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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The Component Library

Enter a large room (30x30x30).  The facing wall is covered with 900 evenly spaced spikes.  If the wall you are entering from is examined, it's seen to be covered in 900 evenly spaced divots.

When this room Tumbles, the spikes act as plum-bobs pulling chains from (what is now) the ceiling.  Each chain has items attached at foot-length intervals.  There are 900 alchemical components-- vials of liquid, pressed plants, dried organs.

When the room eventually tumbles again, weights at the wall-end retract the chains back out of the room.

The components are organized very precisely by a system based on the humours:
I'm thinking the third dimension could be rarity, with those nearest the floor the most common.  But, the Grand Alchemist had to have been able to reach the rarest components too, maybe a turban of climbing?

Now, any recommendations for material component charts, or should I make one?
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9 comments:

  1. UnknownMarch 22, 2011 at 8:54 PM

    If you want to have one be most common, I would go with blood, seeing as the Greeks believed that the other three humors originated from blood and was transformed based on diet and pneuma.

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  2. TelecanterMarch 22, 2011 at 9:31 PM

    Thanks, Ian. I think that could work, if I just have the most common things be in the hot wet corner then, trending diagonally up, the rarest in the cold dry corner.

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  3. -CMarch 23, 2011 at 12:04 AM

    I'm working on one for my alchemy document. When I get it put together, do you want me to send you a preview?

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  4. AnonymousMarch 23, 2011 at 10:13 AM

    Interesting. And reminiscent of an NFPA label, which gives me another layer to mine for evil ideas . . . like making the more powerful components dangerous to carry (the equivalent of alkali metals, or the like).

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  5. TelecanterMarch 23, 2011 at 10:14 AM

    That would be great, sure. I'm thinking this might be a perfect reason for me to make another abstracted spur, too.

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  6. C'nor (Outermost_Toe)March 23, 2011 at 12:11 PM

    Hmm. Perhaps have multiple rooms, so that there are intersections between blood and earth on the hot/dry side, as well as options for slurries by having wet/dry intersections?

    Capcha: Dinsued. A lawsuit for excessive noise?

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  7. TelecanterMarch 23, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    Whoops, temujin9, I missed your comment, yes and yes.

    @C'nor, it's more interesting to me as a 3 dimensional library.

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  8. richardMarch 24, 2011 at 2:50 AM

    I made you a monster to guard it, since you seem to be working on the Dungeon of the Alchemist: the Formless Spawn of Azoth.

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  9. TelecanterMarch 24, 2011 at 10:20 AM

    Thanks! I'll post about it over there when I get a chance.

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