Elixir of the Echoing Truth 409

From: Whispercap Spore Bloom 713

Description: This elixir is a shimmering, silvery liquid held within a small, light-proof ceramic vial sealed with dark blue wax. When gently agitated, faint motes of cool, blue-white light swirl within, reminiscent of the original fungi’s bioluminescence. The liquid is completely odorless and has a texture like cool, clean water, with a faint, lingering taste of ozone and damp earth.

Lore and Crafting: Brewed only by skilled alchemists or cloistered sages, the Elixir of the Echoing Truth is a difficult and delicate creation. A Whispercap Spore-Bloom must be harvested under specific, quiet conditions and then slowly distilled in purified spring water using crystal alembics, as baser metals are believed to “shout” and ruin the delicate echo. The process is often done in a sound-proofed room during a new moon. The alchemist’s goal is to not just extract the mushroom’s magic, but to filter out the chaotic “noise” of the memory, clarifying the “Absorbed Echo” into a more coherent, usable form. The origin of the fungi used in the brewing is paramount and is always noted on a small tag tied to the vial’s neck (e.g., “From the ruins of the Silent Library,” “Sourced from the Sunken Crypt”).

Magical Function: Consuming this elixir grants a refined version of the raw fungi’s active ability. The user experiences the “Absorbed Echo” not as a chaotic jumble, but as a clearer, more linear sensory flash of a past event. While still fragmented, the information is easier to interpret. Furthermore, the alchemical process mitigates the worst of the “Psychic Indigestion.” The user still feels a mild sense of disorientation for a minute or two, but it does not impose any significant penalties, allowing them to act on the newfound information almost immediately. It is a prized tool for investigators, historians, and those seeking to uncover specific, localized secrets.

This alchemical draught is the result of a masterfully refined process, transforming the raw, chaotic potential of a Whispercap Spore-Bloom into a tool of focused and unparalleled insight. It is considered less an ingredient and more a key, capable of unlocking a single, specific secret that has been absorbed and imprinted upon the very fabric of a location. Those who brew it are part alchemist, part historian, and part mystic, understanding that they are not merely creating a potion, but bottling a ghost.

Appearance: The elixir is contained within a heavy, opaque ceramic vial with a matte, slate-blue finish that is cool and smooth to the touch. The vial is sealed with a deep blue wax, which is often impressed with the unique sigil of its creator—a silent eye, a listening spiral, or a keyhole are common marks. A small, parchment tag is tied to the vial’s neck with a silver thread, detailing the origin of the fungi within (e.g., “Sourced from the Sunken Crypt during the second moon”). When the vial is gently swirled, the shimmering, silvery liquid inside reveals its nature. Countless motes of cool, blue-white light drift lazily, like dust motes in a moonbeam, pulsing with a slow, faint rhythm. This bioluminescence will briefly intensify if the vial is brought near a source of strong magic or raw emotion.

Tier One Stats:

Tier: 1
Type: Alchemical Consumable
Consumption Time: 1 Action
Duration of Effects: 10 Minutes
Weight: 0.5 lbs
Base Value: 1 Gold, 4 Silver

Slot: Held, or stored in a Pouch, Pack, or Belt slot.

Tags: Consumable, Alchemical, Magical, Tier 1, Rare, Crafted, Lore-heavy, Divination, Focus, Legendary, Psychic, Industrial, Gestalt, Charges, Tribal, Contraband, Illumination, Planar

Passive Magics

Psychic Lure: The elixir acts as a magical capacitor. While on an avatar’s person, it passively and slowly absorbs ambient psychic residue and strong emotional energy from the immediate environment. This does not provide a benefit to the carrier directly, but it can subtly enhance the elixir’s active effect. If consumed in a location ripe with sorrow, fear, or historical significance, the “Absorbed Echo” may be slightly more vivid or emotionally resonant.
Harmonic Provenance: The elixir remains connected to the place of its birth. When the vial is within approximately 100 feet of the location where its source Whispercap was harvested, the liquid within begins to hum very faintly, a low thrum that can be felt through the ceramic. The motes of light inside will also drift faster and glow more brightly, confirming for the user that they are in the correct place to investigate the echo the elixir holds.

