Voidwalk Draught

From: Abyssal Shard

Lore: The Voidwalk Draught is a legendary potion steeped in the mysteries of the ethereal and astral planes. The recipe for this elixir is believed to have originated from ancient sages who delved into the esoteric arts of planar travel. It is said that the Abyssal Shard, a fragment of the void itself, serves as the catalyst for infusing the potion with its ethereal properties. Voidflower Nectar, Astral Essence, Ethereal Essence, and Lunar Dust are carefully combined to create a concoction capable of granting temporary etherealness to the imbiber.

Use: The Voidwalk Draught is utilized by those seeking to traverse the barriers between planes and access the ethereal realm. When consumed, the potion bestows upon the user a transient state of etherealness. In this state, the user can pass through solid objects, move unhindered through the material plane, and even venture into the astral plane for a limited duration. However, the potion’s effects are temporary, allowing the user to exist in the ethereal plane for a short time before returning to their physical form.

Tier 1 Stats:

• Duration: Grants etherealness for 1 minute per dose consumed.
• Phasing: Allows the user to pass through solid objects and obstacles during the potion’s duration.
• Astral Travel: Enables the user to traverse the astral plane for a limited time, granting access to its unique properties and encounters.
• Limitations: While ethereal, the user cannot interact with or affect objects or creatures in the material plane, and they are unable to attack or be attacked. They can only observe and move through their surroundings.

Skills:

• Arcana: Characters with proficiency in Arcana have a better understanding of the intricacies of planar magic, increasing their effectiveness in crafting and utilizing the Voidwalk Draught.
• Concentration: The potion’s effects require concentration to maintain a stable connection with the ethereal and astral planes. Characters proficient in Concentration can extend the duration of the potion’s effects by focusing their willpower.

Preparation: Creating the Voidwalk Draught is a delicate process that demands knowledge of planar energies and alchemical expertise. The following ingredients are combined during the brewing process: Abyssal Shard (1), Voidflower Nectar (3 petals), Astral Essence (2 drops), Ethereal Essence (1 vial), and Lunar Dust (a pinch). These ingredients must be carefully mixed and brewed under specific celestial alignments and arcane rituals. Once prepared, the potion is stored in a vial sealed with a cork or stopper to preserve its magical properties.

Cost: Due to the rarity of the Abyssal Shard and the intricate process involved in its creation, the Voidwalk Draught is considered a rare and highly valuable potion. Its price can vary depending on factors such as the availability of ingredients, the skill of the alchemist, and the demand in the market. As a general estimate, a single dose of the Voidwalk Draught might cost around 300 to 500 gold pieces.

Tags: Consumable, Etherealness, Astral Travel, Planar Magic, Rare, Void Phasing, Celestial Alignment, Planar Navigation, Ethereal Essence, Interdimensional Passage, Astral Projection, Transcendence Catalyst, Temporal Displacement, Alchemical Rarity, Boundary Crossing

The recipe for the Voidwalk Draught, with its ability to grant temporary etherealness and access to the astral plane, is a highly coveted secret known to only a select few. Here’s more information on where and how the recipe is sold, as well as its usage and the environments in which the potion is employed:

Sale and Acquisition:

• Arcane Academies and Libraries: The recipe for the Voidwalk Draught is often found within the collections of prestigious arcane academies, libraries, or mystical organizations dedicated to the study of planar magic. Characters may need to gain access to these establishments, prove their worth through tasks or quests, or forge alliances with knowledgeable scholars to acquire the recipe.
• Alchemical Guilds and Potion Masters: Accomplished alchemists and members of renowned alchemical guilds might possess the knowledge to create the Voidwalk Draught. These individuals are often found in major cities or hidden enclaves, practicing their craft and offering their services to wealthy patrons or adventurers. Acquiring the recipe from them may require significant payment, a favor or quest, or the demonstration of alchemical expertise.
• Planar Travelers and Mystics: Wanderers and travelers who have experienced the ethereal and astral planes firsthand may hold fragments of the recipe or possess information on its whereabouts. Characters might encounter these enigmatic individuals in remote locations, ancient ruins, or mystical gathering spots. Establishing trust and forming a connection with these individuals could lead to the acquisition of the recipe.

Usage and Environment: The Voidwalk Draught finds its greatest utility in situations that require planar exploration, strategic maneuvering, or stealthy operations. Here are some scenarios in which the potion’s usage and the environments in which it is employed come into play:

• Planar Exploration: Characters can utilize the Voidwalk Draught to delve into the mysteries of the ethereal and astral planes. By consuming the potion, they gain the ability to pass through solid objects and explore hidden realms or locate important artifacts and knowledge hidden within the astral plane. This can be particularly useful when investigating planar portals, ancient ruins tied to planar magic, or celestial phenomena.
• Infiltration and Espionage: The potion’s ability to grant temporary etherealness allows characters to infiltrate heavily guarded areas, bypassing physical barriers and slipping past security measures undetected. The ethereal state enables them to move through walls, doors, and other obstacles, making the Voidwalk Draught invaluable for thieves, spies, and those seeking covert operations in secure locations.
• Astral Encounters and Negotiations: Characters who venture into the astral plane using the Voidwalk Draught can come across ethereal beings, astral constructs, or even other explorers. These encounters may present opportunities for interaction, negotiation, or gathering valuable information or resources. However, the astral plane is not without its dangers, and characters must be cautious of hostile entities or the disruptive nature of the plane itself.
• Planar Convergence Events: During rare celestial alignments or planar convergence events, the barrier between the material plane and the ethereal and astral planes may weaken. Characters can employ the Voidwalk Draught to take advantage of these unique circumstances, accessing hidden realms, harnessing planar energies, or even thwarting otherworldly threats that emerge during such events.

