Guilds and Organizations

Among the Channel Cities and World of Ærnth, there are numerous guilds and similar organizations that do not fit under Religions. Most of these will be listed here with links so that they can be viewed more easily as a grouping.
Among them are Artisan Guilds, Specialty Associations/Organizations and of course Underworld Guilds/Organizations:

Artisan Guilds

Armorer & Weaponsmiths Guild- This organization oversees the manufacture and supply/marketing of both weapons and armor within the Channel Cites area.
Bakers Guild- This guild represents and trains professional bakers, who make breads, flatbreads, rolls, and other similar foodstuffs.
Basket Weavers Union- This organization trains and oversees the manufacture of baskets and other containers woven from durable plant fibers.
Blacksmiths Guild- This guild oversees the manufacture of iron products (tools, equipment, horse shoes (although the majority of horseshoes are manufactured by members of the Farriers Guild, see below), etc.) in the Channel Cities area. The current Guild Master is Rayrum Pilhip.
Bowyers and Fletchers Guild- Oversees the manufacture of both bows and arrows, and a few of its members also dabble in manufacturing crossbows and quarrels.
Brewers and Distillers League- This organization guards the secrets and trains those who brew and distill ale, beer, mead and hard liquors.
Brick & Tile Makers Order- This organization trains and represents artisans who make brick and tile products used in building projects.
Broderers and Upholders Guild- makers of tapestries, decorative wall hangings, curtains, and cloth-based decorations for clothing.
Buckler, Claspers and Hingwright Guild- Oversees, trains, and manages the manufacture and sales of buckles used for a variety of products, such as belts, surcoats, saddlebags, as well as hinges for doors, chests, and cabinets.
Butchers Federation- This group trains and organizes those who butcher animals for meat.
Chandlers Guild- This guild trains and represents manufacturers and sellers of candles and and soaps, from both wax (high quality) and tallow (low quality).
Carpenters Guild- This organization trains and represents those who build and construct any type of wooden structures (houses, barns, etc.).
Cloth Weavers Guild- This organization trains and represents those who weave cloth from plant fibers for use in clothing and other goods, as well as also training some of its members in rugmaking/weaving. This guild is managed by its guild master, Lean Gean, who is a somewhat tall and thin man with short dark hair, a receding hairline and a greying moustache and goatee.
Cobblers Guild- Oversees the manufacture of shoes, boots, and other footwear.
Coopers & Craters Combine- This organization trains artisans who manufacture barrels and crates used for storing goods and liquids.
Curriers, Skinners and Tanners Guild- This guild is set up to closely guard the secrets behind the techniques for skinning animals to minimize waste and maximize usefulness of furs and skins as well as the chemistry behind tanning those animal skins to make leather goods.
Cutlers Guild- This guild provides training and organization to artisans who manufacture and sell cutlery and other eating and cooking utensils.
Dyers Society- This organization closely guards and protects the secret recipes and trains those who make and perform dying of garments, cloths, and other similar materials.
Entertainers Guild- This organization represents entertainers, such as jugglers, actors and other such performers who focus on entertaining the general public or in theaters.
Farriers League- This organization trains and organizes those who trim and shoe horses and make horseshoes, as well as some members also performing other health related services for horses. There tends to be a bit of animosity towards members of the Blacksmith's Guild who make horseshoes, due to this being the primary focus of the Farriers League. Many of the metal fittings for harnesses, saddles and tack is also made by members of the Farriers League.
Furniture Makers Federation- This federated group teaches and represents the fine art of woodworking used to make furniture, especially guarding the secrets of wood-joining joints and fittings.
Glass Blowers and Glaziers Guild- This guild trains and organizes artisans who participate in the blowing and making of glass products, from bottles to windows and everything in between.
Haberdashers and Mercers Association- This organization trains and represents those who manufacture and sell sewing supplies, such as needles, thimbles, threads, knitting supplies, etc.
Jeweler’s and Gemcutter’s Guild- This guild oversees the training and pricing of Jewelry making and gem cutting activities around the Channel Cities. As such, the members often compete with members of the Metalsmith’s Guild, due to both being involved with the smithing of Brass, Gold and Silver products. Although the Jewler’s guild tends to perform very fine and detailed work, moreso than the members of the Metalsmiths Guild who use those metals for decorative furniture, utensils and cooking tools, and other larger items.
Leatherworkers Guilld- This organization manages, represents, and trains its apprentices in the art of working and stitching leather goods (other than footwear and saddlery, which are the purview of the Cobblers Guild and Saddlers and Bridlers Guild respectively.
Locksmiths Sodality- This organization manages, represents, and trains the fine art of locksmithing and the manufacture of other similarly complex mechanisms.
Metalsmiths Guild- This guild is comprised of several branches, each specializing in the smithing of particular types of metals (Goldsmiths, Silversmiths, Coppersmiths, Bronzesmiths, Tinsmiths, etc.). They handle nearly everything that does not fall under the control of the A&W Guild, Blacksmiths Guild, Farriers League, Locksmiths Sodality and the Jeweler’s Guild. The Guildmaster is Liam Wilkean.
Potters Guild- This guild teaches and represents artisans who shape and then fire pottery containers, dishes, and vessels.
Saddlers and Bridlers Guild- This guild teaches the art of making bridles, harnesses, saddles, and other leather-based products for riding and/or guiding horses and other beasts of burden.
Stonemasons Guild- This guild is the organization that upholds the fair wages and properly trains the upcoming apprentice members of the guild to insure proper respect for its members. Bordair Grannite serves as the Guild Master.
Thatchers Guild- This guild oversees the business of thatching of roofs within the Channel Cities area.
Wheelwright & Wainwright Guild- This guild oversees the manufacture of wagons, carriages, and any other cart type of equipment with the Channel Cities area.

