Phlogiston Condenser

From: Obsidian Alchemists Conclave

Lore: The Phlogiston Condenser is a feat of alchemical engineering, born from the insatiable curiosity and ambition of the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave. The conclave’s alchemists sought to harness the power of phlogistons, rare and volatile elements with unique properties crucial for advanced alchemical experiments. However, these elements were notoriously difficult to handle due to their instability and propensity for explosive reactions.

Through generations of experimentation and refinement, the Phlogiston Condenser was created. Its purpose is to safely isolate and capture phlogistons, allowing the alchemists to utilize these potent substances without the risk of catastrophic accidents. The device has become an indispensable asset for the conclave, enabling them to advance their alchemical research and explore uncharted realms of knowledge.

Description: The Phlogiston Condenser is a complex apparatus composed of interlocking tubes and chambers made from polished brass and copper. Glass compartments within the device display swirling and colorful gases, which represent the phlogistons that have been isolated and captured. The visual display adds to the device’s allure, while its practical function ensures the safety of the alchemists and the stability of the conclave.

Purpose: The primary purpose of the Phlogiston Condenser is to isolate and capture rare and volatile elements known as phlogistons. These substances play a vital role in certain advanced alchemical experiments, but their instability makes them hazardous to handle without proper containment. The device ensures that the phlogistons are safely collected, allowing the alchemists to employ them in their research and endeavors without jeopardizing the sanctity of the conclave.

Tier One Stats:

• Size: The Phlogiston Condenser stands at approximately 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide.
• Color: The device predominantly features a combination of polished brass and copper, with the glass compartments displaying vibrant and swirling hues of red, blue, and green.
• Shape: It has a cylindrical base with interconnected tubes and chambers branching out from the central core.
• Sound: When the Phlogiston Condenser is active, it emits a soft, rhythmic humming sound, akin to the whisper of arcane energies at work.
• Requirements: Operating the Phlogiston Condenser demands the expertise of alchemists with a deep understanding of phlogistons and their properties. Access to the device is restricted to alchemists who have undergone extensive training and initiation within the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave.
• Tags: Alchemical, Phlogiston, Hazardous, Containment, Advanced, Volatile Extraction, Elemental Stabilizer, Experimental Catalyst, Forbidden Chemistry, Conclave Prototype, Arcano-Mechanical, Hazard Sealed, Pressure-Calibrated, Alchemical Infrastructure, Etheric Isolation

Cost and Where to Obtain: The Phlogiston Condenser is an invaluable device, and its construction is a closely guarded secret within the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave. It is not available for sale or trade to outsiders, as the conclave jealously protects its advanced alchemical knowledge and the means to handle phlogistons safely.

Environment and Usage: The Phlogiston Condenser is housed within a heavily fortified and isolated chamber known as the Phlogisticarium, located deep within the heart of the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave. Access to the Phlogisticarium is granted only to those alchemists deemed worthy of working with the device and entrusted with the conclave’s most advanced alchemical research.

The results of using the Phlogiston Condenser are groundbreaking for the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave. The isolated and captured phlogistons are used as catalysts and reagents in advanced alchemical experiments, amplifying the effects of potions and elixirs, or serving as a source of potent magical energy. The phlogistons are also sought after by other factions and individuals throughout Saṃsāra, who are willing to go to great lengths to obtain them for their own mysterious purposes.

The Phlogiston Condenser adds an element of high-stakes alchemy and the quest for rare and dangerous elements to the world of Saṃsāra. Its potential for uncovering powerful substances and its inherent risks offer a wealth of storytelling opportunities for adventurers and alchemists seeking to delve into the mysteries of phlogistons and their significance within the captivating lore of Saṃsāra.

Copper Maw and the Whispering Fires

Translated from cracked obsidian tablets uncovered in the submerged vaults beneath the Ashen Peaks. The text was pieced together using comparative runic theory and spectral resonance decoding. Scholars maintain that this version is the closest to the oral incantations passed by the Flame-Keepers of the Forgotten Kiln.

