitated for the full three day period.

HORSEWEED (Maya Kniese)

This 25 cm high plant has many broad, double sawed leaves growing in a rosette. It grows large, yellow composite flowers, which will quickly grow hairy seeds that will fly far on the wind. The plant often has flowers and seed simultaneously. If a generous amount of the leaves is fed to a horse or similar creature, it will be able to travel all day without tiring, even if moving at a gallop.

IRONHARD (Maya Kniese)

This 2 foot high plant has dark blue leaves with a thick white hair growth on the underside. It grows all summer and the first half of autumn, and has many small yellow 6 leaved flowers. The plant has a milky white sap, which can be rubbed onto the skin, hardening it and granting a 1 bonus on armour-class for one hour.

JAFFRAY (Druann Pagliasotti)

A clove-like herb that is normally ground up and sprinkled into other dishes or drinks as flavouring, Jaffray also acts as a mild aphrodisiac, increasing sexual interest and general sensitivity to the surroundings. Face flushes, pupils dilate, breathing quickens, and skin becomes preternaturally sensitive. The herb has a mildly cinnamon-like flavour and its potency is not affected by being cooked. The herb is also sometimes used to counteract suspected poisoning, since it increases resistance to poison yet is so common as to be inoffensive if added to a meal. (Wisdom -2, Constitution +2, causes mild, pleasant sense of intoxication. Effects last 1d4 hours. Regular usage will build the user's tolerance to the drug, requiring greater amounts to achieve the same effects. Immunity is possible.)

JINAB (Shaun Hately from Feist and Wurts' `Empire' Trilogy)

The dark chocolate brown bark of this small fast growing tree, may be eaten in order to allow a person to remain awake for one whole week, without the need for sleep. At the end of this period, they will collapse, absolutely exhausted for four days, and will capable of only half movement for a further week after that.

JOJOJOPO (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The leaf of this herb, when applied to frostbite will cure 2d6 points of frostbite damage.

JUNIPER (Shaun Hately)

The Juniper tree can grow up to ten feet in height. It is an evergreen, which has prickly stiff foliage. The berries appear in early summer, but take three years to ripen to the stage where they are useful. Unripe berries are green, ripe ones are bluish-black in colour. Because of this rather long period of ripening, it is wise to never denude a tree of berries. A normal sized tree will have between 100 and 200 ripe berries. 15 of these berries should be crushed and mixed with boiling water. When the liquid has cooled, the infusion should then be drunk in order to relieve muscle pains for 3d4 hours. This liquid will only keep for a month under normal conditions, but can be mixed with an alcoholic spirit to increase its lifespan indefinitely. According to some gipsy traditions, a sprig of juniper kept in a house would protect the inhabitants from vampire attacks. This may actually work at the GMs discretion.

KATHKUSA (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

This plant is found only in the most inhospitable regions. When a leaf of the plant is eaten, it will (if used successfully) raise a persons strength +2 (or 20 percentage points in the case of exceptional strength) for 1d10 rounds. However if the Intelligence check is failed by more than three, the person will collapse into unconsciousness for one hour.

KELVENTARI (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

If the crushed Kelventari berries are applied to a burn within one turn on its infliction it will heal 1d3 quarters of all damage caused by the burn, no matter how much damage was taken.

KILMAKUR (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The roots of this plant must be brewed over a low fire for one week, and the resulting distillation drunk. If used successfully, the recipient will gain a bonus of +2 to all saving throws versus fire based attacks for 1d10 hours.

KLAGUL (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The buds of this plant must be boiled for a day and then eaten. After boiling they will keep for six weeks. When eaten, they will if successful give the recipient infravision for six hours.

KYLATHAR (Maya Kniese)

The Kylathar or Changeberry is a strange plant indeed. Anyone who eats the yellow, soft, plum sized fruits instantly has two random stats exchanged; Strength with Constitution, Wisdom with Dexterity; anything is possible (the GM should determine which statistics are exchanged). There is no saving throw, and no cure (no easy one anyway; if you as DM want one, make it up). Eating more of the berries will simply cause more stats to be randomly exchanged. Short of magical storage, the fruits will spoil and rot within 2 days after plucking. The bush itself grows about 2 metres high, with long, dusty green leaves, which are slightly sawed. The flowers grow in groups of 4 to 8, and are yellowish white with orange edges. The flowers grow in late spring, the fruits are ripe in autumn.

LAISHABERRIES (Maya Kniese)

Laishaberries, also known as fruit of silence, grow on dark green, knee-high bushes. The leaves of the bushes are hard and waxy, and stay on long into autumn, sometimes even into winter. Concealed under the leaves, the red, cherry sized berries grow. In spring and early summer, the bush grows small, fragrant, wax blue flowers. The berries, which are equally fragrant, begin as hard white fruits, turning soft, red, and juicy as they ripen. The berries taste quite bland themselves, although they can be used to add a special taste to all kinds of jellies. When ripe, the berries can be eaten raw, and will each heal 2 hp of damage, or speed the recovery from most diseases. However, they will also render the eater mute for 20 minutes for each berry eaten. Also, if more than 5 or 6 berries are eaten at a time, a saving throw vs poison is required to avoid severe stomach cramps. A jelly made from the berries themselves loses both the healing and silencing powers (and the danger of cramps) of the fresh berries, but the curative effects for most diseases is doubled; fresh berries reduce the recovery time by one day for each berry eaten, the jelly halves the time.

LAND CALTROPS (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

If applied to a snake bite within one turn, it will draw out the poison. Some very venomous snakes give bites that are incurable by this method, and so the herb has no effect against `instant death' poisons. It may (at the GMs discretion) provide protection against other, non- fatal animal poisons.)

LARNURMA (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series)

This tree has round purple fruit, which are about the size and consistency of plums When eaten this fruit will heal 2 hp per fruit. These fruits cannot be dried and will rot within two weeks of picking. However the juice of three fruits can be mixed with olive (or other vegetable) oil, and left to stand for a week. This oil has an almost unlimited life. Rubbing this oil into the recipients skin will ease muscle pains, and also restore 1d4 hit points.

LAUMSPUR (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series)

This is a green plant with small red flower, which are renowned for their healing properties. These flowers can be eaten fresh or dried for later use. If not dried they will become useless within 1 week. The flowers can also be brewed over a very low heat in fresh water to produce a `potion', which cane be drunk for its healing effect. When consumed, the herb will, on a successful herbalism check, heal 6 hp damage with fresh leaves, 4 hp using dry leaves, and 6 - 8 hp using the brew.

LEOPARD'S BANE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This is a poison that kills animals (but not monsters) that eat it, but has no effect on humanoids, demi-humans or humans.

LESSER CENTAURY (Shaun Hately)

This plant has rosy-pink flowers, which are splayed out like a five pointed star. These flowers if eaten within one day of being picked will cause the recipient to vomit up any ingested poison within their body. The person will remain very weak for 1d3 days, can only move with great difficulty and is totally able to perform any useful actions.

LUNGWORT (Shaun Hately)

This plant has broad leaves covered with dark spots, resembling diseased lungs. It is used in the treatment of diseased lungs, by boiling the leaves and drinking the infusion. The effect of a successful treatment is to render breathing easier and to clear fluids from the lungs caused by a whole array of diseases - pneumonia and tuberculosis to name but two. It does not actually cure the disease, but merely relieves this symptoms. With some diseases that alone can be the difference between life and death.

MAKEBATE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb will counteract the poison of scorpions if taken within 2 turns of the bite. Any damage, including death, already taken will remain.

MANDRAKE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

The root of this herb sends the recipient to sleep. The sleep will last five hours, during which time the person cannot be woken except by a neutralise poison spell or potion. The root is said to bear a resemblance to the naked male form, hence its name. The plant has several dark green leaves which are about 1 foot long. The purple flowers of the plant are bell shaped. The root of the plant must be boiled on the night of a full moon and left to sit for an entire month before use. According to Ancient Egyptian legend, the sun god, Ra, sent Mathor to earth to punish mankind. Mathor's slaughter was so intense, that Ra took pity on man, and forced Mathor to drink the blood of his victims mixed with Mandrake root. He fell asleep and when he awoke was unable to remember why he had come to earth, and so the slaughter was ended.

MARIGOLD (Shaun Hately)

Marigold can grow to a height of two feet and has rows of flat orange and yellow petals around a central disc. These flowers must be dried and then mixed with olive or other vegetable oil to produce a soothing balm which will soothe and clean small wounds, in order to prevent infection.

MARJEROME (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb removes the colour from the skin of a person who has had yellow jaundice. The herb has angular stems which grow to a height of 1 to 2 feet, which are reddish in colour and are covered in small hairs. It has ovate shaped leaves which surround the stem and grow smaller and smaller towards the top of the plant. It is topped by pale pink flowers.

MARSH MALLOW (Shaun Hately)

This plant has a green fleshy stem and broad egg shaped leaves, both of which are covered with downy hairs. It has five petalled, pale pink flowers which sit at the base of the leaves. The root must be boiled and the resultant distillation applied to burns. If used successfully the herb will double the rate of healing for the burn.

MARUERA (Seth Klein)

In appearance this tree looks much like any other. It can be identified by its vivid green leaves. These leaves when chewed produce large amounts of oxygen from the carbon dioxide already in the persons breath. One leaf may chewed for up to ten minutes, before its properties are exhausted. The leaves are often boiled and the resultant infusion added to other substances to produce a gum. A piece of this gum will allow the recipient to survive without oxygen for 2d4 x 10 minutes, provided they are conscious and able to chew. The herbs main use is in allowing the recipient to survive in oxygen poor or free environments such as underground. When a tree is found it will normally have 3d100 leaves. Taking too many leaves can harm the tree. The tree has a chance of dying equal to the percentage of the leaves taken. For example if 30% of the leaves are taken the tree has a 30% chance of dying, if 50% are taken it has a 50% chance of dying. The leaves are also said to have a calming effect when chewed (GMs discretion).

MASTERWORT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Masterwort grows to be about three feet tall and bears umbels of white flowers. It has winged dark green leaves like those of a maple tree. The leaves must be boiled and left to stand for at least twenty days before use. This herb is used as a protection from plague, giving a +2 bonus to any saves vs disease.

MEGILLOS (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The leaves of this herb increases a character eyesight for 1 turn. They can see twice as far, and when in missile combat, all ranges are treated as if one less.

MELANDER (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Melander is a moss that must be brewed in clear water. The resultant distillation must then be drunk. It will then add +1 to all saving throws vs disease for a period of 1d10 days.

MILKWORTE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb protects from (for 1d4 days) and treats cholera (cures cholera in 1d4 days).

MIRENNA (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The berries of Mirenna will heal 1d2 hp when eaten.

MOUNTAIN GARLICK (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb is said to repel evil spirits.

MOUNTAIN SETWALL (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb cause hair to grow on a characters eyelids. (^SEE |FUMITORE) |

MUGWORT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

The effects of this herb last for two hours. During this time the character can function at negative hit points, or beyond the point of exhaustion. Mugwort can grow to be taller than a man. It has a stiff and angular stem, reddish brown in colour. It has deeply incised smooth leaves which are dark green on top and silvery white underneath. It has small, yellow-green or yellow-red flowers arranged in long spikes at the top of the stem. THIS HERB IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. REPEATED USE IS VERY UNWISE.

NAPWEED (Shaun Hately)

This plant has a single main stem with small fern like leaves, and small pink flowers growing from it. These flowers must be dried, powdered, and mixed into wine and then drunk to counter the effect of injected poisons. A successful application means that only half normal damage is taken from the poison. In addition to this use, the flower is often counted as a symbol of faith between lovers and is used to decorate and garnish foods at weddings. According to Greek mythology, this plant was used by the centaur, who wounded by Hercules with an arrow poisoned with the Hydra's blood, treated himself with it.

NAVEW (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

The seeds of Navew dropped in a drinks or on to food before it is eaten acts as counteragent to ingested poisons. It prevents the death of a person poisoned in that meal, though they may still be very ill.

NIGHTCALL (Druann Pagliasotti)

A blue-grey herb smelling faintly of nutmeg that heightens the user's senses. Overdosage or prolonged usage causes photosensitivity, distraction and nervousness; on the other hand, prolonged usage can also make the effects permanent. Nightcall gradually dyes the long-term user's hair, teeth, nails, horns, or scales midnight blue. (The minimum dose of 1 tsp gives the eater +100' sight range, +10% hearing, and +1 to Wisdom/Intuition and Dexterity scores. The effects increase proportionately to the dosage, to no more than +400/40/+4. Dosages over 1 tsp, or 1 tsp taken several days in a row, will cause addiction.)

OEDE (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series)

One of the most valuable and prized of all plants, this bush has laves that are almost golden in colour. These leaves can be dried, but if they are not will last only two weeks. This means the drying process must be begun within an hour of the leaves being picked. These leaves can according to legend cure any disease. Whether or not the leaves have this power is up to the individual GM.

OIOLOSSE (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

This herb will restore an Elf to life if given within seven days of death.

OLUS VERITIS (Shaun Hately)

Olus veritis is pale green in colour and grows right on the edge of rivers. The leaves are rough in texture, and have tiny thorns all along their edges. A leaf should be baked in an oven for one hour and then dragged across the skin of the recipient, cutting their flesh very slightly. The recipient, must save vs poison or be compelled to answer all questions, absolutely truthfully for the next 1d6 x 10 minutes. Up to three uses of the herb can be made in a 24 hour period. If any more than this are made the recipient will die within 3 hours of the third dose, or instantly if five or more doses are administered.

