Alchemy is a science that harnesses the power of the elements to transmute objects or synthesize new ones. Alchemy is an immensely powerful tool in materials fabrication and is used in every city on the continent. Alchemical recipes exist for simple transmutation of food, to the synthesis of some of the most valuable and powerful items in the world. 

Alchemists channel the elemental powers that exist naturally in the environment. There are certain rules and principles that must be adhered to when using alchemy. These principles have been developed over a thousand years, and research continues to this day.

Alchemists all have their own goals; however, the overarching goals of the science are: 1. To research and recover the ‘lost’ advanced concepts and 2. The synthesis of artificial life. Countless alchemists have dedicated their lives in pursuit of these goals and have made little to no progress on these fronts. However, no alchemical research is done in vain, and much of the work they have done has standardized the tools used.

As basic alchemy is extremely useful and not all that difficult in modern times due to standardization, alchemist ateliers are commonplace in nearly every city. Alchemy requires a knowledge and a level of literacy uncommon to the common peoples of Alcrest, so some towns and most villages do not have ateliers. 

An atelier may be the workplace of a practicing alchemist, but they are also places of learning. It is not uncommon for an alchemist to have a handful of apprentices, as their work is usually in high demand. 

There are various alchemist’s guilds established across the continent that field some of the work needed. Joining a guild is not required, but it can offer a practicing alchemist steady employment. Freelance alchemists sometimes operate out of towns or villages but tend to get driven out of larger towns and cities where the guilds operate. In one nation, there could be multiple guilds vying for dominance. 

Generally, guilds rank alchemists by the number of requests they have completed. Others may hold a test and inspection semi-annually. Rank names and classes differ from guild to guild.

Mechanisms of Alchemical Theory

Generally accepted theory holds that that basis of alchemical transmutation is the circle. A circle is infinitely sided and represents the beginning and the end; that all powers are connected to One. This circle is called an array. Arrays are then etched onto a specially made paper, called an array graph.

Within the array, lines are drawn connecting specific points on the circle to each other. These lines are called elemental conduits. These points on the circle represent the four cardinal elements, and the adjacent elemental combinations. The combinations are called properties. Elemental conduits intersect each other at locations all over the array. Sigils are etched into the desired intersections, and the appropriate glyph is etched into the sigil. Sigils determine the actions that will be taken during the transmutation. An outer ring is etched around the array, called the method band. Between the array and the ring, instructions called the method are etched, detailing in which order to active the sigils. Four additional glyphs are etched around the method band, in the ordinal directions, called codas. Each coda channels the properties and represents the four seasons. In the very center is an area called the conflux. The items being transmuted are placed here. An invocation is recited, and the transmutations proceed as the method describes. 

The general-purpose array is the most used, but there are others that are more suited for specific purposes. Research continues in array design. There are grimoires that describe secondhand accounts of lost arrays, but unfortunately the incantations, processes and codas and their uses are a mystery.

On Properties

One of the most important topics of alchemical theory is the principles of processes and properties. Two elements that interact with one another form properties. Properties are non-destructive; they simply alter the state of an item. 

Property: Arid

The arid property is the result of a fire and earth reaction. This property desiccates a substance and turns it into powder.

Property: Chilled

The chilled property is the result of an earth and water reaction. This property cools a heated substance.

Property: Soaking

The soaking property is the result of a water and air reaction. This property douses or quenches a substance in liquid.

Property: Heated

The heated property is the result of an air and fire reaction. This property heats a substance.

On Processes

Processes are a function of a single element with the opposing element’s two associated properties. Processes can be destructive, as they alter the composition of items or join them to create something new. Fire opposes water, earth opposes air. The opposing elements are not linked by elemental conduits; however, their properties are.

Process: Distillation

The distillation process is the combination of the Fire element, with water’s soaking and chilled properties. It is used to purify a substance. It is a common step in making elixirs and medicine.

Process: Crystallization

The crystallization process is the combination of the Water element with the heated and arid properties. It is used to solidify a substance. It’s a common step in making crystals and solidifying metals in transmuted armor and weapons.

Process: Composition

The composition process is the combination of the Earth element with the heated and soaking properties. It is used to join substances. It’s a common step in nearly all transmutations.

Process: Division

The division process is the combination of the Air element with the arid and chilled properties. It is used to separate an item. It’s commonly used to break an item into its constituent parts. 

Both properties and processes have their own glyphs, which are documented elsewhere in other alchemical primers. These glyphs must be placed into sigils on the arrays for them to activate. Care must be taken to ensure the method is correct, so the appropriate sigils activate at the desired step.

On Sigils

Equally important to understanding properties and processes is understanding sigils. Sigils are circles that are etched into the array graph, with the appropriate glyph etched into it. Again, the circle is important, and sigils are also considered sub-arrays within the larger array. 

Sigils are etched at the elemental conduit intersections, of which on the general-purpose array there are twenty. Property sigils are separated into quadrants, located in the ordinal directions. The north-west quadrant between the air and fire elements are where heated sigils are placed. The south-west quadrant between the air and water elements are where the soaking sigils are placed. The south-east quadrant between the water and earth elements are where the chilled sigils are placed. The north-east quadrant between the earth and fire are where the arid sigils are placed. 

Each property quadrant has four intersections; the intersections are split in proximity between the two constituent elements in the property. Sigils placed in intersections closer to one element or the other are said to have an elemental affinity for that element. These affinities are said to be major or minor depending on the proximity. For example, an arid sigil placed on the intersection closest to the earth element is said to be an arid property sigil with a major earth affinity. A soaking property sigil placed on the first intersection toward the water element is said to be a soaking property sigil with a minor water affinity.

Affinities can affect the outcome of the transmutation and are the only way for the alchemist to adjust the elemental energy they put into their transmutations. The general-purpose array has sixteen separate affinity options, but custom and specialized arrays may offer many more. 

Additionally, there are four process sigils, that are only placed at the inner four intersections closest to the four cardinal elements and are the closest sigils to the source of anima in the conflux. The northern intersection closest to the fire element is where the distillation sigil is placed. The southern intersection closest to the water element is where the crystallization sigil is placed. The eastern intersection closest to the air element is where the division sigil is placed. The western intersection closest to the earth element is where the composition sigil is placed. 

Transmutation and Synthesis

Transmutation is ultimately the act of using the elements to alter the anima of items in the conflux of an alchemical array. Synthesis is the act of transmuting and combining items into something new. An alchemist may transmute objects, like changing ore to ingots, or gold to rings. Synthesis involves multiple transmutation steps to create a new object. An alchemist may transmute iron ore to iron ingots, transmute graphite to carbon powder, transmute the iron ore and carbon powder into steel ingots, transmute the steel ingot into a blade blank, then finally transmute a piece of wood with the blade blank to synthesize a dull steel sword. 

A single general-purpose array can theoretically perform twenty transmutations for a single synthesis, though it is not feasible or realistic. More commonly, base materials are prepared separately from the item synthesis, lessening the number of transmutations and steps in the method. Regardless, once the method has completed its instructions, the array graph can no longer be used. 

Custom Arrays

Some alchemists and their ateliers specialize in transmutation and synthesizing specific items and have developed their own arrays to give them more control over the elemental energy. The general-purpose array offers two affinity choices for each process, minor and major. An alchemy atelier specializing in metallurgy and exquisite quality weapons requires a finer level of control over their sigil placements and elemental affinities. A custom array with more intersections in their desired processes would give them more choices in elemental affinities. 

Many of these custom arrays are kept secret and are taught only to pupils of an alchemist or passed down in their families. Often, these arrays have been refined over generations and are extremely valuable as an inheritance.