Herbal Remedies
Herbal remedies are meant to reflect accurate possibilities in terms of what kind of effects were available.
Herbs can be prepared into remedies by a skilled apothecary or alchemist, differing from the natural state in both the ability to mask the taste. Of course, there are many UN-natural healing remedies that would be far more potent than those listed here; you just won’t find those with bushcraft. You’ll find them by raiding old dungeons chests or engaging in powerful rituals of True Alchemy with clerical prayers to summon forth the dew of the sun.
For any herb to be made into an effective dose, a certain amount of money must be spent (note that the costs below are for production, not retail value), and a test of the apothecary knowledge must be made. Note that if the apothecary has their own lab facilities the material represented by the construction costs will already be present in a basic apothecary/puffer’s lab.
The DC of the wilderness knowledge skill represent the difficulty in finding the specific herb. Most poisons or herbs take one day to prepare a given dose, and one day of searching to find herbs in the wild, assuming it is the right kind of wilderness area and time of year.
The following is a list of some common herbal remedies, followed by other herbs which can be found by those with wilderness knowledge and prepared by those with apothecary skills:
All-heal:
—Herbalism: DC12
—Apothecary: DC10 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 30gp
The application of All-heal enhances natural healing from injuries; in which case a character who takes it will heal at a rate of +1 hit point per day for the next week (this is aside from any other bonuses to medical treatment). Bloody William:
—Wilderness Lore: DC8
—Apothecary: DC18 (takes 3 days to prepare)
—cost: 18gp
Despite its name, this flower is used to make an antitoxin, useful against scorpion stings. If taken, for the next 3 days after ingestion it grants a +4 bonus to saving throws against scorpion venom; it is ineffective if taken after being stung. Cow Parsnip:
—Wilderness Lore: DC12
—Apothecary: DC16 (takes 1 week to prepare)
—cost: 42gp
Prepared as a medicine, it can potentially cure sufferers of (non-magical) insanity. Anyone who is mentally deranged can, after taking it, make a saving throw to recover their wits. Goat’s Rue:
—Wilderness Lore: DC12
—Apothecary: DC18 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 90gp
When prepared as a potion, this serves as a counter-toxin to many common poisons, granting a +2 bonus to saving throws against poison effects; it must be taken before the poison save is rolled. Hare’s Ear:
—Wilderness Lore: DC14
—Apothecary: DC16 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 18gp
This herb is made as an ointment that is effective at treating a variety of skin diseases. Horehound:
—Wilderness Lore: DC8
—Apothecary: DC12 (takes 4 days to prepare)
—cost: 30gp
This creates a very powerful antitoxin, though only against INGESTED poisons; ingesting it after being poisoned (but before making any final saving throws) will cause the victim to vomit copiously, to aid greatly to the likelihood of survival. Characters taking horehound are granted an immediate saving throw vs. poison (with any bonuses or penalties that the poison in question would cause), which if they succeed annuls any further poison effects. If they fail the roll, they will still get to make the regular saves afterward. Anyone taking horehound feels extremely ill, incapable of taking any actions, for 24 hours after taking it. Make-bate:
—Wilderness Lore: DC16
—Apothecary: DC12 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 15gp
This herb can be used to make a potion or unguent effective against scorpion stings. It must be applied within 1 round of being stung, and provides a second saving throw against the venom’s effects. Should a venom be so powerful as to cause instant death, the anti-toxin will be of no help. Marjerome:
—Wilderness Lore: DC8
—Apothecary: DC12 (takes one week to prepare)
—cost: 36gp
This plant can be made into a liquor that when drunk will completely counter the effects of hemlock. The herb must be taken before any saving throw is made. Masterwort:
—Wilderness Lore: DC8
—Apothecary: DC18 (takes 3 days to prepare)
—cost: 45gp (much more expensive in times of plague)
This herb can be ingested as a protection against the plague; anyone exposed to the plague who has taken this medicine within the last 3 days gets a +4 bonus to saving throws against infection. Milkwort:
—Wilderness Lore: DC8
—Apothecary: DC20 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 60gp
This plant is used to make a medicine to protect against cholera. Anyone who takes it will get a +4 bonus to saving throws against infection with cholera; or if already infected a +4 bonus to all saving throws thereafter. Navew:
—Wilderness Lore: DC12
—Apothecary: DC12 (takes 5 days to prepare)
—cost: 45gp
Prepared as a potion to be taken with food or drink, it will grant a +2 bonus to any saving throws should that food or drink be poisoned. Serapias:
—Wilderness Lore: DC16
—Apothecary: DC8 (takes 4 days to prepare)
—cost: 60gp
This rare herb is extremely useful as a healing medicine. Whoever it is administered to falls into a deep sleep for 24 hours (during which time they can only be awakened with great effort, and even then can only be lucid and remain awake if they save versus poison; waking them negates the curative effects), after which they will recover +1d3 hit points over the usual amount. Snake Caltrop:
—Wilderness Lore: DC12
—Apothecary: DC10 (takes 4 days to prepare)
—cost: 30gp
This herb, made into an unguent, can help counteract snake venom. It must be applied IMMEDIATELY after taking a snakebite (within 2 rounds), and provides a second saving throw against whatever poisonous effects the snake venom causes. Should a snake’s venom be so powerful that it causes an instant death effect, the unguent will not be of any assistance. Spiderwort:
—Wilderness Lore: DC14
—Apothecary: DC8 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 60gp
A useful cure for spider bites. If taken immediately after being bitten by a spider (within 2 rounds) it will provide a second saving throw against whatever poisonous effects the spider venom causes. Should a spider’s venom be so powerful that it causes an instant death effect, the medicine will not aid the victim.