OLVAR (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The flower of the Olvar bush must be given to a person on the point of death (at -10 hp, and not losing any more). It will then keep them alive for 2d10 days.

ORACH (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Orach grows to about 3 or 4 feet in height. It has a whitish stalk, pale green leaves and greenish-white flowers. The seeds must be gathered, bruised and left to stand in pure alcohol for six weeks. The mixture must then be drunk, one spoonful a day for a week. The herb will cure yellow jaundice. It leaves a yellow colour in the skin.

PALLAST (compound) (Druann Pagliasotti)

“Pallast” is a compound made of the pale, papery bark from willows and the roots of marshmallows. When ground together and imbibed, pallast cures minor aches and pains, especially headaches and pain from abscessed teeth, sore muscles, and so forth. Pallast itself is a very bitter pale powder, and is usually served in a heavily sweetened tea. (Relieves minor pains but does not restore lost hit points.)

PALMA ELDATH (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb keeps a person warm for one night or one day, and prevents them suffering from exposure. This can mean the difference between life and death.

PARGEN (Shaun Hately from Alexander ICEs “MERP” RPG)

A single berry from the Pargen Tree will restore a person to life (-1 point of Constitution) if given within 4 days.

PATTRAN (Druann Pagliasotti)

The root of a small, shrub-like plant with dark green, shiny leaves and thorns, Pattran is used to relax the muscles and encourage sleep. In mild dosages, Pattran causes a general feeling of relaxation, eases sore, strained or sprained muscles, and similar aches. In larger doses, Pattran causes sleepiness. Pattran tastes like a combination of mint and rich soil. (For sleep dosages, user may voluntarily choose to sleep well or, if resisting, save versus poison at +3. Effects last 2d4 hours; if asleep, the user will sleep and awaken normally.)

PENNYROYAL (Shaun Hately)

Pennyroyal is a low creeping herb with a squarish stem and small dark green leaves which grow in pairs. The flowers grow in round clusters which are mauve in hue. The leaves should be plucked and while fresh be thrown into a persons bath water. They may then have an aphrodisiac effect on anyone the recipient attempts to influence in the next 1d4 days (assume that 1 is added to the recipients Charisma for this period). In addition, if dried (takes two weeks), the leaves may be sprinkled among books, and will then act as an insect repellent. These make the leaves highly prized among mages and sages who will normally pay 12 gp for the dried leaves.

PEONY (Shaun Hately)

This plant with its delicate pink flowers may be boiled into a powerful healing draught, capable of stoping all bleeding, internal and external immediately. However a roll of 1 on the Herbalism check by the herbalist, will kill the recipient in 1d4 minutes, as they suffer a massive heart attack. The herb can be deliberately used as a poison by using five times the normal dosage.

PERIWINKLE (Shaun Hately)

The plant is a creeping vine with dark, green shiny leaves and pale blue flowers. The flours must be crushed into a powder and administered orally. If used successfully the herb will stop all bleeding, both internal and external in one turn. The recipient must not move for one hour or risk reopening the wounds.

PETIVERIA (Shaun Hately)

This plant has a single stem with dark green, shiny leaves growing from it. It is topped by very thin, yellow flowers. The petals of these flowers should be tied into a poultice, where they will, on a successful application act to bring down swelling and bruise over the course of a one day period.

PRINCE'S FEATHER (Shaun Hately)

This herb has red-green leaves and long pink flowers. The flowers must be beaten into powder and eaten by the recipient. If successful, the herb will halve the rate of internal bleeding within 1 turn.

RAMPALT (Druann Pagliasotti)

This dark-colored root grows on a plant distinguished by its waxy dark green leaves. When the root is boiled down, it turns into a thick, strong-smelling greyish liquid that cures congestion when boiled in water and inhaled. (Relieves stuffy head, opens sinuses, for as long as the steam is breathed + 2d6x10 rounds.)

REWK (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The nodules of the stem of Rewk must be brewed in clear water for one whole day before drinking. It will then cure 1d3 points of damage.

RIBWORT PLANTAIN (Shaun Hately)

This plant has a cluster of dark green leaves, with marked parallel veins at its base, a single stem topped by a cluster of tiny, pale orange flowers. The chopped leaves are applied to the flesh to reduce bruising. A successful application will remove slight bruises altogether within an hour, more severe bruises will take 1d4 days.

ROSE CAMPION (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb will protect against scorpion stings for three days. It will protect against only one sting. It will protect against `instant death' venom.

RUE (Shaun Hately)

Rue is a small rounded bush which grows to about three feet in height. It has yellow, scoop like flowers. The leaves are shaped like spades, and are blue grey in colour. It has seedpods which resemble a small green orange. The seedpods should be consumed as an antidote to ingested poisons. Provided it is taken within 10 minutes, of the poison being ingested, and the poison has not already had its effect, it will neutralise the poison in 1d4 minutes, on a successful herbalism check. It is also mixed with wormwood to create a very effective antiseptic. See Wormwood for details.

SABITO (Sean Snyder from Joe Devers `Lone Wolf' series)

This plant has leaves which are bluish in tinge, and is found growing in the sands of coastal dunes. The root is dark blue in colour and may be made into small pills. Consuming one of these pills will allow the recipient to breathe underwater for 10 minutes, by allowing them to absorb the oxygen in the water directly into their skin through osmosis. Their skin has a translucent appearance for these ten minutes.

SADDILIA (Maya Kniese)

This rare tree can grow up to 20 m tall, and can become quite old. It has dark red wood, and equally dark blue leaves. The flowers, which grow in small bunches, are startling white, almost radiant. Its nuts have a very special property; each nut raises the Intelligence or Wisdom (determine randomly) of the eater by 0.1 point (20 max). The effect lasts for a whole week, after which it fades again, although there is a 10% chance the effect is permanent. Around the tree there are often animals (squirrels, salmon) who eat the nuts on a regular basis, and are therefore quite intelligent, often possessing speech or even (GMs discretion) spellcasting abilities. The number of nuts available varies greatly, depending on the age of the tree, the amount of creatures aware of its existence, etc, and mainly of course on the GMs wishes. Basically, the GM should determine how many of the players you wish to profit from it, multiply by ten, and make up an explanation as to why there are no more nuts.

SAFFRON (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

The plant has a tuberous root, and large purplish flowers with yellow-red centres. The pistils of the flower must be pounded into a paste which is left to dry for a week. The resulting powder is taken as snuff. This herb raises all attribute scores by one for one hour.^ NOTE |THIS HERB IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. REPEATED USE IS VERY UNWISE. |

SANICLE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

Sanicle leaves should be crushed and left in white wine, the strained through a cloth and drunk. It has the effect of binding wounds so that they are not reopened by action. It is a small plant with glossy green leaves, with long leaf stalks which are divided into three or five lobes. It has small white or pink flowers which sit at the top of a slender stalk.

SARACEN'S CONFOUND (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb cures fevers within 1d4-1 turns.

SCENTED MAYWEED (Shaun Hately)

Scented mayweed grows to a height of about 2 feet. It has erect and branching stems. It has small leaves, white flowers with a yellow centre. The flowers must be crushed, emitting a pungent odour and should then be applied to the eyes in order to heal damage to them caused by acid. If used within a day of the injury, they can prevent blindness.

SERAPIAS TURBITH (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb will place the recipient into a deep sleep for one day. The recipient CANNOT be woken. At the end of the day, all wounds will be healed. It does not, of course, resurrect a dead person, or regenerate lost limbs.

SESSALI (Shaun Hately from Feist and Wurts' `Empire' Trilogy)

A rugged thorny plant found by the sea. The leaves must be boiled for two hours in salt water, and the resultant mix sweetened with honey. This mixture will act as a cure for certain types of ingested poisons (GMs discretion, as to which ones). The recipient must be made to drink one dose immediately the mixture is ready, and then a further dose every twelve hours for three days (7 doses in all). If the number of successful applications is four or more, the patient will recover.

SHEPHERD'S PURSE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb rarely grows to a height of more than one and a half feet. It has small greyish green leaves, growing smaller towards the summit of the plant. It has small four petalled dirty-white flowers at its peak. If applied to wounds it will stop their bleeding for one hour, and temporarily removes the need to bandage.

SILVERTHORN (Shaun Hately from Raymond E. Feist's `Silverthorn')

Silverthorn is a small thorny plant, white in colour with red berries and silver thorns. Called aelebera by the elves, this herb can function either as a poison or as an antidote to itself. It is found only by one lake located high in the mountains. For use as a poison the thorns must be crushed and boiled in oil over the course of a night, at which point, the resultant mixture may be smeared on the end of a weapon. When the weapon pierces its target, the poison will take effect killing the victim within 2d6 hours. There is no save and no cure, except for the antidote outlined below. Not even the most powerful magic can cure this poison. The only cure for this poison, is also made from the Silverthorn plant. The berries must be boiled in absolutely pure water, contained in a pure silver vessel, and the resultant mixture stored in a vial of absolutely pure glass until use. The liquid must be placed on the dying victims lips, where within 1d20 minutes, they will recover from the poisoning.

SINQUOI (Shaun Hately from Feist and Wurts' `Empire' Trilogy)

The red leaves of this unusually twisted tree should be burned and the smoke inhaled. This will have the effect of `dilating' time (making it appear to pass slower.) For every minute experienced outside the influence of the herb, only thirty seconds will pass. A single dose is effective for 1d6 hours. Normally used by torturers to prolong agony, the leaves may also be used by people who must think quickly. It does not increase the speed at which a person moves (Under it's influence all movement will seem sluggish), and does not impart any bonuses in combat for this reason, (you may see the blow coming more easily, but you will still be unable to avoid it.)

SNAKESPIKE (Druann Pagliasotti)

A thin stalk covered with yellow-green flowers. The leaves can be steeped in water to make a tea that, when imbibed 3 times a day, reduces inflammation and restores strength; when made into an ointment, snakespike soothes and promotes rapid healing. (Tea gives 1d3 hp/day instead of 1; ointment restores 1d2 hp immediately per application but can only be administered to the same character once a day.)

SPANISH NUT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb is a powerful aphrodisiac. If successfully administered I would suggest that the GM or player roleplays the recipient accordingly. However if a method of using dice to simulate its effect is wanted, I suggest that anyone who attempts to seduce the recipient should have a bonus of 1d4 to their Charisma (Appearance) for a period of 2d10 turns.

SPIDERWORT (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb will cure spider poison if applied within 2 rounds. Any damage already incurred, including death remains. This plant may be found anywhere in temperate regions where there is chalky soil.

SPRING ADONIS (Shaun Hately)

This plant has small green leaves, and wide round yellow flowers. These flowers may be dried, and then eaten. They will then reduce the chance of a heart attack by half each day they are eaten. They may (at the GMs discretion) also help to strengthen the heart of a person, who through age, injury, or other cause, has a weak heart. Eaten ten or more of these flowers at a time will temporarily raise the Constitution and Strength scores of a person by 1 for 2d12 hours, while reducing their Dexterity by 2 for the same period. In addition to this reduction such person also has a (50 - Constitution) % chance of suffering a fatal heart attack 3d12 hours after taking such a massive dose. Certain tribes of barbarians in the mountain regions where this herb is found, use it in order to help them go berserk in battle. These tribes, due to constant dosing from birth have only a (20 - Constitution) % chance of suffering the heart attack. According to legend, the Greek goddess Aphrodite changed her beloved Adonis, the son of King Cinyras, into this flower, just before he died after being wounded by a wild boar.

STRAWBERRY (Shaun Hately)

These small red berries grow on very small bushes with pale green rounded leaves. Five berries should be bound into a bandage, which should then be applied to a lepers sores. If the application is successful, that sore will deteriorate no further.

SUAEYSIT (Druann Pagliasotti)

A dark black mushroom with greyish markings along the undersides, this fungus grows in shadowed forests in cool to cold climes. Suaeysit mushrooms can be eaten directly or dried and ground into tinctures or otherwise prepared. The mushrooms give the imbiber a rush of energy, clearing the mind and raising the spirits. However, they are highly addictive, and care must be taken when preparing and prescribing dosages. Often used to counteract shock in emergency situations. (Temporarily adds +1 to all statistics - no top limit to natural statistics, but it does not add to magically enhanced statistics - and saving throws, and relieves effects of fatigue. This effect lasts for 1d4 hours, after which the user operates at -1 to all statistics and saving throws, and feels even more fatigued. The negative effects of “coming down” can, of course, be counteracted by taking more the drug, with resultant addictive effects.)

SWEET TREFOILE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb will halve falling damage if applied within one turn of the fall.

TAI-GI (Shaun Hately from Feist and Wurts' `Empire' Trilogy)

The ground and powdered root of this small, almost flat plant will, if eaten, increase the efficiency of all a persons five senses by 5 times for a period of 2d6 hours. They will be able to see five times as far, and things five times as small, track by scent alone, hear the smallest sounds, and even taste many poisons on their tongues. A side effect is that they are also five times as susceptible to pain (for each hit point of damage the person must save vs Constitution with a penalty of the amount of damage, ie a person with a Constitution of 15 take 6 points of damage. He musts roll 9 or under on d20 or collapse in agony. If the person ever takes more damage than their Constitution score while under the influence of this herb, they have a 95% (19 in 20) chance of instant death, just from the pain.

TAMARINDES (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb will quench the thirst. However it does not replace the water in their system. A person can still die of thirst, they just won't feel thirsty. Because of this fact, its use can be dangerous.

