Naively Simple Alchemy

Alchemy; as simple as I can make it and have a system that is still loosely playable. 

PDF HERE

All Potions require 4 things;

1. An Oil (1 item slot, provides adjective)

2. A Powder (1 item slot, provides noun/verb)

3. A Catalyst (1 item slot, provides tone + potency)

4. Alchemical Equipment (1 encumbrance slot)

How to make a Potion:

All things can be reduced to either Oils or Powders by use of Alchemical 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.

Alternate 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

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.

 

On Catalysts and Tones:

Catalysts come in many forms. They are special things (or even places) that make the potion work – something vaguely magical or extraordinarily masterwork, something that could theoretically hold, move, stir or affect the potion in some way can be a Catalyst. Catalysts are often bespoke, predefined items. Players shouldn’t be able to pull out a troll’s fang or an orc’s finger and convince the DM it is a Catalyst. Catalysts should be rare. They should be something heard about in rumours; not bought in a shop.

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 site where they will emerge from their random teleportation.

It’s trickier to improv in the moment but if a potions flavour (Gothic, Ethereal) can have a potential gameplay effect, all the better. For example, a Gothic teleport leaves smoke and a smell, an Ethereal teleport is still random but can be more predictable.

Interesting Catalyst modifying words could be Hot, Cursed, Hideous, Alien, Hallucinatory, Bizarre, Light, Aggressive, Wild, Heavenly and so on, any word that is evocative to you, Tone could even be several words if you find that easier. The player won’t know and can only intuit Tone based on their experimentation.

Aliens.

Aliens. Here are three race-as-classes based on different varieties of supposed alien species. The classic ‘Nordic’ or Pleiadean type, the Men in Black and the infamous Reptilians. These classes are not just suitable for Science-Fiction and Science-Fantasy games and could easily be used in more typical fantasy, weird tales or pulp games. The Pleiadeans become Atlanteans or inner-earth Agarthans, The Men in Black become Bogeymen and the Reptilians become Robert E. Howard's Serpent Men. 

PDF

Pleiadean, Nordic, Agarthan or Atlantean

Tall, blonde and benevolent. Pleiadeans are physically and mentally superior, a perfect race. Vain and unintentionally sinister, the Pleiadeans appear devoted to peace, progress and enlightenment for all sentient life.

HD: d8

Attacks: as Magic-User

Saves: as Elf

Level: as Fighter

Alignment: Lawful

Special: All stats must be 11 or above

Perfected Beings: Pleiadeans are biologically capable of physical and mental perfection. Every level increase a modifier of your choice by 1 to a maximum total of +5. Your actual stat does not increase in size or number.

Telepathy: Pleiadeans are capable of two-way telepathy with beings they can see. They can communicate via known languages or share emotions.

Controlled Biology: Pleiadeans have conquered the mortal condition and suffer no penalties from ageing and receive +2 on saving throws vs disease.  

 

Indrid Cold by 6nillion

Man In Black or Bogeyman

Men in Black or MIB are peculiar beings with uncanny faces. Beings in dated black formalwear. No one knows what they are doing, who they are or what they want, but they have something to do with the lights in sky. They are creatures of unreality and chaos. They may not even exist outside of our minds.

HD: d6

Attacks: as Magic-User                        

Saves: as Thief

Level: as Thief

Alignment: Chaotic

High Strangeness: A number of times per day equal to your level unleash High Strangeness. Each time, roll 2d100 on the High Strangeness table, present the two words to the DM. You and the DM then combine these words to affect the current scene or your character in some wild, strange, dreamlike fashion. These effects last an amount of time depending on their potency. Potent effects last a round per level and less potent changes as long as the MIB is present. The words can be interpreted in any order and some need to be specified by the player, such as colour or emotion. Some results may be cerebral or silly. Always go with your first instincts to ensure pace. Not every effect is useful.

