Alchemy

"Everyone always focuses on the magical aspects of alchemy. They completely ignore the philosophical parts. Yes, I can make a magic potion - but that is only a side effect of understanding and improving my own spiritual nature. I am the lead that will become gold." - Zaman al-Razaz

Alchemy is the metaphysical art practiced by the Naga, which uses the power inherent in the Spirit Realm to create magical formulae. It is a form of True Magic that can be performed by anyone with the correct training and tools, unlike the spells cast by True Mages which require an inborn talent.

One thing that every alchemist insists on is that the creation of formulae is not the point of Alchemy. This is merely a side-effect of their primary study, which is the refinement and purification of their own spirit. Still, the creation of these formulae appear to be an integral part of the alchemical process of enlightenment, and selling those creations is how many alchemists support themselves and their studies.

Metaphysical Tools

The practice of alchemy would be impossible without the existence of the metaphysical materials that allow someone without the gift of True Magic to manipulate spiritual energies. There are two materials that every alchemist must have in order to create a magical formula.

The first is Orichalcum. This is a arcane metal, most often found within the Fodinae Profundae in Creoda. Prior to the discovery of these mines, all the known Orichalcum had been brought into the physical realm by Dreamwalkers, and it was believed that it did not exist naturally in world, only in the Dream. Orichalcum has the exceptional ability to collect and store spiritual energy from the natural world. An Orichalcum implement must be attuned to a particular aspect of the world, such as fire, darkness, or seawater to access this power. Once it is attuned, it will begin to collect power whenever it is immersed in its element, until it is full and can absorb no more. Orichalcum implements are rare and precious, and will be handed down from master to apprentice to be used over and over again. You can read more about Orichalcum here.

Collecting the power is only the first part of the alchemical process. It must then be drawn from the orichalcum implements and invested into the materials that make up the formula. This is made possible by Leechleaf Juice.

Leechleaf juice is created by the leechleaf bush, a plant found on certain islands in the Middlesea, with the best known source being the island of Garrangara. Leechleaf bushes are extraordinarily dangerous to harvest as they are spiritual parasites that can destroy a person's pneuma. But this is the very property that allows leechleaf juice (properly processed) to serve as a conduit for spiritual energy. You can read more about the leechleaf here.

Other Ingredients

While Orichalcum and Leechleaf juice make alchemy possible, they are far from the only things required. In order to achieve a successful formula, the brew must include a wide variety of symbolically appropriate ingredients, tuned to the nature of the Orichalcum implements that collected the energy to be used. It is in creating and comprehending these formula that the chief purpose of alchemy is achieved - the Naga believe that the ability to correctly produce a magical formula corresponds to a deeper understanding of the universe and oneself. The exact ingredients required for a formula will change based on many factors, including the alchemist brewing it, so every recipe is idiosyncratic and rarely repeatable. Only by understanding the underlying principles of alchemy can magical formulae be achieved.

Related Materials

• Leechleaf
• Orichalcum

Folk Alchemy

The Alchemy practised by the Naga is a form of True Magic, in that it uses the power of the Spirit Realm directly to create a magical effect. However, it is not the only form of magic that can be used to create magical potions and formulae. Folk Magic, which is empowered by the collective beliefs of a culture, can also be used to create magical formulae, subject to the restrictions of this kind of power. You can read more about Folk Magic here.

Forged Orichalcum

When orichalcum implements have been attuned to a particular element, they are referred to as being forged, usually with the name of the element included, such as Fire-Forged orichalcum or Cold-Forged orichalcum. While all such materials will draw energy from their attuned phenomenon, the energy will have the resonance of the source embedded within it. This impacts the nature of the formula it can create - an alchemist cannot make a fire-breathing potion with energy from Cold-Forged orichalcum, or a healing potion from orichalcum that was Dark-Forged.

Buying Alchemy

There are only a few places in the world where alchemy is readily available for sale. The vast majority (and greatest variety) of alchemists live on the island of Saba, especially in the great city of Tarshish. Other major cities may have a few alchemists living there, but the selection is likely to be limited by the tools those alchemists have available.

Alchemical Shelf Life

Nothing lasts forever, and alchemy is no exception. Formulae created by an alchemist will slowly lose the power invested in them, and revert to a mundane mixture of unusual ingredients. Exactly how long this takes depends on the skill of the alchemist, but it is rare to find one that retain its stability for as long as decade, and most fail long before that. In theory, an alchemist of exceptional skill could prepare a formula that would never lose its power, but there is no such person known to exist.