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THE
ELEMENE
TABULATA
("TABLE
OF ELEMENTS") |
The Elemene Tabulata is a constantly updated tome, started in ancient times by
an unknown Daran gnome, and dedicated
to the recording of all things related to the practice of alchemy. It was begun
by gnomes long ago and is still being rapidly
expanded on by today’s gnomish alchemists.
Contained in its pages is a detailed list of all the known basic elements,
sorted in to the Trej Blaks, or the three Main Elements - the castes of
categorization - along with a fourth for Gnuuth (Fire),
which is not considered an actual element, but as a catalyst or bonding agent
between the different elements (as is the common view in the similar
elven and human
concepts). Generally, solid elements belong to Behta (Earth),
liquids belong to Bassha (Water) and
gaseous-like elements belong to Giagula (Air).
The tome also contains different formulae and processes (Phormei), and
elemental tests (Euxperi), describing their effects, outcomes, and procedures
in striking detail. Different theories (Openti, singular Opentium) and
abstracts are also present in the book, providing a particular individual or
group’s outlook on a certain subject or issue of alchemy. For example, in the
book, one might find Stujuck Bilge’s
outlook on Fire as a real element, or
Nolan Drinkbrewer's recipe for
his popular sober-making beverage,
svaq.
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Description.
Due to its massive size, age, ambitious goal, the
incredible number of contributors and how sought-after it is, many partial
copies of the book have been made. What follows is a description of the
original, by information obtained from one of its keepers.
The Elemene Tabulata certainly emits an air
of legacy; its nondescript cover is plain and black, and cracked with age. At
every turn, its ancient yellowed pages ruffle and crunch in a melancholy
melody. It bears the marks of extensive use, with many pages burnt, ripped or
bent, and covered with smudges of ink. It smells of a thousand aged scholars, a
million alchemical experiments, an uncanny,
earthy smell that makes one want to reel in revolt but, at the same time,
to keep inhaling, to breath in more and more of such an exotic aroma.
Inside its pages are numerous writings of varied penmanship - a rushed print,
an elegant, flowing script. Diagrams stand in the margins of each sheet, messy
scrawlings of untalented but brilliant origin. It is the collective spirit of
every alchemist that has ever bent over its form, that has ever spent hours and
mountains of parchment slaving over one single line of print, of every location
it has called its home, of every voice it has heard; it is all of these that
mark its brilliance and elegance. It is a different sort of beauty altogether.
It is knowledge.
Content of the Book.
The Table of Elements is a book dedicated to the art of alchemy - the art of
manipulating the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter.
For many scholars alchemy is a way of life, a belief and a passion and, unlike
many other similar industries, is not practiced purely out of necessity or
convenience. This book contains everything related to the art, composed and
collected by many different people from many different walks of life.
The first pages contain a foreword and discussion of the basic principles of
alchemy, written by two of the twelve Praesidii (singular Praesidius), or
guardians, of the book – Einrich Dugal and Baldrik Gudrew. This foreword is
roughly fifty pages in length, and was written around 1655 to replace the old
one, which was written over a hundred years previously. The rest of the book is
separated into sections for different aspects of alchemy; one deals with
listing and describing the basic elements, while another might deal with
theoretical aspects, such as the idea of the Cylgromin Rock, the perfect
element, the secret to life. Others might be dedicated solely to industrial
uses of alchemy, dominated by entries of scholars in the Trigusteme school of
thought, for applied alchemy.
The Elemene Tabulata indeed contains a table of sorts, which organizes all of
the basic elements onto a simple graph that groups elements of similar
composition together. This table is in the shape of a diamond, with each side
representing one of the three main Elements, with
Fire dominating the fourth. The elements that are most predominantly alike
to their Elemental category are on the outer edges, and as one progresses
inward, the elements are more and more akin to another category, but still, by
majority, belonging to one dominant one. This table is one of the most
important aspects of the book, as it is certainly one of the oldest, and is its
actual namesake.
The pages that appear immediately after the Elemene Tabulata provide detailed
descriptions of all of the basic elements currently known of. Each description
is so detailed that even the most unelaborated is at least two pages in length,
and each lists its dominant Element, its appearance and basic behavior, its
reactions to certain other elements, and any elements it can be combined with
in an Euxperi to produce a result of any significance. These entries are sorted
in alphabetical order.
