Alchemy

“That which is Above, so Below and that which is Below, so Above. For All is One and One is All, that with even the humblest of beginnings is no less deserving of Greatness. And so our Work is done, cast in and fathered by the Flame to be tried and molded in the Fire of Creation; only to be transformed and perfected. For as the Green Lion gnaws greedily at the Golden Sun, so too is the hunger of wisdom in the Initiate, but lo, without the Secret Fire and the wisdom of the Moon and Sun and Stars, all efforts are for naught and the Work is lost.”

Cernaeus Morentis Cassus, 2nd Era Ostedian Alchemist

Among all of the schools of magic to survive the Great Schism Wars of the Battlemages of old, none is more common place and known across the land as that of Alchemy. Alchemy is the arcane practice and science of transmutation and transformation as well as the primary means of concocting various potions, medicines, tonics, elixirs, and even poisons. Unlike the other schools of magic, alchemy is a highly initiatory school of arcane wisdom. This means that to learn alchemy one must either find a mentor and study under them for a long time or one must gain the apparatus of alchemical working and begin dabbling in it in solitary practice. Alchemy provides many things and many more lessons on wisdom and even Divine workings. It is said that some alchemists of the ancient times found ways to reverse lethal poisoning, cure incurable diseases, and even create life in a flask. Alchemy is different in the way it is approached as a school of magic in that it is widely known to most and understood by a fair number but still only a select few are true masters of the craft. Studying under a mentor is the most common means of entering into alchemical specialization but teachers are few and far between. Such teachers tend to be found in clerical roles, scholarly circles, and even in courts of authority across the land. Most regard alchemical wisdom as a rather elite matter, reserved for the high courts of royalty, while others see it as the deranged workings of witches and conjurers in the wild. Whichever the case may be, it is clear alchemy is a well known facet of day to day life in the various cultures of the Continent.


 * AS WITH ALL MAGIC IN GAME RP CONTEXT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL! MAGIC IS NOT ALL POWERFUL AND HAS LIMITS!*

Being that alchemy is a feature in MCMMO in the game, levels of Mastery vary greatly. Instead of unlocking a tier of spells, with alchemy you gain the ability to work with a wide range of ingredients to procure various types of potions and concoctions outside the normal set of such. To do this one must obtain high levels of experience in alchemy by brewing and completing potions in a brew stand, and while this is a VERY long means of skill progression it does pay off considerably. The variety of potions made outside of the standard vanilla set offer a wide array of play possibilities. However, in RP context if you are studying under a mentor it is to be understood that your level of expertise as well as your MCMMO level are to be factored in. While some cases are set up in such a way that context is more important than MCMMO level. It really varies on a case to case basis. Context is key here, as some may just seek a means of profession and thus train under a mentor to live the alchemical experience and RP the learning thusly, while others may simply want to grind the levels and gain the statistical mastery needed to brew particular potions. Both are legitimate standards of mastery but one is more RP based than the other.

Because alchemy is tied into the game as a feature due to MCMMO the levels of ingame mastery are a bit different than those of other schools of magic. They are scaled to a particular number system that unlocks the abilities to create other potions past the normal set. For ease of reference the level of mastery in alchemy are as follows:

Novice: 1-100

Apprentice: 200

Journeyman: 350

Expert: 500

Adept: 750-900

Master: 1000

These points of level based mastery give the alchemist the skills and knowledge to create various potions that exceed the normal base game set. However, it is ONLY the Adept and Master level that may undertake the ritual casting of this particular school of magic, NO EXCEPTIONS. While many would look at this and think it impossible or impractical to reach such levels of mastery in a feasible time, fret no more, for this is where RP context comes in. If you wished to grind the skill to gain the ability to brew higher level potions then that is fine. But if you wish to be able to attempt the ritual casting but don’t want to sink the time and effort into the skill grinding then this is where having a learned and wise teacher could help. If you studied under a Master or mentor and gained recognition in notable circles as an alchemist of good enough reputation or renown then you may have the ability to call yourself a Master alchemist. Such an example would be if you were to gain a doctorate in the school of alchemy through IRP training under a Master or a group of knowledgeable alchemists in like a guild or college setting. Make no mistake this will take a LONG time to earn IRP, at least 2 IRL months at minimum.

