Marconian Alchemy
Bloodline Kiasyd of the Lasombra often set their origins to the unparalleled alchemical might of their founder, the ex-magi Marconius, creating a brew that utterly transformed himself into the very first of their kind. Yet, it is also more rarely said that Marconius was an unfortunate target of a trio of his Lasombra clan-mates, fed a vile potion bought off an unnamed mage then forced deep into a lake under the full moon seeking knowledge unknown. Whatever the truth is, the Kiasyd are deeply tied to the ways of alchemy.
It runs in their veins as much as the abyss, and ever since their inception they have studied it. For centuries, Marconian Alchemy was only known to Macronius’ now-fractured mind as the Kiasyd did all they could to unlock it. All they gained was a vitae taste profile finer than a Ventrue, the ability to create cocktails blended with blood any kindred could enjoy, and a knack to rend bonds off blood — that is, until the 19th century. In the early 1800s, Kiasyd everywhere in quick succession began discovering how to properly use vitae in alchemical solutions as Marconius was said to, leading to many great leaps forwards in the bloodline’s research.
The Victorian era is looked back on fondly by many Kiasyd of age for this reason, seeing it natural this innovation happens in the era they see as perfection of culture. Many Kiasyd argue on what caused this seemingly sudden access to the wide field of Alchemy. Some claim this is due to the awakening of Hrotsuitha, their founder’s sacrificed sister, while others mundanely state after a near millennium of research, it would be more surprising if nothing had been achieved. Learning Marconian Alchemy requires several components.
The alchemist must have at least one dot in both Mytherceria and one dot in Occult and Science. Such a character may not learn any Marconian Alchemy formulae rated higher than her Mytherceria or Occult score (whichever is lower). If all the requirements are met to learn Marconian Alchemy, the vampire automatically gains a single Level One formula.
To learn further formulae, the alchemist must find someone to teach her, learn the formulae from a rare scroll, tome, or other archive, or risk her assets by experimenting with reagents and vitae. Learning a new formulae can take anywhere from a few nights (Level One formulae) to months or years (Level Five formulae).
As a rule, being taught a formula takes less time than learning via trial and error. Every formula requires ingredients and reagents to work — these are noted in the description of each formulae. Unless stated otherwise, a formula takes 10 minutes to complete. Brewing a formula requires a bar or laboratory to work in and a successful Intelligence + Crafts roll, for which the difficulty equals 3 + the level of the formula (maximum 9). Only one success is required for a formula to work, though certain formulae may require more successes or have variable effects based on how well the alchemist’s roll goes.
Should a roll to brew a formula fail, the Storyteller is encouraged to create particularly strange consequences or side effects; Marconian Alchemy is based deeply on faeish magic and is subsequently inherently unpredictable and dangerous. A botched brewing roll may even indicate a far worse fate, such as bizarre, dangerous coincidences or being hunted by illusionary entities. Nearly every Marconian Alchemy formula has side effects associated with imbibing them, due to both the recent nature of the craft and its inherent faeish unpredictability.
Level One Formulae
Virginizing Distillation
This formula is the oldest used by the Kiasyd. In their pursuits to emulate their founder, purifying the bond from raw vitae and safely storing it away was their crowning achievement. Vitae that has been purified this way is called virgin blood, which has led to some quite unfortunate misconceptions by many.
System: The Alchemist carefully distills fresh vitae with rowan and silver for an hour per point, dripping it into a sealed container. The vitae loses the ability to blood bond, and does not begin to lose potency until the container is unsealed.
Misty Tincture
By mixing herbs and sulfur into vitae in a careful spiral, an Alchemist can create a sealed vial of a smoky and volatile liquid.
System: The Alchemist must expend one point of vitae during brewing. The tincture created is incredibly potent, and when released it creates a three meter wide cloud of mist that lasts a scene or until blown away. Anyone who tries to see through the mist gains a to +2 difficulty.
Morningsun Aperitif
Designed by a particularly impatient alchemist, this formula invigorates the user so she may be able to stave off daysleep.
