by J. Edward Tremlett (Wraith: The Oblivion | Resources)
Nicknames: Rotters, Puffers, Jinks, Lead-Heads.
Guildmaster: �The Guardian of the Stone�: currently held by Grand Master Aetherius of the House of Spirit (ne. Roger Bacon).
Center of Power: Scattered, with equal parts in Prague, Rome and Istanbul. They are rumored to have a stronghold in the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia as well, though this is not confirmed.
Specialty Arcanos: Flux, with older forms of Inhabit (Kinesis) being taught as well.
Current History:
Until recently, the Guild has seen itself as less of a political entity and more of an organization devoted to research -- much what Guilds should be, in their eyes. However, with the coming of the Storm, the Guild has seen an opportunity for raising its station that they would be fools to pass up. And, for good or ill, they have embraced it.
To understand the current actions of the Alchemists, one must understand their past history. Once a part of the mighty Artificers, the progenitors of the Guild left, long ago, to pursue the art of changing matter, rather than just controlling it. This was viewed as a �betrayal� by the Artificers� so-called Cult of Nhudri, and these fanatics sought ways to harm, embarrass and stymie their wayward cousins. On a personal level, members of each Guild could cooperate and work with one another, but official relations were always a chilly thing.
So it was that when the Dictum Mortuum was proclaimed by Charon, the Spooks and the Monitors, in league with those Artificers linked to the Cult of Nhudri, did their best to distract the Legions� attentions from themselves in favor of the Lesser Guild. Though it took a while, the ploy eventually worked, and Flux was considered a �forbidden� Arcanos. That proscription could hardly be taken seriously when compared to the works of the Spooks or the Haunters, but rules were rules and the damage had been done. The Guild�s methods of altering the Skinlands came under close watch by the Hierarchy, and they went from being innocuous to �dangerous.�
A further insult came after the War of the Guilds, when the Alchemists -- like the Solicitors and the Mnemoi -- were not invited to sign the resulting Compact. Ironically, most of the losses suffered by the Alchemists during that war had been because of their connection to their parent Guild, rather than any fault of their own. And after the disastrous events of the Coup of 1598, the Three leaders of the Artificers disappeared and were replaced by another Three who were hand-picked by the Cult. This would ensure that the Alchemists would fare no better.
During the Great War, the Guild found it had a golden opportunity to come out of seclusion and try to regain their status. With the Hierarchy in a state of war with itself, the enforcement of the Dictum Mortuum was at an all-time low. And, perhaps more importantly, with the Spooks, Haunters and Monitors otherwise occupied the Alchemists were the next best choice for protecting or destroying Fetters, or chasing the Quick from Haunts.
Of course, after the war the Guild was squeezed back into their place all over again. The Mnemoi�s erasing of everyone memories of the events made remembering what really happened a bit difficult. All the same, the Guild knew that progress had been made, even if they couldn�t quite recall how: their fastidiously-kept records of experimentation, which even the Mnemoi couldn�t alter, were intact.
And so the Guild stayed a quiet group -- researching in secret and gathering away from the sight of their �greater� cousins. Those who dared poke their noses above ground could find employment in strengthening or weakening Fetters, but most of their number preferred to remain underground, where it was safe.
The 6th Great Maelstrom changed everything. Suddenly, the Hierarchy no longer existed and the Dictum Mortuum was in ashes. The Artificers� self-styled �leader,� Lord Ember, went into a Harrowing, the whereabouts of the other two of the Three were not readily known, and their beloved Lord Nhudri was nowhere to be found.
With the loss of the Hierarchy came the rapid demonizing of its most noticeable tool of oppression: the Soulforging process. It was the shining moment the Renegades had been waiting for. When news of Stygia�s fall -- which was slow in coming in some spots due to the Storm -- came, the Artificers were finding themselves run out of the Necropoli when the citizens revolted.
While this was a wonderful thing for the Renegades, it wasn�t a great thing for the Necropoli as a whole. Like it or not, the Soulforged armor that plated the walls of the Citadels and reinforced the Haunts often made the difference between its inhabitants surviving the next Stormfront or not. And with no trained Artificers to repair what was blown off, or replace the weapons or armor of the cities� defenders, the Storm�s ravages became harder for Wraiths to bear.
