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Post by The DM on Mar 28, 2015 0:37:23 GMT
ALCHEMY OVERVIEW
In the world, right now, it is estimated that there are about 7,000,000,000 humans living and dying on Earth. Out of all of them, there are 1 in 3 individuals who hold the special ability of being able to preform the scientific art of Alchemy. They are said to be the closest individuals to gods, as they are also scientists. Why? Because alchemy gives them the ability to preform inhumane things and connect with the earth's spiritual network and what-not.
These special individuals are called Alchemists. They come from all over the world and their talents are many-a-number. Some Alchemists consider themselves to be super humans or a superior race. Others see themselves as super heroes, or just ordinary humans. Then there are some who consider themselves cursed and loathe the ability for becoming their own.
It should be noted that a player on this site may control no more than five alchemists, unless special circumstances take hold. Alkahestrists are exempt from this rule, but non-combat alchemists are not.
Many Alchemists are working in the military that holds authority over Amestris, as well as other countries, though Amestris holds the most popular and notorious specialist alchemical force.
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Post by The DM on Mar 28, 2015 0:38:37 GMT
ALCHEMY ALCHEMISTS
An Alchemist is one of the many remarkable individuals capable of studying and practicing alchemy. As the craft of alchemy requires a full understanding of chemistry and ancient alchemical theory, alchemists are closer to scientists than magicians, but the ability to perform alchemy is also tied to an inherent talent for manipulating matter and energy so not all people can become competent alchemists merely by studying.
Though essentially scientists, alchemists' abilities are incredibly practical and can be applied to the simple enhancement of normal life in the form of quick, relatively effortless repair of objects that ordinarily take a good deal of time and energy to fix. As such, alchemists have been historically revered as productive members of society and held the concept of Be Thou For The People as their unofficial credo. This creed dictates that alchemists use their abilities for the good of the public rather than for personal gain or political reasons, a creed generally rejected by alchemists who opt for government licenses and funding as State Alchemists.
Despite their obligation to the people, alchemists are also careful to keep the secrets of their research out of the hands of the general public so as to prevent abuse of that knowledge and power by those with less-than-noble intentions. As such, alchemists generally keep their research notes coded so that only they - or other like-minded alchemical geniuses - may understand them.
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Post by The DM on Mar 28, 2015 0:42:09 GMT
ALCHEMY STATE ALCHEMISTS
A State Alchemist is an alchemist employed by the Amestrian State Military as part of an elite government mandated program.
As members of the military, State Alchemists are privy to the most advanced alchemical resources, including exclusive access to the best research materials as well as state-of-the-art government laboratories, and are given a sizable research grant each year which can be put to any purpose a State Alchemist so chooses. Also on the list of perks is an automatic military officer rank equivalent to that of "Major" and all the considerable military authority and government influence that comes with it.
In exchange for these privileges, State Alchemists are commanded to obey three basic restrictions:
Obey the Military - As part of the military system, State Alchemists are subject to the government hierarchy and must obey the orders of their superiors as well as devote themselves entirely to the protection, advancement and well-being of the nation of Amestris as a whole. Their skills are to be wielded as an extension of the government's power as opposed to means toward individual or popular gain. This particular rule is the root behind the harshest drawback of being a State Alchemist - although alchemists in general are revered by the populace, State Alchemists are treated with a great deal of animosity by those not completely satisfied with the dealings of the current government. As alchemists who have turned their backs on the concept of Be Thou For The People in exchange for government influence, they are often called "Dogs of the Military". Additionally, ever since their successes on the front lines of the Ishval Civil War, State Alchemists with practical skills applicable to combat situations are ordered into battle as "Human Weapons", adding to their relative unpopularity.
Do Not Create Gold - Though all alchemists in the nation of Amestris are held to this law so as to keep the national economy from falling into chaos, State Alchemists are more heavily leaned upon to uphold this standard, due to their position under government surveillance, and are subject to military charges upon its transgression.
Do Not Create Humans - The nationwide (and often worldwide) prohibition of Human Transmutation, though also enforced in the case of all Amestrian alchemists, is particularly forbidden to State Alchemists due to the fact that their access to advanced research notes and materials makes it more likely that anyone making a realistic attempt at the forbidden craft would be in the government's employ. Though it is widely assumed that this law is in place because of the moral and ethical ramifications of attempting to toy with human life as well as the considerable danger involved with dealing in Human Transmutation, it is revealed that the true motive behind the government ban is to prevent individuals from alchemically manufacturing their own personal armies.
