[A Brief History of Alchemy]
Deeder Jonathan. A halfling moon mage by profession, alchemist by natural
inclination. Sole heir through a series of calamities to the enormous
Jonathan fortune (Jathur was originally named Jonathan's Town, after Deeder's
grandfather who founded and largely owned it), Deeder expended all his wealth in
alchemical studies. Though largely self-taught his early years were
crowned with success. He established the Principle of Opposing Forces as a
process of sublimation rather than incorrigible antagonism, and combined
alchemically created substances with magical incantations to produce
extraordinary results. It may be said that no alchemist before his time
even imagined the Unity of Magics. Deeder envisioned it and put the matter
into practice, achieving effects that would force his more ambitious colleagues
to engage in cross-disciplinary studies. What is more, Deeder Jonathan was
generous with his time and money. The art of alchemy is forever in his
debt.
Deeder's final 20 years were, alas, sad ones. He sought a means to turn lead
into gold and vice versa, but being single-minded decided to concentrate
exclusively on the latter operation, first.
Deeder sold all his worldly goods and begged for years in order to purchase
small quantities of gold for his experiments. Having achieved this goal,
he was heartbroken to discover that nobody particularly cared to have their gold
reduced to lead. Deeder vanished the following year, most likely a
desperate suicide.
[The Silver Key of Artifacts]
* Deeder's Lockpick. From The Tales of Deeder Jonathan, by Alain Martel:
"This was another remarkable creation of the inestimable Deeder Jonathan,
halfling alchemist, seer and moon mage. The incident (as later pieced
together from the Greenhollow criminal records) shows that Kelly, Deeder's
thievish brother, got "an idea." Kelly's ideas invariably
centered about harnessing Deeder's talents to some purely selfish end.
"Kelly told Deeder that he was going to set up as a locksmith, and desired
an infallible aid for his craft--even offering to split the profits (1/10th to
Deeder) for the item. The good-natured alchemist took it on as a pet
project, and gave Kelly the Lockpick. The latter resolved to try it that
evening at a gala affair given to honor a visiting dwarven ambassador.
"But since Deeder had not been told by his brother about the scheme under
foot (indeed, he never would have acquiesced) the matter went other than as
planned. Suddenly in the middle of the reception a strangely metallic
voice rang out, "Kelly, my master! I have detrapped and opened the
large oaken chest of Hortel deBankoff! It wasn't easy, you might have had
trouble without my assistance!" Instantly guards surrounded Kelly;
and had Deeder not pulled all the strings at his disposal his brother might have
ended up a foot shorter from his right hand's fingertips in.
"As to Deeder's Lockpick, it vanished after the affair. It has been
surmised since that Deeder destroyed it, or Kelly might have secreted it
away."
[The Silver Key of Artifacts]
* Deeder's Ocular. From The Tales of Deeder Jonathan, by Alain Martel:
"Kelly Jonathan was again the genesis for this remarkable device. He
convinced his less-worldly brother upon this occasion that he (Kelly) would be
setting up shop as a healer, and that some item which allowed him to find people
in need and move quickly to their side would be advantageous to all.
Deeder was very enthusiastic in his support, and set to work at once.
"Kelly employed the resulting horn-rimmed ocular to watch the head clerk at
the First Elanthian State Bank. When he entered the vaults, Kelly tapped
the eyepiece--and was instantly transported to his side. The halfling
thief grabbed a sack of gold from the astonished clerk's hands, and tapped the
eyepiece again.
"Nothing happened. Kelly had never specified to his brother that
there was any need to hurry back; and by making the ocular a single-charge item
the alchemist had sought to let it recharge quicker...once every 24 hours, in
fact. Of course this sensible decision was not on Kelly's mind when he
found himself surrounded by guards and hauled before a magistrate. He only
escaped prison that time by claiming to be his brother and feigning madness.
Truth to tell, Kelly's state of mind at being cheated for still-another fortune
which lay within his grasp can only be imagined."
The Ocular is in the possession of Asemath Academy. It resides in the
Academy Vaults, and is shown to distinguished visitors upon rare occasions.