Potioncraft

Domain of Effects

Much of what has been historically attributed as obsolete/discredited alchemic theory is, in fact, correct. These theories just happen to be incorrect on Earth. Most alchemic reagents are unstable outside of an intense thaumic field such as that found on Halcyon.

Alchemic Reagents

Tinctures. Various tinctures are used as the base of a potion. They are found throughout the world, as non-stackable items. 1 tincture = 1 potion = 1 inventory slot.

Water. Usually used for compatibility with phlogiston.
Alcohol. Higher-octane effects, shorter duration, intoxicant.
Oil. Longer duration, but effects are weaker.
Brakish Water. Required ingredients for potions that are morally questionable. Found in swampy areas.
"Pure Extract" simply means no tincture was used. Generally, this results in a potion that goes bad very quickly and is increasingly magically unstable. This increases the cost of the item by 50%, makes it explosive, and reduces its shelf life by 75%. However, a player can make (and sell) their own "pure extract" potions by purposefully omitting the tincture.

Ingredients. These are found in unit quantities throughout the world, and handled as weightless currency. Potions require a balance of elemental components, matching the intent of the product:

Sonder - Accrued from completing quests for others
Upsidaisium - Air - Accrued from falling through air
Tedium - Void - Accrued from boredom (awarded for dull dialog)
Glurge - An extraordinarily sweet, and addictive material sold by Euphoria, largely responsible for the economic success of Candor.

Compound Ingredients. These are found in unit quantities throughout the world, and handled as weightless currency. Potions require a balance of elemental components, matching the intent of the product. Each of these contributes multiple elemental components:

Sulfurous Niter. A combination of Fire and Air.
Mercury. A combination of Air and Water.
Chaotic Salt. A combination of Water and Earth.
Materia. A combination of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. Because many common potions call for an equal balance of these elements, and materia is relatively stable, materia was often produced and bottled in bulk by a wizard's most expendable apprentices, often as a form of punishment.

Humours. Potions that interact with organic tissue generally involve the relative balance of four humors, consistent with Humorism. These are found in stackable unit vials. The following humors are common alchemic reagents:

Blood
Yellow Bile
Black Bile
Phlegm

Additives. These are found in decrementing fluid drachm bottles. The following additives are commonly added:

Phlogiston. Consistent with phlogiston theory, phlogiston is a fire-aligned substance that exits a material as it burns. The resulting dephlogisticated substance weighs more, leading to the obvious conclusion that phlogiston necessarily has a negative weight. This effect is used to provide the fizzy bubbles expected in Crank and Tug.
Chuckaboo Honey A magically-enhanced opiate that causes a feeling of anxiety.
Aether.
Flavorant. As you add Flavorant to a recipe, just hold the idea of the flavor in your mind, and the flavor will be conveyed to the recipe. On an assembly line, this raises a unique problem. If the alchemist using the Flavorant is distracted, you may find your potion does not taste like Banana or Cherry at all, but someone's coffee, a bologna sandwich, or something the alchemist consumed on a dare in third grade. And these are by far NOT the worst possible outcomes.
Odorant. As you add Odorant to a recipe, just hold the idea of the scent in your mind, and the scent will be conveyed to the recipe. On an assembly line, this raises a unique problem. If the alchemist using the Odorant is distracted, you may find your potion does not smell like Banana or Cherry at all, but someone's coffee, a bologna sandwich, or something in the alchemist's gym locker. And these are by far NOT the worst possible outcomes.
Frust.
Nostalgia. As you add Nostalgia to a recipe, just hold on to a warm memory of auld lang syne, and the sentiment will be conveyed to the recipe. On an assembly line, this raises a unique problem. If the alchemist using the Nostalgia is distracted, you may find your potion conveys the feeling of that one time your drunk uncle showed up at Thanksgiving, even when you told him not to. So one of your aunts had to stay in a hotel. And one of the kids overheard the arguing and started crying. Everyone made the best of it, but it was awkward. And these are by far NOT the worst possible outcomes.
Elf Tears make potions taste indescribably delicious. They are very expensive. Elves as a society have generally solved their social problems and have acquired great wealth and knowledge - and so unhappy Elves who still have vestigial tear ducts are very rare. Today, most elf tears are artificial; harvested from an elf who has taken a Draught of Depression. But the taste just isn't quite the same. Sometimes, authentic elf tears can be found bottled in a long-forgotten, ancient chest.
Phlebotinum. is included in literally any potion that ends up being necessary to advance the plot. It is rare. See Applied Phlebotinum
Bromide increases the effect of the potion based on the manufacturer's Charisma. If the Charisma of the individual who manufactured the Bromide changes, their potions are impacted immediately, and retroactively. Thus it is very important to buy a Certified Organic Bromide, from a company that invests in charismatic staff! It'd be like Laverne & Shirley (Intro) S1 (1976) but with alchemists on an assembly line. (Bromide: A trite and unoriginal idea or remark, typically intended to soothe or placate.)
Pumpkin Spice. It's seasonal. Doubles resale value.
Orgone. Used for potions that control weather, or to add a weather-based area of effect to a potion.

Defective Products. These may be produced instead of the intended product, if the ingredients are mixed incorrectly:

Prima Materia. A shimmering fluid that is created when equal parts of all six magic elements are combined into one flask. It was incorrectly conceived that this would lead to the creation of the Philosopher's Stone. In truth, prima material exists for several seconds of extreme beauty, then explodes violently, fills the room with a foul vapor, and turns the potion an off-grey color before melting through the table beneath it.

Recipes

(Nothing yet.)

Labels

Commercially produced potions have expressive, scripted, ornate labels designed to encourage consumers. They are typically accompanied by excessive claims and slogans.

Ancient potions, such as those discovered in dungeon areas, tend not to have nice labels. One must deduce their properties from the material properties of the fluid inside (which is quite possible once the rules are understood), or take them to an alchemist for identification (at a steep price).

The Enhance Label spell is a closely guarded secret, because it is one of the most lucrative spells, and it is a service that is very much in demand among high-level dungeon adventurers. Even when one knows the rules, having a high-level potion certified by an alchemist may mean the difference between imbibing a curative or a poison. Confusions become more likely and more dangerous at higher levels of potion.

Wizard Duels

"Poison" is a duel settled among multiple wizards, on the pretext of being a drinking game, whereby all wizards consume potions mixed by another wizards, with the available ingredients limited by prior agreement. These games produce a tell-tale glowing, grey fluid. All duelists simultaneously drink the potion mixed by their opponent(s).

The effects are nearly always strange or excessive, and the last wizard standing wins. If a wizard has become a reverse centaur, a crate of orangutans, or a plate of sausages, that is acceptable. But if a wizard cannot somehow mix and consume a potion, when it is required by the game, they are immediately disqualified. Games rarely advance into round 3.

This game is widely shunned in polite wizarding society. It is, however, a major betting event when it occurs at Checkov's Tavern.

Implementation

Potions are rendered in visible layers and are gravity-responsive in gameplay. We use the following to render them: Real Liquid X - Liquid Material & Blueprint. You can see the effects demonstrated in this video: Real Liquid X Introduction Video - Unreal Marketplace Asset