In the Age of the Fifth Molt, when the sky was still veined with molten breath and rivers hissed beneath the weight of the stars, there walked a copper-handed kinless one called Vhalorath. Neither flesh nor stone, nor spirit nor spark, Vhalorath was said to have been shaped by the anguish of an extinguished god who mourned its own fading light.

Vhalorath wandered the Ruptured Realms with a question burning louder than any flame: “What is the price of purity when even fire lies?”

The lands then were restless. The bones of dead volcanoes gnashed with reawakening, and the air itself had begun to curdle with the scent of unraveled spells. Alchemists across the known tribes—bone-priests, acid-callers, tincture-crawlers, and rune-binders—spoke in secret of a phenomenon: the appearance of glowing gasses that sang when trapped, that could weep, and twist metal with a whisper.

These came to be known as phlogistons. Not air. Not flame. Not soul. Something other.

In the seventh turning of the Ember Eclipse, Vhalorath arrived at the Hollow Conclave, a sunken coliseum buried beneath rust dunes and haunted by echoes. Here, thirteen surviving alchemists of the Obsidian Order gathered, their masks etched with regrets and formulas none dared to utter.

They spoke to Vhalorath:

“You, who are neither born nor built, shall be our final crucible.”

And so the great work began. For ninety-nine days and ash-drenched nights, they bound time-stilled brass and sorrow-hammered copper into a single pillar veined with obsidian threads. They seeded it with the Heart of Undrawn Fire and lined its glass compartments with sigils reversed in meaning. Crystal chambers rotated in symphony. Tubes pulsed like arteries. The Condensare Phlogistus was born.

The Phlogiston Condenser.

Its first breath drew the auroral gas from the void seams.

Its second exhaled silence so pure, nearby stars dimmed.

But on its third cycle, something within it screamed.

It was not the device, but the bound fragment of a forgotten alchemist’s regret, fused into the inner coil—a last-minute sacrifice made to ensure containment. The scream was not heard by ears, but by will. And it called Vhalorath.

Vhalorath, guided by the sound, placed their copper palm upon the condenser’s core. The device awoke. It knew Vhalorath’s hunger. And it fed.

Light reversed. Flames danced sideways. The phlogistons, once contained, no longer hissed. They sang—an aria of collapse and creation. And through it, Vhalorath became more than form, more than thought. They became the mouth of containment. A being not unlike the gods who feared their own brilliance.

The condenser pulsed for one final time, drawing in the last wild spark across the Realms. The Obsidian Order vanished, their knowledge burned into the glass coils. The Hollow Conclave collapsed, swallowing the artifact and Vhalorath whole.

No one has since recreated the Condenser in full.

But sometimes, beneath ruins untouched by time, explorers speak of rhythmic humming, a copper scent in the air, and colored gas that coils like fingers through the cracks in the earth.

They say the Condenser still breathes.

And it still waits.

Moral of the Story: What binds chaos is often born of it—and to seek mastery over the wild is to risk becoming its most devoted servant.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Phlogiston Condenser

• Artifact (Mythos Technology)
• Function: Allows the extraction and containment of volatile aetheric gases (“phlogistons”) from ancient or alien environments. Used in ritual or experimental contexts.
• Use: Operated with a successful Science (Chemistry) or Cthulhu Mythos roll (Hard difficulty).
• Effects:
  • Extracting phlogiston gives a temporary +10% bonus to Occult or Science for 1d4 hours.
  • Risk of backlash (1 in 6 chance): Sanity loss of 1d6 and exposure to harmful vapors (1d3 HP).
  • Can be used to stabilize unstable magical rituals (roll Luck to avoid feedback).
• Special: Contains a bound, non-corporeal intelligence that whispers unintelligible truths. Prolonged exposure may grant Mythos knowledge at a cost (1d10 SAN, +1 Cthulhu Mythos).

