What do You do with a Drunken Sailor, early in the morning? This may be a humorous sea shanty, but there are consequences for overindulging. The use of plants for healing and “altered states” of being have been documented since ancient times. Almost every civilization, from ancient times to the present, has found something to ferment and further distill.

Interesting human development – The production of alcohol is relatively recent, our ancestor’s ability to metabolize alcohol began evolving much earlier. Perhaps 10 million years ago, we gained a key enzyme (ADH4) enhancing our ability to process ethanol from fermented fruits. This genetic development gave our ancestors a potential advantage to exploit fallen, fermented fruit. Ever witness birds “drunk” from pyracantha berries? Yes, this was a bit of a rabbit hole in research, yet relative to the topic for us history lovers.

Back to drunken sailors, now that you have that ear worm, please read along and see what other Paper Lantern Writers have to say about substance abuse in their stories.

C. V. Lee:

To this month’s question: Did any of my historical fiction characters overindulge? I say, “Would you expect anything different from someone whose countrymen referred to him as “The Bastard?” My character, Jehan Lempriere, from the first book in my series, Token of Betrayal, was a real historical figure. And while I cannot be absolutely certain that he was a ‘sot’, almost everything recorded about him had to do with drinking.
“When the rest of the family went to Vespers, [he] played tennis with
the Bastard and four other young men for a gallon of beer a set, and then
they adjourned to…drink their winnings.”

I used this character in a few different ways in my story. Certainly, life must have been difficult for a bastard child in the 15th century who lived on an island with a small population. I imagined he might act out, which provided some comic relief. But I suspect he also carried a lot of pain, so I offered some sympathy for the tragic life brought on by the unchangeable circumstance of his birth.

Although Jehan dies before the second book, his legacy—and his sins—linger on in Book 2, Betrayal of Trust. I took some creative liberties, but his revealed misdeeds remain plausible for a person who believed he had nothing to lose.

The theme of substance abuse carries into my current work-in-progress. The main character, Wilhelmina, introduced as a secondary character in the first two books of my series, has her own battle with drinking as a means to cope with her troublesome past. I’m aiming for a 2026 release and am excited to share Wilhelmina’s recovery and redemptive journey with readers.

Anne M. Beggs:

There is a lot of drinking in my Dahlquin Series, a family saga in Medieval Ireland.

In Archer’s Grace, assassin’s brew is made from hashish.

Escaping from traitors and marauders, Eloise is badly beaten and longing for rest and pain relief. I describe briefly its cultivation and use for medicinal purposes, during a conversation by my protagonists, Eloise and Roland:

“Wish I had some assassin’s brew,” she muttered, thinking of the mystic effects.
“What?” Roland said, choking on his food, bits of crust on his lips. He coughed, pounding his chest. The cat scooted away and stared at him from a safer distance.
“Assassin’s brew. Powerful medicine from the Holy Land,” Eloise said.
“Powerful indeed,” Roland said, still coughing. “You brew it?”
“Well, we grow the plant. Dry the buds and leaves. It’s possible to get the medicine from rubbing the plants, but a nuisance to scrape the resin from your hands. Easier to grind the vegetation and add to brew or spirits. Potent smoke, too.” She closed her eyes, trying to imagine the effect – without a care of the pain. First the oblivion and then a night’s undisturbed sleep, what a blessing that would be.
“You grow it? In Dahlquin?”
“We grow it,” she said, wondering why he was so surprised. Originally from Moorish traders, the plant had a vigorous habit. “There’s nothing better for massive injury, pain, it soothes and emboldens.”
“Makes men feel invincible. Assassins,” Roland said as the cat approached him then returned to Eloise, purring as if receiving a long-lost friend.
“Defying death, feeling immortal. It enslaves,” she murmured. Belly full, exhaustion was taking the edge off her pain, and she was talking with both eyes closed.
“Your Uncle Reggie!” Roland said. “Bleeding Saints.” He snorted, causing him to cough again. “That explains it.”
Eloise glanced at him through half closed eyes – well, one eye was swollen shut.
He lifted the skin bag containing the cider and finished it. “Assassin’s brew, of course, how else could he have carried on?” Roland paused. “Heroic. Cheating death.”

The addictive properties were known, and the brew was dispensed with care.

Going forward with the series and some short stories to come, there are characters who will drink too much. Some tragic, some fiends…but isn’t there a fine line? As Lantern C. V. Lee says, one person’s villain is another person’s freedom fighter. How is that for conflicted and complicated characters?

How about you? What books and characters come to mind for you with substance abusers? Do you write any?

Thank you for reading along.