User:Average/Potioncraft
Potioncraft is the art of making potions. Potions differ from magic, in that their power derives not from the aether, but more from the earth. For this reason, this magic is the province of the druids rather than wizards. Further, rather than incantations of power through language the power is channeled through the use of intention and interactions with biology and visuals which encode the care and quality of the concoction.
Boiling generally adds energy to your concoction, but it also dissipates any volatile and corrupts ingredients. Two-ounces is the standard amount of liquid for potions.
It's important that a potion hold no sediments: solid bits of matter that distract the recipient. So the potionmaster must understand how to extract the flavor of his/her ingredients for the task (all without harming sources which may be important to keep). A witch has the power to use her body to add effect to pure river water, but the druid must alter the water with a fungus to add the unique property to the otherwise inert water.
Generally, oil is used as a base in higher-level potions (above level 15), where water works as a carrier (with the caveat above) for lower-level. The issue is that the user him or herself corrupts the power of the potions and intentions of the potionmaster with the power of their intestines. For this reason, potions don't work so well on dwarfes:
- apricot oil, for love potions or other positively-aligned work,
- corn oil, for functional potions: rest, healing, restoration
- neem/noni oil, for special magic: life-giving (mana), feelings of fame, glory, can be found by adding just the right ingredients, etc..,
- kukui oil, for enchanted states: greater abilities STR, DEX, INT, etc.
- rosemary oil: reversing effects of other potions
- lemon oil: antidotes for poisons, on the side of psychology.
The power of a potions comes from stacking ingredients and their unique associations with the quaffer. This is mix of things determined by the level of the druid, how safe and pure the potion has been kept, how much attention (ASM) was put into the work (parsimony of ingredients), and the effort of giving it a name (possibly decoration), for each item must trigger an association within the recipient that will provide the desired result. Stacking is power made by combining effects progressively like a pyramid, not like chemistry.
Potions using oils should be good for 24-hours of effect or until sleep (whichever happens first), perhaps more if the world (or gods) doesn't counter-act it.
