The Guildhalls of Korak

Koraketh worship in the guildhalls of Korak, also known by members as the Halls of the Grand Wright. Nearly every artisan who worships the gods of the tree belongs to a guildhall. Most who make their living through works of the hand (see below) consider their guildhall their “home” church, even if they pay respects to other members of the pantheon. Thus, guildhalls are cornerstones of every community. The guildhalls, and the entirety of the Koraketh faith, exist to do: to work, and make things. The guildhalls aid those who need advice to complete massive projects and offer supplies when possible. They provide mediation between artisans in professional disputes, make sure apprentices aren’t abused by their masters, and collaborate with community leaders on public works. The Koraketh keep clear of political struggles, and anything else that might distract them from their work.
Dedication to actual work in their community, and an intimate involvement in the goings-on of local artisans, make the Koraketh so popular that many towns don’t have individual guilds for coopers, thatcher's, masons, smiths, or other trades. Instead, they all meet within the guildhalls of Korak, which happily makes space available for such purposes. Korak favors the guildhalls and goes to them when he walks the mortal sphere, when he’s not wooing Thellyne. Although the Compact forbids him from directly teaching his faithful or giving them great powers to pursue his ends, nearly all the gods communicate with their churches through signs and portents. Thus, Korak delivers guidance as a blind old man, or a young artisan hoping to be taught a lesson or two. In this fashion, he observes the Koraketh and teaches them lessons through parables and hands-on examples.
Korak dearly loves those who live for artisanship. He believes Koraketh serve the highest calling any mortal can: perfecting the works of the hand. Therefore, the most powerful of Koraketh receive aid from their god in times of need, and the Forger of Souls always watches over them.

Tenets of Faith

“It is the fool who believes himself above work. It is the greater fool who works to no purpose.”
—from the sermons of the Most Excellent and Venerable Master, Wise Brother Grathor Twicecut, Supreme Maker and Master Wright of the Guildhalls of Korak

The guildhalls of Korak preach creative and useful work above all else. They say the Grand Wright despises the lazy. Each order in the church has its own interpretation of Korak’s teachings, but all three agree: He loves those who live by the sweat of their brows, and loathes those who sit back and let others work for them. The guildhalls also hold, however, one must not build for no purpose, or simply for the pleasure of building, as it is easy to manipulate one into doing evil with the thing created. Thus, one must always consider who will use his creation—who will carry the sharp sword, or live in the impregnable tower. Those who make and build must be ever vigilant that their creations do not fall into evil hands. Thus, many worshipers of Korak liberate holy sites, cleanse evil-tainted ancient cities, and restore lost homes. There are also those of the church who protect the great works of past artisans to ensure they never fall into evil hands.
In day-to-day life, the worshipers of Korak follow these simple laws:
• Never be hesitant to dirty your hands in labor, no matter high you rise, no matter how noble you are acclaimed to be. Every day, work.
• Do not hoard beauty. If you hold the magnificent work of artisans, let others behold it when it is safe to show it. (There is no sense among the worshipers of Korak that it is wrong to hide valuables while traveling, but misers who hoard great works of the hand so that only they can see them are thought to be wicked.)
• Always endeavor to aid goodhearted people with your labor whenever it is useful.
• Demand that your brother be paid fairly for his labor. Pay those who study with you a fair wage, even your apprentices.
• Do not hold any into service against their will—either past their time of contract, or as slaves—for to take a man’s labor is as grave as taking his life.
• Protect beautiful works of the hand. They must be guarded against all those who would steal or spoil them.
The doctrines of the three orders, which are described below, add to the core beliefs of the Koraketh. The order of makers believes all those with skill are called upon to do great things, and should aid those seeking to do greatness. They are the “order of heroes,” and are called such with reverence by the other orders. They make items for champions, and artifacts of the greatest beauty. The order of builders believes the most lasting labors are those which aid ordinary people. They celebrate the achievements of the common person, and aid simple artisans in their labors, shoeing horses, building gates, sewing sails, and completing other works that keep society functioning. They are the “order of the commons,” and are called such with reverence, by the other orders. The order of masons believes all people, common and heroic, are emboldened and enriched by great monuments. The Masons seek to build towering monoliths, magnificent temples, and glorious palaces so that the lives of mortals might be filled with wonder and reverence. They are the “order of kings,” and are respectfully called such, by the other orders.