TAMARISKE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb will cleanse wounds, removing all infection. It does not cure lost hit points.

TATEESHA (Shaun Hately from Feist and Wurts' `Empire' Trilogy)

The tateen bush is a low lying shrub with long thin leaves and small brown nuts. These nuts may be chewed to provide a short lived feeling of euphoria, and are mildly addictive. They have the side effect of staining the teeth, making it easy to find a tateen addict. The flowers, called silks bloom only in spring, and if gathered and dried for one week form a powerful narcotic which may be smoked. For 2d10 minutes after smoking the persons insight is increased (+1 to Intelligence), but for 1d4 hours after this, a state of distortion ensues and the recipient Intelligence and Wisdom drop by 2 from their normal levels. Prolonged use causes the user to collapse into an almost dreamlike trance. THIS HERB IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. REPEATED USE IS VERY UNWISE.

TEMPIN (Druann Pagliasotti)

A bushy climbing vine with tubular yellow flowers, the leaves and flowers of tempin can be boiled and made into a poultice that will draw out poisons from bites and stings and allow the wound to heal cleanly and without complications. (When poultice is applied promptly, gives an additional +2 save vs. poison, once on any particular poison attack. Also gives back 1 extra hp/day for the first 2 days after poultice is applied.)

TEPHROSIA (Shaun Hately)

Tephrosia consists of a small woody stem, with fern like leaves along its length, and topped by several small flowers (or in summer seedpods). Either the flowers or the seeds may be boiled in water and then drunk to calm the recipient. This is very useful when a person is delirious, or otherwise insane. It also has a mild pain relieving effect and may be given to the wounded or injured. The seedpods are more effective than the flowers (hence the different ability checks) and may also be dried. This herb is mildly addictive and should be used with care.

TERBAS (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The leaf of this plant must be applied to the site of nerve damage. If successful, the rate of healing for such damage will be doubled on each day of use.

TERIKO WEED (Shaun Hately from Feist and Wurts' `Empire' Trilogy)

This small dark green weed is prized as a contraceptive. It must be boiled for one hour into an elixir, and drunk by the woman. A successful application will prevent 98% of pregnancies for a period of 1d3+1 weeks.

THORN APPLE (Frank Shears)

This is a small ground hugging plant. Its seeds are about a quarter of an inch in diameter, and are covered in small thorns. A single seed is very effective as a minor pain reliever. It will ease small pains, such as headaches or minor muscular pains for 3d4 hours. The pain relief is almost instantaneous.

THROW-WAXE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This herb will heal any scars in a year if applied every week.

THURL (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The clove of Thurl must be brewed for one whole day. When the mixture is drunk it will restore 1 hp of damage.

THYME (Shaun Hately)

Thyme can grow up to a foot in height. It has tiny dark green leaves, and is an evergreen. In spring it has many sweet scented mauve flowers. The smell is so strong that the herb is often smelt before it is seen. These flowers must be dried and then mixed with fresh, clear water. To produce an antiseptic lotion. This lotion should be applied to infected wounds. A successful application will destroy the infection, although any damage already sustained will remain.

UR (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Ur can be used as a substitute for one days food. It cannot be used for more than three days or a character will begin to suffer -2 to all statistics. When any statistic is less than 3 the character become comatose, when any statistic reaches 0 they die. A character will regain 1 statistic point per day with food and medical care, but will remain incapacitated until all statistics reach normal levels.

VALERIAN (Shaun Hately)

Valerian grows to a height of about 3 feet, and has one hollow furrowed stem. It has large, pale green, serrated leaves along the length of this stalk which slits into flowers stems with small pink flowers at its top. The root is the useful part of this plant and should be grated into boiling water and the resulting infusion drunk in order to ease the spasms of somebody who is subject to fits. A successful application will stop all fits for 1d12 hours. The scent of the bruised or cut root also can be used to attract rats. According to some versions of the legend, the Pied Piper of Hamlin used this herb to lead the rats from the town.

VINUK (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

If this herb is given to an unconscious person, it will immediately awaken the person. It will only wake up a person who is unconscious due to alcohol or fainting etc, not that caused by physical damage. And just because the person is conscious does not mean that they are coherent.

WHITE BRYONY (Shaun Hately)

This climbing vine has greenish white star shaped flowers, each bearing five petals, and has green berries which turn red when ripe. It has a root, something like a huge turnip, and this root should be ground up and boiled in water and drunk as a cure for pneumonia.

WHITECANDLE (Druann Pagliasotti)

A tall, flowered plant with silvery-green leaves. When the flowers are mixed with water or wine and applied directly to a wound, they act as a painkiller. (Restores 1d4 immediately, but these points are lost as the effect wears off in 2 hours Further applications before the previous one has worn off are ineffective.)

WILLOW-HERB (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

The plant grows to about three feet in height. It has long hairy leaves and large purplish-pink flowers. The smoke of this herb will keep away snakes. One dose burns for about five minutes.

WINCLAMIT (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

Each Winclamit tree bears but one fruit per year. When this fruit is eaten it will restore 1d100 hp to the recipient. The fruit can be stored for up to 2 months in a dry sealed container.

WOLFSBANE (Maya Kniese)

This small (15 cm) plant has black green leaves, sawed deeply several times, and three flower stalks with tiny white flowers and brown seed pods. The seeds are fine as dust, and are therefore usually worked into pills, although, in a pinch, it is possible to simply pluck a stalk and eat it whole. In both cases, the seeds have the effect of granting a +2 on a saving throw vs poison to avoid lycanthropy. The protection lasts for 2d4 x 10 minutes.

WOLFSBANE (WHOLESOME) (Shaun Hately)

This is a small plant, about 1 foot tall with pale, divided green leaves and hooded yellow flowers. The stem if rather hairy. The root must be boiled in water and then applied to a bite from a venomous creature within 5 rounds of the bite. If used successfully, the damage caused by the venom will be reduced by half.

WOODROSE (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

If drunk in wine, this herb cause people to become very merry. Anyone who wishes to resist its effect can do so, if they save vs poison (+2 bonus).

WOOD SORREL (Shaun Hately from Alexander Scott's “Maelstrom” RPG)

This is a small plant with leaves in three parts, like a shamrock. The flowers are bell shaped and are white with a dash of blue. The leaves must be crushed and dried for two weeks before use. This herb keeps people cool. It is obviously invaluable in desert regions. It doubles the persons ability to endure heat effects, but does not counteract dehydration, etc.

WORMWOOD (Shaun Hately)

The effects of this herb last for two hours. During this time the character can function at negative hit points, or beyond the point of exhaustion. Wormwood normally grows to about four feet in height. It has a stiff and angular stem, reddish brown in colour. It has deeply incised smooth leaves which are silvery white with a slight tinge of green. It has small, yellow-green flowers arranged in long spikes at the top of the stem. The herbs is also a rather effective insect repellent and is often left with clothing to keep fleas away. It also makes a very effective antiseptic when mixed with rue (Intelligence check to remove all infection from a wound within 5d6 hours). In addition to its above effects wormwood is also a prime ingredient in a very dangerous, very addictive drink called Absinthe which is milky green in colour. I will not outline the manufacture of this drink as it is highly dangerous, and often illegal. THIS HERB IN ANY FORM IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. REPEATED USE IS VERY UNWISE.

`While Wormwood hath seed get a handful or twaine
To save against march, to make flea to feraine:
Wherre chamber is sweeped and Wormwood is strowne,
No flea for his life dare abide to be known
Whate save is better (if physik be true)
For places infected than Wormwood and Rue?
It is a comfort for hart and the braine,
And therefore to have it is not in vaine'
Thomas Tusser (1527-1580)

YARAN (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

The pollen of this flower must be inhaled. A successful roll means that a persons sense of smell and of taste are doubled for one hour. The herb must still be growing or have been cut in the last 10 minutes.

YARROW (Shaun Hately)

The small white flowers of this herb, which cluster at the top of its one to two feet tall straight stem, should be crushed and applied to wounds. If successfully used it will stop minor bleeding, and reduce major bleeding to the minor level. A second application can then be used to stop the minor bleeding. According to legend Achilles used yarrow to treat wounded Greek troops during the Trojan War.

YAVETHALION (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

When the fruit is eaten, it will restore 1d3 hp to the recipient. Yavethalion keeps for only two weeks.

YOUNG LAD'S LOVE (Shaun Hately)

Young lad's love is a 3 to five foot tall shrub with many branches that resemble small trees. It has small yellow- white flowers, and green feathery leaves, which smell of lemon. These leaves turn a rich orange-brown in late autumn. The flowers should be crushed and placed into a poultice, to be used. A successful application will cure one small area of frostbite, such as a foot or hand, in 2d8 hours.

ZULSENDRA (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

When this mushroom is eaten, it doubles a persons rate of movement, and rate of attack for three rounds. At the end of that time the person must save versus poison or collapse in exhaustion for 1d6 turns.

ZUR (Shaun Hately from ICEs “MERP” RPG)

This fungus must be brewed for six hours. A successful roll means that a persons senses of smell and of hearing are doubled for one hour.

by Maya Kniese

The revised herbalism skill that appears below is largely the work of Maya Kniese and is © 1996 Maya Kniese and is used with permission. I have edited her original document for greater clarity. Note, the following skill assumes (as does the entire guide) that Intelligence is measured as a score from 3-18, as appears in D&D, AD&D, Dragon Warriors, and Tunnels & Trolls FRPGs. If a different system is used, in your game it is necessary to revise the skill accordingly. The following system is totally optional of course, and you should feel free to use your own system, or that contained in your games systems rulebooks.

Herbalism, as a skill or a proficiency, is the ability to first of all find and then to prepare a certain herb in order to use its special properties (normally curative). To use this skill, simply tell the GM that you intend to look for a certain plant. The GM will decide, based on the information contained in the Guide for each herb, and on the fact whether or not he wants the herb to be found if the plant exists in the area. If the herb does exist in the area, the GM will then roll 1d10 to determine the rarity of the plant in that area. This number must be multiplied by 10 and added to your intelligence score, in order to give the percentage chance that the herb will be found in each hour of searching. If the PC has two skill or proficiency levels in herbalism, then twice intelligence is added to the d10 x 10 roll, if the PC has three skill or proficiency points, three times Intelligence must be added. The GM must add modifiers to this chance of finding the herb, based on common sense, etc. For example an eight feet tall plant in the middle of an open field is going to be very easy to see, and consequently to find. If the PC has a survival skill or proficiency in the type of terrain that they are searching in, 5% should be added to this roll. If the PCs is in an area, that he or she is familiar with, for example their own village, 10% is added to the chance. These additions are cumulative. Finally once the herb is found, the Ability Check must be rolled in order to determine whether or not the herb is prepared correctly and functions as desired.

Reading through the guide, it may have been noticed that certain of the herbs contained within are addictive. In previous editions of this guide, I have not included any information on the effects of addiction, overdose, or withdrawal symptoms etc. This was because I do not wish to be seen as supporting or condoning drug use in any way, shape or form. For the record, I do not condone the administration, or use of any drug except on the basis of competent medical advice. However I have decided to include this appendix in the new edition of the guide, after many requests from users of previous editions of the guide. All information contained in this appendix is completely optional, even more so than any other information contained within the guide. It is useful in a game environment by tending to limit the effectiveness of certain powerful herbs. The undesirable effects of overuse will discourage PCs from becoming habitual users. However, I caution all GMs that forcing a player to play an addicted PC may be very distressing for the player. No player likes losing control of their character, and that may be an effect of addiction. Always remember the first priority of any game is to be fun.

A second warning. Drug use is a very contentious issue among certain people and groups. Don't let this fact get in the way of your games. Also the mention of drug use and addiction in games may distress some people. Please be careful.

Thirdly, a personal plea. Please never use any drug or herb unless prescribed by a medical practitioner, or a trained and skilled herbalist. A transient high, or a quick fix is not worth your life or your health. If you have any type of substance abuse problem seek help.

The suggested addiction effects contained in the appendix have been created for game purposes. They may or may not be accurate in a real world environment. This appendix is organised alphabetically, by the name of the herb. I have only considered powerfully addictive herbs. Those which are described as mildly addictive (such as Caffar, Callin or Tephrosia) should be role played by the GM and player, or ignored as the GM sees fit.

Chance of Overdose

Each time this herb is used, there is a 1 in 10 chance of Overdose occurring. An overdose causes the recipients heart to race at five times the normal speed for 1d12 minutes. At the end of this time the recipient will die of massive internal bleeding. During this time the recipient may be treated for ingested poison with a successful treatment allowing their survival.

Addiction and Withdrawal

Whenever this herb is used the recipient must save vs Constitution or become addicted. For every time after the first time the herb is used, a cumulative penalty of 1 applies to this save. An addict is unable to gain any benefit from the herb, but craves it nonetheless. They will undertake any risk and do anything to get the herb. They will kill anyone who stands between them and the herb. This is undisputable and unavoidable.

Recovery from Addiction

It is almost impossible to recover once addicted to Adgana. The only method is to go totally cold turkey for six months. During this time, the addict will take any and all opportunities to get hold of the herb. They will neglect everything else such is their fanaticism. They will be prone to severe depression and may be suicidal. After six months they will no longer crave the herb with such intensity, but will still do anything to get hold of it, if they see it. They will also suffer a permanent 1 point penalty to all attributes.

Chance Of Overdose

An overdose may occur if this herb is administered three or more times in any given 24 hour period. If this occurs, the PC must make a save vs poison with a -2 penalty. Each time the herb is administered after the third time in the 24 hour period, an additional cumulative penalty of -1 is applied to the save. For example if it has been used for the 5th time in 24 hours, the total penalty will be - 4.

