Poisons of Gor
Astorette Novi
Poisons part I in for the kill
Presentation at the En’Kara Fair [2026, edited] by Astorette Novi, Physician, teacher and mentor, Ravenshold
[05:01] Astorette Novi: this talk is given with quotes to back up statements made and are the thoughts and opinions of the speaker and not a representation of the caste of Physicians of Gor
The Ost
[05:02] Astorette Novi: The ost is the most deadly creature in gor. it is small and the only thing that warns you of the danger is its bright orangey yellow colour with black bands. It is about a foot long. Usually found in the tahari. Or if from the uschendi red with black bands.
[05:02] Astorette Novi: “The banded ost is a variety of ost, a small, customarily brilliant orange reptile. It is exceedingly poisonous. The banded ost is a yellowish orange and is marked with black rings.” (Assassin of Gor pg. 335)
[05:02] Astorette Novi: “The ost is usually an orange snake, but these were Ushindi osts, which are red with black stripes. Anatomically, and with respect to toxin, I am told they are almost identical to the common ost.” (Explorers of Gor pg. 239)
[05:03] Astorette Novi: Death happens in seconds and there is no cure mostly because there is no time to even give an antidote to the victim. It is the worst most painful death possible, no way to rp as there is no time death comes fast and painfully.
[05:03] Astorette Novi: “One to be feared even more perhaps was the tiny ost, a venomous, brilliantly orange reptile little more than a foot in length, whose bite spelled an excruciating death within seconds.” (Outlaw of Gor pg. 26)
[05:04] Astorette Novi: There is no doubting what killed the victim the orange colour of his face in death is unique.
[05:04] Astorette Novi: “I was scarcely aware of the brief whimpering of the Paravaci as, twisting and turning on the rug, biting at it, holding his arm, his flesh turning orange from ost venom, he writhed and died.” …I saw the contorted, now – orange, twisted, agonized face. Already, it looked like colored paper and peeling, as though lit and burned from inside. There were drops of blood and sweat on it.” (Nomads of Gor pg. 318)
[05:05] Astorette Novi: Because there is no shortage of information on this snake we now the effects of a bite from it and how painful for the few seconds it takes to die it is.
[05:06] Astorette Novi: “Then suddenly, from in front of me, in the darkness, I heard a hideous cry of pain. Then I heard a wild, piteous shriek which terminated in spasmodic coughing and gasping. I heard fingernails scratching at a wooden surface and the turning and thrashing of a body.” …”I looked to the round, shallow, circular pit in the center of the room. It was about a foot deep. The poles supporting the sleeping platform were set within it. In the pit, his hands still clutching, fingernails bloody, at one of the round poles supporting the platform, lay an askari. His body was twisted horribly, and contorted. The flesh had turned a blackish orange and, in places, had broken open, the skin peeling back like burned paper. A knife, fallen, lay near him in the pit. About his body, small, nervous, sinuous, crawled tiny snakes. osts.” (Explorers of Gor pg. 238-239)
[05:08] Astorette Novi: This is a rarely seen narrow, dark snake abut five feet long with a small triangular head its poison is thought to be deadly but by no means as deadly as the ost. It is usually found in the delta. The marsh moccasin has no known cure and any symptoms have not been recorded. Despite this it is believed that FW may have been thrown to them as a form of execution. The only information we have comes in two quotes the first of which i have separated into two..
[05:08] Astorette Novi: We saw a narrow, dark shape, about five feet long, like a slowly undulating whip, glide past. A small triangular head was almost level with the water surface. I did not think there had been much danger, but there was some possibility that the movement of her legs in the water might have attracted its attention.
Lady Rose Khaos [Rose Harlow], head physician to the Port City of Olni, see also: “How Gorean Physicians treat a shock and hallucinations, From the NEW VOICE OF GOR v.4 Issue 156. (2014)
“That is a marsh moccasin,” I said.
“Are they poisonous,” she asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“I never saw one before,” she said.
“They are not common,” I said, “even in the delta.”
[05:09] Astorette Novi: “Are they poisonous, the marsh moccasins, like the ost?” she said.
“They are quite poisonous,” I said, “but their venom, as I understand it, does not compare to that of the ost.”
“Could I survive its bite?” she asked.
