Alchemy

Note: This article is marked as needing an edit.

(See also: Alchemy Theory )

The concept of alchemy
Alchemy is the study of the transformative processes involved in the perfection or evolution of matter.

To dabble in alchemy is to speed up this natural process of perfection and resurrect the spiritual essence that is trapped within all matter.
Alchemy does not only cover the transmutation of matter, but also that of mind (Psychology) and body (Physiological)

"Some have declared that it lies within our choice to gaze continually upon a world of equal or even greater wonder and beauty. It is said by these that the experiments of the alchemists are, in fact, related not to the transmutation of metals, but to the transmutation of the entire universe. This method, or art, or science, or whatever we choose to call it, is simply concerned to restore the delights of the primal paradise; to enable men, if they will, to inhabit a world of joy and splendour. It is perhaps possible that there is such an experiment, and that there are some who have made it."

The Oroboros
The symbol of the alchemist, a snake eating its own tail, formed into either a ring or a figure of eight. It represents the eternal circle of the universe and life, that all things coming to an end form the beginning of something new.

Techniques
Calcination:
Calcination is the first of seven Major Operations in Alchemy.

Physically Calcination is a process involving heating a substance in a crucible or over an open flame until it is reduced to ashes.

Symbolically Calcination represents the trial an Alchemist must go through. How his old misconceptions must be done away with to bask in the light of Alchemical knowledge. The ashes representing the death of the old and the possibility for new growth and fertility. Calcination is also associated with the Element of Fire.

Of the Seven Metals, Calcination corresponds to the metal Lead.

Calcination may be seen in the those who would overthrow the status quo, enacting revolutions. When setting up the Aelyrian Empire, the Operation of Calcination was represented by Emperor Constantine and his constant willingness to change the status quo to allow the enlightenment of the state of Aelyria. Though, the God most often associated with Calcination is Aslan.


Dissolution:
Dissolution is the second Major Operation in Alchemy.

Physically Calcination is dissolving the ashes from Calcination in water.

Symbolically Calcination represents the nurturing of ideas and allowing the creative, female sides of the Alchemists to weigh in alongside the male and analytical one. It allows an Alchemist to recombine that which was destroyed in the fires of Calcination into a better form. It is also the opposite of Calcination in that Dissolution concerns itself with Water and not Fire.

Of the Seven Metals Dissolution corresponds to Tin.

In Society Dissolution is the periods of peace after a war, when society adapts to the changes made by previous changes. If any one period in History were to represent Dissolution it would be the Golden Age of Empress Michelle. Dissolution is often seen as the aspect of the goddess Carmelya in Alchemy.


Separation:
Separation is the third of the Operations of transformation in Alchemy.

Physically Separation is the isolation of the components of Dissolution by filtration and then discarding any unworthy materials.

Symbolically it is the discovery of the Essence of Alchemist. It is the time when one has to decide if one is worthy and can go further, or if one is not able to continue. Once the Alchemist has been exposed to the Dissolution and the Calcination, he can now look back and discard what is no longer essential, but rather keep what is.

Of the Seven Metals Separation corresponds to iron.

In Society Separation corresponds to the formation of civilisation and bodies of government. Separation is represented by how Diana created the Aelyrian Nation from the scattered remnants of the conclave. Regardless of this Separation is seen as the province of Phedos, the creator of tactics.


Conjunction:
Conjunction is the fourth of the seven Operations of Alchemy.

Physically it is taking the elements of Separation and combining them to form a new substance.

Symbolically it represent the combining of the Alchemists true selves. Mixing the female and male selves into one being, allowing one to be richer for it by including the different sides of ones personality into one. For an Alchemist it is taking all the disparate knowledge of Alchemy and joining it together to form not just knowledge, but understanding.

Of the Seven Metals Conjunction corresponds to copper.

In Society Conjunction is the creation of crafts and knowledge that helps one master and understand the environment. In Aelyrian history it is the creation of the fields of Candaceburg, where arcana was used to allow the people to be easily fed from one source. Conjunction is generally seen as the domain of Cetheron, the smith of the Gods.


Fermentation:
Fermentation is the fifth Operation in Alchemy.

Physically Fermentation is the growth of a ferment in living solutions. It can be seen in the Fermentation of Milk to produce cheese or in the turning of grape juice into wine.

Symbolically Fermentation represents death and rebirth. It is where the child of Conjunction is killed to be reborn on a greater level. The Alchemist must destroy the final vestiges of his old self in order to truly become an enlightened mind. It is where power is taken from the gods to remake oneself more completely. From the death and blackness of Putrefaction comes the yellow Ferment. Fermentation is believed to be achieved through a variety of means, intense prayer, deep meditation, drugs. Fermentation is inspiration from places that are beyond the reach of mere mortals.

Of the Seven Metals Fermentation corresponds to Mercury.

In Society Fermentation represents the birth of religion and spiritual awareness. Such as was seen with the rise of the Church of Faith in Aelyrian History. Of the Gods Fermentation is represented by Orod.


Distillation:
Distillation is the sixth Major Operation in Alchemy.

Physically Distillation is the boiling and condensation of a solution to increase its purity. This is what is done when distilling wine to get brandy. The solution is heated allowing the subtle parts to rise and the gross to remain.

