Seeker's Guild
Guild of Crows
An association of Seekers that offers aid and resources to seekers exploring the ruins of the past world. They seek to unearth the secrets of the Catastrophe and bring about a resurgence of prosperity for humankind.
Although Seeker is a well-known and prestigious title, not all look forward to their approach. Those who show disdain for the Seekers often do so by calling them the less common demonym, Crow. This name not only stems from the unique coins utilized by the Guild, but also for their penchant to collect "shiny" things and return them to their nest, the base, similar to the behavior of crows.
Guild Adventure Ranks
Seekers within the guild are conferred special benefits based upon their rank. They are as follows:Steel
The lowest rank wherein over 50% of those who claim the name of Seeker reside. Seekers of this rank receive 60% of the appraised value of the relic deposited at the reliquary. They have access to quest boards at the Seeker bases but may only take D-F ranked quests.
Bronze
25% of Seekers are of the Bronze rank. At this level, in addition to their benefits from the previous tier, they receive a set of armor and weapon crafted by the Guild's very own master craftsmen. Repair fees for gear are reduced by 15% when taken to a craftsman within the seeker bases. In addition, Bronze ranked seekers also receive a monthly stipend of 3 Crow.
Silver
Only 15% of Seekers make their way into the Silver rank. As per the previous tiers, Silver Seekers receive a higher return on relics brought to reliquaries, however, the return is approximately 75% of the appraised value. By this point, Seekers are able to access B-level quests and also receive a higher monthly stipend of 6 Crow.
Gold
Within the Gold rank reside 9% of Seekers. They are allowed to participate in A-level quests and receive a large stipend that is not disclosed to Seekers outside of the rank.
Platinum
Not much is known about the Seekers who are of the Platinum rank.
Beyond Adventure Ranks
Not all those who enter the guild remain in the adventuring ranks. Some take on more managerial roles within the guild, more often than not by those scarred by their journies into the Dark Wood.Relic Master
Typically, a relic master is equivalent to the bronze rank. While they are not usually experienced delvers, their knowledge regarding relics is greater than that of the average seeker of steel rank. Relic masters are often looked down on by other seekers simply because they are seen to be cowards, failing to pass the trials of the Forest. And while Crow is the demonym for seekers, relic masters received a title of their own, chickens. For seekers who become relic masters, they are provided with lodging by the way of the reliquary as well as a monthly stipend based on the income of the reliquary each month.Collector
Collectors are equivalent to those of the silver rank. They are equally knowledgeable of relics compared to relic masters but they have garnered more experiencing delving into ruins. They are capable of discerning potentially dangerous relics from mundane ones and are tasked with transporting those back to an archival reliquary of a nearby seeker base. Collectors travel around the continent to the various reliquaries and may occasionally accompany parties on ruin delves. They receive a monthly stipend amount equivalent to the silver rank.Archivist
An archivist sits at about the same level as a gold-ranked seeker. They are experts in deciphering the uses of relics and determining their safety for public use. Archivists are often the first called to examine artifacts discovered in ruins. They are more comfortable venturing into ruins after they've been thoroughly explored and generally prefer to remain in the archival reliquary of a seeker base. Most archivists tend to be seekers retired from the field due to old age. They receive a monthly stipend equivalent to the gold rank.Rescuer
Being a rescuer is a league all its own. Most of those who ascribe to this title are those seekers who have found themselves a higher calling than the thrill of adventure and discovery or are near the end of their adventuring days. Only the most confident of seekers are able to perform the task denoted by this title. In general, these seekers only respond to the call for aid by a guardian. Rescue may include anything from retrieving a person, relic, or artifact. It is uncommon for rescuers to assist those who are outside of the guild.Guardian
Unlike those of the platinum rank, guardians are well-known by the people who live under their leadership. Guardians are the select few leaders of each individual seeker base, directing the trajectory of the citadels, acting as diplomatic representatives for the guild, and approving quests among other things. The position of guardian is only filled after the previous guardian either passes away or steps down.Becoming a Seeker
Initiate
Seeker Initiates are just that, beginners who have not yet received an official title of Seeker but are attempting to garner the title through lawful means. This does not count as a rank in the Guild, however. All seekers begin their journey in this way, usually by visiting a reliquary and completing a series of specific tasks set by the Relic Master. Once the title of Initiate is received, in order to become a full-fledged seeker they must accompany a ranked seeker and successfully see a quest through to completion.
Getting a seeker to take along the initiate is usually done in one of several ways. Initiates may pay a fee to have themselves listed on a quest board where a seeker may elect those he takes under his wing. Otherwise, a seeker may directly take on an initiate, which is usually the case among family members. Higher ranked seekers may also designate that a lower rank seeker take on an initiate, but this usually leads to rumors of nepotism within the Guild, making this a less common route. There is, however, a lesser-known method regarding initiates where a seeker is obligated to take an initiate under them if requested by the initiate.
This rule came into effect during a time when the Guild was getting started in an attempt to boost their numbers. Only seekers of gold rank or higher may reject a direct request of an initiate. Older seekers still oblige by this rule, but it has been mostly forgotten by the current generation.
Taking on an initiate is encouraged by the upper echelons of the Guild and confers a higher reward on quests where initiates were in attendance. It also seems to have an influence on the rate at which a seeker reaches the next rank. However, it must be said that taking an inexperienced person, as most initiates are, along on quests can prove to be detrimental to the success of the mission. The ruins that seekers delve into are dangerous and while the chances of a seeker not making it back out alive, the risk is usually doubled with each initiate in tow.
There is no limit to the number of initiates a seeker may take with them, but most take on one. However, there is still a large number of seekers who are hesitant to take any initiates along with them for the fact that the risk to their well-being is too great. Most seekers are hesitant to identify themselves in public for fear of being accosted by seeker wannabes. And for such reasons seekers are usually only seen in town to visit reliquaries early in the morning or late at night. But this is less so seen in seeker bases where a large number of seekers reside.
Advancement of the Ranks
Numeric Rank (NR)
As seekers complete quests, discover ruins, and retrieve relics, many do so in the hopes of improving their numeric rank in order to advance to the next adventure rank. In general, a seeker is allowed to take the advancement trial once they reach numeric rank 5 (NR 5) within their current adventure rank.Structure
Seeker Hierarchy.png
Public Agenda
The guild offers aid and resources to adventurers being the seeker's mantle in an effort to explore the ruins and uncover the truth regarding the Catastrophe that ended the ancient world. The actions of the guild are only to further this knowledge but have been beneficial to humankind thus far.
