@ Phil
Ali looks at Milly and smiles. "I'll not argue with your point of what humans have built, because there is no argument. You're unique in your restraint, no one here looks at you like you're a threat, or a Demon. You, me, we're supposed to be the bogeymen this side of the border, but here we are, and no one's screaming and running. I wish there was more of that deeper in-country."
Alisaundra shakes her head at the suggestion of Raymond. "There is no hurry. Rushing things always generates bad blood and screwups in my opinion. We want a way to include more normal people without scaring them off. Believe it or not the core tenant of the AAS is that unchanged doesn't prove mastery, it proves risk-aversion. We've gotten into the demographic because each of our 'masters,' myself included, and almost all of our journeymen used alchemy to sculpt our personal images to fit the Artistic slant we prefer."
She nods to Katrine, "Who would garner more realistic trust, a tattoo artist who is without ink, or one who can point to his best pieces on his own skin and those of his fellows and say 'these are mine?' The common folk assume unchanged means most skilled, never realizing that unchanged only means you always remembered to wear gloves and a mask. Me, Nuvari, all of us were confident enough in our own skill to make our own changes, make those changes our own, and let our bodies speak for our skills."
She smirks, "You just can't see the most in-depth changes to my body, and likely won't here, due to Milly's rule on modesty but this face, my figure, the extra arms, and breasts, just the tip of the iceberg, and all sculpted by alchemy originally, not by halfie magic. My clothing are actually living leathers, a mix of volunteers and individuals who missed the 'Thieves and violent persons will become property' sign displayed prominently on my front door."
"I tend to be the one people come to when they wish to join with a life partner in the most intimate of ways, or spice up their bedroom lives in a discrete or open fashion that accentuates the human form rather than disrupts it, hence how I choose to look. Nuvari is probably the most skilled alchemical masseuse, but she has a thing for nagaforms, so she's a great serpent-woman with snakes for hair composed of some of her old lovers, a gift to herself, and them, that we collaborated on."
She points to the changed staff. "Entry into the AAS is less about prestige and social climbing, and more about the art itself, and our desire to show and share it. Your 'face' would ideally be one of your alchemists who not only is transformed, but did so deliberately, or a transformed member of the staff who is confident enough in the skills of said staff to speak on their behalf."
"Your business partner, if he wishes to be more hands-off, would simply need provide a signature from himself or herself, or designated proxy stating clearly that they are willing to entertain the notion."
"I think your establishment would lose a lot by changing from what you have it as now, so I'm not suggesting your image would need to change. The AAS is really a gold stamp that looks very impressive but boils down to a few masters who've set up an environment where I might send my apprentices to visit here and learn how to do her work under pressure, and perhaps take one of yours to train up to be better at fusions, or minute details that are the difference between a good alteration and looking like you were born that way. And, of course, we might ask you to show off your skills catering at one of our events."
"We set it up originally because finding alchemists willing to collaborate and work together and help out is usually like pulling teeth, and there is usually very little pride or ownership of their work, it's not art to them, it's a job. Most of them are recluses, too arrogant, or obsessed with petitioning Mammon for demonhood." She says the last part ruefully. "None of these things really offer a lot of room for cooperative effort."
"But in the spirit of cooperation, I'm here. I can spend an extra few days, and I doubt Casual Wickedry will burn down unless Malinda and Dathien decide to pop in during my absence. Not that I can do much to stop them even if I'm there."