Alchemical Notation

Occult Lore

Author Keith Baker, Adam Bank, Chris Jones, Scott Reeves, and Elton Robb

Series Lore

Publisher Atlas

Publish date 2002

Alchemists often use cryptograms in their writings, called alchemical notation. Instead of mathematical ciphers, alchemical notation is a symbolic code, often invented on the spot and drawn from the symbols and sympathies learned in training as an alchemist.

To write a message in alchemical notation, the character must determine how many pages a particular message will take up. In general, a message taking up 1 page in normal script takes 3 pages in alchemical notation. The exact number is at the discretion of the GM and is based on the complexity of the message.

Next, the character must choose the message’s symbol modifier, which represents the complexity of the symbolism used to obscure the message. A character can choose a symbol modifier no greater than the character’s score in the Alchemy skill.

Lastly, the character carefully drafts the message. Writing a message in alchemical notation is an Alchemy task with a DC equal to 10 + number of pages in the message + the symbol modifier.

A skill check represents one week’s work, and the result of the Alchemy check determines how much more or less time than that base amount it takes to complete the item. (Use the rules for making items found in the Craft skill description.)

Reading a message in alchemical notation requires an Alchemy check using the same market price, raw material cost, and DC as writing one. Reading a message in alchemical notation takes one hour per point of the message’s symbolic modifier. Different messages from the same author require new Alchemy checks unless the author deliberately uses an identical symbol scheme and symbol modifier. Alchemical notation cannot be read with read magic or comprehend language spells. Decipher Script cannot be used to read alchemical notion because the code is symbolic of the secrets of Alchemy, rather than being an ancient language or mathematical cipher. If the character has a Decipher Script score of 5+, however, the character gains a +2 synergy bonus when writing or reading alchemical notation using the Alchemy skill.

Market Cost: 2 gp per page times the symbol modifier; Raw Material Cost: 6 sp per page times the symbol modifier; Creation Check: Alchemy DC 10 + the number of pages in message + the symbol modifier.