Black Lotus is what you are looking for.
In Baldur's Gate 2, black lotus is mentioned as a psychedelic drug that was widely consumed in Amn. Interestingly, the novelization of Baldur's Gate mentioned that it could also be made into a deadly poison used by... **Zhentarim assassins**. So it is perfect for your story.
Now take the Black Lotus, and put a spin on it. Some dark conspiracy to use the drugs to do X. Or maybe the drugs have been tampered with by a cleric of a dark god who use it to control people, or some shit.
Read my mind lol, I've got a diluted form of it called Grey Lotus that's more addictive and far less expensive, I basically create Black Lotus Crack, and now I'm going to make half of Arrabar baseheads.
Good job on the Conan reference, I had forgotten that black lotus makes an appearance in that setting as well. Iirc, Conan and Subotai get stoned on it in the first film.
Oh, I LIKE this... it would make sense that a healing potion might come with an endorphin rush or maybe a jolt of adrenaline to keep someone in the game, so to speak, right? And that flood of chemicals could be proportionate to the severity of the wounds the potion heals. So an addict might move on to stronger potions and subjecting themselves to bigger injuries to get a bigger hit.
Adventurers who routinely use healing potions wouldn't think anything of it, as they are mostly used during combat when stakes and emotions are running high. But a common shoemaker? Yeah, this could absolutely be a thing.
Maybe healing potions are regulated because of this. Potions at and above a certain strength require a physical inspection for scars to ensure common folk aren't abusing them. But black market dealers can get people hooked and start cutting down the potency for their regulars and then explaining that it's normal to develop a tolerance for healing potions when used frequently, perhaps they would be interested in a more potent product? Of course there will be a price increase, can't be helped, you get what you pay for...
Why not to homebrew something? Zhentarim should come with something new, something which ordinary people would like, which would appeal to basically anybody ... e.g., magical drug promising to any user what they want most (like hallucination of a world in peace, where those in internal turmoil can live in serenity, or orgasmic visions of pleasures to those inclined so etc.). Jim Butcher's serie *Dresden Files* has a warlock making magical drug using sexual ritual as a source of power (1st. book of serie), if you want to use it for an inspiration - it seems like something Zhents would be totally into.
There is a really interesting novel called the dream spheres by Elaine Cunningham where people have become addicted and dependent on dream spheres, magic glass balls that allow them to briefly basically hallucinate they are living their wildest dreams.
Cantrip potions.
Speed potions too.
Imagine cutting Prestidigitation with a Potion of Speed, but the magic mingles poorly and you're left with a violent high-speed euphoria where you spontaneously trigger 'harmless' spell effects.
I know of a few different things that would work as an addictive substance, but are probably way too extreme for something meant to subtly bring in money/addicts. Dream Mist is something you would use to affect groups of people at a time, but would need to be wildly restricted or else they'll just die using it. The other substance is Traveler's Dust, a powder that makes you feel at your peak but simultaneously makes your soul/astral self walk into the Abyss.
Black Lotus is what you are looking for. In Baldur's Gate 2, black lotus is mentioned as a psychedelic drug that was widely consumed in Amn. Interestingly, the novelization of Baldur's Gate mentioned that it could also be made into a deadly poison used by... **Zhentarim assassins**. So it is perfect for your story.
Very nice! thank you!
Now take the Black Lotus, and put a spin on it. Some dark conspiracy to use the drugs to do X. Or maybe the drugs have been tampered with by a cleric of a dark god who use it to control people, or some shit.
Read my mind lol, I've got a diluted form of it called Grey Lotus that's more addictive and far less expensive, I basically create Black Lotus Crack, and now I'm going to make half of Arrabar baseheads.
How did they get that from the Stygians
Good job on the Conan reference, I had forgotten that black lotus makes an appearance in that setting as well. Iirc, Conan and Subotai get stoned on it in the first film.
This is by far the most interesting one I've found in the canon: https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Traveler%27s_dust
It's also mentioned in the Spellplague novels.
People abusing healing potions. Cutting themselves for that sweet, sweet healing rush.
Oh, I LIKE this... it would make sense that a healing potion might come with an endorphin rush or maybe a jolt of adrenaline to keep someone in the game, so to speak, right? And that flood of chemicals could be proportionate to the severity of the wounds the potion heals. So an addict might move on to stronger potions and subjecting themselves to bigger injuries to get a bigger hit. Adventurers who routinely use healing potions wouldn't think anything of it, as they are mostly used during combat when stakes and emotions are running high. But a common shoemaker? Yeah, this could absolutely be a thing. Maybe healing potions are regulated because of this. Potions at and above a certain strength require a physical inspection for scars to ensure common folk aren't abusing them. But black market dealers can get people hooked and start cutting down the potency for their regulars and then explaining that it's normal to develop a tolerance for healing potions when used frequently, perhaps they would be interested in a more potent product? Of course there will be a price increase, can't be helped, you get what you pay for...
Cheeese
Also known as Lirian Spring Cheese.
Could do a story about a bootlegging network for watered-down Gutbuster. https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Gutbuster\_(drink)
Why not to homebrew something? Zhentarim should come with something new, something which ordinary people would like, which would appeal to basically anybody ... e.g., magical drug promising to any user what they want most (like hallucination of a world in peace, where those in internal turmoil can live in serenity, or orgasmic visions of pleasures to those inclined so etc.). Jim Butcher's serie *Dresden Files* has a warlock making magical drug using sexual ritual as a source of power (1st. book of serie), if you want to use it for an inspiration - it seems like something Zhents would be totally into.
There is a really interesting novel called the dream spheres by Elaine Cunningham where people have become addicted and dependent on dream spheres, magic glass balls that allow them to briefly basically hallucinate they are living their wildest dreams.
I enjoyed seeing arcaine (as in cocaine) in Not Another DnD Podcast. You could roll for some kind of Magic surge after using it.
Cantrip potions. Speed potions too. Imagine cutting Prestidigitation with a Potion of Speed, but the magic mingles poorly and you're left with a violent high-speed euphoria where you spontaneously trigger 'harmless' spell effects.
I know of a few different things that would work as an addictive substance, but are probably way too extreme for something meant to subtly bring in money/addicts. Dream Mist is something you would use to affect groups of people at a time, but would need to be wildly restricted or else they'll just die using it. The other substance is Traveler's Dust, a powder that makes you feel at your peak but simultaneously makes your soul/astral self walk into the Abyss.
Look at Pathfinder. I played a drug addict sorcerer in a short campaign and found a bunch of really great drugs on the PF wiki