The King Of The Moon 4958 Popular Post Share Posted March 17, 2020 In all applications of their craft, the alchemist’s choice of reagents is always dictated by the two major aspects of any given material: Signs and Symbols. Signs Signs are the primary identifier to be sought in a reagent, split between the five main elements, of which all matter in the Mortal Plane (and many others) is composed in some combination. These five Signs divide reagents into five different broad categorisations. Signs are important in organisation for an alchemist's archive of reagents and important in the recipes of a potion as many potions require non-specific ingredients and reagents can often be exchanged with other reagents of the same Symbol. Spoiler Earth The Sign of earth covers a wide variety of attributes, being so closely rooted with all things. Representations namely revolve around the properties and symbolism of Earth, typically some form of attachment, or fortitude, though it is not uncommon for earth to be rooted with health and nature; this is due to earth being something of a stubborn and very tough concept that is connected to many other things. Earth shares similarities with air in that it commonly covers drug like effects but in the opposite end of the spectrum; depressants. Chemically earth based Symbols are often stable. Water The Sign of water covers all representations in life, generally based off the aspects and symbolism that pertains to water; it is kind, calm, adaptable, nurturing; but it can also deal great harm to others. The symbol tends to be moderately notable, as any chemical properties are often harder to find, but it's almost always linked to water in and the cold in a literal sense. Typically water Signs are medicinal, or linked to health in nature, though much like water, some Signs are dangerous; some emotional representations might be linked to things of a serene nature, much like water. Air The Sign of air covers features that are more difficult to pinpoint and easy to overshadow. While an observation of the reagent shows that it has roots in things such as travel, speed -- such things one would generally associate with air, property and symbolism wise. It is also delicate, reflecting in the wispy qualities to some of the plants of the symbol. Often it's effects on the mind, and other parts of the body -- namely parts that revolve around motion, awareness, and communication -- the reagent attributes to most; this is due to the quick, light, and ever present qualities of air. Air often covers stimulants and hallucinogens. Fire The Sign of fire covers features that are very spontaneous due to the nature of the volatile concept, after all -- representations are mostly based off properties and symbolism of Fire. These are mixed between the obvious and the subtle. A plant that uses the reproductive system of the mythological Phoenix is an obvious choice but on the subtle a parasitic life-form that slowly consumes another would hold the representation of consumption. The chemical features of the fire Sign are often volatile and acidic, though can sometimes be energizing and empowering; even linked to emotions. Aether The Sign of aether covers features that attribute to odd and mythical properties. Often intertwined with the spheres of magic and affiliated with mana. While this Sign lacks many representations, it is often used to give potions, oils, and other such concoctions, a near magical quality to it. Another usage of this Sign is the literal usage of magic in alchemy, such as directly using raw lifeforce as a reagent. -Uses cannot be extracted from ‘Signs’ alone in materials unless explicitly paired with accepted Alchemical or Reagent lore. Symbols Secondarily then are Symbols, more niche modifiers tacked on to Signs with less ambiguous properties. They are concepts transiently tied to all matter in some form or another, albeit only potent enough to make use of in a handful of materials as Reagents. These manifestations can be translated into material changes, triggered by the mixing of various Symbols atop a base, as well as additional stimuli that might break down materials containing these Symbols so as to invoke more simplified usage in reagents (such as digestion, for example). Below is the full list of every known Alchemical Symbol, as well as suggestions on its metaphysical properties (tied to how it might be used in Alchemy): Spoiler Life Life is the embodiment of existence, health and survival. It is often used to preserve living entities, or to less literally breathe life into something dormant. Death Death is the antonym of Life; the embodiment of extinction, illness and expiration. It is often used to spur on decay, or bring an abrupt end to something. Swiftness Swiftness is the embodiment of summer, speed, quickness, travel, mobility and rapidity. It is often used to quicken processes, or leave a lasting pace on an entity. Slowness Slowness is the antonym of Swiftness; the embodiment winter, of deliberation, immobility, sluggishness and casualty. It is often used to slow processes, or leave a lasting delay on an entity. Agility Agility is the embodiment of dexterity, litheness, expression and activity. It is often used to broaden an entity’s capability, or grant ability where there was none prior. Impediment Impediment is the antonym of Agility; the embodiment of inability, awkwardness, depression and ineptitude. It is often used to quell an entity’s undesired capabilities, or to subdue processes. Strength Strength is the embodiment of power, force and brawn. It is often used to empower entities, or to overwhelm processes. Weakness Weakness is the antonym of Strength; the embodiment of incapacity, deficiency and incapacity. It is often used to debilitate entities, or to stifle processes. Growth Growth is the embodiment of spring, acceleration, regrowth, expansion, amplification and rejuvenation. It is often used to transition entities through their life cycles, or to create expansion in processes. Reduction Reduction is the antonym of Growth; the embodiment of autumn, deceleration, diminishing, condensing and wither. It is often used to diminish the bodily processes of entities, or to create compression in processes.Endurance Endurance is the embodiment of longevity, duration and resilience. It is often used to increase an entity’s tolerance or a process’ steady progression. Curtailment Curtailment is the antonym of Endurance; the embodiment of indolence, stoppage and resistance. It is often used to decrease an entity’s motivation, or to end a process less abruptly than Death. Vigour Vigour is the embodiment of energy, radiance and volatility. It is often used