Ritual Casting
Magnum Oppus Stella Philosophia

This is likely one of the most, if not the most difficult ritual castings to pull off of any of the various schools of magic. It is cryptic at best and alludes to a process of making the pinnacle of all alchemical pursuits, The Red Tincture, The Greatest and Most Perfect, or as it more commonly known the Philosopher’s Stone. It is to be understood before ANY would-be alchemist attempt to make this that the stakes are HIGH. If this is failed Either madness, dire mutilation, or even IRP death will occur NO EXCEPTIONS. This is only to be conducted by an Adept or Master alchemist, or a pair of a Master and Adept. The alchemist(s) is to purify themselves of impurities of body and mind before the rite. This is usually done at a temple or shrine in a form of prayer. From there the ingredients are to be gathered and prepared for use. As an offering, the alchemist is to give the following:

- a stack of gold blocks

- a stack of gunpowder

- a stack of quartz

- a stack of coal blocks

- a stack of red stone dust

These are to be set aside apart from the ingredients for use in the creation of the Stone. The ritual is to go as follows:

“On the night of a full moon begin the rite. Gather forth a load of the darkened stone, either that which is pure black of night or bespeckled with glinting gold. Cast to the flames and sustain the heat for three turns of the Sun and Moon about the Heavens. (roll a single time for general to high success, if failed the rite ends and the materials are forfeited; if Crit Failed roll a luck die of general to high success to save yourself from suffocation of caustic smoke, if failed the player passes out and is bedridden for an IRL day). When the Negredo of the matter has come, that blackness that is blacker than black, introduce the whitened stone to the flame and proceed to heat with great temperatures. Pray unto the Divine Hands at play that your work is blessed and you may yet succeed to the next phase. (roll again once for high success, if failed the rite ends and the materials forfeited, if Crit Failed the player must roll a luck die of high success to resist from both passing out for 2 IRL days). Wait for the Albedo of the whiteness to begin to golden and introduce a load of sulphur carefully into the mixture whilst feeding the Dragon Bellowing yet. When the last of that sulphurous element is eaten by the Dragon take pause and observe the matter and give praise to the Divine and beseech them to bless the work to continue. (roll once for high success, if failed the the material is forfeited and the mixture explodes suddenly and the alchemist(s) must succeed a luck roll of high success to beat the chance of mutilation; if Crit Failed then the alchemist suffers being blinded on top of said mutilation). As the white albedo gave way to the golden aura of the coming Solar Being, so too must we await the coming of the Cauda Pavonis, the Peacock’s Tail, that splendor which shames jewels. When this is achieved give praise for the Divine have favored your Great Work. Increase the Flames of Creation that the colors of the tail may grow to the next phase of the work. (roll once more for high success, if failed the materials are forfeited and the mixture violently explodes and the alchemist(s) must roll a luck die of high success or perish in the explosion. If they survive they must roll another luck die of high success to survive the chance of madness from exposure to caustic materials, if Crit Failed then they lose a limb). If All is blessed and the work may proceed, feed the Voreful Flames of load of that dross sulphur once more times thrice. Pray and beg the Divine for their protection and blessing upon this Noble Undertaking and await the Rubedo, that reddening of the matter. (roll once more for either a high success or a Natural 20 elsewise the materials are forfeited and the mixture catastrophically explodes and the alchemist dies in the explosion, if Crit Failed the mixture blows up, the alchemist(s) dies and a 10 radius is destroyed set on fire from the blast). If the Gods have smiled on your Great Work thus far the Rubeo is seen and the Stone is completed. Offer thy gifts to the Gods Above in reverence and praise, and give thanks for the Work done.”

If this is done right, the player(s) undertaking the ritual have crafted the Philosopher’s Stone which must be then at the close of the ritual be declared for the use of transmutation or of the Elixir of Life, IT CANNOT BE BOTH. If transmutation is chosen, then the stone receives 3 charges. One charge may be spent to transmute 1 stack of metal into 1 stack of gold. Upon the 3rd use the Stone is removed from the player and fades away as it will have been depleted. If the Elixir is chosen then the Stone is added and dissolved into a bottle of water or any alcohol and it is transformed into 1 bottle of the Elixir of Life. This potion when drunk cures all illnesses and prolongs the lifespan of a user determined by a /roll 100 +50 thus gaining up to 150 more years of what their current lifespan is. This is a way for say, a Human to live about as long as a Greyfolk. THEY ARE NOT IMMORTAL CONTRARY TO THE MYTH! They just live exceedly long but can still die or be killed like anyone else in game. This ritual casting may be attempted only once a year in game (1 time per every IRL month). Said ritual is to be conducted in the presence of a Staff Member or an Admin to ratify its attempt, success, and/or failure. Make no mistake this is a high stakes ritual, a character could die in RP with little to no work around. Consult Admins or Staff about any concerns prior to undertaking this ritual. Attempt at your own risk.

(*ADMIN/STAFF NOTE*)
If the Negredo phase begins a blackstone block or a gilded blackstone block is to be placed. At the Albedo phase, the blackstone is removed and replaced with a smooth quartz block. When the golden phase comes replace the quartz block with a gold block. Finally if the Rubedo phase passes replace the gold block with a redstone block then break it soon after and bestow either a redstone block, dust, or a nether star item with lore text and title for the Philosopher’s Stone to the player.