Michelle Mauvais, the noted French Alchemist and Hermetic scholar, first
rose to prominence in the Twenty-thirties with the release of her popular
Le Petit Grimoire, which contained thirty low-force, limited use and
novel spells that cost next to nothing for the average magician to learn
and use. Such "cantrips," as Mauvais styled them, are still very much in
vogue and Le Petit Grimoire remains a popular textbook and student
manual in thaumaturgical programmes throughout Europe. The fame and royalties
from sale of the textbook guaranteed her
An avid writer who contributed a number of articles to various Dutch, French,
English, and Italian journals dedicated to the spread of Alchemical knowledge,
Mauvais' second published work, Magi, placed her as first runner-up
for the 2056 Nobel Prize. Magi was a grammar that laid the basics
of a universal magical language, artifically derived from a combination of
ancient heiroglyphical and pictograph languages, as well as alchemical and
astronomical symbolism. Ideally, the language rode midway between the artistic
and symbolic Shamanic formulae and the the language-intense Hermetic formulae,
facilitating an easier translation between the two. Unfortunately, while
lauded loudly by many, especially the burgeoning movement that would become
the Unified Magic Theorists, the language was never put to practice in any
large degree and became ignored.
The following alchemical techniques, pioneered by Mauvais in her early years,
are available for use by any magician with a minimum of research and practice.
Alchemical Alloys and Metalworking
Mauvais' published articles on alchemical metalworking, describe the
proper means of using the Clean Air, Alter Pressure and Alter Temperature
spells to create stronger alloys or better purify metal arcana. She presents
formulae for slight variations on the Control Fire spell so as to create
a blow-torch quality suitable for welding, and Clean Earth suitable to rid
metal ore of gross impurities (alternately, it may be used to reclaim a specific
metal or mineral from a quantity of dross or slag.) Enchanters using the
techniques Mauvais has specified in her works have reported higher-quality
blades and weapon foci. Her works likewise contain the spell and methods
required to magically electroplate metals onto objects, even orichalcum,
which must normally be worked into an alloy.
-o-
Shortly before her death in 2062, Mauvais, at the ripe age 120, promised
to bring forth her "triptych," a completed work in three volumes that would
broach new (or ancient, as the rumors went) ground in Alchemical theory.
Mauvais' death was unnatural, but not unexpected. Possessed of both a legendary
constitution and legendary appetites, Mauvais was a sadomasochist who frequented
a little-known club in London, where she allowed herself to become subject
to multiple possession by a variety of spirits. Her last sojourn, mere hours
after completing her work and submitting it to her publisher, lasted three
days and proved the death of her.
The publisher carefully edited the original editions, expurgating part of
the material and presented a much thinner and less impressive work to the
market at large. He then printed a small number of "complete" edition sets
on a private press he himself owned, no more than thirty sets, and auctioned
the lot off to a daring collection of occult figures he had somehow managed
to contact. None of these sets included the fourth book, which the editor
kept for himself.
At least one of these purchasers scanned their set onto the Matrix, were
it resides in a forgotten Magicknet database. Yet another pirated their copy,
and published a butchered but thick Cantonese translation in mainland China.
The original set is still at large, as it was discovered stolen at the same
time as the publisher was discovered murdered...his ears, eyes, and mouth
having been filled with molten gold, the charred fragments of an unidentified
but apparently annotated copy of the fourth book in his blistered hands.
Below is presented the full text of the Mauvais Manuals, penned in
French:
Book One: Artificial Stone
Here, Mauvais details her researches into the creation of artificial gemstones
by alchemical means, citing as historical examples certain obscure asiatic
religious societies said to incorporate such gems into their weapons. The
expurgated editions have removed Mauvais' further notes, which hint that
such weapons may possess a sort of bloodlust. Also removed where her researches
on the use of bezoars in enchanting.
Book Two: True Homonunculi
An ancient goal of classical alchemists, Mauvais has recreated and refined
the methods of crafting a true homonunculus. Unlike the physical constructs
created and enchanted by magicians the world over to hold their ally or familiar
spirits, True Homonunculi are small, mindless humanoids grown in jars from
a variety of chemicals and magical substances by a sufficiently skillful
and wise alchemists who make use of Mauvais’ formulae. Those few alchemists
who have a copy of the work with the full formulae (which do not appear in
the edited editions) and have expressed their opinions deride Mauvais for
making use of Sorcery in the Enchanting process.
