One of the most impressive aspects ofGame of Thronesis its long list of competing interests. Countless noble families are fighting for power, but religious groups, assassins' guilds, ancient orders, and mysterious indigenous species consistently join the fray. When Stannis Baratheon came knocking at the Lannisters' palace doors, they called upon the wisdom of the Alchemists' Guild to send the entire army to the bottom of the sea.
The land ofWesteros has a rich and fascinating historybehind every event. The main characters can hardly sit in a chair without getting a lecture about how some genocidal maniac used mythical creatures to butcher a million innocents. Many elements of the story are shadows of their former selves, but their remaining embers stay important.
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Where did the Alchemist’s Guild come from?
Little is known about the early days of the Alchemist’s Guild. They predate the noble families of Westeros and all the events of the story. Alchemists were spoken of in the mythic Age of Heroes. This period wasn’t recorded in books. It’s only remembered in songs, paintings, and spoken histories. The Age of Heroes beganwhen the First Menfinally found peace with the indigenous Children of the Forest. A treaty brought thousands of years of war to an end. This era was packed with rising stars, new challengers, and endless fanciful stories that would go on to entertain Westeros for generations. Alchemists were known for their rumored magical prowess and great stores of knowledge. Adult members of the Alchemist’s Guild became known as wisdoms.
The Alchemist’s Guild has long been a friend of House Targaryen. According to the books, they were hired by King Aegon IV Targaryen. Aegon the Unworthy wanted mechanical dragons to replace the extinct winged beasts that his ancestors used to rule the world. He dreamed of conquering Dorne, but his plan failed just asevery other attempt to take Dornehad before. The alchemists obliged, but one of their engines exploded, forcing him to give up that idea. The show depicts the Alchemist’s Guild’srelationship with the Targaryensstarting much earlier. Maegor the Cruel was said to hire the alchemists to help with conflicts too small to bring out dragons. They remained part of the Targaryen’s retinue until Prince Aerion drank their mysterious substance to become one of their favorite monsters. It killed him, leading House Targaryen to abandon their long-lived patronage of the Alchemist’s Guild.
What is the Alchemist’s Guild capable of?
The Alchemists were known as pyromancers for their most beloved gift. Alchemists were the only ones who could create wildfire, an extremely volatile flammable liquid. Wildfire is the most potent explosive in Westeros. When ignited, it burns so hot that water cannot extinguish it. Alchemists called wildfire “the Substance” and warned users heavily of its inherent danger. Wildfire fueled Aegon the Unworthy’s mechanical dragons. Maegor the Cruel wanted a comfortable weapon to wield against small rebellions. He used wildfire tokeep his dragons freeand healthy while still ruling with an iron fist. Without dragons, the Targaryens became more reliant on wildfire, eventually leading to the Guild’s downfall.
In the earlydays of Robert’s Rebellion, King Aerys II Targaryen devised a contingency plan in case his family lost the Iron Throne. The Mad King grew obsessed with wildfire, using it to drive off winter, execute traitors, and torture those who plotted against him. Rickard Stark was executed by wildfire. Aerys tasked three skilled members of the Alchemist’s Guild with creating a massive stockpile of wildfire so that he could destroy King’s Landing at a moment’s notice. The Hand of the King opposed him, so Aerys burned him to death. When Jamie Lannister killed the Mad King, he tracked down his three wisdoms to bury them with him.
What happened to the Alchemist’s Guild?
Aerys’s chosen wisdoms were important members of the Alchemist’s Guild. They never recovered from the lack of leadership.Cersei Lannister commissioned thecreation of an enormous stockpile of wildfire, making them feel useful for the first time in decades. In the book, she used it to burn down the Tower of the Hand to punish her brother Tyrion for killing her father Tywin. In the show, Tyrion greets the Alchemist’s Guild personally to request their services for himself. Tyrion later loads wildfire onto an empty ship and sends it out to greet Stannis Baratheon’s army. The resulting explosion delays Stannis long enough for Tywin and Ser Loras Tyrell to arrive and win the battle.
The Alchemist’s Guild claims to possess knowledge that noother scholar can access. They’re at least partially correct. Their access to wildfire makes them valuable to the myopic nobles that own the world until it dares to bite one of them. Pyromancers seem to want nothing more than the chance to serve. They do what they’re told, no matter how bad of an idea their orders are. They should serve as a lesson to other groups under corrupt leaders. Maybe if they’d turned their wildfire against their leaders, they’d still be around today.
