Advanced Alchemy

Written by Tilly Grumpleston Chompsford II, a notable halfling alchemical prodigy and one of the chairpeople of the Pickler’s Guild.

Basics in Alchemy

In this instructional manual you will find the basics of the alchemical art. Alchemy is always changing and evolving as we learn new methods and more efficient recipes. It can be dangerous work though, it is a common occurrence for research alchemical labs to explode! But that is why you bought this book, so you can perform the tried and true alchemical recipes that are safe and easy. A note before preceding, alchemy can be a costly trade, if you are looking to go into the alchemy business it is wise to first make sure you can source all the various ingredients. Common ingredients are easy enough to find in the market in a big city, but the rarest ingredients often need to be sourced from those who specialize in harvesting the dangerous to get or exotic ingredients.

The most basic part of potion making is creating the substrate. Every potion uses the same type of enchanted substrate, which is made from an alchemical reagent of any property being distilled. The distillation process takes about an hour, and most field kits can do up to five at a time, turning any two reagents into a dose of substrate. There are also larger distillation and more efficient distillation equipment available, but those are not portable and tend to be more pricey. Potions require one dose of substrate for each other ingredient in the potion. Otherwise it takes about 30 minutes to make each potion, noting that more advanced potions require a basic potion as a starting point, so sometimes you need to account for time for the first potion to brew. It should be noted, that if you are using a finished potion in another alchemical recipe, that you do not need to count that potion as an ingredient for the purpose of balancing substrate.

Let’s start with the most common types of potions; healing potions. Healing potions are a versatile potion that has a lot of everyday uses. There are five different types of healing potions, and each of these start with a simple base, any regent classified as Restorative. For the three basic ones, Lesser Healing, Healing, and Greater Healing potions you just need one, two and four Restorative reagents for the potion. Superior and Supreme potions each need an additional Restorative reagent as well as one and three of Elysium Thistles or vials of Unicorn Blood, respectively. So, for example, a Supreme healing potion would need eight doses of substrate, any five Restorative reagents, and three of either unicorn blood or elysium thistles (or any combination of those two).

Now once we get to the Supreme Healing potions we can then take it a step further. The Supreme Healing potion is the base for all the advanced healing potions. Each of these have several things in common, they require another five Restorative reagents be added, as well as the rare Snowlilly. Once you have those two additions now all you need is to finish it off. Adding a magical eye, such as a Cloaked or Aberrant Eye will permanently cure someone of blindness. Wretched Vocal Chords or Cursed Tongues does the same for muteness and a Stinking Bogerry will make a potion that restores smell. An Amorphous Heart will be needed if you wish to make the potion restore a limb. Similarly, a single Unicorn Blood or elysium thistle may be added to a Greater or Superior healing potions respectively to make Lesser and Greater Restoration potions.

Similarly, another common potion is the mana potion, which can be created in similar strengths to the healing potion. Lesser Mana, Mana, and Greater Mana potions are made with any two, four, or six arcane reagents combined with one Shadow, Primal, or Elemental reagents. Superior and Supreme Mana potions have the same base as a Greater Mana potion, with the exception that both need any combination of three of the following, Fey Orchids, Warpblood, Will-o-wisp, or Amorphous Hearts. Supreme also needs a Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, or Abyssal Pearl.

Advanced Alchemy

Now we come to some more advanced potions. We will begin with the elemental pair, two potions using elemental cores. For these potions the type of elemental core you put into the potions will affect the type of potion created. For example, when adding a Freezing Primal Core into your Weapon Oil, it will create Frigid Weapon Oil. The two elemental potions are Weapon Oil and Resistance potions, one that coats your weapon to do more damage and the other to reduce specific types of damage taken. Weapon Oil requires 3 elemental reagents and 2 primal cores of the same type. Resistance Potions require 5 elemental reagents and 1 primal core. A potion that has a similar use to the Resistance Potion, is the Digestive Potion, which increases the effectiveness of herbs that grant you temporary health by fivefold. To make this potion you need 3 elemental and 3 restorative reagents.

A Potion of Darkvision will allow you to see in the dark and is made with 2 arcane and 2 shadow reagents. The Potion of Water Breathing allows you to breath underwater for an hour and require 1 primal and 1 elemental reagent along with a stand of krakenkelp. Potions of Invisibility can be made with 5 shadow reagents and one cloaked or aberrant eye. Giant’s Strength Potions give you the strength of…well giants, and is made with 5 primal reagents as well as two of any combination of varl horn, warp blood, or ancient hide. A Potion of Flying can be made with 5 elemental reagents and 3 enchanted feathers.

One of the strongest potions, the Potion of Speed, similar to a wizard's haste spell, is made with 5 primal and arcane reagents combined with 1 fey orchid and 1 frogstool. Along with this potion, I have developed some powerful potions myself. The Potion of Wild Magic will grant a random magic effect when consumed. It is made by combining one of each six types of reagent. The Potion of Dreams will give the imbiber fantastical dreams that may be prophetic…but no guarantees. It is made with three of each of the following types of reagent; arcane, primal, shadow. Finally, my favorite potion, the rope trick potion that helps you make a quick escape. It’s made with 2 death and shadow reagents, an aberrant tentacle and a gripping claw.