Demosthenes is an enigmatic God; the brother of Ishtar, he dedicates himself to researching the secrets of the World. From the earliest accounts, he was always taking things apart and putting them back together again.
He did not take an interest in politics and remained totally neutral throughout the Darkness and Chaos Wars. He appears in many legends as a source of rumour, Knowledge and obscure questions. He brewed the intoxicating Nectar for the Gods and the healing elixir Ambrosia. It was after consulting with Demosthenes that Selene discovered or created Moon and Than devised the vile Head spell.
These acts caused some anger among the Gods but the Alchemist demonstrated his neutrality by advising Neibelung on the fashioning of the Dwarves and researching the Head of Than for Rhadamanthus. He questioned Rhadamanthus and Humakt after all their quests and thereby learnt much of the World, though in exasperation they sometimes refused to answer him.
He was interested in all things, but particularly the origins of Chaos and its connections with Darkness, and both their links with the Moon.
He researched deeply into the nature of elements and it was upon his advice that the elements were allocated their places in the calendar and the cyclic nature of Time was so wrought.
For this alone he deserves respect from the Gods, for it was his hand that scribed the Great Pact that all the gods signed to end the Chaos Wars and Godtime.
It can never be said that an Alchemist cares for power, but only in knowledge for its own sake. However, cultists are widely respected for their various skills. Brewers, apothecaries and scribes all fulfil necessary functions within society. Sages appear to be solitary, introverted figures and are often ridiculed yet should an expert opinion be sought on a particular matter of lore, then the relevant sage is the person to turn to for a comprehensive analysis. The Alchemists themselves, of course, are the only people to bring an artefact to when it is desired to ascertain its purpose and function; their services are expensive, but necessary, the Examination usually long and thorough.
His cult is basically dedicated to knowledge skills and research, but several sub-cults have developed. First, the Brewers specialise in producing alcoholic drinks and the many establishments for the purveyance of such, the Brewers are the most worldly of the Demosthenes cultists but still serve as local repositories of Knowledge, Wisdom and always seek after strange tales by travellers.
The Apothecaries serve as vendors for medicines and herbs of strange properties and also as buyers, sellers and valuators of strange and unusual objects. The scribes perform a valued service in a society where literacy is rare, they read and write for others, and also draw-up legal documents, record histories, make maps and serve as professional linguists.
Finally the sages are often lone individuals who pursue some highly specialised aspect of knowledge.
While Scribes are generalists, Sages are specialists and are often nobles pursuing what was once a hobby or passing interest to the point of obsession. Above these are the true alchemists who conduct original research having risen above the most mundane aspects of the cult.
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