Most alchemical works use one or more of the four basic substances that follow. Each takes a week to make in an Athanor. To attempt to make the substances, the Hero must have the Alchemical Scientist talent (see character creation).
Each is described below.
Creation DoD: -4
Ingredients: Varies, see below Wealth DoD: -2
Time: 7 days
Manufactured: 100 units of usable powder
Bhūmi – The black powder known as Bhūmi is made from crushed obsidian, cave salt, and tar.
Pavan – A white powder made from crushed silver topaz, ground feathers, and mountain salt.
Jala – The blue power is created from crushed blue/green fluorite gemstone, sea salts, and coral.
Iosis — This crimson powder is made using sulfur, red rose petals, and blood from a living creature.
Measurements for Alchemical
Creations For the sake of simplicity, measurements are provided using the abstraction of units.
Example: a recipe that requires 5 Pavan.
• 10 units = 1 kilogram (kg) or 1 Liter (l)
• 1 unit = 1 dose (liquid or solid)
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Materials
Orichalcum
A semi-magical alloy of copper, gold, and iron resulting in a metal of superior strength.
Weapons made from orichalcum are said to be capable of damaging all manner of corporeal or extra-dimensional creatures, even if they are not enchanted. A forge and metal-worker’s tools are required to undertake the alchemical production of orichalcum.
When crafted into items, orichalcum’s enhancing abilities allow those who wield the item to add double their WIL to a specific type of roll. If made into jewelry, it adds the bonus to a type of Skill roll.
Example: A Hero (WIL +3) with an orichalcum pendant may add double her WIL (+6) to an Influence roll. A ring may add double the WIL to a magic-casting roll (a specific mode).
When forged into armor the metal adds additional PR equal to double the user’s WIL Example: A Hero (WIL +3) with a suit of orichalcum armor PR 6 would add +6PR to the armors protection for a total PR of 12
Weapons add either to the accuracy of the weapon or the damage. This is chosen when the weapon is forged.
Example: A Hero (WIL +3) with a sword DR9 could add an additional +6 to the DR or have an accuracy +6 with the weapon.
Creation DoD: -10
Ingredients: 25 Iosis, 10 Pavan, 5 each- powdered copper, iron, Quicksilver, 5 gold, and 1 powdered diamond.
Wealth DoD: -4
Time: 12hrs
Manufactured: 10 units of Orichalcum Amberglass
Amberglass is a unique material that can be used to contain alchemical and magical mixtures, essences, spell energies, and even certain creatures of a magical nature. This substance does radiate a faint aura of Vril energy, and as such is detectable as magical in nature. While alchemy is used to create raw spheres of amberglass, shaping it into usable items requires additional work, using a skill such as Artisan or Handicraft.
Any fluid put in an amberglass vial will last almost indefinitely. It is said that some prisoners in the first age were encased in the substance and made to suffer for hundreds of years before they died.
Most alchemists store their alchemical creations in amberglass precisely because of this preservative property.
Creation DoD: -5
Ingredients: 11 powdered amber, 5 powdered glass, and 1 clear water.
Wealth DoD: -2
Time: 6 hours
Manufactured: Four amberglass bottles with a one dose holding capacity Quicksilver
This liquid metal is coveted for its use in the making of vials for holding vitriol, but has use in other alchemical operations as well. It is poisonous if swallowed or inhaled. Some alchemical treatises describe it as having animate properties as well.
Creation DoD: -5
Ingredients: 7 powdered silver, 1 powdered diamond, 2 Jala powder, 5 Iosis powder Wealth DoD: -1
Time: 1 day
Manufactured: 10 units of quicksilver
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Alkahest
This single substance is a perfect blend of all solvents, distilled to retain the most potent properties of each and, thus, may dissolve anything.
A single dose is sufficient to dissolve up to 30 cubic centimeters of substance in approximately three rounds. There is no alchemical solvent for amberglass; as such, amberglass vials are commonly used to store solvents of all kinds. A direct hit with a dose of Alkahest will deal DR 75 to any it touches in the first round and DR 40 for two rounds after that.