Worship

The most common prayer to Korak is said daily by nearly all his worshipers upon waking, and is simply called the Morning Prayer.
“Master Korak, guide my Hand, Give me strength to lift, Precision to join, Fortitude to labor. “Master Korak, guide my Eye, Grant me insight to plan, Knowledge to understand, Wisdom to teach. “Master Korak, guide my Heart, Lend me courage to fail, Patience to continue, Hope to succeed.”

Another common prayer is said by an apprentice when binding himself to a master:
“King of the Crucible, smile on me! The first master among us was your apprentice; I follow now, as my master did before me. I swear to obey, I swear to work, I swear to serve, I swear to learn, And when I am a master, I swear to teach. I bind myself to this oath in your name, Master Korak. May your blessings be upon me.”

Masters take oaths to fairly teach and compensate apprentices until they’re ready to become a journeyman, or until cannot meet the required standards of the trade despite the master’s earnest efforts to teach them.

Priesthood

Clerics are not their own order in the guildhalls of Korak. They are members of the three main orders, like all the other artisans. However, they have a special tie to Korak due to their superior wisdom and call on him for divine power. This makes them especially revered members of their orders, and they tend to rise to leadership positions. Most wrights and master wrights are clerics, skilled at calling Korak’s power to aid their guildhalls. The clergy of the guildhalls, while universally good aligned, vary in temper. Most clerics of Korak believe they should use their gifts to help others in any way necessary. They make millstones and farm implements and bless temperamental bellows. They take pride in common work, and might spend their entire lives in rural areas, helping the humblest folk thrive against adversity. The builders’ order tends to promote this set of values. Some clerics of Korak are known for individualism, heroism, and tireless adventuring. Some of the greatest saints of the Koraketh have been among this group, for in their wild adventures hither and yon, they’ve liberated magnificent artifacts from the clutches of evil. Such clergy focus on the good a single person can do in life, and perfect their own skills, while improving the craftsmanship of others, one student at a time. Their work and adventures can only be helped by powerful magic items, such as shields and weaponry, making chaotic good clergy a good fit for the makers, who create such things. Most dwarven clerics of the Grand Wright hold that works of the hand in stone and steel will outlast even the strongest and wisest of the mortal races. They work with others to build lasting monuments to goodness. Hopefully, these great cities, beautiful monuments, and powerful artifacts will tell future generations that goodness prevails over evil. This attitude brings many dwarven clerics of Korak to the order of masons, but some of the greatest makers of all time have also been Dwarves.

Joining the Clerics of Korak
To become a cleric of Korak requires a special apprenticeship. Initiates must find an established cleric willing to teach them. They then learn from their new master both a trade any apprentice might learn, such as blacksmithing, and the religious rites necessary to channel power from their god and serve as a spiritual leader of a guildhall. Training takes as long as any apprenticeship might, from five to eight years, though experienced initiates might cut down the training time, especially if they already have proficiency with crafting. Those who complete their training becomes clerics.

Sects

The Koraketh have four holy orders, three of which know no boundaries from guildhall to guildhall. The last order is concerned only with the authority of individual guildhalls. The three main orders of the guildhalls are the makers, the builders, and the masons. Those who oversee individual guildhalls are members of the fourth order: the guildmasters. Korak is the supreme authority of the guildhall system: the Grand Wright. The heads of the three cross-guildhall orders gain no authority within individual guildhalls, though the devout respect them as the greatest workers in their crafts. Anyone can climb in status within the three main orders, if they are skilled craftspeople. Each of the three orders is concerned with a different area of artisanship, as follows.

The Holy and Revered Order of Makers

The Holy and Revered Order of Makers is made up of smiths of all sorts (particularly goldsmiths and silversmiths), jewelers, armorers, weaponsmiths, fletchers, and others who craft individual works for the use of heroes and common folk alike. They believe the individual’s tie to beauty is one of Korak’s greatest gifts, and that people should be adorned in jewelry, don the finest armor in battle, and wield the greatest weapons in war.

The Holy and Revered Order of Builders

The Holy and Revered Order of Builders is the largest order, and includes coopers, tanners, carpenters, woodworkers, thatchers, farriers, furriers, shipwrights, wheelwrights, and others whose skills are used to maintain communities. If a skill keeps a town running by its very nature, its practitioners join the builders. They believe Korak’s greatest gifts to the mortal races were the simple arts necessary to survive and thrive, and they take great pride in making commonplace things beautiful.

