Alkahest

Introduction

Alkahest is the magical reagent used by Arcanists and Alchemists for the manufacture of Alkemicals, Contrivances, and Artifacts. On its own, Alkahest is used by Ensorcellers to manifest miracles.

Qualities

Alkahest condenses down via Alchemistry into subsequently more powerful, more dense versions of itself. Materially, Alkahest shares many chemical properties with gold, including softness and density without the tampering of its presentation by a Sunderer. If broken apart or antagonized enough, Alkahest will detonate with a Manifestation of that tier, destroying itself in the process.

Appearance

Alkahest exists in the eye of the beholder. The color of untampered Alkahest varies depending on how its witness imagines that Metaphor to present itself, glowing based on potency. Skilled Mystics can freely imagine Metaphor to be of a certain color to identify which kind of Alkahest they are looking at. This can be a dazzling display of colors, or something more opaque, even translucent. This color will also shine onto the surrounding surfaces with a soft glow, growing in brightness depending on the potency; a Globe is as bright as a brazier.

Manifestations

Conjured by Ensorcellers of an equivalent tier who also possess the requisite Meditation skill, Manifestations allow those who possess no personal Arcana of their own to wield a controlled detonation of Metaphor, or to serve as stand-ins in conflict where one's Arcane stamina is a vital factor. See Ensorcelling.

Manifestations will render that Alkahest inert, useless for even crafting. It will crumble into fine grains of sand when emptied of its Metaphor. Nearby Alkahest of the same Metaphor will interfere with its own Manifestations of an equivalent tier, meaning one cannot simply pack lots of Dust into a vessel and expect a greater reaction - it must be chambered and detonated separately or it will simply be a 'Novice' Manifestation as any other.

Alkahest in all its forms is benign and stable until worked via a Practice. Without equivalent Meditation, Manifestations may leak out when handled directly, leading to a runaway reaction that sheds minor Manifestations of its associated forces before shattering like a bomb; control of a Manifestation is handled by Ensorcelling.

Name	Metaphor	Manifestation	Dust	Sliver	Shard	Crystal	Sphere	Globe
Aetherite	Aether	Aetherite of an equivalent tier may temporarily Wick the soul of a Galdr for up to a season.	Novice	Apprentice	Journeyman	Expert	Master	Ascendant
Saolite	Saol	Saolite allows for a cast of Nymhea Healing at an equivalent tier.	Novice	Apprentice	Journeyman	Expert	Master	Ascendant
Miasmite	Miasmata	Miasmite diminishes Psychoplasm or reinforces it up to its magnitude.	.9 or Wood	0.75 or Stone	0.5 or Iron	0.25 or Steel	0.10 or 1.5x Steel	Incorporeal or 2x Steel
Somniite	Somnium	Somniite induces lethargy in beings capable of sleep, and idly grants the holder lucid dreaming. It can also be used to banish an equivalent-tiered Dreamwalker from one's dreams. Banishment and lethargy are resisted by equivalent skill in Meditation or Resistance.	Sleeping Aid	Drowsiness	Minor Sedative	Moderate Sedative	Potent Sedative	Immediate Blackout
Fabulite	Fabula	Fabulite deafens a certain radius around it, preventing sound - of that tier of force - from escaping.	10ft / 10 Seconds	25 ft / 1 Minute	50 Ft / 5 Minutes	100 Ft / 30 Minutes	500 Ft / 6 Hours	1 Mile / 1 Day
Anathemite	Anathema	Anathemite halves the strength of anything of an equivalent hardness, softening by one fifth the tier above, and slowly dissolves weaker ones.	Wood	Rock	Iron	Steel	1.5x Steel	2x Steel
Luxiumite	Luxium	Luxiumite allows for a cast of Fulgur Pyromancy at an equivalent tier.	Novice	Apprentice	Journeyman	Expert	Master	Ascendant
Geomenite	Geomena	Geomenite allows for a cast of Terra Lithomancy at an equivalent tier.	Novice	Apprentice	Journeyman	Expert	Master	Ascendant
Aerisite	Aeris	Aerisite allows for a cast of Zephyr Aeromancy at an equivalent tier.	Novice	Apprentice	Journeyman	Expert	Master	Ascendant
Imberite	Imber	Imberite allows for a cast of Aqua Hydromancy at an equivalent tier.	Novice	Apprentice	Journeyman	Expert	Master	Ascendant
Ardorite	Ardor	Ardorite allows for a cast of Abation Cryomancy at an equivalent tier.	Novice	Apprentice	Journeyman	Expert	Master	Ascendant
Absentite	Absentia	Absentite confuses equivalent tier Metaphoric divination when activated for up to an hour, rendering false-positives towards the wielder's intention - on themselves, an object, or another.	Novice	Apprentice	Journeyman	Expert	Master	Ascendant

Dust

1 Gram of Dust

• Novice Manifestations

Sliver

10 Grams of Dust

• Apprentice Manifestations

Shard

100 Grams of Dust

• Journeyman Manifestations

Crystal

1,000 Grams of Dust

• Expert Manifestations

Sphere

10,000 Grams of Dust

• Master Manifestations

Globe

100,000 Grams of Dust

• Ascendant Manifestations

Acquisition

Alkahest is mined in small amounts from locally regulated quarries. Dust may also be sieved, sorted, and separated from surface regulith - common soils and sands found anywhere - or the Alkahest-rich sands obtained from panning and dredging rivers. The Metaphor of the Alkahest retrieved depends on the location it was mined; Luxiumite would be obtained from the site of lightning strikes and the refined rock of volcanoes, and panning rivers or beach sand would yield Imberite Dust. These operations usually yield about 1 gram of Dust per day for every 10 miners, regardless of Mining skill.

More commonly, those with Personal Arcana are Sundered for their Alkahest.

Refinement

Alchemists may grow Alkahest of any Metaphor using a solution made from an equivalent number of Aetherite grams, provided they have some dust of the original. Ten grams of Dust will create a Sliver. A Sliver and ninety grams of Dust will condense down to a Shard. Nine hundred grams and a Shard will amount to a Crystal. To create a Sphere, one would need nine thousand grams of Dust and a Crystal. A Globe, ninety thousand and a Sphere. Dust of a sufficient number of grams is also therefore equivalent to that level of power. Alchemists may also dissolve pieces of Alkahest down into Dust and subsequently purify any Metaphor back into Aetherite.

An Alchemist must have an equivalent level of skill to safely condense Alkahest at that tier. For the full rules and process, see Alchemistry.

Articles on Practices