Blades in the Dark

Phlogiston Condenser

• (Tier II Arcane Device)
• Item Type: Rare alchemical tool (Heavy, 2 Load)
• Use: Allows attunement to arcane phenomena, detection of hidden arcane traces, or extraction of volatile phlogistons for later use in crafting or rituals.
• Mechanics:
  • Gain potency on Attune rolls when detecting, manipulating, or extracting spirits or arcane residue.
  • Spend 1 Stress to extract a charge of phlogiston—usable to enhance a ritual, reduce downtime crafting time, or power arcane gear.
• Downside: Each use increases Heat by 1 due to the unstable nature of phlogistons; repeated use in a heist may draw unwanted attention from spirit wardens or rival alchemists.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Phlogiston Condenser

• Wondrous Item, Rare (requires attunement by an alchemist, artificer, or spellcaster)
• While Attuned:
  • You may use the device once per long rest to extract a volatile phlogiston essence from magical energy (e.g., a spell ending, magical trap triggered, or elemental death).
  • When extracted, the phlogiston is stored as an unstable charge.
  • You may expend a charge as a bonus action to gain one of the following:
• Add 1d8 force damage to a spell.
• Stabilize a collapsing ritual.
• Counterspell as a reaction (once per day, as if cast at 3rd level).
• Risk: Each use after the first per day has a 25% chance to trigger an arcane surge (DC 15 Constitution save or take 2d6 force damage).

Knave (Ben Milton’s System)

Phlogiston Condenser

• Item Type: Arcane Device (Takes 2 inventory slots)
• Use: When placed in a magical area or upon a dying arcane creature, it extracts phlogistons over 10 minutes.
• Effect:
  • Gain a charge of phlogiston (acts as a one-use spell enhancer; increases spell effect by +1 tier or range/duration).
  • May be used to detect invisible or hidden magical effects.
• Hazard: Rolling a natural 1 while using it causes it to erupt in magical fire (take 1d6 damage, lose all extracted phlogistons, burn one item).

Fate Core System

Phlogiston Condenser

• Rare Arcane Device (Alchemical Asset)
• Aspect: “Volatile Engine of Alchemical Isolation”
• Function: Used to isolate dangerous magical energies (phlogistons) from unstable environments or arcane anomalies.
• Benefits:
  • Once per session, invoke the device to create an advantage related to magical containment or energy extraction.
  • Grants a +2 bonus on Overcome rolls to neutralize magical hazards or control unstable spells.
• Compels:
  • May trigger a dangerous side effect (such as a surge or explosion) if used recklessly—GM may compel this when rolling poorly.

Numenera / Cypher System

Phlogiston Condenser

• Artifact (Level 6)
• Form: A gleaming, cylindrical device with alchemical tubes and glowing containment chambers.
• Effect: When activated, the device extracts volatile aetheric energies from an anomaly, spell event, or energy surge within immediate range.
  • Gain a phlogiston charge (usable within 28 hours).
  • Spend the charge to:
• Stabilize a magical effect.
• Enhance a spell or numenera device by +1 level.
• Detect hidden energy signatures or arcane activity (10 minutes).
• Depletion: 1 in 1d10
• Special: Extended exposure increases intellect task difficulty by 1 step for detecting illusions (due to phlogistic resonance).

Pathfinder 2nd Edition

Phlogiston Condenser

• Item 8, Unique, Magical, Alchemical, Complex
• Usage: Held in two hands; requires activation (Interact, 3-action cost); recharge once per day
• Activation Effect:
  • Extracts magical residue from an area or creature that has recently used a spell or magical ability (within the last minute).
  • Gain a Phlogiston Core (stored in device for 1 hour).
  • As a Free Action, expend core to:
• Gain a +2 status bonus to your next spell DC or spell attack roll.
• Stabilize a magical hazard or trap as though using Dispel Magic (must succeed on a DC 23 Arcana check).
• Critical Failure (on Arcana check or device mishap): User becomes dazzled and takes 2d6 persistent fire damage (phlogistic backdraft).

