Coopers' Guild

The Coopers' Guild

The Coopers' Guild of Waterdeep is an organization of keg, cask, and barrel-makers who sell their wares throughout the city.

Uniform

Their livery consists of brown caps with similarly colored cloaks, with blue hems and green trim.

Activities

Members of the guild are kept quite busy as many of the City of Splendor's industries required barrels for the shipment of their products. They cut, steam, and shape wooden planks and bind them with welded hoopstock provided by the Most Careful Order of Skilled Smiths and Metalforgers.
As smugglers of the Sword Coast know, one of the easiest ways to move illicit products into Waterdeep is by barrel, the City Guard established the practice of inspecting random casks and kegs that come through the city's gates. Although they are conscientious enough to pay the guild a 3-sp "re-sealing fee" for each of their products they pry open. Smuggling among guild coopers is rather commonplace. Members can expect to make upwards of 75 gp for every barrel of contraband they successfully slip past the inspection of the city's guards.

Products

The Coopers' Guild offers a variety of barrel sizes, from 1' (0.3 m) long, rope-handled hand-kegs, to 20' (6.1 m) long casks made of cedar. Perhaps their most popular product is the 10-gallon (3.8 l) barrel. Prices range from 5 sp to 5 gp, with the 10-gallon variety priced at a single gold piece.

Membership

Entrance to the guild is 30 gp, with a monthly fee of 1/10th that amount. Any guild members caught trying to smuggle goods in or out of the city within their barrels receives heavy fines - around 50 gp. If they have attempted to smuggle a dead body in this manner, a guild cooper loses their membership during their inevitable imprisonment. However, they are often restored as members in good standing after their sentence, as smuggling by the coopers is a rather common occurrence.

Type

Guild, Professional