Alchemy
Alchemy is the science of discovering the unique properties of materials across Fillimet and utilizing these to develop potions and mixtures with desired traits. These reagents can be manufactured from plant matter, animal parts, or even elements including metals.
An Alchemist dedicates their career to discovering these traits and various methods for their extraction and use, as well as experimentation into various reagent combinations and methods. Other professions focus on specific fields within alchemy, such as the Herbalist's utilization of the healing properties of plants.
Utility
Alchemy combines reagents to develop potions and mixtures with unique properties based upon the items utilized in their construction. Many efforts in alchemy are to create enhancements for sapient species such as mixtures to provide extra strength, speed, or fire resistance. Herbalists utilize alchemical healing solutions as medicine. Alchemy can also be used for manufacturing, brewing, or even in the creation of unique foods.
Manufacturing
Alchemy utilizes an assortment of processes to extract the desired effects from reagents including grinding, drying, steeping, heating, cooling, freezing, and burning. Sometimes two reagents are only mixed to allow a toxic substance from one to leech into the other, requiring separation once the process is complete. Mixing reagents can also sometimes become a complicated process and occasionally inert ingredients are added simply because they assist in the mixing process with two otherwise repelling reagents.
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Access & Availability
While Alchemists require many years of study and experimentation to perfect their craft of concocting new alchemical combinations, many of the results of their research are readily available to all for the right price. Countless simple alchemical processes are known and practiced across Fillimet, such as the steeping of flowers to create simple perfumed scents or teas. Others require more precision but can be obtained through the payment of a professional, such as the various health potions available from Herbalists.
Other processes are kept as closely guarded secrets, for professional or strategic reasons. Alchemy can be used to harm as well as heal, and concocting cures for these effects benefits from a knowledge of the reagents utilized. Other enhancing potions can provide a significant improvement in combat, necessitating the owning organization maintain the secrecy of their construction.
Alchemists may also choose to keep their new inventions a secret for professional reasons. This can be used to drive demand from the alchemist to help fund their future research, or to keep secret a concoction the alchemist determines they cannot morally make available due to its effects.
Complexity
Some alchemical processes are simple and involve very few steps to craft a solution with the required traits. Others are complex and demanding, with multiple steps to purify ingredients to remove undesired effects before combining the reagents. Most processes fall in the middle of the extremes, requiring care and precision in measuring ingredients to reach the ideal final solution, but allowing some leeway in the process.
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