Brewmasters of the Sacred Spring
Content Warning: Alcohol
I never cared much for alcohol. That being said, I would eat beer cheese off of my hand if no bread were available. I could cook with wine every day if the vintner were to keep it flowing. Of course, a dry sherry gives my Trufflehunter Treats precisely the crisp note it calls for. No, I never cared much for drinking alcohol, but when it comes to cooking, I love it very much!Before the practice of boiling drinking water was widely adopted, many people believed that beer was the only safe beverage to carry while adventuring. Though this strategy may have averted many digestive illnesses, alcohol-laden adventurers caused plenty of other of issues for themselves and others. Today, beer is no longer considered a trail ration, but brewed beverages still hold a special place in the hearts of many adventurers, in no small part due to the efforts of the Brewmasters of the Sacred Spring.
History
During the heyday of beer being treated as a necessary adventuring ration, an experienced brewer by the name of Shahnaz was not willing to rest on her laurels and produce keg after keg of uninspired brew. Mistress Shahnaz struck upon the theory that beer was not simply a way to improve water, but that better water would produce better beer. Passing off her brewery to her nephew, Shahnaz began to travel the land among the adventurers, sampling water nearly everywhere she went. This journey went as well as her peers had expected, and while fighting her fifth bout of gastric torment in as many months, a traveling companion brought her a loaf of barley bread to help settle her stomach. Though her stomach churned at the thought of eating, Shahnaz was shocked at the depth of flavor of the bread and devoured the entire loaf, before demanding to be taken to the town that grew such fine barley. A few days later, Shahnaz arrived in the town of Aurlaswellt and found fields of golden barley threaded with sparkling waters flowing down from the nearby mountain. She learned that the locals drank from their stream without fear, and the fields and livestock flourished as well. Shahnaz settled into a small hovel on the side of the mountain, where she began to collect fresh spring water and brew beer using the barley from Aurlaswellt. The beer that she produced was not only lauded for its fine flavor, but adventurers began to claim that they had been cured of diseases or curses after drinking it. Brewers from across the land flocked to Aurlaswellt to study Mistress Shahnaz's techniques, only to learn that her miraculous beer could not be reproduced. Today, the mountainside where Shahnaz's hovel once stood has been carved into the façade of a grand stone temple, protecting the heart of the wellspring now held to be sacred by brewmasters far and wide. The temple, known as the Hall of Golden Grain, is home to a host of beer brewers, distillers of whiskey and gin, and even apothecaries producing potions and medicines. The highly-trained acolytes of the temple are titled Brewmasters of the Sacred Spring, and are renowned as authorities of potioncraft as well as recreational beverages. In recent years, the Brewmasters have also welcomed vintners into the fold, and expanded their fellowship to include all who produce alcoholic products.Mission
The Brewmasters of the Sacred Spring pride themselves on their knowledge of medicines, potions, and beverages. Their guild motto, "May The Road Ever Rise To Greet You", was Mistress Shahnaz's favorite toast, taught to her by the residents of Aurlaswellt and passed on to every adventurer who ever purchased her beer. Though they are often associated with drunkenness, poor choices and bad behavior, Brewmasters of the Sacred Spring believe that all alcohol should be consumed in moderation, and always in the company of friends.Relationships
Though the Brewmasters of the Sacred Spring most often set up shop in settlements and seldom travel into the wilds with adventuring parties, they enjoy a friendly relationship with most other guilds as they are the first to be called upon when there are events to be celebrated or commemorated.Hagbane Bakers
More than any other guild, the Hagbane Bakers find themselves in a position of rivalry with the Brewmasters, frequently competing for resources like grain and sugar. Though this is widely considered to be a "friendly rivalry", one might believe otherwise if they overheard a Baker and a Brewmaster trying to shout over each other at the market.House of Scythe and Rake
The Reapers of the House of Scythe and Rake typically hold the Brewmasters of the Sacred Spring in high regard. Though some of the products of Brewmasters may use animal products in their filtering or fining, or contain milk or honey, many of their potions and beverages are considered acceptable to even the most discerning Reapers.The Keepers
The Brewmasters of the Sacred Spring work more closely with The Keepers than any other guild. Many concoctions produced by the Brewmasters are invaluable in the efforts to clean and preserve artifacts, and various alcohols can serve to preserve fruit.Meatshields
The "liquid courage" offered by Brewmasters is legendary among Meatshields, but also treated with caution. Hunting the largest beasts the land has to offer is a dangerous task, and one slip can spell disaster for an entire adventuring party. Thus, Meatshields know not to indulge in the offerings of the Brewmasters until after their quarry has fallen.
May The Road Ever Rise To Greet You
Type
Guild, Craftsmen
Leader
by Dream by app.wombo.art/
It's such a great article, full of fun little details. My absolute favorite has to be the line that, "alcohol-laden adventurers caused plenty of other of issues for themselves and others." And I bet they did! The idea of potion-brewers also being, as you put it, recreational brewing expert, is a brilliant one, and one that makes a lot of sense. I wonder what kind of magic alcohol they might come up with next? :D
Creator of Araea, Megacorpolis, and many others.