One Drink Lasts You a Lifetime
by Lee Struglia
"This bottle contains an elixir so rare, so difficult to manufacture, that I spent a lifetime concocting it. Now it has been stolen and I want it back!" The alchemist/mage is red-faced with anger, but you're willing to wait her out. As payment, she offers to give you one dose of the potion for your own uses. But what does it do, you want to know. She is hesitant to tell you, but she admits the potion is [fill in something anyone would want]. Possibilities include: increases an ability score by 1 point; makes the imbiber psionic; gives immunity to disease, heat, or something; makes the drinker irresistable to the opposite sex, etc. The effects are permanent.
Now, the adventure to earn such a treasure must be exceptionally dangerous. No doubt the one who took it is very powerful indeed. "Oh, I think the thieves were working for [fill in terribly powerful enemy]." Possibilities include Ancient Red Dragon, Mind Flayers, Driders, Beholder, etc.
(Originally appeared in Re:Quests!, issue #32, December 1993, p. 11; Mary H Kelly, editor.)
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