Symbolically Distillation represents the separation of the true Alchemists from the rest of the Alchemists. It represents the creation of absolute purity. It is the final purification. It is usually made out to be a series of a long pilgrimage of the emotions that are to raise the mind to the highest level possible.

Of the Seven Metals Distillation corresponds to Silver.

In Society, Distillation is represented as Alchemy and the will to find the laws behind the Aetherverse. It can be seen in the ongoing struggle of Alchemists to find out what they can about the world around themselves. The god representing Distillation is none other than Diana, who was once a mere Aelyrian but ascended to become Queen of Aetheria.


Coagulation:
Coagulation is the seventh and final Major Operation of Alchemy.

Physically it is the sublimation or precipitation of the purified Ferment from Distillation.

Symbolically Coagulation is melding one's mind with the Godhead and achieving a perfection of the Spirit. It is the final step for the Alchemist, his initiation is complete. It is often marked by the release of the Philosopher's Stone into the body of the Alchemist.

In Society it is the wisdom that a people have when they have achieved the fullest extent of wisdom. Coagulation is represented by Ioannes, the King of the Gods.

Apparatus
The first aspect of any venture into alchemy is the required apparatus. Unfortunately, to achieve the required purity of product, expensive blown glass vessels and tubing have to be used.

• Flasks:
  Open necked flasks, either round or conical in shape. Used to hold, mix, boil and stir the liquids and chemicals used in production. Round flasks may have up to four apertures (openings) into which connective tubing can be fitted, and sealed with grease.
• Condenser:
  thin spirals of tubing, usually immersed in running cold water. This allows collected vapours to be cooled back into a liquid for collection.
• Fire pit:
  A non-specialized fire, can be as simple as a depression in the ground. More complex set ups have clay brick sides, and are constructed with an opening for adding more fuel and have a frame on which a hot plate, sand bath or retort can be set. A fire pit is in generally, a fire that lacks a closable door and has a separate chimney.
• Furnace:
  Set apart from the simple fire pit by the integration of a chimney and a closable door. Furnaces are commonly 'forced' by use of a bellows, producing a much hotter flames. The exterior is fully sealed, insulating the fire from the exterior to prevent those working around it from being scorched. Some furnaces have secondary ducting systems to allow sulphur to be cooled and collected from ore smelting systems, especially if the furnace is run continually and collecting sulphur from inside the furnace after it cools is not possible.
• Kiln:
  an almost totally sealed container, save for perhaps one or two exit vents, that is suspended over a fire pit to roast the contents in the exclusion of air. (One obvious use is making charcoal from wood)
• Crucible:
  A think walled clay or ceramic bowl, most often with high, steep sides. Used for heating materials in a furnace, especially ores for smelting. Can vary in size from a small cup to a huge barrel sized crucible for smelting large quantities of ore. Crucibles are held and moved in specially shaped crucible clamps, and particularly large crucibles are set upon a movable system that can move them in an out of the furnace, as well as tip the contents into ingots.
• Calcination bowl:
  a shallow metal crucible placed on a tripod over a fire pit, used not surprisingly, for calcination.
• Water pumps:
  A ‘T’ junction on its side through which water is allowed to flow will generate a suction force that can be used to dry filtrates and move liquids.
• Rubber stoppers:
  Very handy for sealing flasks and reaction systems, especially in set-ups that require air to be excluded
• Cauldron:
  Used in the manufacture of some elixirs, cauldrons are actually better suited to making soup for the alchemist while he works.
• Tongs:
  needed to move hot objects about.
• Bellows
  Used to pump air into a fire, also known as 'forcing' a fire. Produces a much hotter flame
• Retort
  A specialist round bottom flask, has two apertures, one standard sized to fit a rubber bung, the other formed into an elongated down-turned spout. Used during boiling and distillation, allowing evolved vapours to be condensed and collected
• Fermentation tube:
  Another specialist piece of glassware, a round bottomed flask fitted with a trio of apertures, one standard, one narrow, and one formed into a elongated tube that extends out into a U bend, often with a secondary bulb at the terminal end of the bulb. Materials are added and extracted from the first two sealable apertures, while the third is partially filled with water to allow the escape of gases while excluding air.
• Scales
  Used to balance out and measure amounts of reagents to be used
• Mortal and Pestle
  Used to grind and crush solids into a powder, or pulp vegetable matter.
• Pelican:
  A specialized distillation apparatus, needed for certain more exotic reactions. The reason for the name is that it carries a resemblance to the bird.
• Athanor:
  A furnace specially designed so that it can maintain a low degree of heat over extended periods of time.
• Bottles and jars:
  Very useful for the alchemist, either screw-topped or corked, sealable containers are vital for the storage of finished products, and when allowing intermediate products to settle out.