Creation DoD: -8
Ingredients: 3 vitriol, 30 Iosis, 30 Jala, 1 mothers’ tears Wealth DoD: -2
Time: 2 days
Manufactured: 2 doses Vitriol
Vitriol is a powerful acid. Three doses are capable of dissolving a cubic meter of any non-magical substance. Vitriol is usually contained in vials of dense amberglass. A direct hit with a dose of vitriol will deal DR 35 to any living creature.
Creation DoD: -10
Ingredients: 5 quicksilver, 30 Iosis, 30 Bhūmi Wealth DoD: -2
Time: 2 days
Manufactured: 4 doses Vril-light
This alchemical liquid is frequently used as a source of illumination. It can be created to radiate light in a variety of hues and patterns. It does not radiate heat, nor produce smoke. Each batch of Vril-light can serve to illuminate a 6-meter radius and lasts for 3–5 months.
If swallowed, the imbiber must make a CON roll DoD-4. If the roll is a Failure, the person takes 10 Hit Points of damage. If successful, they start to glow slightly and may discern magic items and creatures. They may look at an item and see if it is enchanted, detect a magical or magically altered creature, and see through magical illusions. The effects of the Vril-light last for 10-CON rounds (minimum of one round)
Creation DoD: -5
Ingredients: 30 powdered amber, 6 clear water, 1 powdered diamond. Additionally, 1 unit of different types of powdered gemstones can be added to affect hue and pattern.
Wealth DoD: -1
Time: 5 days
Manufactured: 5 doses Regent’s Wax
This powerful adhesive can be used to bond organic or inorganic materials of any sort, except for quicksilver. Thus, it can only be stored in vials lined with this alchemically produced metal. It hardens in one minute (10 rounds), creating a virtually unbreakable bond. Only alkahest or magic will serve to dissolve this glassy substance. Each alchemical production of Regent’s Wax produces about 16 doses of the adhesive, enough to cover one square meter.
Creation DoD: -7
Ingredients: 25 Bhumi, 15 of Jala, 1 Iosis, 8 various common animal product, 1 liter of clear water
Wealth DoD: -2
Time: 3 days
Manufactured: 10 doses
Though most modern
concoctions of vril-light only last for a few months before losing their potency, I personally have found centuries’ old glass orbs filled with a substance that bears the same properties, waiting only to be shaken into vibrant use once more.
Caerwyn, Lemurian Scholar
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Aqua Vitae
Known to some as the Waters of Life, Aqua Vitae is a mysterious substance that is very difficult to create in the laboratory. It requires expensive and rare ingredients, and the process of distilling it can be fatal.
A dose of Aqua Vitae is powerful enough to regenerate lost limbs, heal wounds completely in the blink of an eye, and cure any known disease. Once imbibed, the glowing liquid works immediately and leaves the user with a golden glow for 10 minutes.
Creation DoD: -25
Ingredients: 20 (units) assorted rare herbs, 30 various animal ingredients, 10 powdered diamond, 1 pearl, 2 powdered iron, 1 powdered orichalcum, 1 powdered jade, 1 alkahest, 50 units each of Bhumi, Pavan, Jala, and Iosis
Wealth DoD: -3
Time: 30 days
Manufactured: 2 doses Vril Glass
Vril Glass is a unique material that can be used to contain the Vril energy of the earth. The opal-like glass glows when full of Vril and pushes gently away from living flesh. Very wealthy Atlanteans wear crowns or tiaras with Vril glass jewels that float above their heads, attached to orichalcum or gold chains.
One unit of Vril Glass may hold 5 Hero Points drained from a place of power or infused from a living being. The user does nothing, but wills the energy into or out of the glass requiring no action.
Heroes may store the Hero Points for a number of days equal to their WIL +1 (minimum of one day), after which the Vril leaks back into the universe.
Creation DoD: -15
Ingredients: 25 powdered amber, 100 Bhūmi, 20 Jala, 10 powdered glass, and 100 clear water.
Wealth DoD: -2
Time: 2 days
Manufactured: 10 units of Vril Glass Homunculus
Only the most advanced alchemists attempt to deal in (even the most basic) First Age alchemical hybridization techniques. Once performed regularly by First Age artificers, much of this ancient science has been lost, though a few alchemists have scavenged enough knowledge to create an autonomous, semi-magical creature known as a homunculus.
