From: Shadowvine
The lore surrounding Poisoned Confectionery tells a story of a cunning and nefarious individual known as the “Candyman.” This enigmatic figure possesses a dark and twisted fascination with manipulating the innocence of sweet treats to bring about doom and despair. The Candyman’s recipe for Poisoned Confectionery has become infamous, as it allows for the creation of seemingly delightful confections that conceal a lethal secret.
The ingredients required to create Poisoned Confectionery are as follows:
- Shadowvine venom: This venom is derived from the deadly Shadowvine plant, known for its potent toxic properties. Extracted carefully and with great caution, the venom serves as the primary component for infusing the confectionery with its deadly effects.
- Powdered sugar: The powdered sugar acts as a medium for diluting the Shadowvine venom. It helps to evenly distribute the venom throughout the confectionery mixture, disguising its presence and maintaining the sweet taste.
- Confectionery base: The confectionery base refers to the foundational component used for creating the treats, such as chocolate, candies, or other sweet confections. It serves as the outer coating or filling for the Poisoned Confectionery, effectively concealing the deadly concoction within.
The process of creating Poisoned Confectionery involves the following steps:
- Dilute Shadowvine venom: The potent Shadowvine venom is cautiously diluted into a powdered sugar mixture. This step requires precision and expertise to ensure that the venom is evenly distributed and not overpowering, preserving the taste and appearance of the confectionery.
- Coat or fill confectionery items: The diluted mixture of Shadowvine venom and powdered sugar is used to coat or fill the confectionery items. This process requires careful application to ensure an even distribution of the poisoned mixture, leaving no visible traces or indications of its deadly nature.
The use of Poisoned Confectionery primarily revolves around deception and the infliction of a slow and agonizing demise upon unsuspecting victims. The following are some possible scenarios in which Poisoned Confectionery can be employed:
- Assassinations: The Candyman or other skilled operatives may offer the Poisoned Confectionery as gifts or treats to their intended targets. Once ingested, the victims experience a slow and excruciating demise, creating a method of assassination that is both devious and difficult to trace back to its source.
- Manipulation and Blackmail: Poisoned Confectionery can be used as a tool for manipulation or blackmail. The Candyman might distribute these treats to influential individuals, politicians, or those with valuable secrets, using the threat of revealing the source of their demise as leverage for personal gain.
- Dark Pleasures: In some macabre circles, Poisoned Confectionery may be used for sadistic pleasure or as part of disturbing rituals. Those with a taste for the macabre may delight in witnessing the slow and agonizing death of their victims as they savor the deadly treats.
Assigning values to the various aspects of Poisoned Confectionery:
Tier One Stats:
- Onset of symptoms: 6 hours.
- Severity of symptoms: Moderate.
- Fatality rate: High.
Skills needed:
- Poisoncraft: Intermediate.
- Culinary Arts: Beginner.
Preparation:
- Skill required: Poisoncraft (Intermediate).
- Time required: 4 hours.
- Success rate: 80%.
Cost:
- Shadowvine venom: Rare and dangerous to obtain. Acquired through risky means or from specialized suppliers.
- Powdered sugar: Moderate cost. Easily obtainable from general marketplaces or baking supply stores.
- Confectionery base: Varied cost depending on the chosen confectionery item. Can range from inexpensive to high-end and customized options.
Process:
- Extract and dilute Shadowvine venom with powdered sugar, ensuring proper proportions.
- Select confectionery base (e.g., chocolate, candies) suitable for coating or filling.
- Carefully apply the poisoned mixture to the confectionery items, ensuring even distribution and a seamless appearance.
Tags:
- Assassination: Poisoned Confectionery is a favored method for discreetly eliminating targets.
- Deception: The confections conceal their deadly nature, luring victims into consuming them unsuspectingly.
- Sadistic Pleasure: Poisoned Confectionery can be associated with individuals who derive pleasure from inflicting pain and torment.