In order to be selected as a State Alchemist, candidates must undergo an extensive examination process involving a written test proving a high level of aptitude in the field, a psychological evaluation to determine whether the candidate is of sound enough mind to serve in such a specialized branch of the military and a practical examination in which the candidate proves to a military board whether or not his or her skills can be used in real world situations.
Upon acceptance into the State Alchemist program, candidates are given a symbolic title by the Führer ((Or in MDA's case, an admin)) based on both their unique alchemical skills as well as their personal and dispositional traits. Additionally, each State Alchemist is given a silver pocketwatch to hold as identification. This watch is engraved with the symbol of the State Alchemist program - the Amestrian Dragon circumscribed in a hexagram. The pocketwatch is nothing more than official proof that the carrier is a State Alchemist.
Though State Alchemists are more or less given free license to act as they please within their rank, they must each submit an annual assessment report, detailing the results of their research over the past year so as to prove that they are using their grant money and resources adequately enough to warrant continued membership in the program. It would seem that State Alchemists who fail to hand in an adequate report are put on probation for the next year and that a second failure results in the revocation of their government license.
It has recently been revealed that the State Alchemist program was part of Father's plan leading up to The Promised Day - a system for identifying and selecting candidates for human sacrifice.
NB: The State Alchemy program described here specifically pertains to the Amestrian State Alchemists, as they are the most pertinent both to canon and MDA as a whole. However, the other nations do have their own sponsored and grant-funded state alchemy systems (such as Creta's Royal Task Force) which follow similar but possibly different guidelines to those laid out here.
{{You can only become a state alchemist after reaching 40 IC posts}}
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Post by The DM on Mar 28, 2015 0:45:58 GMT
ALCHEMY HUMAN TRANSMUTATION
Unfortunately, these experiments have given birth to a dark and sinister side of alchemy. Whether out of despair, malice or inquisitive hubris, several alchemists have been known to attempt the application of transmutation to human bodies and souls, in essence, playing god with human lives. But, just as the Law of Equivalent Exchange applies to the transmutation of non-living matter, devastating rebounds can occur in Human Transmutation because human lives and souls are priceless according to the flow of the world.
PERFORMING HUMAN TRANSMUTATION:
It is possible for characters to perform Resurrection-based Human Transmutation on MDA. However, only characters with over 150 posts can do this without fear of losing more than "Truth's Price".
"Truth's Price" is an ironic price; usually something that means a lot to the character in question. A character with a love of money would suddenly lose his way of earning it. A character who loved a certain person would lose the love of that person; so on, so forth. However, if a character has under 150 posts, then they have to take a "Human Transmutation" roll, to determine whether or not they will survive. This roll is absolute, and the outcome cannot be changed. If you wish to live, don't do Human Transmutation; or have 150 posts.
Human Transmutation Roll:
1 -- Survive
2 -- Survive
3 -- Survive
4 -- Lose Alchemy, but survive
5 -- Lose Alchemy, but survive
6 -- Lose Alchemy, but survive
7 -- Lose Alchemy, but survive
8 -- Die
9 -- Die
10 -- Die
RESURRECTION
Attempts to bring deceased human beings back to life are the most common practice to be called Human Transmutation. Using various experimental theories and methods, multiple alchemists have endeavored to resurrect dead loved ones, but such pursuits are always failures, forbidden by the flow of the universe and alchemy itself.
It is determined that resurrective Human Transmutation is impossible because a soul that has left the mortal coil has passed on into the afterlife and can never be called back by human means. The attempt will cause a rebound due to both the inherent lack of any particular substance able to match a human soul in value and the fact that the initiated transmutation is reaching for an unattainable goal. Of the known attempted Human Transmutations, the rebound has been the "taking" of parts of the initiator's body out of the living world and into the void of the flow.
In addition, for having trespassed in 'God's domain' with Human Transmutation, the initiating alchemists are essentially called into The Gate of Truth to face 'God' itself (AKA 'Truth'). Being pulled through the gate grants alchemists great alchemical and universal knowledge - in exchange for paying a physical toll which usually takes the shape of the body parts "taken" by the rebound - and the ability to perform transmutations without a circle.
