Potions, Alchemy help?

[Jarulf]

I'm working on a set of rules for creating potions (mostly for my own amusement) in BRP but am having trouble with the name.

I hesitate to call it Alchemy, Herbalism is much too restrictive, Potions is a bit dull and it's hard to come up with a catchy job title for it.

The type of potions will include the usual healing potions, ointment of levitation, elven travel bisquits and so on.

So, any good name suggestions?

[rust]

Two words that come to my mind are "Concoctions" and "Elixirs".

[dragonewt]

So, any good name suggestions?

Unguents and Flagons?

elven travel bisquits

Are these similar to air bisquits?

Edited September 6, 2009 by dragonewt

[Agentorange]

"Drugs for fun and profit ? "

Then again..maybe not

[Jarulf]

Two words that come to my mind are "Concoctions" and "Elixirs".

The job title of concoctioner is a little cumbersome, but probably fun to say after a few too many beers. The potential confusion with confectioner is a point in it's favour though.

Elixirian just sounds a little to weird :-)

This is meant to be a power system so I'd like something analogous to Magic/ Mage and Sorcery/Sorcerer.

The easy route is obviously Alchemy/Alchemist but that invites confusion with real alchemical traditions.

Are these similar to air bisquits?

Sorry, lost me there.

Efforts appreciated though :thumb:

[rust]

The job title of concoctioner is a little cumbersome, but probably fun to say after a few too many beers. The potential confusion with confectioner is a point in it's favour though.

Elixirian just sounds a little to weird :-)

Well, you could use "Master of ..." as a job title - in my view "Master of Con-

coctions and Elixirs" (M.Co.El.) does not sound too bad.

And with some more academic effort he could even become a Dr.Co.El. ...

Seriously, for a fantastic art in a fantastic setting you could well use some

elaborate fantastic title instead of a more pedestrian job description.

A "Scholarly Master of the Hidden Arts" or something like that would seem

quite appropriate to me.

[Jarulf]

Seriously, for a fantastic art in a fantastic setting you could well use some

elaborate fantastic title instead of a more pedestrian job description.

Very good point, but I'm trying to write this as a generic system, not for a specific setting. I suspect there may not be a better, generic word than Alchemy.

My impression is that the word is commonly used to describe anyone who makes magical potions and elixirs. At least in RPGs.

It doesn't matter too much as I'm not really writing this for publication anyway, it was more that I had an idea and wanted to see if I could develop it into something useful.

[Byron Alexander]

[shameless plug]

If you're interested in potions for BRP, my forthcoming Witchcraft monograph has potion creation rules. Threedeesix's Classic Fantasy will also use the same rules.

[/shameless plug]

Now, to answer your original question : Magic Brews? Imbued Elixirs? Alcohol-based Arcane Agents? The sky's the limit... I just called them potions, though, and called the skill 'Brew Potion'.

[Jarulf]

Witchcraft monograph has potion creation rules. Threedeesix's Classic Fantasy will also use the same rules.

I'll definitely be getting those. I think it's you're using the same rules btw.

I just called them potions, though, and called the skill 'Brew Potion'.

I do use the word potion to describe everything you make with the skill which is either Craft (Alchemy) or Craft (Potions) in the current version.

I guess I'll try to tidy up the text a bit, add a few examples and just post the rules here.

[Jarulf]

I've uploaded the rules for Potions at BRP Central - Downloads - Potions v 1.0

They have not been play tested so I expect things to break down in actual play, and the example potions no doubt need to be revised, language can be improved and...

[Byron Alexander]

Hmm... There are some similarities with my system but some differences as well.

Interestingly, the only overlap with regard to what potions do is that I have rules for a potion of healing and a potion of flight. Beyond that I think we have completely different potion lists.

[Jarulf]

Since I didn't have a campaign that needed potions, I just came up with a few, more or less off the cuff. I'm not sure I'd include all of them if this was something that was meant for publication, not as written at any rate.

I just had the idea for the system, and wanted to write it down to get it out of my system as it were :-)

But I am looking forward to see how Witchcraft and Classic Fantasy handles it.