Byron Alexander

Right, it is now among GM resources in rtf for those who want it. Oh, and I added the explanation I gave above about what seperates minor from major substances since I thought it would be useful for people expanding on them.

If you like, sure. Can anyone put stuff in the download section or do you need me to send you an rtf file or something? Harshax, Thanks. I have heard of The Complete Alchemist but never seen a copy.

(Emphasis mine) I think the highlighted bit is the point here. Personally, I wouldn't at all enjoy a game where I played myself in real life because, well, what's the point? However, a game in which I play myself in a fantasy world/zombie apocalypse/WW2 could be fun. Playing someone else in the real world might be fun as well. As I see it, while most games change both variables, you can change just one and have a fun time.

True enough. A probably-not-of-much-interest design note is that I was originally going to say something like, "This is because alchemists keep their secrets closely guarded, even among each other, and few alchemists even know that other types of Philosopher's Stone exist." This, however, poses obvious problems when two PC alchemists ride roughshod over it. I suppose case-by-case would be a reasonable extension to the rules, but it would make them more complicated. As they are written I tried to make it so that 'minor' alchemical processes created something that would be possible within natural, ordinary means. I.e. a better tool/weapon, excellent healing, plain old high damage and gaining some wealth. With the 'major' processes they all do something truly magical, something not within the purview of ordinary skills no matter at what level they may possessed : reversing ageing, flight, changing gender (OK, possible with surgery in modern settings) and seeing the spirit realm. With the Stone itself I was obviously going for very high power levels.

GMing myself I tend to go for: 2 players minimum (I don't run solo games). 4-6 players ideal. 8 players maximum. So I'd say you're right at the top end of my spectrum but, tbh, I've seen GMs that struggle with more than 4 players and GMs that can handle 10 so it really is a case of personal mileage. I don't think the rules issue will be a problem, though, as BRP rules are pretty easy to pick up imo. As long as the GM knows them well it shouldn't be an issue if the players are a bit shakey on them.

No, but then the requirements to make a 'minor' item aren't that minor either (at least a month's time, a lab and considerable risk should a fumble occur). They're only minor when compared to the others. As for the Philosopher's Stone, you can create more than one of the same type, you just can't have access to all four different types. Essentially because I feared that much potential power might be game-breaking, but the in-game explanation is that the Philosopher's Stone is your ultimate spiritual goal... and having more than one ultimate goal is a difficult feat, to say the least.

Alchemical Mishap Table D20 roll Result 1 Serious mishap, possibly an explosion. The alchemist suffers D10 damage and the lab is ruined. It will take 6 months to re-establish the lab assuming sufficient resources are available. 2-3 Poisoned. Alchemist suffers as though they have ingested a POT 10 poison. 4 Seriously poisoned. Alchemist suffers as though they have ingested a POT 20 poison. 5-6 Explosion. The alchemist was away from the lab at the time but it will take six months to re-establish the lab and may have damaged any nearby buildings. 7 Poison gas. A POT 10 poison is released into whatever building the lab is situated in. 8-9 Nothing. No mishap occurs, the process is a simple failure. 10 Mutation. The alchemist does something to their own system. Roll on the mutation table in the BRP core book (pg.105). 11-12 Nothing. No mishap occurs, the process is a simple failure. 13 Death. The alchemist accidentally kills someone other than themselves, GM decides on whom. 14-15 Injury. The alchemist injures someone other than themselves, GM decides on whom. 16-19 Minor mishap. Lab will be unuseable for a month while it is cleaned up. 20 Serendipitous discovery! The alchemist’s Craft : Alchemy skill goes up by 5%. OK, the formatting on that table never re-formats well. Still, there it is. Hope someone makes use of it, it's probably of most use in a low magic game in which there is likely to be considerable 'down time' between games, but in any game a guy with Knowledge : Occult and Medicine is likely to be of some use so I think it should be playable in virtually any game (except, y'know, Cyborg Killers From Mars future-settings).

