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For Players
Setting Information
Factions
System Information
Classes
For GMs
Real World
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An Alchemist is anyone who knows how to produce an alchemical preparation. You will have a number of “potions slots” which you can use to produce potions you know between adventures. A Class C or D potion takes 1 potion slot to mix, while a class A or B potion takes 2 potion slots to create.
In addition to these potion slots, you can mix 1 potion of the appropriate level for each potion you know how to make (i.e., if you know how to mix 3 class D potions, then you can mix 3 class D potions between adventures in addition to those produced from your “potion slots”).
Many years of research have resulted in most commonly known potions being divided by learned alchemists into four groups. The main thing informing these groupings are the effects of being addicted to them, at least at the initial stages of addiction, but some alchemists claim that there are other similarities, in fields ranging from things as tangible as taste to the nebulous as the “feeling” of brewing them. The commonly accepted groups are as follows:
It is possible to craft unique potions from unique ingredients. The rules for this follow the standard rules for crafting an artefact. The potion will be a unique potion which will be used up when consumed (or potentially a small number of potions). Because these potions are unique, skills which rely on an in depth knowledge of their creation or application do not work (e.g., Advanced Application). As a general rule, an artefact potion will have an extremely powerful effect, but will also likely come with side-effects due to its unrefined nature.
This potion can be bought (or prepared) in two different versions. Either as a set of three diluted potions (version #1) or a single more potent potion (version #2).
Version #1 (set of 3 potions)
Version #2 (single potion)
This halts a dying character’s death count. Can be applied as an alchemical paste. This is bought either as a set of 3 HEAL ZERO potions or a single HEAL ONE potion. Only an alchemist who knows how to prepare the potion can dilute a HEAL ONE potion into a set of 3 HEAL ZERO potions.
After about 30 seconds, the drinker’s sight grows sharper, with a coloured border seeming to surround the edges of things. For the next five minutes, the drinker can see well enough to operate if their vision is obscured by darkness, snowstorms, smoke or a myriad of other obstructions. This prevents the BLIND call from affecting them.
A sticky paste which when applied to a weapon makes it easier to knock a weapon from your opponents hands. If drunk, tremendously uncomfortable for several days, but not actually dangerous unless drunk in quantities sufficient to block internal organs.
A poison which causes the victim to be beset by shadows which move from the corners of their eyes.
A small thrown bomb that explodes, damaging those nearby and blasting them from their feet.
Note, if you miss when throwing the Grenado phys rep, then the Grenado is not used up.
When drunk this potion causes a temporary change in the drinkers appearance. Their eyes turn completely black, their skin pales, and they develop a presence that is difficult to ignore. The downside is that this seriously impairs their vision for almost 24 hours after taking it (Blind effects are doubled and GMs might induce further penalties for travelling at night or in dark places). When prepared as an alchemical paste the effects on vision are far more acute, briefly blinding the victim.
An alchemical bomb that sends out a wave of lacerating energy, with the person who detonated it safe in the centre.
Use of alchemy carries a risk of addiction. At the end of any adventure in which you have consumed one or more potions, pick one type of potion that you drank (or was otherwise exposed to, e.g. by rubbing armour oil into a broken pauldron or inhaling smoke from a smoke bomb). The GMs will flip a coin. If you lose the flip, you have begun to become (or continue to become) dependant on that potion and others with similar effects. If you already have an addiction and you drank a potion of that group during the adventure, you must choose that group to flip the coin for even if you drank other potions on the adventure. You can only have one alchemical addiction at any one time.
There are three levels of addiction. Potions are divided into four groups. Each group has an associated set of effects for first and second level addictions that are publicly visible. At the first level, you will be under a roleplaying effect that can be suppressed for the rest of an adventure by drinking a potion of the appropriate class, although you may choose the period of relief to be shorter if you wish. Obviously, relieving your addiction by indulging in your addiction carries a risk of worsening your addiction. At second level, you will also have a mechanical effect that can be suppressed in the same way. If you gain a third level of an addiction, you will receive an effect specific to the type of potion that you took that pushed you over the edge, at third level indulging in your addiction will only relieved you of your withdrawal effects for one encounter rather than a full adventure. Please consult with the GM team for your dose of horror. When indulging in a potion you are addicted to, you will have a roleplaying effect gained from consuming that potion, this lasts at least an encounter but may last longer (at the players discretion). You may also gain a mechanical effect (level 2 and higher) which will last until the end of the encounter in which you consumed the potion.
At the end of an adventure, your level of addiction is reduced by one if you drank no potions of the group you were addicted to.
If you end up with a level three addiction, and completely remove it through abstention, you are forever more immune to addictions from that class of potion. Mechanically this means that when choosing which potion you may have become addicted to at the end of an adventure, you only choose between potions from a group you are not immune to.