Enter the Alchemists. They were somehow able to move their personnel from Necropolis to Necropolis, in spite of the Storm, and let it be known that their Arts were once again for sale. Using certain, secret techniques they had developed, they were able to fortify ordinary Shadowlands material so that it had the strength of top-grade Soulsteel. They were also able to use Flux�s more �ordinary� uses to create Relic weapons and armor for the defenders of the Necropoli. As a result, the citizenry were able to repair their Haunts and repel Spectral attack (and several police departments throughout Europe were wondering where their riot armor went).
The Alchemists were just a link in a chain, of course, but no one could deny that they worked long and hard in the first few months of the Storm to help those Wraiths they could. In time they began to earn the respect of those Guilds who had either maligned or ignored them. And it was no surprise that, once matters settled enough to call a Council of the Guilds in the London Necropolis, the Alchemists were invited.
It was quite an amusing spectacle. Just about every Guild who was there had a new representative -- or, at least, someone claiming to be that new representative. The Chanteurs were absent, as they were both broken and no longer welcome to boot, and sitting where Miklos should have been was a woman named Phaedrus who never, ever blinked. Many of the others were uneasy around her, but the new representative of the Pardoners -- Brother Tenacious -- kept running interference for her, and the Mnemoi she represented.
The new representative for the Artificers was some barely-blackened person claiming to speak for the Three (�or perhaps the Two?� someone sniggered). He did most of the talking, there, welcoming the Alchemists and the Mnemoi back into the fold, relaying the news of efforts to rebuild, and so on, just as though he was Lord Ember. There was talk of the Council of Guilds assuming its rightful place, and the need for unity in the face of disaster, a new regime, and so on.
Then came the moment the Alchemists had anticipated since the whole mess had began. The Artificers formally invited their Guild to rejoin them, saying that such a move would make a stronger union that could help unite the ruins of Stygia. Surely they could see the utility in such a thing? They had much to teach one another and so much to learn, and it would be a wonderful sharing of fortunes. And, of course, there would be no question of their worth, or mention of any past troubles between the two.
And the Head of the House of Fire smiled and said, quite simply, �no.�
The Artificers� faces went blank in shock. And then, the most wonderful thing happened: instead of listening to the Artificers speak, the other Guild representatives started talking amongst themselves. It was as though some spell had been broken, and the baleful influence of Lord Ember was no more.
By the time the meeting was over, the makings of a new Compact had been drawn up -- one that recognized the value of every Guild in attendance, and stressed the need for equality. There would be no further privilege given for being the first Guild, and all in the Compact would have an equal say in how things would be run. And -- perhaps most important of all -- only those Guilds who could prove their worth through public service in the time of the Storm could remain on the Compact.
That, of course, took the wind out of the Artificers� sails altogether. Their previous method of worth lay in shambles thanks to the toiling of the mob. Meanwhile, the Alchemists� worth was evident in every Necropolis they�d been working in since the Maelstrom started.
Maybe the Head of the House of Fire took satisfaction in watching the Artificers grow more sullen by the minute, and maybe not. But things were changing. And the Alchemists were no longer a �lesser� Guild.
Current Activities:
Since the reformed Council of the Guilds met in late 1999, the Alchemists have embarked on a three-part plan designed to suit their needs as a Guild.
The first is to openly offer their services, and they have traveled far and wide to do this. They charge nothing for helping with the physical protection of a Necropolis or its people, as per their agreement with the Council. They are charging a modest price for creating Relics for personal use, though, and they take their fees in Coin, Pathos, Relics and Artifacts, and perhaps a favor or two. Under the terms of the Council, they are letting the Monitors look after the well-being of Fetters, but it�s no secret that some Alchemists are taking a few strengthening jobs on the sly.
The second is a recruitment drive. They are on the lookout for anyone who has at least a fledgling talent with Flux and, perhaps more importantly, a sharp mind and a willingness to believe in magic. In the old days, anyone with skill in Flux would be considered for Apprenticeship, but now that they can be more open about it they can also be more choosy. Would-be Apprentices accompany their recruiters along their routes until it�s time to return to the nearest Guildhouse, and can demonstrate their skill and intellect as they go. Anyone who fails to impress can be sent on their way without ever seeing the inside workings of the Guild.
And the third is, as always, research. The time of the Storm has afforded them a chance to see how Relics are affected by its ravages, and a never-ending supply of Spectres has given them ample opportunity to test some of their more offensive uses of Flux on �living� targets. All information and details are meticulously recorded and added to the central pool for others to look at.
