Plague Alchemists

Plague Alchemist Class
Era: 300 AC
Faction Color: #6B4E31 (Plague Doctors)

Overview:
Plague Alchemists, scientist-mystics of Ravensgate’s Plague Research Laboratory, blend methodical alchemy with primal herbs to craft antidotes and explosives against eldritch plagues like Xyraxis’s Witherplague and Vortulon’s Starveplague. Trained amidst the miasma-choked District of Desolation, they wield brass alembics and primal tech to support allies and control battlefields during the Ravensgate lockdown (290 AC). Born from the Calamity’s (0 AC) legacy, their work counters Eldritch Gods’ influence but risks madness from Witherplague exposure and Morgrath’s whispers. In Ravensgate’s shattered spires, Plague Alchemists are vital to containing the Aetherian seal’s leaks, yet their volatile creations teeter on the edge of unleashing a second Calamity.

Role and Abilities:
Plague Alchemists excel in utility and battlefield control, crafting antidotes to purge plagues and explosives to disrupt void-beasts and plague-tainted hordes. Their alchemical concoctions, infused with Sylvarbloom herbs, bolster allies with resistance to Whisperplague or enhance endurance against Starveplague. Explosives, laced with darkstone and primal sigils, clear miasma-blocked paths or weaken eldritch rifts. Stationed in the Plague Research Laboratory, they investigate plague origins, collaborating with Iron Quill’s Veilscribes and Saffron Veil healers to reinforce the Aetherian seal. Their exposure to Witherplague, however, risks insanity, as Morgrath’s whispers tempt them with forbidden alchemical secrets, making their role both heroic and perilous in the District of Desolation’s plagued slums.

Training and Creation:
Plague Alchemists are recruited from Ravensgate’s scholars and herbalists, trained under Chief Alchemist Voryn Plagueveil in the Plague Research Laboratory, a steam-lit complex of brass vats and primal altars. Initiates study Sylvaris’s herbal lore and Ironreach’s darkstone alchemy, mastering the synthesis of antidotes and explosives. Training involves hazardous experiments in miasma-filled chambers, where exposure to Witherplague tests their resilience. They craft their own brass alembics, etching them with primal sigils to resist void-taint, guided by Saffron Veil rituals. Those who endure Morgrath’s whispers and avoid plague-induced madness earn the Plague Alchemist title, sworn to combat eldritch plagues and protect Ravensgate under King Thorne II’s mandate.

Key Equipment:

  • Brass Alembic: A portable alchemical device, etched with primal sigils, for brewing antidotes and explosives. Its darkstone core enhances potency but risks Witherplague contamination.

  • Plaguevial Grenade: A crystal grenade filled with Sylvarbloom-infused explosives, dispersing anti-plague mists or void-disrupting blasts. Its volatile mix draws Xulthar’s voids if mishandled.

  • Herbweave Mask: A miasma-filtering mask, woven with Sylvarbloom fibers, protecting against plague inhalation. Its primal runes fray in void-rifts, exposing wearers to Whisperplague.

  • Veilserum Injector: A steam-powered syringe, loaded with anti-plague serums, boosting ally resilience. Its darkstone needle risks Morgrath’s madness with overuse.

Crafting Methods:
Plague Alchemist equipment is crafted in the Plague Research Laboratory, using Sylvaris’s herbs and Ironreach’s darkstone. Brass Alembics are forged with Valthorne’s steel, etched with primal sigils by Saffron Veil healers. Plaguevial Grenades combine Sylvarbloom sap with darkstone powder, sealed in Veilcrypt crystals. Herbweave Masks are woven with primal fibers, treated with alchemical oils, and Veilserum Injectors are assembled with steam-gears and primal runes. Morgrath’s whispers disrupt crafting, causing alchemists to mix cursed concoctions, and Xulthar’s voids taint darkstone, risking seal breaches during production.

Usage and Distribution:
Plague Alchemists use Brass Alembics and Plaguevial Grenades to clear plague zones and support City Watch patrols in the District of Desolation. Herbweave Masks and Veilserum Injectors protect allies and cure plague victims. The Skyrunners’ Guild distributes serums and grenades to Albion’s outposts and Valthorne’s citadels, while Iron Quill’s Veilscribes borrow Alembics for rift research. Nocturne’s Veyren Duskbane steals Plaguevials for Ebon Star rituals, and Ironreach’s Drenvar Steelrend trades darkstone for serums. Sylvaris’s Sylvara Thornbloom supplies herbs but warns against darkstone use, while Valthorne’s Lyria Valthorne uses grenades for espionage. Black-market smuggling in Ravensgate fuels Ebon Star schemes.

Impact and Risks:
Plague Alchemist equipment is crucial to the lockdown, curing plagues and controlling battlefields, but its darkstone reliance risks widening Xulthar’s voids. Brass Alembics and Plaguevial Grenades counter plagues but tempt Morgrath’s madness, while Herbweave Masks and Veilserum Injectors falter in void-heavy zones. In 300 AC, Plague Alchemists bolster Ravensgate’s defenses alongside Veilscribes and Saffron Veil, but Nocturne’s thefts and Ebon Star’s rituals threaten a second Calamity. The District of Desolation’s reliance on their antidotes underscores the fragile balance between salvation and eldritch peril.