2: Potion Craft: Between Occult Dark Master and Noble Artisan

Lysiane Lasausse, @nordllys, University of South-Eastern Norway

Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator (Potion Craft or PC from here) is an early-access simulation game in which one roleplays as the town’s alchemist.1 The principle of the game is simple: make and sell potions. But promising: aspire to create the Philosopher’s Stone! PC’s “Unique visuals inspired by medieval manuscripts and medical books” are not only aesthetically pleasing, they also contribute to the mediaeval feel and immersion in the game.2 It brings the player into mediaeval times, and mediaeval times into the 21st century. The art style, the parade of customers and the passage of time, all have a Bayeux tapestry feel to it. While there is no direct inspiration or connection between the Bayeux tapestry and alchemy mentioned in the devlogs (developers’ logs), the interrelation with the mediaeval is perspicuous.

The easily recognizable style fits well with the concept of alchemy, another famous trope associated with the mediaeval in a Western, particularly European context. While both the tapestry and alchemy are anchored in reality, they also have spiritual and mystic overtones in common. 3 These overtones are presented in the game through the effects of the potions as well as the alchemical ingredients, but also the townspeople you interact with. Mana and necromancy potions, the Philosopher’s Stone and even a familiar face amongst your clients in the presence of a Geralt de Rivia look-alike.

Fig. 2.1 Potion Craft

1 Potion Craft, niceplay games, 2021. https://www.potioncraft.com/ 2 Ibid. 3 Que raconte la tapisserie de Bayeux ?, musée de la tapisserie de Bayeux, Bayeux, France. https://www.bayeuxmuseum.com/la-tapisserie-de-bayeux/decouvrir-la-tapisserie-de-bayeux/que-raconte-latapisserie-de-bayeux/ ; Alexander Roob, Alchemy & Mysticism, Bibliotheca Universalis, 2014. 8

Word spreads fast and as the town’s only alchemist, you will have to make some (im)moral choices: increase your renown as a purveyor of all potions, for any and all clients, or maintain your standing by shooing away hard-working rogues in dire need of various poisons?

Another interesting aspect of the game is that most potions are not inherently good or bad: the moral dilemma relies on the client’s dialogue and their supposed intentions. Relying on text or speech is an interesting parallel to the historically obfuscatory language of mediaeval alchemists, namely decknamen, hermeticism and coded language. Historically, these elements contributed to the association of alchemy to mysticism and the occult and led to the practice of alchemy being forbidden in most of Europe (13-14th centuries CE), gaining a seedy reputation that would categorise it as a pseudo-science for centuries.4

Fig 2.2 Potion Craft

Your reputation as an alchemist in the game, then, varies by the requests you accept, not by the potions you tinker with. If you provide for a client whose intentions seem nefarious, it will lower your shop’s reputation. The same potion for seemingly innocuous uses will, on the contrary, increase your standing. The shop’s features do not put your alchemical talents in question: you will still gain a sort of popularity, but with a different crowd. The mechanic (still a work in progress at the time of writing), suggests that there is a balance of good and bad to your craft, and it’s your responsibility to manage it, your shop’s popularity and income. The fourth devlog even suggests selling a high tier potion (which are more expensive to the client) to make your shady deals well worth it…!5

In a historical context, alchemy was both sought after and seen as threatening to the powers in place. Transmuting into gold would have crashed the economy, but having your own personal alchemist make you wealthier & potentially immortal was hard to pass up on. While the mysticism around alchemy lingers and thrives under pop culture, as is apparent in the game, it is also being rediscovered

4 Gabriele Ferrario,Understanding the Language of Alchemy: The Medieval Arabic Alchemical Lexicon in Berlin. Staatsbibliothek, Ms Sprenger, 1908; Lawrence M. Principe, The Secrets of Alchemy. Science History Institute, 2013. https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/the-secrets-of-alchemy 5 Potion Craft devlog #4. Reputation, April 2021. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1210320/view/4706800454255234870 9

as an early science (related to chemistry for example).6 And if science hasn’t yet achieved the creation of the Philosopher’s stone, you can try your hand at it in Potion Craft!

6 Megan Piorko, Marieke Hendriksen & Simon Werrett, Alchemical Practice: Looking Towards the Chemical Humanities, 2022. Ambix, 69:1, 1-18, DOI: 10.1080/00026980.2022.2035572: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00026980.2022.2035572

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