Alchemy is the practice of combining magically active substances with other ingredients to create new substances with magical properties. Alchemists can create potions, which imbue the drinker with certain magical effects. They can also create other alchemical materials that have effects when applied topically, by inhaling vapors, or simply being near the object.
A potion starts with a simple base mixture of water and aetherium or one of its counterparts, which serves as a magically-charged blank slate to which the brewer adds additional ingredients to give the potion specific effects. The base varies depending on the desired type of potion:
To give a base potion an effect, the brewer first adds a catalyst ingredient to the mix, followed by one or more effect ingredients. These two components combine to create simple alchemical effects that apply to creatures that consume or come into contact with the potion.
Many alchemical ingredients are common natural substances which have no extraordinary properties on their own. Soil from the Aetherian glacial plains and ordinary tea leaves are two examples of this phenomenon. Only when combined in the presence of a magical base solution do these items exhibit any magical power. Simply combining them together without an energy source will simply result in a bitter sludge.
The catalyst determines the type of magical interaction the potion will produce, while the effect ingredients specify the elements of the body or environment for the catalyst to apply to. Using the two ingredients above as an example, glacial soil acts as a catalyst for restorative effects, and tea leaves associate that effect with general health, so combining the two with aetherium creates a potion that can heal wounds.
More advanced alchemical recipes combine multiple different catalysts and effects along with spells and enchantments. These are longstanding recipes crafted and refined by experienced alchemists over decades, some originating in ancient times.
See the Potions section for a list of known potion recipes.