Making Tinctures and Elixirs

Tinctures and Elixirs are the Apothecary’s art: preparations made from carefully sourced ingredients, guided by precise Recipes, and brought to life through skilled hands. Though fleeting in use, their effects can be swift and profound, from easing pain to restoring vigour or steadying the nerves when most needed. Tinctures are the simpler of these concoctions, often serving as stepping stones towards more complex mixtures, while Elixirs are their more potent and refined counterparts. Whether taken as liquids, powders, salves or other forms, each preparation is a single-use wonder, carrying within it the Apothecary’s skill and knowledge.

To those unfamiliar with the Apothecary’s craft, these preparations are known by many names, including potions, medicines, poisons, balms, ointments and tonics, yet all are encompassed by the term Tinctures and Elixirs.

Preparing Tinctures and Elixirs

An Apothecary may prepare any Tincture or Elixir for which they know the Recipe. Each item requires the correct Ingredients, as detailed by the Recipe, as well as access to a Laboratory. Tinctures and Elixirs are single-use items, with Elixirs generally providing more potent effects. Some Tinctures may also be used as Ingredients in the preparation of certain Elixirs.

Preparing a Tincture or Elixir takes five minutes per item. Before beginning, the Apothecary must inform a referee of their intention to prepare. Multiple items can be made in a single session; it still takes five minutes per item, but the Apothecary does not need to separately inform the referee or collect each Tincture or Elixir from the Post Office before starting the next one. Once the session is complete, all Ingredients are handed in and the corresponding item cards collected.

The Tincture or Elixir card states the name, all in-game effects, and any expiry date, and should be attached to a Phys Rep where possible, for example tied to or placed inside a small (not glass) bottle.

Ingredients

Each Tincture or Elixir requires the correct Ingredients as detailed by the specific Recipe. These may include:

Base Ingredients

Base Ingredients are the raw materials from which all Tinctures and Elixirs begin. On their own they are simple herbs, fungi, and natural substances, but in the hands of a skilled Apothecary they become the essence of potent preparations.

The following Base Ingredients can be found in game:

Mint Leaf
Rosemary
Divine Dew
Tough Root
Bell Blossom
Widow Berries
Wormwood
Death Cap Mushroom
Lavender
Mistletoe
Fire Weed
Fade Moss
Tumbleweed
Peyote Cactus
Profane Cotton
Mad Bilberry
Aloe Amma
Iron Bark
Wisp Sage
Tobacco Leaf

Availability of Ingredients

Ingredients are available in game through various means, including the Post Office. Whilst the Post Office offers a convenient way to buy and sell Ingredients, that convenience comes at a premium, and better opportunities can often be found through trade and play.

Tools of the Trade

A Laboratory provides the Apothecary with the tools and environment needed to prepare Tinctures and Elixirs. It is not tied to any single discipline, capable of supporting everything from brewing restorative draughts to mixing deadly poisons or concocting rare balms.

The following rules apply to all Laboratories:

A Laboratory is required for preparing Tinctures and Elixirs.
Every Apothecary can begin the game with a Laboratory. It is not an item you need to purchase in game and does not have its own item card. A Laboratory should be appropriately physically represented by at least an area set up for your work, such as a workbench, bottles, jars, or mixing tools.
It is possible to acquire upgraded Laboratories in game which will grant additional effects. These will have their own item card and should also be physically represented (attaching the item card to your existing Laboratory setup is perfectly fine).
Laboratories take 10 minutes to set up and pack away, and can be carried (packed away) by two people.

Note: It is perfectly fine for multiple Apothecaries to use the same Basic Laboratory at the same time. Upgraded Laboratories can however only be used by one Apothecary at a time.

Recipes

Recipes represent the knowledge an Apothecary possesses that allows them to prepare specific in-game Tinctures and Elixirs. Characters automatically know a number of Recipes of their choice when selecting the Apothecary Archetype. The total number of Recipes a character knows depends on whether they are a Professional or Hobbyist Apothecary, and whether they have taken the Extra Recipes sub-skill.

Apothecaries can learn additional Recipes in-game either through the Analyse sub-skill or by being taught by an Academic.

Professional Apothecaries can know and learn both Tinctures and Elixirs recipes.
Hobbyist Apothecaries can know and learn Tinctures recipes.

Note: Recipes do not need to be represented physically in-game, although doing so can provide an excellent prop for roleplay. Regardless of what happens to the physical representation, a character’s knowledge of a Recipe is unaffected.

Potency

Tinctures and Elixirs have a Potency Level ranging from 1 to 6.
To determine the Potency Level of a Tincture or Elixir affecting a character, the character must be diagnosed by a Medical Practitioner.
Some Tinctures and Elixirs have persistent effects that do not end immediately. These effects will eventually wear off, but can be removed sooner through a Religious Rite or by administering another appropriate Tincture or Elixir.
The Potency Level is crucial in removing persistent effects, as it determines which Rite, Tincture, or Elixir will be effective.

