Interesting things for a fantasy alchemist to do?

[Fiery Diamond]

I am writing a story (well, several stories, but let's just focus on the relevant one here), and the main character is (among other things) an alchemist. Not a historical one, a fantasy version in a fantasy world with magic and monsters and whatnot. I'm trying to thing of interesting things for him to do with his alchemy. So far, I don't have any particularly exciting or novel ideas, but this is what I've got:

1) Apothecary-related things (medicines, drugs, curatives, etc.)
2) Tool creation (light-sticks, flashbangs, smoke bombs, etc.)
3) Magic potions (healing potions, magical energy restoring potions, energy replenishment potions, physical augmentation potions, etc.)
4) Cosmetics (makeup, perfumes, skin cream, etc.)
5) Chemical weapons (sleep bombs, incense that confuses the senses, monster attractors/repellant, corrosive liquids, poisons, etc.)
6) Food/Plants (preservatives, fertilizers, rapid-growth supplements, plant control chemicals)

He's also an artificer who can craft magic items, so anything that mixes alchemy with making or enhancing stuff would be good. Anyway, I'm looking for more ideas for cool, interesting things that could play a role in the plot. Transmuting lead to gold is kind of overdone and boring to me, but transmutation in general might be able to lead to something interesting if I could figure out how to use it.

Thanks in advance!

[Bartmanhomer]

I am writing a story (well, several stories, but let's just focus on the relevant one here), and the main character is (among other things) an alchemist. Not a historical one, a fantasy version in a fantasy world with magic and monsters and whatnot. I'm trying to thing of interesting things for him to do with his alchemy. So far, I don't have any particularly exciting or novel ideas, but this is what I've got:

1) Apothecary-related things (medicines, drugs, curatives, etc.)
2) Tool creation (light-sticks, flashbangs, smoke bombs, etc.)
3) Magic potions (healing potions, magical energy restoring potions, energy replenishment potions, physical augmentation potions, etc.)
4) Cosmetics (makeup, perfumes, skin cream, etc.)
5) Chemical weapons (sleep bombs, incense that confuses the senses, monster attractors/repellant, corrosive liquids, poisons, etc.)
6) Food/Plants (preservatives, fertilizers, rapid-growth supplements, plant control chemicals)

He's also an artificer who can craft magic items, so anything that mixes alchemy with making or enhancing stuff would be good. Anyway, I'm looking for more ideas for cool, interesting things that could play a role in the plot. Transmuting lead to gold is kind of overdone and boring to me, but transmutation in general might be able to lead to something interesting if I could figure out how to use it.

Thanks in advance!

Maybe transmuting elements (fire, water, air, and earth) can be useful to your story.

[Fyraltari]

Well there's always the god all search for immortality (philosopher stone) and creation of life (homonculus).

[Bartmanhomer]

Well there's always the god all search for immortality (philosopher stone) and creation of life (homonculus).

Yes these are very useful as well for the story.

[Murk]

Hermetic alchemists tended to be a... secretive sort. Any decent alchemist should know some code languages or cyphers. A plus if they are fond of puzzles and hypotheticals.

A lot of them were also very interested in the human body and general (spiritual) health. You touch on this with medicine and drugs, but (especially in eastern regions of the world) anatomy and meditation were also part of the alchemist's portfolio.

Based on that (and their knowledge of all kinds of plants) I feel an alchemist should be a decent cook, too. Or a brewer. A connoiseur of fine wines?

[Anonymouswizard]

Well there's always the god all search for immortality (philosopher stone) and creation of life (homonculus).

I need to get back to the story I started about alchemy, it heavily focused on the latter. It was also in a present day setting so most alchemists were slightly mad and had a very good grounding in science.

Transmuting items from one material to another was possible but took a lot of time and generally a lot of energy, and I never went into actual immortality (although it was something many searched for and few achieved), and just cribbed the basic idea of philosopher's stones from FMA (great big energy stores to power stuff with, although they could be created out of a great many things).

As a side note, a story prompt I came up with, that I'm personally using to try and write a radio drama.

Spoiler

Show

In a fantasy kingdom plagued by resource shortages alchemists struggle to find the secret of turning gold into lead.

But yeah, historically the dividing line between an alchemist and a scientist is very blurry, at some point observation of phenomena took precedence over mysticism but I couldn't tell you when and I'm certain that must historians could get a few papers on who the last alchemists and first scientists are (Newton is generally considered to be both, so look around that time period). So bringing in basic scientific knowledge and practices is also a good idea, a great alchemist can make things go boom both with and without magic.

Oh, and alchemy is also likely closely related to whatever medical knowledge the setting has, and it's possible that many alchemists are closer to medical doctors than chemists. The pancea and elixir of life were just as important as the philosopher's stone and universal solvent (too bad you can't hold it in a container).

