Concept
The craft of awakened alchemy centers around making substances known as Gross Matter, material capable of containing the energy of a spell so that it can be released later. There are various types of Gross Matter, from potions to pills, each of which can contain a different type of magic.
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Synthesizing Alchemical Items
Prerequisites: 'Alchemcal Lab' merit at 1 or more
Making Gross Matter requires the right raw material (represented by the aforementioned Merit), and then enhancing them with the right spell so that it can now be used to store magic. Various rules and mechanics apply to this process:
- Every casting of the spell manufactures one or more doses of the same type of Gross Matter, known as one 'batch'. Also known as 'synthesizing'
- Each batch is designed to contain one specific spell, and no other spells can be cast into it. The creator does't have to be able to cast the intended spell himself, however
- The process of storing a spell in the material is known as 'Imprinting', and can be performed by anyone capable of casting Awakened spells.
- Without Imprinting it with a spell, a piece of Gross Matter lasts for approximately 18 months after manufacture if it's stored well. Treat similarly to food preservation.
- The Duration of the Gross Matter determines how long the item lasts after spell has been Imprinted. Once this time has passed, the alchemy has deteriorated so much that it becomes useless, the magic dissipating harmlessly.
- The 'Alchemical Lab' merit gives a +1 bonus per dot on casting the spells used to manufacture Gross Matter
- The 'Alchemy' skill specialty in Occult gives a +1 bonus on casting the spells manufacture Gross Matter
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The Alchemical Lab
Whenever a character tries to make Gross Matter for a spell he hasn't tried before he has to roll pool of dice equal to his dots in Alchemical Lab while the ST rolls a dice pool equal to the level of the spell the player is trying to create a new recipie for. If the mage gets fewer successes it means his workshop doesn't have what he needs, and he has to go on a quest for the missing ingredient
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Spell: Manufacture (Item Type); Matter 3
Practice: Weaving
Action: Extended
Duration: Special; the spell and resulting item itself are both Lasting, but effects are Prolonged, as stated above
Aspect: Covert
Cost: 1 Mana
Rote Pools: Generally Int + Medicine or Science, depending on if it affects the organic or inorganic
Effect: The targeted raw materials are transformed into the intended Gross Matter, ready to absorb a spell when it's cast into the substance.
Successes can also be devoted to making more doses with one casting, according to this table:
| Target Number | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doses | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
*Add 2 extra successes to the target for each extra dose after this
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Imprinting Spells
- When imprinting Gross Matter, cast the spell with all factors determined as if using it in the field, and then target it on the Gross Matter in question. All costs are paid by the caster during imprinting.
- The Gross Matter can't be Imprinted with spells that have higher Potency than that scored on the alchemical item itself. This means that the Imprinting results are capped by the creation successes. Scoring more doesn't cause the process to fail, however, but any scored successes over this limit are lost.
- Imprinted spells can't benefit from Advanced Prolongation duration, even if the caster has the required Arcanum knowledge
- Carrying Gross Matter does not count towards spell tolerance. Once they are used and the spell within affects someone, however, spell tolerance is affected as normal.
- Without the 'Alchemy' skill specialty in Occult the process of Imprinting suffers a -2 penalty
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The types of Gross Matter
| Item | Effects it can be Imprinted with | Rote Dice Pool | Required Arcana |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | Boosting, degrading or changing inorganic materials | Int + Science/Occult + Matter | Matter 3 |
| Spray | Harming or influencing a being | Int + Medicine + Matter | Matter 3 |
| Salve | Protecting a being from harm or influence | Int + Medicine + Matter | Life 2 + Matter 3 |
| Powder | Spells with area effects | Int + Science/Occult + Matter | Forces 2 + Matter 3 |
| Medication | Boosting physical traits or healing the body | Int + Medicine + Matter | Life 2 + Matter 3 |
| Drop | Conveying information or altering perceptions | Int + Medicine + Matter | Life 2 + Matter 3 |
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Using Alchemical Items
- Affecting someone with a spray during combat requires the character to be within melee range of his victim and succeeding on an attack roll of Dexterity + Brawl/Firearms + equipment bonus 3 - target's Defense.
- Medicine (time-delay rules & details will be inserted here later on)
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See also
A quick-reference document for all this: Awakened Alchemy Sheet
To list of magic systems
