The Animus Assembly

Description

The Animus Assembly is a collective of artificers, inventors and arcano-mechanical savants founded by Faephina Tinkertoggle, the gnomish adventurer. Built upon the belief that arcane innovation should be accessible and dynamic, the Assembly goal is to bridge the gap between science and sorcery.
Members of the Assembly range from clockwork-obsessed apprentices to seasoned inventors with entire patents to their name. The guild's headquarters is The Heatwake Foundry in Tordelvar (North), however memebrs are not expected to solely work out there and can be found across Concordia.

Structure

Chief Artifex. The Chief Artifex is the driving force behind the Assembly. They oversee the direction of the guild's most ambitious projects, approve the excecution of high-risk experiements, and manage Assembly-wide initiatives.
Alchemist / Armswright / Machinarch / Platesmith. Apprentices who prove themselves either through innovation, peer review, or the development of successful prototypes can be promoted to one of these positions. Each title is used to denote a guild member's specalism:

• Alchemist. Alchemists are experts at combining reagents to produce mystical effects.
• Armswright. Armswrights use magic and science to create weapons which can hurl energy, projectiles and explosions across a battlefield.
• Machinarch. Machinarchs are artificers who craft constructs and are experts at repairing both materiel and personnel.
• Platesmith. Platesmiths are artificers who specialise in armour and armour modifications.

Within the guild, these veteran members are at the forefront of their fields, conducting exciting, new research and crafting magic items with unique abilities or functionality. Regardless of specialism, all alchemists, armswrights, machinarchs, and platesmiths have access to the following:

• Artificer Services. While at The Heatwaker Foundry in Tordelvar (North), you have access to artificers, who can cast spells up to 3rd-level and cover the cost of any material components.
• Authority. You have authoriy to employ up to three apprentices to aid you in your research, experiements and item crafting.
• Assets. You have access to coin, mundane equipment, transport (horses and carts), and minor magic items owned by the guild.
• Connections. You are able to access the records and means of communication of all other members of the guild, catergorised by title and specalism.
• Resources. You have access to equipment and materials (including specialist materials) at The Heatwaker Foundry and a 25% discount on all goods and services.
• Training. You are able to undertake training to gain expertise in Alchemist's Supplies, Smith's Tools, Thieves' Tools, Tinker's Tools, or Woodcarver's Tools; proficiency in any other artisan's tool; profiency in Firearms, and proficiency the following skills: Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, or Sleight of hand.

Apprentice. Apprentices are entry-level members of the guild. Their ranks are made up of budding amateurs as a well as recent graduates of Faerndaar with an interest in artifice. Apprentices have access to the following:

• Artificer Services. While at The Heatwaker Foundry in Tordelvar (North), you have access to artificers, who can cast spells up to 2nd-level and cover the cost of any material components.
• Resources. You have access to equipment and materials at The Heatwaker Foundry and a 10% discount on all goods and services.
• Training. You are able to undertake training to gain proficiency in any artisan's tool and the following skills: Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, or Sleight of hand.

Additional Perks

Compensation. The Assembly offers payment for research, commissions, prototypes, field testing, and accepted inventions. Pay begins at 100gp and scales based on risk and success. Field missions for testing gear often carries high danger, but equally high reward.
Identification. Each member carries a brass coin, emblazened with the guild's logo on the front and records their name, current rank, and any patents or inventions registered to them on the back.

Culture

Admission. Prospective members must either pass the Assembly’s entrance challenge, comprising both a practical invention and theoretical defense, or be invited by a Alchemist, Armswright, Machinarch, Platesmith with the Chief Artifex's approval.
Collaboration. Projects are rarely solo affairs. Members are expected to contribute to team builds, mentor apprentices, and share schematics with each other (within reason).
Safety. The Assembly encourages risk-taking, but demands safety protocols be followed. Unauthorised explosions will result in reprimand and possible demotion, or explusion.

History

The Animus Assembly was founded following Faephina Tinkertoggle’s twentith year running The Heatwaker Foundry. Firmly believing that bureaucracy is, “the murderer of innovation,” she established and privately funded the guild to better allow inventors to push boundaries whilst also giveing members a network to support eachother with the legal and ethical sides of their passion.
The Assembly began attracting budding artificers very quickly, eventually with people from across Concordia seeking to join. Over its first five years, the Assembly was credited with creating a series of magical metals (including covolt, drakesteel and solaria), which the foundry used to craft magic items, further boosting the Assembly's name.
While still young, the Assembly's influence has grown quickly. Its blend of magical ingenuity and mechanical audacity is changing how Concordia sees invention - not as a niche curiosity, but as firm part of the future of magic and its practical applications.

Founding Date

493 ER

Type

Guild, Craftsmen

Alternative Names

The Assembly

Leader

Faephina Tinkertoggle

Location

Tordelvar North

Notable Members

• Tordrid Glanhig