- Additional: Lethal, Disguised, Slow-acting, Culinary Deceit, Dark Art, Malevolent, Sinister, Deadly Treat

Above and below are examples of different confections the poison might be in…

The recipe for Poisoned Confectionery is not openly sold or available in conventional marketplaces. Due to its highly dangerous and unethical nature, the recipe remains hidden and accessible only through illicit channels and secretive networks. The dissemination of this recipe is carefully guarded, known only to a select few individuals who operate in the realms of assassination, criminal organizations, or the dark underbelly of society.
To gain access to the recipe, one would need to establish connections with individuals involved in illegal activities, such as assassins, black market traders, or members of underground crime syndicates. These networks may operate in discreet locations, hidden from law enforcement and authorities, and maintain a strict code of secrecy to protect the recipe’s exclusivity.
Once the recipe is acquired, it becomes a valuable asset for those operating in the shadows. Its use and distribution can take different forms:
- Targeted Assassinations: The recipe for Poisoned Confectionery is primarily employed by assassins or contract killers. They may offer their services to clients who seek to eliminate specific individuals discreetly. The assassins prepare the poisoned confections and deliver them to the target, who unknowingly consumes them, leading to a slow and agonizing death.
- Underground Markets: The recipe may circulate within secretive underground markets that specialize in illegal goods and services. In these hidden marketplaces, the Poisoned Confectionery could be traded or sold to individuals with malicious intent, including criminals, corrupt individuals, or those seeking to cause harm to others.
- Exclusive Circles: The recipe might be shared among exclusive and sinister circles, where individuals with sadistic pleasures or a taste for the macabre gather. These individuals may exchange the Poisoned Confectionery as a form of entertainment or as part of disturbing rituals, relishing the suffering inflicted upon unsuspecting victims.
The end results of using Poisoned Confectionery are centered around causing suffering and, ultimately, death to those who consume the treats. The victims experience a slow and agonizing demise as the poison takes effect. Symptoms may include severe pain, organ failure, and a gradual decline in health. The intention behind using Poisoned Confectionery is often to deliver a method of assassination that is discreet, difficult to trace, and psychologically tormenting.
A Deceptive Sweet of Shadowvine
In times of yore, when the earth whispered secrets, there was tale of a man, named the Candyman of Shadows. This man, with heart as dark as the night, took joy in the art of deceit through sweetness. He made confections, filled with the venom of Shadowvine, a plant feared for its deadly touch.
These sweets, they looked like jewels of joy, yet carried within them the kiss of death. The Candyman, with his twisted joy, crafted these treats, mixing the venom with sugar, hiding death beneath a mask of delight. His creations were not for the feast of the innocent but were weapons for the silent kill.
The story tells of nobles, of kings, and of those with power, who fell to this sweet demise, thinking they partook in the simple pleasure of candy. But their end was slow, filled with agony, as the poison worked its dark magic, turning joy into sorrow.
Yet, the Candyman’s end was also told in whispers. For one day, his own creation found its way to his lips, a mistake or perhaps a cruel jest by fate. And so, he too learned the bitter taste of his own deceit.
Moral of the Story: Beware the sweetness that hides the sting of death, for in weaving deceit, one might entangle themselves in their own web.
Suggested conversions to other systems:
Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Type: Poisoned Food
- Sanity Loss: 0/1D2; witnessing or knowing of its creation could affect sanity.
- Potency: 14 (Reflects the poison’s strength in causing harm)
- Duration: Symptoms onset in 6 hours, effects last until treated or fatal.
- Effects:
- Victims must succeed on a CON roll (Extreme difficulty) to resist the poison. Failure results in severe pain, organ failure, and death if untreated.
- A Medicine roll is required to diagnose and treat, with a penalty due to the slow-acting nature.
- Cost: 200+ Mythos Points (due to its rarity and sinister use)
- Game Mechanics:
- Preparing these treats requires a successful Chemistry or Cooking roll to disguise the poison.