Chemistry:
A number of base chemical reactions are used by alchemists, and are used as stepping stones to more complex products

• Spirit of wine:
  Used to purify other decoctions, high-grade spirit of wine is produced by the distillation of liquor.
• Quicklime:
  Produced by burning chalk or limestone. It is a powerful desiccating agent as it reacts strongly with water to produce slaked lime, which is lime whose thirst has been quenched. It takes the form of a pure white powder and is very reactive with most substances when heated.
• Ammonia:
  A fuming and corrosive agent, ammonia of varying concentrations has a number of uses. It is a constituent in smelling salts, it is used by Cloth makers to clean the wax from linen, but for the alchemist, most often serves as a replacement to lye. Ammonia is found in tobacco and can be extracted with drying, but is most commonly produced by boiling urine with acid.
• Sal ammoniac:
  Originally this was made from ammonia rich urine and salt. It is a white granular and fibrous solid, which has the property that it will sublimate at a relatively low temperature. What this means is that if heated in a flask it will not melt but turn into a white vapour. This will rise in the flask and condense in the cooler neck, back to the characteristic fibrous crystals of Sal ammoniac.
• Tartar:
  Found in the lees of wine, often scraped from the insides of wine barrels. When reacted with calcined antimony this formed Tartar Emetic, a powerful emetic used in medicine, though with significant danger, for it is a poisonous substance.
• Cinnabar:
  The main ore in which Mercury is found, from Cinnabar the metal is extracted by distillation. It is a heavy red powder and can also be used as a pigment, though it is then called vermilion.
• Marchasite:
  This is also called Iron Pyrites. It is a hard yellow substance resembling brass. The term Marchasite is also sometimes applied to Bismuth.
• Aqua Fortis:
  This is made by distilling green vitriol, with saltpetre and alum. When pure it is a colourless liquid, but it is often tinged brown by exposure to air, which also gives it a peculiar smell. It reacts vigourously with most metals, but Gold will withstand its action. It is an agent of powerful reactions, for instance it will turn iron red, and will react with most substances.
• Aqua Regia:
  Aqua Regia is a mixture of one part Aqua Fortis and three or four parts Spirit of Salt. It is called the 'King's water' because it is able to corrode and dissolve the king of metals, gold.
• Spirit of Salt:
  Is made by distilling common salt and Green Vitriol. This is a strong acid and can dissolve all metals, but not glass.
• Oil of Vitriol:
  Made by distilling Green Vitriol. It is one of the strongest of the mineral acids.
• Distilled Vinegar (acetic acid):
  Made by distilling wine that has been allowed to go sour. A medium strong acid which reacts with most organic substances and forms salts with some metals, for example Lead acetate, or 'sweet lead'. When combined with Ammonia it creates a lot of warmth. It is recognizable by the smell it has in the pure form which resembles that of bananas.
• Lye:
  A caustic compound, prepared by washing wood ash with pure water, and reducing the volume with boiling.
• Tar:
  Extracted as coal tar from shale deposits, and found associated with coal seams. Also collects in pools known as ‘tar pits’
• Charcoal:
  Made by partially burning wood, and then sealing it inside a metal vessel which is then heated in a kiln for several hours. A small pipe allows gasses to escape. When the gasses evolved are no longer flammable, the wood has become charcoal, free from sap and wood oils. This burns much better than normal wood. It is an important ingredient in such things as inks, and can be used to write with even in its unprepared form.
• Blackpowder:
  Not so much a base chemical, but interesting none the less, made from the combination of charcoal, sulphur and saltpetre. Saltpetre can be recovered from bird or bat guano, or extracted by washing fertile soil with mixture of ash and hot water.
• Nitre:
  Also called Saltpetre, this is made by lixiviation. A pile of soil rich in animal dung was exposed to the air (through protected from rain) and a crust of Nitre formed on the windward side of the pile. When purified by re-crystallisation this forms a white crystalline powder. It is a powerful agent of reactions similar to Aqua Fortis and when heated with Vitriol, even produces the 'strong water' Aqua Fortis.
• Cyanide:
  Created by distilling crushed almonds or clover. A potent poison by inhalation or skin contact, it has numerous applications however, such as the extraction of gold, silver and platinum from rock ore
• Sulphur:
  Collected as a by-product of many smelting processes. Sulphur is a vital ingredient in many alchemical reactions, and will often speed processes up considerably, if properly applied, this often leaves the Sulphur intact.
• Phosphorus.
  Spontaneously combustible in air, phosphorus is prepared by standing urine in air for several weeks, then evaporated down to a liquor the consistency of honey. Mix with charcoal and heat in a retort. Solid white phosphorus will collect in a slurry of muddy brown red phosphorus
  
  White phosphorus will burn spontaneously in air and must be kept submerged in water or oil.
  A discussion of the uses of red phosphorus:
  

  The thick Liquor, if rubbed upon the Hands, Clothes, or Hair, will appear in the dark, as if all in fire, but will not burn, and if you open the Cork of the Glass, all its vacancy will appear like the flame of Brimstone.
  If you put this thick Liquor, hardened by digestion into a Gum in Oil of Cloves or Cinnamon, and let it remain there a brightening, and pour the Oil from it into a Glass, the same Oil will as you pull out the Cork, and set it in the Air, appear so bright, that in the dark, if it's in a large and clear vial, you may see it to read distinctly.
  If you write upon the palm of your hand, or upon paper with the said Gum, whatever you write will appear all on fire, and the Letters may be read a long time after. But you must have a great care, that you do it softly, and to put it into Water, as soon as you have done, for if it happens to catch fire it will burn the place most dreadfully.
  Cut a little piece of the said Gum, and lay it upon paper, and rub it on with the point of a Knife, and it will set the paper on fire.
  
