Post by Father on Feb 17, 2013 2:35:33 GMT -5
Alchemy (Human only)
Overview:
The almighty science that often seems at odds with magic in almost every possible way but they are both fields that require highly specialized knowledge. The advantage to alchemy is that it takes only about half the energy to use the same complexity and destructive capacity as a spell. Also, it is the science that holds power over physics at large and everything in the entire world that the user comprehends. Though there are several hoops to jump through in order to use it. Alchemy is the art of understanding what something is made of, destroying that substance and then reconstructing the pieces in a more favorable way. It can be viewed as a high level form of telekinesis and is not dissrupted by things that would normally cancel out magic.
Alchemy is not an almighty art, it can only obtain what it gives in exchange. In order to construct something you require all the materials needed to make it. As such it is more limited than magic in some ways as you always need to get a hold of the materials you need in order to make your formulas work. Which brings us to the next aspect of alchemy, instead of spells it works on scientific formulas that are required to be written out on the surface of your materials until you gain a certain degree of control. Much like complex math, once you become intelligent enough you can stop using paper and calculators to do the problems with perfect accuracy.
The third aspect of alchemy is that you must respect the idea that you don't know everything. Alchemy has three steps, the first of which is knowing what something is made out of. If you do not understand what something is made out of then you have no power to deconstruct it. Similarily if you don't understand how how to create something as complex as a computer then you have no business attempting to make it. Trying to create something out of your skill level or that requires more materials then you have will result in your Alchemy having a rebound, dire consquences occur when you break the laws of Alchemy as the science goes wild and tries to stabilize itself. Most people that use this science will specialize in one area, such as working with minerals or maybe water or something along the lines of herbology. When you have Alchemy as your skill you can only start in one specialization and branching out into others is not considered an easy thing to do, it is far better to stick to one field of study if you wish to create truly complex formulas.
If this sounds like the field for you then continue on.
Formulas:
Anything you can do with Alchemy requires you to have a formula, much like a spell but it must have a written medium equivelant. A transmuation circle that you can either come up on your own or you can just describe what the formula actually prescribes. Think of this like submitting a spell but being more specific as it has to make some sense and cannot outrightly violent science but needs to abide by it within some reason.
Formulas are required to be written out ahead of time or upon use of each alchemic transmutation, it also requires physical contact with your source of transmutation. The requirement for written Alchemy stays with you until you reach C+ level in your chi control. And you will always have to be in physical contact with what you are transmuting, doing something over a distance would require a specific formula meant to send a chain reaction through a specific medium.
Field of Study:
When you are an Alchemist you must have a declared field of study, which you can attempt to diversify at a later point. Below are several exampels of fields that you could go into though custom fields can also be approved in a profile:
- Soild - Any specific kind of metal, stone or even just the earth itself. These materials usually come out of the ground and deal with hardened constructs. Staying with this field could allow you to bust out explosive abilities and make defenses that are almost impossible to destroy.
- Liquid - Some sort of water or other type of liquid. This could also involve poisons and dealing with the ability to freeze water and make it take the different forms. While not the most defensive this could also delve into healing as the body upon the more complex levels.
- Gaseous - Science that deals with air, gas and anything that you wouldn't consider solid or liquid. This kind of alchemy is considered the most destructive as you can harness the forceful power demonstrated by wind storms. Compacting air into a dangerous weapon would not be beyond a faithful student of this field, this is considered the most well rounded field.
- Energy - Alchemy that deals with things like fire, electricity maybe even motion and sound. This field of study allows one to truly delve into the energy of the world and treat it like the other studies treat moveable matter. Masters of this practice will be more than a match for a wizard if they truly commit themselves.
Alchemy must be taught or started with, but it can never be mimicked. That is the wonderful thing that seperates it from magic because Alchemy is highly based on the laws of the natural world and requires dedicated study to use. Only the intellectual have the ability to harness the power of the fields of study that Alchemy provides and trying to multi-major in fields of study is very hard. To the point that the complexity of what you can do is much more limited, if you truly want amazing and powerful Alchemy it is a good idea to specialize for as long as possible. Everytime you incorporate a kind of Alchemy you gain a sub-group under your chi category with the name of your choosen field and that denotes your control. So adding other fields of study causes you to have to start over at whatever level of chi control that your character originally started with.