[Fyraltari]

I need to get back to the story I started about alchemy, it heavily focused on the latter. It was also in a present day setting so most alchemists were slightly mad and had a very good grounding in science.

Transmuting items from one material to another was possible but took a lot of time and generally a lot of energy, and I never went into actual immortality (although it was something many searched for and few achieved), and just cribbed the basic idea of philosopher's stones from FMA (great big energy stores to power stuff with, although they could be created out of a great many things).

As a side note, a story prompt I came up with, that I'm personally using to try and write a radio drama.

Spoiler

Show

In a fantasy kingdom plagued by resource shortages alchemists struggle to find the secret of turning gold into lead.

But yeah, historically the dividing line between an alchemist and a scientist is very blurry, at some point observation of phenomena took precedence over mysticism but I couldn't tell you when and I'm certain that must historians could get a few papers on who the last alchemists and first scientists are (Newton is generally considered to be both, so look around that time period). So bringing in basic scientific knowledge and practices is also a good idea, a great alchemist can make things go boom both with and without magic.

Oh, and alchemy is also likely closely related to whatever medical knowledge the setting has, and it's possible that many alchemists are closer to medical doctors than chemists. The pancea and elixir of life were just as important as the philosopher's stone and universal solvent (too bad you can't hold it in a container).

The philosopher's stone is generally thought of as another name for the elixir of life (which is why Full Metal Alchemist portrays it as semi-liquid) or the panacea. The idea of it turning lead to gold is because ot was believed that gold (since it doesn't rust) was an immortal form of lead and that thr stone would turn the flesh of the user into immortal-flesh.

Alchemy fun fact: Victor Frankenstein studied alchemy books in the original novel and the narration points towards the Creature being some form of (huge) homonculus rather than some undead stitched together.

[Sigako]

One word: booze.

Also: metal refining and alloying, dyes and paints, cooking...

[Anonymouswizard]

The philosopher's stone is generally thought of as another name for the elixir of life (which is why Full Metal Alchemist portrays it as semi-liquid) or the panacea. The idea of it turning lead to gold is because ot was believed that gold (since it doesn't rust) was an immortal form of lead and that thr stone would turn the flesh of the user into immortal-flesh.

Alchemy fun fact: Victor Frankenstein studied alchemy books in the original novel and the narration points towards the Creature being some form of (huge) homonculus rather than some undead stitched together.

Eh, in some ways popular conception is more important than historical accuracy here, but I'll admit that the fact that they thought that gold was perfect/immortal was why they thought they could turn things into it, it was sometimes thought that matter was already transitioning to perfection and they just had to speed up the process).

I like FMA philosopher's stones, specifically the manga version, because their main job is to provide the energy to go from theoretically possible to actually possible. Plus it has a nice way of acting as a potential elixir of life just through it's primary functionality, although with serious side effects (the hows and whats emitted due to being late series spoilers).

I'd honestly forgotten that detail, but it makes sense. The book is pretty explicit about the fact that Victor created new life from unliving matter, I believe implied but not confirmed to be corpses, so him studying alchemy fit so well it didn't register.

[Fyraltari]

I'd honestly forgotten that detail, but it makes sense. The book is pretty explicit about the fact that Victor created new life from unliving matter, I believe implied but not confirmed to be corpses, so him studying alchemy fit so well it didn't register.

The process Victor used isn't actually explained. There are multiple references to chemicals, though and he said that he made the organs bigger than they would naturally be because that made his work easier. There's only one refenrece to corpse snatching and he only says he's done it to further his research, it's not mentionned when he's in the "let's create life" phase. Medical students do study anatomy on cadavers and when medical research was legally restricted the pioneers of medicine were known to buy or steal human bodies, without ever raising any.

Edit: I don't think the word "alchemy" is ever written in the book, for that matter, but the books he's read when he was little and that get him laughed at when he tries to cite them during his first day in an actual medicine school were written by alchemists. Most notably Paracelsus, I believe.

[Rater202]

fun fact: Victor Frankenstein studied alchemy books in the original novel and the narration points towards the Creature being some form of (huge) homonculus rather than some undead stitched together.

There's a 13 or so minutes long Frankenstein movie from 1910, rather obscure compared to the more famous 1931 film that popularized the creature as a reanimated corpse, that goes with the Alchemy interpretation.

They show Frankenstein pouring chemicals into a cauldron and then sealing the chamber, and made a mockup of the creature, in layers including a skeleton made of something that burned slower, and set the mockup over a burner and let it burn and melt while occasionally manipulating it with puppet strings so that when they played it backward it looked like Frankenstein's chemical concoction had ignited and from the flames was born a flesh and blood creature.

It's a really good practical effect, surprisingly so given the time. Over 110 years later and it's still decently convincing in my book. At one point it actually looks like the fire is being sucked into the creature.

[Bohandas]

Alchemist were interested in transmuting the elements, so what if your guy built an atomic bomb?

