Ink, Changing

Ultimate Equipment Guide II

Author Greg Lynch, J. C. Alvarez
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2005

Changing ink requires two separate alchemical powders, in addition to the ink itself, to work as it is intended to. Taken by itself, changing ink seems like normal, completely mundane ink.

Without exposure to the two powders, it will forever remain indistinguishable from normal ink in every way, from its colour to its texture to its longevity. To use changing ink as it is intended, the user writes out a message on a piece of paper, exactly as that message is intended to be read. He then sprinkles a small amount of one of the powders over the piece of paper. The powder reacts with the ink, causing the message to change into pure gibberish, indecipherable to any reader. When the second powder is applied, the ink returns to its original position, revealing the message as it was intended.

Changing ink was the second creation of Navath Jeulle, the alchemist of Baron Gustave d’Flerge. The baron considered it to be a greater success than burning ink, but was concerned over the difficulty of making sure the second powder, that caused the message to be revealed, did not fall into the wrong hands. Thus, Navath was sent back to work to create yet another new alchemical ink. Changing ink is commonly sold as a small set, including a one-ounce phial of the ink, as well as one-ounce packets of both necessary powders. The various drawbacks of changing ink make it one of Tathiela’s least popular products, but her love for writing and the written word, as well as her passion for the history of alchemy, induce her to keep it in her shop.

Ink, Changing (1 oz. phial and 1 oz. package of both powders): 12 gp