The Rocky State of Your Campaign
There are many that feel that alchemy is a spiritual metaphor—to rid oneself of the base elements and strive for a higher, purer standard. In this article I’m focusing on physical alchemy, what it would look like at various times and places, the NPCs you might meet that call themselves alchemists, and the magic chemicals that make fantasy fun.
Where to Begin
Ancient Egypt: Evidence indicates alchemy was practiced in Egypt millennia ago; they had mortar by 4000 BCE, Papyrus by 3000 BCE, and glass by 1500 BCE. They also used cosmetics, cement, faience (tin-glazed pottery), and pitch. Here alchemy was practiced mainly by the priests of Thoth, who was believed to introduce alchemy to the world.
Greece and Rome: The Grecians called Thoth, “Thrice-Great Hermes” and believed he wrote forty-two Books of Knowledge. The “Emerald Tablet” is a discourse on alchemy and forms the basis of Western alchemical philosophy. Empedocles and Aristotle used the Alexandrian influence to postulate all things in the universe were created from only four elements: earth, air, fire, water. These four elements were the primary substances of all bodies. The Romans adopted these beliefs as their own, but were later influenced by the development of Augustine’s belief that experimental philosophy was evil. Only two papers survived the later “cleansing” by the Church: the Stockholm Papyrus and the Leyden x papyri, which discuss how to dye and make artificial gemstones, clean and fabricate pearls, and make artificial gold and silver. Many later skeptics have used these discourses to emphasize how alchemists were simply charlatans.
Islamic Alchemy: Much is known of their experiments due to their thorough documentation. Jabir ibn Hayyan introduced a new form of chemistry in the latter part of the eighth century, based on the scientific method and controlled experimentation. This focus on science has granted the title of “father of chemistry” to Jabir. Both he and Muhammad ibn Zakarīya Rāzi discovered distillation, acids, soda, potash, and more. Their work in acids produced aqua regis, a solvent that could dissolve gold. Jabir believed that rearranging the properties of metals would cause them to change into one another. Jabir’s magnum opus was not the transmutation of metals, however, but the creation of artificial life. He also added three new elements to the Aristotlean quadrad: aether, sulphur, and mercury. An eighth element, salt, was later included.
European Alchemy: In the early Middle Ages, alchemy was at first readily accepted into Christian culture based on its strong connection to the Greco-Roman history. The works of alchemy were assimiliated and by the thirteenth century was a structured form of belief. This, however, was when alchemy was attacked by religious figures as a form of heresy against God, and alchemy was banned from the church in the early 1300s by Pope John XXII. From then until the 1500s, what alchemists existed all searched for the elusive philosopher’s stone and the elixir of youth. By the Renaissance, most alchemists were con artists that used illusion and magic tricks to persuade believers that they had the power to change lead into gold. Some, like Paracelsus, believed that alchemic experimentation could lead to new medicines and focused exclusively on that aspect. Alchemy continued to hold as a science up to the 18th century, but modern science, which started in the 17th century, eventually replaced it.
Indian Alchemy: The Eastern traditions show the same hints of alchemy in the Vedas as those in China, namely a connection between gold and longevity. The concept of transmutation and mercury comes later, mercury not being mentioned until the 3rd century BC and transmutation until 2nd century Buddhist texts. It is generally believed that the Indian alchemy was ahead of the European form by about 600 years, and many believe Damascus steel was invented in India.
Chinese Alchemy: The Chinese focused on medicine and, for them, the philopher’s stone was the Grand Elixir of Immortality. Some say black powder was also created by Chinese alchemists.
NPCs to Use
Deities
- Enki: Sumerian God, later known as Ea in Akkadian and Babylonian myth.
- Thoth: Egyptian God
- Hermes Trismegistus: Combination of Hermes and Thoth
People
- Maria the Jewess: Also Miriam the Prophetess, 1st to 2rd century CE. Believed to have learned from Aristotle how to make gold and is attributed with the discovery of hydrochloric acid and the first still.
- Zosimos of Panopolis: 3rd century CE Greek-Egyptian Alchemist. Possibly the first to define alchemy: the study of the composition of waters, movement, growth, embodying and disembodying, drawing the spirits from bodies and bonding the spirits within bodies.
- Ostanes: A name used by Greek and Latin authors to maintain anomynity as a Persian magician when discussing alchemical and magical discoveries.
- Elder Zhang Guo: 7th century Taoist Alchemist and one of the Eight Immortals. Lived as a hermit during the Tang Dynasty; made his own potions and wines and claimed to be several hundred years old. Believed in necromancy and was reputed for magic powers.
- Jibar ibn Hayyan: 8th century Persian alchemist. Wrote the Book of Venus and the Book of Stones. Ultimate goal wastakwin—the artificial creation of life.
- Khalid ibn Yazid: Calid. 8th century alchemist that took to transcribing current material in Arabic.
