"All this he saw, for one moment breathless and intense, vivid on the morning sky; and still, as he looked, he lived; and still, as he lived, he wondered."

― Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

Qin Shi Huang and his love for Mercury

Qin Shi Huang was the guy who basically invented the concept of “Emperor” in China, around 250 b.C., and I’m sure you’re familiar with his grand Terracotta Army. A thing you might be less familiar with? His love for mercury.

In order to boost some of his shapeshifting abilities and when the shit hits the fan, my main character sometimes drinks a mixture he calls amalgama, which is basically any mineral alloy with mercury in it, and it’s basically the only practical way to have liquid metal at hand without going full-on Smaug. While he does that, he warns the readers that the stuff will get them killed and briefly mentions Qin Shi Huang, but why?

We take a look at that today on my Patreon.
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