Savage Worlds (SWADE)

Phlogiston Condenser

• Weird Science / Relic
• Requirements: Weird Science Edge or Arcane Background (Alchemy)
• Power Points: None (item uses charges)
• Powers Provided:
  • Detect Arcana (as power), with +2 to Notice rolls regarding magical phenomena
  • Boost/Lower Trait (Arcane skill only), affecting arcane actions
  • May store one charge of volatile phlogiston (grants +2 to a single arcane casting roll or adds a bonus die to spell damage)
• Special Rules:
  • Carries 3 Charges; recharges 1d3 charges per long rest or significant arcane interaction
  • Backlash: Rolling a 1 on the Arcane Skill Die when using a phlogiston charge causes 2d6 damage from magical feedback (ignores armor)
• Crafting Difficulty: Hard (–4) Knowledge (Alchemy or Occult) check; failure results in unstable device that leaks magical energy periodically

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Phlogiston Condenser

• Device Rating: 5 | Availability: 9F | Cost: 15,000¥
• Type: Arcano-technological Device (Exotic Gear)
• Effect:
  • Grants +2 dice pool bonus to Arcana or Magical Theory tests involving elemental resonance or toxic mana detection.
  • Can safely store up to 2 “phlogiston signatures” (unique astral contaminants or volatile alchemical reactions) for 24 hours.
• Usage:
  • Once per scene, allows the user to dispel an ongoing magical effect within Force 3 without triggering Drain (Arcana + Magic [Mental] test, threshold 4).
  • Interfacing with unstable or wild mana may cause a glitch to ignite the stored phlogiston (treat as explosive: 6P, –AP, 5m radius).
• Restrictions: Only usable by Awakened characters or with specialized training in archaic metamagic theory.

Starfinder

Phlogiston Condenser

• Level 6 | Price: 4,500 credits | Bulk: 1 | Slot: Held or installed in lab module
• Item Type: Hybrid Item (Magitech, Alchemical)
• Functionality:
  • Acts as a detect magic and analyze aura tool, offering a +2 insight bonus to Mysticism checks when interacting with magical or hybrid tech anomalies.
  • Stores up to 3 units of refined phlogiston, which can be used as components for hybrid grenades, volatile elixirs, or as an exotic fuel source.
• Special:
  • When activated during a skill challenge or combat, grants an ally within 30 feet a +1 bonus to their next magical attack or spell DC for one round.
• Drawback: On a natural 1 during a Mysticism check while using the condenser, it discharges violently (1d6 fire damage, Reflex DC 14 for half).

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Phlogiston Condenser

• TL 14 | Weight: 8 kg | Cost: 75,000 Cr
• Classification: Experimental Alchemical/Magitech Analyzer
• Usage:
  • Grants DM +2 to Science (Alchemy, Physics, or Psionics) checks when studying anomalous energy sources.
  • Used in conjunction with advanced lab modules for rare substance synthesis and planar flux containment.
  • May allow identification of psionic interference and alternate-dimensional resonance (Referee discretion).
• Hazard: Each hour of operation has a 5% chance of creating a destabilizing energy pulse (Referee rolls secretly; may require Vacc Suit or Engineering checks to contain).

Warhammer 40k: Wrath & Glory

Phlogiston Condenser

• Rarity: Rare | Keywords: Imperium, Archeotech, Alchemical, Dangerous
• Tier: 3
• Type: Arcane Support Device
• Effect:
  • When deployed by a character with the Scholar, Tech, or Psykana keyword, grants +2 bonus dice to Investigate, Scholar, or Tech tests involving warp residue, corrupted alchemy, or esoteric energy sources.
  • Stores up to 2 units of warp-tainted phlogiston, which can be spent to:
• Automatically succeed on a Difficult (DN 4) Tech Test.
• Augment a Psychic Power’s potency (+1 to potency roll, or add a temporary Warp Trait).
• Complication: On any Wrath Die roll of 1 while using the device, trigger a minor Perils of the Warp or Unstable Alchemical Reaction (GM’s choice).
• Narrative Use: Often deployed by rogue Tech-Priests, sanctioned psykers, or Inquisitorial agents seeking forbidden lore or volatile solutions.