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Lore Book: Introduction to Alchemy
🕑 Added 2022-06-28 22:52:04 +0000 UTCMost contemporary Alchemists view our field through the lens of one of three schools. Although these schools developed somewhat independently, and at times went by different names, modern Alchemy is considered a syncretic study of all three. Experienced Alchemists generally specialize in a particular school after five years of study, and master Alchemists will often be highly specialized in a single school. However, the true savants among us may seamlessly combine all schools. While there are many differences between the schools, all share the same goal: the completion of the Great Work.
The first school of Alchemy to be developed is known as Asomatous Alchemy. This school focuses on spiritual matters and emphasizes self-control, asceticism, and enlightenment. This school was first conceptualized by Otahnes Magian in Av2 1320. Asomatous Alchemy is primarily concerned with the Doctrine of Spheres, a spiritual journey that is said to aid the practitioners in the path to the Great Work.
The second school of Alchemy to be developed is known as Hermetic Alchemy. It is primarily concerned with the use of reagents, reactions, and potion-making. Its core tenets include inquisitiveness, rigorous research, and experimentation. This school was slowly developed throughout the 1300s. A gathering of practitioners and lunar-cultists in the late 1300s quickened the growth of the field drastically. Hermetic Alchemy produces some of the most useful "mundane" examples of alchemy, such as potions, Khivesbrew, and various useful non-magical materials.
The third school of Alchemy, Metamorphic Alchemy, is shrouded in mystery. It deals with direct modification of the body through biologic or mechanical means. It is a very practical school, borrowing heavily from the work of Hermeticism. Industrial innovations of the Avsohmic Empire have pushed the school to new limits with rehntite implants. bold modification, innovative reiteration, and progressive ideals. Although detractors of this school claim it is reckless, its proponents point to the nigh-supernatural feats dedicated practitioners can achieve.
