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Family planning in mods [POLL CLOSED]


berelinde

Herbs: good idea/bad idea  

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Thanks, Jarno. I'm aware that there are other herbal mods in existence, but that doesn't mean there can't be more.

 

 

True. And the other ones may not be as compatible with all the mods here. And each modder's spin on things just adds more interest to a game I've played a gazillion times.

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Too much... realism? :hm:

 

I always perceived FR as being based on medieval europe, and I assure you there wasn't even conception of "family planning", let alone anythyng to actually peruse it there. Ok, there was some ideas on that matter in ancient Greek/Rome civilization, but they were well lost with Empire. Now in dark ages we were having only peasantry who impregnated their wives as soon as they gave birth to previous child and nobility, who, at times, cared enough to solve this problem by impregnating maids, concubines, cooks and so on of their domain instead of their wives. And now family planning in FR is too much realistic how exactly? :thumbsup:

 

Edit: I believe everyone's free to mod anything he wishes so please don't take it as attempt at flaming, but it's unrealistic to the point of 4th wall breaking. Should such mod appear, it will take in my collection honorary place on the same shelf with Holy Hand Grenade mod and that mod introducing The Beatles as NPCs, forgot it's name.

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In a lot of ways, the Forgotten Realms are like medieval Europe, but in other ways, they differ. Faerun's inhabitants seem to be more aware of human (and demi-human) sexuality. After all, it is a fantasy role-playing setting, so it's been adapted to be more enjoyable for modern gamers. Homosexuality is an accepted part of Faerunian culture, and there is no stigma attached to it. Saying that there are more heterosexual people in Faerun than homosexual people is rather like saying that North America has more right-handed people than lefties. There's nothing wrong with being left-handed. It's just that it represents a smaller segment of the population. Likewise, there isn't any stigma associated with pre-marital sex. Rigid gender roles don't exist in Faerun, so that broadsword-wielding barbarian might well be female. Note that this paragraph applies only to Faerun. Kara-Tur, at least, seems to have adhered to a more confining system of beliefs, including limiting some of the more prestigious professions to males.

 

More relevant to this discussion, though is the Faerunian attitude about family planning. Cassil herb and nara root are used for male and female contraception, respectively. I did not make them up, they're already part of the lore. So while medieval chamber maids and villagers might be forced to bear their lords' illegitimate heirs, in Faerun, they would at least have a way to prevent it.

 

As an aside, medieval people were aware of the contraceptive/abortive properties of certain herbs. Leechdoms, Wortcunning, and Starcraft, a collection of medical articles dating from before the Norman Conquest, contains several warnings that some herbal preparations are not to be administered to pregnant women, and others were prescribed to "bring on the flux." Since plant derivatives vary in potency, and since the effective dose is pretty close to the lethal dose, I'm sure that a lot of women opted to take their chances with one more child.

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Voted "too much realism" because it was the closest option to how I feel, but my opinion is pretty much summed up by something said previously:

 

I like the idea of addressing contraception in the mod in a dialogue between Gavin and the pc or npcs. However, I don't like the level of realism in a mod that would require the purchase of items for the purpose.
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Thanks for weighing in, Luridel, but the decision was made Monday.

 

The PC won't have to buy anything if she doesn't want to. The first time the PC asks to spend the night together via PID, Gavin will ask about it. If the player says it's his responsibility, she'll never have to hear about it again, nor will she ever have to buy anything.

 

(Is there an echo in here? No, it's just me. :suspect: )

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It's a little too much realism for my tastes, but as long as the option's there to turn it off I'm perfectly alright with it. (I'd always assumed the PC and NPC of choice took care of that off-screen...)

 

And I loved the Carnal Guide. Great late night reading there.

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Spamming this topic with "don't do it" is also way too late. The decision was made.

 

I don't need to check somebody's guide to carnal anything. The herbs and potions are already part of canon lore.

 

I don't know why I'm bothering to type this again, since nobody read it the first 300 times I've posted it, but what the hells. One more won't hurt.

 

No mandatory item purcase.