  Put a little piece of the said Gum to steep a brightening in Spirit of Wine, then taking it out again, if you pour this Spirit of Wine by drops upon a bason of water, you will see flashes like Lightning, somewhat like the flame of brimstone, and something akin to a a purplish colour.

• Green vitriol:
  A greenly yellow crystal that is found in iron rich rock, it is soluble in water. It is extracted by pulverising green iron ore and washing with water. The resulting solution is then filtered and distilled to produce concentrated green vitriol (the ore can a still be smelted after this).
• Blue vitriol:
  Sky blue crystalline solid, dissolves in water to give a pale blue solution. Extracted from copper ore the way green vitriol is extracted from iron ore.
• Alum
  Alum is prepared by crushing and roasting alumna rock, then watered for 40 brightenings, and finally boiled for two brightenings with periodic stirring. Alum is a binding agent, that is added to clothes dye, and also staunches the flow of blood from wounds, but has numerous other uses in alchemy. It tends to form solids in liquids with dissolved metals among other things.

Metal ore smelting
Metals were most probably originally discovered by using ore rocks as fire stones. Through trial an error, methods to smelt metals where devised, allowing for the technological advantages that Aelyrian everywhere benefit from. Ore must be crushed and washed, then roasted and in most cases, smelted, that is, heating them to a high temperature in a clay brick oven (furnace) some ores must also be smelted with peat or charcoal to reduce the metal to a recoverable form.
One interesting side note, is that of sulphur. Ores of lead, tin, copper and iron are often associated in complexes with sulphur, which would be reduced along with the metal during smelting, sublime, and collect on the walls of the furnace as elemental sulphur. Some kilns have specialized sulphur ducts which vent off vapours to allow the sulphur to be collected during the smelting process.

• Quicksilver (murcury)
  Flowing, silver metal. Extracted by roasting cinnabar rock to distil off the murcury vapours. Cinnabar ore is a russet red colour, containing small black and square red crystals in its structure.
• Tin
  Extracted by smelting Cassiterite rock with charcoal or peat.
• Copper
  One of the easiest metal to smelt, along with tin (leading to the alloy used extensively in pre-iron ages, bronze) Extracted from Chalcopyrite an easily recognized green tinged rock. Requires a hot, bellows forced fire.
• Gold and silver
  Can be easily extracted from crushed ore with quicksilver or cyanide, then recovered by distillation.
• Iron
  Quite possibly on of the most important metals ever discovered. Produced by smelting red oxide ore with charcoal or peat in a high temperature kiln, requires bellows to force the fire.
• Other metals smelted using heat and charcoal include lead, bismuth, arsenic and antimony.
• Mithril
  Those who know the secret of mithril smelting are very tight lipped about it. It is unknown weather it is an alloy of some sort or an elemental metal that is very hard to extract from rock. Legends say that it requires ingredients such as moonlight, morning dew and honey to smelt it correctly.

Commonly used alloys:

Antimony, tin and copper makes Babbitt metal.
Copper and tin makes bath metal.
Copper and zinc makes bell metal.
Tin and copper makes bronze metal.
Tin, antimony, copper and bismuth makes Frigid metal.
Tin and copper makes cannon or gunmetal.
Copper and zinc makes Tombac.
Copper, nickel, zinc & sometimes iron & tin makes Paktong.
Gold and copper makes standard gold.
Gold, copper & silver makes old standard gold.
Copper and zinc makes mosaic gold.
Tin and lead makes pewter.
Lead and a little arsenic makes sheet metal.
Silver and copper makes standard silver.
Tin and lead makes solder.
Lead and antimony (sometimes tin) makes type metal.
Copper and arsenic makes white copper.
Copper and zinc makes brass.
Iron and charcoal makes steel.

Elixirs
Elixirs (as distinct from herbal potions) are one of the more mystical tools of the experienced Alchemist. While they are undoubtedly capable of miraculous in nature, they their own limitations. They are unable to affect things that they are not directly in contact with. In other words for an Elixir to have an effect on a person or thing they need to be in direct contact with it, often this means either coating something in it or a person imbibing the Elixir.

The brewing of elixirs requires a sometimes ad-hoc mix of chemistry and magic. In elixir production, there are several factors that need to be combined to successfully make a useful brew.

The water:
Pure spring water. Nothing less will absorb the magical energies. Distilled water is also acceptable. The water serves as the main base of the drink

The fire:
Elixirs are almost exclusively heated in a retort over some form of open fire. Exposure of the retort to the open flame is essential, as some of the effect of the elixir comes from essence provided by the flame.
The fire itself is built of 'clean' charcoal, that is, charcoal that has been kilned for several hours until the vapours are no longer flammable.

Fire additives:
The fire itself is kept 'clean' and free from contaminants so that the essence of additives can affect the elixir undiluted. Fire additives may include sulphur, phosphorus, lamp oil, or almost anything else that will burn depending on the nature of the desired elixir.

Gems are also common additives (and are often destroyed in the fire) although elixirs made without them still work, they have a very limited shelf life. The more 'expensive' the gem the longer the elixir will keep before it's magic fades away. ( An elixir heated over a fire with an added diamond may store for decades, one with a quartz stone, perhaps for a week or so, and one without a gem altogether, only a few days.

