Artificial Life:

 
The pursuit of artificial life, often regarded as the pinnacle of alchemical ambition, weaves together the mysterious forces of magick and the meticulous science of creation. In Everwealth, this discipline is both revered and reviled, its practitioners often walking the thin line between genius and monstrosity. The creation of homunculi, hybrid creatures, or even lifeless constructs animated by magickal energy is as much a testament to the ingenuity of alchemists as it is a cautionary tale of hubris. The process of creating artificial life requires a blend of rare materials, intricate rituals, and deep understanding of the forces binding the physical and the spiritual. Alchemical texts speak of essences distilled from living beings, blood as the vessel for vitality, and the binding power of runes etched onto clay or flesh to forge these unnatural creations. Homunculi, perhaps the most infamous result of this craft, are crafted from organic material and imbued with vitae essence, the distilled magick that mimics the spark of life. These small, grotesque beings often serve as laborers or scouts, though their malformed bodies and limited intelligence make them both pitiful and unsettling. Golem-crafting, on the other hand, combines magick with mineral and metal, creating towering laborers of many varying materials from clay to gold, animated through glyphs or fragments of souls, their limbs frequently designed as tools like hammers or swords to better serve their intended purpose. While less controversial than homunculi, golems are not without peril, as their conditioning is crude, and their magickal cores often unstable resulting in many a golem-maker's fiery end.

 
The morality of artificial life creation is a subject of fierce debate in Everwealth. Cloning, an even rarer and darker art, involves replicating living beings, often resulting in hollow, incomplete copies prone to rapid decay or madness. Each creation, whether of flesh, stone, or metal, carries a steep cost, both in resources and in the risk to its maker. Failures are common and often catastrophic, explosions, malformed creatures, constructs turning on their creators all grim reminders of the dangers inherent in such pursuits. Yet, the allure remains irresistible to some. In a land as desperate and harsh as Everwealth, the idea of crafting tireless workers, unyielding guardians, or expendable soldiers continues to tempt alchemists and warlords alike, regardless of the toll it exacts on both conscience and soul.