A Boundary Drinker

In a time before stars bound the sky and rivers dared to carve the earth, there existed a realm where the seen and unseen coiled together like a serpent devouring its tail. From this place, the First Wanderer emerged, a figure cloaked not in shadow, but in the shimmer of the in-between—a lightless radiance that confounded mortal eyes.

The First Wanderer sought knowledge beyond the veil of existence, where mortal feet could not tread and mortal hearts dared not dream. To traverse the intangible, the Wanderer crafted a draught of strange essence: nectar of the voidflower, plucked from a garden unseen; dust from the moons above, stolen while they slept; and a shard torn from the very abyss, whispered to be the remnant of the first broken sky.

With this potion, the Wanderer stepped through walls not as a shadow but as a thought moving unbound. The Wanderer’s voice echoed in halls of lightless expanse, where stars birthed their first cries, and spoke with beings formed of silence and motion. But the more the Wanderer drank of the void, the thinner they became, like morning mist before the rising sun.

One fateful crossing, the Wanderer ventured too far, walking the roads of the astral tide until even memory could no longer anchor them. Their form dissolved into the very essence of the draught they had created, leaving behind only the shimmering liquid and the secrets of their craft, passed in fragments to those bold or foolish enough to follow.

Moral: To walk where boundaries fail is to risk becoming boundless; mastery of passage demands mastery of return.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Voidwalk Draught

• Type: Mystical Consumable
• Description: A shimmering potion infused with planar energies, granting temporary etherealness to the drinker.
• Effects: Upon consumption, the user gains the following for 1d10 minutes:
  • Etherealness: The user can pass through solid objects and observe the material world while remaining untouchable.
  • Astral Sight: Grants a bonus die on Occult or Spot Hidden rolls when interacting with ethereal or astral phenomena.
  • Drawback: Prolonged use risks mental instability; roll 1/1d4 Sanity loss when the effect ends.
• Crafting Requirements: Requires a Mythos or Alchemy roll and access to rare ingredients, including an Abyssal Shard.

Blades in the Dark

Voidwalk Draught

• Type: Alchemical Formula
• Description: A swirling liquid that grants access to the ethereal plane for a brief period.
• Mechanics:
  • Effect: When consumed, the drinker gains:
    • Etherealness: Become intangible and able to pass through walls or obstacles for one score.
    • Planar Awareness: Gain potency on any actions involving spirits or ghostly phenomena.
  • Stress Cost: Consuming the potion costs 2 stress due to its disorienting effects.
  • Duration: Lasts for one scene or until disrupted.
• Crafting: Requires Tier III resources and a downtime activity with a clock (6 segments) to complete.

Dungeons & Dragons (5e)

Voidwalk Draught

• Wondrous Item, Rare
• Description: This shimmering, dark liquid grants the user etherealness and the ability to traverse the astral plane.
• Properties:
  • Etherealness: For 1 minute, the user enters the Ethereal Plane, becoming intangible and able to move through objects and obstacles.
  • Astral Awareness: During this time, the user can perceive creatures or objects on the Astral Plane.
  • Limitations: The user cannot interact with or attack objects or creatures on the Material Plane while ethereal.
  • Side Effect: Roll a d20 after the effect ends; on a 1, the user gains one level of exhaustion.
• Crafting Requirements: Proficiency in Alchemist’s Supplies or Arcana, Abyssal Shard, and materials worth 750 gp, with a successful DC 18 Arcana check.

Knave

Voidwalk Draught

• Item Slot: Consumable
• Description: A rare potion that allows the user to temporarily phase into the ethereal plane.
• Effects: When consumed, the user gains the following benefits for one exploration turn:
  • Phasing: Move through walls and obstacles as though intangible.
  • Ethereal Observation: Can see and interact with ethereal entities or objects.
  • Limitation: Cannot affect or be affected by anything in the Material Plane.
  • Drawback: After use, roll a d6; on a 1, the user is disoriented and loses their next action.
• Usage: Takes up one inventory slot and is consumed after use.
• Acquisition: Found rarely in dungeons or through planar-traveling alchemists.

Fate

Voidwalk Draught

• Type: Consumable
• Description: A potion that allows temporary phasing into the ethereal realm.
• Mechanics:
  • Aspect: Grants the temporary aspect “Unbound by Barriers” for one scene.
  • Invoking the Aspect: Spend a Fate Point to:
    • Pass through solid objects or barriers without resistance.
    • Observe ethereal phenomena or entities.
  • Compel: The GM may compel the aspect to create disorienting side effects, such as temporary confusion or vulnerability upon returning to the material plane.
• Duration: Lasts for one scene or encounter.