CREATED HUMANS/HOMUNCULI
The next most referred-to form of Human Transmutation is the concept of an alchemically created human called a "Homunculus". Though largely considered impossible due to the fact that all recorded and reported attempts to make one have been failures, this act is one of those specifically noted in the Amestrian nationwide prohibition of Human Transmutation.
SOUL BINDING
Another terrible form of Human Transmutation is the manipulation of human souls. Though appearing on no official records, there have been experiments with Human Transmutation involving the extraction of souls from human bodies and the alchemical binding of said souls to inanimate objects usually by way of a rune drawn in blood on the object itself. Though not all the specifics of soul binding have been made clear, it has been explained that the iron in the blood bonds alchemically with the iron in the object (as most instances of soul binding has used metal armor as a vessel) and the blood itself remains bound to the soul of the person from which it was taken. The Blood Runes themselves differ based on the theories and style of whatever alchemist performed the binding, but the three different Blood Runes that have been revealed depict a spark or flame (presumably signifying a soul) hemmed in by other symbols in a blood-drawn Transmutation Circle that suggests a soul trapped within a container. In essence, these souls exist in the mortal plane without their bodies, are able to manipulate the objects to which they are bound and communicate verbally with beings around them but, of course, there are caveats.
Despite the fact that these souls cannot feel pain or die by conventional means since the "bodies" they now inhabit are not mortal, the act of binding two such different things together is only temporary, as the soul and vessel will eventually reject each other and separate.
Though the manipulated soul is independent of its original body, the issues regarding the storage of knowledge and memory suggest that, for a soul binding to remain intact, the original body must remain alive somewhere. This creates another issue, as the soul and its original body will be inexorably drawn to one another.
The Amestrian government has experimented with soul manipulation and binding under the command of Father, but the case of Alphonse Elric's soul binding is remarkably unique as the only known instance of a particular human soul being purposely called back to the mortal plane from the Gate of Truth. Edward Elric, for performing this brand of Human Transmutation, let his right arm be taken as the toll and drew a rune using his own blood. It has been posited that this was only possible because the two brothers had been pulled into the Gate together and may have had their spirits crossed in the process. Additionally, the body of the soul-binding victim Barry the Chopper was infused with the soul of a lab animal and remains as the only known instance of a soul being bound to a living vessel. It is also unknown whether the act of transmuting the souls of Barry the Chopper and the Slicer Brothers resulted in a rebound or appearance of the Gate of Truth.
In the movie "Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa" Alphonse Elric is capable of transferring a small portion of his soul into multiple suits of armor simultaneously while still maintaining his original body and consciousness. Though when one of the suits with a portion of his soul is sent through the gate, his entire consciousness is temporally transferred to that suit of armor, and that suit of armor apparently had a blood rune.
HUMAN CHIMERA
Chimeric Alchemy is a branch of bio-alchemy that seeks to alchemically "marry" two dissimilar life forms into a new creature, but even though this science skirts the line of playing God, the prohibition of Human Transmutation forbids alchemists from incorporating human beings into the practice of chimera production. However, there are alchemists who flout this decree and step across the threshold into monstrous experimentation. Shou Tucker, the Sewing-Life Alchemist, was the first recorded alchemist to successfully create a Human Chimera, passing his crime off as a full-animal chimera capable of human speech until his second attempt was exposed to the military, but (as with Soul Binding) the Amestrian government has also been experimenting with this, having created several human-animal hybrids of increasing versatility.
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Post by The DM on Mar 28, 2015 0:58:43 GMT
ALCHEMY TRANSMUTATION CIRCLES
Though no machines or equipment is needed to produce the energy necessary for transmutation, merely understanding the sequence of transmutation and the limitations of Equivalent Exchange is not enough. Just as the processes of "Comprehension, Deconstruction, Reconstruction" and "In order to gain, something of equal value must be lost in return" are cyclical concepts, the circle itself is the foundation of alchemy.
In order to begin an alchemical transmutation, a symbol called a Transmutation Circle is necessary. A Transmutation Circle can either be drawn on the spot when a transmutation is necessary (in chalk, pencil, ink, paint, blood or even traced in dirt; anything can be used to make it) or permanently etched or inscribed beforehand, but without it, transmutation is generally impossible and all Transmutation Circles are made up of two parts:
The circle itself is a conduit which focuses and dictates the flow of power, tapping into the energies that already exist within the earth and matter. It represents the cyclical flow of the world's energies and phenomena and turns that power to manipulable ends.
