The Black Vial • Collecting General - Non TSR • The Acaeum

The Acaeum Forums • Collecting General - Non TSR

The Black Vial
	Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2

Author

Deadlord
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5784
Joined: Jun 30, 2003
Last Visit: Apr 10, 2024
Location: Cow Hampshire, US

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 1:19 am

So, guys, I'm going to part with the copy I found in the boxed set this week (via Ebay, whom I have come to despise) along with 99% of the stuff I have accumulated; only the things I will actually USE are staying. My question is this: Why is this book so rare? It was put out by Infinity Limited and printed by Robco Printing in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Was it a small print run or something? I seem to recall someone saying it was rarer than Rahasia. It is actually a typical book for its kind, listing all kinds of poisons and antidotes. This one is in as minty shape as you can get, which probably means it was read a few times and stuffed in the boxed set for the last 30 years. I am an idiot when it comes to researching stuff like print runs and whatnot, so I turn to the geniuses here for help!

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

beasterbrook
Sage Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 2472
Joined: Nov 06, 2002
Last Visit: Dec 31, 2023
Location: Queensland, Australia

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 2:24 am

Just one of those small press items that is list in HW and is hard to get.. that pretty much sums it up I think;)

And a nice find BTW..

Brette:)

Being healthy is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

grodog
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5832
Joined: Nov 16, 2002
Last Visit: Apr 20, 2024
Location: Wichita, KS, USA

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 3:04 pm

Hey Frank---

Is the content any good, gaming-wise? I assume it's not, since you're getting rid of it

Allan Grohe ([email protected])
Greyhawk, grodog Style

Editor and Project Manager, Black Blade Publishing
https://www.facebook.com/BlackBladePublishing/

stratochamp
Verbose Collector

Posts: 1903
Joined: Feb 12, 2005
Last Visit: Apr 17, 2024

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 12:53 am

well Frank, be sure to let us know when the auction begins....

Shrink is not a condition

Deadlord
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5784
Joined: Jun 30, 2003
Last Visit: Apr 10, 2024
Location: Cow Hampshire, US

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 4:46 pm

The content is actually fantastic. Each one lists base (what the toxin is made from), Symptoms, and antidote in a paragraph. Then it has the contact time, effect begin and peak, damage percent and when it occurs, save, dose, cost, color, form, odor, and contact point. I think some have other values too. It has antidotes as well.
I can't keep it because it is too valuable for me to use in a house with a 2 year old. He already ate most of the Ravenloft Forbidden Lore boxed set; thank Odin it was already incomplete. At least he used the stickers appropriately; they now decorate the den door.
Besides, I've owned the lion's share of stuff at one point or another, and I like to keep and read/use them for a while and then send them on their way so others can enjoy owning them. Some of the mags I might keep, but I think the Different Worlds, Polyhedron and others that I won't use much will go. Out of all the things I've had, the only tempting ones were Beasts, Men and Gods (for the content) and the Wee Warriors stuff (the art).

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

Deadlord
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5784
Joined: Jun 30, 2003
Last Visit: Apr 10, 2024
Location: Cow Hampshire, US

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 4:48 pm

I will, Bill. I am not a huge fan of auctions, but when it comes to rare things I like to give everyone a chance to own it. The money isn't terribly important, but an auction is a fair forum for all. Christ, though, I despise eBay..........

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

Deadlord
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5784
Joined: Jun 30, 2003
Last Visit: Apr 10, 2024
Location: Cow Hampshire, US

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:37 pm

OK, she be up. The link is in Classifieds, or just search deadlord40 in eBay. I must say, the thing is quite useful, especially if you had an assassin-type character.
Does anyone know ANYTHING about it?

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

Mars
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 6161
Joined: May 03, 2003
Last Visit: Apr 09, 2024
Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:04 pm

beasterbrook wrote:Just one of those small press items that is list in HW and is hard to get.. that pretty much sums it up I think;)

That sums up most of it. The only thing I would add is that the other two items produced by Infinity Limited have some notoriety:

Dungeon of King Lout for getting terrible reviews
Agent of Death by Ken St Andre

All of these books are pretty rare - I can only remember 2 or 3 of each. I have all 3 but was never able to get a hold of the author.

aia
Long-Winded Collector
Valuation Board

Posts: 3527
Joined: Nov 23, 2005
Last Visit: Apr 20, 2024
Location: Italy

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:03 am

Mars wrote:Agent of Death by Ken St Andre

Ciao Mark, what about this one? I have never heard about it... is it a module? Is it for T&T or generic FRPG?

thanks, ciaooo

stratochamp
Verbose Collector

Posts: 1903
Joined: Feb 12, 2005
Last Visit: Apr 17, 2024

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:12 am

it's printed like a newspaper, i remember that. iirc it's a solo for t&t. but it's been a while since i last looked at it.