 

No useless plot articles in stores. Every item introduced has some properties that may be beneficial to the party or baneful to enemies.

 

I'm moving this to Gavin's forum. After that, I'll post a partial item list of items already made. And after that, there's a good chance I'll lock the topic. I'm wasting tons of time typing the same thing over and over again. I really do have better things to do than that.

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@128 = ~Mortar and Pestle~

@129 = ~Mortar and Pestle

 

A mortar is a bowl-shaped vessel made of some hard material in which substances may be ground into a powder or pulp. A pestle is a short rod, usually with a rounded end, that is used to grind substances against the mortar. They range in size from tiny, barely big enough to grind a couple seeds, to immense, capable of holding a sackful of nuts or grain. This set is travel-sized. It can be used to prepare a number of herbal or botanical preparations.

 

Use: Enables user to create potions, salves, or other herbal preparations

Weight: 2

Usable By:

Bards

Clerics

Druids

Mages

Monks

Rangers~

@130 = ~Cassil Herb~

@131 = ~Cassil Herb

 

Cassil herb is a tasteless herb used by males to cause temporary sterility. In addition, it bestows a slight bonus to constitution. Its effects last for 12 hours.

 

Use: Causes temporary male sterility

Constitution bonus: 1

Duration: 12 hours

Weight: 0

Usable by:

All~

@132 = ~Bitter Apple~

@133 = ~Bitter Apple

 

The bitter apple is the fruit of the apple tree which has been infected with bitter mold, which sours the fruit. It is combined with nutmeg, ginger, honey, and grain spirits to make Snakebite, a powerful antidote against poison.

 

Use: Component of Snakebite.

Weight: 0~

@134 = ~Nutmeg~

@135 = ~Nutmeg

 

Nutmeg is the whole, armotic seed of a Chultan tree. This specimen is still encased in its membrane of orange mace. Combined with bitter apple, ginger, honey, and grain spirits, it makes Snakebite, a powerful antidote against poison.

 

Use: Component of Snakebite.

Weight: 0~

@136 = ~Ginger~

@137 = ~Ginger

 

Ginger is the root of a reedlike plant native to Chult, but now cultivated throughout the tropics. It is widely used as a spice in foods. Combined with bitter apple, nutmeg, honey, and grain spirits, it makes Snakebite, a powerful antidote against poison.

 

Use: Component of Snakebite.

Weight: 0~

@138 = ~Honey~

@139 = ~Honey is made by bees and used as an all-purpose sweetener. It is used in a number of herbal preparations.

 

Use: Many

Weight: 1

Usable by:

All~

@140 = ~Grain Spirits~

@141 = ~Grain Spirits

 

Grain spirits are distilled from fermented grain. If imbibed in large quantities, it results in intoxication, however the quantities commonly used in crafting herbal preparations is usually too small to produce any such effect. Grain spirits are a common component of herbal mixtures.

 

Use: Many

Weight: 1

Usable by:

All~

@142 = ~Empty Bottle~

@143 = ~Empty Bottle

 

This container may be used to store any of the herbal mixtures you prepare.

 

Use: Many

Weight: 0 (while empty)

Usable by:

All~

@144 = ~Snakebite~

@145 = ~Snakebite

 

This potion will neutralize any poison currently affecting the user. The use of this potion is not without cost however. The imbiber suffers a mild penalty to dexterity that persists for 1 hour. The cleansing is instant and the potion may only be used once.

 

Use: Neutralizes poison.

Dexterity Penalty: -1 for 1 hour

Usable By:

All~

@146 = ~Darkberries~

@147 = ~Darkberries

 

When crushed and applied to the skin, these purplish-black berries seem to exude darkness. They increase stealth by +30%

 

Stealth bonus: +30%

Duration: 10 turns

Usable By:

Thieves

Rangers~

@148 = ~Felsul Flowers~

@149 = ~Felsul Flowers

 

Felsul trees tend to grow in cold, barren places, where the beauty of their blossoms is even more startling. When crushed and combined with grain spirits, they create a sweet-smelling perfume that enhances the wearer's charisma.

