Deep within the Crafting Quarter, beyond the thunderous hammering and grinding gears of the Mechanical Gallery, lies the Alchemical Valley—a place where science and magic intertwine into a single entity. Here, the finest alchemists of Dergorai work tirelessly, studying the nature of substances, creating new mixtures, explosive compounds, and potions capable of altering reality itself.
A Realm of Alchemical Wonders
The Alchemical Valley stands apart from the other crafting districts of the city—its air is thick with the scent of bitter herbs, resins, and smoky vapors. The dim glow of magical crystals embedded in the walls bathes the streets in a hushed, mysterious light, while the pungent aroma of sulfur and rare reagents can be detected long before reaching the entrance.
Hammers do not ring here, nor do saws whine. Instead, the air is filled with the bubbling of liquids, the hissing of vapors, and the crackling discharges of magical energy. Every alchemist is part scientist, part mage, and part madman. In their hands lie substances capable of healing, killing, enhancing, or obliterating.
Atmosphere and Sounds
As you step into the Alchemical Valley, you are immediately enveloped by warm steam rising from countless distillation apparatuses. The stone streets are stained with traces of spilled reagents, and in some places, alchemical circles are engraved into the ground to stabilize magical reactions.
The shop windows are adorned with vials of thick liquids in strange colors, runes that amplify potion effects, and exotic ingredients brought from the darkest depths of the Underdark.
The constant hum of tiny mechanical golems fills the air as they scurry between laboratories, carrying mixtures from one master to another. The crackle of magical flames beneath distillation flasks and the sharp commands of master alchemists adjusting complex processes create a rhythmic, almost hypnotic backdrop.
Time flows differently here—alchemists work day and night, rarely leaving their laboratories. Their hands bear the marks of burns, their eyes glow with obsession, but their mixtures can work wonders.
Structure of the Alchemical Valley
This district is divided into several key zones, each specializing in a specific branch of alchemy:
- Potion Street – The place where healing potions, enhancement elixirs, transformation draughts, and invisibility brews are crafted.
- Flame Laboratories – A hazardous zone dedicated to explosive mixtures, alchemical fire, and substances capable of melting metal.
- Halls of Enchanted Reactions – Specialized laboratories where alchemy merges with magic, creating hybrid potions and arcane catalysts.
- Ingredient Market – A bustling marketplace where rare herbs, poison extracts, exotic minerals, and organic reagents are traded.
- Philosopher’s Stone Division – A secret society of alchemists dedicated to studying material transmutation and the legendary stone of transformation.
Notable Workshops and Their Masters
“Phial and Flame” – The Grand Alchemical Laboratory
“Nothing is stable. Everything can change if the right reagents are chosen.”
This laboratory houses the finest alchemists of Dergorai, where unique potions, enhanced formulas, and dangerous substances banned elsewhere in the city are created.
- Owner: Rumgar “Acid Eye”
Rumgar is a duergar who once conducted an unsuccessful experiment that cost him his sight. Now, he relies on magical vision, allowing him to perceive the composition of substances without physical contact.
“Ash and Powder” – The Laboratory of Combat Alchemy
“Alchemy is an art, but why not make it deadly?”
This is the birthplace of shattering potions, fiery concoctions, explosive compounds, and alchemically infused weaponry. The alchemists here believe that there is no problem that cannot be solved with the right dose of volatile reagents.
- Owner: Volgrim “Thunderous”
Volgrim is a duergar whose beard has been scorched by hundreds of failed experiments. He not only creates alchemical explosives but also tests them in battle.
In the Alchemical Valley, innovation and destruction walk hand in hand, and the line between genius and madness is razor-thin.