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 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.
Steps: 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.

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.

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.