If overdose occurs the PCs metabolism will go out of control. The PC must role under the Constitution on d20, or they will suffer heart failure and die within 2d10 minutes. Poison curing magic or the administration of a Navew nut has a 50% chance of saving the PCs life. Even if the PC survives they will be all but incapacitated for 1d4 days. There is also a (30-Constitution) % chance of the permanent loss of 1 CON point.

Addiction And Withdrawal

If this herb is used more than 3 times in a week (7 days) there is a 10% chance of addiction, with any additional use of this herb in that week raises the chance of addiction by a further 5%. This addition is cumulative. An addicted character must make a Constitution check each morning. If this is failed the PC is unable to function without a dose of Mugwort, and will suffer the loss of 1 point of Constitution. If the characters Constitution ever reaches 0, they will die. One dose of Mugwort will restore their Constitution score back to normal levels. Once addicted the PC will require double the normal dose of Mugwort for it to have any normal effect, but the normal 3 dose rule for overdose still applies.

It should be noted that the gradual loss of Constitution will cause the PC to take on a wasted appearance.

Recovery From Addiction

The PC must manage to abstain from the herb for 10+1d4 days. Each day they must make the above Constitution check. If they fail this check, they will lose a point of Constitution as described above. On a day when this occurs, if the PC has any chance to get hold of the herb, they will do so, no matter what, unless they pass a Wisdom check with a penalty of 5. The GM may allow a bonus to this check, if the PC would have to do something totally out of character, for example, a Paladin having to mug someone to get it, but the roll should never be better than a base Wisdom check. If the PC manages to survive the 10+1d4 day period, they are no longer addicted, and will gain any lost Constitution points (except those caused by overdose) back at the rate of one per day. However if they ever use the herb again, they will instantly become re-addicted.

Chance of Overdose

If more than 1 teaspoons (1 dose) is ever taken in a 24 hour period, the recipient has a (10% x number of doses) chance of overdosing. They will become extremely sensitive to light, causing pain and combat penalties (-2 penalty to combat in full light) for a period of 3d12 hours. They will be unable to concentrate properly for the same period of time, giving a 10% chance of miscasting spells.

Addiction and Withdrawal

Taking more than one dose of Nightcall at a time, or for more than three consecutive days will cause addiction. An addict must have one dose a day or suffer detrimental effects to both sight and hearing (each lose approximately half their effectiveness. The addict cannot hear all sound, and see everything as if it were dusk, even in full sunlight.)

Recovery from Addiction

If the addict goes three weeks without a dose, they can be considered to have recovered from their addiction, but they can become addicted again, if the exceed the one teaspoon dose.

Chance Of Overdose

This herb is incredibly powerful. If the herb is used more than once in a three day period, the PC must make a save vs poison with a -5 penalty or die immediately from a massive brain haemorrhage. A third usage in that period will automatically kill the character.

Addiction and Withdrawal

Addiction automatically occurs if this herb is used more than once in a week. An addicted character will lose one point a day from two randomly determined attributes, unless they have a dose of this herb. Any addicted PC who has a chance to get the herb, will take it no matter what. The following effects will occur if the respective attribute scores ever falls to 0.

The loss of Constitution, Strength and Charisma points all serve to alter the characters physical appearance.

Recovery From Addiction

The only cure for this addiction is powerful healing magic, although lesser magic will restore the PCs scores back to their normal levels. If the character is cured of their addiction their scores will remain at their current levels, until some form of restoration magic is used.

If a once addicted character ever has Saffron again, they become addicted with no chance of being cured. However this is unlikely to occur, because such a character develops an almost pathological hatred of the herb, and is likely to attack anyone in possession of it, and destroy it whenever they see it. (This is up to the player and the GM, but allows a lot of good campaign ideas.)

Chance Of Overdose

If a roll of 20 is made by the herbalist when administering this herb the PC will suffer a +4 bonus to all scores for a period of 1d10 minutes and must make a save vs Constitution or die. If they don't die they will collapse for 1d4 hours. When they awake all their scores will be at -4 for 1d6 days.

Addiction and Withdrawal

The addiction is psychological in nature. The PC can choose not to take the herb any time they wish, but many will not due to the consequences. As Druann (the herbs creator) says taking the herb increase all the PCs attributes for 1d4 hours. I suggest that after this period has elapsed all the PCs scores, and their saving rolls will drop by -1 for an equivalent number of days. The way to counteract this is to take another dose and raise the scores again for 1d4 hours, and then the scores will drop by 1 for an additional 1d4 days again. In other words say a PC has, at the end of each 'up' period, lasting say an average of 2.5 hours, another dose of the herb in order to keep the scores up. If they do this 10 times in succession, thus giving them 20.5 hours of 'up' periods, they must then put up with 20.5 days of 'down' time. They can quit if they like, and suffer no more disadvantage than lower scores for 3 weeks or they can continue taking the herb.

Recovery From Addiction

As described above, all that is necessary to recover from addiction to this herb is a desire to quit, and a willingness to accept the consequences.

For the purposes of this appendix, I will only consider the addictive effects of the silks. The mildly addictive qualities of tateen nuts will not be considered here.

Chance of Overdose

If a 20 is rolled on the ability check when administering this herb, the recipient will overdose. Overdoes will also occur if Tateesha silks are smoked more than once in a 24 hour period. Overdose of this herb will cause the recipient to lose touch with reality for between 10 and 30 minutes. They will hallucinate, normally that they are being attacked, and they will treat any approach by a person as an attack. During this period of hallucination, they will fight with a -3 penalty to any attack rolls, are incapable of using spells of any sort (although they are quite likely to think that any spells they cast have been effective.) They will also be able to endure wounds that would normally cause unconsciousness. After the initial effects described above, the recipient will collapse into a coma for 3d6 hours. They will awaken with a severe headache, and no recollection of the events following their overdose. There is a 1 in 20 chance that they will suffer a stroke during this coma, which may (10% chance) kill them, or (20% chance) leave them paralysed down one side.

Addiction and Withdrawal

Addiction may occur if Tateesha silks are smoked more than once in a two week period. The chance of addiction begins at one in six, but increases by a further one in six each time the herb is used during that two week period.

A Tateesha addict is extremely lethargic, and finds it very hard to get excited or involved about anything, except another dose of the herb. Their Intelligence and Wisdom scores are 1 point lower than normal unless they have smoked Tateesha in the previous two days. An addict experiencing withdrawal will smoke the herb at any opportunity, unless they make a save vs poison. A successful save allows them to suppress the craving for 2d6 hours, although they still suffer the Intelligence and Wisdom penalties.

Recovery From Addiction

A Tateesha addict who manages to do without the herb for more than a month will no longer suffer the Intelligence and Wisdom penalties, although they will still use the herb at any opportunity unless they make their save vs poison. At this stage, though, a successful save will suppress the craving for 1d4 days. If an addict manages to go an additional 2 months (a total of 3 months) without the herb they will no longer experience this craving. Any use of the herb, after being addicted will instantly readdict the person.

I have had grave concerns about including this information on addiction in the guide, and as Absinthe is so dangerous, as compared to other substance contained, I will not provide game rules. I suggest that the GM not allow the use of Absinthe in his games. It is only mentioned in the guide for the sake of completeness in the section on Wormwood. While Wormwood is a herb, like the others in this appendix, Absinthe is a dangerous drug of dependency with NO beneficial effects, and is therefore outside the purpose of this guide.

The author of this guide (Shaun Hately) wishes to make clear that he is absolutely opposed to any misuse of drugs, and accepts no responsibility for any misuse of the material contained within this guide. This is a guide for RPG purposes only. It does not seek, in any way, shape or form to advocate or encourage the misuse of any substance, natural or manufactured.

