Do We Not Die? by Robert J. Schwalb is a role playing game supplement published by Schwalb Entertainment for use with Shadow of the Demon Lord. This is part of the Poisoned Pages rules expansions; this supplement, fittingly, covers poisons.
This is a six page PDF that is available from DriveThruRPG for $1.49 but was purchased at the reduced price of $0.83 during a sale. About half of the first page is an illustration and Credits.
The introductory paragraphs explain that poison is considered to be a weapon of cowards; with poison the powerful can be levelled by the weak. Poison is therefore forbidden in most civilised lands but, as there is always a demand for death, forbidden does not mean the same thing as unavailable.
Poisons and Venoms opens by stating that the core rules use a general poison rule rather than define all the individual substances. However, new poisons supplement that rule. This is followed by a list of new poisons, poison delivery tools, their price and their availability.
From the table, delivery systems are first explained with an optional rule on mishaps; attacks with a poisoned item that roll 0 or less result in the wielder becoming exposed to the poison.
The new poisons and the actual delivery systems are then described. There are knockout poisons, lethal poisons, major poisons, maddening poisons, mild poisons, slow poisons and weakening poisons. Delivery systems are needle ring, poison ring, syringe and venomous sheath.
Harvesting Venom has rules on how to harvest venom from creatures, both living and dead, and using the venom.
Next is Creating Poisons. Assassins and alchemists have talents that permit them to rapidly create the poison in the core rulebook.
Alchemical Poisons are those created by alchemists for more specialised purposes and they have unusual effects; brainwashing, making creatures explode in fire, turning them into a harmless animal, reducing their intellect, being unable to heal damage, turning them to stone, causing insanity and bloating them with water.
Finally there is Poisonous Magic, new incantations to do with poison, including its cure, for a variety of traditions.
Do We Not Die? in Review
The PDF lacks bookmarks and, although short enough that they are not essential, there are enough different sections that they could be useful. Navigation is okay. The text follows a two column full colour format and no errors were noticed. There are also a number of full colour illustrations. Presentation is very good.
The poison rules in the core rulebook are very simple. Poisons have a single effect and there is no complexity – or detail – to them. This supplement does make poisons a lot more interesting, with the new effects and new rules. It is perhaps most of use in campaigns that feature assassins or alchemists, the two paths that can make the most use of the new rules; those paths do not have to be possessed by player characters of course. An assassin or alchemist foe can become more dangerous and more interesting. Do We Not Die? adds an extra layer of detail to poisons and it can be found by clicking here.
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