ALCHEMIST/ARTIFICER
The scientists and inventors of Lemuria, these
characters need to be literate. Alchemists are
often mistaken for wizards by those who do
not understand science. Skills covered are
things like making potions & perfumes, plant
lore, poisons, medicines, metallurgy, distilling
allanium (lighter-than-air-metal) for flying
boats etc. This is not a terribly common career
for adventuring Heroes, as it requires too much
patience. Mind is normally the most important
attribute for an alchemist. For each rank above
2 in this career, the character must take a flaw
(see Chapter 5: Origins)
ALCHEMISTS
Alchemists do not cast spells; they
change things and create things. They
would be called scientists and inventors
today. Barbarians often mistake them for
wizards, not understanding (nor caring about)
the distinction.
Alchemists can create ‘magic’ potions, salves,
gasses, liquids and powders. They use all manner
of scientific anthanors, flasks, alembics,
pots, tubes and crucibles in their experiments.
They can put extra strength and lightness into
weapons and armour. They can create the
lighter-than-air-material called Allanium, to
build flying boats. They often work on their
projects with blacksmiths.
In a similar way to magicians, alchemists must
pay a price for their science. However, the
price an alchemist pays is one of time and
money. Alchemy is something that cannot
normally be performed during an adventure – it
needs time to gather and ready the materials,
work out the quantities and designs, have
craftsmen build some of the parts and then put
the construct together. Even that isn’t the end
of it, because the finished article must be tested
and corrected several times or more before it is
ready to use.
Alchemy is something that is done, in effect,
between adventures. At the time that the player
is describing what he does with his treasure
obtained during the previous adventure (see
Chapter 6: Advancement Points) he should use
this as his opportunity to describe the sort of
item he would like to make before the next adventure
begins.
An alchemist can attempt to make:
• One Common Preparation per rank he
has in his career (maximum five items).
• He can make one Uncommon Preparation
per two full career ranks
(maximum two items).
• He can make one Rare Preparation per
four career ranks (maximum one item).
• He can make one Unique Preparation
per eight career ranks (maximum one
item per two adventures).
An alchemist can work on Common and Uncommon
Preparations at the same time, so one
with a career rank of 3, could produce one Potion
of Insect Repellant (Common) and one
Enhanced Strength Powder (Uncommon) between
adventures.
MAGICIANS, PRIESTS & ALCHEMISTS
49
Rare and Unique preparations, as the alchemist
needs to devote all of his time and energy to
the project.
Where it takes an alchemist more than one adventure
‘downtime’ to create something, this is
referred to as stages.
You have to roll for each ‘stage’ of the preparation.
In other words, when producing a
Unique Preparation, an alchemist of rank 2
would require four stages to complete his
work. At each stage he would have to make a
successful roll. If he fails at any stage, his work
is ruined and he must begin again (or give up).
The Task Resolution difficulty of creating Alchemical
Preparations is set out below:
Alchemical Preparations table
Note: The table above assumes access to a
proper laboratory/shop and having the raw materials
present. Otherwise increase the
difficulty level by one step
Additional modifiers
• Where the alchemist is analyzing a previously
unknown object or potion:
increase the level of difficulty by one
step
• Where the alchemist is simply repairing
an object or refreshing a potion: reduce
the level of difficulty by one step, but
only for Common and Uncommon
Preparations
COMMON PREPARATIONS
These are potions, devices and creations that
can readily be created by other professions
without the use of magic. They are not common
knowledge but rather the result of careful
observation and experimenting by knowledgeable
practitioners.
Potions
These concoctions and poultices could be prepared
by an ordinary herbalist, someone with
the knowledge, skill and expertise to mix and
brew a variety of raw materials in the right
proportions. They tend to be ordinary things
that could be found at the drug store of modern
times. These tend to be temporary effects, except
those that heal or restore:
• Pain-killers
• Sleep inducers
• Fever relief
• Acids
• Animal poison
• Insect repellent
• Alcoholic spirits
Devices
These are also finer made items of common
use. The alchemist mixes the metals and materials
but a blacksmith might be needed to put
the item together. Normally they are lighter
and stronger than other items created under
normal conditions.
• Weapons
• Armour
• Locks
• Traps
• Tools
Damaging or healing items that in themselves
would not normally cause any damage (i.e. not
weapons or armour) typically cause or cure
1d3 Lifeblood of damage to the recipient.
Weapons and armour would cause or negate an
additional point of damage caused by a Mighty
or Legendary Success.
Preparation
Difficulty
Modifier to
dice result
Common Moderate +0
Uncommon Hard -2
Rare Tough -3
Unique Demanding -4
THE BARBARIANS OF LEMURIA
50
Other potions and items would have to be
worked out between the player and the GM
using the above as guidelines.
Example: Argol Arran feels that the group will
need some insect repellent perfume for their
journey through the Festrel Swamp. He is an
alchemist of rank 1, so he can make one common
preparation before the adventure begins.
He is in a tavern room so he is making do with
whatever resources are at hand. Therefore the
difficulty moves from Moderate to Hard (-2).
Argol does have mind 1 and alchemist rank 1.
This means he must roll 9 to make the perfume.
UNCOMMON PREPARATIONS
These things are in an alchemist’s knowledge
and beyond the normal village shamans’ or
witches’ ability to produce from commonly
found materials. These materials are normally
obtainable at the local marketplace or from
relatively accessible places and are easily
stored.
