Alkahest

Introduction

Alkahest is the magical reagent used by Arcanists and Alchemists for the manufacture of magical substances and Artifacts.

Tones

   Tones: Alkahest has tonal arcane potential associated with a concept, usually a form of Elementia. If one could see magic by way of arcane glass or Augury, these Tones would glimmer like stars along the ground, threads of Aether in varying length and thickness emanating from the material and arcing back down similar to a magnetic field made from arcane energies. See Tones

Qualities

Alkahest condenses down into subsequently more powerful, more dense versions of itself. Materially, Alkahest share many chemical properties with gold, including softness and density without the tampering of its presentation by an Arcanist.

Dust

1 Gram of Dust

• Novice Manifestations

Sliver

10 Grams of Dust

• Apprentice Manifestations

Shard

100 Grams of Dust

• Journeyman Manifestations

Crystal

1000 Grams of Dust

• Expert Manifestations

Sphere

10000 Grams of Dust

• Master Manifestations

Globe

100000 Grams of Dust

• Grandmaster Manifestations

Acquisition

Alkahest is mined in small amounts from regulated Alkahest Quarry. 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 using Alchemistry. The Tone of the Alkahest retrieved depends on the location it was mined; Esprit Alkahest would be obtained from the site of lightning strikes and the refined rock of volcanoes, and panning rivers or beach sand would yield Satura Alkahest. These operations usually yield about 2 grams of Dust per day per tier of the worker's Mining skill.

Refinement

Alchemists may grow Alkahest of any Tone 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 Tone into Aetherite.

Danger

Alkahest is highly toxic and its condensed form is incredibly unstable. Breathing in Dust over a period of time will lead to Mageburn or even cancer in the case of Aetherite. While Dust is inflammable and relatively safe, condensed Alkahest is unstable and dangerous to transport. Anything from a Sliver to a Globe will give off Discharge if subjected to enough trauma unless someone with Meditation of a tier equivalent to its quality is there to stabilize its storming aether. If allowed to run awry or else overtaxed through intentional use of its Discharge or Aura, the Alkahest will begin to glow and shed minor elemental manifestations before shattering like a bomb.