NAME             TIME    ZONE  LOCALE COST             PURPOSE
Adder's Tongue   Sp      Te    Ru     5gp/15gp         anti-infection
Adgana           Sp      Te    Ru     10gp/500gp       raises attributes
Agrimony         Su      Te    Fo     2gp/8gp          bruises, sprains
Aldaka           Wi      Cd    Mo     100gp/1000gp     blindness
Alether          Sp/Su   Te    Ru     10gp/100gp       combat skills
Alkanet          Su      Te    Ru     2gp/2gp          antidote
All-Heale        Au      Te    Fo     2gp/10gp         healing
Aloe             Au/Wi   Te    Gr     5cp/5cp          healing, burns
Amrans           Sp      Te    Ri/Ru  50gp/50gp        healing
Angelica         Su      Te    Mo     5sp/1gp          coughing
Anise            Su      Te    Ru     1gp/1gp          cures hiccups
Anserke          Su      Tr    Co     75gp/75gp        bleeding
Archangelica     Su      Te    Sw     5sp/5sp          colds, flu
Arfandas         Au/Wi   Cd    Ri     2sp/3sp          fractures
Arkasu           Au      Te    Gr     12gp/12gp        healing
Arlan            Au      Cd    Gr     20sp/20sp        healing
Arnica           Su      Te/Cd Mo     1gp/1gp          bruising
Arnuminas        Au      Te    Gr     6gp/6gp          tissue damage
Arpusar          Au      Cd    Ri     7gp/30gp         muscle damage
Asarabacca       Sp      Te    Fo     3gp/7gp          renders docile
Ash              Sp      Te    Fo     5gp/8gp          fevers, snakebite
Ashline          Wi/Sp   Te    Mo     50gp/500gp       petrification
Athelas          Au      Te    Fo     200gp/200gp      ???
Atigax           Wi      Te    Gr     40gp/70gp        protects eyesight
Attanar          Au/Wi   Te    Gr     8gp/8gp          fevers
Balm             Su      St    Fo     3gp/5gp          menstrual pains
Barberry         Su      Te    Ru     4gp/9gp          liver disorders
Base Mullein     Al      Te    Ru     10sp/10sp        burns
Basil            Su      Te    Ru     3sp/3sp          antidote
Bastit           Al      Te    All    3sp/3sp          repels insects
Belan            Su      Tr    Co     40gp/40gp        bleeding
Belramba         Su      Te    Fo     60gp/180gp       nerve damage
Bilberry         Sp      Te    Fo     500gp/3000gp     infravision
Birthnot         Al      Te    Hi     2cp/2cp          contraceptive
Bishop's Weed    Su      Te    Ru     4gp/10gp         plague
Bittermourn      Wi      Po    All    1000gp and up    longevity
Blackberry       Sp      Te    Ru     1gp/1gp          bleeding
Blackroot        Su      Te    All    4gp/4gp          healing
Black Rose       Sp/Su   Te    All    100gp/100g       liquid absorption
Bloodkeep        Sp      Te    Co     4sp/4sp          bleeding
Borage           Sp      Te    Fo     1gp/10gp         fever
Breldiar         Sp      Te    Vo     50 gp/50gp       alters perception
Bull-Rush        Al      Te/St Sw     2sp/3sp          sleep
Burdock          Sp      Te    Ru     10gp/30gp        syphilis
Bursthelas       Su      Te    Gr     110gp/1000gp     fractures
Caffar           Su/Au   Tr    De     10gp/10gp        psi enhancement
Calamus          Sp/Su   Te    Sw     5gp/15gp         restores hearing
Calcena Mushroom Al      All   Un     100gp/1000gp     hallucinogenic
Callin           Au      Te    Ju     5gp/25gp         heart attacks
Cat's Tail       Su      Te    Fo     1gp/3gp          heals heels
Cephalophage     Al      Te    Sp     100gp/100gp      see description
Chamomile        Sp/Su   Te    Ru     2gp/3gp          calming effect
Chervil          Al      Te    Fo     10gp/10gp        dissolve clots
Cinquefoil       Su      Te    Ru     10gp/15gp        aphrodisiac
Colewort         Sp/Su   Te    Fo     6sp/6sp          sobriety
Coltsfoot        Sp/Su   Te    Mo     2gp/4gp          anti-infection
Comfrey          Sp      Te    Ru     4gp/10gp         fractures
Cow Parsnip      Al      Te    Fo     3gp/10gp         madness
Cow-Wheat        Su      Te    Gr     2gp/3gp          intoxication
Culkas           Al      Tr    De     35gp/35gp        sunburn
Dagmather        Su      Te    Gr     6gp/28gp         tissue damage
Dainaberry       Au      Te    Ri     2gp/8gp          induces sleep
Darnell          Au      Te    Fo     3gp/7gp          dims sight
Darsurion        Wi      Cd    Mo     3sp/3sp          healing
Deadly-NightshadeSu      Te    Fo     4gp/8gp          sleep
Degiik           Su      Tr    Co     100gp/100gp      maintains life
Delrean          Wi      Te    Fo     3sp/3sp          repels insects
Dittany          Su/Au   Te    Ri     1gp/5gp          anti-infection
Dog Rose         Su/Au   Te    Ru/Ur  1sp/10sp         prevents scurvy
Draaf            Sp      St    Co     5sp/5sp          healing
Dragontears      Sp      Te    De     100gp/100gp      healing
Dragonwort       Sp      Cd    Mo     100gp/300gp      smallpox, plague
Dwarf Mallow     Sp      Te    Sw     1gp/3gp          beestings
Ebur             Sp      Te    Co     22gp/22gp        healing
Edram            Wi      Cd    Ri     30gp/30gp        fractures
Eldaas           Sp/Su   Te    Co     2gp/4gp          nausea
Elecampane       Wi/Sp   Te    Ru     1sp/1sp          induces vomiting
Elvish Galingale Sp/Su   Po    Fo     1gp/2gp          raise bloodflow
Entriste         Su      St    De     25gp/25gp        antidote
Falsifal         Sp      Te    Sw     3gp/3gp          burns, blood loss
Febfendu         Wi      Cd    Ri/Co  90gp/900gp       deafness
Felmather        Sp      Te    Co     10gp/10gp        awaken
Fennel           Au      Te    Ru     5sp/1gp          relieves hunger
Fetherfew        Su      Te/St Fo     2gp/4gp          vertigo
Fire-Flower      Su      St/Tr Mo     1000gp/1000000gp healing
Floure-De-Luce   Al      Te    Gr     3gp/10gp         bruises
Footleaf         Sp/Su/AuTe    Ru     10sp/10sp        protects feet
Fumitore         Sp/Su   Cd/Te Co     3gp/6gp          hair prevention
Gallowbrush      Wi      Te    Ru     10gp/50gp        induces sleep
Garden Flax      Sp/Su   Te    Fo     3gp/6gp          pain removal
Gariig           Su      Tr    De     55gp/70gp        healing
Gefnul           Su      Po    Vo     200gp/500gp      healing
Goat's Rue       Su      Te    Fo     6gp/15gp         antidote
Golden Crown     Sp      St    Ru     1gp/2gp          bleeding
Golden Lungwort  Su      Te/St Fo     1gp/2gp          heals ears
Guardseye        Al      Cd    Gr     100gp/100gp      detect life
Gylvir           Au      Te    Co     100gp/100gp      breathe water
Hare's Ears      Su      Te    Mo     2gp/5gp          skin disease
Harfy            Su      Te    Gr     150gp/150gp      bleeding
Hart's Tongue    Al      Te    Fo     2gp/2gp          lowers libido
Hawkweed         Al      Te    Fo     4gp/6gp          improves eyesight
Healwell         Su      Te    All    1sp/1sp          healing
Henbane          Su/Au   Te    Ru     1gp/3gp          antidote
Horehound        Su      Te    Co     1gp/5gp          antidote
Horseweed        Sp/Su/AuTe    Gr     7gp/7gp          strengthen horse
Ironhard         Su/Au   Te    Hi     15gp/15gp        hardens skin
Jaffray          Su      Tr    De     10gp/15gp        antidote
Jinab            Al      St    Ru     5gp/7gp          keeps awake
Jojojopo         Au      Po    Mo     9sp/9sp          frostbite
Juniper          Su      Te/St Mo     4gp/4gp          relieve muscles
Kathkusa         Wi      Po    Wa     50gp/50gp        raise strength
Kelventari       Al      Te    Fo     19gp/19gp        burns
Kilmakur         Su      Te    Gr     65gp/300gp       fire protection
Klagul           Su      Te    Gr     30gp/50gp        infravision
Kylathar         Su/Au   St    Fo     20gp/20gp        alters attributes
Laishaberries    Su/Au   Cd    Fo     20gp/40gp        heal/ disease
Land Caltrops    Su      Tr    Fo     2gp/5gp          snakebite
Larnurma         Sp      Te    Ru     10gp/100gp       ease pain/ heal
Laumspur         Sp      Te    Fo     100gp/500gp      heal
Leopard's Bane   Su      Te    Gr     5gp/5gp          poison animals
Lesser Centaury  Su      Te/Cd Mo     5gp/5gp          antidote
Lungwort         Sp      Te    Ru     1gp/3gp          relieves lungs
Makebate         Al      Tr/St De     1gp/2gp          scorpion stings
Mandrake         Sp      Te    Fo     3gp/5gp          sleep
Marigold         Sp/Su   Te    Ru/Ur  2gp/10gp         antiseptic
Marjerome        Al      Te    Gr     2gp/6gp          jaundice
Marsh Mallow     Al      Te    Co     5gp/8gp          burns
Maruera          Sp/Su   St/Tr Mo     50gp/100gp       breathing
Masterwort       Su      Te    Ru     2gp/7gp          plague
Megillos         Wi      Cd    Mo     1gp/3gp          improves eyesight
Melander         Wi      Cd    Ri     12sp/20sp        disease resist
Milkworte        Sp/Su   Te    Ru     4gp/8gp          cholera
Mirenna          Wi      Cd    Mo     10gp/10gp        healing
Mountain Garlick Al      Te/Cd Mo     8gp/9gp          repels spirits?
Mountain Setwall Al      Te    Mo     1gp/3gp          hair growth
Mugwort          Su      Te    Ru     2gp/4gp          prevents collapse
Napweed          Sp      Te    Ru     1gp/1gp          poison protection
Navew            Wi      St/Tr Ri     4gp/12gp         antidote
Nightcall        Su      Tr    De     50gp/50gp        enhances senses
Oede             Sp      Te    Ru     1000gp/1000gp    ???
Oiolosse         Wi      Po    Fo     1200gp/1200gp    see description
Olus Veritis     Wi      Te/Cd Ri     5gp/10gp         compels truth
Olvar            Wi      Po    Co     300gp/300gp      prevents death
Orach            Su      Te    Fo     2gp/10gp         jaundice
Pallast          Su      Te    Sw     5sp/1gp          pain relief
Palma Eldath     Al      Cd/Po Mo     3gp/3gp          warmth
Pargen           Su      Tr    Ju     2000gp/2000gp    resurrection
Pattran          Su      Te    Fo     10gp/10gp        induces sleep
Pennyroyal       Sp      Te    Ru/Ur  3gp/3gp          insect repellent
Peony            Sp      Te    Ru     1gp/2gp          healing
Periwinkle       Sp      Te    Ru     1gp/10gp         bleeding
Petiveria        Su      St/Tr Ru     1gp/3gp          swelling/bruising
Prince's Feather Su/Au   Te    Ru     1gp/2gp          bleeding
Rampalt          Su      Te    Fo     5cp/5cp          congestion
Rewk             Au      Te    Ru     9sp/1gp          healing
Ribwort Plantain Sp      Te/St Ur     1gp/1gp          bruising
Rose Campion     Su      Te    Fo     1gp/3gp          scorpion stings
Rue              Su      Te    Ru     1gp/1gp          antidote
Sabito           Su      Tr    Co     100gp/500gp      breathing
Saddilia         Su/Au   Te    Gr     100gp/300gp      raises attributes
Saffron          Au/Wi   Te    Fo     20gp/100gp       raises attributes
Sanicle          Au/Su/WiTe    Fo     5gp/30gp         bleeding
Saracen Confound Su      Te    Ru     1gp/20gp         fevers
Scented Mayweed  Su      Te    Fo     8gp/15gp         blindness
Serapias Turbith Sp/Su   Te    Gr     4gp/7gp          healing
Sessali          Au/Sp/SuSt    Co     1gp/4gp          antidote
Shepherd's Purse Al      Te    Gr     5gp/12gp         bleeding
Silverthorn      Al      Te    Mo     1000gp/10000gp   antidote
Sinquoi          Su      St    Ru     2gp/3gp          dilates time
Snakespike       Sp      Te    Co     5gp/7gp          inflammation
Spanish Nut      Al      Te/St Fo     10gp/100gp       aphrodisiac
Spiderwort       Sp/Su   Te    Sp     4gp/10gp         spider bites
Spring Adonis    Sp      Cd    Mo     3gp/8gp          relieves heart
Strawberry       Su      Te    Ru     2gp/2gp          leprosy
Suaeysit         Au      Cd    Fo     10gp/50gp        energy
Sweet Trefoile   Sp/Su   Te    Fo     1gp/3gp          falling damage
Tai-Gi           Su      St    Ru     2gp/3gp          enhances senses
Tamarindes       Al      Tr    Fo     1gp/2gp          quenches thirst
Tamariske        Al      Te    Ru     5gp/7gp          anti-infection
Tateesha         Al      St    Sw     1sp/10gp         raises int
Tempin           Su      Te    Fo     5gp/5gp          antidote
Tephrosia        Sp/Su/AuTr    Co     2gp/3gp          calming effect
Terbas           Sp      Te    Fo     2gp/2gp          nerve damage
Teriko Weed      Sp/Su   St    Ru     2gp/3gp          contraceptive
Thorn Apple      Sp/Su   Te/St Ru     1gp/1gp          pain relief
Throw-Waxe       Sp/Su   Te    Fo     2gp/3gp          scarring
Thurl            Au      Te    Fo     1sp/2sp          healing
Thyme            Sp      Te/Cd Ru     2gp/5gp          antiseptic
Ur               Wi      Te    Gr     3gp/3gp          food substitute
Valerian         Sp      Te    Gr     1gp/2gp          eases fits
Vinuk            Su      Te    Gr     8sp/8sp          awaken
White Bryony     Au      Te    Fo     1gp/2gp          pneumonia
Whitecandle      Au      Te/St Fo     5gp/5gp          pain relief
Willow-Herb      Su      Te    Fo     5gp/5gp          snake repellent
Winclamit        Sp      Te    Fo     100gp/100gp      healing
Wolfsbane        Su/Au   Te    Hi     20gp/40gp        lycanthropy
Wolfsbane (whole)Su      Te    Fo     100gp/100gp      antidote
Woodrose         Su      Te    Ri     1gp/1gp          makes merry
Wood Sorrel      Su/Au   Tr    De     2gp/4gp          cools
Wormwood         Sp      Te    Ru     2gp/2gp          antiseptic
Yaran            Au      Te    Gr     8sp/8sp          enhances senses
Yarrow           Su      Te    Ru     10gp/10gp        bleeding
Yavethalion      Au      Te    Co     45gp/45gp        healing
Young Lad's Love Su/Au   Te/St Fo     1gp/1gp          frostbite
Zulsendra        Su      Tr    Un     70gp/70gp        increase move
Zur              Wi      Cd    Un     12gp/50gp        enhances senses

Sp  Spring                         Gr  Grassland
Su  Summer                         Hi  Hills
Wi  Winter                         Ju  Jungle
Au  Autumn                         Mo  Mountains
Al  Always                         Ri  Rivers
Tr  Tropical                       Ru  Rural
St  Subtropical                    Sp  Special
Te  Temperate                      Sw  Swamp
Cd  Cold                           Un  Underworld
Po  Polar                          Ur  Urban
Co  Coastal                        Vo  Volcanoes
De  Desert                         Wa  Wasteland
Fo  Forest                         All All

SUMMER
Agrimony                           Alether
Alkanet                            Angelica
Anise                              Anserke
Archangelica                       Arnica
Balm                               Barberry
Base Mullein                       Basil
Bastit                             Belan
Belramba                           Birthnot
Bishop's Weed                      Black Rose
Blackroot                          Bull-Rush
Bursthelas                         Caffar
Calamus                            Calcena Mushroom
Cat's Tail                         Cephalophage
Chamomile                          Chervil
Cinquefoil                         Colewort
Coltsfoot                          Cow Parsnip
Cow-Wheat                          Culkas
Dagmather                          Dainaberry
Deadly-Nightshade                  Degiik
Dittany                            Eldaas
Elvish Galingale                   Entriste
Fetherfew                          Fire-Flower
Floure-De-Luce                     Footleaf
Fumitore                           Garden Flax
Gariig                             Gefnul
Goat's Rue                         Golden Lungwort
Guardseye                          Hare's Ears
Harfy                              Hart's Tongue
Hawkweed                           Healwell
Henbane                            Horehound
Horseweed                          Ironhard
Jaffray                            Jinab
Juniper                            Kelventari
Kilmakur                           Klagul
Laishaberries                      Land Caltrops
Leopard's Bane                     Lesser Centaury
Makebate                           Marigold
Marjerome                          Marsh Mallow
Maruera                            Masterwort
Milkworte                          Mountain Garlick
Mountain Setwall                   Mugwort
Nightcall                          Orach
Pallast                            Palma Eldath
Pargen                             Pattran
Petiveria                          Prince's Feather
Rampalt                            Rose Campion
Rue                                Sabito
Saddilia                           Sanicle
Saracen's Confound                 Scented Mayweed
Serapias Turbith                   Sessali
Shepherd's Purse                   Silverthorn
Spanish Nut                        Spiderwort
Strawberry                         Sweet Trefoile
Tai-Gi                             Tamarindes
Tamariske                          Tateesha
Tempin                             Tephrosia
Teriko Weed                        Thorn Apple
Throw-Waxe                         Vinuk
Willow-Herb                        Wolfsbane
Wolfsbane (wholesome)              Wood Sorrel
Woodrose                           Yarrow
Young Lad's Love                   Zulsendra

AUTUMN
All-Heale                          Aloe
Arfandas                           Arkasu
Arlan                              Arnuminas
Arpusar                            Athelas
Attanar                            Base Mullein
Bastit                             Birthnot
Caffar                             Calcena Mushroom
Cephalophage                       Chervil
Cow Parsnip                        Culkas
Dainaberry                         Darnell
Dittany                            Dog Rose
Fennel                             Flour-De-Luce
Footleaf                           Guardseye
Gylvir                             Hart's Tongue
Hawkweed                           Henbane
Horseweed                          Ironhard
Jinab                              Jojojopo
Kelventari                         Laishaberries
Makebate                           Marjerome
Marsh Mallow                       Mountain Garlick
Mountain Setwall                   Palma Eldath
Prince's Feather                   Rewk
Saddilia                           Saffron
Sanicle                            Sessali
Shepherd's Purse                   Silverthorn
Spanish Nut                        Suaeysit
Tamarindes                         Tamariske
Tateesha                           Tephrosia
Thurl                              White Bryony
Whitecandle                        Wolfsbane
Wood Sorrel                        Yaran
Yavethalion                        Young Lad's Love

