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ALKAHESTRIC SCHOOLS
“Body Enhancement” (身體增強)
Under this school, practitioners have the ability to be able to modify and enhance their body’s physical structure in order to increase physical prowess. Such enhancements are classed as ‘permanent’ enhancements, unable to be removed unless the creator wills it, and has actually created a counter-Alkahestry for such an event. For this reason, those who use “Body Enhancement” Alkahestry are usually prepared for the events that come about as a result of such modifications. They are the current leaders of Xing’s monarchy.
“Body Formation” (體的形成)
These people, due to having their land so close to that of the Aeries, took a lot of their ideas from them—namely that of physical manipulation. However, they could not be so subtle. Practitioners of the “Body Formation” style of Alkahestry are able to change internal and external parts of their body at will—even able to adapt to certain situations if specialized as such. One such example would be modifying the structure of your body to allow yourself to breathe underwater. Unlike “Body Enhancement”, “Body Formation” is only temporary, and will never last longer than necessary.
“Physical Projection” (實物投影)
Practitioners that have trained and built up within this school have trained themselves to be able to modify what is produced from their body, in ways such as increasing the volume of one’s voice, or the like. These manipulations don’t last very long, and are intended for quick use within rapid situations. For this reason, very few Alkahestric warriors come from this school, unless they have developed a way to project their own outputs in an attacking fashion.
“Qi Manipulation” (池操縱)
As a school, they are far more varied and make better martial artists, utilizing a style of generalized martial arts known as ‘Neijia’, which can be classified as “internal kung fu”. Using this, the users can focus through several dantian in their body, manipulating the flow of their own personal chi stream to the point of perfect calmness. This can allow them to execute precise techniques within their physical scope. “Qi Manipulation” type Alkahestrists are generally the best at martial arts, as well as most activities requiring a calm mind and steady hand.
“Qi Assault” (智突擊)
This school focusses mostly on brute force and attacking, using Qi as a weapon instead of a conduit. For this reason, it can be inferred that they are major practitioners of the ‘waijia’ style of martial arts, generalized as ‘external kung fu’. Practitioners of this use their internal Qi and bring it out into the “world”, in a base sense. What they do is force it into the bodies of their targets, using it to disrupt and damage systems rapidly, blocking focus points and damaging mental stability in battle. A practised user of “Qi Manipulation” is far more effective in a fight, and will usually beat a “Qi Assault” student in single combat. Users of “Qi Assault” can also add strength to their melee weapons with Qi, making armed combat fall to their favour. More powerful and skilled users can occasionally be seen with a visible ‘aura’ of Qi from their body during a fight.
“Range Enhancement” (範圍增強)
Unlike the rest of them, this school keep to themselves. For this reason, they have both a coveted and rare school of Alkahestry that is sporadically taught to outsiders. The “Range Enhancement” school is a style of Alkahestry that combines usage with Alchemy, in order to increase the effective range of Alchemic usage. By connecting themselves directly into the Dragon’s Pulse, they are able to temporarily convert a small part of it into an extension of their body and mind. Pre-designating a point, they can then forge a transmutation circle. Using the Dragon’s Pulse as a line of sorts, they then send small packets of Alchemic Energy through this connection, transferring it into the circle and activating the Alchemy. Of course, all usual Alchemic limitations apply, and only a certain range can be manipulated. As well as this, the user needs to be connected to the earth, unmoving and be trying to manipulate something connected to the earth as well. It also takes a lot more energy to activate an Alchemic reaction of the same scale. Out of all of the schools of Alkahestry, “Range Enhancement” has the least amount of variability, instead taking on the variability of Alchemy to differ between students.
“Healing Practice” (治療實踐)
This is the most well-known school of Alkahestry. Practitioners of the “Healing Practice” school of Alkahestry have the ability to heal most wounds, imbuing cells with enough energy to have them multiply rapidly, or put platelets into action and quickly scab over an open cut.
“Poisoner’s Folly” (投毒的愚蠢)
Out of all of the schools of Alkahestry, this is the most looked down upon, as well as being the most persecuted. Because poison itself is an Alchemic device, Alkahestrists of this school have discovered a way of forging the effects of various poisons upon their targets. This can range from simple sleeping solutions, to full, death-inducing concoctions. As well as this, practitioners of this school are generally able to reverse the effects of their own creations, and some higher-class, long-lived users have even developed ways of bringing forth immunity to various natural/man-made afflictions upon an individual.
“Mental Stimulation” (精神刺激)
Using very precise and minute manipulations of bodily processes, users of the “Mental Stimulation” style of Alkahestry are able to change select portions of the brain, locking and unlocking certain memories, imparting temporary control onto the subject, among other things. Users of this style of Alkahestry have little use in actual battle, and require time to properly modify their subject. Modifications never last forever. “Mental Stimulation” cannot completely lock processes away, either.
