The Shipwrights Order

"A dark clothed man, clad in a murky blue cloak, whisks along the quay under the view of nothing but the silvery moon. He carefully picks his way through the scaffolding as he climbs upwards towards the great ship before him. With a book in one gloved hand, he consults the tattered pages closely and precedes to slowly etch a simple signet and accompanying rune into the yet-to-be varnished wooden bow's frame with a straight-bladed knife. With his mission complete, he skulks along the platforms to a service shaft, gliding down the rope to the damp stones below, and disappears into the sleepy city dusk."

So is the duty of a Joiner

Though proved to exist on countless occasions, authorities have never been able to bring together a fuller picture than that: as is the complex web of deception that the Order throws, much like a net over fish. Very few affiliates have been held to face court, mainly due to the apparent lack of criminal activity, but the Order's connection to many a discovery and disappearance has more than a few authorities uneasy as to the Order's real powers.

Structure

The Shipwrights Order has been organised into separate Orders, Quays or Foundings as it grew. All are numbered in relation to an aspect of the Reuleaux triangle, eg the 60th Order, the 180th Quay etc. The hierarchy of the Shipwrights Order is simplistic, and very few in the Order are given an official title. This means that those who hold one are treated with the upmost respect by those around them. 
The Yojakk and The Joinery: The official leader of The Shipwrights Order is called the Yojakk (see Yojakk for full explanation), and directly below them are 18 Archsailors. Archsailors are by far the most infamous of the Order as such a rank is commonly held by high ranking public figures, and the discovery of their membership is often either their undoing or their ticket to greatness. Many of the Archsailors lead a Quay or sub-order based in the region where they live. An Archsailor is the one to fund the local requirements of his/her Quay, and as such those who aren't blessed by deep pockets regularly dip into the pockets of other organisations within their reach, though this is rare. Of the 18 Sailors, one is elected Treasurer, one Shipwright, and another Lodgeman.
The Joinery: The Shipwright is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the ships owned/captained by the Order across Estanon. The Treasurer is responsible for overseeing large movements of financial assets and the acquisition and safekeeping of naval treasures. The Treasurer is sometimes called by older members the 'Warden of the Key'. The Lodgeman oversees the civic and military property outright owned by the Order. Any property that isn't outright owned is a matter for the local Quay. The Lodgman also serves as the inductor for high-profile joining members, whether they are Kings or Dukes etc.
Quaymaster: Below Archsailors there are the Quaymasters who serve as the primary informants to the Archsailors, and their stand-in when the Archsailor is otherwise occupied. In Foundings, the Quaymasters are called Foundermasters. Their duties focus more closely on the flow of information within the Order and the plugging of leaks if they spring, which has lead to a few masters being nicknamed 'Enforcers' as a result of their methods. There are typically between 3 and 9 masters depending on the size and reach of the Order they serve. In times where the Archsailor is away for extended periods of time, the Quaymasters form councils to assume the Archsailor's duties until they return.
Harken: Along side Quaymasters serve Harkens who are prospective Archsailors or masters. A Harken has little to no power compared to those placed beside them, but they are almost always connected to an Archsailor or even the Yojakk, so they are treated with a form a respect. They only observe and inquire so as to learn from those around them, and as such their role is much more ceremonial than functional. For example, when picking someone to promote, someone who served as a Harken would be more readily accepted than someone of lower rank.
Night Warden: Around a Quaymaster in each Order is a small group of Night Wardens. The size of this group, called a Watch, cannot go below 3, or exceed 18. A Night Warden's job is to perform the informative function the Quaymaster has given them. One such duty could be the logging and watching of incoming ships, and the assessment of their cargo. The Night Wardens also serve as personal assets to the Quaymaster if some muscle is required: most of the high level enforcement is done by Wardens.
Watchmen (er): Under the supervision of each Night Warden are droves of informants, watchers, clerks, etc who allow the Order to obtain the information it needs. However, amongst the mound of underlings stand a select few of trusted Watchmen. A Watchman's main responsibility is local, low-level enforcement and logistics. As such, informal groups of spies often form around Watchmen so that they can coordinate more effectively. A newly promoted or appointed Watchman is commonly called a Joinsman until they prove their worth to the Warden above them.
Informants and miscellaneous: Anybody below a Watchman isn't given a formal rank, and many who serve similar functions to the aforementioned ranks aren't often recognised. The most prevalent informal rank given by the Watchmen is Informant: people who have proved reliable and found useful information consistently.

Public Agenda

The Shipwrights Order's first two goals began as the preservation of the oceans treasure and the protection of shipbuilding secrets. In the last 100 years, their influence has spread and smaller Orders have grown with the duty of mastering the market of information. As a result of this diversification, the overall aim of the Order is now diluted to include the guardianship of local treasures be them shrines, buried gold or other wonders. Someone who is part of the Shipwrights Order or one of their associated Orders holds the virtues of observance, intelligence and subtlety.

Assets

On a regional level, a Quay would have access to most of the clerk offices, the customs offices, and the local library. A Night Warden may also serve as an important official such as the head of the town guard or an upstanding bar tender. This ownership would then give the Order the reach permitted by the respective resources. The workmen on the docks would also most likely be reporting in some capacity to a Watchman, and some may even be formal informants. A rough estimate made by The Astraticus estimated that the Order owned roughly 1 in every 20 ships registered to Gwendorian ports in the last 12 months at the time of assessment. This survey did not attempt to include ships which served as messengers or had some less official connection. 
On a more national level, the Order's assets depend heavily on the 'honourable donations' made by its members and benefactors. For example, an Archsailor may also be a duke, so the resources of the Duchy would be at his disposal. The main source of income in the last 50 years has been donations made by high ranking members of society who wish to acquire the  information the Order holds. Donations are also made on occasion when- for example- it comes to the attention of a well-respected guildsman that his dirty dealings aren't so secret, and an offer is made in return for secrecy. Though only the most radical of the Order would call it blackmail, the legality of taking a cut of peoples illegal endeavours is definitely questionable, not to mention holding their reputations hostage.

"The waves are ever watchful"

Reuleaux triangles are regularly used in Joiner designs, and their incorporation into the Order's signet shows the importance of this shape. It is both a fluid and structural shape, much like the ocean. It serves to support while being geometrically beautiful, much like the ships the Order use to transmit messages. Their prevalence has not gone unnoticed, however, many subfactions of the Order use the triangle as well as an indication of territory, and it is seen incorporated into many building's designs.
High ranking sailors and joiners will commonly wear a signet ring bearing the mark of the Order: the most obvious characteristic of which is the Reuleaux triangular shaped head on which the emblem is stamped.
The origin of the Reuleaux triangle can be traced back to the beginning of ship building, see history for full explanation.

Founding Date

unknown (assumed to be during the reign of Gwain)

Type

Information Network

Alternative Names

The Joiners, Archsailors

Demonym

Joiner/Joinsman/Joinswoman

Leader Title

Yojakk

Location

Gwendor, Lord's Redoubt