Alchemy

"This is alchemy. You know nothing about alchemy."

―Simmon to Kvothe

Alchemy is a discipline of study within the Arcanum at the University. The head of the Alchemy department is Master Mandrag, the Master Alchemist.

It is repeatedly mentioned that Alchemy s nothing like Chemistry, despite that being a common perception. However in The Slow Regard of Silent Things, Auri remembers Mandrag saying that Alchemy is nine tenths chemistry, and chemistry in nine tenths waiting.

Simmon refers to a badly made alchemical concoction as having un-bound principles. These cannot be purged from a body like a drug or poison, and can linger in fatty tissues.

Known Alchemical Products

• Plum bob
• Glue called tenaculum that dries hard and clear as glass
• Fireproof Alchemical Substance that is developed by Simmon, reacts violently with water.

Speculation

Alchemy may work in a similar way to fae grammerie. By taking the substance or essence of something and adding to it or putting into a mixture. Thus making the bound 'principles' referred to in the text. More or less confirmed by Patrick in his interview with James D'Amato of the One Shot Podcast network on the construction of magic systems.

References

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