WINTER
Aldaka                             Aloe
Arfandas                           Ashline
Atigax                             Attanar
Base Mullein                       Bastit
Birthnot                           Bittermourn
Bull-Rush                          Calcena Mushroom
Cephalophage                       Chervil
Cow Parsnip                        Culkas
Darsurion                          Delrean
Edram                              Elecampane
Febfendu                           Floure-De-Luce
Gallowbrush                        Guardseye
Hart's Tongue                      Hawkweed
Jinab                              Kathkusa
Kelventari                         Makebate
Marjerome                          Marsh Mallow
Megillos                           Melander
Mirenna                            Mountain Garlick
Mountain Setwall                   Navew
Oiolosse                           Olus Veritis
Olvar                              Palma Eldath
Saffron                            Sanicle
Shepherd's Purse                   Silverthorn
Spanish Nut                        Tamarindes
Tamariske                          Tateesha
Ur                                 Zur

SPRING
Adder's Tongue                     Adgana
Alether                            Amrans
Asarabacca                         Ash
Ashline                            Base Mullein
Bastit                             Bilberry
Birthnot                           Black Rose
Blackberry                         Bloodkeep
Borage                             Breldiar
Bull-Rush                          Burdock
Calamus                            Calcena Mushroom
Cephalophage                       Chamomile
Chervil                            Colewort
Coltsfoot                          Comfrey
Cow Parsnip                        Culkas
Draaf                              Dragontears
Dragonwort                         Dwarf Mallow
Ebur                               Eldaas
Elecampane                         Elvish Galingale
Falsifal                           Felmather
Floure-De-Luce                     Footleaf
Fumitore                           Garden Flax
Golden Crown                       Guardseye
Hart's Tongue                      Hawkweed
Horseweed                          Jinab
Kelventari                         Larnurma
Laumspur                           Lungwort
Makebate                           Mandrake
Marigold                           Marjerome
Marsh Mallow                       Maruera
Milkworte                          Mountain Garlick
Mountain Setwall                   Napweed
Oede                               Palma Eldath
Pennyroyal                         Peony
Periwinkle                         Ribwort Plantain
Serapias Turbith                   Sessali
Shepherd's Purse                   Silverthorn
Snakespike                         Spanish Nut
Spiderwort                         Spring Adonis
Sweet Trefoile                     Tamarindes
Tamariske                          Tateesha
Tephrosia                          Terbas
Teriko Weed                        Thorn Apple
Throw-Waxe                         Thyme
Valerian                           Winclamit
Wolfsbane                          Wormwood

COASTAL
Anserke                            Bastit
Belan                              Bittermourn
Black Root                         Black Rose
Bloodkeep                          Cephalophage
Degiik                             Draaf
Ebur                               Eldaas
Febfendu                           Felmather
Fumitore                           Gylvir
Healwell                           Horehound
Marsh Mallow                       Olvar
Sabito                             Sessali
Snakespike                         Tephrosia
Whitecandle                        Yavethalion

DESERT
Bastit                             Bittermourn
Black Rose                         Blackroot
Caffar                             Cephalophage
Culkas                             Dragontears
Entriste                           Gariig
Healwell                           Makebate
Nightcall                          Whitecandle
Wood Sorrel

FOREST
Agrimony                           All-Heale
Asarabacca                         Ash
Athelas                            Balm
Bastit                             Belramba
Bilberry                           Bittermourn
Black Rose                         Blackroot
Borage                             Cat's Tail
Chervil                            Colewort
Cow Parsnip                        Darnell
Deadly-Nightshade                  Delrean
Elvish Galingale                   Fetherfew
Garden Flax                        Goat's Rue
Golden Lungwort                    Hart's Tongue
Hawkweed                           Healwell
Kelventari                         Laishaberries
Land Caltrops                      Laumspur
Mandrake                           Oiolosse
Orach                              Rampalt
Rose Campion                       Saffron
Sanicle                            Scented Mayweed
Spanish Nut                        Suaeysit
Sweet Trefoile                     Tamarindes
Tempin                             Terbas
Throw-Waxe                         Thurl
White Bryony                       Willow-Herb
Winclamit                          Wolfsbane (wholesome)
Young Lad's Love

GRASSLAND
Aloe                               Arkasu
Arlan                              Arnuminas
Atigax                             Attanar
Bastit                             Bittermourn
Black Rose                         Blackroot
Bursthelas                         Cephalophage
Cow-Wheat                          Dagmather
Floure-De-Luce                     Guardseye
Harfy                              Healwell
Horseweed                          Kilmakur
Klagul                             Leopard's Bane
Marjerome                          Saddilia
Serapias Turbith                   Shepherd's Purse
Ur                                 Valerian
Vinuk                              Whitecandle
Yaran

HILLS
Bastit                             Birthnot
Bittermourn                        Black Rose
Blackroot                          Cephalophage
Healwell                           Ironhard
Whitecandle                        Wolfsbane

JUNGLE
Bastit                             Blackroot
Black Rose                         Callin
Healwell                           Pargen
Whitecandle

MOUNTAINS
Aldaka                             Angelica
Arnica                             Ashline
Bastit                             Bittermourn
Black Rose                         Blackroot
Cephalophage                       Coltsfoot
Darsurion                          Dragonwort
Fire-Flower                        Hare's Ears
Healwell                           Jojojopo
Juniper                            Lesser Centaury
Maruera                            Megillos
Mirenna                            Mountain Garlick
Mountain Setwall                   Palma Eldath
Silverthorn                        Spring Adonis
Whitecandle

RIVERS
Amrans                             Arfandas
Arpusar                            Bastit
Bittermourn                        Black Rose
Blackroot                          Dainaberry
Dittany                            Edram
Febfendu                           Healwell
Melander                           Navew
Olus Veritis                       Woodrose

RURAL
Adder's Tongue                     Adgana
Alether                            Alkanet
Amrans                             Anise
Barberry                           Base Mullein
Basil                              Bastit
Bishop's Weed                      Bittermourn
Black Rose                         Blackberry
Blackroot                          Burdock
Cephalophage                       Chamomile
Cinquefoil                         Comfrey
Dog Rose                           Elecampane
Fennel                             Footleaf
Gallowbrush                        Golden Crown
Healwell                           Henbane
Jinab                              Larnurma
Lungwort                           Marigold
Masterwort                         Milkworte
Mugwort                            Napweed
Oede                               Pennyroyal
Peony                              Periwinkle
Petiveria                          Prince's Feather
Rewk                               Rue
Saracen's Confound                 Sinquoi
Strawberry                         Tai-Gi
Tamariske                          Teriko Weed
Thorn Apple                        Thyme
Whitecandle                        Wormwood
Yarrow

SPECIAL
Cephalophage                       Spiderwort

SWAMP
Archangelica                       Bastit
Bittermourn                        Black Rose
Blackroot                          Bull-Rush
Calamus                            Cephalophage
Dwarf Mallow                       Falsifal
Tateesha                           Whitecandle

UNDERWORLD
Bittermourn                        Calcena Mushroom
Zulsendra                          Zur

URBAN
Dog Rose                           Marigold
Pennyroyal                         Ribwort Plantain

VOLCANOES
Bittermourn                        Breldiar
Gefnul

WASTELAND
Bittermourn                        Kathkusa

TROPICAL
Anserke                            Belan
Caffar                             Calcena Mushroom
Culkas                             Degiik
Fire-Flower                        Gariig
Jaffray                            Land Caltrops
Makebate                           Maruera
Navew                              Nightcall
Pargen                             Petiveria
Sabito                             Tamarindes
Tephrosia                          Wood Sorrel
Zulsendra

SUBTROPICAL
Balm                               Bull-Rush
Calcena Mushroom                   Draaf
Entriste                           Fetherfew
Fire-Flower                        Golden Crown
Golden Lungwort                    Jinab
Kylathar                           Makebate
Maruera                            Navew
Petiveria                          Ribwort Plantain
Sessali                            Spanish Nut
Tai-Gi                             Tateesha
Teriko Weed                        Thorn Apple
Whitecandle                        Young Lad's Love

TEMPERATE
Adder's Tongue                     Adgana
Agrimony                           Alether
Alkanet                            All-Heale
Aloe                               Amrans
Angelica                           Anise
Archangelica                       Arkasu
Arnica                             Arnuminas
Asarabacca                         Ash
Ashline                            Athelas
Atigax                             Attanar
Barberry                           Base Mullein
Basil                              Bastit
Belramba                           Bilberry
Birthnot                           Bishop's Weed
Blackberry                         Blackroot
Black Rose                         Bloodkeep
Borage                             Breldiar
Bull-Rush                          Burdock
Bursthelas                         Calamus
Calcena Mushroom                   Callin
Cat's Tail                         Cephalophage
Chamomile                          Chervil
Cinquefoil                         Colewort
Coltsfoot                          Comfrey
Cow Parsnip                        Cow-Wheat
Dagmather                          Dainaberry
Darnell                            Deadly-Nightshade
Delrean                            Dittany
Dog Rose                           Dragontears
Dwarf Mallow                       Ebur
Eldaas                             Elecampane
Falsifal                           Felmather
Fennel                             Fetherfew
Floure-De-Luce                     Footleaf
Fumitore                           Gallowbrush
Garden Flax                        Goat's Rue
Golden Lungwort                    Gylvir
Hare's Ears                        Harfy
Hart's Tongue                      Hawkweed
Healwell                           Henbane
Horehound                          Horseweed
Ironhard                           Juniper
Kelventari                         Kilmakur
Klagul                             Larnurma
Laumspur                           Leopard's Bane
Lesser Centaury                    Lungwort
Mandrake                           Marigold
Marjerome                          Marsh Mallow
Masterwort                         Milkworte
Mountain Garlick                   Mountain Setwall
Mugwort                            Napweed
Oede                               Olus Veritis
Orach                              Pallast
Pattran                            Pennyroyal
Peony                              Periwinkle
Prince's Feather                   Rampalt
Rewk                               Ribwort Plantain
Rose Campion                       Rue
Saddilia                           Saffron
Sanicle                            Saracen's Confound
Scented Mayweed                    Serapias Turbith
Shepherd's Purse                   Silverthorn
Snakespike                         Spanish Nut
Spiderwort                         Strawberry
Sweet Trefoile                     Tamariske
Tempin                             Terbas
Thorn Apple                        Throw-Waxe
Thurl                              Thyme
Ur                                 Valerian
Vinuk                              White Bryony
Whitecandle                        Willow-Herb
Winclamit                          Wolfsbane
Wolfsbane (wholesome)              Woodrose
Wormwood                           Yaran
Yarrow                             Yavethalion
Young Lad's Love

COLD
Aldaka                             Arfandas
Arlan                              Arnica
Arpusar                            Calcena Mushroom
Darsurion                          Dragonwort
Edram                              Febfendu
Fumitore                           Guardseye
Laishaberries                      Lesser Centaury
Megillos                           Melander
Mirenna                            Mountain Garlick
Olus Veritis                       Palma Eldath
Spring Adonis                      Suaeysit
Thyme                              Zur

POLAR
Bittermourn                        Calcena Mushroom
Elvish Galingale                   Gefnul
Jojojopo                           Kathkusa
Oiolosse                           Palma Eldath

