Alchemist

*Hunched over a workbench, fumes pouring through the windows; the alchemist sits. He understands the world is made out of baser elements and, with the right formula, he seeks to create wonders.*

## **Alchemist**

### **Summary**

The alchemist is rarely gifted with the strong back needed for physical labour, or the wealth accumulated as a craftsman. He is, however, blessed with a talent for prying into the world, finding out how things work and what makes them tick.

An alchemist will create potions, tonics, salves and other tinctures. By the breaking down, distilling, condensing and other such methods, of various ingredients, he can determine their effect on the body. By taking careful note of these effects, he can combine them and re-arrange them to his will.

All players will have access to brewing stands, necessary to create potions. Unlike other professions, alchemy is a highly secretive and often secluded craft. Only characters who have had some sort of alchemy training in their past, would feasibly be knowledgeable enough to make potions.

As with all professions, a good knowledge of how the profession works in real life is useful, but not necessary. In the case of alchemy, you may wish to find recipes of various potions, terminology and equipment in order to enhance your craft.

### **Tools Of The Trade**

An alchemist will dedicate most of his time to his brewing stand.

An alchemist's main tool will be the brewing stand. With this, he will be able to create any potion that is mechanically available within the game. They will often work together with others in order to harvest the resources required; as they are usually hard to obtain.

An experienced alchemist, as he delves into the various possibilities of his craft, may create a number of bespoke glass tools in order to facilitate his experiments; alembics, retorts and flasks of all sizes may clutter an alchemist's workspace.

### **Types Of Alchemist**

The vast myriad of potions and elixirs require an immense amount of time and knowledge in order to understand and create them all. The alchemist may seek his goals down a specific path, sticking to preferred methods, or simply cataloging the effects of a certain object.

Alchemists will have to concoct simple potions to further their understanding of particular ingredients.

An alchemist is not limited to any set style, but they may choose a way ideally suited to them. A vindictive alchemist may research potions, whilst another may spend their time brewing healing potions. Elven alchemists may study the effects of plants, whilst a Dwarven one might mix concoctions from the minerals around him.

### **The Laboratory**

Every enterprising alchemist requires a suitable workspace. Unlike most craftsmen, whose work is relatively safe, an alchemist may create something that endangers the lives of those around him. On the other hands, most alchemists tend to keep their work and research secret, lest it falls into the wrong hands. With these things in mind, they will usually set up a workshop in a quiet part of town, or even outside the city walls.

An alchemists workshop, or laboratory, will usually have a number of rooms suited for practising his craft, without the need to leave for extended periods of time. Gardens for creating various floral ingredients, rooms with rows of brewing stands or cooking rooms filled with glass utensils are all common.

Rarely, alchemists will form groups and pool their collective research together. The need for separate working spaces, however, usually ends with them building larger universities or colleges in order to study.

### **Custom Potions**

Once an alchemist has exhausted the range of common potions, he may extend his vision outwards; either to creating his own, or to determining the effects of various ingredients.

A skilled alchemist will be able to brew potions with a range of potential uses.

The knowledge and research required for such acts is vast, some practitioners having hundreds of books, research notes and experiment logs for a mere few potions.

However, once an alchemist understands the properties of certain objects inside-out, they may create whatever they set their mind to. Potions that enable the drinker to fight with the strength of a hundred men, undetectable poisons, acids that can melt stone and metal or potions that can bring back the dead; all may be attained with the correct procedures.

As with all custom items, a  **Storyteller** will need to be involved in brewing a custom potion. This may range from a simple mixture of water and plant residue, to determine it's base effect, to a complex mixture of ingredients.

The Storyteller will often insist that time and effort be expended in order to achieve the desired effects, with most of that being put into research and note-taking.

The life of an alchemist is often a solitary and scholarly one, but ever-lasting glory may be yours.