"Greetings, master Pendragon.
This time, a pratical historical guide about alchemy.
Good reading.
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The historical guide of Alchemy.
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Introduction
Alchemy is a process of achieving the desired effects, without necessarily using magic directly. These effects are achieved by changing certain ingredients by one or more processes, which in the end is used a product so that when consumed, the effects are applied to the consumer of the product. Alchemy is extremely complicated. It is based on the practical skills of early metal workers and craftsmen of other areas, and influenced so much of magic and occult thought. It must be remembered that when alchemy flourished there was no dividing line between science and magic. Ideas such as the influence of the planets and the effect of certain numbers or letters on people's lives might today be regarded as superstitious. At that time they were perfectly acceptable to those who were making the kind of accurate observations about the material world that paved the way for modern science.
Long before the beginning of alchemy, gold was regarded as the most valuable metal. Its possession indicated wealth and power, and it was prized for its beauty. Known as the most perfect metal, it soon required symbolic meaning. It came to stand for excellence, wisdom, light, and perfection. For serious alchemists gold had both a real and a symbolic significance, which at first seems confusing. The reason is that alchemists embarked on two different and difficult quests at the same time, and success in one meant success in the other. The first aim is the one that most people know about. The alchemist was attemping to find a way of transmuting, or changing, ordinary metals into the most perfect metal, gold. The second aim is less known but far more important. The alchemist was trying to make the soul progress from its ordinary state to one of spiritual perfection.Equipment
What would an alchemist's laboratory have looked? That depends. For affordable brewing, at a popular price, only a cauldron will be needed, but you will be limited to creating potions from which your arcane abilities have it. But for a real alchemist, all of his equipment, carefully placed in a controlled environment, will build his laboratory. Often, the laboratory is built in basements, lofts, towers high locked to have a controlled environment. Another reason is to hide the secrets of their recipes, not to let unsuspecting people steal or misuse them. If you really wish to start to wokr as true alchemist, you need:
Alembic: the part of a still were liquid condenses.
Alundel: the part of a still which receives the distilled liquid.
Anthanor: a furnace rather like a modern chemist's sand bath, but using ashes instead.
Bain-Marie: an ancient water bath. Said to be the invention of Mary the Jewess, an early alchemist.
Calcinary Furnace: used for reducing metals and minerals into a fine powder.
Cucurbit: the part of the still where distillation occurs.
Cupel: a crucible made of bone ash.
Crucible: a small clay bowl, shaped so it could be supported on the rim of a furnace. Use for heating things at a high temperature.
Descensory: a funnel.
Descensory Furnace: a furnace with a funnel for pouring liquid down to a recepticle inside.
Dissolving Furnace: a small furnace supporting a pan of water with rings in the pan to hold glass containers. Resembles the modern water bath. See Bain-Marie.
Kerotakis: old name for a Soxhlet extractor.
Matrass: a simple flask. See Philosopher's Egg.
Pelican: a special distilling flask with two necks for continuous distillation.
Philosopher's Egg: a special type of retort in which the neck of the flask went straight up. The forerunner of the modern Florence flask.
Retort: a flask with a long curved neck which curved downward. Named after a type of wild goose.
Still: short for distilling. An apparatus which boils liquids and catches the condensation.
Tripod: older version of a ring stand.
Beakers, crystallization dishes, spatulas, cloth filters, mortars and pestles, and tongs were also used by the alchemist in much the same way they are used by chemists today.
Eight safety rules for any alchemist
1) Be reserved and silent.
2) Work in a remote private home.
3) Choose your working hours prudently.
4) Be patient, watchfull, and tenacious.
5) Work on a fixed plan.
6) Use only glass or glazed earthenware crucibles.
7) You must be rich enough to pay for your experiments. (Several centuries earlier, an alchemist named Zosimos the Wise suggested marrying a rich wife.)
8 ) Have nothing to do with nobles, priests or criminal people. Being independent and free is worth more than any gold. Understanding the 4 elements
According to ancient alchemists of the empire, the basis of the entire material world was something he called
prime or first matter. This was not, as it may first sound, some gray sludge from which the world would gradually evolved. In fact, it was not a substance one could see or touch. It had no physical existence on its own account. However, it was the one unchangeable reality behind the ever-changing material world. To give this matter a physical identity and individual characteristics, various stages of form were needed.
The first stage of form was found in the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. The elements, while distinguished from each other, are also related by four qualities. These qualities are dry, moist, hot, and cold. Each element possesses two qualities, of which one predominates, and each element is linked to two other elements by the quality they possess in common. Here is how this system applies:
Fire is hot and dry with heat predominating.
Air is hot and moist with moisture predominating.
Water is moist and cold with cold predominating.
