Herbs and Poisons are found all over Avalon, and can be located by those with the Herbs or Poisons skill by typing HERBS or POISONS in a location. Any layman may also purchase herbs or poisons from the many herbalists or market stalls dotted about the land.
Herbs have various beneficial effects while poisons are harmful. Methods of applying the herbs vary. Some can be eaten (e.g. EAT ATHILLIAS), some applied (e.g. APPLY HARFY). Some can only benefit you, without outside aid, when put into a glass - or suitable container - filled with water. It must then taken using DRINK <container>. Other herbs are imbibed by filling a pipe with the herb and using SMOKE after having lit the pipe. It is worth noting that ALL herbs and poisons can be taken when drunk from a water - since they infuse the liquid no matter their preparation.
It is possible to poison weapons - and this is the mainstay of much physical combat - and also to use poisoned arrows to shoot distant opponents and augment the arrow's damage with the poison's effects. You can APPLY a poison to a sleeping, unconscious or meditating enemy.
See HELP HERBLIST and HELP POISONLIST for a list of the common herbs and poisons in Avalon, their preparation standards and a brief description of the effects. Below are examples of how one might use herbs via the four preparation methods: applied, eaten/ingested, drunk and smoked in a pipe.
NOTE: While the Herbs skill is traditionally the domain of the Druid and Ranger, it is possible for the everyman to become familiar with its use and even develop the skill to a similarly high point as the original professionals - details on this can be found in HELP HERBALISM or by seeking a member of the Druid profession directly.
- apply harfy
You apply a yellow leaf of harfy. You feel invigorated, your wounds clotting before your very eyes.
- eat gylvir
You ingest a gylvir clump.
You lick your lips tenderly and shiver with a sudden chill.
- fill tankard with water
You fill your tankard with water.
- put iorthir in tankard
You place a leaf of iorthir into the tankard.
- drink tankard [can also DRINK WATER but this may be ambiguous if you hold multiple containers with water in]
You drink some water from the tankard. The iorthir leaf makes your eyes water.
- fill pipe with megillos
You put a megillos slice into an ebony pipe.
- light pipe [while holding a tinderbox or means of fire]
You light a megillos slice in your pipe.
- smoke megillos
You suck deeply on the pipe, basking in the aroma of megillos. You bask in the tangy aroma of the red lichen.
See also HELP HERBALISM, HELP HERBLIST, HELP POISONS and HELP POISONLIST.
