[hider=Alchemists' guild]
[b]Organization:[/b] The Alchemists’ Guild

[b]Founded:[/b]
Alchemy is one of the oldest jobs, dating as far as the invention of fire. The alchemists will often boast that their art predates that of wizards and even holy people, although the latter is debatable. The current guild was created several centuries ago, joining the many local guilds into one organization that focuses on expanding the alchemical knowledge and teaching new alchemists.

[b]Structure:[/b]
The members are ranked. Alchemists wear special rings that are not only identifying them as members of the guild, but also from the appearance of the ring one can determine their rank and thus what skills they were tested in. A lower rank alchemist may take a job better suited for a higher ranking alchemist, but the guild makes no guarantee they will be successful and will not cover any damages the job may result in. The ranks are as follows:

[list]
[*][i]Apprentice:[/i] A novice that studies under a master. They are not allowed to take on any jobs unless assigned by their masters. Most of their time is spent studying. Their rings are usually only plain metal ones varying in material with the guild’s emblem engraved into it.

[*][i]Journeyman:[/i] After passing tests from herblore, metallurgy and basic engineering, the alchemist is permitted to create a member’s ring, which is then reviewed by their master to judge the quality and originality. Each of these has to be unique, as they also serve to identify the alchemist. They are usually composed of rare metals, low grade gemstones and decorated with symbols of the elements.

[*][i]Artisan:[/i] These members are required to prove greater skill in the occupations learned as Journeymen, on top of adding at least one specialization skill - most often pharmacy, precise mechanics or chemistry. Their rings are strictly made of gold alloys, and decorated with high grade gems.

[*][i]Master:[/i] After at least 10 years of being an artisan and mastering all of their selected areas, one is allowed to submit a masterpiece for review. These can be anything from studies to actual tangible items. If one’s piece is found worthy by the majority vote of the other masters, they are granted the rank, along with a special sel for their ring.

[*][i]Sage:[/i] A special rank bestowed upon any member of the guild that makes and subsequently describes a new important discovery. The most sought after is of course the art of transmutation, still waiting to be unlocked. But other notable works in history included the invention of paper, compass or distilled alcohol.

[*][i]Grandmaster:[/i] A Lifelong title bestowed onto one of the masters by a vote of the other masters. He serves to represent the guild in meetings with other organizations, city councils and the like.

[*][i]Rogue:[/i] While not an official rank, the term ‘Rogue Alchemist’ is commonly applied to any practitioner of alchemy that does not follow the guild’s regulations.
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Aside from the ranks, the guild is separated into branches that deal with its various aspects, such as pharmacists, engineers and others.

[b]Philosophy:[/b]
There are two factions of alchemists. The Purists focus their studies on obtaining the legendary Philosopher’s stone and otherwise achieving transmutation and gaining eternal youth. The Reformists on the other hand abandon these old ways to study nature itself in detail and trying to figure out its workings and how they can be used without any end goal in mind. Both factions are united in their common rivalry with wizards of any but the druidic school, believing that their way of manipulating nature through arcane means is impure. They are indifferent to churches, but the general mindset is that unlike prayers whose result depends upon the whims of deities, performing the same alchemy will always end in the same result.

The guild is not too restrictive, however they absolutely forbid practicing alchemy with living animals and sentient beings in any way.
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[hider=Tala Halfelven]
[b]Name:[/b]
[list]
[*][i]Human:[/i] Tala Halfelven
[*][i]Elvish:[/i] Aranel Kuu`Datto
[/list]
[b]Age:[/b] 20
[b]Gender:[/b] Female
[b]Race:[/b] Human / Elven halfling
[b]Job:[/b] Alchemist
[b]Voice actor:[/b] [url=http://myanimelist.net/people/13639/Maaya_Uchida]Maaya Uchida[/url]
[b]Theme:[/b] [url=https://player.epidemicsound.com/#/search/?search_query=Light+And+Airy+4]Epidemicsound - Light and Airy 4[/url]
[B]Pic:[/b] [url=http://ariefx3.deviantart.com/art/Red-Hooded-Girl-II-287805907]Along these lines[/url]

[b]Physical Description:[/b]
Due to her elven heritage, Tala has quite a nice figure, lean and dextrous. Her body build favors speed and agility over strength and durability. Despite being about 180 cm tall, she only weighs about 60 kilos. Her skin is a light tan mix of her human father and elven mother.

Her face is a bit more angular than that of a human, with prominent sky blue eyes common to elves and full rose red lips. Most of her features are shrouded in her clothing and wild mane of raven hair. Her ears are pointy, but of regular human size.

The thing everyone will immediately notice is her red cloak and hood, making her look like a part of a fairy tale. Her face is further covered in an equally colored scarf. Under that she wears sturdy traveling boots, leather pants and jacket reinforced with metal in key areas. Her gear is full of pockets and belts that can be used to store and hang stuff for her job. Last but most important to her is the leather satchel with a boobytrapped lock that holds most of her supplies and tools.