Earth is cold and dry with dryness predominating.The diagram (above) shows complex interrelationship of these qualities more
clearly.The main interest of alchemy theory of the elements from the point of view of alchemy is the idea of change. According to this theory each element can be transformed into another element through the quality they possess in common. In this way Fire can become Air through the action of heat; Air can become Water through the action of moistness; Water can become Earth through the action of coldness; and Earth can become Fire through the action of dryness. It is possible under this theory for an element gradually to complete the circle of change and go from Fire to Air, from Air to Water, from Water to Earth, and from Earth back to Fire, for example. It must be remembered that in all these changes the prime matter behind the form always remains the same.
The next stage of form in the four elements theory was that all physical manifestations in the world are composed of all four elements in different proportions. The varying amount of each element in the composition accounts for the infinite variety of things in the world. Because it was believed that elements could be transformed into other elements, it was only a small step to the assumption that all substances could be changed by altering the proportions of elements that constitute them. It is easy to see how alchemists took up on this idea. If as they believed, lead and gold consisted of different proportions of the same four elements, what was there to prevent the one being transformed into the other?
Our ancient alchemists had another theory that influenced the ideas of alchemists. This was on the formation of metals and minerals. He believed that when the Sun's rays fell on water, they produced a vaporous exhalation that was moist and cold. This exhalation became imprisoned in the dry earth, was compressed, and finally was converted to metal. All metals that are fusible or malleable, such as iron, copper, or gold, were, according to Aristotle, formed in this way. The formation of minerals, on the other hand, occured when the Sun's rays fell on dry land. They produced a smoky exhalation that was hot and dry, and the action of the heat produced the minerals. In this category the ancients alchemists included substances that cannot be melted, as well as substances such as sulfur.
The concept of astronomy through alchemy
From the earliest times men have looked to the skies for explanations of their own lives, and the idea of the influence of the planets was widespread. Gradually, over centuries, in places such as Vastiir and others enclaves, a complex astrological system was built up. Its ideas permeated all aspects of daily life.
The basis of astrology can be summed up in the phrase so often quoted in occult literature, and in particular in alchemy: "as above, so below." This meant everything in the Universe, of Macrocosm, had its parallel in the earthly world, or Microcosm. Everything worked in an ordered harmonious system, and everything was permeated by a Universal Spirit. It was this Spirit, which held the secret of the Universe, that the alchemists were trying to capture and compress into the Philosopher's Stone.
The system of correspondences, or connections, between the seven planets known to the Ancient World and all aspects of life was also extremely important. Tangible objects such as metals, animals, and plants, concepts such as colors, and abstract ideas such as love and wisdom were accorded to different planets, among which the ancients included the Sun and Moon. For example, some of the correspondences of Venus were copper, the color green, the dove and the sparrow, and the power of love. Alchemists made great use of this system of correspondences. Knowledge of the mysterious links between different things under the protection of the same planet was considered invaluable in many experiments. It also provided a ready-made symbolism or code in which one name could be substituted for another. Alchemists delighted in shrouding their writings with mystery and obscurity because they were always afraid the information would fall into the hands of the wrong people. Perhaps they also enjoyed secrecy for its own sake.
In short, each symbol of the zodiac represents one of the processes of alchemy, which in a carefully crafted text describes through allegories and stories such as making special recipes...
Procedures through magical ritual circles
Arcana and clergymen can expand the powers of alchemical recipe, using ritualistic circles at some stages of the preparation process. Many of these circles work as follows: The circle is drawn by adding symbols of the alchemical elements, and through mystic / divine awakening of these correctly positioned elements, they are used, added or mixed according to the alchemical process listed in the original recipe.
Elements and processes, in detail
Interpreting recipes
Alchemists have a way of protecting their own recipes. Each alchemist, individually speaking, creates for himself a code concealing processes, materials, order of procedure and other details of the alchemical recipe, through stories or drawings. Sometimes, races write in a racial dialect of their own, in addition to the common knowledge they all know.
These types of alchemists form hermetic groups and societies, which are usually small groups of a master, an auxiliary, and an apprentice, made up of family members, people with some bond in common, or all kinds of occult involvement, for noble or political reasons, from which they must keep their identities secret.
Another essential point is the use of trademarks, runes or symbols of the race, in a native language to do the whole process. I will list below some of the runes and marks used. You will have to research in detail to find out which race they are all
Final words
This is a historical guide to alchemy, produced by Aquaria Blackstone. Many of the information contained herein has been saved in ancient documents, field research, and arcane and mystical knowledge collected over the years by the Blackstone family. Many of the secrets of alchemy are guarded behind groups like Arcane Guild, noble families or individuals in specific. This is a guide dedicated to the use of adventurers and other relic hunters, to help them recognize documents, objects and materials of major importance in their missions and explorations. Practical and real knowledge of alchemy can be taught through the Arcane Guild or a closer and responsible arcane master of you.
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Topic: Technical contribution to the Library of Vastir. (Read 19632 times)