Explorers' Guild
The Explorers' Guild is a guild meant for those who hunger to see Runeterra and it's wonders for themselves. Adventurers are a varied lot, ranging from less scrupulous bounty hunters, mercenaries and treasure hunters to more altruistic archeologists and explorers. But they share a common bond—all are thrill seekers who live luxuriously off the spoils they find in monster infested ruins and dungeons... assuming they continue to live.
The Explorers' Guild actively recruits young men and women to join their ranks by extoling the glamorous adventurer lifestyle: the gold and riches, the fame, and the groupies. Wide eyed neophytes—blinded by promises of extravagant rewards and lavish lifestyles–are quick to sign up. But those who actually achieve the dream of wealth and fame are few and far between. Most adventurers toil in obscurity, scrabbling to make ends meet as they chase that elusive "big score" that will vault them into the upper echelons of the Guild.
The Explorers' Guild is headquartered in Piltover with smaller guildhalls or field offices in several other cities. Their primary tasking is the funding, monitoring, and acquiring of archaeological artifacts from its guild members from across Runeterra. These artifacts are later used for research or placed in one of the many Piltover museums. There are, however, other roles that are filled to keep the whole operation running.
Some of the supporting roles include:
The Explorers' Guild actively recruits young men and women to join their ranks by extoling the glamorous adventurer lifestyle: the gold and riches, the fame, and the groupies. Wide eyed neophytes—blinded by promises of extravagant rewards and lavish lifestyles–are quick to sign up. But those who actually achieve the dream of wealth and fame are few and far between. Most adventurers toil in obscurity, scrabbling to make ends meet as they chase that elusive "big score" that will vault them into the upper echelons of the Guild.
The Explorers' Guild is headquartered in Piltover with smaller guildhalls or field offices in several other cities. Their primary tasking is the funding, monitoring, and acquiring of archaeological artifacts from its guild members from across Runeterra. These artifacts are later used for research or placed in one of the many Piltover museums. There are, however, other roles that are filled to keep the whole operation running.
Some of the supporting roles include:
- Cartographer. Every adventuring band needs someone who maps out the dungeons, ruins and tombs. There is no point finding the treasure if you can't find your way back out.
- Zoologist. Unless an adventuring band wants to get slaughtered, someone has to keep up to date on the strengths and weaknesses of monsters that might be encountered in various regions.
- Historian. History can help an adventuring band avoid repeating the mistakes of their predecessors... like waltzing into the den of a demi-lich.
Guild Perks
- Accomodations. You can stay at Explorers' Guild Guildhalls that can be found in the several larger cities. The rooms are comparable to those in a comfortable inn. They offer private rooms or group quarters with free food and drink, as well as areas to wash and bathe.
- Equipment. You can requisition the use of specialized tools, laboratories, libraries, or other crafting space and equipment to use within the guildhall. When you make an ability check with a set of artisan's tools using the guild's equipment, add double your normal proficiency bonus to check.
- Resources. You can leverage the guild's extensive contacts to locate exotic materials for crafting spell components, or magic items, or buys for them. You can locate or sell commodities using the guild's resource, and potentially tip prices in your favor.
- Training. The guild retains knowledgeable tutors in subjects pertinent to its interests. When you undertake the training downtime activity, the training costs half as much as long as you are studying a subject he guild specializes in.
Rank Structure
Grandmaster. A single individual that serves as the leader of the Explorers' Guild, usually stationed in Piltover. The position is passed on to whomever the previous Grandmaster deems most appropriate of the role. He/she likes to be kept abreast of the guild's activities, but generally is not personally concerned with anything below the Senior Journeyman missions (rather, nothing below that is brought to his/her attention...the assumption is the other Masters and Senior Journeymen are more than capable of dealing with those lower subordinates). Master. This is a very limited tier of the most successful and trusted members. There is usually one Master Explorer stationed in a guildhall to oversee the region. Each has their own agendas and a casting vote to any grand scheme decisions for the guild. Being awarded an "honorary Master" title is extremely rare and difficult, reserved for only the most successful and unfailingly trustworthy guildmembers. Most have taken to retirement by this point but some, such as the self-proclaimed next Grandmaster Ezreal, maintain an active role as adventurers. When at the guild, they keep an eye out for individuals of particular or peculiar talent. Senior Journeyman. These are the advanced veterans above the Journeyman Explorers that have proven ]themselves to their peers, usually having brought back artifacts of interest at the risk of peril for the guild. Most of them have travelled fairly extensively and they are sent out to further destinations, should they desire it. They have a modicum of autonomy to "seek out" missions on their own (which, obviously, should be reported/logged with the guild but do not, necessarily require guild "approval" to undertake). There are those who reached this point and decided it was a good point to retire or get off the "road life". Many of these choose to serve as higher level administration or trainers for the lesser members on occasion. The Head Clerk of a guildhall that the lesser clerks report to would be a Senior Journeyman. They answer only to those ranked Master and are assigned to missions of extreme importance or risk anywhere the Guild has reach. If an Explorers' Guild location is too small to be a proper guildhall, there is usually a Senior Journeyman in charge of the field office there. Journeyman. These are individuals who have advanced enough that they could be sent out on missions away from the city (caravan guards, investigating rumors of treasures the guild would like to get their hands on in the neighboring country, etc) and "high profile" missions within it (maybe one of the Merchant clans needs someone to assist with something). Some Journeyman Explorers would be included in the guild's lower administration, overseeing newcomers and assigning missions to their peers. These are more often than not those that were survived a particularly difficult request and realized that working in the field wasn't quite their calling and transitioned towards scribe positions for the guild or higher positions in museums (but still wanted to maintain their rank). Apprentice. They do the simplest day-to-day stuff for the guild. Apprentices typically act as couriers/messengers, running small "errands" for the guild. Occasionally, they can take on some reconnoitering and "investigation" of missions considered "minor" by the guild at large, but only permitted IN the city or its immediate (less than a day away) surroundings. Most likely, they answer to one of the Journeymen that serve as clerks. This is an entry-point for younger people or those who only recently got interested in becoming an adventurer. Also the first cutting point where people cut out and get "real jobs" with the rest of the public.
Location:
Piltover
Piltover
Type
Guild, Adventuring
Training Level
Professional
Subsidiary Organizations
Location