Wood additives
Added occasionally to the fire, but most often are added during calcination. Only one type of wood can be added, using more than one will cancel out the effect of both wood additives.

Type of tree:
Determining the type of wood can be crucial in the brewing of an elixir.

Oak: Required in elixirs intended to strengthen the body, improve physical abilities, or boost the longevity of something
Pine: A fast and tall growing wood, used to brew potions to have an effect on speed or growth. Pine is also used for elixirs of ‘motion’ (including the aforementioned speed) such as elixirs that grant flight, the ability to swim like a fish, etc.
Ash: A Fine white wood, ash wood is used in elixirs that act to alter appearance, or improve one’s ability to relate to others. This includes invisibility and charm elixirs
Yew: Hardy yew wood is used in elixirs of endurance and resistance to the elements
Willow: Supple and flexible, willow is used when quickness and agility are to be effected by an elixir. Willow is also used in elixirs that soothe, calm, or boost courage.
Sandalwood: A sweet smelling wood, one that is quite hard to come by in some parts,
Used in elixirs that affect the mind by heightening awareness, increasing intellect and the like.
Mangrove: Inverts the effect of the elixir, turning an elixir of strength into an elixir of weakness etc.

Form of wood:
Wood – Usually added as wood chips, the impart no additional properties other than what the tree the wood is taken from normally provides
Bark – Adding scrapings of bark increases the potency of an elixir,
heightening the effects it has.
Leaves – Using leaves concentrates the effect of the potion, resulting in only a few drops or a single mouthful needed to be taken to have an effect. Useful if the ingredients of the elixir are rare. Note, that this dose not mean the elixir is more powerful, as drinking more will not improve the effect in any way, other than wasting more doses than are needed. In fact, drinking too much of some elixirs may cause illness
Heart wood – Increases the length of time over which the elixir acts, lengthening its effects from minutes to hours, and hours to days.

The essential ingredient (E.I)
"Castitati perfectio et perfectioni castitas inhaeret"


The Essential Ingredient is the vital piece of any Elixir. Most Elixirs require several Essential Ingredients. The difference between an Essential Ingredient and one of the more gross Ingredients, such as tar or charcoal is the Essences involved. All things are made up of Ara, and Ara is an intermingling of uncounted Essences. When these Essences form together in a relatively stable form, they become one object, depending on how the Essences are put together they become different objects. I.e. A stone would have a lot of Earth Essence. But in addition to the few Essences that mages use in their wanton displays of power there are untold thousands that they are incapable of even seeing, never-mind tapping into.

It is these Essences that make the Essential Ingredients work as they do. A blue flower and a blue flower given to ones sweetheart for instance will have different Essences, because the one who gives it affects the nature of the flower. He redefines the Ara in this flower. At the same time, a statue has a different set of Essences from a stone, because it now has a purpose. The sculptor has let some of what he intends for the stone into it. One can say that he has added the Essence of Form to the stone.

Of course, it is not always as easy as this. Some recipes require Essential Ingredients that are rather bizarre. The breath of a dying man is a good example of this. This may be captured by keeping a silk, or other fine fabric, handkerchief in front of his mouth as the man expires. Of course, killing this man just to get the breath would have some different Essences than just taking it from a man who was about to die anyway.

This then is the crux of the problem with Essential Ingredients, it is often hard to get the ingredients as pure as one would like them to be. Often there are unwanted Essences which interfere. As such it is important for the aspiring Alchemist to collect samples that are as pure and as powerful as possible. For example, for an Elixir of Toughness one would not choose the hair of the weakest orc, but rather the hair of the strongest troll to get the best, and most desirable effect.

To choose another analogy, the vow of celibacy from a man after having a night out on town is less desirable than a vow of celibacy from a monk who intends to spend the rest of his life this way. Inferior Essential Ingredients may cause Elixirs to have side effects which would not happen if the Ingredients were purer.

Generally speaking, when making new Elixirs the Essential Ingredients are often collected according to the level of power the Elixir is to have. A powerful Elixir will naturally need only the best Ingredients, whereas lesser Elixirs need less. An Elixir intended to permanently alter something will usually take much more power than one which changes something for a few minutes, there are other factors too of course, the profoundness of the change, the effects involved etc.

Solid Essential Ingredients usually have to be filtered out before the Elixir is ready.


The ingredient from which the main effect is drawn. If solid, it must be filtered from the elixir before it is bottled. Essential agents are often bizarre, rare, or both.

Secondary ingredients:
Fillers, that are needed to cause the correct reaction, generally one set of fillers is needed, and it the catalyst for the transfer of the essence from the essential ingredient to the liquid.

Secondary ingredients also include fruit peelings and flowers, used for colour and flavour to make an elixir more palatable.

Conditions:
Many elixirs have certain ‘conditions’ under which they must be prepared, such as under moonlight, or torch-light or on a summers day, or while a small choir of children sing nearby, prepared in total silence, or prepared by an old blind librarian. The possibilities are endless.

Sample elixir procedure:
Step one: Fire is lit in pit during winter, allowed to burn up to heat for a half hour to expel any impurities in the hearth.

Step two: Calcination bowl is positioned over fire. Scrapings of sandal wood bark are added, along with Secondary ingredients: A handful of nitre, a few drops of Oil of Vitriol, and this is heated until reduced to a white ash.

