The Guild of Adventurers

This is for OpenQuest and is in the upcoming, updated version of Life & Death.

A rag tag group of tomb raiders, thugs for hire, dubious sorcerers and all manner of social misfits who would rather go down a long abandoned underground complex risking danger and death in search of fame and fortune than do an honest days work.  Early on in the days of the profession someone thought it best to create a Guild to manage its members, provide some sort of ethical backbone and curb some of the worst excesses of its members in civilised areas (outright theft, banditry, kidnapping, murder etc).

 The lower ranks of the Guild, affectionately known as the Rabble, are sent on quests alongside more experienced members into long lost ruins of the Lion Empire and other civilisations that came before it. Their rewards are mainly the material: the Gold and Gems that make up the majority of the loot. The more experienced members take their share as the exotic items rumoured to be imbued with ancient magics.

Purpose in the World:

  • Provide employment for its members.

  • Mediation in disputes over treasure.

  • Provide some sort of professional guidelines and ethical guidelines.

Membership Requirements: Some sort of drive and desire to be a full time working adventurer with skills in the 35% range for whatever demonstrable talents be it Close Combat, Ranged Combat, Battle Magic Casting or Deception that will allow the character to pursue this career.  Having their own set of arms and armour also helps.

Ranks:

  1. Rabble: The mass of the unproven, the unworthy and the desperate hangers on.

  2. Journey people: Those who have been on a successful adventure and have come back with riches and to tell the tale.

  3. Teachers: Experienced adventurers, who have given up active exploration for the safer occupation of teaching the lower ranks. Requirement 2 Guild skills at 85%.

  4. Lieutenants: Active members of the Guild, who still go on expeditions but mainly help the Guild master/mistress in the day to day running of the Guild. Also act as Enforcers punishing errant members. Requirement 3 Guild Skils over 75%, including one combat skill.

  5. Guild Master/Mistress: The head of the Guild. Requirement 3 Guild Skills over 95%, plus the raw ability to run the Guild, with all its devious infighting and powerful external enemies.

Guild Skills: Ranged Combat, Close Combat, Ride, Unarmed Combat, Healing, Perception, Dodge.

Guild Magic:Heal, Protection, Enhance Weapon, Coordination. Detect Magic, Detect Enemies.

Member Duties:

  • Undertake at least one Guild sponsored adventure per year.

  • Surrender magic items found on Guild sponsored adventures to Guild Mistress upon request.

Member benefits:

Safe Houses: In all of the five cities the Guild has made it a priority to set up Safe Houses where its members can hide from the local forces of law and order.  Safe houses also provide free food and lodging and free healing (up to Heal 3).

Fencing of Goods: The Guild quickly establishes links with the local black economy, allowing its members to sell most artefacts found on expeditions quickly and quietly.

Secret:

The Guild is actually a front organization for a group of magicians known as the Red Hand Gang. More talented and useful guild members are recruited into the Gang proper and the current  Guild Mistress and her second in command are both Gang Members. The Gang uses the Guild to mount adventures to hidden caches of ancient magical items.

One thought on “The Guild of Adventurers

  1. This is a cool idea. It certainly embeds the meta idea of adventurer into the setting/adventure. I’d be tempted to change the secret depending on what I was feeling like at the time. Lovecraftian dead gods, anyone?

    But then that’s the strength of this, right? You can add or subtract as needed.

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