Paut (elixir)

Paut is an elixir, usually an inky black liquid, that restores fatigue lost from casting spells. It is typically an inky black color, with a bracing, medicinal taste. While not exactly cheap nor flavorful, it is a lifeline for mages in dangerous situations, providing rejuvenation between (or even, during) battles.

Practical Application

Drinking paut takes two Ready actions (one to grab, one to drink), and restores 4 FP (for your standard, ordinary paut). Artificers and alchemy-themed wizards tend to use Fast-Draw (Potion) to reduce this process to a single Ready action. Drinking paut leaves behind the empty crystal vial, which can be reused.

Logistics

In Town

Paut is primarily made by alchemists (through alchemy) and the like, and primarily consumed by casters who have the spare coin for it. While rumors vary on what paut is actually made of, it tends to be derived from high-mana plants, mana organs of magical creatures, or even high-mana minerals. Paut is $135 and weighs 0.5 lbs.

In the Field

Paut is sometimes carried by spellcasting sapient foes, especially if they're more experienced and well-prepared.

Other Considerations

Fullness, Overdose, and Long-Term Effects

There is much debate on how much paut a single person can imbibe, and if there are side effects to such consumption. Realistically, few mages have been able to attempt such an experiment, due to paut's priciness--it would be akin to a holding a drinking contest using bottles of the King's champagne. Likewise, some wizards have gone through great draughts of paut while "in the field", but often expire from adventuring causes before any side effects could be observed.

All being said, ask your GM if paut is right for you.

Lore and Origins

Paut is an iconic tool of wizards, seen alongside staves, scrolls, and powerstones. No one's quite sure where paut was first made, or by whom, but legend says it's one of the oldest potions--possibly the first. The most common assumption is that "paut" comes from the word "potion". There is some debate on if the plural of paut is "paut" (as an uncountable noun, like "snow") or pauts, and even its pronunciation varies, as some wizards only learn of paut via text.

The Pentaclist wizards seem to be manufacturers of paut, while the Thaumaturgeticists seem to buy a lot of it.

In Cabal

Cabal (and Ancient Egypt?) mention paut as a fatigue-enhancing potion. Cabal notes that it restores 1 point per ounce, and that it's about $700 per dose. This is certainly more expensive than its Dungeon Fantasy counterpart! Likewise, in Cabal, paut was developed in ancient Egypt (TL1+?), but was lost and refound over the centuries until being "codified" in 1872, making it an extremely-late TL5 magic invention. Paut is considered potentially addictive, expensive, but not incapacitating, as an Addiction.

Other Mentions

• Ancient Egypt, p.??
• Cabal, p.102

See Also

• Meditative Magic
• Also see Paut (charm).

To be Added

• Pyramid Mentions
• Thaumatology book mentions