Step three: The ash is set aside, and as night approaches, a retort with a quantity of spring water is placed over the fire. The window is opened, and a mirror used to reflect moonlight onto the retort (The alchemists assistant moves the mirror to keep the moonlight in the correct place) The ash is then added once the water begins to boil, and is heated for several minutes. The essential ingredients are now added: A small pile of scrawled paper notes, a quill and glasses once used by a sage.

Step four: As the mixture boils, a turquoise is burnt in the fire under the retort.

Step five: The retort is removed and the mixture passed through a paper filter while still hot. The collected ash remnants are discarded, while the pair of glasses are cleaned and put aside.

Step six: The filtered liquid, along with the pair of glasses are placed in a fermentation tube, which is sealed, and placed in a library overnight to cool.

Step seven: At dawn, the flask is uncorked, the glasses removed, and the mixture returned to a retort. This is then heated (the nature of the fire is no longer vital and a sand bath over the fire pit is used) It is allowed to boil until the volume has reduced by 25%.

Step eight: the mixture is poured into a flask and corked. It is now a finished elixir.
Note: only six of the seven 'steps of alchemy' where used, and this may vary depending on the desired product.


The Elixir Short List
(a rough guide to the length of the effect is given in brackets, although this can be altered by the skill of the alchemist and the additives to the fire)

Mesmerizing visage (hours)
Acts for several hours, those who talk to or view someone who has drunk such an elixir will find them witty and charming and all together very persuasive. The effect may also include a change in voice, and a swirling effect in the eyes. Such elixirs can also be ‘targeted’ to act on a specific individual or type of creature.
Recommended E.I: Lock of hair from a particularly beautiful creature or a skilful politician and a few drops of fine perfume. It is claimed that Nymph or Dryad hair produces a much more powerful elixir, but only if the hair was given wilfully. The ‘target’ (a class of animals, humanoids in general, or a specific person) is targeted by adding an item such as hair or nails from the individual or type of individual being targeted.

Empathy (hours)
Allows the imbiber to relate to other on an emotional level, both sending and receiving emotion.
Recommended E.I: A picture of a heart, or something else of relevance drawn by a small child (such pictures drawn because they are coaxed to will not work) a scrap of ribbon or wrapping paper from a gift (genuinely given) the tears of a fey and a few drops of wine
Sleep (hours)
Puts the imbiber into a deep sleep from which they cannot be roused until the elixir wears off.
Recommended E.I: hair taken from a hibernating bear or scale of a sleeping reptile, some material taken from a bed sheet or pillow or goose-down and the caught breath of someone in a deep sleep (laying a handkerchief gently over the mouth and nose of a sleeping person
is sufficient to ‘catch’ their breath)

Climbing (hours)
Infuses those who consume it with a spider like ability to adhere to walls and other surfaces.
Recommended E.I: Strands of spider silk, or a spider of some kind, twigs collected from a birds nest high in a tree and the skill of a thief or mountain climber (say, by taking a few strands from a rope used said individual, or perhaps by boiling the mixture with one of their pitons)

Skill (minutes)
Imparts the skill to perform a certain task with considerable ability as if trained
‘Skill’ elixirs may include swordsmanship, animal handling or some other physical pursuit that requires training
Recommended E.I: An item that related to the skill and the ‘skill’ of someone who is trained in its use (collected as perhaps the sweat of a swords-master or the spittle of a boxer)

strength (minutes)
Grants great strength to the drinker. May not have an effect if the imbiber is already as strong or stronger than the source of the E.I
Recommended E.I: Hair of a giant or other strong creature, a nip of whisky or rum, a small piece of fresh steak and half an onion or clove of garlic. (spinach may also work)

Endurance (minutes)
Much like elixirs of strength, it boosts the endurance of those who consume it, improving stamina and resistance to pain.
Recommended E.I: Shell of a small mollusc or piece of turtle shell, a piece of armor worn in battle, chips of granite, a bloody rag collected from a bar fight and a strand of hair from an elephant or rhinoceros (or any other ‘thick skinned’ creature)

Intellect (minutes)
Boosts mental alertness, improves knowledge recall and generally improves the mental abilities of someone drinking the elixir.
Recommended E.I: An old worn out sage’s quill or pen, pencil shavings swept up after an exam an owl feather and a few words of advice provided by a wise man.

Youth (brightenings)
Reverses the ageing process, making anyone drinking the potion appear and feel years or even decades younger (only temporarily, however). Reverses age related illnesses, returns vigour and vitality.
Recommended E.I: Fragment of eggshell, laughter of a child, handful of fresh spring flowers and the fur or hair of a new-born animal of some sort.

Longevity (permanent)
Does not alter the apparent age of someone who consumes the elixir, but extends their expected life-span
Recommended E.I: Bark of a long-lived tree, a dragon scale or drop of dragon blood and the last words (or breath) of a dying humanoid

Firebreathing (instant)
Allows the imbiber to vomit forth a great gout of flame once after consuming the elixir.
Recommended E.I: Charcoal, coal or lamp oil, a fragment of flint, the tooth of a fire breathing creature, a clove of garlic and the breath of someone afflicted with halitosis.