System: The Alchemist must expend one point of vitae into a brew of coffee, tea, or any preferred stimulant, laced with smelling salts and peppermint leaves. Once imbibed, the imbiber cannot willingly enter day-sleep until noonday, and is forced to do so at dusk. However many hours spent staving off day-sleep are translated into the following rest, to a maximum of six hours.
Elixir of Emotions
Designed to manipulate the vague tendencies of the mind, this hawthorn based formula subtly shifts the emotions of the imbiber.
System: The Alchemist must expend one point of vitae during brewing, as well as a reagent that encapsulates the emotion desired. When a victim imbibes a drink with this formula in it, she must make a Perception + Alertness roll (Difficulty 8) to notice the off-taste. After finishing it, the target must score more successes on a Willpower roll (difficulty of the alchemist’s Mytherceria rating + 3) than the alchemist scored or have their emotion shifted to the one chosen during brewing for the rest of the scene.
Fun Vitae (name may change)
Fum Vitae is an alchemical recipe that allows for the infusion of tobacco or other herbs with Vitae, enabling vampires, who normally cannot taste, to experience the flavor of smoke while smoking. The effect is short-lived but offers a brief reprieve from the monotony of undead existence.
System: The Alchemist must Thoroughly infuse the tobacco or herbs with a drop of Vitae. Then let them rest for at least 12 hours to absorb the essence. If you want to intensify the flavor, add a few drops of a supernatural blood Ingredients: • 10 grams of tobacco (or other herbs suitable for smoking, e.g., mint, marijuana, sage, wormwood) • 1 drop of Vitae (any level) • other supernatural blood (optional, for enhancing flavor) Effect: Upon smoking the infused herbs, the vampire momentarily experiences a strong flavor corresponding to the chosen herb. Tobacco offers a rich, earthy taste, mint provides freshness, marijuana brings relaxation, and sage calms the senses. The flavor lasts for a few minutes, though it does not affect the vampire's abilities. Smoking also temporarily eases the hunger for blood, though it does not satisfy it(you don't get blood point).
Side Effects: In excessive amounts (more than three doses in a short time), smoking may lead to fatigue and reduced alertness and any willpower roll add 2 difficulties.
Level Two Formulae
Nightcap Nip
Used against enemies and victims alike, this formula of juniper and melatonin is often spiked into a normal drink or injected via syringe. Imbibing leads almost immediately to deep sleep.
System: The Alchemist must expend one vitae per dose of this formula created in a batch, then distill it for a day. When a victim imbibes it, she must make a Perception + Alertness roll (Difficulty 8) to notice the off-taste. After finishing it, the target must score more successes on a Willpower roll (difficulty of the alchemist’s Mytherceria rating + 3) than the alchemist scored or drift into deep sleep for the remainder of the scene. The formula loses potency if not used within a night, becoming useless.
Refined Vitae
Through weird faeish rites and careful mixing with elderberry, the blood of a fellow vampire may be slowly distilled into something more than a delicacy to partake in. System: The Alchemist must use fresh kindred blood in this formula, then carefully brew it for an hour, using only silver or crystal implements to mix the vitae and distill the formula. Make a Wits + Occult roll (Difficulty 8). On a success, the resulting formula may be imbibed to grant the imbiber with one dot of a non-specialty discipline from the clan the blood came from, as well as the clan weakness. A botch results in diablerie stains for a night instead of granting a discipline dot, and still inflicts the clan weakness. Successes Duration
- 1 Success 10 minutes
- 2 Successes One scene
- 3 Successes One hour
- 4 Successes Three hours
- 5 Successes One night
Using blood from other supernaturals, such as faeries or lupines, result in various unexpected effects of the Storyteller’s choice, with more extreme positives and highly dangerous negatives.
Faerie Fire
This specific combination of vitae and combustible components is extremely volatile, only needing a bit of air to burst into an oddly-colored inferno.