Addictive

Some Tinctures and Elixirs carry risks beyond their intended effects, being habit-forming or outright addictive. An addictive preparation is noted on its Recipe and item card, along with the threshold at which dependency occurs. Once a character consumes more than the stated safe amount within a single day, they immediately gain the Flaw: Addiction (Name of Tincture/Elixir). This represents their body and mind becoming reliant on the substance, compelling them to seek it out in future.

Addiction is tracked by the Post Office, and players must inform the Post Office as soon as the threshold is reached. Addictive preparations are often powerful or deceptively harmless in small doses, making them tempting but dangerous tools.

Covert Use of Tinctures and Elixirs

If a character attempts to administer a Tincture or Elixir to another character without their knowledge (for example, slipping it into a drink or applying it secretly), a referee must be present. The referee will determine whether the attempt is successful, how the target perceives the situation, and ensure that any effects, such as sleep, paranoia or loss of hit points, etc, are applied fairly and consistently.

Minor beneficial effects, such as restoring hit points or easing pain, generally do not require referee oversight unless specifically stated in the Recipe.

Tinctures

Soothers Draft

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Iron Bark, 1x Divine Dew, 1x Tumbleweed
Potency level: 1
Effect: Ingesting this Tincture will regain up to 1 hit point instantly.
Addictive: If a character takes 4 or more Soothers Draft in a day, they now have the Flaw: Addiction (Soothers Draft). Please let the Post Office know as soon as possible.

Nerve Draft

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Fire Weed, 1x Tobacco Leaf, 1x Tumbleweed
Potency level: 1
Effect: Ingesting this Tincture restarts the character's death count instantly, so long as the character is still on their death count.
Addictive: If a character takes 4 or more Nerve Draft in a day, they now have the Flaw: Addiction (Nerve Draft). Please let the Post Office know as soon as possible.

Liniment Oil

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Fire Weed, 1x Aloe Amma, 1x Tobacco Leaf
Potency level: 1
Effect: Applying this Tincture to a mangled/rendered location on a character removes any mangled/rendered effect from that location instantly. This does not restore any hit points.
Addictive: If a character takes 4 or more Liniment Oil in a day, they now have the Flaw: Addiction (Liniment Oil). Please let the Post Office know as soon as possible.

Bone Knit Salve

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Divine Dew, 2x Tumbleweed
Potency level: 1
Effect: If applied to a character during Surgery this Tincture reduces the time it takes to perform surgery on the character by 5 minutes.

Trailblazer Tonic

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Fire Weed, 1x Mint Leaf
Potency level: 2
Effect: Ingesting this Tincture removes the Fatigue effect from a character.

Yawner’s Draft

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Wisp Sage, 1x Mad Bilberry, 1x Peyote Cactus
Potency level: 3
Effect: After ingesting this Tincture, you gain the Fatigued effect.

Knock Out Drops

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Wisp Sage, 2x Peyote Cactus
Potency level: 2
Effect: Ingesting this Tincture will put the character to sleep for 10 minutes; they can be woken from this with 30 seconds of another character trying to rouse them.

Desperado Draught

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Wisp Sage, 1x Peyote Cactus, 1x Divine Dew, 1x Tobacco Leaf
Potency level: 2
Effect: Once this Tincture is ingested by a character, it stops the effects of all Physical Traumatic Wounds for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the wound’s effects return as if the wound had just been received.
Addictive: If a character takes 4 or more Desperado Draught in a day, they now have the Flaw: Addiction (Desperado Draught). Please let the Post Office know as soon as possible.

Rubbing Alcohol

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Fire Weed, 1x Widow Berries, 1x Divine Dew, 1x Tobacco Leaf
Potency level: 2
Effect: Once this Tincture is applied to a character, it stops the effects of all Physical Traumatic Wounds for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the wound’s effects return as if the wound had just been received.
Addictive: If a character takes 4 or more Rubbing Alcohol in a day, they now have the Flaw: Addiction (Rubbing Alcohol). Please let the Post Office know as soon as possible.

Coffin Quiet Tincture

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Wisp Sage, 1x Peyote Cactus, 1x Death Cap Mushroom
Potency level: 3
Effect: After ingesting this Tincture, the character cannot talk for the next 30 minutes.

Shadewater

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Profane Cotton, 1x Fade Moss, 1x Death Cap Mushroom, 1x Mad Bilberry, 1x Widow Berries
Potency level: 3
Effect: 10 minutes after ingesting this Tincture, the character will lose all hit points and start their death count.

Body Butter

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Lavender, 1x Mistletoe, 1x Aloe Amma
Potency level: 2
Effect: A character that has had Body Butter applied to them will call ‘No effect’ to all attempts to grapple them for 30 minutes. The character may also not attempt to grapple another character for 30 minutes.

Hair of a Dog

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Divine Dew, 1x Mistletoe, 1x Mad Bilberry
Potency level: 3
Effect: Once this Tincture is ingested by a character, it removes all persistent Tinctures with a potency of 3 or lower.

Dr. Blackthorn’s Wonder Cure

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Divine Dew, 1x Rosemary, 1x Lavender
Potency level: 3
Effect: Once this Tincture is ingested by a character, it removes all diseases with a Virulence level of 2 or lower.

