The Magi of Al Khem
Not Your Ordinary Alchemy Guild
Mission Statement: To provide state altering services through the use of healing techniques, application of alchemical tinctures and practical spirituality.
Vision: To have a Magi (practitioner) in every County providing services and to be a brand known far and wide for Quality.
The Spiel: Intended to be a home for a family of like-minded individuals that are interested in any of the following: Being in a Cult, learning and/or practicing Traditional Alchemy - the precursor to Science and Spiritualism, having a laboratory, having a high-end living quarters, being a Battle Cleric, being a Plague Doctor, and much more!
Leadership (in game): Jho’Hon Conklin - Count of Ameno of the Duchy of Port Royale of the Kingdom of Alesia. Minister of Agriculture of the Duchy of Port Royale. ArchMagi of the Magi of Al Khem.
Leadership (IRL): Corey Jones - Technical Management Consultant for Monsanto/Bayer and the US Department of Agriculture; ex-Chief Financial Officer and Chief Information Officer; entrepreneur and owner/seller of multi-million $ companies; dabbles in things he finds interesting - certified by the International Alchemy Guild (IAG) in the Hermetic, Esoteric and Practical topics of Alchemy.
Player Benefits - Explained more in detail in later sections, but in general, a Magi can expect the following:
Subsidized (usually free) Housing - The Magi will have a titan of a complex. There will be several sections designed for living. These will probably be some of the best living quarters available.
Access to Contracts - Should you need work, the Magi will have a Job Board available based on your Path and Rank.
Access to Tools, Information, Workspaces etc that pertain to your Path. For example, if you’re a researcher, you will at least have access to a laboratory. Your Rank defines the investment the Magi invest in you and your work.
In times of War, you will be part of the Astartes, which is the Magi’s Battle Cleric path - a Duchy accepted profession.
Initial Investment: Jho’Hon Conklin has pledged to invest 25,000 EP in the Magi of Al Khem.
Legal Structure: Jho’Hon is the sole owner. All funding will be self generated. As the sole owner, all assets of the Magi of Al Khem are personally and directly owned and controlled by Conklin.
Organization Structure: The Magi of Al Khem has a complicated structure: The identity is actually a combination of all three types of entities working in unison, all singularly owned and ultimately controlled by the Head of the House of Conklin -
1) An Association that provides free or break-even services to the community (focused in the Ameno itself) for those unable to pay for all services. The Organization is lead by Conklin but funds are managed by the Hive, a group of Magi. Investment: 5,000 EP + the use of the Ameno, paying only upkeep. Working with governments to assist with disasters. Lobby’s government bodies for grants. Primary focus is the NETWORK.
2) A Guild that provides for profit goods and services, Headquartered in the city of Al Khem. The Guild focuses on the end-to-end supply chain of all goods and services that meet the criteria of the Magi’s Mission Statement. In short, the utilization of known Herbalism, Botany, Alternative Medicine, Spiritual Methods (such as Reiki), the pursuit of Anatomy, physiology and chymistry, glass working etc techniques are expected. Investment: 15,000 EP. Primary focus is PROFIT.
3) A School for the elite who wish to either study or teach specific topics. A partner school, the Crucible within the Talqamar, teaches similar topics that may be transferred. The School, known as the Progenium, is for Magi that want to devote their lives to furthering the knowledge of approved research and most notably, is owned and controlled by the Progenium - all research will be given clearance levels and all research facilities will be classified. Researchers receive a stipend, are provided a living quarters and are expected to occasionally teach willing students. 5,000 EP + the use of the research facilities, paying only upkeep. Primary focus is KNOWLEDGE.
In general, the three organizations interface with each other constantly. The Guild will purchase licenses to utilize patents of the School. The School will find promising talent and knowledge via the Association. The Association will purchase the goods and services of the Guild at discounted rates.
(Public) Organizational Hierarchy: ArchMagus -> High Adeptus -> Adeptus -> Magi -> Disciple
Internally, there’s a much more complicated Hierarchy.