Specialty Associations/Organizations

Fili (Banfili)- This is a loosely organized order, which comprises of the historians and poets in druidical society. A Fili is the title given to a Bard that has studied under the Druidical Order, and as such is considered a scholar of sorts within Druidical society. A Banfili is a female of this order (while females hold equal status in Druidical society in most respects, female Bards under the Druidical Order are somewhat rare, but still maintain the recognition that is due a Fili).
Grenzal Gastov- This is a quasi-military/mercenary force that hails from the Grenzal lands. They will perform military services to rulers of other lands for a price (much as the Secháemodh / Sibbicai do). They are relatively small in number, but are well trained heavy combat troops.
High Tower of Magic- This powerful guild is comprised of a very large portion of the spell casters within the Channel Cities, as well as throughout much of the rest of the known world. They have a huge fortress within the city of Dorgard, which includes sleeping quarters for any visiting members and a vast library covering everything from historical narratives to ancient magical tomes of knowledge.
Hoarde- This is a large organization of several hundred mercenaries and sell-swords that hires its services out as bodyguards, caravan guards, soldiers, etc.
Hostler’s Association- This association is made up of the owners of many of the Inns and Hostels within the Channel Cities and is run by a Miss Lendob Thorydo, a very outspoken and charismatic qwoman of Vilsarth blood from the Tighláhrubha (or Southern) Continent. She had worked from a very young age doing housekeeping work in several of the smaller inns in Argentum, but eventually managed a hostel known as Zmederkon House, for the elderly owner (“Old Man Zmederkon”) who had no children. When Zmederkon died, he left the business to her since she had done such a good job of operating the establishment and building a reputation as a safe and clean place to stay. She was eventually elected as the Guild Mistress of the Hostler’s Association a few years back.
Isles of Stars- This very exclusive organization is not a Guild perse, but is an exclusive educational institution. It is a society of monks that have dedicated their lives to education (Arts of History, Literacy, Philosophy, Education, Knowledge, etc.) and balance as well as the Martial Arts. They reside on a small group of islands that sit in the southern portion of the "Channel".
Order of the Light- This exclusive knighthood is sworn to the service of the Church of the All Father. They will go on ritualistic and military crusades in the name of the Church. They are comprised primarily of Paladins, but there are other professions present among their numbers (especially among the "Extores" or Inquisitors as they are sometimes called).
Order of the Stag- This group is actually the combat/escort/scout arm of the Druidical Order/College. They are primarily made up of Rangers or Outriders (although there do exist a few members who are actually of the Rogue or Fighter professions that have access to limited ranger or nature based channeling spell lists). They tend to be found around lands where the druidical beliefs are present. They go through a limited amount of druidical training (similar to most Druids going through limited "Ranger" training), and are thus very familiar with the druidical ways.
Order of the Thunder Riders- This group is similar in nature to the Protectorates below (although neither group will admit to this). They are in the service of Po Mandok (the primary diety of the World Pantheon religion). (best defined as Paladins, although some of their members also fall into the Outriders profession in the Rolemaster system).
The Pack- This is a quasi-military/mercenary organization that is comprised of Secháemodh / Sibbicai warriors who serve other nations on a short-term basis (for a very high price). They return to Secháemodh, the Sibbicai homelands, when not serving foreign leaders. They are a very proud and honorable group of mercenary soldiers, who live by a very strict code of ethics.
Pilots & Navigators Guild- This guild handles the affairs of Pilots and Navigators of seagoing vessels. They limit the number of member as well as train apprentice Pilots and Navigators (who must serve under and as assistant to a full guild member for a minimum of 10 years before being promoted to a full member). This guild charges 15% of the member’s income as a guild fee, but in return they will cover basic living expenses for the families of those members lost at sea for two years after the unfortunate event. There are also rumors of a secretive and elite group within their organization that can traverse to other worlds that are rumored to be linked with the World of Ærnth. These rumors tell of strange worlds, one where the sun never sets and wraps back on itself, one with multiple red suns, and another that is even more far-fetched than the first two.
Protectorates- this very well-defined organization is of a religious nature. They are dedicated to the protection of the "common" folk from the “evils” that abound within the world. (best defined as Rangers and Outriders). They roam the countryside seeking out those of evil hearts or minds, then they bring these foul beings to justice (their version of it anyway). However, note that they are ultimately protecting nature in all its various forms, so their view of evil is anything that blatantly corrupts the balance of nature in an intentional way. Thus, minor unintentional incursions against the balance of nature are viewed as unwanted, but not overly threatening.
Scribes and Counters Guild- This guild handles the affairs of most (but not all, which results in a fair amount of trouble) of the Accountants, Bookkeepers and Scribes in the Channel Cities area.
Shadow League- This loosely organized group of spell casters includes Essence, Arcane and Hybrid spell casters only. It is headed by the "Council of Five". This guild is very secretive and very small (only about 5% of the worlds spell casters are members, with the majority being within the Channel Cities area). They are also very heavily hassled by the High Tower as they are considered a “renegade” guild.
Society of the Silver Wind- This small (~5% of spell casters in the world are members) spell casters guild is comprised entirely of Mentalism wielders only. The leader is a woman who is unable to speak due to having her tongue removed by a large band of orcs that she was taken prisoner by when but a young girl. Her name is Onyx and she has become well known as a fearless and powerful adversary of the High Tower of Magic. She is very forthright/outspoken (so to speak, I know, bad pun). She has a bodyguard who is of ogre descent that speaks for her, who she can communicate with mentally). His name is Goldreth and he also has very limited Mentalism powers in addition to being a monster of a creature in size [again, pardon the pun].
Teamster’s Guild- This closely-knit guild handles the movement of much of the goods in and around the Channel Cities that occurs by wagon or cart. They do not cover all the Drovers or Carriage Drivers within the Channel Cites, which sometimes results in violence and civil unrest due to the fierce nature of its members. Jymim Fafoh is the Guild Master.
Wardens- This is a recently created organization that is funded by several of the upstanding and wealthy members of the Channel Cities merchants and artisans. It is a secretive group that is being organized to fight crime and corruption within the Channel Cities, especially with the situation of each of the five cities having their own governments and rules and there not being a lot of consistency between them. It is a privately funded vigilante group. Consider this as a possible lead-in for characters who want to dabble in heroic deeds behind the scenes within the Channel Cities setting.