Inside the circle are specific alchemical runes. These runes vary widely based on ancient alchemical studies, texts and experimentation, but correspond to a different form of energy, allowing the energy that is focused within the circle to be released in the way most conducive to the alchemist's desired effect. In basic alchemy, these runes will often take the form of triangles (which, when positioned differently, can represent the elements of either water, earth, fire or air), but will often be composed of varying polygons built from different triangles. For example: the hexagram is a commonly used base rune in Transmutation Circles because it creates eight multi-directional triangles when inscribed and can therefore represent all four classical elements at once. Other, more esoteric runes (including astrological symbols, symbolic images and varying lines of text) are prevalent and represent a multitude of other, specific functions for the alchemical energy that is released. Over the nearly 500 year history of alchemy in Amestris, great strides in alchemical research have been made by mixing these runes together to augment their power, converge their results and create entirely new pathways of utilization.
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Post by The DM on Mar 28, 2015 1:03:37 GMT
ALCHEMY SIX GUIDELINES TO USING ALCHEMY IN RP
1. In the same way Fullmetal Alchemist would say, Equivalent Exchange is everything on the site. Making something out of nothing is strictly impossible, and even with usage of the Philosopher Stones, it exchanges the priceless human soul to perform a feat, and as one would say, priceless. In that way, there is no way Alchemy can be called 'Magic' or something mystical, it is but a science of the world conveyed through esoteric means.
2. Alkahestry is a variation in the precursor Alchemy where it conveys transmutable power through the Dragon's Pulse, though possible to transmute arrays from a transmissible array, it is like Alchemy, cannot transmute without Equivalent Exchange. Even the act of healing merely speeds up the process rather than to regenerate out of nothing. The application is often supplementary and directed towards biological functions, simply using the Dragon's Pulse to catalyse.
3. Alchemy is not vague or abysmal. It is concrete and tangible. Transmutation must apply to things that could be grasped, could be touched, and it is not an abstract concept such as gravity or kinetic energy. The exceptions towards this rule is through proxy via catalysts, such as creating fire from sparks and combusting oxygen counts as such a thing (but note that fire is not vague or abysmal, merely created through such means such as this is quite the alternative in achieving the Alchemical transmutation in whichever is being achieved.)
4. To loop an Alchemy into infinite production from only a little substance without realizing it is only as good as it lasts, is forbidden and a violation of Equivalent Exchange (the Philosopher stone itself uses the Human Soul to get whichever is needed in the Equivalent Exchange in particular, and is far from the deceptive "breaking of Equivalent Exchange" when such an instance is fulfilled.). For as Equivalent Exchange goes, one must give something to get something. A violation of the sacred laws Alchemists hold by, and is bound to earn a "rebound", a volatile balance in Alchemy where what little has been given would be made up by Alchemical forces taking more than it was intended to stabilize itself, often causing unforeseen consequences.
5. Alchemists are specialists in their field of study, and for rightful reasons too. There is far too many sciences in alchemy for one person to even know about, and took even the best Alchemists (Father, Hohenheim) shortcuts to even master them a large degree in the form of Philosopher Stones (particularly Father couldn't even perform Alkahestry given it is not his field of study and he is several hundreds of years old). For that reason, an Alchemist either partakes in a specialized singular field, or to take in many more at the expense of neglecting their original studies. (Should be obvious to MDA veterans by now.) As an example, neglecting your original Alchemy leaves the capacity just as it were, whereas improving upon it explores more in that particular field of study and the capacity to put those studies into transmutation practice. This guideline is best represented through the Tiers & Disciplines System.
6. In the same manner Equivalent Exchange goes, Alchemy is not a locomotive self-perpetuating force that would necessarily complete all the work in itself throughout the equation. It requires arrays to let it flow smoothly (or with great instability in Kimblee's case) towards the particular goal an Alchemist is opting for. Those who skip that have seen the gate and come back to have particular proficiency in performing Alchemy completely without arrays (a very unusual case). Alchemy requires effort on the user's part, and often physical exertion and motion. In the same manner, Alchemy does not activate itself, it requires the user's own transmutation to initiate and harness.
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