Shrink is not a condition

Mars
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 6161
Joined: May 03, 2003
Last Visit: Apr 09, 2024
Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:56 am

Yes it is the newspaper one and is fairly delicate. Yep, its a solo for T&T. There's a write up here:

http://www.tunnelsandtrolls.com/soloadv ... eath.shtml

Deadlord
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5784
Joined: Jun 30, 2003
Last Visit: Apr 10, 2024
Location: Cow Hampshire, US

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:01 pm

I never had Agent, but I did have Lout, and that thing was as bad as Nicki Minaj's hair. That's why I was surprised at Vial; the content is fantastic. A lot of small-press items fail miserably in that category.

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

stratochamp
Verbose Collector

Posts: 1903
Joined: Feb 12, 2005
Last Visit: Apr 17, 2024

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 8:10 pm

i got black vial today. thanks Frank!

it does look very interesting. quite a step up from the usual boring chit-chat.

Shrink is not a condition

Deadlord
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5784
Joined: Jun 30, 2003
Last Visit: Apr 10, 2024
Location: Cow Hampshire, US

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 3:34 am

You are most welcome, Bill, I hope it is what you expected. I only read a small part of it; I would have loved to read the whole thing, but I am always leery of reading expensive things like that when I know I won't be keeping them. I was pretty impressed by it. How many do we know of? Two, right?

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

Mars
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 6161
Joined: May 03, 2003
Last Visit: Apr 09, 2024
Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:23 am

I think that is the 4th. I think burntwire might have a copy - I remember losing out on it years ago

grodog
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5832
Joined: Nov 16, 2002
Last Visit: Apr 20, 2024
Location: Wichita, KS, USA

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2023 12:16 am

I found some additional information about The Black Vial, via a Game Merchant Monthly #14 newsletter/catalog from July/August 1982, which included a release announcement for it:

INFINITY LIMITED is announcing the release of "The Black Vial", a primer on toxins/antitoxins fro role playing adventure. "The Black Vial" details 63 toxins, 13 antidotes, and 5 potions, all designed and integrated to round out an area the author feels "...most fantasy role playing systems cover either briefly or not at all,..." This book is based on the work of Larry DiTillio.

"The Black Vial" catalogues four types of toxins: ingested, blade, contact, and inhaled; giving for each toxin at least one antidote. Both toxins and antidotes have a complete set of stats adaptable to all game systems--showing base ingredients and instructions for use.

For more info---INFINITY LIMITED, 1425 So. 320 E., Orem, UT 84057.

We knew already from Ian's listing at FASA that the book was at least partly based on DiTillio's article, "The Toxins of Cerilon" from Dragon #59 (March 1982), but I don't think I previously knew the counts of the poisons. Comparing to Larry's Dragon article yields a count of 46 poisons, with no potions and no antitodes, so TBV does expand on the original article contents by quite a bit!

Allan.

Allan Grohe ([email protected])
Greyhawk, grodog Style

Editor and Project Manager, Black Blade Publishing
https://www.facebook.com/BlackBladePublishing/

Deadlord
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5784
Joined: Jun 30, 2003
Last Visit: Apr 10, 2024
Location: Cow Hampshire, US

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 10:10 am

Has anyone tried to contact Schoonover?

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

grodog
Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5832
Joined: Nov 16, 2002
Last Visit: Apr 20, 2024
Location: Wichita, KS, USA

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 11:02 am

Deadlord wrote in The Black Vial:Has anyone tried to contact Schoonover?

I haven’t. I don’t recall if Mark managed to track him down or not?

Allan.

Allan Grohe ([email protected])
Greyhawk, grodog Style

Editor and Project Manager, Black Blade Publishing
https://www.facebook.com/BlackBladePublishing/

The Acaeum Forums • Collecting General - Non TSR

Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2