Effects could be strange objects pulled from pockets, things or people summoned from the sky or the shadows. Effects could be mental or physical - real and imaginary. High Strangeness can target the MIB, someone else or sometimes everyone (if in doubt select randomly) or they can change the environment or things within the environment. Theoretically anything is possible.

This High Strangeness ability is also triggered whenever a MIB is critically hit, reduced to 0 HP and on character death.

Grey: At 9^th level your poor human pretences fade away. You are no longer a Man in Black but a Grey. You shed you black clothing revealing a grey spindly body, beneath your hat is a grey bulbous head in which are embedded two wide and cold black eyes. You can change height at will being either lanky and tall or as short as a halfling.

Telepathy: From 9^th level a Grey is able to speak telepathically with any sentient creature within its line of sight but is no longer able to speak verbally.

Pretend Person: Nothing about an MIB is real, their human disguises are poor and knowledge limited. MIB’s do not need to eat, drink or sleep but can attempt to do so if they wish. The result is stilted and unnatural – a bad act.

Unnatural: Men in Black spook animals and suffer -2 to reaction rolls with them. 

Find the High Strangeness table in the PDF linked to above or HERE.

Reptilian or Serpent Man

Hailing from beyond the stars or deep within the Earth, the Reptilians are a primordial race. Ancient, even when men first began to emerge from apedom. A powerful and distant species with a cold and sharp intelligence, the Reptilians are masters of the material and immaterial and using their shape-changing abilities they have infiltrated the highest rungs of human society. Their only weakness; their insatiable dependence on blood.

HD: d4

Attacks: as Magic-User

Saves: as Elf

Level: as Elf

Alignment: Chaotic

Alien Biology: Reptilians start with a +1 modifier bonus to Strength and Intelligence stats.

Shapeshifter: Reptilians start with one alternate human form; this form is unique. On every third level (3rd, 6th, 9th) the Reptilian receives an additional human form. These additional forms must be copies of existing people the reptilian has seen. The Reptilian can shift between these forms at will. 

Claw attack: Whilst in its reptile form, the reptilian can slash with its claws for 2d4 damage.

Hated: When in reptile form, Reptilians suffer -2 to reaction rolls.

Blood Magic: Reptilians start with 1 spell and gain 1 spell per level as a magic-user of the same level and an equal amount of spell slots. These spell slots can be used in two ways. Whenever spell slots become available the Reptilian can bind a known spell (they bind a known spell any number of times). For each spell slot currently bound a Reptilian gains +2 HP and +1 to their attack bonus. When the spell is cast this bonus is lost.

Reptilians do not regain spells like other spellcasters. To regain lost spell slots a Reptilian must drink the blood of sentient creatures. One spell-slot is regained per HD of the creature being drained. You cannot regain more spell slots per day than your current level.  

Haemovore: Reptilians can consume blood instead of rations.

A City of Sin, A Shining Gomorrah, or; the industrial process by which man is removed from the influence of the gods. ‘Do what thou wilt’ shall be the effect of this pill!

An additional innovation for Skerple's Magical Industrial Revolution. The innovations are broken down into six steps, each ramping up progress towards an world ending event. Will your players help or hinder the apocalypse?

Art by Heinrich Kley

1. Initial Innovation

Until now Alasdair Creedlee was known as a petty occultist conman, an effete lothario and notorious self-abuser. Alasdair, an incendiary hedonist, has forever railed against the authority of the church, it’s god and its moral prescriptions. For years he has been vying to escape the influence of the divine, to impugn god, but now he claims to have succeeded. One night, after dallying with sailors, he was gifted a cursed ring that had been smuggled out from some decadent desert kingdom, the ring of Ra-Har-Akht. The ring grants an immunity clerical magic (Save against all clerical magic with a +4 bonus. On success, the magic has no effect). It was almost perfect but while Creedlee couldn’t replicate the ring’s effect to spread his crusade, he could use it in a grand lie. He’d claim the effect of the ring was the result of a new pill that he had invented. A placebo, the pill purports to temporally sever one’s connection to the divine, leaving them to sin freely and it ‘not count’.

