Guilds of Egrecia

As a merchant republic, almost all the facilities and services in Egrecia are overseen by a guild - independent parties of like-minded merchants, artisans, and politicians. Each guild could be considered to have their own subculture - only loosely connected only under the flag of Egreica.

Initiation

Guild membership is synonymous with citizenship, so every inhabitant is pressured to join one of the various guilds - else they lose work oppurtunities and the city's protection. Membership is given through birthright; any child born under a member's name automatically qualifies. Otherwise, if they either were born outside the city or seek to join another guild (which is usually taboo), they are at the mercy of that guild's entry qualifications.

Initiation for most guilds is fairly simple; usually, the initiate needs to prove that they can contribute to the guild - be it as a craftsman, trader, or other role. Once the guildmaster approves, they are signed into the guild under a contract for either years or lifetimes (e.g, the recruit's progeny are also obligated). While under contract, the guild reserves a sizable portion of their earnings. Although some guild contracts are reputed to be oppressive, the most important benefit is that the guild is legally responsible for the recruit's well-being and success(to what extent, is..highly interpretable). Regardless, membership is vital for any Egrecian; without it, they would lose most, if not all, oppurtunities for advancement and education.

Culture

Each guild has their own unique identity, most apparent in their sigil - a symbol that shows outsiders what property, craft, or member belongs to that guild. These sigils are dated to be extremely old, with the earliest ones - such as the Harvesters and the Shipwrights - dating even back to Egrecia's independence.

Each guild is also loosely tied to one of the six gods. Worship is encouraged in every guild's tenets, but the form this takes varies guild to guild. Some turn to ritual, while others believe more in daily actions.

Of course, tensions amongst the guilds can become incredibly strained. Tensions commonly rise either through disagreements amongst denominations of a single god, or through the competitve trade environment of Egrecia. As a result, underhanded professions, such as spies and asassins, thrive in the city. And of course, there is a high demand for counter-espionage. To this day, there is an underground war bubbling beneath High Town.