Active Magics (Upon Consumption)

Clarified Echo: Upon drinking the elixir, the primary magic takes effect. The user is instantly immersed in a sensory flash—the “Absorbed Echo”—from the fungi’s place of origin. Unlike the raw fungi, this vision is refined and linear. The user might experience 3-5 seconds of a past event with relative clarity: seeing through the eyes of a long-dead guard, hearing a single, clear sentence of a secret conversation, or feeling the distinct emotional spike of a betrayal as it happened. The experience is still fragmented but provides a direct, actionable clue.
Epiphany: The user’s mind, having been opened by the echo, becomes hyper-attuned to the context of that specific memory. This grants a temporary, specialized skill for 10 minutes:
- Temporary Skill Gained: Insight (Echo Focus). The user can add a bonus of +2 to any Investigation or Insight check made to interpret, understand, or act upon the specific information and context gained from the Clarified Echo. For example, if the echo revealed a hidden switch, the user would gain this bonus on their roll to find it.
Lingering Resonance: The alchemical process greatly mitigates the raw fungi’s negative effects, but does not eliminate them. For the 10-minute duration of the Epiphany, the user’s mind is so focused on the echo’s implications that their general awareness suffers. They are in a state of deep concentration and are easily distracted by mundane matters. This manifests as a -2 penalty to all general Perception checks that are not directly related to investigating the subject of the Clarified Echo.

The Elixir of the Echoing Truth 409 is a specialized alchemical creation, not a common potion. Its trade is conducted in circles that value information and subtlety over brute force, and its price can fluctuate dramatically based on the perceived value of the secret it holds. An avatar would not find this item on a general market shelf, but would need to seek out specific, and often discreet, vendors.

1. The Master Alchemist’s Atelier

Where and How: This is the most reputable place to acquire such an item. The shop is less a cluttered den and more a pristine laboratory, filled with the clean scents of rare reagents and distilled spirits. The Master Alchemist, a recognized artisan with a professional reputation to uphold, would sell their own creations by appointment or to trusted clients. The transaction is a formal consultation. The alchemist will present the vial, discuss the specific provenance noted on its tag, and explain the potential nuances of an echo from that location. Quality and purity are the main selling points. They would rarely buy a finished elixir from an adventurer, as they would not trust the quality of a rival’s work, but they are the primary market for selling the raw Whispercap Spore-Bloom ingredient.
Cost:
- Cost to Buy: Purchasing from a Master Alchemist is the most expensive but most reliable option. The price for a single vial of Elixir of the Echoing Truth 409 ranges from 1 Gold and 8 Silver Pieces to 2 Gold Pieces. An elixir sourced from a location of immense historical or magical significance could cost even more.
- Cost to Sell: An adventurer would not typically sell the finished elixir here. They would sell the raw fungi for approximately 6 to 9 Silver Pieces.

2. The Sage’s Study or Antiquarian’s Vault

Where and How: These establishments are the domain of knowledge brokers, historians, and diviners. The location is often a cluttered study or a secure vault piled high with ancient scrolls, artifacts, and esoteric tomes. The sage or antiquarian values the elixir not for its alchemical artistry, but for its function as a key to unlock the past. When selling, they frame the elixir as a solution to a specific mystery. When buying, they are the most discerning customers. They will grill the seller about the precise location and circumstances of the fungi’s discovery, as this context is critical to interpreting the echo. The negotiation is a scholarly and intense affair.
Cost:
- Cost to Buy: The price here is often comparable to an alchemist’s, roughly 1 Gold and 5 Silver Pieces to 2 Gold Pieces. However, a sage is often more willing to trade, potentially offering another rare item, a valuable piece of information, or a map in exchange for the elixir.
- Cost to Sell: This is the ideal place for an adventurer to sell a found or commissioned elixir. A sage who needs the specific information held within an elixir will pay a premium. A seller can expect to receive between 1 Gold Piece and 1 Gold and 5 Silver Pieces for a vial with a particularly intriguing origin tag.