- Abū Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyā Rāzī: Rhazes, Persian scientist from 9th century, explored sulfuric acid and the discovery of ethanol.
- Abu Ali Sina Balkhi: Avicenna, Persian doctor, philosopher, and polymath of 10th century. Described how steam distillation worked, but refuted alchemy.
- Ibn Umail: 900 AD, wrote Arabic texts, including Explanations of the Symbols.
- Al-Tughrai: Wrote rebuttal to Avicenna’s refutation of Alchemy and many translations of older texts.
- Artephius: A legendary author alluded to by Roger Bacon and others in later years. The Secret Book of Artephius is a legendary document for alchemists where the author claims to be a thousand years old.
- Albertus Magnus: 13th Century Dominican Friar, wrote Alchemy; Metals and Materials, The Secrets of Chemistry, the Origin of Metals, the Origin of Compounds, and a Concordance on the philosopher’s stone. Although he believed in alchemy, he did not practice it. He is credited with the discovery of arsenic.
- Roger Bacon: 13th century philosopher and Franciscan friar, published Opus Majus, on optics, mathematics, and alchemy. Also believed to have written Speculum Alchemiae, translated to English in 1597.
- Pseudo-Gerber: Anonymous name of an alchemist born in the 13th century. These works were standard reading for European alchemists: Summa perfectionis magisterii, Liber fornacum, De investigatione perfectionis, De inventione veritatis, and Testamentum gerbera.
- Nicolas Flamel: 14th Century Frenchman that posthumously developed legendary fame as an alchemist that succeeded at discerning the secrets of transmutation and immortality. He was a manuscript seller and scrivener and there is no evidence he studied alchemical practices, but Nicolas designed his own tomb, covered with alchemy symbols, and well after his recorded death the tomb was found empty, adding to the legend. Bernard Trevisan: A 15th century Italian artist that spent his life and fortune trying to create a philosopher’s stone. He traveled all over the world searching for clues and died on the Island of Rhodes in 1490.
- Sir George Ripley: 15th century English alchemist; spent 20 years in Italy, favorite of Pope Innocent VIII and King Edward IV. Wrote The Compound of Alchymy; or, the Twelve Gates leading to the Discovery of the Philosopher’s Stone.
- Basil Valentine: 15th century German alchemist, wrote many works about alchemy and metals, including the Twelve Philosophical Keys, The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony, and Of Things Natural and Supernatural.
- Edward Kelley: Edward Talbot, 16th century. John Dee’s spiritual medium. Claimed to be able to talk with angels and transmute metal, but was imprisoned by Emperor Rudolf for not producing results and died.
- Dr. Johann Georg Faust: The original Faust was one or two 16th century German doctors who worked in the early 16th century. He allegedly died in an alchemical explosion. Although historical evidence is slim, the famed tales of Doctor Faust from the late 16th century, early 17th, and 19th centuries solidified the man as a legend.
- Tycho Brahe: 16th Century Danish nobleman; mostly known for building observatories and making very accurate astronomical observations assisted by Johannes Kepler. His interest in medicine and alchemy increased after losing a part of his nose in a duel.
- Heinrich Khunrath: 16th century German alchemist, best known work is the Amphitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae (Amphitheater of Eternal Wisdom), which contains a section known as the “Alchemist’s Laboratory.” Khunrath’s main goal was to find the medium between magic and Christianity, and create a book of spiritual alchemy. It did not gain in popularity until after his death in 1605, and it was condemned in 1625 by the Sorbonne.
- Michael Maier: German physician at the turn of the 17th century. Wrote Atalanta fugiens, on alchemical emblems, amongst many other unpublished works.
- Michał Sędziwój: Polish alchemist at the turn of the 17th century. Pioneer chemist, discovered the “food” of life” (oxygen) in air. Said to have rescued Alexander Seton from prison to get the formula for the philosopher’s stone but Seton only gave him a portion of the transmutation powder instead. Was publicly seen transmuting quicksilver to gold and was captured and robbed by alchemist Muhlenfels under the direction of the German prince Brodowski. Sędziwój complained to the emperor and Brodowski had Muhlenfels hanged rather than be exposed. Sędziwój wrote A New Light of Alchemy in 1605 and has been widely translated.
- Jan Baptist van Helmont: 17th century Flemish chemist that broke new ground with pneumatic chemistry and coined the term “gas.” Also something of a mystic and alchemist, he believed that water and air were the only two true elements.
- Arthur Dee: Son of legendary magician John Dee, 17th century doctor. Wrote Fasciculus Chemicus, a collection of writings on alchemy. Upon his death Dr. Dee bequeathed all his writings to Sir Thomas Browne.
- Elias Ashmole: 17th century Englishman, his writings are the earliest evidence of the existence of the Freemasons. He collected alchemical writings and compiled them, but was not known for experiments. He published Fasciculus Chemicus as James Hasholle in 1650, translated from John Dee’s and another alchemist’s work. In 1652 he published Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, and published The Way to Bliss in 1658. His collection went to form the Ashmolean Museum in 1683, possibly the first public museum in England.