Alchemists, through their various experiments with alchemy, are slightly more resistant (or possibly susceptible) to the side effects of their potions. Alchemists may always choose which potion class they make a coin flip for, even if this would mean developing a second (or third, or fourth) addiction. This can make it easier for Alchemists to avoid developing debilitating addictions, but also carries a risk of catastrophic multiple debilitating addictions.
Level | Potion | Withdrawal Effects | Indulgence Effects | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Inflamation | Level 1 | You are more impatient than normal - you want to get things done now | You feel important. You feel confident. You feel like you can succeed, so long as you try. | |
Level 2 | You feel like your blood is constantly up, keen and eager. Unless you feel completely safe (which is unlikely while enemies are around), you take a SINGLE THROUGH if you stand still for more than 10 seconds) | Everyone seems slow and dim-witted while your mind races. You are full of amazing never-thought-of ideas. Gain a dodge. | ||
Level 3 | Grenade | You constantly feel near-painfully cold. You are also incredibly flammable. At GM discretion, anything that might plausibly ignite you does, for damage and effect calls as they see fit. | You can ignite parts of your body, doing no harm to yourself, but harming others nearby. Gain 2 uses of REND on a weapon call, and one MASS ZERO STRIKEDOWN for the encounter. As long as you are in the presence of a burning fire, you feel safe and re-assured | |
Passion | Level 1 | You are more curious than normal, and want to learn things | All your emotions are greatly enhanced: you find pleasure in the smallest things but struggle to bear even the slightest heartbreak. | |
Level 2 | Information belong to you. No ones should keep any secrets from you. Any time someone refuses to reveal information you request, you take the effects of an ENRAGE, and will initially target the witholder | You gain genuine excitement from social maneuvering, and have a strong desire to discover new information. You gain 1 use of JUST HEAR ME OUT and 1 use of LOOK BEHIND YOU. | ||
Level 3 | Soul Strength | You feel a general hatred for other conscious beings. You would prefer to be alone, or at least not surround by idiots (like you currently are). You are WEAKENED whenever you are attempting to aid someone else. | You feel love for your fellow conscious beings and are very happy to be able to spend time with them. You gain +1 damage when attempting to aid someone else. | |
Nightsight | You eyesight has grown dim. You have also developed a great fear of being abandoned. If there is not someone you know within 5 meters of you then you will suffer a panic attack, taking the cower part of the FEAR effect until someone you know comes to help you. | Your confidence in your physical abilities is greatly increased, and you are happy to take risks you normally wouldn't. Gain 2 dodges. | ||
Suspension | Level 1 | Your body feels slightly numb, and pain seems to affect you less | Your emotions feel distant, and you are able to engage your intellect with needle like clarity unaffected by worldy concerns. | |
Level 2 | Your body feels sluggish and cold, making rapid movements takes serious effort. You are down a DODGE | You feel a disengagement with the world. Like none of it concerns you. Gain 2 resists to effect calls delivered by melee weapon. | ||
Level 3 | Armour Oil | You are swinging between bouts of paranoia, narcolepsy, alcoholic cravings, violent aggression, and chronic muscle pains. When not roleplaying one of these effects you are weakened. | While applying the armour oil (at least 5 seconds) you are drowsy and virtually comatose, paying no heed to outside experience. When you come round you feel an extraordinary rush of pleasure, more enjoyable than any other experience you have known. You are STRENGTHENED for the duration of the encounter. | |
Level 3 | Stoneskin | Your flesh seems unusually vulnerable and you fear injury from usually risk-free sources. In each encounter the first time you lose a body hit you will take a FEAR. | You feel powerful and invulnerable. Gain 2xResists any effect calls. | |
Dissolution | Level 1 | You feel extremely wide awake, and have difficulty sleeping | You are relaxed. Everything feels pleasant. Any concerns you may have do not feel pressing for the time being. | |
Level 2 | You feel somewhat detached from your body, as if the world is interacting directly with your mind. Your death count is reduced to 45 seconds | You feel powerful while the world seems less substantial. You are filled with confidence in your own capabilities, and do not fear loss or failure. Gain +1 damage (this does not stack with any other source of +1 damage). | ||
Level 3 | Mesmeretic Visage | The world is full of powerful, intelligent, attractive people. You cannot remember the last time you saw someone you considered weaker, stupider, or less attractive than yourself. You will treat attempts to talk you out of a fight as a JUST HEAR ME OUT regardless of if they used the skill. You will also value the thoughts and opinions of others more highly than you usually would. | You feel confident in yourself, certain that everone else is weaker, stupider, and uglier than yourself. Your own confidence in yourself is overwhelming and you may call YOU DARE NOT STRIKE ME at a single target. | |
Death Ward | You suffer occasional bouts of extreme lethargy and more often suffer from tactile hallucinations of blood seeping from an open wound. Your death count is reduced to 45 seconds. | You feel euphoric. Tactile sensations are enhanced and feel pleasurable. If reduced to 0 hits you remain conscious and can, with some difficulty, consume a potion. |