Rainy Day

Recreational drug usage has been associated with arts at least since the 20th Century, and certain aspects of art, religion or spirituality have been enhanced with substances since prehistory. This is a firm aspect of a "drug culture" common in some cultures across the Solar System - perpetuated by healing technology to remove damage and health problems. But drugs come in many stripes. Stimulants raise mood and energy, encourage activity. Narcotics create numbness, painlessness or euphoria. Hallucinogens (particularly psychedelics) encourage vivid images, sounds and other "unreal" sensations. And depressants bring you down - they can encourage focus, suppression of certain emotions or inhibitions or just to relax.

Rainy Day: Rainy Day is a potent, short-term depressant which also causes foggy memory. If you ever want to just lose an hour or two in a dark fugue, this drug works for you. In addition to purely recreational usage, however, it is also taken sometimes by artists to create ephemeral or depressed arts. For the duration, it grants +5 to INT, but a -30 to all tests to remember events which occurred while using the drug. It also commonly causes a state akin to depression or mild hallucinations when used. While relatively short lasting, it's effects are very pronounced, and have been repeatedly sworn by certain users. Long term use tends to make memory damage and mood alterations permanent. [Low]

Rainy Day comes in several forms and applications. It can be taken orally as a pill or tablet, called "rain drops" usually (or "dropping Rain" when one takes it). It can also be injected, or comes in the form of smokable cigarettes. Those who utilize Rainy Day frequently are called "Rainers" or "Rainmen", usually - an there is a whole sub-genre of art associated with it's use. Rainy Day has a physical addiction, but it's tolerances are fairly standard and non-extreme making it fairly common in the system. Rainy Day is a very artsy drug, taken usually by people who aren't already depressed enough by their real life and thus is common in middle or upper classes. There has been at least one "Rainer Madness" campaign in the Planetary Consortium about the "dangers" of the substance making the youth lazy, depressed artisans instead of skilled technical workers or management, but didn't go far.

Application: Inh, Inj, O
Onset: 1 Minute
Duration: 1 Hour
Addiction Modifier: 0
Addiction Type: Physical

(Rainy Day is another substance engineered by members of my homegroup - expanded writeup by me.)

Unbreakable

Recreational drugs are an interesting, sometimes obscure market. People who just want to relax and get away from things tend to hit Orbital Hash (p. 320 EP). People who want to be down, to experience an ephemeral passing feeling can hit Mono No Aware (p. 320 EP). Petals (p. 322 EP) and Buzz (p. 320 EP) are the drugs of choice for people who really want to escape a desperate reality through some all-encompassing experience. And Monochrome is an unusual drug which gives a brief bout of happiness, a good counter to people who feel down. But for people who really want a pick-me-up, you should see about buying some Unbreakable.

Unbreakable: Normally sold in patches, Unbreakable is a mixture of natural compounds and genetically enhanced hormones designed to give one a boost of confidence and euphoria. While it takes a while to kick in, the patch will slowly work in the drug over a long period of time. Users feel "invincible" or "unstoppable", full of confidence and extremely happy or "up" for the duration, though it has no other pronounced effects. A GM may allow bonuses for certain tests while on this drug. Unbreakable has long-term health effects, causing consistent damage to biology which imposes a -30 penalty to all tests when not on the drug for long term users. [Low]

Unbreakable is popular in certain markets of people who tend to be of lower economic standing. It makes the user feel good about themselves and anything really, ideal for all kinds of situations with work or socializing. Street gangs often pass out Unbreakable to new members - not only does it assuage fears of anxiety to do deeds they may require, but the long-term hook is a way to "retain" membership. It's fairly tame effects mean that Unbreakable is not common in "hardcore" drug users or more wealthy clientele who can afford more exotic experiences.

Type: Bio
Application: D
Onset: 2 Hours
Duration: 24 Hours
Addiction Modifier: +10
Addiction Type: Physical

Monochrome

Recreational drugs of all kinds are an interesting subject in AF 10. Many people are stressed, poor or suffer lingering trauma from the Fall and other damaging events. Some people may feel oppressed or limited by their governments, while others have incredible freedoms to pursue chemical recreation. Variations, both real and synthetic on many classic narcotics abound, though the enhancement of the transhuman body often makes these less appealing, or the systemic damage too costly to consider when substances like Petals (p. 322 EP) exist. Some cartels operate traditional methods, using hidden or subverted habs to grow and process traditional products (Amphetamines, Opioids and Cocaine) and smuggle them into other habitats to sell - though in many polities in the Inner System, this "smuggling" is more to do with avoiding paying taxes, licensing fees or avoiding quality checks for liability. Much more common, however, is small time dealers and experts developing new, synthetic substances - street and designer drugs which appear out of small clubs, neighborhoods and back rooms in the LLA and Mars, occasionally getting popular enough to flourish and spread to wider markets. One example of this is "Monochrome".

Monochrome: Monochrome is a fairly basic designer drug, which originates in the LLA. Inspired by tales of people so deeply affected by the Fall that they use AR to make their whole world appear in grayscale colors, several enterprising amateurs produced the substance to mimic these effects. Monochrome produces a strong effect of narcotic euphoria, removing "bad vibes" and minorly relieving stress, pain or sadness - and is used by some to counteract long-term depression or PTSD. More striking is the fact that it mutes the vividness of colors or dulls the other senses, sometimes even going so far as to render everything in shades of gray. At GM's discretion, one may gain a +10 bonus to appropriate tests for their euphoria, but take -10 on certain Perception tests (especially as relates to coloration or saturation). Long-term Monochrome users tend to develop unusual pupil dilation and discolored irises, and sensory damage may become permanent [Trivial]

Monochrome is such a popular, common design that it has pervaded all over the Solar System, with some forms even appearing in the tightly controlled Jovian Republic. This popularity makes it relatively cheap and easy to get a hold of. It is commonly sold in small packs of inhalers or liquid bulbs. "Chromers" turn to the drug for a variety of reasons, some pursue the unique aesthetic, others can't afford better quality drugs (including pharmaceuticals) to cope with their problems, and some people just prefer the high. It's popularity leads to variance, some of which are more dangerous - and sometimes not because of conventional side-effects, but also more than one batch of Monochrome has been tainted with something more sinister...

Type: Chem
Application: Inh, O
Onset: 1 Hour
Duration: 16 Hours
Addiction Modifier: 0
Addiction Type: Physical