Alchemy: Dark Alchemy II

Alchemy: Dark Alchemy II

More dark elixirs. Tricky ones.

Corpse Powder

The manufacture of this elixir requires a restrained living being be killed and then, over a period of weeks, rendered down to a concentrated powdery or liquid essence. Anyone who ingests the elixir must make a HT roll. If this fails, his body slowly transforms to resemble that of the original being whose essence was consumed. After one week, subtle changes in appearance can be observed (and if the new form was inhuman, this may also result in acquiring one to two levels of Unnatural Features).

At the start of the second week, the change accelerates. A second HT roll is required, with success warding off further changes. Failure causes the victim to collapse into a coma for 1d days, during which time, his body alters as necessary to accommodate the changes, which will be complete at the end of the second week.

Parallel to these physical changes, the victim must make a Will roll to avoid his mind being similarly altered, with symptoms expressed through dreams and visions of the original being’s life and a sense of it impinging upon his own. If the roll fails, after the first week, he acquires a Split Personality with the second personality being that of the deceased entity. After a further two weeks with the Split Personality, a second Will roll is required, rolling at -4 if the physical transformation was completed during this period. Failure results in the second personality obliterating that of the subject. Success means the Split Personality is retained. A critical success expels it from the subject’s mind.

Application of an alchemical antidote (GURPS Magic, p. 217) halts the transformation, but does not reverse the effects if they have already occurred.

Duration: Truly Permanent.

Form: Powder.

Cost: $660 (singular); $235 (5-batched).

Recipe: $66; 3 days; defaults to Alchemy (Dark)-3.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Corpse Powder, +30%; Extended Duration, Truly Permanent, +240%; Magical, -10%; Powder, -65%; Preparation Required, 1 month, Variant, -80%) [22]. Notes: «Corpse Powder» is Alternate Form (Corpse’s Identity; Magical, -10%; Preparation Required, 2 weeks, Variant, -70%) [3 + 0.9 x new template cost]. Extended Duration costs only 240%, because the Powder meta-enhancement already includes Extended Duration, 30x, +60%. If the template was not more expensive than the template of the subject, then the full cost is equal to 27. The costs are calculated accordingly.

Ghost Repellant

Any incorporeal undead in the area of effect feel their essence being eaten away; they take 1d-1 injury per second of exposure.

Duration: 1 minute.

Form: Pastille.

Cost: $570 (singular); $205 (5-batched).

Recipe: $57; 2 days; defaults to Alchemy (Dark)-2.

Statistics: Crushing Attack 1d-1 (Accessibility, Only on incorporeal undead, -50%; Affects Insubstantial, +20%; Cosmic, Irresistible Attack, +300%; Magical, -10%; No Knockback, -10%; Pastille, No Respiratory Agent, +105%) [19].

Potion of Cerebral Preservation

If a freshly severed head is placed (and kept) within a jar containing blood fortified with a dose of this potion, it remains alive for up to one week; a further dose of this potion each week will continue to preserve the head. The head may think, speak, use any senses, and cast spells or use other abilities that do not require limbs. Due to limited oxygen, speech is restricted to a whisper. If removed from the jar of blood, the head dies after five seconds unless resubmerged.

Duration: 1 week.

Form: Potion.

Cost: $870 (singular); $315 (5-batched).

Recipe: $87; 5 days; defaults to Alchemy (Dark)-3.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only on freshly severed heads, -60%; Advantage, Potion of Cerebral Preservation, +200%; Extended Duration, 3,000x, +80%; Magical, -10%; Potion, -25%) [29]. Notes: «Potion of Cerebral Preservation» is Injury Tolerance (Independent Body Parts; Detachable Head, +15%; Magical, -10%; Partial, Head Only, -50%) [20]. Extended Duration costs only 80%, because the Potion meta-enhancement already includes Extended Duration, 30x, +60%.

  

Liquefied Memories

The creation of this elixir requires the fresh or preserved brain of a subject, which is consumed during the process of making the elixir. Upon drinking the potion, the imbiber may access the memories of the subject as if they were his own. If the imbiber wants to know something, the GM first determines whether or not the owner of the brain knew the answer. Then he rolls against the imbiber’s IQ to see if he can gain access to the information. If the brain didn’t have the answer and the roll succeeds, the imbiber will know that. On a critical failure, he will believe the brain didn’t know, even if he really did. This requires one turn of absolute concentration. After the duration wears off, the memories do as well. Of course, the user may take actions such as recording memories he wishes to retain or relating what he remembers to others.

Duration: 1d hours.

Form: Potion.

Cost: $1,260 (singular); $455 (5-batched).

Recipe: $126; 9 days; defaults to Alchemy (Dark)-5.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Liquefied Memories, +360%; Extended Duration, 100x, +20%; Magical, -10%; Requires a brain, -30%; Potion, -25%) [42]. Notes: «Liquefied Memories» is Racial Memory (Active; Magical, -10%) [36]. Extended Duration costs only 20%, because the Potion meta-enhancement already includes Extended Duration, 30x, +60%.