Briefly, alchemy means changing one material into another. The popular fantasy that alchemy is all about making jewels from air and gold from straw ignores the nature, depth, and true purpose of alchemy.
All substances present in Atreia contain Aether, the source of all life. Alchemy studies the effects of changing the arrangement and properties of Aether within a material through energies of spirit or magic. To produce an output, one must sacrifice and equivalent input, a rule called the exchange of equivalents.
Chapter 2. The Origin of Alchemy
The very beginnings of alchemy are shrouded in mystery. Alchemists wielded powerful magic and were reticent to share their knowledge with others.
Alchemical instruction was only given from master to apprentice. Master alchemists forbid their knowledge to be documented. Even selection of apprentices was clandestine. Such secrecy continued for millenia.
Everything changed in Atreia with the Cataclysm. As the sparks of our sundered world faded, Alchemy took to the new discoveries of the Abyss and made rapid progress. Alchemical control of Aether was improved and advanced such that altering the bodies and souls of Daevas became nearly commonplace.
Chapter 3. Legends of Alchemy
There is one legend of an Alchemist who defied the taboo on recording the Alchemical secrets.
Darius had discovered and extraordinary secret of life transformation. Unwilling to pass such knowledge to an unworthy apprentice, and fearful of what other alchemists might do with the power, he refused to teach it. Yet he knew the secret shouldn't be lost entirely. He believed a Daeva would arise who would not only be worthy but would need it to save Atreia. He engraved his formulas on an Emerald Stone Plate and hit it away. Chastised for not adhering to alchemical traditions, Darius lost his place among Alchemy masters and disappeared.
When the Cataclysm occurred, many Daeva and Alchemists sought Darius' knowledge, hoping it might save Atreia. Unable to find Darius himself, noble heroes sought the stone plate. All failed. Gradually, immediacies claimed all attention and the stone plate sank into memory.
Chapter 4. Handling Minerals
While no longer bound to the apprentice system, alchemists still learn their craft in stages. The basis of alchemy is handling Aether. Thus, to learn alchemy one must also study Aether extracting techniques. To advance from elementary alchemy one must learn vitality extracting skills to derive mineral powder from quality ore.
Advanced alchemy uses mainly Lazuli, Garnet, Moonstone, and Sapphire, used to craft magical items that change physical abilities when mixed with mysterious intermediaries such as Greater Elemental Water and Major Elemental Stone.
Chapter 5. Mysterious Intermediaries
Mysterious intermediaries are essences of Atreia refined into catalysts. Elemental Water and Elemental Stone Powder are the mysterious intermediaries most frequently used in alchemy.
The Elemental Water and Elemental Stone Powder recipes are basic and essential to master. Like other transformations, the creations of these mysterious intermediaries requires a high degree of concentration.