- George Starkey: 17th century American, may have been first American scientist. Lived in London from 1650 on. Recent research shows he was the voice of Eirenaeus Philalethes, one of the most influential 17th century alchemical writers, including The Marrow of Alchemy, Secrets Reveal’d, Three Tracts of the Great Medicine of Philosophers for Humane and Metalline Bodies, and many more.
- Hennig Brand: 17th century alchemist that, while searching for the philosopher’s stone, discovered phosphorus, a glowing-green substance that must have seemed like magic. Robert Boyle: 17th century Irish chemist and alchemist. Considered a pioneer of modern chemistry, and best known for Boyle’s Law, but also believed transmutation of metals was possible.
- Sir Isaac Newton: The most influential scientist of all time, his work in the 17th and 18th centuries changed the world, but he was also an alchemist and used many Hermetical ideas to reach his theories.
- Edmund Dickinson: Late 16th century English doctor and royal physician to Charles II, devoted chemist, major work on alchemy was Epistola ad T. Mundanum de Quintessentia Philosophorum in 1686.
- Johann Kunckel: 17th century Swedish chemist, discovered, along with Boyle, how Brand discovered phosphorous and himself found how to make artificial rubies. Wrote Öffentliche Zuschrift von dem Phosphor Mirabil (1678); Ars vitriaria experimentalis (1689), and Laboratorium chymicum (1716) and claimed to be responsible for three transmutations.
- Count Alessandro di Cagliostro: Alias for Giuseppe Balsamo, 18th century Italian con artist and trickster, possibly involved with the Affair of the Diamond Necklace and rumored occultist.
- The Count of St. Germain: Legendary 18th century figure, sometimes attributed with god-like power. He was said he spoke of himself with bald-faced lies (that he was 300 years old, he knew the Elixir of immortality, he prophesized the French Revolution), but that he was so eloquent about it no one minded. Many famed occultists of the 20th century claim to have met him.
Modern Day Alchemy
In 1980, Glenn Seaborg transmuted several thousand atoms of bismuth into gold at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. His experimental technique, using nuclear physics, was able to remove protons and neutrons from the bismuth atoms. Seaborg's technique would have been far too expensive to enable routine manufacturing of gold, but his work is the closest achievement, so far, to the mythical Philosopher's Stone of the ancient alchemists.
The Lab
Heating Equipment: An open fire, a simple closed oven, and the Athanor—a furnace with a set of bellows attached. Some athanors known to have auxiliary furnaces.
Containers:
- Glass: Phials, Circulating vessels, Pelicans, Double pelicans, Philosophers Egg
- Metal: flasks, cauldrons or boiling vessels, Moulds, Casting cones
- Earthenware: Ash cupels, Crucibles, cementation box, sand bath, muffle furnace Superior alembic: closed alembic for cooking, alembic with a beak
- Inferior alembic: Cucurbites, Retorts
Other Equipment:
- Iron rod or poker
- Shovel Dyoptra (for protecting the eyes against the fire)
- Iron plate
- Mortar and pestle
- Scales
- Funnels
The Alchemists’ Chemicals:
- Lead: Thought to be the oldest metal and associated with the planet Saturn.
- Tin: Shares symbol with Jupiter
- Iron: Shares sign of Mars
- Copper: Shares sign with Venus
- Mercury: Thought to be the First Matter, and was usually used for transmutations. Symbol same as planet.
- Silver: Shares symbol with Moon
- Gold: Shares symbol with Sun, considered the purest metal
- Phosphorus: Discovered the alchemical experiments, highly dangerous
- Sulfur (sulphur): Own alchemical symbol of a triangle atop a cross.
- Arsenic: Given own symbol of a complete inverted triangle overlapped by an incomplete upright triangle, the central portion of its bottom side missing.
- Antimony: Cross atop a circle.
- Vitriol: Sulfuric acid, believed necessary for making philosopher’s stone.
- Quartz
- Cinnabar
- Pyrites
- Orpiment: Due to this substance’s color, it was believed helpful in the transmutation to gold.
- Galena
- Magnesia
- Lime
- Potash
- Natron
- Saltpeter
- Kohl
- Ammonia: Used by early alchemists as a dye
- Alcohol: Distillation to produce pure alcohol was first discovered by Persian alchemists.
- Camphor: Discovered by Persian alchemists and passed to Europeans.
- Hydrochloric Acid: Important ingredient for making aqua regis, solvent.
- Nitric Acid: aqua fortis, important ingredient for making aqua Regis, solvent.
- Acetic Acid: Concentrated from vinegar through alchemical distillation.
- Formic Acid
- Citric Acid
- Tartaric Acid
- Aqua Regia
- Gunpowder: Believed discovered by Chinese alchemists searching for elixir of immortality.
- Carmot: Mythical element believed essential to creating philosopher’s stone.