—Herbalism: DC12
—Apothecary: DC10 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 30gp
The application of All-heal enhances natural healing from injuries; in which case a character who takes it will heal at a rate of +1 hit point per day for the next week (this is aside from any other bonuses to medical treatment). Bloody William:
—Wilderness Lore: DC8
—Apothecary: DC18 (takes 3 days to prepare)
—cost: 18gp
Despite its name, this flower is used to make an antitoxin, useful against scorpion stings. If taken, for the next 3 days after ingestion it grants a +4 bonus to saving throws against scorpion venom; it is ineffective if taken after being stung. Cow Parsnip:
—Wilderness Lore: DC12
—Apothecary: DC16 (takes 1 week to prepare)
—cost: 42gp
Prepared as a medicine, it can potentially cure sufferers of (non-magical) insanity. Anyone who is mentally deranged can, after taking it, make a saving throw to recover their wits. Goat’s Rue:
—Wilderness Lore: DC12
—Apothecary: DC18 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 90gp
When prepared as a potion, this serves as a counter-toxin to many common poisons, granting a +2 bonus to saving throws against poison effects; it must be taken before the poison save is rolled. Hare’s Ear:
—Wilderness Lore: DC14
—Apothecary: DC16 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 18gp
This herb is made as an ointment that is effective at treating a variety of skin diseases. Horehound:
—Wilderness Lore: DC8
—Apothecary: DC12 (takes 4 days to prepare)
—cost: 30gp
This creates a very powerful antitoxin, though only against INGESTED poisons; ingesting it after being poisoned (but before making any final saving throws) will cause the victim to vomit copiously, to aid greatly to the likelihood of survival. Characters taking horehound are granted an immediate saving throw vs. poison (with any bonuses or penalties that the poison in question would cause), which if they succeed annuls any further poison effects. If they fail the roll, they will still get to make the regular saves afterward. Anyone taking horehound feels extremely ill, incapable of taking any actions, for 24 hours after taking it. Make-bate:
—Wilderness Lore: DC16
—Apothecary: DC12 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 15gp
This herb can be used to make a potion or unguent effective against scorpion stings. It must be applied within 1 round of being stung, and provides a second saving throw against the venom’s effects. Should a venom be so powerful as to cause instant death, the anti-toxin will be of no help. Marjerome:
—Wilderness Lore: DC8
—Apothecary: DC12 (takes one week to prepare)
—cost: 36gp
This plant can be made into a liquor that when drunk will completely counter the effects of hemlock. The herb must be taken before any saving throw is made. Masterwort:
—Wilderness Lore: DC8
—Apothecary: DC18 (takes 3 days to prepare)
—cost: 45gp (much more expensive in times of plague)
This herb can be ingested as a protection against the plague; anyone exposed to the plague who has taken this medicine within the last 3 days gets a +4 bonus to saving throws against infection. Milkwort:
—Wilderness Lore: DC8
—Apothecary: DC20 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 60gp
This plant is used to make a medicine to protect against cholera. Anyone who takes it will get a +4 bonus to saving throws against infection with cholera; or if already infected a +4 bonus to all saving throws thereafter. Navew:
—Wilderness Lore: DC12
—Apothecary: DC12 (takes 5 days to prepare)
—cost: 45gp
Prepared as a potion to be taken with food or drink, it will grant a +2 bonus to any saving throws should that food or drink be poisoned. Serapias:
—Wilderness Lore: DC16
—Apothecary: DC8 (takes 4 days to prepare)
—cost: 60gp
This rare herb is extremely useful as a healing medicine. Whoever it is administered to falls into a deep sleep for 24 hours (during which time they can only be awakened with great effort, and even then can only be lucid and remain awake if they save versus poison; waking them negates the curative effects), after which they will recover +1d3 hit points over the usual amount. Snake Caltrop:
—Wilderness Lore: DC12
—Apothecary: DC10 (takes 4 days to prepare)
—cost: 30gp
This herb, made into an unguent, can help counteract snake venom. It must be applied IMMEDIATELY after taking a snakebite (within 2 rounds), and provides a second saving throw against whatever poisonous effects the snake venom causes. Should a snake’s venom be so powerful that it causes an instant death effect, the unguent will not be of any assistance. Spiderwort:
—Wilderness Lore: DC14
—Apothecary: DC8 (takes 2 days to prepare)
—cost: 60gp
A useful cure for spider bites. If taken immediately after being bitten by a spider (within 2 rounds) it will provide a second saving throw against whatever poisonous effects the spider venom causes. Should a spider’s venom be so powerful that it causes an instant death effect, the medicine will not aid the victim.