The Holy and Revered Order of Masons

The Holy and Revered Order of Masons is the smallest order, and comprises stonemasons, sculptors, locksmiths, glasscutters, and others whose skills are necessary to build massive structures. If a skill helps build a city’s works or some magnificent structure, its practitioners join the masons. They believe Korak’s lessons are best poured into the construction of magnificent temples, halls and castles, to better glorify his gifts.

The Craft Orders

All three of the main orders have the same structure. Advancement occurs by merit, and members ascend based on the works they create. The GM might let these achievements occur in between adventures, or use the downtime rules for crafting to determine when a character can advance to the next stage. Each order uses the following titles and degrees,

Journeymen

Apprentices fully inducted into the order become either “makers,” “builders,” or “masons.” They are addressed and introduced by full title (such as “Maker Jason”).

Masters

In time, one who creates something of great and lasting beauty becomes a master and is titled as a “master maker,” “master builder,” or “master mason.” He might be called “Master Maker Jason.”

Grand Masters

The greatest masters become accepted by all as one of the great craftspeople of a large area. Such a figure is considered a Grand member of the guild, called either “grand maker,” “grand builder,” or “grand mason.” They are addressed as “Illustrious Masters,” and introduced by full title— “Illustrious Master Jason, of the Makers,” for example.

Supreme Masters

The most skilled and accomplished masters might unseat the current head of an order and become the supreme members of the guild. The head of the order is either the “supreme maker,” “supreme builder,” or “supreme mason.” He is addressed as “Most Excellent and Venerable Master,” and introduced by that moniker. One cannot be a member of more than one of the three major orders (makers, builders, masons). Once an order is chosen, a member must stay in it or go through a complex initiation, rejecting the old order and joining the new. In any given guildhall, the highest-ranked local member of each order lead their comrades. If there are no particularly powerful or revered members of the order locally, they look to reputable members of the order for instruction in other guildhalls, visiting when necessary for guidance and instruction.
The three orders maintain equal status in a guildhall, but even their most powerful members do not determine local guildhall policy. While each order might make policies and religious law for its own members, every guildhall is an independent body, overseen by the local head of the fourth order of the faith, the guildmasters.

[h2The Order of Guildmasters The guildmasters come from the three other holy orders of the Koraketh, and are members of the faith who wish to lead their local guildhalls in matters both spiritual and mundane. A guildmaster keeps their original title, but adds a title among the guildmasters. Guildmasters may continue to rise in their original orders. Only clerics, champions, or others who receive spells from Korak can become guildmasters.

Wright

To advance in the guildmasters, a member must demonstrate broad skill in Korak’s arts, crossing the divisions of the other orders. A novice in this order has no special titles, though she might possess one from one of the other orders. To be named a wright—the church’s term for small guildhall’s leader—the novice must create two items of unsurpassed beauty, associated with the trades of two different orders. A wright coordinates the efforts of all three holy orders, and offers local communities use of the hall. She becomes leader and spokesperson for a small group of the faithful. A wright is addressed as “brother” or “sister,” and this address always comes before his name. Old order titles are omitted; Grand Maker Jason, upon becoming a wright, is simply addressed as “Brother Jason.” This is reflects him putting aside his status to focus on his duties as a wright. When formally introduced, however, he maintains all titles and is announced as, “The Illustrious Master, Brother Jason, Grand Maker and Wright of the Guildhall of Korak.”

Master Wright

By creating a third item of unsurpassed workmanship from a trade associated with the order he did not work within to qualify for her office, a wright demonstrates her complete understanding of the three types of trades, and becomes a master wright. Master wrights manage the greatest guildhalls, for this is the apex of power in the guildmasters’ order. A master wright is addressed as “wise brother” or “wise sister.” Like a wright, she maintains all order titles for formal purposes and is introduced in the same fashion.

Guildhalls and Artisans

None of the craft orders demand a monopoly on their trades. One does not have to serve Korak to be the village blacksmith. Conversely, one need not be an artisan to worship or bargain for services at a guildhall. Members of the church will provide training and spiritual guidance when necessary, but don’t control a community’s artisans, or ignore people who don’t make things for a living. The average guildhall has perhaps a dozen active members of each order associated with it, though few reside at the guildhall, and many are nominal members. One wright lives in residence. The wright is usually a cleric, and supervises two other clerics in residence, and one or two arcstones (see below). A guildhall usually has one or two local artificers (see below) on their membership rolls, but they rarely live there.

