The Alchemy Department Hub / Discussion

This is the discussion related to the wiki page The Alchemy Department Hub.

RJB_R 20 Jul 2018 14:03

I like that the hub isn't too fancy or trying to look good to cover up a lack of content. There's a nice amount of information here to let you know what consulting an alchemist is all about.

---

Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you!

Cliff Mariachi 06 Sep 2018 16:27

How does this connect to key lines?

DrMagnus 06 Sep 2018 16:31

It….doesn't? I'm not sure what you mean by "key lines".

If you mean "leylines", that's not a concept in this canon.

Cliff Mariachi 06 Sep 2018 16:34

Oh. Yeah that's what I meant.

Interesting

Varius001 06 Aug 2019 17:37

Apparently the SCPF has everything. Even an office of tactical theology.

Fun enough

Maggywaggy 25 Feb 2021 20:59

I don't NOT like the characters or the stories. I think they're okay, and fine enough in their own little universe.

+ Spoiler

-that we went down the King Arthur route though. Totally a personal taste thing, but it just feels so darned cliche.

I do have a hard time distinguishing the alchemical workings with other examples of thaumaturgy. In the description on writing for the canon, we're told that it's similar but not the same. When I read about someone waving their hand and invoking the power of such and such aether though, that comes off to me as just a different way to describe any other thaumaturgical working, in any other form that I've ever read.

If the workings in question were tied to something more…tangible than just "aether" floating around, it might feel more significantly different to me. As is, I don't see any functional or behavioral differences in the way the alchemists and any other mage, wizard, thaumaturgist, or Type Blue might do the same thing.

Sorry if that comes off as overly negative, as I do enjoy the writing regardless of these issues.

Re: Fun enough

DrMagnus 09 Apr 2021 07:40

So as a general response, you feel that arthurian legend which significantly deviates from the "traditional narrative" is a cliche?

I fail to understand how, especially given my take on it.

I also think you fundamentally don't understand what alchemy is, but if that's your opinion on it, so be it.

Re: Fun enough

Maggywaggy 13 May 2021 20:06

Yeah, there is a distinct possibility that I am totally just not understanding what alchemy is as both a real world concept and what it is from within the canon. I think that's kind of my point though, in a way.

*Edit* Adjusted the collapsible a bit. My bad and thanks for the fix Zyn <3 -Maggy

+ show block

When I read about alchemy I can gather that it is about understanding the natural world around us. There are writings about trying to perfect the pure essence of certain substances and elevating materials from their base forms to their noble forms. I read about how it is historically a blend of science and esoteric study and how there were certain aspects of alchemy (especially later European schools of thought) that paved the way for chemistry and other physical sciences and their study.

• This is just what I can find with a little bit of research in to the real world's history of alchemy, and in and of itself is a great setting for stories to be sure.

In this canon I read about men and women with some type of alchemical focus (crozius? crozios? i forgot the spelling tbh sorry) that they use to do…something. I think that they're reaching in and grabbing hold of the absolute essence of a thing (earth, fire, air, water) and twisting it or turning it to do their will. I think that is what the workings with the aethers boils down to.

• So with that said, what is the difference between an Alchemist using their special tool to control the Aether of a substance and a Type Blue/Thaumaturgist of the GoC using a rune carved blade or a magical working to do the same thing?
• I'm not asking to be confrontational, I'm legitimately confused as to how they differentiate in universe.

The reason I think it could be a problem is that I might not be the only person confused by this. It's just something to keep in mind, that the reader might not have the same understanding of the subject matter.

So as a general response, you feel that arthurian legend which significantly
deviates from the "traditional narrative" is a cliche?

I think that there are a lot of retellings of the story. I've seen a couple of examples on the SCP wiki and an unfortunate number elsewhere. I think it is an iconic story and retelling it in a new way isn't inherently bad, it's just something that I don't personally find all that exciting.
I also think it came out of left field and smacked me in the face a little bit, if I'm telling the truth.

In the end my critiques are not about the story being told throughout the universe you've got here. I like the characters actually, though I think there are one or two new additions since my first post that I haven't gotten to yet.

My critiques are more about the universe itself. And of the two major ones I mentioned one of them is a throwaway because who cares if one person just doesn't really like reading a new version of King Arthur?

Last edited on 14 May 2021 15:39 by Maggywaggy Show more

Is Magnus still active?

IHearVoices 31 Oct 2023 11:45

I read every article on this hub, and while I have alchemy nitpicks with chronicles of Irrheal, I still love this. Also, is Magnus still around, I want to write something for this but I want his permission first. And his help writing it when I finally decided to get to writing.

---

I am 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘,
I swear.

Last edited on 31 Oct 2023 11:46 by IHearVoices Show more

Re: Is Magnus still active?

The Pighead 31 Oct 2023 12:49

Unfortunately, Magnus has been permabanned last year so it's probably very unlikely you'll manage to get in contact with him.

However, I personally think that if you read the "Writing for this Setting" part and contact other authors who did wrote for this canon (the majority of them are still here), I think you'll be good!

Re: Is Magnus still active?

IHearVoices 31 Oct 2023 20:41

Ok, thx Pighead! I have an idea to create a work from Ruslav's view on the different aethers, how they work, and how they flow in order to try and give that little bit of extra sparkle to these articles. Note: I am only going to be using the power aether from Chronicles of Irrheal mostly because that seems the most canon to me. Anywho, once I work up enough confidence I'll start writing.

---

I am 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘,
I swear.

I set up the greenlight post.

IHearVoices 01 Nov 2023 11:51

The greenlight post has been set up! Now time to find some people to greenlight.

---

I am 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘,
I swear.

Re: I set up the greenlight post.

Zyn 02 Nov 2023 08:05

General note, instead of replying to your own comments, please edit your previous post using the "edit" function under the "options" tab to the lower right of every comment. That helps prevent spam, and is noted in the Site Rules.

Re: I set up the greenlight post.

IHearVoices 02 Nov 2023 11:43

Ok, sorry.

---

I am 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘,
I swear.

IHearVoices 07 Nov 2023 18:53

I tried getting my idea greenlighted but it unfortunately hasn't happened yet so I guess that my article will never make it onto the hub. :(

---

I am 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘,
I swear.

Last edited on 07 Nov 2023 18:53 by IHearVoices Show more

The Pighead 07 Nov 2023 20:15

Well, greenlighting takes time. In fact, even writing an article can take time. It doesn't mean you will never succeed. That's an important lesson: just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it never will.

Have you tried the crit channels on the official Discord?

IHearVoices 07 Nov 2023 21:25

No, maybe I'll check them out later. For now, I moved on to my first SCP as I realized I want to try and write a few articles before I try making this article. Stay tuned.

---

I am 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘,
I swear.