Spirits and Grogs – Hangovers and Stomach Twists

Spirits and Grogs function a little like Poisons but with particular effects. For other drugs and hallucinogenic products, the Game Master can adapt the rules applied to Spirits and Grogs.

In the case of Grogs, one applies simply both the rules for Spirits – because Grog has generally, if not always, an alcoholic basis - and those for the Poisons – the Game Master determines the parameters in function of the situation, given that each bar has its own special Grog, without mentioning all the variety of the most famous cocktails of the Known World… (The alcoholic and poisonous parameters of Grog are different from each other.)

Alcohol effects almost like a Poison, that is some d20 Rolls are required in Opposition to the Virulence of the Alcohol versus « Constitution + Parched Throat » or « Constitution + KGB » for the Grogs. The difference with another type of Poison (but the similarity to other drugs) is that one generally asks for more! The Virulence of Alcohol increases with consumption and diminishes with the time elapsed without drinking, possibly somewhat shortened by a little exercice or fresh air… while one still can.

The Game Master determines the Virulence of each Alcohol. That of a good beer is of 2 or 3 a pint, that of a shot of the strongest wormwood spirits can reach up to 6; as for Grog, the « Classicals », based on a big glass of rum (and of kerozene), are found around 4 or 5 but some bars prepared them stronger… The « Damage » applies once per dosis corresponding to the Virulence – thus once per pint for beer, once per big glass of rum, etc. Each Spirit has its basic « Damage » Level: « I see two of them, I tell you! » for beer, Anything can happen… for rum and absinth, etc.

To determine the taken « Damage », simply check the Damage table of Poisons and modify the Damage Levels as follows:

How to interprete / role-play that « Damage » : one uses the usual Health Level Bar as if it were usual Damages. Hence, if the Character is already wounded, he will be less resistant to the Effects of Alcohol. Conversely, if she fights under the influence of Alcohol, upon the Mali for her Actions, she'll have a particularly reduced resistance and risks to badly hurt herself… However, one should no check the Skulls of the Bar in the same way as for usual Damage because the « Damage » of Alcohol heals differently. Upon that, one usually does not die of the « Damage » of Alcohol alone (Though… It happens…).

Follows the list of the Effects for each « Damage » Level due to Alcohol (the role-play of the Character should also be adapted in function of that):

• Cheered up / Talkative: as soon as one Skull of that category of the Health Bar is checked, due to Alcohol, the Player applies a Malus of 1 to all of the actions of her Character;
• « I see two of them, I tell you! »: as soon as one Skull of that category of the Health Bar is checked, due to Alcohol, the Player applies a Malus of 3 to all of the actions of her Character;
• Anything can happen…: idem, but the Malus becomes 5 ;
• Dead Drunk: as soon as one Skull (generally « the ») Skull of that category of the Health Bar is checked, due to Alcohol, the Character collapse drunk dead. It may be necessary to pay attention to his posture or he may need first aid to avoid vomitting in that state for instance; it is no fun for him, it might even be dangerous!

Those Mali do not cumulate, one simply always applies the biggest attained.

Not to be forgotten, the Virulences adds up as glasses and bottles are successively emptieds. Changing the type of Alcohol in the course of the party automatically additionally increasses the cumulated Virulence by 1: you were already told a thousand times that doing so is very dangerous!!