CONDITION              HERBS
Aphrodisiac            Calamus, Cinquefoil, Jaffray, Pennyroyal, Spanish
                       Nut
Arouse                 Felmather, Vinuk
Attribute, enhancement Adgana, Saffron, Spring Adonis
Bleeding               Anserke, Belan, Blackberry, Bloodkeep, Falsifal,
                       Golden Crown, Harfy, Peony, Periwinkle, Prince's
                       Feather, Sanicle, Shepherd's Purse, Yarrow
Blindness              Aldaka, Scented Mayweed
Blood Clots            Chervil
Breathe without oxygen Gylvir, Maruera, Sabito
Broken Bones           SEE FRACTURES
Bruising               Agrimony, Arnica, Floure-De-Luce, Petiveria,
                       Ribwort Plantain
Burns                  Aloe, Base Mullein, Culkas, Falsifal, Kelventari,
                       Marsh Mallow
Calming                Chamomile, Dainaberry, Gallowbrush, Tephrosia
Cartilage Damage       Arnuminas, Dagmather
Collapse, prevention   Mugwort
Cholera                Milkworte
Combat, enhancement    Alether
Congestion             Archangelica, Rampalt, White Bryony
Contraceptive          Birthnot, Teriko Weed
Cools                  Wood Sorrel
Coughing               Angelica
Deafness               Calamus, Febfendu
Death, prevention      Olvar
Disease Resistance     Melander
Disease, cure          Oede
Distance perception    Breldiar
Energy                 Horseweed, Jinab,  Suaeysit, Wormwood
Eyesight, improvement  Hawkweed, Megillos
Falling                Sweet Trefoile
Fevers                 Ash, Attanar, Borage, Saracen's Confound
Fire, protection       Kilmakur
Fits                   Valerian
Fractures              Arfandas, Bursthelas, Comfrey, Edram
Frostbite              Jojojopo, Young Lad's Love
Hair, growth           Mountain Setwall
Hair, prevention of    Fumitore
Healing                All-Heale, Aloe, Amrans, Arkasu, Arlan,
                       Blackroot, Cat's Tail, Darsurion, Draaf,
                       Dragontears, Ebur, Fire-Flower, Gariig, Gefnul,
                       Golden Lungwort, Healwell, Laishaberries,
                       Larnurma, Laumspur, Mirenna, Rewk, Serapias
                       Turbith, Thurl, Winclamit, Yavethalion
Heart Attacks          Callin, Spring Adonis
Hiccups                Anise
Hunger                 Fennel, Ur
Infected Wounds        Adder's Tongue, Coltsfoot, Dittany, Marigold,
                       Rue, Tamariske, Thyme, Wormwood
Inflammation           Snakespike
Infravision            Bilberry, Klagul
Insanity               Cow Parsnip
Insect                 Bastit, Delrean, Dwarf Mallow,
Repellent              Pennyroyal, Wormwood
Intelligence, enhance  Saddilia
Jaundice               Barberry, Marjerome, Orach
Leprosy                Strawberry
Libido, reduction      Hart's Tongue
Life, detection        Guardseye
Life maintenance       Degiik
Ligament Damage        Arnuminas
Lung conditions        Lungwort
Lycanthropy            Wolfsbane
Movement, incrase      Zulsendra
Menstrual Pain         Balm
Muscle Damage          Arnuminas, Arpusar
Nausea                 Eldaas
Nerve Damage           Belramba, Terbas
Pain, prevention       Footleaf
Pain Relief            Garden Flax, Juniper, Larnurma, Pallast, Thorn
                       Apple, Whitecandle
Petrification          Ashline
Plague                 Bishop's Weed, Dragonwort, Masterwort
Pneumonia              White Bryony
Poisoning              Goat's Rue, Napweed
Poisoning, bite        Basil, Black Rose, Entriste, Land Caltrops,
                       Makebate, Rose Campion, Spiderwort, Tempin,
                       Wolfsbane (wholesome)
Poisoning, ingested    Alkanet, Elecampane, Horehound, Jaffray, Lesser
                       Centaury, Navew, Rue, Sessali, Silverthorn
Poisoning, weapons     Henbane
Psionic enhancement    Caffar
Respiratory illness    Arlan, Lungwort
Scarring               Throw-Waxe
Scurvy                 Dog Rose
Sedation               Asarabacca, Bull-Rush, Deadly-Nightshade,
                       Mandrake, Pattran
Sensory, enhancement   Nightcall, Tai-Gi, Yaran, Zur
Sight protection       Atigax, Darnell
Skin Conditions        Hare's Ears
Skin, strengthen       Ironhard
Smallpox               Dragonwort
Snake, repellent       Willow-Herb
Sobriety               Colewort
Sprains                Agrimony
Stings, bee            Dwarf Mallow
Strength enhancement   Kathkusa
Syphilis               Burdock
Thirst                 Tamarindes
Time, dilation         Sinquoi
Truth, compulsion      Olus Veritis
Underwater breathing   Gylvir, Maruera, Sabito
Vertigo                Fetherfew
Warmth                 Elvish Galingale, Palma Eldath
Wisdom enhancement     Saddilia

The following table identifies which herbs exist in this world, and which only exist in fantasy worlds. I have made every effort to be accurate, but it is possible that the table may contain some errors. The herbs that do exist in our world do not necessarily have the powers ascribed to them in this guide.

REAL WORLD
Adder's Tongue                     Agrimony
Alkanet                            All-Heale
Aloe                               Angelica
Anise                              Arnica
Asarabacca                         Ash
Balm                               Barberry
Base Mullein                       Basil
Bilberry                           Bishop's Weed
Blackberry                         Borage
Bull-Rush                          Burdock
Calamus                            Cat's Tail
Chamomile                          Chervil
Cinquefoil                         Colewort
Coltsfoot                          Comfrey
Cow Parsnip                        Cow-Wheat
Darnell                            Deadly-Nightshade
Dittany                            Dog Rose
Dragonwort                         Dwarf Mallow
Elecampane                         Elvish Galingale (English Galingale)
Fennel                             Fetherfew
Floure-De-Luce                     Footleaf (Artemisia Vulgaris)
Fumitore                           Garden Flax
Goat's Rue                         Golden Lungwort
Hare's Ears                        Hart's Tongue
Hawkweed                           Henbane
Horehound                          Ironhard (Verbena Officinalis)
Juniper                            Land Caltrops
Leopard's Bane                     Lesser Centaury
Lungwort                           Makebate
Mandrake                           Marigold
Marjerome                          Marsh mallow
Masterwort                         Milkworte
Mountain Garlick                   Mountain Setwall
Mugwort                            Napweed
Navew                              Orach
Palma Eldath (Palma Christi)       Pennyroyal
Peony                              Periwinkle
Prince's Feather                   Ribwort Plantain
Rose Campion                       Rue
Saddilia (Hazel Tree)              Saffron
Sanicle                            Saracen's Confound
Scented Mayweed                    Serapias Turbith
Shepherd's Purse                   Spanish Nut
Spiderwort                         Spring Adonis
Strawberry                         Sweet Trefoile
Tamarindes                         Tamariske
Tephrosia                          Throw-Waxe
Thyme                              Valerian
White Bryony                       Willow-Herb
Wolfsbane                          Wolfsbane (wholesome)
Wood Sorrel                        Woodrose
Wormwood                           Yarrow
Young Lad's Love

FANTASY
Adgana                             Aldaka
Alether                            Amrans
Anserke                            Archangelica
Arfandas                           Arkasu
Arlan                              Arnuminas
Arpusar                            Ashline
Athelas                            Atigax
Attanar                            Bastit
Belan                              Belramba
Birthnot                           Bittermourn
Black Rose                         Blackroot
Bloodkeep                          Breldiar
Bursthelas                         Caffar
Calcena Mushroom                   Callin
Cephalophage                       Culkas
Dagmather                          Dainaberry
Darsurion                          Degiik
Delrean                            Draaf
Dragontears                        Ebur
Edram                              Eldaas
Entriste                           Falsifal
Febfendu                           Felmather
Fire-Flower                        Gallowbrush
Gariig                             Gefnul
Golden Crown                       Guardseye
Gylvir                             Harfy
Healwell                           Horseweed
Jaffray                            Jinab
Jojojopo                           Kathkusa
Kelventari                         Kilmakur
Klagul                             Laishaberries
Larnurma                           Laumspur
Maruera                            Megillos
Melander                           Mirenna
Nightcall                          Oede
Oiolosse                           Olus Veritis
Olvar                              Pallast
Pargen                             Pattran
Rampalt                            Rewk
Sabito                             Sessali
Silverthorn                        Snakespike
Suaeysit                           Tai-Gi
Tateesha                           Tempin
Terbas                             Teriko Weed
Thurl                              Ur
Vinuk                              Whitecandle
Winclamit                          Yaran
Yarrow                             Yavethalion
Zulsendra                          Zur

It is totally up to you, as a GM, as to how you use these herbs in your own RPG campaign. Many people use them as just another form of healing. This is fine, but I feel that this means missing out on a lot of potential adventure ideas, and opportunities.

In Europe, herbalism was a major science of the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance, and like many such sciences was not well understood. Many people ascribed the efficacy of herbal remedies to all sorts of magical influences. Certain herbs could only be cut by moonlight, others were associated with all sorts of traditions. Many herbs had their uses dictated by their appearance. As an example, Lungwort was held to be good for the lungs simply because the herb looks vaguely lung like. Sometimes through sheer fluke, this `Doctrine of Signatures' was accurate, which only served to increase the mystical connections in the yes of the general populace.

The middle ages, where most fantasy campaigns are set, were a time of great diseases, like the Black Death, and a time where many died young. A man or woman who could heal these diseases was revered. Some were seen as holy men, others as servants of evil. As an example, Nostradamus, the famous French seer, was a medical doctor, who first came to the attention of prominent people because of his success in treating the plague. This same success also brought him to the attention of the Inquisition, who investigated him as a witch. According to some legends, he was saved from the stake because he treated and saved the Chief Inquisitor. A more mundane example is that many of the unfortunate women burned or hanged for witchcraft were nothing more than herbalists, albeit sometimes very mystical ones.

This leads to interesting role-playing opportunities for PCs. Perhaps the local lords daughter lies dying of the plague, and they must save her or suffer the consequences of their `witchcraft'. It may be dangerous to be a herbalist in some communities. A PC herbalist is also likely to have an interest in the other pseudo-sciences of Medieval times, like astrology, or later, phrenology, which is likely to increase this prejudice.

Herbs were incredibly prized in Medieval times, normally for their food value, rather than their medicinal uses. Many of the great journey's of the middle ages and renaissance, many of the great Voyages of Discovery were undertaken in order to find new routes to Asia, and its vast resources of herbs and spices. Marco Polo's journeys, the Voyages of Columbus, the discovery by Europeans of both the Americas and Australia, were all inspired, at least in part by herbs. When Columbus reached the Carribean, he observed the Arawak Indians smoking tobacco. When Captain James Cook explored the east coast of Australia, he brought with him a botanist, Joseph Banks, for the purpose of identifying plants and their uses. In a fantasy campaign, these reasons are just as likely to be valid. Great journeys, great Voyages of Exploration, the stuff of adventures, can all occur if the GM wishes.

For much of history, herbs were incredibly valuable. According to Christian tradition, the three kings brought Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh to honour the new king, Jesus. Frankincense and Myrrh are both gum resins of trees. These `herbs' were so valuable as to be considered kingly gifts. Herbs were so valuable that wars were fought for their control. Aloe was so prized by the Ancient Greeks, that Alexander the Great is reported to have been asked by Aristotle, to conquer the island of Socotra, the only known source of the plant in order to ensure a constant supply. India was occupied by the British East India Company, and later by Britain itself, partly because of its vast supplies of herbs. Colonial America built much of its industry around the propagation and transport of herbs from place to place. Tea was so prized, that it served as the spark that ignited the United States War of Independence, when a tax was placed upon its import - the Boston Tea Party. So herbs were, in several ways, responsible for the rise and fall of great nations. Great trade routes operated between Europe and Asia, for the purpose of transporting herbs and spices, and these trade routes became the basis of much piracy, and also of much travel. The need for fast transport of herbs and spices lead to ever faster ships, being built, like the Great Tea Clippers. Great companies were formed, which helped contribute to the rise of the merchant class, and the fall of the feudal system. Governments sought to control the import of herbs and spices, by creating monopolies and by heavy taxes. Smuggling was rampant as people tried to avoid these duties.

These are just a few examples of the use of herbs in our world, and their effects on history. They may help GMs to come up with adventures or even campaign ideas. If you do use herbalism as a source for adventures or campaign ideas, I would love to hear about them.

Abercrombie, Thomas J. “Arabia's Frankincense Trail”. National Geographic. Vol 168 No 4, October 1985, p474-513.

