Alchemy: Animal Control Elixirs

Alchemy: Animal Control Elixirs

Let's start a new series of posts with ready-to-use-and-brew-and-buy elixirs for my Metatronic Alchemy. Here we have 3 out of 4 Animal Control elixirs from GURPS Magic adapted to my system, all available in alchemical and herbal forms.

Potion of Beast-Speech

The imbiber becomes able to converse with animals. The quality of information he receives depends on the beast’s IQ and the GM’s decision on what the animal has to say. It takes one minute to ask one question and get the answer – if the animal decides to speak at all.

Duration: 1 hour.

Form: Potion.

Cost: $900 (singular); $325 (5-batched).

Cost (Herbal): $720 (singular); $260 (5-batched).

Recipe: $90; 5 days; defaults to Alchemy-3.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Potion of Beast-Speech, +230%; Magical, -10%; Potion, -25%) [30]. Notes: «Potion of Beast-Speech» is Speak with Animals (Magical, -10%) [23].

Potion of Bird Control

The imbiber becomes able to control birds. He can take control of any single bird by taking a Concentrate maneuver and making an IQ roll. Only creatures with a racial IQ of 1-5 or less can be affected, though the GM may make exceptions for birds with IQ 6 and Bestial. In addition to range penalties, the IQ roll is at -1 for each other bird currently under the imbiber’s control. If the imbiber ties, nothing happens, but if he loses the creature is immune to him for 24 hours and can sense his attempted coercion; the GM will make a new reaction roll at -2, using the worse of its existing or new reaction.

While under the imbiber’s control, the bird will follow any general orders he gives. The imbiber cannot be very specific! “Protect me” is a valid order, but “lead my friend toward the nearest city” is not. When in doubt, the GM will make an IQ roll for the bird to see how well it interprets what the imbiber is saying.

This effect has an indefinite duration if the imbiber takes constant Concentrate maneuvers to keep it active. Once he stops concentrating, it continues to last for a fixed duration in minutes equal to the margin by which he won the initial Quick Contest. If the imbiber lose consciousness, the effect ends immediately.

Duration: 1 hour.

Form: Potion.

Cost: $240 (singular); $85 (5-batched).

Cost (Herbal): $192 (singular); $70 (5-batched).

Recipe: $24; 1 day; defaults to Alchemy-1.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Potion of Bird Control, +10%; Magical, -10%; Potion, -25%) [8]. Notes: «Potion of Bird Control» is Mind Control (Accessibility, Birds only, -40%; Magical, -10%; Suggestion, -40%) [10].

  

Potion of Horsemanship

This brown potion grants the subject a +4 to any Animal Handling, Riding, Teamster, and Freight Handling rolls specific to horses and their relatives (mules and donkeys). In addition, horses and their relatives react at +4 to the subject.

Duration: 1 hour.

Form: Potion.

Cost: $750 (singular); $270 (5-batched).

Cost (Herbal): $600 (singular); $215 (5-batched).

Recipe: $75; 4 days; defaults to Alchemy-3.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Potion of Horsemanship, +180%; Magical, -10%; Potion, -25%) [25]. Notes: «Potion of Horsemanship» is Talent 4 (Animal Handling, Riding, Teamster, Freight Handling; Magical, -10%) [18].