For my 10% project, I decided to research alchemy because it is known as the start of chemistry and I like that there is also a lot of fantasy surrounding the topic. At first I was going to write a short story about a alchemist trying to create the Philosopher's Stone, but I could not find much information on the types of ingredients they would use and the things I found were very confusing. In the end, I decided to do a couple of drawings that I think represent alchemy and I wrote a couple paragraphs from the point of view of an alchemist; why he was questing the things he wanted.
Here's the Alchemist's POV:
"There is so much death. We, as humans, are weak and succumb to our mortal illnesses. We are kept in the dark that is our ignorance, but we need to make our path towards enlightenment. Until we reach albedo and ultimately rubedo, we shall be kept in that dark. If we don’t triumph over our ignorance, we shall stay there forever. If panacea and prima materia are not unveiled by discovery, we will never find our way out of this abyss.
So, now I begin my work. Many of us are unknowledgeable to the facts of life and the development of spiritual objects that will lead to the revolution of Gnostic Anthropos, the perfect being. I, however, have educated myself. I know of what needs to be done. Though it is the process that worries me. The paths that I take, the recipes I create and the decisions I make can ultimately impact mankind. I will not only improve life, but I will also rid the world of the fear of death, by illness and old age."
(Note: Albedo and Rubedo are basically the sunrise.)