Arsenic

Arsenic
Toxin Rank 6
Delivery: Ingestion
Onset Time: 1d4 Phases
Resilience DC: 16
Effect:
  •  1 Dose: The target suffers from severe headache and is Sickened. The target typically feels Drowsy.
  •  2 Doses: The target's stomach muscles cramp, causing Nausea and vomiting. The target usually feels disoriented and is considered Confused.
  •  3 or More Doses: The target suffers from frequent convulsions for 1d2 phases before falling into a Coma and dying 1d4 hours later.
Metabolism: Doses remain in the body for 1d4 days.
Components: Arsenic
Brew Time: None
Creation: None
"By the gods, Myriam, this turkey is delicious! You cooked it for 6 hours you said?! I don't know what I did to deserve this, but it must surely be good karma for something!"
——Tarnis Bothellow, Wealthy Noble

Description

Arsenic is a metal that is highly toxic. A dose consists of just 1 or 2 grains of the substance. Contact with the skin causes a constriction of blood vessels, leading to a powder white complexion favored among some of the upper echelons of society. Arsenic has the tendency to remain in the system of a living body for a long period of time, and often times this lingering effect can be subtly weaponized.

The tongues of those poisoned by Arsenic tend to turn black, making its use more easy to identify than other toxins [Alchemy DC 20].

Lore

Arsenic is the favored weapon of plotting nobility and politicians who wish to have a rival removed. Since the toxin can remain in a humanoid body for several days, it is possible to poison a person slowly, administering an undetectable dose to them, usually through their food or drink over an extended period of time. The individual will begin to appear ill, and their condition will slowly degrade. To most other people, it will simply appear as if they have come down with a deadly disease that does not respond to medical treatment. Because of this, countless power shifts in civilized society have occurred without a single weapon being drawn.