3. The “Shade Market” Broker or Guild Contact

Where and How: In the back rooms of taverns, the shadowy corners of a city’s underbelly, or through a coded interaction with a guild spymaster, one can find brokers who deal in tools of the trade. The transaction is discreet, swift, and devoid of pleasantries. The seller’s reputation is meaningless here; all that matters is the item and the price. The broker will likely perform a quick magical test to verify the elixir’s nature, but they are less concerned with its nuanced history and more with its practical application for espionage, theft, or uncovering a rival’s secrets.
Cost:
- Cost to Buy: The price in a Shade Market is volatile. A buyer might find a stolen or questionably brewed elixir for as low as 1 Gold Piece, but if the item is in high demand for a specific plot or intrigue, a broker could charge as much as 2 Gold and 5 Silver Pieces. The risk of the elixir being diluted, improperly brewed, or even a complete fake is significantly higher.
- Cost to Sell: An adventurer selling to a broker will be subjected to a ruthless negotiation. The broker knows the seller is likely operating outside of legitimate channels and will leverage that. The offer for a vial of the elixir will be substantially lower than from a sage, typically ranging from 7 to 9 Silver Pieces. The primary advantage is that the broker asks no questions and pays in coin, immediately.

The use of this elixir is a deliberate and often dramatic act. It is a rare, single-use key to a specific lock, and the decision to drink it is a calculated risk. The roleplay revolves around the weight of that decision, the interpretation of the cryptic vision it provides, and the subsequent period of intense focus and vulnerability.

Roleplaying its Defensive Uses

Defensive use is about gaining foreknowledge to survive an imminent threat, clear one’s name, or navigate a danger that is already present. It is a reactive and often desperate measure.

1. In a Treacherous Ruin or Dungeon:

Scenario: The party is deep within a forgotten tomb, facing a sealed door covered in unfamiliar runes, with the sound of a large, unknown creature echoing from the halls behind them. They have an elixir made from a Whispercap they found in the tomb’s antechamber.
Roleplay in Action: The character designated as the investigator or strategist would present the vial, perhaps saying, “This place has a memory. It’s time we listened to it.” The roleplay would involve the physical act of uncorking the vial, noting the scent of ozone and dust, and the solemn act of drinking it. The player would then turn to the Guide Manager and say, “I drink the elixir. What does the echo show me?” They might receive a flash of a robed figure tracing a specific sequence of runes on the door to open it. The character would then relay this vital, defensive information: “I saw it! A hand… it touched the serpent symbol, then the crown… that’s the sequence!” Immediately after, they must roleplay the elixir’s drawback. They might clutch their head and say, “That’s all I can see. The memory is so loud… you’ll have to be my eyes and ears for anything else until my head clears.” The defense is unlocking a path to safety, but it requires the party to protect their now vulnerable and hyper-focused expert.

2. In a Social Intrigue or Formal Accusation:

Scenario: An avatar has been accused of a crime they did not commit. They are under guard in their quarters, awaiting a formal hearing. They have one vial of the elixir, sourced from the scene of the crime.
Roleplay in Action: This is a moment of quiet desperation. The character would wait until they are alone, barring the door. The roleplay isn’t about grand gestures, but about the quiet intensity of the moment. They would drink the elixir and process the vision—perhaps the echo shows the true culprit dropping a distinctive signet ring, or the sound of their specific, limping gait as they fled. The defensive play is to seize upon this single, crucial clue. When the guards arrive, the character doesn’t just plead innocence; they present a new, undeniable piece of evidence. They might say, “Search the chambers of Lord Vorlag. You will find his boots are scuffed on the left heel. I heard it… the sound of his escape.” They are defending their life and reputation by revealing a hidden truth, but in doing so, they have used their only chance and must now rely on others to act on the information.

Roleplaying its Offensive Uses

Offensive use is about seizing the initiative. It involves using the elixir proactively to uncover a weakness, plan an infiltration, or set the perfect ambush. It is a strategic and calculated strike.

1. In Planning an Infiltration or Assassination:

Scenario: The party needs to break into a heavily guarded magistrate’s office to recover an incriminating ledger. They have acquired a costly elixir made from a Whispercap that grew in the magistrate’s own private greenhouse.
Roleplay in Action: This occurs during the planning phase. The party is gathered around a crude map. The rogue or spy uncorks the vial, saying, “Let’s see what the walls themselves have to say.” After drinking, the player would narrate the echo’s tactical value: “I see the magistrate at his desk… he moves the potted plant on the far left to access a hidden lever for his safe room,” or “I see the guard captain making his nightly rounds. He has a key… but it’s a decoy. The real key is a loose stone in the hearth.” This is offensive intelligence. It allows the party to bypass defenses and strike directly at their objective. The roleplay of the drawback is the character becoming obsessed with the new information, saying, “The plant is the key. Nothing else matters as much as the plant,” while potentially ignoring an ally’s valid concerns about a different part of the plan due to their “Lingering Resonance.”