System: The Alchemist must expend one vitae during brewing, along with a large bottle of lighter fluid (or some other reagent similarly combustible), and knots of silver wire. Make a Wits + Science roll (Difficulty 7). The formula will immediately catch alight then burn bright when exposed to oxygen, staying where it lands for a scene and dealing Aggravated damage equal to the number of successes. A target may spend an action to wipe off the Faerie Fire if it lands on her. Faerie Fire cannot be extinguished unless fully smothered. A botch leads to immediate detonation of the formula, harming the alchemist and her surroundings.
Vitae Toxin
By taking a dose of vitae and mixing it with antifreeze (or another very poisonous reagent) and poison oak, an alchemist can create a poison that risks any vampire who drinks it. System: The Alchemist must expend one vitae during brewing. The formula may then be mixed into a stored source of blood, or injected into a vampire or mortal. If injected, the target must make a Stamina roll (Difficulty 4). On a failure, she takes one lethal damage. Either way, the target now has poisoned blood for one scene. Any poisoned blood transfused or drunk deals lethal damage when used per poisoned point, as well as to any kindred spending blood while poisoned in this way. Alternatively, a poisoned vampire may make a Stamina roll (difficulty 7) to expunge all poisoned blood, losing the points but not taking any damage. A botch deals one lethal damage per point attempted to be expunged.
Level Three Formulae
Fruits of Essence Lost
By fermenting specially-treated blood with apple leaves and myrrh, an alchemist may reinvigorate blood otherwise wasted. Although, any Kiasyd will agree this vitae has a noticeably inferior taste. Some alchemists insist the blood must be sewn shut into a fresh liver or stomach, but others find ample use via simple casks lined with gelatin.
System: The alchemist may carefully conduct a faerie rite upon a cask of blood that has gone stale, dried out, or lacks potency, before straining and fermenting it for a full day in the woods. Make a Wits + Occult roll (Difficulty 8). The number of successes determines how much of the blood is invigorated, with one point per success. On more than six A botch turns the blood completely sour, only recoverable by stirring a point of vitae into it then attempting this formula again.
Curse Dilution
By consuming a specially crafted concoction with faerie blood as a key ingredient, the Kiasyd gains temporary control over their Clan Bane, allowing them to lift certain aspects of it for a night. However, while the functional effects of the curse are lifted, the physical appearance or other visible traits associated with the Clan Bane (weakness) remain unchanged. For instance, a Kiasyd will still exhibit their fae-like appearance.
System: When the Kiasyd drinks this curse dilution, they can choose to temporarily lift the effects of their Folkloric Block and Bane Flaws that are part of their Clan Bane. The effects last for one night. However, the potion does not alter the physical appearance associated with the Clan. The Alchemist must expend 2 vitae during brewing this formula, Make a Wits + Occult roll (Difficulty 8) add some Faerie blood with moonlight essence and leaves of belladonna.
Side Effect: Increased Hunger: After consuming the potion, the Kiasyd’s minimum hunger increases by 1. This means that even if they feed normally without draining and killing a human, they will still be considered 1 point hungrier than usual. This increased hunger represents the strain of temporarily suppressing the curse.
Potential Drawbacks: At dawn, the Kiasyd must make a Self-Control (or Instinct) roll (difficulty 7). Failure means that the Kiasyd is overwhelmed by the curse upon waking, resulting in the effects of their Clan Bane being doubled for the following night.
Jekyll’s Drug
Directly inspired by The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, some Marconian Alchemists have developed a way to sacrifice common sense and scholarly intellect for a brief burst of might.
System: The Alchemist must expend up to five vitae during brewing, and mix in raw opium with some diabolical concoction, then spend three hours distilling it. The drug smells sickly sweet when finished, and when imbibed by anyone besides the alchemist it’s retched back up. It expires if not consumed within a night.
If the alchemist chooses to imbibe this drug, she must make a Willpower roll (Difficulty 8). On a success, the drug allows her to transmute a number of mental attribute dots to physical dots equal to the amount of vitae spent on brewing until the duration ends, even if it surpasses generational limits. Failure means you are unable to transmute any attribute dots, while a botch means you lose attribute dots until the duration ends.
