Transparency Tonic

Looking In

“I could see the lock. I could see the mechanism. I could see exactly why I still couldn't open it.”

— Brannic Vole, traveling trader

The Transparency Tonic is a restrained but highly practical alchemical solution that removes visual barriers without altering the physical world. It is not a tool for concealment or deception, but one of revelation, allowing its user to see what would otherwise remain hidden behind solid surfaces.

The liquid itself is nearly imperceptible within its container. Only a faint bending of light gives any indication that the bottle holds anything at all. Edges blur, reflections warp, and objects viewed through the glass appear slightly displaced, as though reality itself has been nudged out of alignment.

When poured, the tonic spreads thinly across the surface of an object, adhering in a barely visible layer. Within moments, the material loses its opacity entirely, becoming transparent while remaining fully present and intact.

The effect is immediate and striking. The object no longer obstructs sight, allowing anything within or behind it to be viewed clearly. Internal compartments, concealed contents, and structural details are revealed as though the outer surface were not there at all.

Despite this, the object is not removed from the world in any practical sense. Its presence is still defined by the way it bends and distorts light. Edges shimmer faintly, surfaces refract their surroundings, and shadows persist in warped and softened forms. The eye can always detect that something is there.

The tonic does not create invisibility. It does not allow one to hide behind the object or avoid notice. It remains a solid barrier, blocking movement and interaction exactly as it did before. Transparency grants sight, but nothing more.

This makes the tonic particularly useful for inspection and investigation. Locked containers can be studied without opening them, hidden compartments can be identified, and structural weaknesses can be examined without dismantling the object.

The effect is temporary. Once the magic fades, the object’s opacity returns without distortion or damage, as though nothing had ever changed.

“Most things are not hidden because they are well concealed. They're hidden because no one else is allowed to look.”

— Po Reyga, master cat burglar

Item type

Compound

Rarity

Common

Weight

.5lb

Base Price

60gp

Unknown Shores

Transparency Tonic

Potion

Common

When you use an action to pour this tonic over a nonmagical object, the object’s outer surface becomes transparent for 30 minutes. The object remains physically present but allows light to pass through it, creating faint distortions and refractions that reveal its shape.
You can see through the object and view its contents or internal structures as though its surface were not present. The object does not become invisible and remains perceptible due to these visual distortions. It continues to block movement and interaction normally and provides no concealment.
The effect ends early if the object is significantly damaged or altered. This tonic has no effect on magical items or creatures.
Duration: 30 minutes

Cost: 60gp
Weight: .5lb