The artificer must carefully prepare and mix the many ingredients into the base of Aqua Vitae in exact proportions. As a final step, a small figurine (usually clay, but sometimes constructed from vines and twigs, stone, crystal, or even orichalcum) must be created, usually with the Handicraft skill.
The base difficulty to create a homunculus is -15. This standard creature has the attributes listed below:
INT PER WIL CHA STR DEX CON SPD CR MR
-5 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +2 +3 +0 -5*
Hit Points 20
*A homunculus may never use magic, and magical artifacts become inert in their hands.
These base scores may be increased, but doing so alters the difficulty to create the homunculus by -2 for every +1 to an Attribute. Additionally, the ingredients used should reflect the type of homunculus sought. For example, a homunculus with increased Strength might require the liver of a giant or the heart of a lion. A dexterous one might need the brain of a rare monkey or the hides from several poisonous serpents.
The whole process takes one month of uninterrupted preparatory work and another two
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months for the homunculus to “‘grow” and mature. At the end of this period, the artificer may roll his Alchemy skill against the total Degree of Difficulty.
Mishap: Something went horribly wrong. An explosion destroys the area around where the homunculus was growing, ruining it and damaging everything within 20 meters, possibly even killing the artificer.
Failure: The homunculus never awakens, and remains inert. All of the materials used in its production are ruined.
Partial Success:
A homunculus has been created, but not in the manner intended. The GM randomly determines the creature’s Attributes. The homunculus is impossible to control. Many such creations go berserk, destroying anything they come upon, and attacking others at random. Some bear the face or voice of their creator, causing all manner of trouble before they can be captured and dismantled.
Success: All of the ingredients blend perfectly and the alchemist’s Projection of Will is successful. The homunculus is created as designed.
Critical Success: Not only does the homunculus turn out as planned but it is exemplary in some fashion. The GM assigns it an additional +1 to any Attribute.
An alchemist-artificer can control a number of homunculi equal to their CHA Attribute at any one time, though the number they may create is limited only by their wealth and time. Successfully created homunculi will follow commands to the best of their abilities. Alchemists may also teach their creations skills as if they were learning the skill themselves.
Creation DoD: -15
Ingredients: 10 powdered orichalcum, 2 powdered diamond, a gemstone of Superior quality, 1 unit each of 8 different animal ingredients relevant to the desired homunculus, 3 alkahest, 1 vitriol, 2 aqua vitae
Wealth DoD: -6
Time: 30 days
Manufactured: 1 homunculus GOLEMS
Much like homunculi, golems are alchemical creations given a semblance of life. Much larger and stronger than homunculi, golems tend to be vaguely humanoid, but largely featureless. Many are crafted (using the Handicraft (artificer) Skill) from mud or clay, but there have been recorded instances of golems formed primarily of vines and twigs, accumulations of bone, pyre ash and grave earth, or of copper, bronze, or iron. While some may occasionally confuse a golem with an elemental creature, golems tend to be slower and far less intelligent, while at the same time being more obedient and durable. Due to the cost and difficulty involved, very few golems are created in this age. Instead, older golems are unearthed, studied, and repurposed. Golems typically contain a simple set of instructions; sewn into silk-cloth, carved into a clay tablet, etched into orichalcum, or painted with calligraphy onto vellum. These instructions require great skill (use Handicraft (artificer), DoD-10) to create, despite their simple words. This item is then placed within the golem before it is finished; sometimes under a crude tongue within the golem’s head, or inside of its chest where the heart would reside.
The base difficulty to create a golem is -30. This standard creature has the attributes listed below:
INT PER WIL CHA STR DEX CON SPD CR MR
-5 +0 +0 +0 +5 +0 +5 +0 +0 -5*
Hit Points 50
* = A Golem may never use magic and magical artifacts become inert in their hands.
These base scores may be increased, but doing so alters the difficulty to create the golem by -2 for every +1 to an Attribute. Additionally, the ingredients used should reflect the type of golem sought.
The whole process takes two months of uninterrupted preparatory work and another month for
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the golem to “‘grow” and mature. At the end of this period, the artificer may roll his Alchemy skill against the total Degree of Difficulty.