2. In Hunting a Cunning Creature or Foe:

Scenario: A band of adventurers is tasked with eliminating a notorious bandit leader who has proven impossible to track. They have finally located his hidden camp and managed to acquire an elixir sourced from a Whispercap growing near the camp’s well.
Roleplay in Action: Just before the assault, the party’s leader or tactician drinks the elixir. This is a high-risk, high-reward gambit. The echo might reveal a critical vulnerability: “I see him sparring… he overextends every time he makes a heavy swing, leaving his left side exposed for a heartbeat,” or “I see him giving orders. He has a deep, irrational fear of fire… he flinched when a torch was brought too close.” The character would then issue sharp, precise orders based on this new insight: “Gael, you will feint and draw his heavy swing. Anya, you will strike his left flank the moment he commits. I saw it. It’s his weakness.” The offensive is no longer a simple attack, but a targeted strike against a confirmed vulnerability. The immense risk is that for the next ten minutes of the fight, the leader is only partially aware of the wider battlefield, focused entirely on executing the plan the echo revealed.

Perception of Activation: When a Whispercap Spore-Bloom is consumed, the activation is an intense, multi-layered sensory event that is profoundly different for the user and any outside observers.

User’s Perspective

The Five Senses:

Touch: The fungi has a surprisingly firm, cool texture, like dense gelatin. As it is chewed, it does not crumble but seems to dissolve on the tongue, transforming into a cold, tingling sensation that spreads through the mouth and seems to chill the back of the throat.
Taste: The flavor is profoundly earthy and primal, not unpleasant but deeply strange. It is the taste of a forest floor after a deep rain, of petrichor, wet stone, and rich, dark soil, all underscored by the sharp, clean tang of ozone, like the air just before a lightning strike.
Smell: As the fungi is brought to the lips, its faint scent intensifies. It is the aroma of a deep, damp cave, ancient moss, and a subtle, almost floral note of noble decay. It is the smell of a place that has been silent for a very long time.
Sound: The external world seems to fall away, muffled as if heard through water. This is replaced by an internal rushing sound, like wind through a keyhole, which quickly coalesces into the phantom audio of the “Absorbed Echo”—a fragmented whisper, a single, clear musical note, the clash of steel, or a sorrowful gasp.
Sight: The user’s physical vision blurs, and the light in the room dims dramatically. Superimposed over their sight, or replacing it entirely for a few seconds, is the visual component of the echo. It is not like watching a scene, but like being thrust into it—a fleeting, first-person glimpse of a memory that is not their own.

Extra-Sensory Perceptions:

Empathic Resonance: The user does not just see or hear the memory; they feel the core emotion tied to it. This is the most potent aspect of the activation—a sudden, overwhelming spike of raw emotion, be it the terror of a victim, the cold resolve of a killer, a wave of profound loss, or a flash of triumphant joy.
Temporal Dislocation: For a brief, vertiginous moment, the user feels fundamentally unstuck in time and space. There is a dizzying sensation of being in two places at once—their physical body in the present, and the echo’s viewpoint in the past. This is the primary source of the subsequent disorientation.
Psychic Residue: Immediately following the echo, the user may perceive a faint, glowing aura around objects or people directly related to the memory. A key might glow with the ghost of the hand that last turned it, or a doorway might retain a fleeting shadow of the person who passed through it in the vision.

Observer’s Perspective

Sight: To an observer, the user suddenly freezes mid-action. Their eyes unfocus and dilate, staring blankly into the middle distance as if seeing something far away. For a split second, a faint, pale blue light might seem to flicker deep within their irises. Their body may go rigid for a moment before they shudder or gasp as the echo hits its crescendo. A trickle of sweat might bead on their brow from the intensity of the experience.
Sound: The user falls completely silent. The only sound an observer might hear is the user’s sharp, sudden intake of breath, or a single, muttered, out-of-context word that escapes their lips from the memory they are witnessing.

Positives

The primary benefit is the acquisition of an invaluable, undeniable truth. The user gains a piece of first-hand sensory information that could be impossible to obtain through any other means.
The experience provides a deep, empathic understanding of a past event, offering not just clues but also the context of the emotions surrounding it, which can be critical for solving mysteries or understanding motivations.

