[Alchemy] Alchemy

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What is it?

Alchemy is the arcane science of understanding the hidden truths of the world, the presence of the Stone in all things, and learning how to use that knowledge to alter what the ignorant presume is the 'natural' order. With alchemy, you may transmute a thing's basic nature, purify and restore that nature, enhance characteristics of that nature, and most difficult, create kinship between two diverse materials without sacrificing the essential nature of either. Alchemy works under the following principles:

1. Nothing is truly created or destroyed.
2. In the beginning, there was the Stone, and all things were a part of it.
3. Thus, all things are kin to one another, and that kinship may be invoked.
4. In the end, all things return to be used again.

[Sidebar: What about humans?]

The laws of alchemy, as conventionally understood, have disturbing implications for the human race, who were created in the Great Blasphemy, and have been reproducing busily ever since. Philosophers and scholars often are heard to speculate about the source of human's spiritual strength, and if the other races are suffering from some manner of subtle drain thereby. The alternative, that humans are adding new material and new souls to creation, is only entertained by the most radical of human scholars.

Most scholars of the True Races simply remark, acerbically, that it may just be that a human soul is worth so little in comparison to one of the True that the race has not yet exhausted the victims of the Blasphemy, and when they do, humanity will become as sterile as other chimerae.

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However, the knowledge of alchemical law is only one part of a successful alchemist. The other part is being able to apply that law to create effects in the world. This is done through the method of alchemical rituals.

What are rituals?

Rituals are the application of esoteric knowledge, guiding the fundamental forces of the world towards an effect. They are governed by will, but each ritual is a precise, self-contained entity, requiring a ritual circle, certain materials, a target, and a disciplined understanding of the theory behind that particular ritual. Knowing just the components, chants, and circle design is not enough; as such, each ritual known by an alchemist also have a Knowledge Index, which has a range from 0-10, and works like a skill. Most alchemists have a couple of rituals they are specialists in, a several rituals that they are proficient in, and a number of rituals which are hardly ever used or only dimly understood.

How do rituals work?

Alchemical rituals are divided into four categories, or Houses: Purification, Multiplication, Transmutation, and Combination.

Purification is the first, and most basic, of the principles alchemists learn; how to seperate materials, isolating the target and purifying its original nature. These rituals can cleanse food and drink, neutralize poison and venom, purge fatigue, heal wounds, and other such actions. Although most are helpful and benign, a few of these rituals can be used offensively. The rituals of Purification take an hour, and one aether, to prepare and cast.

Multiplication is the second House: it enhances the chosen properties of a substance, be they physical, mental, or spiritual. The rituals of Multiplication can boost speed or endurance, multiply supplies, and bolster defenses. Multiplication rituals take two hours, and two aether, to prepare and cast.

The third House, Transmutation, is the most commonly known form of alchemy, and what the ignorant tend to think of right offhand. These rituals allow matter to be warped and changed into something else entirely, either as a whole, or just selected characteristics, such as weight. Transmutation effects usually temporary, however, and the transmution of lead into temporary gold is punished severely in all civilized lands. Transmutation rituals take three hours, and four aether, to prepare and cast.

Combination is the final House, and the most difficult one to master. These exacting rituals involve linking the spiritual essence of two substances while retaining the vital characteristics of both. These rituals can link far away places, minds, or souls. These rituals take four hours, and eight aether, to prepare and cast, making them a significant investment for most alchemists.

Most rituals have a duration of one hour, plus one hour for each additional aether (above the costs for the ritual itself) spent during the casting. Some rituals may have an instantaneous duration, or one that is longer than average. Such exceptions are noted in the description of individual rituals. If an alchemists needs to have ritual effects available quickly, he needs to have a potion.

What is a potion?

Potions are alchemically sensitive solutions held in a neutral vessel. Vessels are usually one of the noble metals: Gold, silver, or iron, most commonly iron. To make a potion requires the potions skill. This skill (under Intelligence) involves knowledge of the peculiar ingrediants and procedures for making a solution that will hold an alchemical ritual for some time, releasing it upon the drinker. (It's also a notable skill to be able to make such a substance which can, in fact, be drunk without killing the imbiber. No one wants to work for an apprentice potioner.)

It takes an hour and a successful potions roll to create a receptive solution; the solution will remain receptive for days equal to the roll's degree of success. After that, it becomes inert and useless. Next, the potioner must successfully cast a ritual upon the solution, adding one aether to the casting for every week the completed potion will be potent. At the end of this time, the potion spoiles, and its effects become unpredictable and toxic.

Potions are the main way that alchemical rituals can become 'instant' effects, and also the main way that non-alchemists can benefit from alchemical effects. Keep in mind that the target of the potion is the drinker; a ritual that transmutes matter into fire will result in a truly killer case of heartburn! Occassionally, alchemists will 'seed' their potions collections with fatal potions in hopes of giving any thieves a vicious surprise.

Potions can be identified by a successful Potions skill check, at a +2 if the character himself knows the particular ritual the potion holds, and +1 if the character knows other rituals from that House.

[Sidebar: Physical components and alchemists' labs]

You will notice that rituals and potions require a fairly large amount of physical components, as well as space to hold them all, in order to be used effectively. This can make the age old pasttime of player characters, freelance adventuring, rather difficult for alchemy-minded characters. GMs have the option of either playing this up, and have alchemist characters scramble and try and keep track of esoteric ingrediants, or downplaying it, and assuming that common components can be easily found in the surrounding areas of adventuring. In the latter case, allowing clay, glass, or wood vessels for potions would be appropriate. As a balance between the two, there are labs.

Travelling Lab: The alchemist's travelling lab includes a canvas or silk tarp for inscribing circles, chalk, their main research book or two, and the ritual components for ten castings of every ritual they know above Knowledge Index 5. It costs 100 stones, and can be periodically refilled for 50 stones in any good-sized town or city with an alchemist presence. The potioner's travelling lab contains ingredients for 50 solutions, and costs 50 stones. It can be refilled for 20 stones in most towns, or even in the wild, if a full day is spent and a successful Potions check is made. Vessels cost 5 stones each for gold, 3 stones each for silver, and 1 stone for 2 iron.

Home Lab: The first thing a wealthy alchemist does is set up a home lab. Whether it's a converted root cellar or a floating, golden tower, the lab is one of any alchemist's most prized possessions. Working in a lab cuts the time needed to prepare for a ritual or potion-making in half. Additionally, a Poor lab will give a +1 bonus to casting or potion-making, an Average lab will give a +2 bonus, and a Master lab will give a +3. Master labs, usually equipped with permanent ritual circles inscribed in gold, will nullify critical failures in casting on three rituals, chosen by the alchemist at the time of the lab's creation. Lab costs will vary, depending on the locale and the quality, but a general guideline is that a Poor lab will cost 1000 stones to build and stock, an Average lab will cost 5000, and a Master lab will typically cost 10000 stones. Once built, any lab's supplies can be replenished fully for about 200 stones.

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