Elemental resistance (minutes)
Grants resistance to an elemental power, mundane or magical.
Recommended E.I: A pure sample of the desired element ( distilled water, handful of dirt, embers quenched into the flask, or simply air) Notes, incantation or writing from an elementalist, the voice of an elemental (corresponding to the desired type of resistance) and a fragment of armour worn in battle.

Elemental negatives (instant)
Acts to directly oppose an element (this type of elixir is generally not consumed) An anti-fire elixir will extinguish fires and rob an elementalist of their ability to cast fire element spells. Each type will repel, remove or destroy the target element in some way.
Recommended E.I: Sworn oath of an Elementalist, the cursing of an elemental that opposes the target element type (refer to arcania index) a pinch of dust and stolen object.

Water breathing (hours)
Confers the ability to breath under water, be it fresh or salt. As the effect is wearing off, the imbiber will get a ‘feeling’ that the power is diminishing, giving them a few minutes to swim to the surface.
Recommended E.I: Scale of a fish, piece of oxygen weed, kiss of a Nyad or Nereid and a face cowl.

Heroism (minutes)
Instils a great courage in those who drink it, making them less likely to flee through the effects of magic or because of misplaced fear. (such as fear of heights) Will also instil a slight boost of strength and endurance. Note, that those that drink the potion will retain the good sense to know when they really should run away. The inverted form of this elixir has an equal chance of being an elixir of fear, or an elixir of foolhardiness. In the case of the latter, someone drinking the potion will feel themselves to be invulnerable, and capable of any act.
Recommended E.I: Blood, sweat and tears of a great warrior.

Flight (hours)
Grants the ability to levitate, and glide about as if on great invisible wings. Like the water-breathing potion, the imbiber will have a feeling that the effect is about to wear off.
Recommended E.I: Feather of a flying bird or scale of a flying reptile, something light such as balsa wood or pumice, a small folded paper dart and a leaf blown indoors by the wind.

Speed (minutes)
Enables anyone consuming the elixir to move, run and think at a greatly increased speed. To them, the rest of the world seems to slow down while they move about as normal
Recommended E.I: Hair, claws or even more gruesomely, feet, of a cheetari. Feather of a swallow, a blob of grease, a bolt of lightning and a hastily scrawled note (but not one so made just for the use in the elixir)

Toughness (minutes)
Strengthens the skin of the imbiber, making them resistant to damage and pain.
Recommended E.I: Fragments of a gargoyle or granite statue, hair from an orc or troll, boot-lace or scrap of leather from a worn out old shoe and the blood from an injury that went unnoticed.

Glib tongue (minutes)
Grants someone the ability to talk their way out of practically anything. Provides them with a repertoire of witty comebacks and snappy responses.
Recommended E.I: A short sonnet written by a master bard, a little white lie, the tongue of a frog and a wit-full comment mentioned in passing.

Undead unguent (hours)
Not so much an elixir as an undead repellant. May be applied to the body or a surface, and the effect to which it repels the undead depends mainly on the strength of the unguent and the power of the undead in question. The unguent prevents undead from touching someone dabbed with it, but does not stop an undead affecting them in some other way, such as a banshee’s scream or a poltergeist throwing rocks
Recommended E.I: Pinch of grave dust, an object blessed by a priest or cleric, a clove of garlic or pinch of salt and a mandrake root

Growth (minutes)
When drunk, will cause a normal sized humanoid to almost double in size. Will work on practically anything it is poured or spread on, such as plants and gold. (It has been used to effect a number of scams, and is used from time to time as a ‘gag’ gift for jilted lovers.)
Recommended E.I: Scale, hair or tooth from a large creature, a few grains of rice or a bamboo shoot, a piece of cutlery (fork, spoon or fragment of a bowl for example) used by a teenager and an acorn

Invisibility (hours)
Grants temporary invisibility if drunk or smeared over a surface
Recommended E.I: A shard of clear glass, the reflection of the sky, a veil, a breath of wind and the wing of a cryptically camouflaged moth.

Restoration (permanent)
Repairs old and time worn objects, removing cracks, returning shine and generally restoring an object to it’s original ‘new’ condition. Will repair a broken object if all the pieces are present as the elixir is applied. Used by dentists and can be used to plug holes in boats in a pinch.
Recommended E.I: A bandage, a needle and short length of twine, the skill of a trades person such as carpenter or seamstress, a daffodil bulb, a new shiny mirror and a small amount of sticky sap or tar.

Love (Cycles)
Focused or unfocused. After drinking, the imbiber will become infatuated with someone... In the case of the focused love elixir, it will be the 'target' of the mixture, while with the unfocused version, it will be the first sentient being encountered. Note, that the definition of sentient being can be skewed, and someone may be fooled into mistaking something for a sentient being if magic or a particularly talented ventriloquist is involved.
The power of the love potion can vary depending on the quality of the reagents and the skill of the alchemist, from a feeling of butterflies every time the target is sighted, to full blown blind love. Note, that in the case of the latter, the imbiber will still be in control of their actions, but may go to great lengths to keep the affections of their 'love'
Recommended E.I: A rose, a happy thought, true love's kiss, and two intertwined gold rings.
The focused love elixir requires a personal item of the target