 

Use: Component of Felsul Flower Oil

Weight: 0~

@150 = ~Felsul Flower Oil~

@151 = ~Felsul Flower Oil

 

This sweet-smelling perfume is made from the blossoms of the felsul tree. It enhances charisma for up to 12 hours.

 

Charisma Bonus: +2

Duration: 12 hours

Weight: 1

Not Usable By:

Wizard Slayer~

@152 = ~Mule Pollen~

@153 = ~Mule Pollen

 

This bright yellow daisy-like flower grows on the high moors and on the lower slopes of some mountain ranges. When its pollen is inhaled it grants the user a +2 bonus to strength, but a -2 penalty to intelligence and wisdom. These effects last for 1 hour.

 

Strength Bonus: +2

Intelligence Penalty: -2

Wisdom Penalty: -2

Duration: 1 hour

Weight: 0

Not Usable By:

Wizard Slayer~

@154 = ~Silverbark Sap~

@155 = ~Silverbark Sap

 

The sap of the silverbark tree is clear and slightly viscous. It consmed, it grants the imbiber a +2 bonus to save vs. poison.

 

Save vs. Poison: +2 bonus

Duration: 1 hour

Weight: 1

Not Usable By:

Wizard Slayer~

@156 = ~Brown Mold Oil~

@157 = ~Brown Mold Oil

 

When brown mold is stripped of the lime and algae that neutralize it and exposed to air, it quickly regenerates and expands, dealing 5-30 damage to all within its 5' blast radius.

 

Range: 40

Damage: 5-30

Weight: 1

Not Usable By: Wizard Slayer~

@158 = ~Brown Mold~

@159 = ~Brown Mold

 

This innocuous-looking yellow-brown mold is deceptively dangerous. A skilled herbalist may combine it with algae and lime to stabilize it until it is reactivated and used as a projectile weapon.

 

Use: Component of Brown Mold Oil

Weight: 0~

@160 = ~Algae~

@161 = ~Algae

 

Algae grows on the surface of stagnant water. It's typicaly slimy and green. Together with lime, it stabilizes brown mold until the latter can be deployed.

 

Use: Component of Brown Mold Oil

Weight: 0~

@162 = ~Lime~

@163 = ~Lime

 

Limestone is a soft white rock typically found near water. Together with algae, pulverized lime stabilizes brown mold until it the latter can be deployed. A chunk of limestone might also be hurled, in which case it does 1d4 damage.

 

Use: Component of Brown Mold Oil, potential weapon

Damage: 1d4

Weight: 1~

@164 = ~Whittlewort Brew~

@165 = ~Whittlewort Brew

 

Whittlewort Brew is made from the delicate, lacey leaves of the whittlewort plant, which grows in temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical regions. Fresh, whittlewort leaves are used to repell garden pests, but dried, powdered, and mixed with hot water, they make a tea that proteccts the imbiber from charm-based spells. The effects of Whittlewort Brew last for one hour.

 

Special: Protects imbiber from charm

Duration: 1 hour

Weight: 1

Not Usable By:

Wizard Slayers~

@166 = ~Cotsbalm~

@167 = ~Cotsbalm

 

This hardy plant is native to temperate and sub-tropical forests. Midwives and hedge-wizards consider its fresh-smelling leaves a curative against a variety of childhood ailments, though most clerics and skilled healers discredit this practice. Nevertheless, its leaves, when combined with honey and grain spirits, produce a salve that provides effective protection against poison.

 

Use: Component of Purebalm

Weight: 0

Useable By:

All~

@168 = ~Purebalm~

@169 = ~Purebalm

 

Cotsbalm leaves are mixed with honey and grain spirits to produce Purebalm, an effective salve against poison. The salve provides protection for one hour.

 

Special: Protects against poison

Duration: 1 hour

Weight: 1

Not Usable By:

Wizard Slayers~

@170 = ~Medicine Bag~

@171 = ~Medicine Bag

 

This sturdy leather bag can be used to store potions, medicinal preparations, or their components.

 

Weight: 2

Usable By:

All~

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@129 = ~Mortar and Pestle

...