• Aikman, Lonnelle. “Herbs For All Seasons”. National Geographic. Vol 163 No 3, March 1983, p386-409.
• Alleau, Rene. History of Occult Sciences. English Language Edition. London, Leisure Arts Ltd. 1966.
• Binder, Pearl. Magic Symbols Of The World. London, Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited, 1972.
• Bishop, Allen. “Fancy a Quick Snifter, Old Chap?”. Games Master International. No 3, October 1990, p52-53.
• Blunt, Wilfrid & Raphael, Sandra. The Illustrated Herbal. London, Frances Lincoln Publishers Ltd, 1979.
• Bondi, Herman et al. The Story of Medicine. London, Marshall Cavendish Books Limited, 1969.
• Boxer, Arabella & Back, Philippa. The Herb Book. London, Octopus Books Ltd, 1980.
• Boxer, Arabella et al. The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices and Flavourings. London, Octopus Books Ltd, 1984.
• Brooks, Terry. The Elfstones of Shannara. London, Futura Publications, 1982.
• Brown, John P. “The Deadliest Perfume”. Dragon. Issue 121, May 1987, p26 ,28,30.
• Bryant, Lee et al. Jacaranda Atlas Program: Atlas 3. Queensland, The Jacaranda Press, 1985.
• Bunson, Matthew. Vampire: The Encyclopedia. London, Thomas and Hudson Ltd, 1993.
• Campion, Kitty. A Woman's Herbal. London, Leopard Books, 1995.
• Cheetham, Erika (ed). The Prophecies of Nostradamus. Great Britain, Neville Spearman Limited, 1974.
• Clark, Alan M. “The Druid Gets A Life”. Dragon Magazine. Issue 193, May 1993, p65-69.
• Cook, David “Zeb”. Advanced Dungeon & Dragons: Dungeon Master's Guide. 2nd Edition. Lake Geneva WI, TSR Inc. 1989.
• Cook, David “Zeb”. Advanced Dungeon & Dragons: Player's Handbook. 2nd Edition. Lake Geneva WI, TSR Inc. 1989.
• Cook, David “Zeb”. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Tome of Magic. Lake Geneva WI, TSR Inc. 1991.
• Crane, Jack. “The Legacy of Hortus”. Dragon. Issue 87, July 1984, p31-35.
• Day, David. A Tolkien Bestiary. New York, Ballantine Books, 1979.
• Day, David. Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia. London, Reed International Books Ltd, 1993.
• de Bairacli Levy, Juliette. The Illustrated Herbal Handbook. London, Faber and Faber Ltd, 1974.
• Dever, Joe & Chalk, Gary. The Magnamund Companion. London, Arrow Books Ltd. 1986.
• English, Scott. “Poisons and Venoms of the Forgotten Realms”. Australian Realms. Issue 18, July/August 1994, p34-36.
• Fairbridge, Rhodes W. “Climate”. Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia. Volume 6, p365-367, United States of America, 1990.
• Feist, Raymond E. The King's Buccaneer. London, HarperCollins Publishers, 1992.
• Feist, Raymond E. Magician. Great Britain, Granada Publishing, 1983.
• Feist, Raymond E. Silverthorn. London, Granada Publishing, 1985.
• Feist, Raymond E. & Wurts Janny. Mistress of the Empire. London, HarperCollins Publishers, 1992.
• Feist, Raymond E. & Wurts, Janny. Servant of the Empire. London, Grafton Books, 1990.
• Ford, Paul F. Companion To Narnia. 4th Edition. New York. HarperCollins Publishers, 1994
• Garcia, Vince. “Can You Swim? Juggle? At The Same Time?”. Dragon Magazine. Issue 156, April 1990, p37-41.
• Granato, Larry. “Courts & Courtiers”. Dragon Magazine. Issue 184, August 1992, p10-14.
• Gygax, E Gary. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Masters Guide. 1st Edition, Lake Geneva WI, TSR Games, 1979.
• Gygax, E Gary. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Oriental Adventures. Lake Geneva WI, TSR Inc. 1985.
• Gygax, E Gary. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Players Handbook. 1st Edition, Lake Geneva WI, TSR Hobbies Inc. 1978.
• Jaquays, Paul. Central Casting: Heroes of Legend. California, Task Force Games, 1988.
• Johnson, Lady Bird. “Texas In Bloom”. National Geographic. Vol 173 No 4, April 1988, p492-499.
• Johnson, Oliver. Dragon Warriors: Book Three: The Elven Crystals. Great Britain, Corgi Books, 1985.
• Johnson, Oliver. Dragon Warriors: Book Five: The Power of Darkness. Great Britain, Corgi Books, 1986.
• Lewis, C.S. The Horse and His Boy. London, Geoffrey Bles, 1954.
• Lewis, C.S. The Last Battle. London, The Bodley Head Ltd, 1956.
• Lewis, C.S. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. London, Geoffrey Bles, 1950.
• Lewis, C.S. The Magician's Nephew. London, The Bodley Head, 1955.
• Lewis, C.S. Prince Caspian. London, Geoffrey Bles, 1951.
• Lewis, C.S. The Silver Chair London, Geoffrey Bles, 1953.
• Lewis, C.S. The Voyage of the Dawntreader. London, Geoffrey Bles, 1955.
• Kay, Ann. The Pocket Factfinder. London, Kingfisher Books Ltd, 1987.
• Ket, Gregory Ah. Herbal Treatment for Common Ailments. Victoria, Australia, 1983.
• Keville, Kathi. The Illustrated Herb Encyclopedia. Sydney, Simon & Schuster Australia, 1991.
• Kidd, D.A. Latin Dictionary. Great Britain, William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd, 1957.
• Long, Michael E. & Unruh, Jack. “Wildflowers Across America”. National Geographic. Vol 173 No 4, April 1988, p500-511.
• Manniche, Lise. An Ancient Egyptian Herbal. 2nd Impression, London, British Museum Press, 1993.
• Maple, Eric. Witchcraft. London, Octopus Books Limited, 1973.
• Martin, B.W. The Dictionary Of The Occult. Melbourne, Hutchinson Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, 1979.
• Menzies, Gordon R. “Learn Something New Every Day”. Dragon Magazine. Issue 169, May 1991, p20-22.
• Middle-Earth Role Playing (MERP). 2nd US Edition, Charlotteville VA, Iron Crown Enterprises Inc, 1986.
• Morris, Dave. Dragon Warriors: Book One: Dragon Warriors. Great Britain, Corgi Books, 1985.
• Morris, Dave. Dragon Warriors: Book Two: The Way of Wizardry. Great Britain, Corgi Books, 1985.
• Morris, Dave. Dragon Warriors: Book Four: Out of the Shadows. Great Britain, Corgi Books, 1986.
• Morris, Dave. Dragon Warriors: Book Six: The Lands of Legend. Great Britain, Corgi Books, 1986.
• Nephew, John et al. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: The Complete Thieves Handbook. Lake Geneva WI, TSR Inc. 1991.
• Niles, Douglas & Donovan, Dale. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Player's Option: Skills & Powers Book. Lake Geneva WI, TSR Inc. 1995.
• Palaiseul, Jean. Grandmother's Secrets: Her Green Guide To Health From Plants. English Language Edition. Middlesex, Penguin Books Ltd, 1973.
• Palmer, Robin. Demons, Monsters & Abodes of the Dead. New York, Scholastic Book Services, 1975?
• Pehr, Ronald. “Another Look At Witches And Witchcraft In D&D”. The Dragon. Issue 20, November 1978, p11-12.
• Peplow, Elizabeth. The Herb Book: An A-Z of Useful Plants. London, W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd, 1982.
• Perry, Chris. “Defenders Of The Hearth”. Dragon Magazine. Issue 177, January 1992, p82-84,86,88.
• Perry, Chris. “Fungi Of The Underdark”. Dragon Magazine. Issue 211, November 1994, p24-26.
• Potterton, David (ed). Culpepper's Colour Herbal. London, W. Foulsham & Co. Ltd, 1983.
• Pulver, David. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition: The Complete Druid's Handbook. Lake Geneva WI, TSR Inc, 1994.
• Purchon, Nerys. Herbcraft: A Complete Guide to the Cultivation and Use of Herbs. Sydney, Hodder Headline Australia Pty Limited, 1995.
• Quennel, Marjorie & Quennel, C.H.B. A History of Everyday Things In England: Volume 2 (1500-1799). London, B.T. Batsford Ltd, 1919.
• Rein-Hagen, Mark. The Players Guide: The Complete Source Book for Players of Vampire. California, 1991.
• Rein-Hagen, Mark. Vampire: The Masquerade. 2nd Edition. California. White Wolf Game Studio. 1992.
• Rowland-Entwistle, Theodore & Cooke, Jean. Fact File. London, Grisewood & Dempsey Ltd, 1989.
• Scott, Alexander. Maelstrom. Middlesex, Penguin Books Ltd. 1984.
• Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Atlantis Edition. London, Ottenheimer Publishers Inc. 1980.
• Shomshak, Dean. “A Ghastly Grimoire”. Dragon. Issue 126, October 1987, p52-54.
• Smith, Keith Vincent. The Illustrated Earth Garden Herbal: A Herbal Companion. Revised Edition. Port Melbourne Victoria, Thomas C Lothian Pty Ltd, 1994.
• St Andre, Ken. The Tunnels and Trolls Rule Book. Corgi Edition. London, Transworld Publishers Ltd. 1986.
• Swan, Rick. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition: The Complete Wizard's Handbook. Lake Geneva WI, TSR Inc, 1990.
• Thomson, William A.R. (ed). Healing Plants: A Modern Herbal. London, MacMillan London Ltd, 1978.
• Tolkien, JRR. The Return of the King. Revised Second Edition, London, George Allen & Unwin (Publishers) Ltd, 1966.
• Tolkien, JRR. The Silmarillion. 1st Edition, London, George Allen & Unwin (Publishers) Ltd, 1977.
• Trew, Christoph Jakob (Count Palatine of the Holy Roman Empire). The Herbal of the Count Palatine: An Eighteenth Century Herbal. International Edition. London, Harrap Limited, 1985.
• Turner, George W. (ed). The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English. Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1987.
• Weis, Margaret & Hickman, Tracy. Darksword Adventures. Toronto, Bantam Books, 1988.
• White, Peter T. “The Poppy”. National Geographic. Vol 167 No 2, February 1985, p142-189.

`Furthermore I desire, that none would rashly censure me for that which I have here done; but that they know in what time I did it.'

Thomas Johnson, `To The Reader', Gerard's Herball, second edition, 1633

The credit for this Guide to Herbs is shared with the people listed below. However any criticisms or dislikes that you have, or any errors that appear in the guide are my responsibility alone.

Special thanks are owed to Druann Pagliasotti who contributed a number of herbs to the fourth edition of this guide (which are included in this 5th edition), as well as making extensive notes on the herbs contained in previous editions and notes on the storage and availability of herbs.

Special thanks also to Maya Deva Kniese who contributed the document that formed the basis of the section on the Herbalism proficiency that appears as Appendix A of this edition of the guide, for her notes on climate as well as contributing a number of herbs to the guide.

Thanks to Sean Snyder, Seth Klein, and Frank Shears who all contributed herbs to this new edition of the Guide.

Thanks are also owed to Michael Bertalan who compiled a table of Name/ Region and Time/ Cost/ Result based on the third edition of this guide. This table has formed the basis for Appendix C: General Information on Herbs.

Thanks also to Paul Mathews who compiled a set of tables for the third edition of this Herbal. These tables formed the basis for some of the tables contained in this fifth edition, most notably Appendices D and E.

Thanks to Andrew Hately for access to his books.

Thanks to Raymond E. Feist for generously answering my question on the use of herbs in the world of Midkemia.

I would also like to thank many other people for their comments, criticisms and encouragement concerning my guide. I would like to mention them all by name, but unfortunately my computer ate my list. Special thanks however go to Viola Krings, Beth Larabee, Heidi Cole (Chalindra), and Michael Isherwood for their comments and suggestions.

Ezra Van Everbroek produced a marvellous hypertext version of the fourth edition of the guide. I am deeply indebted for this. Runar Magnusson (Doc), Erik Trimble, Christopher A. Brooks, Alex Forst-Rakoczy, and Ole A. Ringdal have also hosted or host a copy of the guide or a link to it on their webpages. I know other people have done so as well, and I'd like to thank them all as well, but these are the only ones that I know of personally. If I left you out please let me know.

I would like to thank all of the people I have gamed with over the last fifteen years, in particular the members of the Ambulant In Fabulam RPGamers Society, the original inspiration behind this guide, and in particular, Toni Barber, the archivist for the society, and Antoinette Vasey, the societies secretary.

This guide was originally based in large part on Appendix 1 of Alexander Scott's MAELSTROM roleplaying game, published by Penguin in 1984, and worth getting just for this section. No challenge is made to any copyright status held on this work.

This guide was partly inspired by the game ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS(TM), © 1977-1997 TSR Inc and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS(TM) © 1974-1996 TSR Inc. No challenge is made to any copyright status held on these works.

This guide was partly inspired by the game MIDDLE-EARTH ROLE PLAYING(TM), © 1986 Tolkien Enterprises. No challenge is made to any copyright status held on this work.

This guide was also partly inspired by the DRAGON WARRIORS game by Dave Morris and Oliver Johnson which was published by Corgi Books, from 1983-1986. No challenge is made to any copyright status held on these assorted works.

I would like to thank Daniel Mayes for his playtesting the first edition of this guide, Paul Mathews for playtesting the second edition of the guide, David Gillet for playtesting the third edition, Antoinette Vasey, Daniel Fields, David Gillet, Paul Fields, Emma Belantyne, JP Forster, and Linda Makepeace for playtesting the fourth edition of the guide, and Antoinette Vasey, Daniel Fields, Paul Fields, Emma Belantyne, Peter Creighton, Toni Barber, and Simon Loyd for playtesting the fifth edition of this guide.

I used for background information a document called `The Great Net Herb Pamphlet.' I have been unable to identify the author(s) of this pamphlet. Whoever they were, they deserve my thanks.

I would like to thank the denizens of the e-mail lists ADND-L, REALMS, GMAST-L, TAOGM-L, NETBOOKS-L, members of the IRPS, contributors to the usenet groups, AUS.GAMES.ROLEPLAY, REC.GAMES.FRP.DND, and REC.GAMES.FRP.MISC, for their comments, criticisms and advice concerning this herbal and their discussions on many aspects of role playing.

I would also like to thank the contributors to the usenet group, ALT.FOLKLORE.HERBS for their valuable discussions on herbalism, herbs, and their uses.

I would like to thank all people who have written or contributed to official or unofficial rules supplements on the Net and elsewhere for their inspiration in particular Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, authors and originators of “Dungeons & Dragons”, Ed Greenwood, the creator of “The Forgotten Realms”, Dave Morris and Oliver Johnson, the co-creators of the “Dragon Warriors” FRPG, the authors of “The Complete Guide to Alcohol for Fantasy Role Playing Games” for their appendix on drug use, Hank Driskill and John Gavigan for their unofficial “Highlander” rules which got me interested in Netbooks, the author(s) of the “Netbook: Poisons of the Realm”, who I have been unable to identify, but who did a sterling job in providing rules for hundreds of poisons. Adrienne Mills used this work as a foundation for her “Net Book of Poisons” which is very detailed and I recommend to anyone. Finally Ron Knight (Modar) who also produced an excellent list of poisons and rules for using them.

The above list may, unfortunately, be incomplete. If I left you out, I apologise. Please let me know, so I can rectify the omission.

Finally, I would like to thank the GeoCities (http://www.geocities.com) organisation for providing me with free web space which allows me to make my guide easily available on the Internet. If you need web space, GeoCities is a great place to get it.

I welcome criticisms about this guide and contributions to future editions. Any contributions that I incorporate will be acknowledged in the guide.

I can be e-mailed at: drednort@bud.swin.edu.au or drednort@hotmail.com (the first address is better) or by normal mail:

Mr Shaun Hately
45 Moreton St
Frankston North
Victoria 3200
AUSTRALIA

The most up to date version of this guide should be available on my webpage at http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/8017/frp.htm

Version 5.0 11th February 1997