- Detection requires a successful Spot Hidden or Taste check, with high difficulty due to the confectionery’s deceptive nature.
Blades in the Dark
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Item Type: Fine Poison (Disguised)
- Quality: 2 (Reflects its effectiveness in deception)
- Cost: 3 Coin (due to the specialized nature and ingredients)
- Effects:
- Slow Death: Causes 3 Harm, Lethal, over time after consumption.
- Method: Consumed, can be offered as gifts or left in places where targets might find them.
- Usage:
- Crafting requires a Tinker or Finesse action for blending the poison without detection.
- Stress: Using or crafting can cause 1 Stress due to moral implications or fear of accidental exposure.
- Game Mechanics:
- Can be used to manipulate or assassinate, offering a +1d to social or stealth actions due to the deception.
- Creating requires a Alchemy/Poisoncraft roll during downtime, potentially increasing Heat if discovered.
Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Type: Poison (Ingested)
- Rarity: Very Rare
- Cost: 300-500 gp
- Duration: Symptoms begin after 6 hours, leading to death unless treated.
- Save DC: 18 Constitution
- Effects:
- Poisoned: On a failed save, the creature begins to suffer from severe pain, reducing maximum hit points by half until treated.
- Save: Can repeat the saving throw every 6 hours, with failure leading closer to death.
- Game Mechanics:
- Crafting requires a DC 15 Intelligence (Nature or Alchemy) check, with the treat appearing harmless.
- Detecting the poison might need a Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check, with disadvantage due to the disguise.
Knave (2nd Edition)
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Item Type: Poison
- Cost: 150-250 copper pieces
- Attributes:
- Onset: 6 hours
- Save DC: 16 (CON, due to the poison’s insidious nature)
- Effects:
- Poison: On a failed save, the target suffers ongoing damage (1d6 per hour) until treated or dead.
- Save: Can attempt a save every hour to reduce damage or end the effect.
- Game Mechanics:
- Preparation requires a successful INT check for mixing the poison evenly and a DEX check for crafting the treat.
- Detecting the poison before consumption involves an INT or WIS check, with the difficulty reflecting the treat’s deceptive appearance.
- Characters skilled in Alchemy might gain an advantage on crafting checks.
Fate (Fate Core)
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Type: Aspect, Stunt
- Aspect: Deadly Sweetness – Represents the deceptive nature of the confectionery.
- Stunt:
- Lethal Delicacy: When someone consumes this treat, you can invoke this aspect to cause them to suffer from a severe, slow-acting poison. This can be compelled to create aspects like “Suffering from Shadowvine Poison” on the target, affecting their actions over time.
- Game Mechanics:
- Crafting or serving requires a Crafts or Deceive roll, reflecting the skill needed to disguise the poison.
- Treating the effects might require a Lore or Physique check to diagnose and counteract.
Numenera & Cypher System
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Type: Artifact (Poison)
- Level: 6 (reflects its potency and deceptive nature)
- Form: Appears as normal, delicious treats.
- Effect:
- When eaten, the poison takes effect after 6 hours, causing ongoing damage (4 Intellect damage per hour) until treated or fatal.
- Save: Difficulty 6 Might defense task to resist or mitigate effects every hour after onset.
- Depletion: 1 in d6 (chance of being used up after one use)
- Game Mechanics:
- Crafting or identifying this poison requires an Intellect-based task with a difficulty of 6.
- Neutralizing the effects might require another Intellect-based task, difficulty 7, or the use of a specialized antidote.
Pathfinder 2e
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Item Level: 8
- Price: 400 gp
- Type: Poison (Ingested)
- Usage: Held in 1 hand
- Bulk: L
- Activate: Consumed
- Saving Throw: Fortitude DC 22
- Effects:
- Stage 1: 2d6 poison damage and sickened 1 (6 hours)
- Stage 2: 4d6 poison damage, enfeebled 2, and sickened 2 (6 hours)
- Stage 3: Death
- Cure: 2 consecutive saves
- Game Mechanics:
- Preparing these treats requires a Crafting or Thievery check to disguise the poison, DC 20.