Usable By:

Bards

Clerics

Druids

Mages

Monks

Rangers~

Fighters and thieves can't use a mortar and pestle?

 

@147 = ~Darkberries

 

When crushed and applied to the skin, these purplish-black berries seem to exude darkness. They increase stealth by +30%

 

Stealth bonus: +30%

Duration: 10 turns

Usable By:

Thieves

Rangers~

Monks, too, perhaps?

 

Not Usable By:

Wizard Slayer

Are all of the plant derivatives magical? There are a few that sound like they could be entirely non-magical.

 

@155 = ~Silverbark Sap

 

The sap of the silverbark tree is clear and slightly viscous. It consmed, it grants the imbiber a +2 bonus to save vs. poison.

 

@161 = ~Algae

 

Algae grows on the surface of stagnant water. It's typicaly slimy and green. Together with lime, it stabilizes brown mold until the latter can be deployed.

 

@165 = ~Whittlewort Brew

 

Whittlewort Brew is made from the delicate, lacey leaves of the whittlewort plant, which grows in temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical regions. Fresh, whittlewort leaves are used to repell garden pests, but dried, powdered, and mixed with hot water, they make a tea that proteccts the imbiber from charm-based spells. The effects of Whittlewort Brew last for one hour.

 

@167 = ~Cotsbalm

...

Useable By:

All~

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Fighters and thieves can't use a mortar and pestle to do crafting, no. At least not as it stand this minute. That is something I've been mulling over. I've already changed it a few times. On the one hand, I kind of like adding the herbalism function back to classes that sound like they should have historically had it, but the idea came from a gaming system that allowed even fighters to take herbalism as a non-weapon proficiency. There's going to have to be some kind of limitation on it, though. If I don't make it class-based, I'm going to base it on intelligence and/or wisdom. Possibly something like 10 in each or something, if I decide to make it stat based. I've got to impose some kind of balance, though. These are just plants. Yes, without a doubt, some of them are going to be pricey, as far as plants go, but even a couple ounces of nutmeg (which is enough to kill a person, by the way, so don't eat that much of it) aren't going to cost more than a normal person makes in a month.

 

You know, I debated on that wizard slayer thing for ages. I'm still undecided. I must have changed the item usabilities about five times now.

 

And thanks for spotting the typos. It's still in alpha, so these typos haven't been released on an unsuspecting gaming audience yet, but at least now you know the story behind the custom title.

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After thinking about it some more, I decided to make the items usable by wizard slayers. After all, the point is that the items are *not* magical. There aren't any spells cast over them while they're brewing, they don't require mythological reagents. They're just non-magical compounds that possess unique alchemical properties.

 

And with that in mind, I'm going to keep this restricted to professions that would have possibly practiced some form of herbalism. So no crafting by fighters, paladins, or thieves. There's nothing to prevent the player from having an NPC use the mortar and pestle, though. So hand off the mortr to Jaheira and let her do it.

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There's nothing to prevent the player from having an NPC use the mortar and pestle, though. So hand off the mortr to Jaheira and let her do it.

Okay you've managed to intrigue me. I particularly like the idea of getting one of the other npcs to produce things. I can imagine setting up camp and Jaheira ordering various companions to collect ingredients and asking Aerie to refrain from weaving the mule flowers into a daisy crown.

 

Just noticed this typo,

Limestone is a soft white rock typically found near water. Together with algae, pulverized lime stabilizes brown mold until it the latter can be deployed. A chunk of limestone might also be hurled, in which case it does 1d4 damage.
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Hmm. I hadn't really planned on giving banters to party members about camp chores, but it is something to think about. I don't want to bury the player under a mountain of dialogue, though. Gavin has PID toggles that let you put talks and banters on hold or that greatly reduce the number of interjections he makes, so if the PC finds Gavin too chatty, she can tell him to shut up, but there's no way to do that with the other NPCs. At the present, let's just leave that as "something to think about," and I'll think about it again after the rest of the mod is done and I've had a chance to see how chatty everyone is in game.

 

And thanks for spotting the editing error. Ever start writing something and change your mind halfway through?

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