Numenera & Cypher System

Voidwalk Draught

• Level: 6
• Description: A shimmering potion that grants ethereal movement and astral perception.
• Effect: Upon consumption, the user gains the following for 1 hour:
  • Ethereal Movement: Treat as an asset on all tasks involving bypassing physical barriers or traversing the ethereal plane.
  • Astral Awareness: Gain +5 to Intellect rolls to perceive or interact with astral phenomena.
  • Drawback: On a natural roll of 1 during ethereal use, the user suffers 3 Intellect damage due to planar instability.
• Crafting Requirements: Requires exotic materials and a successful crafting task with a difficulty of 6.

Pathfinder (2e)

Voidwalk Draught

• Type: Consumable, Magical
• Level: 8
• Price: 125 gp
• Traits: Consumable, Magical, Ethereal, Planar
• Activation: 1 action (Drink)
• Effects:
  • Etherealness: For 1 minute, the user can move through solid objects and obstacles.
  • Astral Awareness: The user can see creatures or objects on the Astral Plane.
  • Drawback: If the user critically fails a Stealth or Perception check while ethereal, they become Frightened 1 as planar energy overwhelms them.
• Crafting Requirements: Requires Crafting (Master), Abyssal Shard, and rare planar ingredients worth 100 gp.

Savage Worlds (SWADE)

Voidwalk Draught

• Type: Magical Consumable
• Description: A shimmering potion that grants ethereal phasing and planar perception.
• Effects: When consumed, the user gains the following for 5 rounds:
  • Phasing: The user becomes incorporeal, allowing them to move through obstacles and avoid physical attacks.
  • Planar Sight: Adds +2 to Notice rolls involving ethereal or astral phenomena.
  • Backlash: On a critical failure when interacting with the ethereal, the user becomes Shaken as planar energies disrupt their senses.
• Cost: 300 credits or equivalent trade value due to its rarity.
• Crafting: Requires an Alchemy roll at -2 and rare, planar-infused materials.

Shadowrun (6e)

Voidwalk Draught

• Type: Magical Consumable
• Description: A shimmering potion infused with void energy, enabling the user to phase into the ethereal realm temporarily.
• Effects:
  • Ethereal Phasing: Grants the ability to pass through walls, barriers, and obstacles for 10 minutes.
  • Planar Perception: Adds +2 dice to Perception or Assensing tests involving spirits or astral phenomena.
  • Drawback: On a glitch, the user suffers 2 Stun damage from planar distortion upon returning to the material world.
• Duration: 10 minutes.
• Cost: ¥1,000.
• Availability: 12R (Restricted).
• Crafting Requirements: Requires a Magic skill test (Threshold 5) and rare planar ingredients, including an Abyssal Shard.

Starfinder

Voidwalk Draught

• Item Type: Magical Consumable
• Level: 8
• Price: 3,500 credits
• Bulk: L (Light)
• Description: This potion grants temporary access to the ethereal plane, allowing for stealth and exploration of planar realms.
• Effects:
  • Etherealness: For 10 minutes, the user can pass through physical barriers and obstacles as though incorporeal.
  • Astral Awareness: Gain blindsense (ethereal) 30 ft. during the effect.
  • Limitation: While ethereal, the user cannot interact with or attack objects or creatures on the Material Plane.
  • Critical Failure Drawback: If rolling a natural 1 during use, the user becomes fatigued for 1 hour due to planar stress.
• Crafting: Requires Mysticism (DC 25) and rare planar materials, including an Abyssal Shard.

Traveller (Mongoose 2e)

Voidwalk Draught

• Type: Rare Consumable (TL 15)
• Description: A mystical potion crafted from esoteric materials, allowing brief phasing into the ethereal realm.
• Effects:
  • Ethereal Movement: Grants +3 DM to tasks involving bypassing physical barriers or avoiding detection for 10 minutes.
  • Planar Perception: Enables detection of ethereal or astral entities within 30 meters.
  • Drawback: On a natural roll of 2, the user takes 1 point of Endurance damage due to planar instability.
• Cost: Cr12,000.
• Crafting Requirements: Requires a Science (Alchemy) skill check (Difficulty 14) and advanced materials, including an Abyssal Shard.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4e)

Voidwalk Draught

• Type: Magical Consumable
• Encumbrance: 0
• Price: 25 Gold Crowns
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Description: A rare potion granting ethereal phasing and planar awareness for a short duration.
• Effects:
  • Ethereal Movement: Grants +20 to Stealth checks and allows movement through solid objects for 1d10 minutes.
  • Planar Awareness: Provides a +10 bonus to Lore (Magic) or Perception tests involving ethereal entities or phenomena.
  • Drawback: On a critical failure with any action while phasing, gain 1 Corruption point as planar energy destabilizes the user.
• Crafting Requirements: Requires a successful Trade (Alchemy) roll (Hard Difficulty) and rare, void-infused materials.