The Guilds of Damara are a power unto themselves. The major guilds dominate the trades in almost every province of the Kingdom, while many minor guilds can be found operating in the various cities and towns of Damara.
The Damaran Merchant League
The Damaran Merchant League is the most powerful guild in the kingdom, and would be able to put considerable pressure on the rulers and nobility of the provinces if they were to present a united front. Made up of merchants from the cities and towns and trading concerns who travel between throughout the kingdom, most every merchant in Damara belongs to the League. Fortunately for Damara, they compete with each other more than they cooperate. When Baron Ree placed an exorbitant tariff on goods traveling from the Duchy of Bloodstone, the League joined together and diverted all trade from Heliogabalus. The tariff was dropped within a matter of weeks. When the League discovered that Baroness Praka had enchanted the guild leaders of the League of Praka, they were able to successfully rout most trade past Ostel until the guildmasters were freed from her domination. They then informed the Baroness that individuals in the League were rendered immune to enchantment, and if any hint of magical control reached them, they would cut Ostel off until she was deposed.
The Damaran Merchant League various guildhalls are named for the city or town they are placed in, "The League of Ironspur" is the Merchant League's guildhall in Ironspur for example. No one in Damara is ever confused about "which League".
Major Guilds
Other major guilds which have a lot of control over the flow of goods include the Dock Workers' guild, the Laborers' Guild, the Stablers' Guild, and the Teamsters' Guild. Work stoppages from these guilds, which have happened, can shut down a city or town.
Another category of major guilds work with food. Bakers', Brewers, Butchers, Fishermen (or fishmongers), Grocers, Innkeepers (which includes Tavernkeepers) all are major guilds.
Many types of craftsmens' guilds can be considered major guilds. Blacksmiths, Carpenters, Clothiers, Leatherworkers, Masons, and Wainwrights have major influence due to the goods they produce.
The last category of major guilds are those that wield power because of their association with the rich or powerful. The Barristers' guild, the Jewelers' Guild and the Mages' Guild all can be considered major guilds, even if they have less "reach" than the guilds above.
Minor Guilds
Minor guilds spring up in various cities and towns. They tend to revolve around less influential crafts and services, or crafts with limited appeal or prestige. Alchemists, goldsmiths, glassblowers, and locksmiths don't have the reach of carpenters or blacksmiths, while astrologers, town criers, hunters, and scribes are not in high demand kingdom-wide. Other professions are considered "unseemly" and never seem to qualify as major guilds, such as mercenaries, moneychangers, performers, and sewer-workers.
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