Rumors concerning this book abound, including that Mauvais left further,
unpublished notes which chronicle her discovery and revival of an ancient
homonunculus, and the formulae necessary to create a true homonunculus similar
to a metahumans in size and capabilities.
Book Three: The Alchemical Rites of Mummification
Following the mystical aspects of mummification rituals worldwide, in this
chapter Mauvais has condensed them to their basic components. Then, using
the model of the Egyptian mummification ceremony, Mauvais details the formulae
and methods by which a modern metahuman or animal corpus may be properly
prepared, using alchemical reagents, to prevent reanimation.
Mauvais herself allowed, in her will, for her body to be preserved using
a similar formula. Her body rests in a tank of alchemical fluids within the
Black Museum of the London Occult Society.
In the unedited copies of the book circulating about is a regrettably brief
section wherein Mauvais detailed a means for initiated magicians and adepts
to approach “The Lands of the West,” a metaplane corresponding to the ancient
Egyptian afterlife by means of self-induced near-death experience. Metaplanar
mappers speculate this may in fact be similar to Guinee, the Isle Beneath
the Sea in Voudoun tradition, but populated by more familiar representations.
Despite many ardent attempts, Michelle Mauvais avows she never successfully
swindled, seduced, researched, or wrested the secret of brewing magical compounds,
which she saw as the alchemical potions of old. However, she did discover
that adepts without normal access to the metaplanes could, by overindulging
in various drugs, place themselves in such a mental state that they could
go on a “Vision Quest,” and thus perform Astral Quests as normal magicians.
Book 4: Potions and Elixirs
The virtually unknown fourth book of her ill-named 'triptych' contains what
might be Mauvais’ greatest secret, for the tome describes her researches
into the Elixir Vitae, or Elixir of Life. Mauvais spent fifty years
researching the Elixir, the last ten of those as a vampire pawn to a decadent
and paranoid nosferatu.
This Golden Elixir, as she calls it, may be drafted from various ingredients,
some common and others incredibly rare, following an exacting formulae. The
arcane text describing the proper metamagical technique to craft the Elixir
Vitae itself is nearly incomprehensible save to the highest initiates.
Game Information
Alchemical Alloys and Metalworking
A magician who possesses the Alter Pressure. Alter Temperature, Clean Air,
Clean Earth and Control Fire spells at a Force equal to the Force of the focus
and utilizes them according to Mauvais’ techniques may, with a successful
Edged Weapons (B/R) test equal to the Force of the focus, create knives equivalent
to Cougar fineblade knives or a sword equivalent to an Ares monosword. Because
this bonus does not stem from a technological refinement such as a monofilament
or Dikote™, the blade crafted retains its bonus against spirits (such blades
must still be made into weapon foci to affect critters with the Immunity to
Normal Weapons power.)
To electroplate a magical metal, the magician must first possess a specialized
expansion for her enchanting kit, which costs twice as a much as a normal
enchanting kit. With the proper knowledge and equipment, the magician must
prepare the solution that the object to be electroplated must rest in (on
average, fifty nuyen per fifty square centimeters of surface area or part
thereof.) For every fifity square centimeters of surface area or part thereof,
the magician must craft particulate solutions of one unit worth of refined
metals, metal radicals, or orichalcum (natural orichalcum must be refined
before use.) Then, the magician simply submerges the part of the object to
be coated and cast the Electroplate spell (formula for a Force 6 spell is
presented in the book.)
Electroplate
Transformation Manipulation
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent (10 turns)
Target Number: Varies, see below.
Drain: (Force)M
This spell creates a small electrical jolt, combined with magical binding
energy, which causes particulate metal within a solution touched by the magician
to bond with an object within the solution. The target number depends upon
the metal being bonded:
Mundane metal (TN 4)
Raw metal (TN 5)
Refined metal (TN 6)
Synthetic orichalcum (TN 7)
Refined natural orichalcum (TN
Other magical metals (TN 6)
Unique alloys or ores (TN 8 or higher)
The caster or an artisan may prepare the object ahead of time in such a
way that the metal electroplates in a particular pattern.