Current Political Situation:
The Alchemists are, at the moment, finding themselves almost as beloved as the Harbingers and Pardoners by ordinary Wraiths. Anyone who needs their city walls or Haunt�s support structure fixed needs them. They are also doing a brisk trade in Relics, and anyone who needs such trappings to perform their Arts, such as the Oracles and users of Keening, are seeking them out in droves.
They count the Haunters, Oracles, Pardoners, and Usurers as allies. The Oracles and Usurers need the Relics the Guild can supply, the Pardoners are in league with anyone who makes it easier for them to repel the Storm, and no one�s quite sure what the Haunters are getting out of this.
The former Chanteurs are also close friends, given their need for Relic instruments, but they have no seat at the Council anymore. The Alchemists are also in league with some of the more philosophic � and less violent -- Heretic groups, and have been recruiting quite a bit from their number. Exactly why is a secret known only to the Guild.
The Harbingers are a little to the left of neutral, as they�re wondering just how the Alchemists are getting from Necropolis to Necropolis in wavefronts that make even the Harbingers stay in their Haunts. It remains to be seen which way the Spooks will head now that Artemus Vanderwal is running the show, but the Alchemists find it hard to believe they�ll ever be friends. Likewise, the Artificers are still having a hard time believing their former �allies� turned against them at such a critical moment,
but before long they�ll probably return the distaste in full measure.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Monitors and the Alchemists have a very mutual loathing for one another. Right now, under the terms of the Council, they have to shake hands and be friends. But sooner or later, the Monitors will learn that the Alchemists are running a Fetter protection racket on the side -- if they haven�t already -- and then it�s going to get very nasty.
Organization:
The Guild is composed along the standard lines of a Guild. At the bottom are the Apprentices, toiling and running errands for whichever Master they may have been placed with. After they show promise and are deemed worthy of trust -- if ever -- they are elevated to Journeyman status. Hard toil and concrete results at that state will lead to being elevated to Master, and, after proving one�s worth time and time again, the post of Grand Master can�t be far away.
The Guild Leader, known as The Guardian of the Stone, oversees the Guild as a whole from wherever he may sit. He is more of a guiding presence than an autocratic leader, but his word has great weight when deciding matters if only because he understands the nature of what they do better than anyone else.
In addition to the usual ranks, the Alchemists have a secondary, elemental classification system in place. Upon becoming a Journeyman, and taking a name for themselves (usually Hermetic or Elemental in nature) all Guildmembers are assigned to one of five �Houses� based on their Elemental temperament. An �ideal� Circle of Alchemists would be comprised of five members, with each member being of a different House.
These Houses are in charge of overseeing a �mundane� aspect of the Guild, thus freeing the Guild from having to form specific, concrete committees to oversee such things. Each one is overseen by a Grand Master who, like The Guardian of the Stone, �leads� by being afforded the most respect amongst them.
The Houses are:
* Earth, which oversees the physical aspects of the Guild. Are they getting enough materials, and are those materials being used to their best ability? Is the security of the Guildhouses being well looked after? Are personnel decisions being made wisely? Their House decides how materials and personnel are used, and can shuffle them from place to place if it sees fit.
* Water, which oversees the interpersonal aspects of the Guild. Is everyone getting along? Are personal conflicts threatening to interfere with research? Is everyone visiting their Pardoner on a regular basis? Their House intervenes when interpersonal matters -- including Guildmembers� Shadows � are threatening to interfere with the well-being of the Guild as a whole.
* Air, which looks after the �mind� of the Guild: it�s records. Is everyone getting all details on their current experimentation? Can they produce any and all records of past works? Their House maintains the library of each laboratory, and makes certain the records are returned to where they belong.
* Fire regulates the outside activity of the Guild, and handles all transportation issues. Who�s using Flux where, and why, and for whom? They are supposed to know about all Boo Jobs the Guild is handling, as well as any Fetter strengthenings or destructions. They are also in charge of representing the Guild and handling outside negotiations; most envoys to the other Guilds are from this House, with the
occasional member of the Spirit House for good measure.
* Spirit is the �free agent� House. It affords its members the freedom to act to correct any shortcomings or problems that arise that another House might not be designed to deal with. They also act in cases where more than one House thinks it should be in charge of a certain situation, and either decide who takes it, or solve the problem on their own.
The system isn�t perfect, of course: except for The Stone, nothing is. But given how small the Guild is, the Houses have served it well since time out of mind. There is some discussion as to whether this method will be as useful when the Guild grows in size, though.