to jump-start an entity in a manner akin to an adrenaline rush, or to act as a catalyst in a less volatile process. Lethargy Lethargy is the antonym of Vigour; the embodiment of sloth, inaction and inertia. It is often used to strip entities of their energy, or to put a pause on processes. Connection Connection is the embodiment of affiliation, attachment and mending. It is often used to mend a broken entity or to conjoin two, whilst acting as an emulsifier in many processes. Separation Separation is the antonym of Connection; the embodiment of disunion, opposition and detachment. It is often used to split an entity into multiple or undo the connections between multiple, whilst breaking down processes. Purity Purity is the embodiment of freshness, cleanliness and sterility. It is often used to purge unwanted entities, or to sterilise or a process. Poison Poison is the antonym of Purity; the embodiment of taint, corruption and malignancy. It is often used to corrupt entities in some way, or to add an inherently counterproductive element to a process. Heat Heat is the embodiment of warmth, comfort and adaptability. It is often used to increase the temperature of or add resistance to low temperatures in an entity, or to provoke reactions in a process. Coldness Coldness is the antonym of Heat; the embodiment of preservation, discomfort and cooling. It is often used to decrease the temperature or add resistance to high temperatures in an entity, or to stabilise reactivity in a process. Burning Burning is the embodiment of destruction, overwhelming and ignition. It is often used to set entities alight, or to add a charred or smouldering element into a process. Freezing Freezing is the antonym of Burning; the embodiment of frost, numbness and paralysis. It is often used to hold hinder entities’ movement, or to pause a process to greater extremes than Lethargy. Peace Peace is the embodiment of calmness, tranquillity, apathy and rest. It is often used to put entities to sleep, or to calm volatility an otherwise volatile process. RageRage is the antonym of Peace; the embodiment of anger, fury, passion and unrest. It is often used to add volatility to an entity, often acting as catalyst in process in a manner far less stable than Vigour.Grace Grace is the embodiment of beauty, flexibility, fluidity and elegance. It is often used to provide entities with poise and precision, or to ease processes and the smoothness of interaction between different elements in said process. Rigidity Rigidity is the antonym of Grace; the embodiment of judgement, focus, continuity, stiffness, and stubborn perseverance. It is often used to stiffen entities to the point of fragility, or to make processes less open ended. Sound Sound is the embodiment of noise, discord and communication. It is often used to increase the auditory capabilities of entities, or to act as a bridge between different elements in a process. Silence Silence is the antonym of Sound; the embodiment of quiet, stillness and reservation. It is often used to decrease the auditory capabilities of entities, or to prevent interaction between different elements in a process. Order Order is the embodiment of control, method and logic. It is often used to subdue feral entities, or to make processes more methodical. Chaos Chaos is the antonym of Order; the embodiment of liberty, inconsistency and bedlam. It is often used to afflict entities with madness, or to make processes less reliable. Courage Courage is the embodiment of bravery, audacity, boldness and sometimes justice. It is often used to increase an entity’s valour, or to embolden one element in a process compared to others. Fear Fear is the antonym of Courage; the embodiment of hesitation, reluctance and panic. It is often used to strike an entity with uncertainty, or to bring oscillation to add an element of oscillation to processes. Balance Balance is the embodiment of harmony, symbiosis and prosperity. It is often used to strike an entity with objectivity, or to tip the scales of a process in favour of the desired outcome. Instability Instability is the antonym of Balance; the embodiment of disharmony, selfishness and overpowering. It is often used to make an entity more detrimentally reactive, or to sabotage processes away from their initially desired outcome. Clarity Clarity is the embodiment of understanding, transparency, vision and empathy. It is often used to increase an entity’s capacity for perception, or to make processes less convoluted and opaque. Blindness Blindness is the antonym of Clarity; the embodiment of confusion, ignorance and mystery. It is often used to blind entities in some way, or to make processes more complex and difficult to grasp. Light Light is the embodiment of luminosity, veneration, revealing and hope. It is often used to might entities glow, or to balance against unhallowed properties in a process. Dark Darkness is the antonym of Light; the embodiment of concealment, occultism and dread. It is often used to shroud entities, or to balance against zealous properties in a process. -Uses cannot be extracted from ‘Symbols’ alone in materials unless explicitly paired with accepted Alchemical or Reagent lore. 32 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zacho 1710 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Nice piece. I like the secondary symbols and attempts to actually make Aether more cannon sort of. Describes liquid energy like mana, life force, etc. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arafel 107 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Is there a source for the symbols in their real world iteration or are you coming up with your own designs / adapting some fictional ones for the purpose of the lore rewrite? I ask because I’ve been researching alchemy for a little while and I can’t say I recognize them. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zindran 322 Share Posted March 22, 2020 @Ciaran The symbols themselves are part of the current implemented Material Alphabet which can be found here, though these rewrites I believe should help with newer people learning Alchemy so they can get an idea of what to really do. +1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riftblade 849 Share Posted May 17, 2020 This Lore has been accepted. Moved to Implemented Lore, it will be sorted to it's appropriate category soon. Please note that if this is playable lore, such as a magic or CA, you will need to write a guide for this piece. You will be contacted regarding the guide (or implementation if it isn’t needed) shortly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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