Guilds exist within the Material Plane (and maybe, beyond?) to help bring together those that have the same goals, aspirations, and beliefs. Guilds also exist to be a source of seeking out help for specific needs, and where those who are looking for specific work that meets their talents.
Examples:
- A small community is facing a threat from an Owlbear and its family taking their livestock.
- A wizard lost communication to its Tryssem, and needs the aid of another Wizard to help re-establish a connection to the familiar.
- A recently discovered temple, with unknown writing and glyphs, has been discovered. A group of scholars are looking for brave people to helm an exploration through the temple.
- A royal is looking for additional guards for a fancy banquet that is celebrating their daughter's 16th birthday, and there's been a threat issued to the entire family.
Here are some of the major Guilds in Shiran:
The Adventurer's Guild
The Adventurer's Guild exists to offer aid, exploration, and... well... adventure! Throughout the world, the Adventurer's Guild is there to help those who need to hire individual people or teams to aid the people of the land. The Adventurer's Guild is widely respected and well-connected, having major establishments in all the kingdoms, major cities, and even some well-known towns. The jobs posted at the Adventurer's Guild are usually lawfully aligned, looking to help improve the lives of the people (or persons).
Legend says that the Ancient, Nameless Hero, who traveled across all of the world looking to help those in need and bring peace to wherever he went, was the founder of the Adventurers' Guild.
Anyone can join the Adventurer's Guild, but the jobs that one can get there are determined by their rank within the Guild. When a person (or group) joins the Adventurer's Guild, they begin at the lowest rank. They can move up through the ranks by the number of jobs that they do, the difficulty of the jobs, and special accommodations. The ranks of the Adventurer's Guild are:
- Copper
- Iron
- Silver
- Gold
- Mythril
- Platinum
- Adamantine
Crimson Brigade Guild
When a job comes to the Adventurer's Guild, and it's deemed too... questionable, people would then tend to turn to the Crimson Brigade. They'll take the jobs that might be morally gray, or even downright evil, so long as the money is right. The Crimson Brigade takes a larger cut of the reward than other Guilds, and if the job fails, they'll renounce any association with you. Also, jobs can be taken by multiple people and teams, but the payout will only go to the one who completes it. But the money could be worth it for the kind of jobs found here. The Crimson Brigade guild halls can be found in all of the kingdoms and in some of the major cities.
To join the Crimson Brigade, either a signing fee, a recommendation from an existing member, or a successful "trial job" needs to be done. There is no ranking system, no way to know a member from one to another, except for a single hand signal.
Example jobs:
- Working as an escort for a noble through hostile territory ensured that there would be violence on the road.
- Gather evidence against an individual to prove that they are committing treason. How you get that information, the client doesn't want to know.
- A young woman ran away with a suave pirate. "Persuade" the pirate to leave her, and bring her back to her family.
- An ambitious politician is looking to draw attention away from a personal matter. Set incriminating evidence in another kingdom that there are foul plans for invasion.
Astral Stars Guild
With a high focus on the magical, and mystical, and trying to solve the mysteries of the universe, the Astral Stars Guild is where payments are typically extremely high, but the loss of limb, life, or getting lost within the multiverse is also extremely high. Members of the Astral Stars, while very ambitious in their search, tend to also be very eager to share their discoveries. Only those who have some devious alternatives tend to hide their knowledge from other guild members. There are Astral Stars Guilds in Meolon, Xarin, Onyx Crest, and Occu'lgon, as well as a couple of very prosperous cities.
To join the Astral Stars Guild, one needs to be highly magically inclined (Wizard, Sorcerer, Bard, or Warlock), or have a team member who is one. They will need to pass a test set by the Guildmaster of the hall that they are at. Once a member, they are assigned a rank. The rank helps determine the levels of research available and the level of jobs that they can take. The ranks are:
- Ruby
- Emerald
- Sapphire
- Opal
- Amethyst
- Diamond
- Prismatic
Primal Hunters Guild
Hunting rare, exotic, and extremely dangerous creatures is all that the Primal Hunters Guild is about. Looking to hunt a Golden Griffon, or capture a Bicorn from the Nine Hells? How about stealing a scale from an Ancient Gold Dragon? The Primal Hunters Guild is here for you. Requests come to this guild usually from those who are being tormented by a rare creature and it needs to be vanquished. On rare occasions, a request comes in from a noble looking for a prize that they can flaunt. Members of this guild typically don't care much for the reason, as long as the hunt is rare and exciting.
The Primal Hunter's guild is unique, in that they have only one guild hall in the Onyx Crest.
To join the Primal Hunter's Guild, you'll need to pay a small registration fee and complete an initial hunt that is overseen by one of the Predators, the highest level of Hunter (underneath the Guildmaster). Once you're a member of the guild, you can rise in the ranks by completing jobs. The more rare and dangerous the job, the quicker you move in the ranks. The ranks are:
- Tracker
- Trapper
- Hunter
- Stalker
- Warden
- Predator
There are many other Guilds within the world, that have a focus for specialization in different things such as Metalworking, Smithing, Tanning, Scribing, Performance, and others. If you are skilled enough, you might find Guilds that are hidden in the secrets of the universe or the shadows of society. Ask what kind of Guild you are searching for, and what kind of job you are looking to do.