Arcstones of Korak

The arcstones take their name from the secret of arch building, imparted by Korak to the mortal races long ago. They live to defend and recover great artifacts, magnificent structures, and important monuments. They preserve works of the hand against outside forces, just as the keystone of an arch takes all the outside pressures on the arch, and helps it hold its shape. Most communities with major monuments, fantastically old structures, or powerful artifacts host several arcstones who keep these treasures safe. Arcstones also organize expeditions to explore long-lost cities, recover corrupted temples, and retrieve lost artifacts. Most arcstones live in one area, defending some local masterwork. They become pillars of their communities, and stay active in guildhall affairs, aiding local artisans and occasionally, pitching in on large projects. Fewer arcstones adventure but aren’t tied to a place or guildhall. Instead, they quest to the reclaim ancient wonders. They might clear a grand dwarf-hold of goblins, or search for a mythic sword. The arcstone must follow Koraketh doctrine carefully and preserve the sanctity of certain great works of the hand. An arcstone must never allow a great work such as a temple or an artifact to fall into evil’s hands. Adventuring arcstones tend to keep company with rogues, who have an eye for wealth, and strange devices. There have been several famous rogue/arcstone pairings, where the two hunting down artifacts. Arcstones often find rangers make useful companions as well. Arcstones never adventure with willfully destructive people, or those who disrespect works of the hand. They rarely keep evil company but can work with greedy sorts in quests to protect or liberate masterworks, as long as their allies don’t demonstrate true malice by harming others for pleasure or avaricious need.

Joining the Arcstones

Korak typically calls individuals who are proficient with artisan’s tools. Such a candidate finds an established arcstone to teach him a trade any apprentice might learn, such as blacksmithing, and the secrets of the arcstones: combat skills, divine rites, and legends of artifacts to be recovered. This process takes as long as any apprenticeship might: five to eight years. An established character who receives the call can learn all that is necessary to become an arcstone in a dramatically shorter time, if she is already proficient in one set of artisan’s tools. On completing training, arcstones become Champions.

Artificers of Korak

Artificers are members of the three holy orders like everyone else and, because they are such skilled artisans, they climb the ranks of the guildhalls quickly. Renowned for their amazing skills with item creation and structural engineering, artificers are much sought after by anyone wishing to purchase the skills of a truly masterful craftsman. Most artificers pour their magic into the items they craft to honor their god. Some can inscribe holy runes, enchant items with divine power, and call upon celestial aid for powerful projects. Artificers have no peer in the Material Plane when it comes to the creation of magical items. Artificers can be found in a range of conditions, from the local blacksmith’s shop working on something miraculous out back, to opulent forges covered in powerful runes with bevies of apprentices running about on errands. Powerful artificers are boons to entire nations, for the power of the items they produce are legendary and can make the difference between victory and defeat in times of war. Such artificers are treated almost as nobility, receiving lavish respect from both the faith and allied secular authorities.

Joining the Artificers

Most artificers come from the ranks of guild artisans, having melded their commitment to their craft to their religious devotion. Many are clerics or arcstones of Korak who focus their talents for a time on crafting, though others are wizards, alchemists, or inventors. Any character with the magical crafting feat, a deep and abiding love for making things, and worships Korak, might find a place among the artificers.

Guild	Typical Trades
Makers	Crafting Items for Adventurers, Soldiers, or Personal Adornment: Armorsmithing, Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, Bowmaking, Gemcutting, Weaponsmithing, Jewelry, Fletching
Builders	Creating Community Improvements and Useful Items for Day-To-Day Living: Blacksmithing, Bookbinding, Carpentry, Cobbling, Cooping (Making Barrels and Casks), Leatherworking, Painting, Pottery, Weaving, Tailoring, Ropery (Rope and Net Making)
Masons	Creating Large Monuments and Lasting Structures (and Certain Esoteric Skills): Locksmithing, Sculpture, Stonemasonry, Trapmaking, Architecture, Calligraphy, Runemaking
Guildmasters	Any two trades from at least two of the other three orders to attain Wright Status