“Possibly,” I said. “I do not know.”
Vagabonds of Gor, Book 24, Pages 267 – 268
[05:10] Astorette Novi: “It seems that slaves have various advantages over free women,” she said.
“What did you have in mind?” I asked.
“Not being thrown to marsh moccasins, osts, and such.”
“Presumably not,” I said, “at least if they are pleasing.”
Vagabonds of Gor, Book 24, Page 271
Kanda
[05:11] Astorette Novi: As can be seen from the following quote this plant grows mostly in the tahari region.
[05:11] Astorette Novi: The roots of the kanda plant, which grows largely in desert regions on Gor, are extremely toxic, but, surprisingly, the rolled leaves of this plant, which are relatively innocuous, are formed in ostrings and, chewed or sucked, are much favored by many Goreans, particularly in the southern hemisphere, where the leaf is more abundant. Nomads of Gor, page 43
[05:12] Astorette Novi: it is well documented and is known to be used to coat hairpins or daggers that free women carry for protection. as yet it has not stated what reaction the poison takes though it is believed to possibly be a cousin of earths coca plant
[05:13] Astorette Novi: The leaves which we will not concern ourselves with too much today bring a state of euphoria/numbness that is similar to that of strong analgesics. Personally as a physician i hate kanda and spend a lot of my time searching out crops to be destroyed it makes good rp. From what i have seen of the addiction it is a little like cannabis.
[05:14] Astorette Novi: Kanda is a lethal poison It can be used on a large scale from poisoning a water supply, to, in a white paste form, coated on weapons or even needles.One piece of jewelry mentioned is a ring which, when a tiny switch is pressed, a hollow steel fang springs up containing this deadly toxin
[05:14] Astorette Novi: “a squad of spearmen had reached the main siege reservoir, emptying their barrels of toxic kanda, a lethal poison extracted from one of Gor’s desert shrubs.”
Tarnsman of Gor, Page 179
[05:15] Astorette Novi: “I found a needle; I smelled it; it was smeared with kanda, a deadly toxin”
Tribesmen of Gor, Page 132
[05:16] Astorette Novi: “On the first finger of his left hand he wore a fang ring, which, I had little doubt, would contain a poison, probably that of the deadly kanda plant.”
Explorers of Gor, Page 151
[05:16] Astorette Novi: I have been unable to find a quote that details the symptoms of kanda poisoning
Zinkan Dewoitine, retired head physician of Melicerus, see also “Why a new subspecies of the Cosian Wingfish can cause halluzinations, from the NEW VOICE OF GOR v.4 Issue 156 (2014)
Cosian wingfish
[05:26] Astorette Novi: Also known as ‘song fish’ due to its whistling mating song; a tiny blue saltwater fish with 4 poisonous spines on its dorsal fin. Found in the waters off Port Kar; its liver is considered a delicacy in Turia.
[05:27] Astorette Novi: “The blue, four-spined wingfish is found only in the waters of Cos. Larger varieties are found farther out to sea. The small blue fish is regarded as a great delicacy, and its liver as the delicacies of delicacies.” (Nomads of Gor, page 23)
[05:27] Astorette Novi: The wingfish or songfish can hurl itself out of the water and glide through the air for a short distance on its pectoral fins usually to escape predators. it must make a spectacular sight,
[05:28] Astorette Novi: sounds similer to the pufferfish that Japanese chefs have to be specially trained to prepare and as much a delicacy as cavier on earth.
[05:29] Astorette Novi: “Now this,” Saphrar the merchant was telling me, “is the braised liver of the blue, four-spined Cosian wingfish.” This fish is a tiny, delicate fish, blue, about the size of a tarn disk when curled in one’s hand; it has three or four slender spines in its dorsal fin, which are poisonous; it is capable of hurling itself from the water and for brief distances, on it stiff pectoral fins, gliding through the air, usually to evade smaller sea-tharlarians, which seem to be immune to the poison of the spines. This fish is also at times referred to as the songfish because as a portion of it’s courtship rituals, the males and females thrust their heads from the water and utter a short whistling sound. The blue, four spined wingfish is found only in the waters of Cos. Larger varieties are found further out to sea. The samll blue is regarded a great delicacy, and it’s liver a delicacy of delicacies.” (Nomads of Gor, pg. 84-85)
[05:30] Astorette Novi: Symtoms while not specified are likely to be numbness around the mouth and lips, increased drooling, nausea and vomiting including stomach pain. As time passes these become more severe. Muscle weakness may occur possibly paralysis, difficulty in breathing leading to possible respiratory failure, and in the most severe cases loss of consciousness. These can occur within ten minutes of the poison entering the system.
