The renaissance period saw important changes in Europe. Many works of art were created by painters, scholars and architects alike. New ideas emerged. European courts lead a sumptuous existence and Princes from all over the Continent become great patrons of the arts. There were some very mysterious people also living during this age. These alchemists were trying their best to discover the Philosopher's Stone, the secret of transmuting "base metal" into gold. They lived in the deepest recesses of the European castles, working night and day in secret laboratories sponsored by the aforementioned Princes. These men - part scholars, part scientists - were versed in Alchemy, a form of chemisty especially concerned with trying to discover a way of changing ordinary metals (such as lead) into gold. They were great travellers as well; they visited the major European universities in search of forgotten scrolls or formulae.
But they were watched and hunted by the Inquisition!
Each player plays an alchemist and two of his assistants; who travel around Europe in search of secret scrolls which will enable them to perform a transmutation. They must gather all the secret scrolls of an alchemical family (Earth, Moon or Sun) and create the long coveted gold.
But they must hurry! other players can steal their scrolls and hinder their movements. They can also discover their secret laboratory and reveal its location the the Inquisition! The Inquisitor searches Europe's cities for the locations of these secret laboratories. He can arrest an alchemist, send him to prison and destroy his scrolls. The player who first obtains 5 gold ingots becomes the Grand Alchemist (thus winning the game).