In those ancient days, when the Calling was still in its infancy, the people believed a price was exacted for whatever was taken from the earth. Whenever metal, crystal or gem was removed and used for man’s purpose a price was paid. A smithy lost a limb, metallurgists were quickly, or if unlucky not so quickly, poisoned and the balance was restored. The ancient gods would not be appeased until that harmony was met in the form of sacrifice.

Soon, the purification and transmutation of the earthly material became connected with the purification and transmutation of the practitioners of the Calling. This led our ancient brethren on a search for the ultimate refinement, that of turning baser metals into the most perfect material known to them, gold. However, this search morphed into the practitioners wanting to purify their baser selves. They wanted the ultimate refinement of their person. They sought immortality. Therefore, the elusive quest for the Philosopher’s Stone was born.

In our ancient pasts, there was born four brothers. They came from two powerful alchemical families merging in Arabia. The brothers were very different in that they were gifted by the gods. Well, that is what the ancients believed and today we call them psychic. Each brother held opposing core beliefs as to how one was to learn and practice the Calling and develop his, until now, latent talent. It came to be that none could live with the other any longer and so they split. Asliraf was the eldest and he stayed in the country that they were born. Enam was second born. He went west to Egypt where he built up his own practice and school. On was third in line and he chose to go east. He went to the place we now call China and settled there. The youngest of the siblings, Lleu went to Gaul. He was closest to their eldest brother in his beliefs, yet he felt he too should go and make way. His descendants ended up in what is today called Ireland.

There are many factions now, the beliefs of the brothers have fractured and morphed into something not even they would recognize. The Egyptian faction is known to be strict in following the oldest of their teachings. They have become stagnant and do not allow for growth. The Chinese faction is just as closed, but they are not as strict. They grow, but are secretive. The Arabian faction is obsolete now. There are very few who can even secretly practice the Calling there. However, the faction of Lleu, although not the largest, is the strongest. They have grown in powers, which would rival even the much larger Chinese faction.

(read more about The Crucible on the next page)

I am unique in that I come from two of the brothers’ line. My father is British, but he descends from Lleu. From my mother, I have a direct line to On. I belong to the secret society of The Crucible and am a recent addition to the Disciples Sect.