Alchemy

Alchemy is the study of the natural world through its various processes. An alchemist not only understands how things work, but can reverse engineer and replicate those processes; creating potions, elixirs, oils, and salves. Highly skilled alchemists can even perform feats considered impossible or magical; transmuting metals of lesser value into metals of greater value.  

Ingredients and Substances

Alchemist create most of their potions from plant based ingredients, but some minerals, metals, and parts from creatures can serve in potions as well. There are nine basic substances and three advance substances that can be found inside herbs. Each herb contains one of the nine basic substances, and might also contain one of the three advance substances. The substances that are known and can be found in each plant is well documented and understood. The recipes for potions require the correct substances, and in most cases care not for the material the substance is contained in. This is not always the case, some potions require a specific herb, and in most potions the order the substances are applied to the mixture is important as well.   The basic substances are Aether, Caelum, Fulgur, Hydragenum, Quebrith, Rebis, Sol, Vermilion, and Vitriol. The advanced substances are Albedo, Nigredo, and Rubedo.   Mixing a potion requires additional raw materials paid in cash equal to half the market value of the potion, minus the market value of the herbs used.  

Elemental Essences and Transmutation

In addition to the normal herb ingredients required by a recipe, more advanced recipes may call for elemental essences; this is especially true for transmutation. There are a total of seven essences, four elemental, two aethereal essences, and the mana essence. Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Life, Shadow, and Mana combine in various amounts to create all things in the world. A master alchemist can transmute the elemental essences into the next on in the cycle, and can transmute the elemental essences into the aethereal essences or even into mana essence. Essences can be extracted from the world and various creatures using magic or careful equipment. Elementals are the greatest source of elemental essences. Transmuting anything requires having a special stone during the entire process; and Alchemist Stone. The far more powerful and legendary artifact, the Philosopher's Stone, can also be used for transmutation.  

Potion Bases

Potions require a base of a distilled, and therefore purified, liquid. Most alchemists prefer to distill their own bases from the herbs they collect, but in a pinch or an emergency alcohol can work as well. There are three qualities of bases: standard, high, and superior. A standard base can be distilled from any plant that can ferment. A high quality base can only be distilled from herbs that have a basic alchemical substance. A superior quality base can only be distilled from herbs that offer both a basic alchemical substance and an advance alchemical substance. Bases are often distilled in large batches, typically enough to make 20 doses of base at a time, each dose requiring 5 herbs to distill. When the alchemist is using alcohol instead, typical alcohol can serve as a standard base, strong alcohol as a high quality base, and potent alcohol as a superior quality base. Fairly weak alcohol can not be used as a base for mixing potions. A higher quality base can be used for potions that require a lower quality base, and when using alcohol 1 pint of liquid will equal 1 dose of base.  

Mixing the Potion

Most common potions require 8 hours of work to complete, most of this time is spent waiting for solutions to finish boiling, and so can be done as part of a long rest. Most potions are mixed in single does, but with extra preparation and a dedicated facility, potions can be mixed in multiple doses. Potions come in three tiers of difficulty, common, uncommon, and complicated. Common potions always require three substances, uncommon four, and complicated five. Uncommon potions might also require one or two advance substances, and complicated will always require at least one and up to three advance substances. Uncommon and complicated potions typically require more than 8 hours of work to finish.  

Known Potion Recipes

When a character gains proficiency in Alchemist's Supplies, they also learn the recipes for two common potions. More recipes can be purchased or discovered on their own. The cost of a recipe for a common potion is around 10 sp, 50 sp for an uncommon potion, and 1 gp for a complicated potion. Discovering a recipe requires having all the correct ingredients and a successful Intelligence (Alchemist's Supplies) check. If the check fails, the alchemist failed to mix the potion even if the ingredients were correct; likely they applied them incorrectly. If the check succeeds, the alchemist has managed to apply the ingredients correctly and has successfully created the potion, and adds it to their list of potion recipes known. The DC for the check is dependent on the potion's difficulty tier, 15 for a common potion, 20 for an uncommon potion, and 25 for a complicated potion. Discovering a potion takes the same amount of time as mixing it would, and can attempt to discover a new, or the same if they failed, potion as soon as they have the ingredients and time to spare.  

