#alchemypunk...? punk subcultures are a bit too modern lol

[merinni]

rewriting/tweaking spells to be more efficient is commonplace and expected for students. their revised spell is sent off to a board of alchemical study to recreate and review, and if it's accepted it'll be printed in new tomes. this happens constantly so tomes quickly become out-of-date; thankfully, most revisions focus on making a spell easier to perform rather than changing its effects, so people who already know the more complicated formula don't have to update their knowledge every year or so.

this process has the side effect of encouraging students to focus on spells that are already established, rather than inventing new formulae entirely. this gives the essence of creativity while not endangering the empire's rule by encouraging budding alchemists to create unprecedented spells.

this is also why teaching oneself alchemy is a faux pas; it's assumed you won't be getting the best education from self studying out-of-date, secondhand tomes, and it's considered dangerous to mess around with alchemy (thereby creating novel spells) without some kind of mentor nearby. that and unlicensed use of alchemy is a crime in most major cities. small detail.