When in comfortable environment such as a house or ship cabin, Tala likes to wear a long grey skirt and loose blouse of the same color, coupled with her brown work apron, so she can have her tools at hand at all times.

The halfling wears a ring which is a symbol of her membership and rank in the alchemist's guild. The ring is made of gold with 4 runes and 4 gemstones spaced equally around its circumference, each pair representing one of the four elements. The ring ranks her as a journeyman.

The woman holds herself in a way that makes her look smaller than she really is, huddled up and slumped. Oftentimes she picks far corners of a room to sit, hiding behind a crowd or travelling in an enclosed carriage. She prefers to keep her face hidden behind her hair and hood when talking to others. 

She doesn’t like large gatherings of people where someone could cause her trouble because of her bastard heritage, but in small groups or between four eyes, she opens up and is quite friendly.

[b]Skillset:[/b]

[i]Potion making:[/i] The most basic of alchemy, the half elf can create all sorts of potions, from healing salves through beverages to poisons. she allows herself a little vanity in the form of rose perfume.

[i]Metalworking:[/i] Tala can refine and cast metals. She is no smith however, and her skills are more fit to creating jewellry and some smaller, specialized items such as locks. She could repair and strengthen a blade, but she couldn’t create a good one from scratch.

[i]Machinery:[/i] Something the alchemist is studying in detail right now. She is good enough to create locks, components for firearms and the like, but her skill is not yet good enough to make delicate parts like clockwork, which is a requirement for the next rank in the guild.

[i]Combat:[/i] Tala isn’t as good in combat as most other wanderers, specializing more in supporting them with her alchemical equipment or acting as a scout where her ranged weapon and good sight come into play - when she is force dot combat in the first place. She is also apt at laying traps.

[b]Natural Abilities:[/b]

[i]Dexterity:[/i] Not on par with an elf but greater than that of a human, Tala has easier time dodging blows and overcoming obstacles.

[i]Archery:[/i] Due to in part to her heritage and part to her training, Tala is a spectacular marksman and can spot a target farther than most others.

[b]History:[/b]
A daughter of a farmer, Tala spent her childhood working on the field. Her mother died giving her birth, leaving her without a woman figure in her life. Naturally a bit lazy person, instead of slacking off Tala found herself ways to make her work easier, tinkering with the tools. Having no desire to live without his wife, not even for his child, Tala's father withered and perished in the following winter, leaving the 10 year old Tala orphaned.

Taken by an alchemist from the orphanage at the age of 14, Tala worked in the house as a maid, and often as extra pair of hands for the scientist. Inspired to study the art, she begged her master to teach her, but was shooed away as a ‘lowly peasant woman’. It wasn't until she took care of the rat problem in the house with a poison she made herself that her master reconsidered, reluctantly taking her as an apprentice.

He soon discovered the girl had natural talent for the job, partly due to her superior half elven intelligence and senses. When she reached the age of 16, Tala sold her neglected farm to the neighbors and used the money to craft her apprentice's ring finally gaining an official membership in the Alchemists' guild. She kept studying for another two years, passing the entry tests and gaining the rank of Journeyman. Bidding farewell to her master she left the house she came to call home to gain experience in the world.

In need of a job to keep financing her studies, food, clothing and shelter (in that order), Tala has been running around for a few months with local group of mercenaries, supplying them with poisons and medicinals along with occasionally joining them out in the field when the job required explosives and other things from her area of expertise. As a side job she also sold vanity items like perfumes on the markets when the group stayed in a town.

She has however grown weary of the band since not all of the jobs they sign on for are exactly legal, and the mercenaries are mostly male and giving her too many looks for comfort. Thus she started roaming Inns and taverns, listening if another opportunity would present itself.

[b]Equipment:[/b][list]

[*][i]Blitzkrieg:[/i] Her precious ballista. Resembling a crossbow with its looks, the arms on the weapon are actually wound up by torsion springs. This allows for the barrel to have a wider bore and for each arm to be winded separately, reducing the strength needed to do so. It takes bolts from gravity loaded magazine that can hold 5 bolts. The weapon has very precise sights that allow Tala to precisely hit a target at 60 meters and quite reliably up to 200. As far as ammunition goes, Tala carries armor piercing bolts in the magazines, and the folding stock of the weapon can hold 4 extra pieces that she usually reserves for specialized ammunition, such as poison rounds or the boomsticks.
[*][i]Hunting knife:[/i] a longer blade strong enough to hold Tala’s weight if for example embedded in a wall to be used to give her a boost. It can also be mounted on the front of the Blitzkrieg in a bayonet lock. There is a capillary slit running the length of the blade to hold poison if needed.
[*][i]Boomsticks:[/i] the halfling can use her alchemy in combat rather effectively. The sticks are shaped in a way that allows them to be fired from her weapon, albeit at greatly reduced range, or they can be used separately. Tala can manufacture various types, form explosive through shrapnel to smoke, along with different fuzes, such as contact or timed.
[*][i]Deck of cards:[/i] She carries a deck of cards around with her. Nobody know if or how the deck is marked or whether the girl is just a good player, but she wins more often than not. 
[/list]
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