Alchemy Recipes

A list of known potions and their recipes are below.  

Common Recipes

Elixir of Lion's Strength

Base: Standard
Market Value: 75 sp
Ingredients: Sol, Fulgur, Rebis
Special Ingredients: None
Time to Craft: 8 hours
Effects: For the next minute upon imbibing, the imbiber deals an addition +1 damage on all attacks that use Strength for the attack and damage rolls.
Description: This translucent yellow liquid smells of musk and tastes like licking a cat.
 

Philter of Love

Base: Standard
Market Value: 90 sp
Ingredients: Vitriol, Aether, Caelum; None
Special Ingredients: None
Time to Craft: 8 hours
Effects: For the next 10 minutes upon imbibing, the imbiber will become charmed by the first creature it sees for 1 hour. If the creature is of a species and gender the imbiber is normally romantically attracted too, it will also believe that creature is the imbiber's true love while the imbiber is charmed. If the imbiber is unaware they imbibed this potion, they may not become aware they were ever charmed.
Description: This potion's pink-hued, effervescent liquid contains one easy-to-miss bubble shaped like a cartoonish heart. It has a pleasant sweet smell and taste, but has a sharp bitter aftertaste that lingers for an hour while the potion is in effect. When mixed with a liquid it causes the liquid to bubble and fizz, and if mixed with an already fizzy liquid will fizz over and spoil.
 

Potion of Healing

Base: Standard
Market Value: 50 sp
Ingredients: Vermilion, Vermilion, Sol; None
Special Ingredients: None
Time to Craft: 8 hours
Effects: The imbiber instantly regains 2d4 + 2 hit points.
Description: This potion's red liquid glimmers slightly when agitated. It has a sharp bitter taste, and always manages to smell like hazelnuts. When left exposed to air for several minutes or the sun for an hour, it will spoil.
 

Potion of Poison

Base: Standard
Market Value: 1 gp
Ingredients: Vitriol, Hydragenum, Fulgur; None
Special Ingredients: None
Time to Craft: 8 hours
Effects: When imbibed, the imbiber immediately takes 3d6 poison damage, and must succeed a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. At the start of each of the imbiber's turns while they are poisoned in this way, they take an additional 3d6 poison damage, minimum 1. At the end of each of their turns they may repeat the saving throw. On a successful save, the poison damage they take on subsequent turns is reduced by 1d6. The imbiber is no longer poisoned when the damage is decreased to 0.
Description: This redish concoction has an ever so faint orangish hue to it, and looks, smells, and tastes like a potion of healing. When examined in dim, blue tinted light, the liquid appears a vile green color, revealing its true nature. An Identify spell will also reveal its true nature.
 

Uncommon Recipes

Elixir of Health

Base: High
Market Value: 1 gp 20 sp
Ingredients: Vermilion, Sol, Vermilion, Aether; Rubedo
Special Ingredients: None
Time to Craft: 3 days
Effects: When imbibed, the imbiber is immediately cured of any disease afflicting them, and loses the blinded, deafened, paralyzed, and poisoned conditions.
Description: The clear red liquid has tiny red bubbles in it that glow with a very faint light. It smells and tastes savory. If poured over a surface or wound, it quickly becomes disinfected as mold, rot, and mildew fizzle into a blue-green smoke and the wound loses its pinkish color.
 