Negatives

The sensory and emotional whiplash is intense and jarring, causing the “Psychic Indigestion” that leaves the user mentally disoriented and confused for a short time afterward.
The user is left completely vulnerable to their physical surroundings during the activation. They are deaf and blind to the real world, making it an extremely dangerous act to perform in an unsecured location.
The absorbed emotion can be traumatic. Witnessing a violent or tragic event through the echo can leave a lasting psychological mark on the user.

Alchemist’s Formula for the Mnemonic Tincture 285: This recipe outlines the meticulous process for creating a Mnemonic Tincture, an alchemical preparation similar in function to the famed Elixir of the Echoing Truth, but with a focus on preserving the emotional context of an echo over its visual clarity. It is considered a slightly less refined but more empathically potent alternative.

Materials Needed:

Primary Reagent: One freshly harvested Whispercap Spore-Bloom 713. The fungi must be no more than six hours old and kept in a cool, dark, and silent container since being picked. The origin of the fungi is critical, as it will define the tincture’s echo.
Solvent: Three cups of “Silent Water”—water collected from a subterranean pool or a slow-moving, shaded spring that has been left to stand in a covered ceramic basin for one full day to allow any “audible impurities” to settle.
Binder: Two drops of Dew of the Sleeper. This is the morning dew collected from the petals of a Moon-petal Lily, a flower that only blooms in complete darkness. It is prized for its ability to bind ethereal energies to a liquid medium.
Stabilizer: A single, perfect salt crystal, no larger than a grain of rice, sourced from a salt flat known for its magical stillness.
Filter: A small square of finely woven, undyed silk, boiled once in Silent Water and allowed to air dry in a soundless room.

Tools Required:

Mortar and Pestle: Must be crafted from polished, non-porous obsidian or marble. Metal tools will create a “ringing” that can shatter the delicate memory echo.
Alembic/Distillation Set: The entire apparatus, including the retort, condenser, and receiving flask, must be made of high-quality, heat-resistant crystal or glass.
Heat Source: An alchemical heat stone or a sand bath. An open flame is too “violent” and inconsistent for the delicate heating required.
Vials: Two small, light-proof ceramic vials with airtight stoppers or wax seals for the finished product.
Utensils: A silver stirring rod and a mother-of-pearl spoon for handling the reagents.

Skill Requirements:

Alchemy (Journeyman): The crafter must have a solid understanding of distillation, infusion, and the principles of magical stabilization.
Herbalism (Adept): Requires the ability to identify and properly handle the Whispercap Spore-Bloom and other delicate magical flora without damaging their properties.
Focus (Passive Skill): The crafter must be able to maintain a state of deep concentration and mental quiet for the duration of the brewing process, which can take several hours. Any strong emotion or distraction on the part of the alchemist can emotionally “taint” the final product.

Crafting Steps:

The Preparation of Silence: The crafting must begin in the evening, in a room that is as silent as possible. All tools are to be laid out on a soft cloth. The salt crystal is dropped into the Silent Water, where it is allowed to dissolve completely without stirring. This creates the base solution.
The Gentle Bruising: The Whispercap Spore-Bloom is placed in the stone mortar. It is not ground, but gently bruised with the pestle until it begins to release its pale, luminescent juices. This step is about persuasion, not force. The goal is to coax the essence out, not crush it.
The Cold Infusion: The bruised fungi is transferred to the retort of the alembic. The salted Silent Water is poured over it. The mixture is then left to infuse in complete darkness for one hour. During this time, the water will slowly take on the faint, blue-white glow of the fungi.
The Whisper-Still Distillation: The alembic is placed on the gentle heat source. The heat must be raised with extreme slowness, taking at least thirty minutes to bring the liquid to a state of barely-perceptible steaming. A true simmer or boil will destroy the echo. The goal is to encourage the most volatile, ethereal essence of the fungi to rise as vapor. This vapor is collected through the condenser, where it will re-form as a clear, shimmering liquid in the receiving flask. This step is the longest and requires the most focus.
The Binding: Once about a thimbleful of the clear distillate has been collected, the heat is removed. The distillate is allowed to cool completely. Once cool, the two drops of the Dew of the Sleeper are added using the mother-of-pearl spoon. The tincture will flash with a single, bright pulse of light as the echo is bound to the liquid.
The Sealing: The finished Mnemonic Tincture is immediately decanted into the ceramic vials and sealed with wax. A tag noting the fungi’s origin should be affixed. The tincture must then be stored in a dark, quiet place for at least one full day to allow the magic to settle before it is ready for use.