Mishap: Something went horribly wrong. An explosion destroys the area around where the golem was maturing, ruining it and damaging everything within 20 meters, possibly even killing the artificer.
Failure: The golem never awakens and remains inert. All of the materials used in its production are ruined.
Partial Success:
A golem has been created, but not in the manner intended. The GM randomly determines the creature’s Attributes. The golem is impossible to control. Many such creations go berserk, destroying anything they come upon, and attacking others at random. Some bear the face or voice of their creator, causing all manner of trouble before they can be captured and dismantled.
Success: All of the ingredients blend perfectly, and the alchemist’s Projection of Will is successful. The golem is created as designed.
Critical Success: Not only does the golem turn out as planned but it is exemplary in some fashion. The GM assigns it an additional +1 to any Attribute.
An alchemist-artificer can control only one golem at a time. However, golems can be created and then control turned over to another, as is usually the case. Accepting control of a golem requires a WIL roll, DoD-10, and approximately five to ten minutes of concentration. An uncontrolled golem will either continue at the last task it was given, stand idly, or in rare cases go on a rampage destroying inanimate objects within its reach.
Creation DoD: -30
Ingredients: 16 powdered orichalcum, 2 powdered diamond, a gemstone of Superior quality, a clay tablet with the golems primary instruction engraved, 5 alkahest, 2 vitriol, 5 aqua vitae, 10 units of Jinni blood
Wealth DoD: -7
Time: 90 days
Manufactured: 1 golem
ELIXIRS
Elixirs, much like potions, are quasi-magical alchemical creations. Most of them are solutions suspended in either water or alcohol. Most can be stored in simple glass vials, but many alchemists opt for amberglass, just in case. Variations on these formulas can be found in most lands.
Habibi
This concoction promotes feelings of desire. The imbiber’s WIL is reduced by CON -5 (minimum of 1). Each dose lasts for one hour. During this time, the drinker is easily persuaded and very suggestible.
Creation DoD: -3
Ingredients: 1 crushed flowers, 1 Lotus narcotic, 1 pulped heart of hare, 5 Pavan, 5Jala Wealth DoD: -1
Time: 2 days
Manufactured: 4 doses
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Wesh
Removes hair on contact, frequently used by priests and religious adherents, as well as some gladiators. The effects last for 1–10 weeks.
Creation DoD: -1
Ingredients: 5 crushed plant (various types) Wealth DoD: +0
Time: 6 hours
Manufactured: 2 doses Panacea
Panacea is a healing elixir that restores 10 HP when swallowed. Pain is dampened and wounds begin to knit closed within ten minutes. Skilled healers quickly learn that the individual to be healed first needs their body relatively still and hopefully patched up before the elixir is consumed in order to avoid poorly set bones. Scars are a common result, unless the individual is tended to prior by someone with the Heal Skill. When used to treat disease, the Panacea gives the imbiber a new resistance roll with a bonus +10 to the roll.
Creation DoD: -5
Ingredients: 16 powdered Amber, 10 powdered silk worm, 10 Pavan, 5 Iosis Wealth DoD: -2
Time: 3 days
Manufactured: 4 doses Sal Amun
Rids the body of parasitic organisms and ingested poisons within an hour after copious vomiting (and other expellations). The patient is advised to rest and drink plenty of liquids.
Creation DoD: -7
Ingredients: 8 powdered dung, 3 powdered amber, 5 Bhumi, 5 Pavan, 5 Iosis, 1 Panacea Wealth DoD: +0
Time: 4 days
Manufactured: 2 doses Endymion
Causes the imbiber to fall into a deep slumber, lasting 10-CON hours (minimum of one hour), unless a successful CON roll is made to resist. Even a success on the CON roll leaves the subject groggy with a 6-CON (minimum of -1) penalty to all actions. Unless an antidote is employed, it will not be possible to awaken the sleeper while the elixir remains in effect.
Creation DoD: -8
Ingredients: 1 Kem Narcotic, 5 powdered amber, 1 powdered gold Wealth DoD: -1
Time: 3 days
Manufactured: 4 doses