Acid (substance)

Acids are substances that can be used to dissolve materials, minerals, metals and living flesh. Important acids in the game include aqua fortis and aqua regia, blue and green vitriol and wood alcohol.

Acids

• Aqua fortis is a corrosive pale yellow acid that is able to decompose living tissue. Flesh touched by the acid will turn orange; if the skin is not washed afterwards, then secondary damage will result (see below). The acid is used to reduce metals, to age pine and maple, for etching in printmaking and as a cleaning solution for metals and glass.

• Aqua regia, also royal water, is a corrosive yellow-orange acid (sometimes red) that is prized because it's the only acid able to dissolve gold and platinum. It is used in etching; flesh will respond to aqua regia similar as it does to aqua fortis.

• Blue vitriol is a corrosive blue-tinted acid used to remove rust from iron and copper, as an anti-icing agent and as a fixing agent in pigments, paints, enamels and glazes. Flesh will respond to aqua regia similar as it does to aqua fortis. The acid has a very low viscosity, so that a splash is particularly dangerous to the eyes when the acid is dropped — there is a potential of permanent blindness.

• Green vitriol is a corrosive green-tinted acid with effects similar to blue vitriol, except that it is more viscous. Green vitriol is used in medicine, as a plant nutrient, for pigments, dyes, woodworking and in identification of mushrooms. It is also used to make ink and glazes.

• Wood alcohol is a light, volatile, flammable liquid used to destroy wood and preserve dead tissue. It is a poisonous, particularly in that it attacks the eye-tissue of an imbiber; if left open, the gas released by the liquid can ignite if left too close to a fire source. This vapour is also poisonous to breathe in. It is not dangerous to normal flesh, but it acts as an acid against molds & jellies.

Throwing Acid & Damage

All acids can be employed as a grenade missile when splashed against an enemy. For game purposes, container larger than a vial (4 fluid ounces) is considered too dangerous to keep on the character's person for any length of time. The use of the substance is dangerous; the user must make a dexterity check so as not to be caught by the splash and take full damage as described below.

Attacking with acid receives a +2 to hit bonus, with a maximum range of five feet (one combat hex). The initial damage done is 2-8 to the intended target if it hits, but a miss will still cause 1-3 damage. Additionally, anyone else behind the intended target, who is not more than two hexes from the thrower, will also suffer 1-3 damage unless they make a dexterity check.

If an acid splash causes 6 damage or more, the victim must retreat and make an attempt to treat the burn with clear water, abandoning the combat to do so. For every three rounds this is not done, the victim will suffer 1 hit point of secondary damage until this equals the damage caused by the initial splash. Therefore, if Nelson were struck for 7 damage, and was unable to apply water for 21 rounds, then over that time he would suffer an additional 7 damage, one point occurring every three rounds.

If blue vitriol is thrown, then the victim must make a saving throw against poison or be blinded; this save must be made if the thrower has failed their dexterity check. This blindness can be restored with either cure blindness or regeneration.

Damage caused by wood alcohol is 2-8 against molds and jellies. Acids will often be ineffective against oozes or puddings, as these creatures include acid in their biology.

More acid than a single vial will cause considerably more damage if it can be applied; multiple vial-volumns are used in the making of extremely dangerous traps.

See Also,
Acid-based Attacks
Combat