Panic’s Kiss

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Profane Cotton, 1x Wormwood, 1x Peyote Cactus
Potency level: 3
Effect: When applied to a bladed weapon, the next successful hit with that weapon on another character must call “Fear”. If the bladed weapon is sheathed before it's used, then the Tincture is lost.

Madness Drops

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Wormwood, 1x Peyote Cactus
Potency level: 3
Effect: 60 seconds after a character ingests this Tincture, they become overcome with paranoia for the next 2 minutes. They are compelled to stay away from everyone, as everyone is out to get them. The character may choose the specifics of their paranoia.

Gray Tint Drops

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Wormwood, 1x Peyote Cactus
Potency level: 3
Effect: After this Tincture is applied, the character becomes immune to ‘Charm’ and must call No Effect to any ‘Charm’ call used on them for the next 30 minutes.

Acidum No. 9

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Wormwood, 1x Peyote Cactus
Potency level: 3
Effect: Mangles any firearm this Tincture is applied to.

Constitution Draught

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Mint Leaf, 1x Tough Root
Potency level: 2
Effect: After a character ingests this Tincture, they cannot contract any diseases for the next 30 minutes.

Smelling Salts

Requires: Laboratory, 3x Mint Leaf
Potency level: 1
Effect: When inhaled by a character that is asleep or Subdued, they immediately wake up and have any subdual effects removed.

Elixirs

Divine Draft

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Iron Bark, 2x Divine Dew, 1x Tough Root, 1x Soothers Draft
Potency level: 5
Effect: Ingesting this Elixir restores ALL missing hit points instantly and will also remove any Mangled/Rended effects from the character.
Addictive: If a character takes 4 or more Divine Draft in a day, they now have the Flaw: Addiction (Divine Draft). Please let the Post Office know as soon as possible.

Divine Balm

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Aloe Amma, 1x Fire Weed, 2x Divine Dew, 1x Liniment Oil
Potency level: 5
Effect: Applying this Elixir to a character's body will restore ALL missing hit points instantly and will also remove any Mangled/Rended effects from the character.
Addictive: If a character takes 4 or more Divine Balm in a day, they now have the Flaw: Addiction (Divine Balm). Please let the Post Office know as soon as possible.

Profane Bite

Requires: Laboratory, 1x Wormwood, 1x Fire Weed, 1x Widow Berries, 2x Death Cap Mushroom
Potency level: 6
Effect: When applied to a bladed weapon, the next successful hit with that weapon on another character must call “Rend”. If the bladed weapon is sheathed before it's used, then the Elixir is lost.

Steelhide Balm

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Tough Root, 2x Iron Bark, 1x Profane Cotton
Potency level: 4
Effect: When applied, the character must call No Effect to Mangle/Rend effects for the next hour. This does not prevent any damage, only the Mangle/Rend effects.

Thunder Slam Elixir

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Tobacco Leaf, 2x Peyote Cactus, 1x Bell Blossom
Potency level: 5
Effect: After ingesting this Elixir, the character must call “Strikedown” with every melee weapon blow they make for the next 30 seconds.
Addictive: If a character takes 4 or more Thunder Slam Elixir in a day, they now have the Flaw: Addiction (Thunder Slam Elixir). Please let the Post Office know as soon as possible.

Marchers Vapour

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Wisp Sage, 2x Mad Bilberry, 1x Yawner’s Draft
Potency level: 6
Effect: When this Elixir is added to liquid, it will produce steam that will affect an area within 5 feet of the liquid after 1 minute. For the next 15 minutes, all characters within this area gain the Fatigued effect. This requires a referee.

Profane Fog

Requires: Laboratory, 3x Wormwood, 1x Peyote Cactus, 1x Madness Drops
Potency level: 6
Effect: When this Elixir is added to liquid in one minute it will produce steam that will affect anyone within a 5 foot radius. Once the steam has been produced for the next 15 minutes, all characters within this area become overcome with paranoia for 2 minutes. They are compelled to stay away from everyone, as everyone is out to get them. The character may choose the specifics of their paranoia.

Rough-Rider’s Remedy

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Divine Dew, 2x Mistletoe, 1x Mad Bilberry
Potency level: 6
Effect: Once this Elixir is ingested by a character, it will remove all persistent Elixirs and Tinctures with a potency of 6 or lower.

Dr. Blackthorn’s Improved Wonder Cure

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Divine Dew, 2x Rosemary, 1x Lavender
Potency level: 6
Effect: Once this Elixir is ingested by a character, it will remove all diseases with a Virulence level of 4 or lower.

Nightmare Venom

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Profane Cotton, 1x Wormwood, 2x Peyote Cactus
Potency level: 5
Effect: Apply this Elixir to a bladed weapon. The next 3 successful hits to a character must call “Fear”. If the bladed weapon is sheathed before it's used, then the Elixir is lost.

Devine Solvent

Requires: Laboratory, 2x Divine Dew, 1x Fire Weed, 1x Bell Blossom, 1x Fade Moss
Potency level: 6
Effect: When applied to a crafted item, after 10 minutes it will destroy the item into its component pieces. The component pieces can be collected from the Post Office.