poison in the forgotten realms?

[krupintupple]

hey all,

in my campaign, poison is an illegal substance. if you don't like this, don't reply.

however, a new player is completely hell-bent on getting his hands on some poison and not using any finesse about it, even though the other PCs have suggested he be a little more careful about such a thing. if he should he get caught, what's the penalty? imprisonment? being run out of town? branded?

 

[Jimlock]

How about spell casting being a bad thing?

Is Ray of enfeeblement any better, if found in one's spell book?

Or... Fireball?

Or... Disguise self?

 

[Jimlock]

What you say, makes "some" cense in real life...

In D&D there are far worse things than poison... one could carry.

 

[kitcik]

Have someone sell him some "poison" that is really just olive oil or something. Could have funny results.

 

[krupintupple]

Have someone sell him some "poison" that is really just olive oil or something. Could have funny results.

hmm, you know, this is actually a pretty clever idea. if the society they're playing in scales the punishment to the potency, this idea has the added benefit of getting the player off the hook (olive oil isn't actually a poison), but illustrating the serious nature of what he's asking for.

 

[javgoro]

Tell him do make some Gather Information rolls. Depending on how hard you want the poison to be to find, and how much he's willing to pay for the info, adjust the difficulty accordingly. If he gets too bad results (say, fails the roll by over 5, or 10 points), then the guards get hear about it, and might look for him for questioning... That's the mechanical answer.

The real answer is just roleplay his search for info.

 

[Empirate]

As others have already pointed out, it strikes me as pretty arbitrary that poison is such a 'bad thing' (I can't help but think of 1066 And All That) in your world.

This is a medieval fantasy world, in which nobody would think of leaving his home without at least a knife. Your generic PC Barbarian typically carries a Greatsword or similar instrument of murder. Your generic PC Wizard typically prepares more offensive spells than anything else. Even the effing Cleric of Ilmater probably packs some heat, maybe a Morningstar, to go with his Full Plate armor.

What difference does poison really make in such a world?
Also, is there a 'defensive' use of such spells as Magic Missile, Scorching Ray or Blindness/Deafness? Is there a 'defensive' use of a Greatsword? Why shouldn't you pack some really nasty critter's venom to defend yourself from armed robbery? Or smear Black Lotus on your (well-wrapped) spellbook because nobody but you has any reason to touch it, ever?

Further, is there any reason mind control magic (spells, Bard songs etc.) wouldn't be banned even harsher? After all, you can subvert an entire society using a bit of charm, suggestion, and domination!

What about a Druid's wildshaping powers? Isn't it just plain impossible to run a state when the dog sleeping by the chancellor's fireplace, or your squire's horse, or a random pigeon on the roof could be a spy?

Summoning and Calling magic? "What do you mean, you can unleash otherworldly horrors at a moment's notice if you so choose? ARREST HIM!"

Resurrection? "What do you mean, just because we executed the Red Reaver and his murderous followers doesn't mean they'll STAY dead?!"

And so on.


Seriously, the only possible reason why poison might be considered a 'bad thing' in your game world, while so many other things are not, is pure, arbitrary, nonsensical social convention. Don't try and come up with a reasonable argument why poison is outlawed - it won't make you look good, all things considered. Instead, you might want to think why so many potentially dangerous things are allowed no questions asked.

 

[Elf Witch]

Depending on what the poison was I would think along the lines of what they do for illegal drugs in some countries.

He could get jail time or be flogged. Or the authorities might force him to be a snitch and bring down the suppliers.

He could be accused of endangering rare creatures is the poison comes from one of those.

 

[Elf Witch]

Seriously, the only possible reason why poison might be considered a 'bad thing' in your game world, while so many other things are not, is pure, arbitrary, nonsensical social convention. Don't try and come up with a reasonable argument why poison is outlawed - it won't make you look good, all things considered. Instead, you might want to think why so many potentially dangerous things are allowed no questions asked.

That came across rather rude. I can think of several reasons why a society might outlaw poison use. Carrying a weapon or having magic does not mean you are planning on killing someone. It means you have the ability to protect yourself.

If the poison is a deadly one then the only reason you have it is to kill someone. Why else would you have it. Also a lot of people look on poison as dishonorable. Its sneaky and the person using it is not putting himself at risk say the way a person with a sword is.

And there is a lot of ways society can protect itself against magic users and weapon carriers. Weapons can be illegal to carry in the town or they have to be peace tied. Magic users may have to register and there may be penalties for using magic in the city limits.

The druid who wild shapes may be taken and executed for being a spy if caught. Sort of like in times of war a soldier caught behind enemy lines in uniform was considered different than a soldier caught out of uniform behind enemy lines. The later was often accused of being a spy and not protected under war time agreements.

 

[Empirate]

Sorry if I came across as rude, 'twasn't my intention. Just trying to make a point in a... pointed way?

As for using poison being no risk: I can't see that, as we're probably talking about contact or injury poison here. Also, in what way IS lethal poison different from a lethal spell in the spellbook, or a lethal weapon? And what makes poison 'sneaky'?

Historically, nobles were afraid of being poisoned and outlawed poison because a) poison can be used by everybody, where social convention makes it impossible for a non-noble to wield a sword, and b) poison was cheap and easy to obtain, which wasn't true of swords.
Both don't hold true in D&D land.