Cunnan - User contributions [en]

User:Thlwynne

2011-05-06T18:17:38Z

Thlwynne: Formatting fix

Wynne MacNair
Last Known Residence: Kingdom of Atenveldt
Blazon: Per pale gules and argent, a stag trippant between five mullets one, two and two counterchanged. Rank in OP: 638

Awards Received:
Grant of Arms Kingdom of Atenveldt 6/7/2003 Eric and Nichelle;
Beacon of the Desert Kingdom of Atenveldt 5/6/2006 Aaron and Alisandra;
Order of the Palm of Atenveldt Barony of Atenveldt 4/26/1998 Robin and Penelope;
Order of the Purpure Clarion Barony of Atenveldt 6/13/1998 Robin and Penelope;
Award of Arms Kingdom of Atenveldt 10/21/1995 Mathghamhain and Katerina;

Offices and Other Positions Held:
Minister of Arts and Sciences Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1999 12/30/2000;
Drop Dead Seneschal Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1998 12/30/1998;
Gold Key Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/2004 11/14/2010;
Estrella War, Pre-War Security Deputy Kingdom of Atenveldt 1/1/2003 2/20/2003;
Editor of the MoAS Newsletter Kingdom of Atenveldt 1/1/2002 12/30/2004;
Estrella War, Pre-War Security Staff Kingdom of Atenveldt 1/1/2001 2/20/2006;
Deputy Chronicler Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/2000 12/30/2002;
Chatelaine Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1998 12/30/1998;
Historian’s Guild Mentor Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1998 12/30/1999;
Dance Minister Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1996 12/30/1999;
Arts and Sciences Deputy Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1995 12/30/1998

User:Thlwynne

2011-05-06T18:15:57Z

Thlwynne: Initial Page Placement

Wynne MacNair
Last Known Residence: Kingdom of Atenveldt
Blazon: Per pale gules and argent, a stag trippant between five mullets one, two and two counterchanged. Rank in OP: 638

Awards Received
Award Name Group Name Date Given By
Grant of Arms Kingdom of Atenveldt 6/7/2003 Eric and Nichelle
Beacon of the Desert Kingdom of Atenveldt 5/6/2006 Aaron and Alisandra
Order of the Palm of Atenveldt Barony of Atenveldt 4/26/1998 Robin and Penelope
Order of the Purpure Clarion Barony of Atenveldt 6/13/1998 Robin and Penelope
Award of Arms Kingdom of Atenveldt 10/21/1995 Mathghamhain and Katerina

Offices and Other Positions Held
Office Group Start Date End Date
Minister of Arts and Sciences Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1999 12/30/2000
Drop Dead Seneschal Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1998 12/30/1998
Gold Key Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/2004 11/14/2010
Estrella War, Pre-War Security Deputy Kingdom of Atenveldt 1/1/2003 2/20/2003
Editor of the MoAS Newsletter Kingdom of Atenveldt 1/1/2002 12/30/2004
Estrella War, Pre-War Security Staff Kingdom of Atenveldt 1/1/2001 2/20/2006
Deputy Chronicler Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/2000 12/30/2002
Chatelaine Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1998 12/30/1998
Historian’s Guild Mentor Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1998 12/30/1999
Dance Minister Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1996 12/30/1999
Arts and Sciences Deputy Barony of Atenveldt 1/1/1995 12/30/1998

Alchemy

2011-05-06T18:00:21Z

Thlwynne: /* Alchemy in the SCA */

'''Alchemy''', being a "[[sacred science]]" (a marriage of science and spirituality, flourishing at times when there was little seperation made between the two), is often misrepresented as a strictly [[medieval]] [[Europe]]an phenomenon. However, alchemy is known in many different countries, rooting itself in the histories of various cultures; [[Egypt]], [[India]], [[China]], [[Greece]], [[Rome]], and the [[Islam|Islamic Empire]] all at one time or another were home to the furnaces and laboratories of devoted alchemists.

