Aleph: So, heh, Keris has basically got this big tank full of what is basically different solutions and mixtures of liquids with the spear skeleton floating at the core, and is infusing and adjusting concentrations while everything's in suspension and it's all dreadfully, dreadfully complex and finicky and an ill-timed earthquake would ruin it all because the delicate layers can't mix so there are oil-barriers held in suspension too, etc.
Aleph: It's very much not a Ligierian style of crafting, and is frankly niche even by vitriol-smith standards, since they tend to add vitriol to solids rather than partially dissolve and re-accrete solids in vitriol (though the principles are still the same).
EarthScorpion: Ah, it's a question of the right base to add to create a foundation for the precipitation
Aleph: Exactly. Honestly, this is complex enough (Artefact 4) and a niche enough crafting style (partial dissolution in suspension of vitriol using an azoth bath on the inner part of a dual-material artefact) that there are legit probably only a couple of dozen beings in all the Demon City who could pull this off, with Khereon Ul topping the list.
Aleph: Many more who could get the same eventual result, or something equivalent to it - a spear that can extend, attack on its own and create temporary minions, etc. But this particular method is very high-level in a very niche field.
Aleph: Okay, uh, roll questions. Destruction Begets Creation gives me 1 success for each Resources dot and 3 sux for each exotic ingredient I consume by destroying things that are "complete, usable items in their own right" to make my stuff. Living things always qualify. This consumed an Artefact 3 spear and an Artefact 2 living thing; what does that count for in terms of successes?
Aleph: And secondly, what level of stunt is this?
EarthScorpion: Hmm. So, those numbers kind of don't work with the crafting system we have in place for this kind of long-term crafting, but regardless, both artefacts here are exotic ingredients so are 3 each. And it's a 3-dot stunt.
Aleph: Hmm. Elinvar over azoth-moonsilver, a spiteful venomous demon-spear that twists flesh and raises corpses as meatpuppet automatons and demands blood from those who would wield it and which likes to perpetuate spiteful suffering and use poison, acid and bleeding to fight and which considers itself a great artist in its bizarre and vile flesh-crafting. Lei Mei might have been a Pyrian demon, but would you say the form Keris has forged Vipera into conforms to the Demon Sea's understanding of beauty?
EarthScorpion: Yes, especially since Keris probably has her a bit sea-snake-y.
Aleph: Lol. And since this is technically a strategic action, I can't use Excellencies, yes?
EarthScorpion: Uh, hmm. It's an individual action, I think it's easier if we zoom out of strategic time. Diff 8.
Aleph: I am not going to complain at all about that. In that case that's Cog 4 + Occult 5 + Empyreal Alchemist/Vitriolic Forge 3 + 1 bonus {render spirits or exotic reagents down into chalcanth via personally-refined vitriol} + 3 stunt + 6 DBC sux + 4 PMA sux + 9 Kimmy ExD {impossibly high standards, poison, acid, bleeding, further disfigurement, no restraint in tormenting enemies, new shapes as useful as they are uncomfortable, etc etc etc this is very Kimmy} = 25 [+10] for the roll.