The Philosopher’s Stone There are four types of Philosopher’s Stone; Red, Green, Blue and Gold. Most alchemists only even know of one type and none of them know how to make more than one type. Upon learning Craft : Alchemy a player must choose which kind of Philosopher’s Stone they are aiming towards. Red Alchemists that strive towards the red Philosopher’s Stone tend to be the most materialist, believing that in studying the solid, certain aspects of earth one can come to understand the workings of heaven. The red Philosopher’s Stone is a shimmering, red crystal which - when touched to any element will transform it into any other element of the alchemist’s choosing (lead into gold is most common). Effectively, possession of this Philosopher’s Stone confers infinite wealth upon. Green Alchemists that strive towards the green Philosopher’s Stone believe that transcendence and understanding of the universe will bring control over that universe and that by perfecting the earth around them with their new powers they can remake the universe as a whole. The green Philosopher’s Stone is a glowing, round green gemstone which must be swallowed in order to grant a power appropriate to the setting. This could mean any one of magic, psychic abilities, sorcery or super powers (mutations aren’t really appropriate, though might be if the GM wants to give the impression that the gem is radioactive). The character gains the power as though they had started with it and has 50 skill points to spend on it if required. They may then increase it as per normal rules. This form of the Philosopher’s Stone may be disallowed by a GM in a low magic setting, or alternatively may be the only way to achieve the relevant power in such a setting. Gold Alchemists that strive towards the golden Philosopher’s Stone seek to transcend their mortality, that in understanding earthly materials they can understand God and become immortal like God. The golden Philosopher’s Stone looks like an ordinary nugget of gold in daylight but in darkness it glows unnaturally. Like the green stone it must be swallowed to activate its power. Whoever swallows it will never age (unless caused to do so unnaturally, such as making another gold Philosopher’s Stone), never suffer from any disease and cannot be poisoned. Essentially they can only be killed by violence. Blue Alchemists that strive towards the blue Philosopher’s Stone see enlightenment as just a continuation of the lesser alchemical processes. They tend to be scholarly types who see alchemy as an end in and of itself. The blue philosopher’s stone is a blue powder (there is enough of it to be used indefinitely), a pinch of which will allow an alchemist to succeed in any minor or major alchemical operation. In addition to that the preparation time for those operations is halved.

Major Alchemical Substances Potion of Longevity An important part of alchemy is overcoming the ageing process. Ageing was seen as the result of imbalance within the mortal soul. If an alchemist could mend themselves spiritually then their physical bodies would mend also, and vice versa. Upon imbibing a potion of longevity a person becomes, physically, five years younger. They do not lose any skill points and will regain any characteristics lost to age. However, if the character’s age drops below 18 their characteristics will lower appropriately (see pg. 20 of the BRP corebook). Vapours of Flight The dark-age magic which alchemy in part grew from often involved potions of flight. Some of these were simply drug-induced hallucinations, others allowed astral projection and called it flight but it was the literal ability to fly that interested alchemists. This creates a resin which makes magical vapours when dropped in hot water. When inhaled these vapours allow a character to fly for a hour. Up to 10 people may inhale the vapours at once but all of the resin must be used - it cannot be used piecemeal to allow one person 10 hours of flight. Few people granted magical flight like this will have the Fly skill so it often becomes a crash course in flying before the characters manage to get anywhere. The flight it grants is extremely fast, about 3x a character’s maximum running speed. Gender Transformation An important part of the spiritual side to alchemy os the merging and balance between the masculine and the feminine. At the end of this six month process the alchemist changes gender. This can be done to another, willing, person but they must also dedicate six months to it and a critical success instead of a special success is required unless they also possess Craft : Alchemy of at least 05% (only another alchemist possesses the spiritual knowledge required to make the process likely to succeed). Gender transformation is permanent in as much as it can only be reversed by a similar process. Second Sight Everything exists on a physical and a spiritual plane, though most things exist more on one than the other. Mortals exist mostly on the physical plane, but the alchemist strives to achieve true balance and exist in both equally. The alchemist creates a small pill which, when taken, allows whoever ingests it to see ghosts, spirits, demons, magic or anything else setting appropriate. Unfortunately it also makes them high as a kite (which alchemists describe as ‘having less presence in the physical world’). Users suffer a temporary -2 to INT and DEX and -10% to Manipulation, Mental, Physical and Combat skills, although they gain +10% to Perception skills. Both positive and negative effects last until the character next sleeps/is knocked unconscious.