Vizier’s Folly and Mute Oracle

Attend to the words that follow, for their path is long and their shape bent by the telling of many tongues from a time whose name is dust.

It is said that in the city of Al-Khem, where the spires were like needles stitching the sky, there ruled a Sultan of great kindness but of a simple mind. His thoughts were like a clear, shallow stream, and his heart was without guile. A man of cunning thoughts was he not. Yet, this Sultan, this Sun-on-Earth, held the key to a legendary treasure, a vault of wonders gathered by his ancestors, the location of which was a secret he alone possessed.

Serving this Great Man was a Vizier named Kaelen. His mind-web was full of clever knots, and his ambition was a thirst that no water could slake. The Vizier saw the Sultan’s goodness as a fallow field where his own seeds of power might be planted. He yearned for the treasure, but the Sultan, in his simplicity, could not describe its hiding place, only saying, “It is where my heart feels quiet.”

The Vizier, who was a reader of proscribed scrolls, learned of a peculiar growth, a fungi called the Mute Oracle, or in other texts, the Whispercap. The scrolls said this fungi did drink the thoughts and feelings left behind in a place of great stillness. A thought came to the Vizier, a hook-shaped and sharp idea. He could not take the secret from the Sultan’s mind, but perhaps he could take it from the Sultan’s silence.

For the Sultan had a private place, a Garden of Silent Contemplation. It was a place of sculpted silence, where fountains flowed without sound and the flowers bloomed in colors so deep they seemed to swallow noise. Here the Sultan would walk for many hours, thinking his simple thoughts, his heart feeling quiet, his mind brushing against the secret of his great treasure.

Kaelen, with a stealth that was his nature, entered the garden under a sleeping moon. He searched the places of deepest shadow, by the roots of the silent Cypress trees and in the damp places where the noiseless fountains wet the stones. There he found it, a pale and ghostly bloom, giving off a light like a trapped star. The Mute Oracle.

His heart, which was a fist in his chest, did beat with a great speed. He did not hesitate. He plucked the Oracle from the earth and did consume it whole, greedy for the knowledge it held.

And the world within his head did break. A torrent, a great flood of seeing, rushed in. He saw the treasure! He saw the gleam of gold piled high as hills, the star-fire of a thousand gems. He saw the path to the hidden door, behind the waterfall in the Sultan’s garden. He saw the sequence of stones to press. He had the secret!

But the Sultan’s thoughts were a clear, shallow stream. When he thought of his treasure, he did not only think of the gold. He also thought, with the pure and absolute terror of a child, of the great stone Djinn he had been told guarded it. The Vizier saw the location of the treasure, but he also absorbed the Sultan’s bottomless, unfiltered dread of its guardian. He felt the phantom weight of its gaze, the imagined scrape of its claws of living stone, the unending certainty of its terrible might. He absorbed not just the memory, but the madness of the fear attached to it.

When the palace guards found the Vizier Kaelen the next morning, he was huddled beneath the silent Cypress trees. His eyes were wide with a terror that was not of this world, and he was whispering of “eyes in the dark” and “a thirst made of rock.” He held the knowledge of the treasure, but the knowledge had broken the vessel that held it. He lived the rest of his days in a padded room, a rich man in his mind who could never spend his fortune of truth.

The moral of this story is: A secret taken without consent is a poison to the mind.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Elixir of Mnemonic Resonance Potion, rare

This shimmering, silvery liquid swirls with motes of faint, blue-white light inside a heavy ceramic vial. A small parchment tag tied to its neck details the location where its fungal ingredient was harvested.

When you drink this elixir, you experience a brief, overwhelming sensory flash of a single, significant event that occurred in the past at the location noted on the tag. The flash may be a sight, a sound, a scent, or a powerful emotion. The DM describes the contents of this echo, which is typically 3 to 5 seconds long.

After experiencing the echo, you gain two effects that last for 10 minutes:

Mnemonic Insight: You have advantage on all Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Insight) checks made to understand, interpret, or act upon the specific information gained from the echo.
Lingering Resonance: Your mind is so focused on the past event that your awareness of the present suffers. You have disadvantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks.