- Successes Duration
- 1 Success One turn
- 2 Successes One fight
- 3 Successes One scene
- 4 Successes Half the night
- 5 Successes Entire night
This drug also increases frenzy difficulties for the alchemist by 2 while the effect lasts. Additionally, every time you use this formula, you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8). On a failure, you feel drawn to use this formula again. If drunk again after a failure, you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6). On a failure, you gain the addiction flaw for this formula. Additional uses of the formula require a Willpower roll (difficulty 6 + number of uses) to not develop the derangement split-personality during the time you have this formula imbibed. A botch causes you to lose a bit of yourself, (etc lmoa)
Shadowed Memory
This elixir enables the Kiasyd to influence a person’s memory, either altering or erasing memories similar like Forgetful Mind this recipes was create for Kiasyd who don’t specialize in Dominate discipline.
System: The Alchemist must expend one vitae during brewing this formula, Make a Wits + Occult roll (Difficulty 7) The victim loses memories from the last 24 hours,the memories can be replaced with new, false images. The effect is permanent. Ingredients: Black orchid, drop of vampire saliva and sleeping child’s tear
Dismissive Glamour
When this mugwort-based glamour is spread over the skin, it leaves the user’s very presence extinguished from sight.
System: The Alchemist must expend one vitae during brewing of this formula, and carefully practice faeish charms and spells over the ingredients. Make a Wits + Occult roll (Difficulty 8). On a success, the glamour is immediately applied and lasts for a scene, acting like the Obfuscate power Unseen Presence, with the following changes. In order for any kine or kindred to notice you in any regard, they must make a Perception + Awareness roll (difficulty of the alchemist’s Mytherceria rating + 3) and gain more successes than the alchemist. If they succeed, they see the alchemist’s shadow and feel her presence after being alerted. Otherwise, the alchemist is ignored completely and treated as being completely absent by allies and enemies alike. Not even touch alerts of your presence, though cameras and other recording devices function as normal.
Zenas’ Suncatcher
The credit for this formula is claimed by a clever Kiasyd called Zenas, who sought better ways to tend to his private garden before Edison’s lightbulb. This viscous vitae-infused concoction is left outside during the day to absorb the sun’s rays.
System: Before dawn, the Alchemist must expend one vitae over 30 minutes during brewing of this formula, ground crystals and vervain added in slowly as careful rites are taken. Make a Wits + Occult roll (Difficulty 7), then leave this formula outside in view of the sunlight for a day. On a success, this formula will glow with radiance when recovered in the evening. Touching the formula’s container requires a Difficulty 7 Rötschreck roll to not recoil in fear, and leaves a painful sunburn. A botch leads to dropping the formula, releasing it onto the alchemist. This may be negated by wrapping the container with a thick cloth. Until the duration ends, this formula provides ample light and places gnawing fear in any kindred who lays eyes on it. The liquid itself deals 2 Aggravated damage to any kindred who touches it as a single dose, and dissipates in a flash if released from its container. All vampires who witness such must make a Difficulty 8 Rötschreck roll to not succumb to the red fear.
- Successes Duration
- 1 Successes One night
- 2 Successes Three nights
- 3 Successes One week
- 4 Successes Two weeks
- 5 Successes One month
Level Four Formulae
Masque of Mortality
Developed by Kiasyd who want a low profile, this formula imbues the imbiber with the select skill of disguising her many vampiric oddities behind a passive glamour placed into the minds of bystanders. Though, not every detail can be hidden and subtle hints point to her true nature beneath.
System: The Alchemist must expend one vitae over an hour during brewing, carefully conducting a faeish rite with an orchid bloom and smoked reagents. Make a Wits + Occult roll (Difficulty 7). On a success, when imbibing this formula, the imbiber’s undead form shifts in the perceptions of those around her. Until the duration ends, anyone who sees the alchemist has their perceptions retroactively altered. What may actually be a darkling may simply be written off as a healthy, tall individual by a kine. A botch has the opposite effect, showing viewers an even more twisted version of the alchemist during the duration.