The ArchMagus has ultimate control of the Magi, but makes an effort to delegate that control to the High Adeptus - they are akin to a “Chairman of the Board” or “CEO” of many other organizations.
High Adeptus have the authority to use Magi funds (spending) - so if you are wanting the Magi to invest in your fiefdom, you will have to contact a High Adeptus. They are akin to the Vice Presidents, Directors and Functional Managers of many other organizations.
Adeptus have the authority to accept new contracts on behalf of the Magi as a whole. They analyze and negotiate. Their overall authority and responsibilities range dramatically based on their Path and Rank.
Magi are the real focus of the organization - the non-administrators. These are the Alchemists, Researchers, Plague Doctors, Chymists, and Botanists.
The Initiation (Under construction)
The Magi of Al Khem will have a traditional Application Process where you must submit your dosier (sorta like an actual college application and resume). We then notify you of your acceptance or unfortunate denial. The “Initiation” process begins, which is an enrollment in the Progenium - a school of Magi (think Hogwarts mixed with the Sorbonne a bit). Your status is referred to as a “Disciple”.
To join the Magi as a Disciple, you will have to pay Membership Dues. These will likely occur every in-game year. These will cost a substantial amount - analogous to how much Medical School is in America - something comparable to $50,000.00 USD/yr. The Magi does have several programs that provide alternative methods of payment, in general, the options are: 1) Pay using currency; Finance some % of it, at some fairly high interest rate (Time is compressed in Elyria, so interest rates will be much higher because math). 2) Barter - non currency; 3) Contract for future employment - the Disciple agrees to do work for the Magi according to some agreement.
All Magi start as a Disciple, so you must first go through the schooling. Due to mechanics not being out at the time of this writing, we do not know how long it will be expected, but it’s a common sense policy - you will have to know both Global Knowledge (skill trees) and Institutional Knowledge (actual information about the Magi).
Upon graduating from the School, you will receive a Diploma that you can use to find work elsewhere. In addition, a Magi Adeptus will contact you and work with you to figure out where best you will fit in the Magi as a whole (think Sorting Hat).
The Path of the Magi The specifics of each Path are not public, but in general, the Magi will be guided through a particular path once they have graduated from the Progenium. Some Paths are not public.
The Administratum - The financial, administrative and judicial Path
The Assassinorum - The solo, subversive, poisonous Path
The Tempestus - The mathematical based professions, such as Architecture and Physics - along with a focus on understanding the Seasons.
The Astartes - The dedicated Battle Clerics - partners of the Black Guard of Port Royale. A focus on both medicine and combat. More akin to Monks of Monasteries than armor clad divine clerics. The Astarte abhor violence and live with the unfortunate reality that to end violence, you must partake in it, and steer it toward peace - by any means necessary.
The Hereticus - Investigative, Bardic and isolated, the Hereticus is an internal security Path that dispels any Magi that are found breaking a Pact of the Magi.
The Magisterium - Biological based professions - namely Botany. Magi of this Path are the keepers of the Magisterium, the royal gardens of Al Khem, among various other laboratories.
The Progenium - Medical based professions, the Progenitors focus on teaching, healing and are the keepers of the Ameno, the titanic hospital like structure, where those that need healing and can not hire a site-visit go for the Magi’s services.
The Ministorum - The mostly spiritual and religious Path. Will integrate heavily and act as a church of sorts with the religion the Magi adopt (currently undecided).
The Mechanicus - The tinkerers, the engineers and those that aspire to building gadgets, widgets and gizmos.
The Brand (Under Construction)
All Magi that are performing a Service and Representing any organization must wear their ceremonial robes during the service. The identity of your character is not to be provided - all Magi are given unique Glyphs that act as a sort of ID. Upon leaving the organization, these Glyphs must be returned or will otherwise be recorded as invalid (the Magi will also take note of the theft). Most services / missions do not require this, but in general, it is a good practice. Some services / missions do require the utmost secrecy, to the extent failure could end in banishment.