[Accelerator]

How about someone who's also into economics? He doesn't just create alchemical concoctions. He's also on retainer for things like creating fizzy drinks, dyes for various cloth, specialized chemicals required for various forms of manufacture and preservation. In a world with patents, he can be rich.

How about someone who's not just into inventing chemicals, but also living creatures. After all, it's a small step between making various chemicals in a cauldron, and making living creature (aka homunculus). Monsters, exotic pets, new farm animals...

[Eldan]

Glassmaking? That's at least alchemy-adjacent.

[Scarlet Knight]

I would say to look at it from a different angle: What can't he do?

From the original list he is a physician, mad scientist, and wizard...all at once.

What does he need others for?

I imagine the scene where 4 alchemists about about to enter a dungeon:

Al #1 : "Wait a minute, I have to gather my medicines."
Al#2 : "No need! With my lightening rod, we'll blow away any opposition."
Al #3 : "Wait, if we drink my invisibility potion, we can bypass our enemies."
Al #4 : "What enemies? I already tainted their water supply with love potion."

[Fyraltari]

I would say to look at it from a different angle: What can't he do?

Improvise. Potions take a long time to brew, ingredients aren't easy to come by, and an alchemist without the right potion/tool is slightly less dangerous than your average farmhand.

[Maryring]

To go back to the idea of homunculus. Why not extend that to the principle of animation itself? Before you can create life, you have to make stuff move after all. So alchemy could be a gateway to golems and living dolls.

Also, transmutation effects. Healing potions is all well and good, but salves that turn your skin to iron and your gauntlets to dragon claws can be really interesting.

[Anonymouswizard]

Improvise. Potions take a long time to brew, ingredients aren't easy to come by, and an alchemist without the right potion/tool is slightly less dangerous than your average farmhand.

While true, an alchemist with time can improvise, especially if they bother to carry common reagents with them. Plus what self respecting alchemist doesn't have a variety of explosive and corrosive fluids on them for emergencies?

But yes, an alchemist's biggest weaknesses should be a limited ability to react to things in the moment (you can have a lot of useful things in your pack and have nothing work) and specialisation. An alchemist who can turn wood into stone probably isn't a great doctor.

Explosives are always a good standby for alchemist types because they're surprisingly useful (especially if you don't make the mistake of making them react with air), and a number of reagents and catalysts* should have useful effects. It just takes a lot more effort compared to standard fantasy spellcasting.

* I love giving characters a reason to carry magnesium or any of the alkali metals.

[Mastikator]

Under no circumstances should you try to resurrect your dead mother using alchemy. It'll cost you an arm and a leg.

[JeenLeen]

In some stories I've read (Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller series, oWoD Mage, some Platonic theory), one element of alchemy can include the idea of something being altered to not be quite like it was. Usually I see as it you take something and alter some element of the essence of it, thereby changing it outward behavior. As a relatively minor example, you could take a rock and change its essence by merging it with an element of ice or fire, so that you now effectively have an ice cube that never melts or a small heating device.

Some other examples:, a gelatin substance that does not burn, so you can put your hand into fire.
Glass that only lets light or images pass one direction
A sword that is immaterial to non-organic matter, so it can pass through armor or buildings but still cut flesh

John Granger has some neat books on alchemical interpretations in and of the Harry Potter books, which might give some inspiration.

[Arcane_Secrets]

I am writing a story (well, several stories, but let's just focus on the relevant one here), and the main character is (among other things) an alchemist. Not a historical one, a fantasy version in a fantasy world with magic and monsters and whatnot. I'm trying to thing of interesting things for him to do with his alchemy. So far, I don't have any particularly exciting or novel ideas, but this is what I've got:

1) Apothecary-related things (medicines, drugs, curatives, etc.)
2) Tool creation (light-sticks, flashbangs, smoke bombs, etc.)
3) Magic potions (healing potions, magical energy restoring potions, energy replenishment potions, physical augmentation potions, etc.)
4) Cosmetics (makeup, perfumes, skin cream, etc.)
5) Chemical weapons (sleep bombs, incense that confuses the senses, monster attractors/repellant, corrosive liquids, poisons, etc.)
6) Food/Plants (preservatives, fertilizers, rapid-growth supplements, plant control chemicals)

He's also an artificer who can craft magic items, so anything that mixes alchemy with making or enhancing stuff would be good. Anyway, I'm looking for more ideas for cool, interesting things that could play a role in the plot. Transmuting lead to gold is kind of overdone and boring to me, but transmutation in general might be able to lead to something interesting if I could figure out how to use it.

Thanks in advance!

Try and find ways to turn emotions into potions and then sell them to people, especially miserable people who want to experience pure joy or mirth transmuted into a physical, potable form. Or perhaps find antidotes to people trying to do the same thing with anger, or jealousy, et cetera.

[Albion]

Creating GOLD by some truly weird means. Brew it in a pot and include various ingredients and a crazy chant of some sort.