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Tincture of Retained Impressions

A dose of this shimmering, silvery liquid is typically found in a sealed, light-proof ceramic vial. Alchemists and occultists familiar with its properties know that its potency is tied to the location where its core fungal component was found—a detail often noted on a small tag affixed to the container.

Consuming the tincture allows the investigator to perceive a psychic “impression” left on a specific location. Upon drinking, the investigator must make an Idea roll. If successful, the Keeper provides them with a brief but vivid sensory clue from the location’s past—a frantic whisper, the sight of a specific symbol being drawn, the overwhelming scent of ozone, or a powerful surge of terror.

The experience is profoundly unnatural and taxing on the human mind. The investigator must immediately make a Sanity roll (0/1d4). Regardless of the outcome of the Sanity roll, the insight gained is potent. For the next hour, the investigator gains one bonus die on a single Cthulhu Mythos, Investigate, or Spot Hidden roll made to directly act upon the information revealed in the vision.

Blades in the Dark

Ghost-Echo Cordial An alchemical, consumable, rare

A dose of shimmering, silvery fluid in a dark ceramic vial, said to be distilled from the essence of rare, ectoplasmic fungi. The cordial allows the user to attune to the “memory” of a place, drawing out a secret from the ghost field.

When you consume this cordial in a specific location, you may ask the GM one of the following questions about a past event that happened there:

What powerful emotion was felt here?
What was the last truly important thing that happened here?
What secret is hidden here?

You do not need to make an action roll to get the answer; the vision is potent and clear. However, channeling the ghost field is not without its price. Choose one of the following:

Suffer 2 Stress.
Attract the attention of a ghost or echo related to the vision.
Start a 4-segment clock labeled “Psychic Bleed.”

Knave (2nd Edition)

Whisper-Cap Tincture Potion, 1 inventory slot

A shimmering, silvery liquid in a heavy ceramic vial. A tag on its neck names a location.

When you drink this tincture, the GM will describe a single, brief, and significant memory echo from the past of the location noted on the tag. For the next 10 minutes (1 exploration turn), you have advantage on any one roll made to directly use the information from the echo. However, for the same duration, your mind is reeling from the psychic intrusion, and you have disadvantage on all saves to notice details or avoid being surprised.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Elixir of Psychometric Insight Item 3 Price 10 gp Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk L Category Potion, Consumable, Alchemical, Divination

This shimmering, silvery liquid swirls with motes of faint, blue-white light inside a heavy ceramic vial. A small tag tied to its neck notes the location where its primary fungal component was found.

Activate [A] Interact

When you drink this elixir, you experience a brief, overwhelming sensory flash of a single, significant event from the past that occurred at the location noted on the tag. The vision is from a first-person perspective and may be a sight, sound, or powerful emotion. The GM describes the contents of this vision. For the next 10 minutes, you gain the following effects:

You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to skill checks made to investigate, decipher, or act upon the specific information revealed in the vision (typically checks for Investigation, Society, or Occultism, at the GM’s discretion).
Your mind is focused on the past, causing you to neglect the present. You take a -2 status penalty to Perception checks.

Fate (Core System)

Draught of the Resonant Past

This shimmering, silvery elixir, brewed from fungi that grow in places heavy with history, allows the imbiber to taste the echoes of a location’s past.

Mechanics: By consuming the draught in a place of significance, you may immediately perform a Create an Advantage action using your Investigate skill to discover a truth about a past event that occurred there. If you succeed, in addition to the normal results, the situation aspect you create is particularly potent. If you succeed with style, you gain two free invocations on the aspect instead of one.

However, the vision is psychically jarring. The GM may immediately invoke a relevant personal aspect against you for free to represent your disorientation, or they may introduce a new situation aspect like Mentally Unmoored with one free invocation for the GM to use against you at a later time.

Numenera & Cypher System

Psychic Residue Siphon

Level: 1d6 Form: A single dose of shimmering, silvery liquid in a sealed, matte-black ceramic vial. Effect: When you drink this cypher, you experience a brief but intensely clear vision of a single, significant event that occurred in your current location at some point in the past. The vision is from the perspective of someone who was present and provides a specific, useful clue or piece of information about that event.