After this are the Four Books, one for each of the main schools of thought
among alchemists:
The Book of the
Trigusteme
The first is the Book of the Trigusteme, which describes the basic concept of
the school of applied alchemy, and provides different theories, opinions and
Euxperi written by many different alchemists, all pertaining to the creation of
useable materials and goods.
The Book of the
Cylgromist
Then comes the Book of the Cylgromist with articles and experiments pertaining
to the more religious aspect of alchemy, which is the belief that a "perfect
element" can be created, called the Cylgromin Rock, which can help "restore"
the world and balance the Elements.
The Book of the Larcadia
Following the Book of the Cylgromist is the Book of the Larcadia, which is a
less "arcane" practice of theoreticizing, which the followers think will bring
a new state of peace and racial harmony. The Larcadians are attempting to
create their own set of writings - called the Cadian Codex, which dictate the
rules for living as a Larcadian. A small portion of the Codex is included in
this book, supplemented by the regular content contained in the others.
The Book of the
Almithrite
Lastly, comes the Book of the Almithrite, the book representing the school of
alchemists who dream of recreating the legendary mithril, or transform other
metals into it through use of alloys.
The Book of Ceterus
(Appendix)
Other entries that do not fit in to the other categories come after this, in
the Book of Ceterus, which serves as an appendix. Near the end of the book is a
colossal index, which contains the majority of the subjects referenced in the
previous texts (many are overlooked by mistake).
Origin of the Book.
The origins of the Elemene Tabulata are very
fuzzy and confused, and the little facts that were known of its early years
have been lost in the depths of time. However, from the oldest sheets and
writings in the book, the Praesidii have managed to extrapolate some minor
details of its history.
It is thought that the book was originally merely the journal of a
Daran alchemist living in
New-Santhala around the time of
Santharia’s formation, in which he
recorded his thoughts, and his alchemical discoveries. It was the first of its
kind that attempted to collect all articles of alchemy in an organized and
categorized manner, and far surpassed the measly diaries of its later peers.
The book was passed onto his son who did likewise, and continued as a family
heirloom until it disappeared for some years.
The Praesidii are uncertain to what exactly occurred, but they propose that a
rival alchemist stole the book to learn the secrets of his nemesis. When this
gnome died, the book fell into the hands of
the head of a private alchemy guild in the city, and he encouraged all of its
members to contribute to its contents. The tradition of cooperatively adding to
the book is said to have stemmed from the group’s efforts, and although the
Praesidii are uncertain as to how the book became so well-known, it is suffice
to say that its already considerable base of knowledge made it desirable for
other alchemists, eager to add their own findings.
History and Influence.
By 800 a.S., the Elemene Tabulata (as it was now called) had become almost a
legendary relic among the gnomish alchemists
in Santharia. In fact, it was so sought
after that many groups made fortunes producing partial copies of the book for
others’ personal study. Its influence became so incredible that, when it fell
into the hands of a notable figure in Gnorath municipal government in 1016
a.S., it was decided that a council of keepers was to be appointed to look
after the book, and to read over entries sent in by other
gnomes for approval and insertion into it.
Twelve important alchemists were chosen from within the city and the book was
entrusted to their care. Whenever a Praesidius passes away, the eleven others
nominate another.
While many of the basic elements were added and described in the book, it
wasn’t until the Praesidii came into possession of it that an actual, formal
table was designed to display them all in a concise manner. The design was a
diamond, with each side representing one of the four Elements (Behta,
Bassha,
Giagula and Gnuuth), with the elements
most predominantly conforming to one particular element on the outer edges of
their respective Main Element, and the others becoming more and more
“distilled” near the center. At the absolute center of the Elemene Tabulata is
the Cylgromist Rock.
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Importance.
The Elemene Tabulata is a tome of incredible knowledge, considered by many to
be the ultimate book of answers. It is filled with an incredibly vast amount of
alchemical wisdom that it would take many years for one to read through the
whole, static book. However, it is not a static being; it is constantly
growing, being constantly added to, and the Praesidii that preside over it are
constantly adding new entries to it, and revising the ones that are out of
date, or incorrect on some manner. The book itself is so important because of
the incredible impact it has on the world of alchemy; it is the collective
studies of many generations of scholars.
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