Snake Venom

Made from 4 drs. of cobra, viper or asp venom, it deals 2-12 points of damage each minute for 20 minutes; a save vs Constitution halves the damage.

Venoms are resinous toxins smeared on blades, darts, pins, arrows and the like; they act through the bloodstream, so they only work when they enter a wound or puncture. One dose coats a sword of any size, a two-handed axe, 2 hand axes, 4 spear or javelin heads, 6 daggers, 10 arrows or bolts, or 20 war darts, and the coating is spent on the first successful hit. Each dose takes a full day with a mortar and pestle, small cauldron or crucible and steady heat, succeeding 90% of the time plus 1% per level (99% at most). The maker must save vs Dexterity, +1 per level, or be exposed to the venom through a cut, scratch or fumes. Only alchemists may legally hold venoms in most of the Atlantean world; elsewhere a dose may fetch 200-600 G.P. on the black market.