Fantasy RPG Forum - Standing Trials

Pig Squeal (sometimes also called Hog Squeal) is a relatively slow-acting poison named for the pained screams erupting from the victim in the later stages. These infernal screams are often likend to those of a pig that's being slaughtered and are typical for this particular poison. Historically, this poison had been used by those that wanted their victim to suffer a slow and horrible death. It's alternate use was to cripple the target rather than assassinate them, as the victim often only starts screaming during the mid to later parts of stage 3, and the window for administering the antidote without the poisoned suffering lasting complications has shrunk considerably.

The poison originates from the Bristle Beard, a lichen found in humid areas or areas with a wet climate. In the wild, Bristle Beard uses poison to deter small animals from eating it, by quickly yet temporarily paralyzing the jaw of the unfortunate critter. When eaten, the lichen pierces the soft tissue inside the oral cavity, which injects the poison directly into the mandibular muscles. For humanoid creatures, the poison is mostly harmless, though it might cause a slight prickling sensation. However, when concentrated, purified, and modified, the Bristle Beard’s natural toxins become a deadly poison.

Pig Squeal is most commonly used as an ingested poison, though it could be injected in the target as it does in nature. Curiously, though poisoning through intramuscular injection causes effects within minutes, it rarely has affected the entire body, instead paralyzing the muscle group it was injected in. Naturally, for use as an injected poison, the Bristle Beard’s toxins needn’t be modified to activate upon contact with digestive fluids.

Sometimes Pig Squeal is used as a contact poison which soaks in the skin and is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Though the liquid itself is odorless and colorless, it causes an itching rash on the location of contact a couple dozen minutes later.

The ingested version is odorless and colorless like the contact variant, though has a slightly bitter taste to it, which can make it difficult when mixed in too small volumes of beverages, or too small amounts of food.

Stages

Stage 1: contact
Though the poison takes a while to bear its fangs so to speak, it is already working its magic the moment it is brought into the gastro-intestinal system of the target. A couple hours after entering the body, the victim starts feeling a little under the weather, often but not always accompanied by a slight rise in body temperature. Several hours later, the victim will experience slight soreness in their muscles, most notably in the neck and shoulders.

Stage 2: flu
Usually 24 to 48 hours after the introduction into the victim’s system, the victim starts experiencing flu-like symptoms. They are feverish and nauseous, often suffering from headaches and pain in their muscles, as well as shivering as if hypothermic despite having a fever and feeling hot to the touch. Often the poisoned individual might complain about being cold. The victims are fatigued and feel weak and lethargic. During this stage, the muscle- and headaches will gradually worsen until the victim reaches stage 3.

Stage 3: squealing
About 60 to 72 hours after stage 2, stage 3 rolls around. The flu symptoms are still there, though the shivering has stopped. This is a result of the poison’s actual target: the muscles. During stage 3, the victim experiences severe muscle cramps as their body gradually tenses up more and more beyond their control. Though early on in stage 3 they are still able to move with enough effort, their pain worsens if they try, and it feels as if their body is tearing itself apart. Muscle spasms are not uncommon during this stage, though they tend to disappear the further stage 3 progresses. By further progressing through stage 3, the victim will begin to gradually experience greater and greater pains, and their body will tense up and cramp more and more, and moving will become more and more difficult. In this stage the victim usually begins to scream when the pain becomes too much for them to ignore or resist. To those with some knowledge of poisons or medicine, the characteristic screams, spasms, and muscle tension of stage 3 are a dead giveaway of a Pig Squeal poisoning.

Stage 4: death
Some consider stage 4 to be part of stage 3, though because of the differences between this stage and the previous, others think of this one as a separate stage. The moment the victim’s breathing becomes too labored to provide enough oxygen to continue screaming is the moment many consider stage 4 to begin. This usually occurs around 96 hours after stage 3 has started. From this moment on the non-voluntary muscles, and the heart, quickly become immobilized. Often the victim might already have choked to death before this happens though. Should the victim be kept alive by breathing apparatus or mouth to mouth, after they can no longer breathe on their own, the heart will stop a couple hours later. Stage 4 usually doesn’t last longer than 4 hours, but has been stretched to 6 when the choking was averted.

Contact poison variant
This form works faster because the poison is almost directly absorbed into the bloodstream (which facilitates it spreading through the body), and doesn’t need to be activated by the digestive system. Because of this, stage 1 is skipped and stage 2 takes about 1/3rd the time it usually would. Except for the rashes which from a couple breaks later on the place of contact with the poison, the contact version of Pig Squeal works exactly the same as the standard version for stage 3 and 4.

To alter the standard version into the contact version, the user needs to have sufficient skill in chemistry or alchemy (expert). The contact variant is more expensive than the regular version.

Antidote
The antidote must be taken before the victim is almost fully immobilized or starts showing difficulties breathing during stage 3, as by that point the poisoning has usually progressed too far to heal completely. If the antidote is applied too late, the victim might still recover from the poisoning, though will often suffer from breathing and/or heart problems, partial or complete paralysis, loss of fine muscle control, Parkinson, or a combination of these effects afterwards. After a certain point the victim is too far gone for the antidote to take hold. The rule of thumb most use is that when the screaming stops, it’s definitely too late.

It must be noted that the antidote is not a miracle-cure. While it does indeed halt and undo the poisoning, it takes time to start working. Most physicians recommend injecting it in the bloodstream of the patient to ensure the quickest uptake. Still, it takes about half an hour for the antidote to indeed halt the worsening of the victim’s state, and then 2 hours before the victim’s situation starts improving. Most people take about 48 hours to recover from the poisoning, excluding the time it takes for rehab. Lingering muscle pains and general stiffness and weakness of the body is not uncommon. Lack of control over the body is a guarantee, though the severity depends on how long the poison has been affecting the victim’s body. With about 3 to 4 days of rehabilitation the poisoned is able to regain most of their muscle control, though might still experience muscle spasms after exertion or exercise, and trembling during tasks that call for fine motor skills. These effects usually do not last longer than 10 trials after recovery.

Numbers
Total time (in general) needed to kill (stop the heart): 224hours = 9 days and 8 hours
Latest possible time to apply antidote without retaining lasting injury (accounting for antidote activation time): 8 days and 13 hours
Time needed for the antidote to work (stop the progression of the poison): ½ hour
Time needed for antidote to start curing: 2 hours
Time needed for poisoning to be cured: 48 hours
Time needed for rehab: 3-4 days
Time needed to be completely back to normal after being cured (if antidote was administered on time): 10 days

-200 GN for the poison, sounds fair, I think?