[05:32] Astorette Novi: Treatment consists of limiting the body’s absorption of the toxin, relieving symptoms, and treating life-threatening complications. There is no known antidote.
Jᴜʟɪᴊᴀ Yᴇɢᴏʀᴏᴠᴀ (viixic), Physician of Kargash, working in the infirmary. (2022)
PART II
Stings and things
[04:58] Astorette Novi: this talk is given with quotes to back up statements made and are the thoughts and opinions of the speaker and not a representation of PCoG
[04:58] Astorette Novi: If you have any questions during the course of this talk please enter @ into main chat and i will get to you as soon as possible
Stingflies
[04:59] Astorette Novi: These were solitary creatures with the exception of their summer season when they come to lay their eggs and the eggs hatch. that had been previously laid.
[05:00] Astorette Novi: “The Sting Fly found in the Vosk Delta also is shown to cause considerable medical complications ranging from blindness to death.” (Vagabonds, pg. 162-169).
[05:00] Astorette Novi: “Once outside the delta the sting flies, which spend most of their adult lives as solitary insects, tend to disperse. Of the millions of sting flies hatched in the delta each summer, usually over a period of four or five days, a few return each fall to begin the cycle again.” …
Vagabonds of Gor pg. 161-176
[05:00] Astorette Novi: “Once outside the delta the sting flies, which spend most of their adult lives as solitary insects, tend to disperse. Of the millions of sting flies hatched in the delta each summer, usually over a period of four or five days, a few return each fall to begin the cycle again.” …
Vagabonds of Gor pg. 161-176
[05:01] Astorette Novi: “There could now be no mistaking the steadily increasing volume of sound approaching from the west. It seemed to fill the delta. It is produced by the movement of wings, the intense, almost unimaginably rapid beating of millions upon millions of small wings.
Vagabonds of Gor pg. 161-176
[05:08] Astorette Novi: They are attracted to the whites of peoples eyes the sting from one raising a large painful lump that can disfigure someone if numerousstings they can kill. One sting is painful beyond belief and is believed to make grown men cry.
[05:09] Astorette Novi: “Needle flies are about! cried a man. Beware! The clouds approach more closely! cried a man. But what are the clouds? cried a fellow. They are needle flies! cried a man. I heard shrieks of pain.” …”My eyes! screamed a man. My eyes! The flies tend to be attracted to the eyes, as to moist, bright objects.” …”The sting of the sting fly is painful, extremely so.”
Vagabonds of Gor pg. 161-176
A physician treats a wounded person, Oasis of Klima (2024)
[05:09] Astorette Novi: There is a set way the venom of the stingfly works first there are the instant swellings in the sting area very painful swellings after being stung by several the accumulative effect of the poison causes nausea. Many more than that is death.
[05:10] Astorette Novi: “depending on the individual, can induce nausea. Men have died from the stings of the flies but usually in such cases they have been inflicted in great numbers. A common reaction to the venom of the fly incidentally is a painful swelling in the area of the sting. A few such stings about the face can render a person unrecognizable. the swelling subsides, usually, in a few ahn.”
Vagabonds of Gor pg. 161-176
[05:12] Astorette Novi: There is just a tiny quote on rennel but it gives a description and an idea of how aggressive they are. when instead of defending the nest it attacked that which destroyed it.
[05:12] Astorette Novi: there is nothing to say how these attack but would think a bite must be pretty bad to turn a caravan of 1000 wagons aside. if they had been a mere annoyance the caravan would have kept going.
[05:13] Astorette Novi: “was told by Kamchak that once an army of a thousand wagons turned aside because a swarm of rennels, poisonous, crablike desert insects, did not defend its broken nest, crushed by the wheel of the lead wagon.”
Nomads of gor
[05:14] Astorette Novi: The next two I have not been able to find more than a few words on.