The Mauvais Manuals
Book One: Artificial Stone
Anyone who follows the instructions and formulae presented in the text may
use their Enchanting (Alchemy) skill to create an artificial gemstone, suitable
for use as an exotic material in a weapon focus. Crafting the gemstone requires
an enchanting shop, one alchemical mineral radical for each point of force
of the desired focus, and the magician must succeed at an Enchanting (Alchemy)
test with a target number equal to the Force of the desired focus. The base
time is 28 days, and extra successes may reduce the time. During this period,
the alchemist must work for 8 hours a day, during which the magician may not
do more than light reading and sleeping while tending the crucibles where
the gem is being crafted. The crafted gems are usually clear, like glass,
and immediately discernable to jewelers and appraisers as of an unknown type,
though they may not be immediately taken for artificial.
Artificial Gems incorporated into bladed weapon foci may, at the game master's
discretion, develop a "quirk" in the enchantment that prevent the user from
sheathing, hiding, throwing away, or refrain from using the weapon once drawn
until it is blooded...either by being drawn along the palm or thumb of the
user (causing a light wound that cannot be resisted), or by causing a light
wound to a living creature that possesses blood with the weapon. Magicians
who try to sheathe the blade without bloodying it must undergo a Willpower
test with a target number equal to the Force of the weapon focus, or go berserk
and attack the nearest metahuman with the blade...or themself if they are
alone.
Bezoars are artifical balls or stones created from hair or vegetable fiber,
found in the stomachs of humans and animals and historically purported to
have healing properties. A bezoar may be incorporated into any spell category
(Health) focus or spefic spell focus of a Health spell, and reduces the target
number to enchant the focus by 1. Only one bezoar may be incorporated into
a given focus.
Book Two: True Homonunculi
Crafting a true homonunculus requires an enchanting shop, and one unit each
of radical herbal, mineral, and metal arcana. The magician must make an Enchanting
test against a target number of 6, additional successes reduce the base time
of 10 days. At the end of this time, the true homonunculus, a squat and often
misshaped humanoid approximately thirty five centimeters high is fully formed
within its jar. To instill motive power to their creation, the magician (or
another magician) must remove the true homonunculus from the jar and successfully
cast the Spell of Life upon the immobile form. While a true homonunculus may
last for centuries unperturbed in a sealed birthing-jar, once the jar has
been cracked or open the homonuculus must be animated within 24 hours or
it will rapidly decay into its basic elements, a pool of alchemical dross
(which may be identified by an Enchanting test with target number 6.)
The text also contains a rite which, when performed over a true homonunculus,
permits it to be possessed or inhabited by spirits. In this way, magicians
bind allies or other spirits into their homonunculi to bolster them. Performing
the rite costs the magician who created the homonnculus 10 good karma.
Spell of Life
Transformation Manipulation
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent (20 turns)
Drain: (Force)D
Target Number: 8
When cast on a properly crafted true homonunculus, the inanimate form is
given motive power and the semblance of life. The caster of the spell may
give the homonunculus short commands (20 words or less) which it will attempt
to carry out to the best of it’s abilities.
True Homonunculus
B Q S C I W E F
1 1x2 1 1 1 6 0 Force of Spell
Initiative: 1 + 1d6
Book Three: The Alchemical Rites of Mummification
This process requires an Enchanting test, target number 4, with a base time
of 10 days, and an enchanting shop. The basic materials required for the ritual
are minimal--2 cc’s of blood and two small fragments of wood are sufficient.
However, many choose to elaborate on the burial ceremony, which can run into
the thousands of nuyen. The basic process preserves the corpse indefinitely,
but prevents shedim or spirits with similar powers from entering the corpse
for a year and a day. Rumors persist, however, that a mambo or houngan may
still animate the body as a Corps Cadavre.
Mauvais includes the formulae for a number of scrolls and amulets which
may be placed within the shroud or wrappings of the corpse. If crafted and
applied (costing 600 nuyen in materials and six points of karma), treat as
a quickened Force 6 Spirit Barrier spell. Removing the amulets and wrapping
destroys the spell.