- Successes Duration
- 1 success 10 minutes
- 2 successes One hour
- 3 successes Four hours
- 4 successes 12 hours
- 5 successes 24 hours
Kindred and Kine do not notice this change unless they make a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty of the alchemist’s Mytherceria rating + 3) and gain more successes than the alchemist, their minds determining that the alchemist as always so. Per usual, Auspex can bypass this ability.
When the duration ends, the perceptions shifted do not until sufficient proof and a Charisma + Empathy roll (difficulty of the alchemist’s Mytherceria rating + 3) with more successes than the alchemist is made by someone who sees through the illusion. Alternatively, the alchemist can purposely pull the illusion away on someone affected. An alchemist under the effect of this formula cannot draw upon her blood while the Masque remains. Doing so ends the effect early.
Iron Skin
When the Ventrue of Strasbourg donned their heavy armor, they suspected they would have the advantage over the gangly Kiasyd. What they found on the field of battle was not only terrifying, but legendary. A physical manifestation of stone and earth, their opponents’ skin had become as hard as granite. Swords shattered like glass against Nocturnae skin.
System: The Alchemist must expend one vitae from Ventrue (or Gargoyle but this may give temporally side effect) and spends 1 Blood points and over the next three hours he develops final product when consume Kiasyd get a rock-like hardness to her skin. She loses 1 dot of Dexterity but gains 4 dots of Stamina for the remainder of the night. The character may bring her Stamina beyond that allowed by her Generation.
Delusive Lucidity
Laudanum, Adderall, or some other drug is carefully blended with coca leaves and sage. It’s said to grant protection from outside intrusions and other invoked inconsistencies, but some alchemists doubt the truth of that.
System: The Alchemist must expend one vitae, then carefully distill the various ingredients into a syrup for three hours. The final product is left to dry as an easy to consume form no larger than a thumbnail. When consuming this formula, make a Wits + Awareness roll (Difficulty 8). On a success you add to the difficulty of any Dominate or Chimestry rolls against you, and lower the difficulty of resisting Dominate or Chimestry effects, equal to the number of successes rolled. This effect lasts a scene. On a botch, this has the opposite effect entirely, as the consumer is made a target of hellish apparitions, psychedelic yet tangible. The difficulty of Dominate or Chimestry rolls against you are lowered by three, and the difficulty of resisting any Dominate and Chimestry effects are increased by three.
Level Five Formulae
Phrygian Philter
Named after the hat romans gifted freed slaves, this volatile formula is usually attributed to have been created by an especially impressive alchemist who most unfortunately met her end in the disaster of the Grand Symposium in 1866, though thankfully having kept extensive notes that were passed down to her childer.
System: The alchemist must spend one vitae that’s been treated by the Virginizing Distillation formula, or a similar effect that makes it lose the blood bond (Such as the unbondable merit), and mix it with a point of vitae from whoever is intended to drink it. This concoction is then mixed with holy water, very painstakingly treated, then distilled for a day. It becomes inert if not consumed within the hour, and bubbles violently.
When the target imbibes this formula, they must make an extended Stamina check (Difficulty 7). Each success indicates one level of the bloodbond being broken. A failure ends the check, and a botch inflicts Aggravated damage equal to twice the level of the blood bond. The difficulty of the check increases by two for each level of blood bond the target has, but is reduced by three if a drop of the domitor’s vitae is used in the concoction, or the blood of a vampire from the same clan and of a generation less than or equal to the domitor’s.
The target, whether they succeed or fail, puke up a number of blood points equal to twice the level of the blood bond, which turns to dust after a few moments.
Authors
- Mrsmoku98 (Main autor)
- 4DAM (Mytherceria Path)
- Brigadinator (autor Marconian Alchemy)
Source: bloodlinebook kiasyd, Clanbook Kiasyd, V20-Lore-of-the Bloodlines,V20_Core_Rulebook,Marconian Alchemy(from Brigadinator) and homebrew idea from reddit and my mind