Rabid bats
[05:15] Astorette Novi: These bats are said to live in caves and can be aggresive they are used by a city to swoop down on the enemy when attacking. This is from memory so if anyone can find the quote i would be grateful. Because there is a cure on earth there will be a cure on gor.
Seaweed, Waters near Schendi
[05:16] Astorette Novi: Many fish in these tropical waters are poisonous to eat, a function of certain forms of seaweed on which they feed. The seaweed is harmless to the fish but it contains substances toxic to humans.
Infirmary of the Oasis of Red Rock – Physicians working (2024)
Sullius Maximus’ Poison Tyros steel
[05:16] Astorette Novi: Sullius Maximus was knowledgable in poisons. One particular use mentioned was paralyzing a man who was an enemy. The unfortunate was paralyzed from the neck down.
[05:17] Astorette Novi: “A contaminant?” I asked. “Poisoned steel,” he said. I said nothing. “Sullius Maximus,” he said, “is in Tyros.” “I would not have thought Saurus of Tyros would have used poisoned steel,” I said. Such a device, like the poisoned arrow, was not only against the codes of the warriors, but, generally, was regarded as unworthy of men. Poison was regarded as a woman’s weapon. Iskander shrugged.”Sullius Maximus, ” he said,” invented such a drug. He tested it, by pin pricks, on the limbs of a captured enemy, paralyzing him from the neck down. He kept him seated at his right side, as a guest in regal robes, for more than a week. When he tired of the sport he had him killed.” “Is there no antidote?” I asked. “No,” said Iskander.
-Marauders of Gor, pg. 18-19
[05:18] Astorette Novi: But after
[05:18] Astorette Novi: “The poison,” said he, “that which lay upon the blades of the men of Sarus of Tyros, lurks yet in your body.” “There is no antidote,” I told him. “This I had from Iskander of Turia, who knew the toxin.” “Warrior,” said the man who stood with Samos, “I bring the antidote.”
-Marauders of Gor, pg. 282
[05:20] Astorette Novi: He removed a vial from his pouch. It contained a purplish fluid.
“Has it been tested?” asked Samos. “On the body of Sullius Maximus,” said Sarus. “On the tenth day, on his arms and legs, and twice, transversely, across his right cheekbone, that his face be scarred and his shame known, I drew the poisoned blade, drawing blood with each stroke.” I smiled. Sullius Maximus was a handsome man, extremely vain, even foppish. He would not appreciate the alteration of his physiognomy, wrought by the blade of Sarus. “Within seconds,” said Sarus, “the spiteful fluid took its effect. The eyes of Sullius were wild with fear. ‘The antidote! The antidote!’ he begged. We sat him in a curule chair, vested as a Ubar, and left him. We wished the poison to work, to be truly fixed within his system. The next day, when the bar of noon was struck on the wharves, we administered to him the antidote. It was effective.
-Marauders of Gor, pg. 284
[05:22] Astorette Novi: there are quite a few poisons because you have for eample fobricain of geiron and sjel which have not ben mentioned
[05:23] Astorette Novi: However I would like to look at ways these were administered before I end
[05:24] Astorette Novi: Free Women are the biggest users of poison and in truth it is felt to be the weapon of women, since most are not trained in other ways to defend herself. A Free Woman may carry a poisoned knife or needle concealed in her clothes. She may also use poisoned pins to style her hair. Such weapons can also be concealed in a room or area known only to the woman
Fang Ring
The name comes from the fact that it is worn like a normal ring, but there is a place to press which causes a “fang” to raise up. The venom or poison is stored inside the ring, the fang is just like a snake’s fang, hollow and when it punctures the skin, the poison is delivered through it
Poison Girls
A person can be slain by the bite of a chemically prepared slave. It is also possible to breed a girl with poisonous saliva.
Poisoned Drinks
Poison, such as kanda or ost is added to a drink.
Poisoned TeethSuicide Pellets
Special pellets formulated to kill. They are taken when a person does not wish to give up information that may be tortured from him.
Water Sources
Poison may be added to a place’s water supply to spoil it and cause death and confusion.
[05:29] Astorette Novi: there are many more you just need to think it through these are just a few.
Mortuary of Landa (2011)
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.