By Head Pharmacist Dr. Oswald, of the Ordo Aurum Omnia

To create life is a grave undertaking. The construction of a Homunculus, a small, synthetic being wrought through alchemical artifice, is not a task undertaken for curiosity or spectacle. It is the pursuit of imitation: the effort to mirror that which nature performs with ease, but the alchemist executes with will, intention, and understanding.

Unlike chimeras, which are composite creatures of joined essences, the Homunculus is fabricated from inert matter and animated through vital alchemical principles. It is not a graft, nor a hybrid, but an origin: life ex nihilo.

I. Philosophical Foundations

The creation of a Homunculus rests upon the foundational principle: that matter may be imbued with spiritus, and that spirit may be awakened in the vessel shaped for it. This does not defy natural law but reinterprets it. If life arises from combination, environment, and spark, then let the alchemist be the combiner, the architect, the igniter.

It is not an act of hubris. It is the ultimate proof of mastery.

II. Necessary Materials

While precise materials may vary based on regional availability and tradition, the following are held standard by the Ordo Aurum Omnia:

Base Medium: Clay and other forms of earth.

Seed Essence: Blood, spittle, marrow, or other fluids from the alchemist, to grant resonance and control.

Vital Catalyst: Azoth powder is the preferred choice of the Ordo Aurum Omnia

Philosopher's Stone (Tinctured): A diluted form of either the Red or White Stone, used to vivify the created form and determine temperament. A ratio of 4:1 alkahest and stone powder mixed together is sufficient to make this tincture.

III. The Process

The Homunculus is not grown in the womb, but in the crucible of the primordialis flask, a carefully prepared alchemical vessel, often shaped as a sealed flask of glass or another sealed container.

Formation of the Vessel:

The body is molded to scale and soaked in the vital fluids. This husk is placed within the primordialis vessel.

Feeding and Fermentation:

Over forty days, the vessel is kept at body temperature in a dark place. Daily cibation (feeding) with nutrient broths maintains the moisture and encourages growth. Bubbles, stirrings, or twitching are signs of progress.

Sublimation of Spirit:

During the second phase, vapors containing the catalyst and tinctured stone are introduced. These are slowly absorbed into the form, and color changes in the medium will reflect internal development.

Awakening:

At day seventy two, if all has proceeded correctly, the flask will tremble. The Homunculus opens its eyes. Its consciousness is rudimentary, but responsive.

IV. Nature of the Homunculus

The true Homunculus is not a mockery of mankind but a new category of being; its thoughts are limited, yet its loyalty profound. It acts according to the will of its maker unless granted independent logic through scripting onto its aetheric signature.

They may serve roles as assistants, guardians, observers, or emissaries in domains too dangerous for humans.

Note: It is common for Homunculi to retain a bond with their maker akin to sympathy. Prolonged absence or emotional severance can lead to disintegration or madness.

V. Ethical Considerations

The Ordo Aurum Omnia urges restraint. Though the creation of life is within the grasp of the enlightened, it must not be exercised without purpose. The Homunculus feels. It remembers. It suffers. Thus, its use must reflect understanding, not arrogance.

Let this serve as a testament and warning. The path of artificial life is neither shortcut nor parlor trick, it is among the highest and most perilous arts in alchemy. Proceed only when your vessel, mind, and motive are pure.