The procedure to journey to the Westlands, though risky, does work. An initiate
(even an adept without access to astral space), must be intimately familiar
with the procedure for the rite. The initiate takes a deadly physical wound--either
from combat or some other source (Mauvais drank an self-brewed alchemical
poison from an old family recipe-it was slow acting and quite painful, as
she liked it).
If successful, the subject immediately stabilizes. Whereupon, the subject
attempts the journey to the Westlands (resisting Deadly stun damage.) If at
any point the subject takes both Deadly stun and Deadly physical damage, remove
one box from their physical overflow permanently for each further point of
damage taken. If physical overflow reaches 0 and the subject still suffers
from Deadly Physical and Stun damage, they are dead, and their spirit trapped
in the Westlands.
Once within the Westlands, the traveler performs a standard metaplanar quest,
the purpose of which is fulfilled by finding and bargaining with one of the
mythical beings that inhabit the metaplane. After they have finished (either
successful or failed), they must stand before Anubis, the Judge of the Dead,
who determines whether or not they may return. The subject should make either
a Charisma test (Quest Rating), or tactfully bribe Anubis (Quest rating in
good karma.) Failure indicates that the subject is jolted roughly back into
their material body (they are no longer stabilized) or, if they can astrally
project and a dead body is near enough, find themselves inhabiting a corpse
and unable to leave it for one hour (one minute in the case of adepts with
the Limited Astral Projection edge.) If successful, the subject is returned
to their body unharmed, and is stabilized until they are treated or revive
on their own.
Adepts who decide to use this dangerous and unorthodox technique must procure
a quantity of recreational drugs. They then spend at least 24 hours purifying
themselves by fasting, purging (vomiting, sometimes also enemas), and dwelling
within a sweat lodge or the equivalent. The adept must be alone during this
process, though multiple adepts may share a lodge without interference. Then,
the adept partakes of the drugs, sufficient for an overdose, and immediately
suffers their effects and engages in their Vision Quest. During the quest,
the adept possesses the advantages and disadvantages of being under the effects
of the drug for the entire duration. Once the quest is over (successful or
not), the adept must test for addiction and the effects if the drug end.
Book 4: Potions and Elixirs
The Elixir Vitae is a magical compound which grants the imbiber the Immunity
(Age) critter power for ten years once consumed. Thereafter, the subject ages
normally, unless they ingest another dose of the Elixir Vitae. Alternatively,
one dose of the Elixir Vitae may transform a Vampire Pawn back to a normal
metahuman with the normal essence they would possess.
Mauvais’ potion requires an in-depth and personal understanding of the processes
of life and death, combined with certain ancient recipes. The ingredients
for the potion alone are many, including quantities of vampire or nosferatu
blood (given willingly, as to a vampire pawn, and charged with Essence),
ginseng, dragon venom, ground dinosaur bones, the sap of certain ancient
trees, and the yolk of a phoenix egg; each of which must be properly refined
or prepared using Enchanting. Even if prepared exactly according to the formula,
the Elixir vitae is worthless unless the creator possesses both the required
metamagical technique, which Mauvais called “The Golden Way,” and succeeds
on an Enchanting (Alchemy) test against a target number of 20. Failure in
either the prerequisites or the final test immediately inflicts the imbiber
with a Deadly Stun wound, a Deadly Physical wound, and the loss of one point
of Essence…no test may be made to resist this. Characters who lose a magic
point due to Essence loss also gain a 1-point Mental flaw. A critical failure
(all 1's) infects the recipient with HMHVV, although they retain their intellect
and magical ability no matter their metatype.
To gain “The Golden Way,” a magician must have participated in ritual cannibalism
with a Wendigo, shella or ghoul, been willingly possessed by a spirit, and
served for at least one year as a Vampire Pawn. After this, they must research
the method at a Hermetic Library with a rating equal to their initiate grade,
and succeed at a Magic Background, Enchanting, or Talismongering Test (20)
and base time of one year. If a being taught the way by an initiate that
already knows it, the research period may be waved, but the magician must
study under the teacher for at least 8 hours a day for one year.
While not physically addicting, the Elixir Vitae has been known to be psychologically
addictive.