Alchemy
From Constructed worlds
Alchemy, ancient art practiced especially in the Middle Ages, devoted chiefly to discovering a substance that would transmute the more common metals into gold or silver and to finding a means of indefinitely prolonging human life. Although its purposes and techniques were dubious and often illusory, alchemy was in many ways the predecessor of modern science, especially the science of chemistry.
[edit] Alchemy roles governments
Alchemy as a government would have it's advantages and disadvantages. The Alchemists would rule with an iron fist and their leader would command them to make gold for themselves and sharing it with only the leader.
