P is for Potions

Liquefied Magic

In fantasy, potions are a very handy way for magic to be administered to someone without expending a lot of energy, and potentially without them knowing magic was performed at all, and without revealing who did it.

For most magic potions in stories, the guidelines seem to be that the ingredients themselves must hold some kind of magic (so you’ll want to refer back to any magic system worldbuilding you’ve done with D is for Dragon or N is for Nature) or that the one making the potion must have magical ability. After all, the magic must come from somewhere, or else you’ll end up with just a nasty drink or a delicious tea.

What you’ll need to think about most for this is what types of ingredients and instruments are typically used in the creation of potions, and how easily accessible they are. Some potions might be commonplace, because the ingredients for them can be found in the common kitchen. Others might be rare or expensive, because an exotic or hard-to-find ingredient is required.

Worldbuilding Exercises:

• Do potions exist in your world? Are they easy to come by, or something rare?
• Does someone need to have formal training to make potions, whether they have magical aptitude or not, or is it something related to kitchen witchery?
• What kinds of issues are potions available for? Medical, magical, matters of the heart?

View 2019 A-Z Participant list here.

Rebekah Loper, Author of A-Zs of Worldbuilding

Rebekah Loper began creating epic worlds and stories as a child and never stopped. She is the author of The A-Zs of Worldbuilding series, and has a fantasy novella published in Beatitudes and Woes: A Speculative Fiction Anthology.

She lives in Tulsa, OK with her husband, dog, two formerly feral cats, a small flock of feathered dragons (…ok, ok, they’re chickens), and an extensive tea collection. When she is not writing, she can be found battling the elements in an effort to create a productive, permaculture urban homestead.

rebekahloper.com