Alchemy

        Recently the subject of Alchemy has popped up on the rules digest, and I thought it was a subject worth raising here.

        What do people think about alchemy in Glorantha? Who uses it, how does it work (does it bear much resemblance to medieval alchemy?)?

        The only people that I am sure use it are the dwarves. The Quicksilver Mostali are the inventors and masters of this technique. There are predawn legends of feats of Alchemy by the original Quicksilver Mostali. But how many of their techniques have made it into the outside world? And is human alchemy the same thing, or a different technique?

        The Mostali already had these techniques at the Dawn, perhaps many of their secrets passed to humans in the first council period? I think the early elemental schools of sorcery are probably the original users of alchemy among humans, but I am unsure to what degree they simply stole from humans.

        I think it is also possible that some human 'alchemy' techniques are actually Vadeli secrets, and not part of Mostali lore. Mostly secrets of a disgusting and organic Tleilaxu-like nature.

        Of course, some 'alchemy' secrets e.g. many RQ2 systemic poisons, are really just a specific application of other knowledges. Many elves can produce fancy potions, for example, but this is by knowledge of plant lore and secret plants, not alchemy as such.

        I think the metamagical basis of many alchemical theories is that the substance within the 'hermetically' sealed vessel is cut off from the effects of the normal world, in effect becoming like a small piece of the heroplane, where simple physical actions then have a magical refining effect. I think this is a rough Gloranthaisation of the Jung/ Campbell etc. thinking on alchemy (not that I have read much of it, there are whole books full of Jungs thoughts on alchemy).

        Cheers

                David



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