Ponderings on the Homunculan Concept

Penned by honorable court wizard Phyllubis S.

It ought be stated that, of the homunculi studied, there can be derived reasonable criteria for the differentiation of the Homunculan from the Human. This criteria ought to replace what has, hitherto, been a dated and unscientific method for determining Homunculan status.

All homunculi are defined as such:

• Absent or only partial soul
• Fractured and incomplete genetic material
• Neutral moral alignment

It is, through this lense, the observer can distinguish between the Human man, and the Homunculan beast. Though this separation is natural (intuitive), of course, in the majority of cases observed; let us not forget the edge-cases that have brought themselves to our attention in the past decades. Though the formal study of the Homunculan essence is in its infancy, we cannot discount the centuries of writing detailing the many forms Homunculi have taken in observable history.

That being said, there are certain commonalities that hold true for most Homunculi. These are, by no means, fully applicable to each and every case.

Most Homunculi can be defined as such:

• Lacking all or most limbs
• Wings, capable either of flight or of a soft glide
• Disinterest in the philosophical (a preoccupation with the material)

Evolutionary Stages in the Homunculan Lifecycle

Penned by honorable court wizard Phyllubis S.

Unlike those animals oft-admired in the natural world, Homunculi are artificial conceptions of Man's hand. The creation of a Homunculus is, like all great alchemic recipes, a complex process growing easier by the day.

Homunculi, ideally, are creations of a certain ratio:

• ⅓ Man or Elven Essence (Spermatozoa)
• ⅓ Animation Wax
• ⅓ Binding Magicks

This is the ratio to achieve a perfect (well-formed) Homunculus. Improper ratios may result in unintended consequences for the homunculan-product.

Post-incubation (a process I am not at liberty to disclose the workings of), a larval homunclus can be seen for the first time. Its body still unformed, it may flutter its wings in a futile attempt at locomotion. Caution must be taken to avoid improper care of a larval homunculus, lest it learn to align itself in opposition to its creator.