The Quintessential Barbarian
The Quintessential Barbarian cover
| Author | Robert Schwalb |
| Series | Quintessential Series |
| Publisher | Mongoose Publishing |
| Publish date | 2003 |
| Pages | 128 |
| ISBN | 1-903980-92-5 |
| OGL Section 15 | qbbn |
The material below is open game content
Plumb the Barrel's Depths, a Contest of Inebriation
One of the greatest clichés involving barbarians refers to their penchant for drink. It seems that every brute that swings an enormous axe has an equal thirst for ale. Consuming vast quantities of alcohol against other characters is a feat that seems commonplace at best. However, for a culture who holds the process of brewing to a higher standard and who respects mastery over one's drink, seeing it as a sign of virtue, it makes sense that these cultures will pit one against another over a keg of strong brew.
Contestants: Any number of participants may join in to compete and see who can drink the most alcohol. In this example, the average level is 2nd.
Locale: Plumbing the barrel's depths is almost always performed within a tavern, but any location that has a good supply of ale is suitable.
Objective: The contestant who drinks the most alcohol wins. The results of this test are verifiable by the last one conscious.
Severity: For the most part, this contest has no severity rating, unless the subject suffers alcohol poisoning in which case the results are severe.
Intervals: Every round the contestants consume a tankard of ale or a 'shot' of liquor.
Prize: For most, the prize is the free drink. However, in official contests, the winner receives about 100gp and the two runnerups receive 10gp each. Special Rules: The effects of alcohol on a character vary, reflecting the individual's tolerance to drink, their body mass, their natural constitution and ultimately their willpower. Each of these facets determines a character's innate resiliency to overindulgence. The result of the contest usually incapacitates both contestants and thereby few games or competitions will be available for either contestant after this one.
The mechanics for contests of inebriation are simple. For the purpose of this contest, all alcohol is equal to either ale or liquor and each are of a moderate potency. For weaker or stronger drinks, the Games Master may increase the number of tankards per bonus point of Constitution (in the case of weaker) or decrease the number of tankards for the harder. Each character may consume one tankard of ale or one shot of liquor for every point of Constitution modifier prior to any significant adverse affects. Thus, if a character has a Constitution of 12, which has a +1 modifier, he may consume one unit of alcohol without adverse affect. Modifiers of 0 or below result in immediate saves or adverse affects.
Once the initial amounts of alcohol are safely out of the way, the hard drinking begins in earnest. For every additional unit of volume consumed above and beyond the safe limits, the character in question must make a Fortitude save against a DC 10 + 1 for each additional drink beyond the safe limits and +2 for each previous failed save in the contest. A failed result inflicts temporary damage to many of the drinker's ability scores. Each failed check results in a 1d2 temporary damage to 1d4 random attributes. If the beverage is liquor, the damage is 1d4 instead of 1d2. The attributes affected are as follows: Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. This damage persists for as long as the character continues to drink. It is possible to kill oneself with too much alcohol. If three abilities drop to 3 or less, the character begins to suffer Constitution damage in addition to the regular ability damage derived from failed results. Dropping to 0 in any ability imposes the normal results as described in the Core Rulebooks which usually manifests as unconsciousness. Recovery of these abilities from alcohol is 1 point per hour. Thus, if a character lost 5 points to Constitution, 4 to Strength and 8 to Wisdom, that character would recover his Strength score in 4 hours, his Constitution after 5 more hours and his Wisdom after 8 more hours have elapsed for a total of 17. Certain spells may hasten recovery and are subject to the Games Master's approval.
For example, Vignar is facing Zankar in a bout of drinks. Each character has an 18 Constitution and a +6 Fortitude Save. Both characters are drinking beer and have each had 4 tankards safely. On drinking the fifth, both characters must make Fortitude saves against a DC 10. Vignar's result is a 17, and he merely grins while he wipes the foam away from his beard. Zankar, however, rolled a 1, which is always an automatic failure. Zankar rolls 1d4 and much to his dismay he suffers 1d2 points of damage to all four abilities. On the next round, Vignar has only to make a Fortitude save against a DC 11, where Zankar must make one against a DC 13, growing rather drunk and leaning heavily on an arm.
Editing ©2008 Alex Schröder