Potions
These would be mixtures that imbue the recipients
with improvements or reductions to their
normal capabilities. These tend to be temporary
effects, except those that heal or restore:
• Faster speed
• Enhanced strength
• Improved vision
• Growing or shrinking
• Infatuation
• Instant sleep
Devices
Uncommon devices would be items that require
detailed research and technical ability
normally outside of a common blacksmith’s
skills:
• Very elaborate locks and traps
• Artificial limbs (with few or no moving
parts)
• Weapons secreted in common items
Creations
These are chemicals or machines, which are
often complex beyond the skills of the best
blacksmiths or jewelers or the most cunning
distiller. Examples would include:
• Flash powder
• Light-producing chemical
• Fire self-starter
• Rust reversal
• Lighter armour
• Harder weapons
• Perfectly pitched musical instruments.
Damaging or healing items that in themselves
would not normally cause any damage (i.e. not
weapons or armour) typically cause or cure
1d6 Lifeblood of damage to the recipient.
Weapons would give a trait (see Chapter 5:
Origins) to allow the wielder to roll an extra
die.
Armour would negate the –1 penalty to perception
or manipulation rolls or reduce the agility
penalty by 1.
Other potions and items would have to be
worked out between the player and the GM
using the above as guidelines.
RARE PREPARATIONS
Known, but only produced in the larger citystates
or the hidden laboratories of isolated alchemists.
These miracles are things that are
often heard of in a storyteller’s tale and presented
as magic.
Ingredients for these creations are usually rare,
exotic or easily spoiled. They often aren’t
found the region the alchemist is located in and
he will need to hire adventurers to obtain it for
him. They could range from near extinct animals,
plants raised under special conditions,
distillates of exotic minerals, materials that can
only be produced under starlight or moonlight
and/or animals with special diets.
Potions
Rare potions and effects would include:
• Love
• Plague cure
• Appearance of youth
• Paralysis
• Shapechange
• Invisibility
These tend to be temporary effects, except
those that heal or restore.
Devices
Would be along the lines of the following:
• Flying machines
• Lightning-Cannon
• Unbreakable weapons
• Hardened armour (doubled protection)
• Invisibility belts
• Lighter-than-air belts
Creations
Creations would include:
• Distilled allanium & janium
• Breeding plants and animals into
deadly life forms
• Automatons and guardians from living
suits of armour
Damaging or healing items that in themselves
would not normally cause any damage (i.e. not
weapons or armour) typically cause or cure
2d6 Lifeblood of damage to the recipient.
Weapons would give a trait (see Chapter 5:
Origins) to allow the wielder to roll an extra
die. In addition, they are unbreakable and ignore
armour, except that created by an
alchemist, which is halved (see below).
Armour would negate the –1 penalty to perception
or manipulation rolls or negate the agility
penalty. It would also ignore the maximum defence
for chain shirt or plate cuirass. The
protection provided by such armour would be
double the normal for that type of armour.
Other potions and items would have to be
worked out between the player and the GM
using the above as guidelines.
UNIQUE PREPARATIONS
These things are mentioned in ancient writings
and in the legends of lost races. To see one of
these in a lifetime is unusual. Once found they
are guarded and secreted away from curious
eyes - often for centuries.
The raw ingredients for these may take several
years to decant, grow or infuse. Necessary
plants, animal parts and/or minerals may be
only located in far away lands or exotic environments
(undersea, north slope of a mountain
top, a swamp-drowned tomb, mummy coffin
and anything involving danger and travel.)
Once gained they must be preserved in exotic
ways or else they lose their potency.
Potions
Such unique elixirs and effects would be things
like:
• Immortality
• Permanent alteration
• Perfect regeneration
Devices
These unique artifacts would include:
• Brain transfer machines
• Intelligent dwellings
• Semi-Sentient machines
Creations
These are concepts beyond the imagination of
many people of the Continent of Lemuria although
relatively achievable by the Sorcerer-
Kings. These could include:
• Creating life from chemical vats
• Vats for cloning individuals
• Brain transfers
• Create man-beast hybrid life-forms
Damaging or healing items that in themselves
would not normally cause any damage (i.e. not
weapons or armour) typically cause or cure
3d6 Lifeblood of damage to the recipient.
Weapons would give a trait (see Chapter 5:
Origins) to allow the wielder to roll an extra
die. In addition, they are unbreakable and ignore
armour. Armour created by an alchemist
would provide half the protection. The weapons
also cause an extra dice of damage when
they hit.
Armour would negate the –1 penalty to perception
or manipulation rolls or negate the agility
penalty. It would also provide treble the normal
protection for that type of armour.
Other potions and items would have to be
worked out between the player and the GM
using the above as guidelines.
Example: Jesharek Jool (mind 3, alchemist 3)
decides to create a unique sword for his friend
Krongar. He knows his work will take two
stages to complete. In the first stage, he describes
how he obtains the rare and precious
metals that he needs to prepare the janium for
the blade, spending all of the money that he
received on his last quest. He then makes a roll
and gets 7 on the dice. Adding his +6
(mind+career rank) he gets 13. Subtracting the
difficulty, he ends up with 9 and just succeeds.
He has now completed stage 1. Next he needs
to find a rare scroll that he believes should be
in the catacombs beneath the ruins of Oosal
and gathers some adventurers to assist him. He
will be able to attempt stage 2 when he returns
with the ancient text.