- Treating the poison involves a Medicine check with a DC 22, with ongoing effects until treated or fatal.
Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Type: Poison
- Cost: $300 (reflecting its rarity and sinister use)
- Onset: 6 hours after consumption
- Effects:
- Vigor: Target must make a Vigor roll every hour after onset; failure results in 1 Wound or 2 Fatigue levels until treated or dead.
- Save: Can attempt to mitigate with a Vigor roll at -2 each time.
- Game Mechanics:
- Crafting requires a successful Knowledge (Alchemy) roll, with the confectionery appearing normal.
- Detecting the poison before consumption involves a Notice or Survival roll at -2 due to the disguise.
- Treatment or antidote preparation might require a Healing roll, also at a penalty due to the poison’s potency.
Shadowrun (6th Edition)
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Type: Toxin
- Vector: Ingestion
- Speed: 6 hours
- Power: 10
- Effect:
- Damage: 10P (Physical) over time, starting 6 hours after ingestion.
- Resistance: Body + Willpower (test made every hour after onset)
- Penalty: -2 dice pool modifier to all actions due to pain and sickness as the poison progresses.
- Antidote: Requires a Medicine + Logic (5) test to treat; failure leads to ongoing damage.
- Cost: 1,800¥ (reflecting its rarity and illegal nature)
- Availability: 12R (Restricted)
- Game Mechanics:
- Preparing these treats requires an Agility + Cooking or Stealth test to disguise the poison effectively.
- Detecting the poison before consumption involves a Perception test at -2 due to the treat’s deceptive appearance.
Starfinder
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Item Level: 8
- Type: Poison
- Price: 2,000 credits
- Save: Fortitude DC 17
- Usage: Consumed
- Bulk: L
- Effect:
- Onset: 6 hours
- Frequency: 1/hour for 12 hours or until treated
- Effect: 3d6 poison damage, on a failed save, the target is also sickened for the duration.
- Cure: 2 consecutive saves
- Game Mechanics:
- Crafting involves a Life Science or Engineering check to create the confectionery without betraying its lethal nature.
- Detection before consumption requires a Perception or Life Science check at a disadvantage.
Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Type: Toxin
- TL: 10 (reflecting advanced biochemical knowledge)
- Cost: Cr 1,000 (high due to its rarity and ethical issues)
- Effect: Causes 4D (Endurance) damage per hour after 6 hours of ingestion, until treated or fatal.
- Duration: Immediate onset 6 hours post-consumption.
- Save: Endurance (Difficult -4)
- Effects:
- On failure: Damage begins and continues, with -2 DM to all actions due to suffering.
- On success: Half damage per interval, but still requires treatment.
- Game Mechanics:
- Crafting requires a Science (Chemistry) or Stealth check at -2 DM for blending poison into sweets.
- Treatment involves a Medicine check at -4 DM due to the poison’s slow-acting nature.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition (WFRP4e)
Poisoned Confectionery (Shadowvine Treats)
- Type: Poison
- Rarity: Very Rare
- Cost: 150 Gold Crowns
- Effect: Inflicts 1 Wound per hour for 6 hours, then 2 Wounds per hour until death or treatment.
- Test: Toughness (Hard -30)
- Effects:
- Failed Test: Damage begins after 6 hours; -30 to all actions due to severe pain and sickness.
- Passed Test: Half damage per interval, but still requires urgent treatment.
- Game Mechanics:
- Preparation requires a successful Stealth or Trade (Cook) test, with a -20 difficulty to mask the poison.
- Detecting the poison involves an Intuition or Heal test at -20 difficulty before consumption.
- Breaking free from or treating the poison’s effects might require a Heal test at -30 difficulty, reflecting the insidious nature of the poison.