Honesty(Minutes)
Once consumed, the imbiber will find themselves incapable of deception and untruth, rendering them unable to lie or deceive, verbally or by any other means. (If hiding and requested to show themselves, they will reluctantly step out from cover)
On the plus side, the imbiber will become capable of detecting all manner of falsehoods, and will be able to spot forged items at a glance, and will hear any lies spoken instantly for what they are.
Recommended E.I: A slip of white silk, a chip of wood from a judge’s gavel, a lock of hair from a child and the oath of an honest man. (not as easy to find as it sounds)

Curses (permanent)
Will render the Imbiber blind, deaf or dumb
Recommended E.I: The eye, ear or tongue of an animal, with a pin or nail driven through it. An insult hurled during a heated argument and a wad of spit

Mighty glue (permanent)
Certainly not an elixir that should be drunk, mighty glue will instantly adhere two surfaces together with an almost unbreakable bond. rumoured to have been created by a particularly mischievous understudy
Recommended E.I : Egg white, a pinch of flour, a padlock (closed) and sincere marriage vows.

Mighty Solvent (instant)
Created entirely for the removal of mighty glue, mighty solvent was reportedly researched and created in a single evening by an ageing alchemist who had been cemented firmly to his chair. Mighty solvent will remove practically anything; paint, dirt, grease, you name it. It will also unstick objects held together with mighty glue, but will also unstick objects held together by nails or twine with equal efficiency.
Recommended E.I: Juice of one orange, a length of twine cut in half, a brass key dissolved in acid and a broken vow

Frictionless oil (hours)
Another elixir that should not be consumed, frictionless oil will render any coated surface or object all but impossible to hold, manipulate or stand up on. Someone coated in the oil would be impossible to grasp, and would be ejected from a bear hug like a champagne cork.
Recommended E.I: A banana skin, the sales pitch of a used cart merchant (or any pedlar of used items) a few drops of lamp oil, some slimy pond scum and an ice cube.

Aqua abluo
Translates as 'Clean water' turns fouled, polluted or otherwise impure liquids into pure fresh water. One dose is sufficient to turn 10,000 cubic meters of salty, alkaline or polluted water into pure fresh water, or 10 cubic meters of dilute acid/poison, or 1 cubic meter of strong acid/poison into pure drinkable water. (note, flavoured drinks, beer, wine, milk, fruit juices, will be rendered into pure water, not just remove poison from the drink)
The Elixir will have no effect if drunk by a living being (apart from having a very pleasing taste) but it is believed to be highly damaging to undead creatures. It is also thought to have a significant effect on Cyraxians as well

Recommended E.I: Half a bar of fine soap, the petals of a rose plucked by an innocent young maiden, a handful of sugar, and a scrap of the purest silk.

Skill tree:

APPRENTICE
Little more than a lab assistant, those beginning to study the art of alchemy will spend the first few weeks running errands, fetching things, cleaning equipment and holding tools. Of course, the astute will be able to pick up several things on the way, and should be able to prove themselves to be worthy of more important tasks to Alchemist under which they study.
Skills:
How to procure basic chemical supplies
How to handle the various apparatus of needed in an alchemical lab. Including some knowledge of what they do.
Introduction to the various symbols and such in Alchemy.
The Major Operations Calcination and Dissolution.


JOURNEYMAN
Once trusted to keep the alchemists secrets (the small ones at least) They will be allowed to study from tomes on the subject, and will be taught about the preparation of mundane compounds, such as the preparation of acids and the like. A journeyman alchemist can expect to prepare most of the stock compounds that the master alchemist needs, and will be familiar with the various items of lab equipment
Skills:
Creation of difficult compounds, Aqua Fortis and such.
Creation of a few simple end products.
Ore smelting.
The Chemical aspects to all the major operations.
The Major Operations Separation and Conjunction.

MASTER
Once a good grasp of alchemical theory is demonstrated, the student will be taught the use of essential ingredients and the preparation of the fire and conditions necessary to create elixirs. The master can prepare their own elixirs (after collecting the reagents themselves that is) They will usually sell these elixirs in markets to gain the necessary capital to build a lab of their own.
Skills:
The simpler Elixirs.
The Arcanum Experiment.
The Major Operation Fermentation.
How to find/make essential ingredients
"Common" alloys

SAGE
Once sufficiently skilled, the alchemist will be expected to leave the lab of the master and conduct their own affairs. Occasionally, a lucky alchemist may inherit a lab if their teacher should fall to old age, but be warned, alchemists have been known to have unusually devious 'fail-safe' systems to protect their interests should they die by unnatural means.
Skills:
Wood additives.
Use of crystals/gems in the fire (Elixir modification)
More difficult Elixirs.
"Special" alloys (i.e. Dwarven steel, elven steel, adamantite, mythril)
The Major Operation of Distillation.

AUTHORITY
Once a Masterpiece has been created an alchemist may prove himself worthy of ascending the ladder of knowledge one last time. Here he may gain insight into the Greater Mysteries of Alchemy. The master alchemist will continue to brew and sell elixirs, with the main goal of financing research into new elixirs with novel effects, or into finding better, more easily obtainable ingredients.
Alchemists are a suspicious lot, and no not like to share their secrets, so will almost never found guilds.
Skills:
Masterpiece.
The last Elixirs.
Creation of new elixirs.
Philosopher's Stone.
Homunculus.
The Major Operation of Coagulation.