== Alchemy in Europe ==

The oldest [[extant]] alchemical [[book|text]] was written by the [[Gnostic]] Christian, Zosimus of Panopolis, sometime around 300 A.D. Despite his title, Zosimus lived in [[Alexandria]], home to the famous [[Library of Alexandria]]. This text, titled ''Isis the Prophetess to Her Son Horus'', claims that the origins of alchemy come from the Nephilim, the Fallen Angels, who taught it to Isis in exchange for sexual intercourse (not to be confused with any kind of demonic entities, the Nephilim were, in certain traditions, said to be great teachers and guides for the human race). Zosimus also claimed as his sources the writings of the [[Persia]]ns and the [[Jew]]s.

Around the same time, in the same area of Hellenized Egypt, thrived the Hermetic tradition which still remains vital and alive even today, having provided fertile ground for the [[Rosicrucian Order]], which in turn gave rise to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Although its roots reach back into the ancient, inner esoteric pantheism of the Egyptian religious polytheism, it was around the first couple centuries AD that the actual body of Hermetic writing arose, known as the ''Corpus Hermeticum'', authored by the mythical ''Hermes Trismegistus''. The Corpus Hermeticum, an extremely important body of writing for both the ancient and modern alchemist, was probably influenced by the [[Egypt]]ians and the [[Greek Philosophy]] of [[Democritus]].

== Basic Alchemical Principles ==

'''The Four Elements'''
Alchemy is based on the idea that the world is composed of the four elements [[fire]], [[air]], [[water]] and [[earth]]. These elements are considered to be contained in all things, the most common example being wood which "obviously" contained earth (which was why it was hard) and water (sap when squeezed out) and air (smoke) and fire (it could be burnt).

The basic idea of the atom as the "smallest unit of divisibility" was also formed during this time - though this truly bears little relation to the present-day concept of the atom (which is merely named after the Democritian concept). Atoms were considered to be tiny, perfect spheres and made up of one of the four above-mentioned elements.

'''The Philosopher's Stone'''
One of the concepts was that, because [[lead]] and [[gold]] (the perfect metal) were from the earth element, earth could therefore be turned into lead and gold using an "appropriate catalyst" known as the [[Philosophers stone|Philosopher's Stone]]. This was a magical substance which could turn water into [[wine]], heal the sick, and as mentioned, turn really boring lumps of metal into gold and [[silver]]. Most of it though was just processes like mixing [[copper]] with [[arsenic]] to give it a silver finish, or a philosophical trick by which the alchemist's [[apprentice]], through years of hard work and training, was turned from lead (i.e. an ignorant klutz) into gold (i.e. an alchemically educated scholar).

The quest to turn lead into gold was also a spiritual one, as it represented the change of an impure substance into a pure substance - the equivalent of returning Man from his current state of sin to a state of Grace last known before the Fall.

Despite never discovering the Philosopher's Stone, alchemists did come up with a number of interesting reactions and the knowledge gathered eventually led to the foundations of modern [[chemistry]].

'''Panacea'''
Alchemy also gave rise to concept of the [[panacea]], the "[[medicine]]" to cure all illnesses - also never found, but a search for it led to an interesting number of ways to [[poison]] oneself (mercury, silver and lead poisoning being numbered under the chief ways that alchemists died).

== Alchemy in the SCA ==
Although not common, it is not unheard of for [[SCAdian]]s to practice alchemy, often as a demonstration activity at [[event]]s. Drawing from original alchemical texts, "alchemists" in the [[SCA]] attempt to recreate experiments and chemical processes. However, since many medieval alchemical substances were extremely toxic, a great deal of care should be taken in handling them.

Alchemy can be a specific category in the Arts and Sciences, and it includes all chemical processes related to the time period. Some examples of chemical processes are: cooked and non-cooked non-culinary recipes (e.g., soap, candles, potpourri, perfume, etc.).

This is not to be confused with actual practicioners of modern alchemy, who are often considered [[pagan|Neo-Pagans]].

== Links ==
; [http://www.alchemywebsite.com/ The Alchemy Website] (mirrored at [http://www.levity.com/alchemy www.levity.com/alchemy]) : A site for modern alchemists; do not expect that modern alchemy is necessarily related to period alchemy.

[[category:sciences]]