The origins of the Honourable Fellowship of Artificers go back to
312 (Cambrian Reckoning) when a group of public spirited magic users met in the
Reetland capital of
Coranan to consider how arcane magic could be put be put to better use
in helping Reetland society, having in mind in particular using magic in public works. They took their
inspiration from some of the great Dwarven smiths and engineers who found it second nature
to use magic in their works although rarely highlighting it.
In their early years despite many successful applications of their magic they gained something of a dubious reputation. This was mostly because of their research arm and mostly because they had a tendency to blend
alchemy with conventional magic. Also many other magical societies were not at all sure about the
concept of asking whether magic was 'useful' and tended to look askance at what the artificers were doing.
In 521, however, they successfully lobbied for a course in their particular brand of magic to be set up
at the University of Coranan which also covered alchemy and engineering. This prompted more controversy
about whether universities should teach 'practical' i.e. useful subjects rather than pure knowledge.
In 599, after a somewhat unfortunate explosion in a research laboratory, the unversity expelled the artificers from
its their campus and curriculum citing student safety although none had actually been caught up in the incident. The course had been a popular one, however, and the university retained much
of its content now offering full degrees in Alchemy or Engineering.
The artificers decided to change their name from the Society Of Artificers to the Honourable Fellowship of Artificers
to help live down the scandal and in a peace offering to the university decided to accept the degrees being
offered as a basis for membership (as an apprentice) to the Fellowship.
In 829, however, the Fellowship was involved in further trouble when a bridge being built under their auspices
collapsed killing several workers. This might have been forgotten by history but was still firmly in the public's
mind several years later when the creation of The Waste in
Cambria led to a far reaching review of magic in Reetland society. As one of the
smaller magical organisations (and one without the connections of the larger societies) the Artificers did not
have much influence over the result. In the end they kept their independence but only at the cost of agreeing
that their intake should have degrees in both Alchemy and Engineering.
The long years of study have made the Fellowship difficult to join for any student without supportive parents
although in the current century a number of scholarships and grants have become available from the Fellowship. For the dedicated, however,
it has become increasingly a well thought of and well remunerated profession. A new development that concerns
some both within and outside the profession is for the military to provide scholarships for research despite
the ban in Reetland regarding using arcane magic in warfare.