Controlled Substances on Arr-Kelaan

Unless otherwise noted, all forms of addiction can be 'cured' by a Remove Curse cast by a 12th or higher level priest.

In general, such substances are completely outlawed in Lawful Good (where there will be organizations ready to help addicted users) or Lawful Neutral societies (where lawbreakers will be subject to legal penalties ranging from mild to harsh). There is a more tolerant reaction from Chaotic Good societies, though most people will still 'look down' upon users. Chaotic Neutral societies will pay little attention to the user. Most Evil societies will use these substances as ways of controlling their populations or at least seek the greatest profit form their sale and transport.

Hallucinogens

Illesticannus (Weed) - A slow-growing, spiky-leafed plant, illesticannus is one of the most commonly available drugs on all of Arr-Kelaan. Nearly every intelligent race has some percent of their population which both cultivates and uses it. Weed, as it is most commonly called by its users, is taken by one of two methods; chewing the raw leaves or burning and inhaling the smoke. Both methods are equally effective. When taken, illesticannus produces hallucinations that appear to enhance the perceptions of the user. Reports of seeing music or hearing colors are common. A character under the influence of Weed receives a +2 bonus to any save against magic from the school of Illusion because illusionary magic will lack the 'enhancement' with which the character is perceiving the 'real world'. However, the character also becomes more suseptible to suggestion and suffers a -3 penalty to saving throws against mind control magic. Illesticannus is mildly addictive. After one year of continuous use, the -3 penalty to saving throws against mind magic becomes permanent and affects the user even when they aren't actively taking the drug. Each successive year of use lowers the mind control saving throw penalty by one until a maximum penalty of -10 is reached.

Myconidrannen - Created by the brutal killing and distilling of the substance of Myconid Hallcinators, this powerful hallucinogen is strong enough to completely separate its user from reality. Users of myconidrannen exist in worlds of their own minds' creation and do not interact with the world around them in any intelligible way. They will not respond to speech and will not take any action to defend themselves. While under the influence of myconidrannen, the user will display one of the following outward signs of what their are seeing in their minds:

D20 Roll Reaction

1-10 Cower and whimper

11-15 Stare into nothingness

16-18 Flee shrieking in a random direction

19-20 Try to kill the closest creature

Repeated taking of myconidrannen lowers the user's constitution score by one point for each year the drug is taken. Points lost to myconidrannen use are not recoverable by any means other than a limited wish or more powerful magic.

Opiates

Oil of Dreaming - Distilled from the seed pod of a rare form of poppy, Oil of Dreaming is one of the most highly addictive -- and, physically destructive -- substances known to the intelligent races of Arr-Kelaan. Its consumption causes an immediate and a devastatingly intense euphoria; feelings of love, comfort, warmth, and relaxation so powerful and overwhelming that most users become addicted after a single use. A saving throw versus poison (made with a -6 penalty) must be made the first time Oil of Dreaming is consumed. The penalty increases by a factor of 2 with each successive use (becoming -8 on the second use and -10 on the third, etc...) until the user inevitably becomes addicted.

A character who overdoses on Oil of Dreaming must make a saving throw against poison at a -10 penalty. Failure to save indicates the complete dissipation of the user's life force, making the character forever dead. A successful save leaves the character alive but violently ill and with but a single hit point. The loss of hit points can be cured naturally or by clerical magic.

While under the influence of Oil of Dreaming, a character is affected as if struck by a half-strength version of the third level wizard spell Slow. In addition, all the character's ability scores, except for Charisma, are halved. This reduction of ability affects every proficiency or ability check and any penalties for low ability scores also affect the character. After six months of use, the addict loses one point from each ability score, except for Charisma. This loss of ability scores continues for each additional six months of use until the character perishes. Like with myconidrannen, lost points can only be restored by a wish or similar high-level magic.

If a user's addiction to Oil of Dreaming has been 'cured' by a Remove Curse ever takes the substance again, they instantly become addicted again (no save) and no further attempts to Remove Curse may be attempted.

Oil of Dreaming has an intense aroma -- at once stinging and acrid, but also flowery and sweet -- that is impossible to mask. Any attempts made to 'poison' someone with an overdose of Oil of Dreaming are automatically detected by any being with a functioning sense of smell.

Azure Lotus Blossoms - Most forms of the lotus are either decorative or deadly. However, the blossoms of the Azure Lotus produce feelings of pleasure and euphoria in those who choose to consume it. Similar, though less powerful, than Oil of the Dreaming, Azure Lotus is strongly addictive. To prevent addiction, a user must make a successful saving throw versus poison. A cumulative penalty of -1 is applied to the saving throw for each successive use of Azure Lotus.

While under its effects, the addict behaves as if affected with a half-strength version of the wizard spell Slow. Two points are temporarily lost from all ability scores except for Charisma, affecting all proficiency and ability checks. For each six months spent addicted to Azure Lotus, the character will lose one point from a random ability score; except for Charisma. These lost points can only be restored by means of the priest spell Restoration, or by such powerful spells as Limited Wish or Wish.

Alchemical Creations

MindFire - When inhaled, this silvery powder affects the nervous system of its user increasing the speed of their thoughts and actions. Characters under the influence of MindFire gain a -1 bonus to their initiative rolls. Spell casters taking MindFire will find themselves able to cast spells one segment faster (except for spells with a casting time of 1, or spells with a casting time greater than a single combat round). Additionally, characters under the influence of MindFire are able to minimalize the effects of wounds and treat all combat damage as if it made with a -1 penalty. However, this is merely perception, and the character is still taking normal damage. If the character is reduced to a perceived 0 hit points they will immediately collapse and suffer the additional damage they had been ignoring. It is possible for the additional damage to push them beyond -10 hit points, rendering them completely dead.

In addition to its effects on spellcasting and combat, there is a cumulative 2% chance per use that MindFire will afflict its user with the madness Paranoia. The character will be utterly convinced that 'they' (whoever would make a suitable enemy) are out to the get the character. The character will believe themselves to be getting coded messages in the shapes of clouds or in the patterns of vegetables in their stew. A character afflicted with Paranoia will require two Remove Curses; one to free them of the addiction and one to remove the madness.

For each month of use, a MindFire user must make a saving throw against poison. Upon failure, the character becomes addicted.

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