2. Public Introduction

The pills are easily produced, a handful or cheap alchemical ingredients, some very weak hallucinogens and a phony chant to bless the batch. The pills are somewhat harder to sell. Alasdair and his gang of occultists flaunt about the city being nuisances. Unsurprisingly, the pills only circulate among Creedlee’s cult but not much further. Alasdair wants money. An audacious marketing strategy is called for. Creedlee – drunk and accompanied by a pair of statuesque prostitutes lord into the grand cathedral and interrupt the High-Inquisitor’s communion. Creedlee is protected by his ring so the Inquisitor’s spells bounce harmlessly off of him. Alasdair knocks the Inquisitor to the ground and throws a handful of pills into the congregation. By Jove Alasdair’s actually done it! News spreads through the city like wildfire, a pill that lets you do anything you want. People are curious.

3. Widespread Adoption

The pills are condemned widely but the illicit trade is proscribed in name only and bans are unenforced. The pills are fun and besides, these are revolutionary times. We should put those antiquated ideals behind us and make some real progress. Pill-pushers stand on every street corner and middle-class wastrels swan around doing as they please with general disregard for wider society. People are becoming ruder, they blaspheme openly. Festivities are increasingly boisterous and immoral and the crime rate ticks ever higher.

4. Scope Alteration

The pills are a hit. Casual usage is commonplace and accepted. Lords and politicians are taking them to commit acts of infidelity and their wives are taking them for the same reason. The pills are legalised. To meet the market’s demand, the production of these pills must be fully industrialised. Industrialists are supportive even if they don’t understand how the magic works (just trust Alasdair – the magic’s far too complicated). From a certain point of view producing the pills could be doubly profitable. The church teaches things about human rights and morality, environmentalism and anti-materialism. All things that could have been impeding a corporations’ profits for all this time, well no longer. In the street, one lone man, bedraggled with a tatty book of holy scripture in hand, shouts ‘The end is nigh! Repent!’ but is drowned out by pill hawkers and the roar of hellish furnaces.

5. Height of Ambition

Everyone takes the pills and you’re vilified if you don’t. Societal function and norms fall by the wayside. Lotharistic hedonism is the law of the land. The city is awash with sin and incredibly dangerous. To an outsider the inhabitants of the city are monstrous. Industrialism runs rampant, pollution spouts into the streets and church halls are bulldozed or repurposed into factories. Wicked bacchanalian horrors are perpetrated publicly. Still, there have been strange happenings in the city as of late. Pale men in black flowing robes have been seen in the city. They linger atop the spires of ruined churches and belching smoke stacks, no one knows their origin only that they are watching us. Judging. We’ve tried shooting at them with no success, they whisper at us to ‘repent’ so we shoot at them some more.

6. Terminal Events

Something is wrong. Our souls feel heavy. Cool whispers wend through the streets. We can hear a soft ancient exhale over the thrum of our powerful machinery. It is not drowned out by our raucous festivities, our drums and shrill flutes. Those scant few who know what is happening, who have no swallowed the pills, flee to the gutted churches for refuge. The breath sweeps aside the heavy smog that pervades the city and a shining light is revealed in the now clear night sky. It’s a man. A man with a golden trumpet. A single clear tone rings through the city as he plays - the machines seize up. The lamps go out. The sky darkens as the stars disappear. The moon grows black. It starts slowly at first, from the heavens a tendril of fire descends, a pillar of flame strikes the heart of the city. Then another. And another. The ground shakes and cracks. The wailing of the citizenry is matched by the wailing rising from the depths of the earth. Nightmares crawl out of the polluted streets and prance wickedly through the chaos. The city is dragged, quite literally, to hell. 

The Pills

How to placebo your players? Each pill supposedly lasts 24 hours. Should a player take one explain that “there isn’t really a mechanic for sin but you can have a +1 on rolls to do naughty things if you want”. If a player inquires about magical immunity, be vague and hint that you might be altering numbers on your side of the DM’s screen when in actuality you aren’t.