Minor Alchemical Substances Unbreakable Steel An inherent understanding of materials allows alchemists to improve those materials. Iron wants to be strong and sharp, and a trained alchemist can transfer this material’s desire into reality. An alchemist with Craft : Metallurgy or Craft : Blacksmith (or an alchemist working with someone who does) can make a tool, weapon or armour that will never break, rust or lose its edge. It must be metal; for example leather armour cannot be improved by this process. Items made in this way typically have +3 value levels. Armour made from unbreakable steel gets +3 to its armour value and weapons gain +1 damage as long as they are slashing or piercing owing to being so much sharper. Tools may gain various benefits, depending on their use. Universal Elixir “As above, so below,” is central to alchemy - what happens in heaven is reflected on earth. This expands into “As within, so without.” Spiritual health requires physical health. Upon drinking the entirety of a universal elixir the imbiber is cured of all diseases, all poisons in their system are neutralised and their health returns to maximum. Universal elixirs are dangerous, though; if an alchemist fails the roll to make a universal elixir then they instead make a deadly poison (POT 20, fast acting). The only way for anyone, including the alchemist, to know a true elixir from a poison is to drink it. For this reason the GM might want to make the Craft : Alchemy roll for any player alchemists attempting to make an elixir and keep the result secret. Universal Solvent Alchemy required knowledge of what formed the most basic substances, to discover the basis for every known material. To that end they developed the universal solvent which turns everything but glass into air. If made successfully this substance must be kept in a glass container as it eats through 10 cubic feet of any other material. It will do D100 damage if successfully poured over/thrown at any living being - virtually guaranteeing death. In order to apply it without self-injury a successful Fine Manipulation roll is necessary. If unsuccessful it does D4 damage to the person applying it, on a fumble it does D10 damage (to the user’s dominant hand if hit location rules are being used). This can be avoided by throwing the vial at the target but that has a chance of missing entirely whereas a direct application does not. Essence of Gold Alchemist sought to create the essence, the very core, of what made various materials. This is the result of the distillation of what makes gold so valuable despite having no real use beyond its value. Up to five items may be dipped into essence of gold, making them seem to be three wealth levels above whatever they are really worth. This doesn’t improve the items in any meaningful way but they may then be exchanged for something of genuine value equal to their new perceived value. If an alchemist is suspicious then a successful Craft : Alchemy roll will show that an item has been treated with essence of gold but any other skill (such as Appraise) will always reveal the inflated value.

I recently got the BRP core rulebook and came up with some rules for alchemy. I posted them on RPG.net but they didn't get much attention. I thought people here, on a more focused forum, might like them. Hopefully someone will read them, decide that I am some kind of genius, and give me a paying job of some description. If that doesn't happen, though, I hope they'll provide some fun for somebody: BRP - Alchemy Alchemy was an area of study common to the middle ages and the renaissance, as such these rules are most appropriate for inclusion in the following settings : Dark Ages, High Medieval, High Fantasy, Arabian Nights, Renaissance, Age of Sail. It could also be included in a more modern setting but in such a setting alchemists are rare and considered misguided at best by the majority. At the height of alchemy (High Medieval-Renaissance) the alchemist was a respected individual, studying chemistry as well as more spiritual pursuits to create a unified theory which would match every occurrence on earth to every occurrence in heaven. Alchemists drew the conclusion that the key to spiritual and temporal power was perfect balance between natures and humours. The ultimate being would be one that incorporated both the male and the female, and understanding the balance within the earth’s minerals would grant the capacity to transform one element into another. Alchemists were among the first to catalogue the various properties of metals and other substances. Profession : Alchemist The alchemist studies a combination of occult lore and chemistry to create miraculous concoctions and materials. The ultimate in alchemical attainment is the Philosopher’s Stone, a magical substance which might have any number of properties depending on the alchemist who creates it. Wealth : Poor to Wealthy, usually Affluent. Skills: Craft (Alchemy), Craft (any one other craft), Knowledge (Occult), Knowledge (any one extra knowledge), Language : Other, Medicine, Research, Science (Chemistry), Spot, Status Craft : Alchemy Craft : Alchemy begins at 00% instead of 05%. Alchemy can produce a number of magical substances which come in three categories; minor, major and Philosopher’s Stone. Minor alchemical substances require a month of preparation and a success on a Craft : Alchemy roll. Major alchemical substances require six months of preparation and a special success on a Craft : Alchemy roll. A version of the Philosopher’s Stone requires a year of preparation and a critical success on a Craft : Alchemy roll. If successful creating the Philosopher’s Stone also ages the alchemist ten years (they suffer any detrimental effects but gain no additional skill points) as they use a portion of their own lives to fuel the process. All alchemical processes require a laboratory. In order to have access to a laboratory an alchemist must have a wealth of level of ‘affluent’ or ‘wealthy’ or have a sponsor/patron who does. A failed Craft : Alchemy roll means that the time spent in preparation is wasted. A fumble on a Craft : Alchemy roll causes a D20 roll on the Alchemical Mishaps Table.