ADVENTURERS GUILDS

This guild is designed expressly for those who battle monsters, hunt treasure, and explore unknown lands. It is far less common than most other types of guilds, and is not appropriate for all campaigns. An adventurers guild is an excellent spot for members to relax, share tales of their exploits, pick up rumors of evil cults within the city or lost ruins without, and meet with prospective employers. Many people looking to hire adventurers come to an adventurers guild first. In addition, PCs can easily acquire adventuring hirelings or cohorts through the guild, or hire freelance spellcasters to cast spells such as identify or restoration. In both cases, the guild keeps track of its members’ abilities, and often directs potential employers to the adventurer or party that best fi ts their needs.

In settings where adventuring parties can be licensed and registered, such as certain regions of the FORGOTTEN REALMS® campaign setting, the guild can handle the necessary paperwork.

An adventurers guild offers one additional, and unusual, service. Any time a member embarks on an adventure, he can, if he chooses, ask that the guild send out a search party if he fails to return by a specified time. He must tell the guild exactly where he expects to be If such a search party successfully locates and rescues a trapped or injured adventurer, the search party and the guild each receive 40% of any treasure and valuables the rescued member found on that quest, as the price for their assistance.

Examples: Explorers guild, monster hunters guild.

Associated Classes: All PC classes.

Associated Skills: Decipher Script, Disable Device, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes), Ride, Search, Survival, Use Magic Device.

Duties: Members must keep the guild apprised of their abilities and notify the guild when they are undertaking an adventure or quest. They are not required to accept any job offers the guild might point their way, but constant refusal of employment might eventually upset the guildmasters. Finally, members must be willing, if asked, to embark on a quest to rescue or discern the fate of other missing guild members. They are only required to accept such a mission once per year (if that often), but doing so more frequently is a good way to gain popularity within the guild. Finally, all members are expected to pay the guild 10% of the value of any treasure or goods they fi nd on their adventures, in addition to the regular monthly dues.

Favored Benefits: The character can request a rescue or search party, as mentioned above, but with a lower cost. While the search party is still entitled to 40% of the character’s treasure, the guild takes only the standard 10% for the quest, leaving the character with 50% rather than a mere 20%. Additionally, the guild sends potential employers—particularly wealthy ones—the character’s way with great frequency. He gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks when haggling with a potential employer who contacts him through the guild.

Sample Contact: Barak One-Hand (half-orc bard 4/ranger 7). Barak has traveled all over the region, fought and studied numerous monsters, and explored many legends, and is happy to share his knowledge when asked (+2 bonus on PC’s Knowledge [arcana], Knowledge [dungeoneering], Knowledge [geography], Knowledge [nature], Knowledge [religion], Knowledge [the planes], or Bardic Knowledge checks made when researching any potential danger or quest). Once per month.