Philtre of Love

Akakios spends a surprisingly long time organizing the piles of clay phials laid out almost carelessly on a pile of crates and sacks, before he finally selects one. Lifting one long cloth-wrapped arm, he lets it dangle by the leather thong from his spindly fingers. "Everybody needs more love in their life, don't you think?" he asks, the lantern's gaze taking on a ruddy glow of color. "When a beautiful woman like you finds their love, you find fulfilment in the action of pleasing them. They strive as well for the delight of caring for you. Two hearts who can beat together stronger. With a love in your life, why would you need your beauty, as any faults would be forgiven or compensated for."

Akakios has a potion of love for sale. All he asks for in return is the maga's beautiful hair. Agreeing to the deal and shearing off the hair means the woman's hair would no longer grow past their ears (but their new love will still enjoy the look). Akakios values this potion at 10 vis, but good negotiations and sympathetic trades are twice as effective.

Clearly this bargain works best for beautiful female maga; he would also accept the hair of a male whose long and luxuriant hair would be equally missed. He might instead ask for a strong man's physique (not changing his strength, but making his muscles less chiseled and defined), or a man's beard if it is equally valued. The point of it is to take away something of their good looks or pride. He will of course accept a trade of vis.

Philter of Love: This is a clay phial, stoppered with a wax plug that has a cord sunk into the wax to open it. Instructions are inscribed apon the bulb of the pottery: "Whisper the name of your beloved; Drink half the concoction; Whisper their name again; Splash the bottle onto your neck and cheeks; then one must go to your beloved and whisper to them; Declare your love, and when their eyes meet yours it shall be bliss you see." Despite the complex instructions, the effect is simpler; Drinking and splashing the potion on you primes the faerie enchantments, and gazing into your target's eyes releases it. This is a Muto Mentem effect that transforms their strongest emotion into love for the drinker, with a penetration of +30. Optionally, the storyguide may also include the paramour falling in love with his target as part of the enchantment.

Akakios has a meagre supply of extra vis today. The seed of a satyr, worth 1 creo vis; A flower stolen from the winter queen's garden, each of its six petals worth a pawn of herbam; and a leather sack with a captured gale in it, worth 2 auram vis.

As a storyguide, I highly suggest having this potion stolen by an eager apprentice or a hopeful scullery maid for a story, but this should open opportunities for something great rather than be a punishment, since the players did buy it.