Alchemists of Travance.

I'm of the opinion a gathering of like minds might be a fine idea. Tea, alchemy, and exchanging ideas. I'm unsure of the necessity for an entire guild, but an even semi-regular gathering of scientific minds sounds lovely and dare I say, fun. Should the other alchemists in town be interested in attempting to schedule such a gathering, I should be most interested in attending.


-Dr. Nigel Whitworth

I am all for tea, alchemy and ideas, I love this plan.
I do want to throw an idea out there right now, just to get us going. This past feast, I assisted with a ritual combining the expertise of arcane energy, druidic power, divine might, and bardic diapason for an increased strength in all four, multiplied by the presence of the others. Why not apply alchemical expertise to other sorts of things? Combine herbal alchemy with druidics or healing, hermetics with psionics, things like that.
Think about it guys.

Just because the experiments started out selfish, doesn't mean the homunculi are a defilement. They grew past his experiments. They're unique.


Your idea for a gathering sounds interesting, even those who are not alchemists could benefit. Perhaps a whole gathering of our more 'scientific' practices would do some good. I know that we have tried explaining the usefulness of Corpse Essences and Syringes prepared with alchemical potions in the past.

**Not Tyros posting**

Mr. Ironwill,

For a man of science, you seem to believe that the creation of life is ‘gods’ domain alone. I understand that you may not fully grasp how this new form of life may occur, but it doesn’t make one a god by proxy. If you have some flower seeds and soil, and you decide to plant the seeds within the soil, and perform the proper maintenance would you not be creating life? The components existed, you just took the proper steps to help them flourish. Do you consider yourself a god because you created life?

Furthermore, if you were to consider the possibility that all life was created by something, then what issue do you have with new life being created? We may be different and you may have met the creator of Homunculi, but it doesn’t make the creation any less magnificent.

The Seneschal spoke briefly about considering Homunculi to be complex organic machines, but not alive. You must then decide what your definition of alive is. We as a species may be incompatible from a physiological stand point, but this shouldn’t define life since many species are similar, yet can be considered vastly different. Consider an animal, such as a monkey compared to your average Kormyrian. In many ways they have similar features; they can both walk on two legs, each have some ability to reason and solve puzzles, yet communication between different races can be strenuous, and Kormyrians have a more likely chance of understanding both races and how to interact with them. Druids may be able to understand them to a greater effect and would agree that they are also alive.

I pose this question to any that are interested: How do you define life?

In the pursuit of prosperity,
Belberith

The first lesson: Alchemy cannot create life, we knew it in the ancient times and even after all my experimentation it turned up only convincing proxies. They may think like the living, but so too do some undead. That doesn't make them anything, but convincing. The soul is one of the only things that cannot be created, and that is exactly what is lacking in general understanding. Even for all the work put into these new homunculi, they were merely more complex than the ones of the past. I tested the limits of their souls, and in the end they too are lacking.
So no, for as much as they are our allies and I would defend them with my life, they are not alive. In the end, the dead stay dead and you cannot create life by anything but said conventional means. Seed, and fertilizer. This is the way it has been, and will always be. When homonculi can create new life through conventional means, then maybe they will begin reclassify them.
I remain unimpressed.

-N. Flamel

On this topic I believe many of us have differing perspectives.

But the homunculi, particularly those of higher tiers, are thinking, reasoning, caring beings.
They feel pain and loss, hope and love. They have wishes and dreams.
That's more than enough for me.
You would label beings abominations simply because of the method of their creation.
Do they not deserve to live in peace among the races of this world?

As regards the original topic of this posting, while I am not an alchemist, I would be greatly interested in any meeting of minds towards further understanding these topics, particularly with the goal of helping the homunculi.

If I may add my opinion on the matter: there is a difference between a guild and school. One seeks to educate, and sometimes indoctrinate, those within. The other is merely a organization of similarly skilled individuals banding together for the benefit of all within.