Just as the Philosopher's Stone, an object capable of granting complete control over the substance, the Love Potions are a cornerstone of the wild dreams of young apprentices. Unlike a Philosopher Stone however, Love Potions are even fairly easy to make (although thoroughly illegal).
The person to benefit from the potion (the Loved) needs to provide something physical from themselves. They also have to imbue the potion with something they hold dear to some degree. They will lose it and the receiver (The Lover) will get it. How much they love what is offered doesn't change the resulting potion. Other materials and an enchantment that I will not mention on this lesson for the safety of the people (and compliance with the Arcane Conclave laws) are used to complete the potion.
The potion charms not only the senses, but it captures the mind in such a way that it is warped to conform to the absolute Truth that they love and are loved by whoever's essense is in the Love Potion. A rich, snob aristocrat will bend over backwards to justify why they find this particular rat catcher or back alley sorcerer endearing and just lovely. (Coincidentaly, this is sometimes used as a threat and ultimately an excuse to forcibly separate an unrully noble or high born from their lesser lovers)
Unlike Charming Scents or Pacts of Mutual Loyalty, which are only enhancements of the real or require compliance by both participants respectively, the Love Potion eliminates agency and turns the victim into a subservient being that will even justify abuse. This, of course, makes the very concept ilegal. Regardless of the form (Love Potion is just a stand in for anything of this sort).
The enchantment can be brute forced with a Potion of Apathy towards the Loved. This is not as much a "cure" as it is simple math. If you subtract 20 from 10 you will get to -10. It is a balance act that forces the Lover to be repulsed by the Loved.
[History] There has been at least one account of a Lover being administrated a Potion of Apathy and the results being catastrophic. The duke of Nurme had not seen his Loved since the Potion of Apathy was given to him and he had ordered the immediate aprehension and execution of the Wizard of Roses. A group of adventurer's managed to bring the Wizard to justice. Upon seeing his Loved about to hang, covered in bruises and missing his casting arm the duke stood, ordered his immediate release, started crying, pointed his Wand of Fireballs at the Wizard and ignoring the crowd detonated the entire plaza. He promptly dropped to the floor, completely maddened. [/History]
Some have theorized that although powerful the Love Potion doesn't completely obliterate the original will. There are stories of Lovers who have killed their Loved and when asked why they say that they just loved them too much. They will say it with the disgusted face of someone who has a cockroach dancing on their tonge.
Some Lovers have betrayed their Loved when they thought the idealized version of their Loved would not accept who they had become.
[History]The Ice Regent regularly had their androginous lovers drink Love Potions to make sure that they would never betray them. When the Ice Regent became soft and started doubting their cruel ways as mode of ruling, their lovers confabulated and murdered the Regent in their sleep.[/History]
This is one of the reason even twisted wizards and individuals will hesitate before using a Love Potion on someone they trully want to keep on their side.
Be smart, will you? Find a bard, learn from the best.
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