Naively Simple Alchemy
All things can be reduced to either Oils or Powders by use of Alchemical
Alchemy; as simple as I can make it and have a
system that is still loosely playable.
Still probably too simple.
All Potions require 4 things;
1. A Powder (1 item slot, provides adjective)
2. An Oil (1 item slot, provides noun/verb)
3. A Catalyst (1 item slot, provides tone + potency)
4. Alchemical Equipment (1 encumbrance slot)
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How to make a Potion:
Equipment. These substances produce a single, unchanging effect based on what
they were derived from. At its simplest, Oils provide an adjective effect and
Powders denote a particular verb or noun. A single Oil and a single Powder are
combined to create a potion, the effects of any potion are the combination of
the Adjective and Verb/Noun.
For example, an amateur adventuring alchemist slays two Blink-Dogs and reduces
one into an Oil and the other into a Powder using his alchemical equipment.
Using his Alchemical Equipment, he is aware of the effect the Blink-Dog Oil
and Blink-Dog Powder will bring to any particular potion. (These effects are
improv’d by the DM)
Blink-Dog Oil = Capricious
Blink-Dog Powder = Teleport
Having discovered these effects, he (and the DM) log the effects into a
codified alchemical grimoire for future reference. Before the Alchemist can
make his Capricious Teleport potion (drinking this potion will cause random
teleportation), he must select a Catalyst. Catalysts are rare and collectable
magical artifacts that allow and modify the synthesis of potions. Catalysts
dictate the Tone and Potency (and flavour) of the Potion. (the effect of Catalysts
are known only to the DM)
The Alchemist only has one Catalyst, A Hand of Glory, a Catalyst of medium
potency that makes potions Gothic. It takes 4 hours to distil a potion, but
when complete the potion is recorded as ‘Potion of Capricious Teleport (Hand
of Glory)’. The Catalyst used, means that this Potion will last for 10
minutes and each teleport will be accompanied by a cloud of black, sulphurous
vapour and an almost silent screaming sound.
Additional Addenda:
Oils and Powders are used up during potion distillation.
Catalysts (unless specified) remain unconsumed
Alchemical Equipment is never consumed.
Potions only ever have two ingredients, 1 Oil and 1 Powder.
Unless very large, most creatures or objects can only be
reduced into a single batch of a single ingredient.
Item weights if using a Coin based inventory system.
Oils and Powders weight 10-20 coins.
Alchemical Equipment weighs 100-150 coins.
Catalysts can come in any shape or size, 1 coin – immovable.
Exploitation of Mundane Substances:
If players attempt to use incredibly mundane Substances (like
grass) in their potions, allow them. However, reduce the
potion’s Potency by one step and think very carefully about
what effects the Oil and Powder will give. The effects should
be niche, dull and not terribly useful. Also consider the
large quantity of the mundane substance the players would
have to gather in order to produce an effectual yield of
oil/powder. Grass for example may yield;
Grass Oil = Wilt/Wilting
Grass Powder = Grass
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Potion Potency:
Potion Potency is derived from the Catalyst used to distil
the potion. The DM ultimately rules for how powerful any
potion is. However, as a guide, assign Catalysts a level;
weak, medium or powerful. A Catalyst’s Potency is known only
by the DM and is for players to work out, as with a
Catalyst’s Tone.
Some potions have instantaneous effects while other would
work for a duration, take this into account when assigning
potion effects. It would be best practice for the DM to
record specific potion effects for consistency.
Potency levels could be used thusly. Weak potions last from 1
combat round to 10, Medium potions last for 10 minutes to an
hour. Powerful potions last anywhere between one day and a
month. Some potion effects would be instant, Catalysts would
affect this too. Damage is assigned thusly, weak Catalyst =
1d4, powerful = 1d20 and medium; any die in between. Anything
else (such as if a potion effects or creates a volume of
something) would be up to the DM’s discretion.
 It’s trickier to improv in the moment but if a potions
On Catalysts and Tones: flavour (Gothic, Ethereal) can have a potential gameplay
Catalysts come in many forms. They are special things (or effect, all the better. For example, a Gothic teleport leaves
even places) that make the potion work – something vaguely smoke and a smell, an Ethereal teleport is still random but
magical or extraordinarily masterwork, something that could can be more predictable.
theoretically hold, move, stir or affect the potion in some
Interesting Catalyst modifying words could be Hot, Cursed,
way can be a Catalyst. Catalysts are often bespoke,
Hideous, Alien, Hallucinatory, Bizarre, Light, Aggressive,
predefined items. Players shouldn’t be able to pull out a
Wild, Heavenly and so on, any word that is evocative to you,
troll’s fang or an orc’s finger and convince the DM it is a
Tone could even be several words if you find that easier. The
Catalyst. Catalysts should be rare. They should be something
player won’t know and can only intuit Tone based on their
heard about in rumours; not bought in a shop.
experimentation.
Examples of Catalysts could include things like a Unicorn's
Horn, a Cursed Alchemist's Ladle, an Elven Gossamer-Funnel,
an Angelic Drinking Chalice ... an Atlantean Whisk? An entire
dungeon could be a powerful Catalyst, with a chute or trough
running from one end of the dungeon to the other. Pour the
potion in one end and collect the finished potion from the
other.

Tone descriptors derived from Catalysts are words that affect

how a potion's effects manifest. Sloshing a potion of
Capricious Teleport through an Elven Gossamer-Funnel might
make it Ethereal. So, the random teleportation that happens
when the potion is imbibed is slow and ghostly, it takes 1
round to ‘complete’ a teleport, during this time an astral
image of the teleporter is seen floating through the air
towards the sight where they will emerge from their random
teleport.

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