The Alchemists' Guild

Although Alchemy has been around in one form or another for countless centuries, it is only fairly recently that it was felt necessary to form a guild for them, and even then it was no more than a subsection of the Craftsmen's Guild.

With the increase in adventuring activity over the last couple of decades, the role of the alchemist has steadily grown. There is always a need for potions of healing for example, and a steady supply of explosives can be guaranteed a buyer. Thus the number of alchemists, and the extent of their experimenting has grown.

With this growth came an increased demand for supplies and equipment. As the Mages' Guild could provide nothing of use, it fell to the Craftsmen to outfit these new and reckless scientists. Alchemy became unofficially the responsibility of the Craftsmen's Guild.

But still the growing demands were not satisfied, and to make matters worse the increased research into explosives (and indeed the increasing instability of the science and scientists as a whole) began to result in damage to property that the guild was not about to tolerate. It was only a matter of time until the alchemists were given a home of their own.

The Guildhouse that was built to house this ecclectic bunch is located almost entirley underground in the cheapest area of the docks, and is built to withstand all the punishment that alchemy brings in its wake. It is a warren of labs enclosed in reinforced stone walls, filled with perverse paraphernalia and arcane aparatus. To an alchemist it is heaven. To anyone with an ounce of sanity, it is a place to avoid if they want to keep it.

The Alchemists' Guild is still, technically, a part of the Craftsmen's Guild, but it is run seperately and the membership fees work differently. Standard membership grants the questionable privelage of access to the catalogue of specialist equipment that cannot be bought elsewhere. Even the most modest of alchemists needs to buy vials and pouches. You also get the representation (via the Craftsmen's Guild) that is necessary when trying to stand up against the frequent complaints from Neighbourhood Watch.

In addition, there are research fees that a member must pay if they actually wish to conduct research within the guildhouse. Once paid you are given a lab to yourself, access to the libraries, and all the equipment you can break.

The alchemists are an eccentric bunch, but there is a definite sense of family about the guild. Anyone not paying their fees is taken aside for a quiet guilt trip. If you want to know the secret of turning lead into gold, you just ask. Once you are part of the research community, you will probably be taken under the wing of some old nutter who will explain the secrets of the universe if you can fix him up with that young half-elf he saw you with.

Alchemists being such a genial bunch, combined with the fact that they spend a great deal of time unsure of what planet they're on, means that there is no political backstabbing within the guild. There are no secrets held from each other, there is no contesting for leadership. Indeed, if you ask, you will discover that no-one is entirely sure who actually runs the guild, and no-one really minds.

Various parties have considered taking over the alchemists guild, through infiltration or otherwise. All have concluded that it really isn't worth the effort. The Alchemists' Guild looks like it shall remain one of the last corruption-free zones in Keese.