Alchemy

Learning Alchemy

Alchemy is a magic system using the innate magical properties of things in the world, rather than magic within the caster. The “Spells” of alchemy are referred to as Formulas. Each Formula may be purchased like a spell. To begin learning Alchemy it is Required that a character have a Library Rank 1, an Alchemic Book or Contacts Rank 1: Alchemic Teacher and Alchemy Skill at least at rank 1. This is what will be checked against when making Formulas.

Stability

Alchemy is inherently unstable. Every ingredient has a “Stability Rating” The total number of this rating is the number of checks that must be made on the Formula. The check is made against the Alchemist’s Alchemy Skill rating. If the Alchemist has a higher Alchemy skill than the Stability rating, then it automatically succeeds. If the Alchemist fails all checks, then the Formula fully fails. If the Alchemist has at least once success, then the Formula will work, but it will have an “Unstable effect” which is at the discretion of the Storyteller. It is likely to have a strange side effect or wear off unexpectedly. Base ingredients used raw will only have an “Unstable effect,” not a complete failure.

Increasing Stability

Advantage: If the Alchemist uses the Advantage Workshop: Alchemic, then they can reduce the number of stability checks by their rank in this Advantage. 
Alignment: Formulas with ingredients that are all one Element alignment or containing one of each Element alignment, reduce their Stability by 1.
Processing: A Step taken that does not add an ingredient but rather Processes the existing ingredients. Such as, Boiling, Baking, Distilling, Chilling, grilled, roasted, reduce, dehydrate, steeped, mashed, fried, charred, let rest, ferment. Each step that is used reduces the Stability rating by 1, but only one Step may be done per Ingredient. 

Multiple methods may be used, but the Alchemist must complete a minimum of 1 check if the Formula Exceeded their Alchemy Skill before Increasing stability.

Carrier: A substance that is not alchemic that makes the formula easier to use or more palatable. It does not change anything about the function or stability of the formula. For example, putting the formula into a sweet syrup.

Combo Magic

Elemental and Alchemical Magic combine very well. Alchemical ingredients can be used in Elemental magic as rare components, which adds to the overall Spell rating by 1 per stability rating and generally adds their effect to the base of the Elemental spell. Conversely, Elemental spells can be added to an Alchemic formula in place of an ingredient, but without any stability rating of its own. This will also get the effect of the Alchemic Ingredient and the Elemental spell. 

Formulas

These are a known set of instructions to produce a known effect. Because they are Known by the alchemist, only 1 check must be made per Level of Formula. Formulas are bought with EXP at a rating of 8 EXP per Rank.  
 

Rank 1 Formulas generally have 1-3 Ingredients. 
Rank 2 Formulas generally have 4-5 Ingredients. 
Rank 3 Formulas generally have 5-7 Ingredients. 
Rank 4 Formulas generally have 7-9 Ingredients. 
Rank 5 Formulas generally have 9-12 Ingredients.

Stacking Formulas

All of Alchemy is inherently unstable, and most formulas do not play well with each other. As such, for every Rank of Formula that is taken together internally, the user will lose access to one Resilience at the end of the encounter until the end of the next encounter or until they have rested for about 4 hours. The actual side effects are specific to the formula and can range wildly from things like nausea and vomiting to inability to breathe effectively and maintain proper body temperature. These are officially determined by the storyteller, but are in essence flavor. The Mechanical effect is always the same.

If the character reaches 0 resilience, they are incapacitated for the scene. They may be too sick to function, hallucinating or physically incapable of standing upright, depending on the formula. The player may spend a Determination to be treated as a 1 Resilience. They stay on their feet but are sick as a dog and will need rest. The Fae Strength Card may be used to recover a single resilience, but no method but time will recover any more. 

Ingredient Information

Ingredient Types 
Base: An ingredient with an alchemic effect. Can be used by itself called,” Raw.” 
Catalyst: An ingredient that does not have its own base effect, but when added with another ingredient of any type, has an effect. 
Modifier: An ingredient that does not have its own base effect, but strengthens, weakens or otherwise changes the effects of other ingredients.  
 
Stability rating: Number of checks needed when making a formula. These add together. So, more ingredients, more chances for the Formula to fail.  
Effect: what the ingredient is known to do. 
Element: What element the ingredient aligns with.  
Source: How easy it is to find 
Value: What you expect to buy or sell it for

Getting Alchemic Ingredients

Alchemic ingredients are all over the natural world, but also in markets, private collections and even sometimes in the trash! When in any situation that a character might be able to gather any type of good, there is a chance that they may acquire an Alchemic Ingredient, even if they have no Alchemic Skill. In these situations, if a player would like to purposefully find any Alchemic Ingredient they can, they must declare that, and then may make their regular checks. Successes will yield Alchemic Ingredients that make sense for that method. For Example, a Survival Check or Use of Bushcraft in a Moutain area would easily yield Edelweiss. For Ingredients that are not Abundant or Common, a player must have an Alchemic Skill rating and will only be able to Check for an Alchemic Ingredient the number of times they have in Alchemic Skill. Alchemic Contacts are also a good source of Ingredients and might be required if the Ingredient is rare, from a distant area or is only found in Cultivation. Ingredients listed are at the lowest effective dose, more may be added for stronger effects. 

Formula Activation

Formulas generally do not activate immediately upon completion, but rather lay dormant, at the ready until they are activated. There are many methods of activation, and these do not have a mechanical effect, so they are mostly up to the player.

Many Formulas are taken internally. If the formula affects the skill or attributes of the user, then it must be “given to the body.” While this is not necessarily actually ingested- it could be placed on the skin for example. Autonomous formulas work on their own without need of being ingested or placed into anything. In other words, the Formula itself produces the reaction. These might be environmental changes, like producing light or heat. These might be shaken, blown into the air, or rubbed on the object. Furthermore, most any formula can be applied to an object to contain the effect of the Formula until it is needed, called Tethering, which is like an Enchantment, but only contains the dose for the formula it was given. This allows many creative applications of a formula, rather than just drinking it.