Rogue Trader: Ork Grotweed

The barbaric Orks grow many unusual forms of fungus, but Grotweed is one of the strangest. The cap resembles fine, frond-like leaves, with thicker leaves sprouting around the base. There is little variation in colour, most being a swampy brown-green shade. It can grow mostly anywhere, so long as there is some element of Orkoid ecosystem present. What makes it so valuable to the Orks is its ability to be smoked. Crude "cigz" can be formed by drying the leaves, shredding the finer fronds, and wrapping them in the thicker base leaves. The resulting cigar is lit and inhaled - similar to a lho-stick.

For Orks, the Grotweed has a pleasant (if acquired) taste. Many Warbosses and Big Meks (and the occasional Burna Boy) keep a supply of grotweed on hand for celebrating victories, keeping their cool in stressful situations, or when they need to buckle down and get thinkin'. For game purposes, treat these as lho-sticks, for Availability.

For Humans, however, the effects are somewhat different - when inhaled, Grotweed forces the Explorer to make a Hard (-20) Carouse Test (or Toughness Test, if using the BC rules). Failure gives 3 levels of Fatigue for one hour. Passing the Test leaves the Explorer high as all hell, hallucinating as if under the effects of a hallucinogen grenade for 3 rounds, and gives 1 level of fatigue. Passing with 2 or more degrees of success means that the hallucinogenic effect is ignored, but the Fatigue is still taken.

Humans who smoke these foul cigz in the presence of Orks will find a modicum of respect - gain a +20 to any Fellowship rolls (or similar) when dealing with those particular Orks.