Underworld Guilds/Organizations

The Brotherhood- This group is the foundation of "Organized Crime" within the channel cites. They utilize strong arm (they refer to it as "Protection") techniques to extort money from the common folk and small business owners.
Hydra- Small and secretive Burglary and Espionage guild operating out of somewhere in the northern part of Martelain.
Shadow Clan- This small Burglary and Espionage guild operates out of somewhere in the city of Gorled.
Purple League- This loosely organized thieves’ guild operates out of South Shore and Martelain.
Red Hoods- Loosely organized thieves’ guild operating out of the streets of Argentum and Martelain.
Night Stalkers- This secretive burglar and espionage guild operates out of Gorled.
Pallid Hand- This assassin’s guild operates out of the city of South Shore.
Black Widows- this assassin’s guild operates out of the city of Argentum, and is one of the most respected and successful of the assassins’ guilds within the Channel Cities.
Mist Riders- the members of this loosely organized thieves’ guild can be found plying their trade (if you watch carefully enough) in the streets of Argentum and Gorled.
Sea Urchins- this loosely organized (and poorly named) thieves’ guild operates out of the streets of Dorgard.
The Scorpion- Very little is known for sure of this organization/person, as it is probably the most secretive of any in the world. The Scorpion is/are the most accomplished assassin(s) in the World of Ærnth. Stories too numerous to count abound throughout the Channel Cities as to the details. But these hundreds of stories are all different and almost always conflict with one another. Who/whatever this is, they/he/she/it is called on for only the most difficult jobs, due to the outrageous fee for the services rendered.
Seilbh Diabhal Fae- This is a very secretive and covert organization that is operated by small but influential group of humans who have a racial hatred for elven folk.
Lamashtu Temple- This cult of chaos and evil has been making headway in gaining followers in recent years around the Channel Cities.