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. Only Meditation or Canting Sovereignty of an equivalent tier will bring it under control when this happens, allowing it to be squished back together and manipulated like clay until it stabilizes and hardens.

Syphoning

Those with Syphon can extract the Spell Reserves of an Alkahest to fuel their own spells of that same Metaphor, rendering the stone inert.

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.

• Alkahest itself may be antagonized and then molded by tradesmen skilled with the appropriate level of Theorem - or skill in Meditation - into bedazzling and expensive works of art that change depending on how one feels about Metaphor. These are commonly used as learning devices.

Alkahest Conjurations

Wielded by Ensorcellers, Conjurations 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.

• Conjurations will render that Alkahest inert, useless for even crafting. It will crumble into fine grains of glass when emptied of its Metaphor.
• Alkahest in all its forms is benign and stable until worked via a Practice.
• Conjurations - of Personal Arcana or manifestations conjured by Alkahest - are what Artifacts wield with their Spell Reserves.

Alkahest Conjuration Chart

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 any form of non-verbal communication - of that tier of force - from escaping. This is the sense of sound and the story it carries, meaning that even magical methods of communication like telepathy or sensations of alarm will not be conveyed beyond the beholder.	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

Conjuration Tiers

Dust

1 Gram of Dust

• Novice Conjuration or Abrogation

Sliver

3 Grams of Dust

• Apprentice Conjuration or Abrogation

Shard

9 Grams of Dust

• Journeyman Conjuration or Abrogation

Crystal

27 Grams of Dust

• Expert Conjuration or Abrogation

Sphere

81 Grams of Dust

• Master Conjuration or Abrogation

Globe

243 Grams of Dust

• Ascendant Manifestations

Acquisition

Alkahest Mines

Aetherite 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. Mines have an output limit. No matter how many workers, there is only so much Alkahest to be found.

Claims

Claims are Minor Merited Enterprises that one can own or discover, enabling someone to mine or harvest Alkahest. Having many Claims is preferrable, as the work necessary to extract Alkahest goes up exponentially to automatically reflect any taxes, wages, or losses attributed to the economy, local regulations, or disruptions of operation. See Enterprise.

Labor

Labor is the sum of Deepcraft Skill belonging to the workers at a claim. Each tier of Mining Skill is worth 1 Labor, meaning 3,333 Journeyman workers would equate to 3 Labor each, or 9,999 Labor. Beyond a paid work force, owned slaves, Automaton, or Thralls put to task by Nekron also contribute Labor.

• Multiplier: The total sum of Labor may be multiplied additively by 1.1 for each tier of skill in Deepcraft, Business, Economics, Persuasion, Politics, Security, and either Intimidation or Leadership starting with Apprentice.

• 1 Labor: 1 Gram / Season
• 3 Labor: 3 Grams / Season
• 10 Labor: 9 Grams / Season
• 100 Labor: 27 Grams / Season
• 1,000 Labor: 81 Grams / Season
• 10,000 Labor: 243 Grams / Season

Sundering

Those with Personal Arcana can also be Sundered for their Alkahest.

Refinement

Alchemists may grow Alkahest of any Metaphor using a solution made from an equivalent number of Aetherite grams, and then Canting Sovereignty until it takes on the properties of that Metaphor. They may also condense it down from Dust into stones. Using a Stone rather than Dust is important for creating Sundered Artifacts.

• 3 grams of Dust will create a Sliver.
• A Sliver and 6 of Dust will condense down to a Shard.
• A Shard and 18 of Dust will amount to a Crystal.
• A Crystal 27 grams of Dust will amount to a Sphere.
• A Sphere and 54 grams of Dust will amount to a Globe.

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