Oil of Etherealness

Base: Superior
Market Value: 19gp 20sp
Ingredients: Aether, Aether, Hydragenum, Aether; Nigredo, Nigredo
Special Ingredients: Ectoplasm or the essence of an ethereal creature
Time to Craft: 1 workweek
Effects: This oil must be applied to a Medium or smaller sized creature, along with the equipment its wearing and carrying (one additional vial of oil is required for each size category above Medium). Applying the oil takes 10 minutes, during which they slowly become transparent. The oiled creature then gains the effects of the Etherealness spell for 1 hour.
Description: Beads of this cloudy gray oil form on the outside of its container and quickly evaporate, though the oil itself never diminishes as it does so. The oil is always frigid to the touch, and feels slightly suffocating as it is applied. It offers no resistance, and save for its temperature, one may be forgiven for thinking the oil isn't even there.
 

Complicated Recipes

Imbue Alchemist Stone

Base: Superior
Market Value: 100 gp
Ingredients: Aether, Aether, Sol, Vitriol, Rebis; Albedo, Nigredo, Rubedo
Special Ingredients: Diamond worth at least 10 gp, 1 Fire Essence, 1 Earth Essence, 1 Water Essence, 1 Air Essence, 1 Life Essence, 1 Shadow Essence, 1 Mana Essence
Time to Craft: 4 workweeks
Effects: This stone allows the holder to perform transmutations. If the holder is attuned to the stone, they gain a +1 bonus to ability checks and saving throws.
Description: This glimmering golden diamond shimmers with a dim light from its core that constantly shifts its light through the spectrum.
 

Transmutation Recipes

A list of known transmutations and their recipes are below. All transmutation recipes cost 1 gp to learn.  

Transmute Fire

Market Value: 5 sp
Ingredients: Any
Special Ingredients: 1 Fire Essence
Time to Craft: 1 hour
Effects: The Fire Essence becomes an Earth Essence.
Description: Earth Essence contained within its vial looks like a plasma of dirt and rock particulates with a dim green energy holding them together. If released from its vial, the essence quickly decays and vanishes.
 

Transmute Earth

Market Value: 5 sp
Ingredients: Any
Special Ingredients: 1 Earth Essence
Time to Craft: 1 hour
Effects: The Earth Essence becomes a Water Essence.
Description: Water Essence contained within its vial looks like a plasma of mist and water with a dim blue energy holding them together. If released from its vial, the essence quickly decays and vanishes.
 

Transmute Water

Market Value: 5 sp
Ingredients: Any
Special Ingredients: 1 Water Essence
Time to Craft: 1 hour
Effects: The Water Essence becomes an Air Essence.
Description: Air Essence contained within its vial looks like a small contained storm with a dim yellow energy holding them together. If released from its vial, the essence quickly decays and vanishes.
 

Transmute Air

Market Value: 5 sp
Ingredients: Any
Special Ingredients: 1 Air Essence
Time to Craft: 1 hour
Effects: The Air Essence becomes a Fire Essence.
Description: Fire Essence contained within its vial looks like an every burning flame with a dim red energy holding it together. If released from its vial, the essence quickly decays and vanishes.
 

Transmute Life

Market Value: 10 sp
Ingredients: Any; Albedo
Special Ingredients: Any 2 different elemental essences
Time to Craft: 1 hour
Effects: The two essences become one Life Essence.
Description: Life Essence contained within its vial looks like a green plasma with a dark green energy holding it together. If released from its vial, the essence quickly decays and vanishes.
 

Transmute Shadow

Market Value: 10 sp
Ingredients: Any; Nigredo
Special Ingredients: Any 2 different elemental essences
Time to Craft: 1 hour
Effects: The two essences become one Shadow Essence.
Description: Shadow Essence contained within its vial looks like a purple plasma with a dark purple energy holding it together. If released from its vial, the essence quickly decays and vanishes.
 

Transmute Mana

Market Value: 15 sp
Ingredients: Any; Rubedo
Special Ingredients: 1 Fire Essence, 1 Earth Essence, 1 Water Essence, 1 Air Essence
Time to Craft: 1 hour
Effects: The four essences become one Mana Essence.
Description: Mana Essence contained within its vial looks like a blue plasma with a dark blue energy holding it together. If released from its vial, the essence quickly decays and vanishes.
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