Society of freemen and adventurers in Silverthorne operate with their specialized focusas organized in the forms of Guilds. Each guild of the 10 guilds specializes in the tasks related to their purview as ascribed by the crown. What these guilds provide is detailed below, but all Members of a Guild have the ability to sell the goods of their own Guild without the need of a Writ or receive payment for a service provided by that Guild. Traveling merchants or a member selling their wares in another Guild’s territory will be taxed by the Guild that they are part of upon return to their hometown. It is recommended that each merchant keep a personal record of these sales in case there is an audit. This will ensure that a merchant is not taxed twice on their wares while traveling.
While these guilds are what travelers will most often see in the Kingdom of Silverthorne, variations are also seen within other kingdoms as well. Their functions may be similar, but you will have to explore there to find out.
Artisan
This small but wealthy Guild deals in the buying and selling of all crafted goods within the Kingdom. They cannot sell anything that is not made by a crafter.
Luxuries
This small but wealthy Guild deals in the buying and selling of foods, alcohol, and luxury goods such as books, artwork, furs, satins, silks, high quality goods, etc. This Guild also has Access to professional entertainers and is able to host tournaments (such as gambling or other games of chance). If a Bard does not wish to join House Jakoric they are able to sell their services with membership to this Guild. Many of the smaller taverns and pubs also belong to this Guild.
Mercenaries
Membership to this Guild is available to bands consisting of Freemen. Individuals can register separately and become a member of a “Free Company”, but usually are part of a named group consisting of at least four members. This group registers to the Mercenaries Guild as a band with an appointed captain and lieutenant with a list of band members. Each band’s leaders are held responsible for the actions of their members. Larger towns often have several competing bands in the Guild. Only the Captain or Lieutenant of a company can request a job from the Guild.
New mercenary companies are formed when a Guild Head or Second reports the formation and membership of a company to House Toevass. Mercenary companies must have four members when formed, a captain, a lieutenant and two members. Once a company is in Toevass’s records the Captain or Lieutenant of that company can report changes directly to Toevass as their membership needs updating. If a Company falls below the 4 member minimum, Toevass will issue a warning and the company has 2 moons to gain membership or they will no longer be an eligible company and will be removed from the roster.
Charities & Healers
Membership to this Guild is available to Freemen (and peasants with their Thane’s permission). Members of this very small Guild strive to better the conditions of the less-fortunate. Income and respect for this organization varies from region to region and at the whim of local Nobles.
Mages
Membership to this Guild is available to all Freeman who can do magic. This Guild deals in the arcane arts. The existence of this oldest of Guilds is not so much by choice but by the decree of the first King of Silverthorne. The King’s Law forces all persons practicing magic to be registered with the Mages Guild, unless they are clearly registered as an Arcanist within House Toevass. This Guild is watched carefully. Those with magical abilities who avoid registration, or refuse membership and are caught casting, are called Rogue Mages and are automatically considered to have committed an act of Treason. Penalties for Rogue Mages are harsh and execution is the typical punishment. It is the duty of the House DeVris Mage Hunters to police the populace and register anyone capable of casting.
It is an old tradition within the Mages Guild that the Local Head is called “Archon”. Recently other names have become more commonly known as the Thanedom Head is called a “Magus” and their second is called “Archon” as the second of the Thanedom is politically as powerful as the Local Head, so they share a title to distinguish that.
Diviners
The Members of this Guild are often looked on with wonder. The King formed this Guild to keep track of the people giving out information. While the official headquarters lies in Silverthorne City many of the best diviners can be found in Gateway.
Makers
This Guild is primarily run by Gnomes and is headquartered within Castellion. Peasants may join as workers. The Members of this Guild are fairly well-off as this Guild encompasses Carpenters, Masons, road crews and Shipwrights. Nothing of size gets built without their involvement. Contracts are typically arranged through the Guild Head.
Scouts & Foresters
Membership to this Guild is available to Freemen (and peasants with their Thane’s permission). Members of this small and poor Guild continuously scout throughout the Kingdom for threats such as invaders, monsters, etc. Members earn money by guiding people from one area to another or the bits they harvest from creatures.
Transit
This Guild encompasses not only the teamsters with their wagons but also the mercantile fleet of ships and messengers. Letters and packages are handled by this guild. Members can use their Influence to reduce their travel time.
Underworld
Membership to this non-public and highly illegal Guild is available to anyone after they have been reviewed by a Head of the Guild and accepted into its ranks. Within the Guild there are three branches of services that are offered, but they are all still a single Guild that falls under one local head. The three branches are: Assassins, Smugglers and Thieves.
Most members of this underworld organization are thieves and scoundrels who have banded together to better survive and operate while breaking the laws of the kingdom. They function as contacts and allies for each other in an effort to outwit and hide from Constables, Guard and agents of House Jakoric and Devris. Those working outside of this Guild may soon find themselves in trouble with the Guild if working in an area claimed by the Guild.
The Smugglers branch of the guild specializes in moving, hiding, and selling goods that are too hot to keep in town. They are also responsible for the majority of the guilds piracy, banditry, or other acts of theft that take place outside of a town. Most smugglers tend to work in “crews” or “gangs” as the actions they perform often require multiple people. Most crews or gangs are formed under the leadership of a single individual who reports to the guild boss, getting assistance from the other branches when necessary, tips on upcoming targets, and help planning an operation. In return the gang leader pays a portion of the haul of each job to the underworld boss.
Assassins are usually the smallest branch of the guild, the Assassins branch is responsible for the security of the guild, as well as providing skilled muscle for an operation or in the event of a guild war with a rival underworld guild. This branch of the guild also contains specialized individuals who can deal with “problems” to the guild quietly and discreetly should the need arise.