For the next ten minutes, any task you perform that is directly related to understanding or acting upon the information from the vision is eased. However, during that same time, your mind is reeling from the psychic intrusion, and any other task you attempt is hindered.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Second Sight Serum Weight: —; Cost: 250

A rare, alchemical concoction that swirls with faint blue light. It is said to be brewed from rare fungi that absorb the memories of the very earth in which they grow.

When a character drinks the serum, the Game Master provides them with a brief, dramatic vision of a single, important event that happened in the past at their current location. This vision provides a useful and actionable clue. After the vision fades, the character immediately gains one Benny.

However, the psychic feedback is intense. For the next 5 rounds, the character is Distracted as their mind struggles to separate the past from the present.

Shadowrun (6th World)

Psychometric Echo Shot

A dose of this synthetic, glowing liquid is delivered via a disposable syrette. The formula is a highly illegal and unregistered alchemical compound that forces a temporary, targeted psychometric awakening in the user’s astral signature, allowing them to read the “memory” of a place. It’s a favorite tool of corporate espionage specialists and private investigators who operate on the magical fringe.

Type: Magical Preparation
Activation: Complex Action
Potency: 4
Effect: Upon injection, you may immediately make an Assensing + Magic (4) test to read a psychic impression from your immediate surroundings. The number of net hits determines the clarity of the vision of a single, significant past event, as described by the GM. After the vision fades, you gain 1 Edge.
Drain: The psychic feedback is jarring. You must resist 4 Stun damage. For the next 10 minutes, you suffer a -2 dice pool penalty to all other Perception tests as your senses reel from the temporal dislocation.

Starfinder

Mnemonic Serum Level 5; Price 500; Hands 1; Type Hybrid Item; Bulk L

This vial contains a shimmering, silvery liquid that swirls with faint blue light. The serum is a complex blend of biotech agents and magical reagents that temporarily attunes the user’s brain to latent chronon particles, granting a flash of insight into a location’s past.

The Mnemonic Serum is a consumable that is injected as a standard action. When you inject the serum, you experience a brief but clear vision of a single, significant event that occurred in your current location. The GM describes this vision, which provides an actionable clue. For 1 minute after the injection, you gain two effects:

You gain a +4 insight bonus to skill checks made to act upon or decipher the information from the vision (typically Perception, Sense Motive, or Culture checks).
Your senses are overwhelmed by the psychic feedback. You are Flat-Footed for the duration as you struggle to reorient your awareness to the present.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Psi-Chronon Ampoule

A high-tech, single-use ampoule containing a powerful psionic drug suspended in a biogel. It is a rare and often restricted substance, classified as a forensic and intelligence-gathering tool. When administered, it attunes a psionically-sensitive individual to the temporal echoes of their surroundings.

Type: Psionic Drug
TL: 14
Cost: Cr 15,000
Effect: A character administering the drug may immediately attempt a Difficult (10+) Investigate or Psionics (Telepathy) check. If successful, the character experiences a vision of a significant past event at the location. The Effect of the roll determines the clarity and detail of the vision provided by the Referee.
Side Effects: The psychic strain is immense. The user immediately takes 1D6 damage (ignoring armor) and must make an Average (8+) Endurance check. Failure means they are stunned and unable to act for 1D6 rounds as their consciousness reels from the temporal backlash.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Draught of the Echoing Soul

This rare and unsettling draught is a shimmering, silvery liquid in a heavy ceramic vial. It is brewed by alchemists who dabble in the Lore of Heavens and Shadow, using psychically resonant fungi as its main ingredient. The Church of Sigmar considers its use to be bordering on heresy, as it allows a mortal to witness moments that should remain in the past.

Type: Draught
Cost: 1 GC; Enc: 0; Availability: Rare
Effect: When you drink this draught, make a Difficult (-10) Cool Test. If you succeed, you witness a brief, disturbing vision of a significant event that transpired at your current location. The number of Success Levels you score determines the clarity of the clue the GM provides. You immediately gain 2 Advantage points to use on your next action related to this clue.
Side Effects: Meddling with the echoes of the past is perilous. Regardless of whether you passed or failed the Cool Test, you must make a test to resist gaining 1 Corruption Point as your soul is exposed to the raw, unfiltered energies of the memory. Additionally, you gain the Stunned 1 Condition as your mind is momentarily overwhelmed.

Comments

One response to “Elixir of the Echoing Truth 409”