# Ideas needed for an adventurers' guild



## Jon_Dahl (Nov 17, 2011)

I was just planning to set up a adventurers' guild to my current campaign (I'm the DM), but I'd like some good advices because guilds are bit bureaucratic and cumbersome things.
I'm running Greyhawk.

I was thinking something like this:
There are five levels of membership - Apprentice, Journeyman, Senior Journeyman, Master and Grandmaster.
Guild dues per year: 1000 gp

I was just thinking what would be benefits and responsibilities of each tier of membership? I'd like to have suggestions that would support RPGing and not make our gaming unnecessarily slow and complicated.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## steeldragons (Nov 17, 2011)

Cool idea/thread.

Let's see...

Apprentice: the Grunts. They do the simplest day-to-day stuff for the guild. Act as couriers/messengers. Run "errands." Perhaps some reconnoitering and "investigation" of missions considered "minor" by the guild at large. Only permitted IN the city or its immediate (less than a day away) surroundings. Most likely, they answer/report to one of the Journeymen and/or mid-level clerks who gives them their assignments.

Jounreyman: These guildmembers have advanced enough that they could be sent out on missions away from the city (caravan guards, rumors of treasures the guild would like to gt their hands on in the neighboring country, etc)...and/or "high profile" missions within it (the Countess/Merchant's Guild/City Council needs someone to...). Also, as stated above, some/certain Jounreymen would be included in the guild's administration, overseeing/assigning missions to their peers and lessers. Magely/scribe types who maintain records/archives/dues for a particular section of the guild, etc.

Senior Journeyman: Advanced veterans above the normal "Journeyman" status. Mostly likely have traveled fairly extensively. They are sent further afield as necessary or as they desire. 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). Those no longer wishing to lead a life "on the road" could/would serve as high-level administration and "trainers" of various adventuring skills for the lesser members. The "Master Clerk/Bookkeeper" whom the lesser clerks/bookeepers report to would be a Senior Jounreyman. They answer only to the "Masters" and are assigned to missions of extreme importance/urgency or requiring the utmost "discretion"...anywhere in the world the guild is able to reach (including things like the Underdark, other planes, seafaring to other continents, etc.)

Master: I see this tier as a very limited number of members. Maybe even just the original party who started up the guild. I'd make 6 to 8 seasoned adventurers of various classes. They each have their own agendas as well as a casting vote to any serious matters the guild puts to a vote. Being awarded an "honorary Master" title is extremely rare and difficult, reserved for only the most successful and unfailingly trustworthy guildmembers. One of the Masters is the direct superior of the "Master" [Senior Jounreyman] Bookkeeper, keeping a close eye on dues brought in, percentages of treasures found, taking his/her pick of the best items for himself (and/or his fellow Masters and the Grandmaster). This Master would also keep an eye out for individuals of particular or peculiar talent (whether or not he/she would be interested in assisting such individuals or stifling them would depend on the kind of person you make them). 

Grandmaster: A single individual, the leader of the original party who set up the guild. Most likely the highest level guildmember (though the other Masters are probably within a level or two of him/her). 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). Most likely an extremely charismatic leader with strong ties and allies in the top tiers of the city government/nobility for their numerous exploits/"saving the days" in their younger adventuring years.

That's all I have off the top of my head...and two cups of coffee.

Again, great idea.
Have fun and happy guild-building.
--Steel Dragons


----------



## Hand of Evil (Nov 17, 2011)

What I did...

Player applies for Guild Membership, this is individual characters. 

OR

Party applies for Guild Membership, this allows them to register the parties name and founding members.  

Benefits: 

Adventures, -20% in the cost of guild items, lawyers and not being subject to "some taxes", access to NPCs and knowledge (books/maps/stuff like that), buyers, henchmen, hirelings.
Cost: 

Player 15gp a month and is considered a hireling OR 
Party 100gp month - this also means that the Adventuring Guild takes 25%(or share) of all found treasure.

Note on hirelings - these are player characters that are not part of a party, they hire on for adventure.  It is a way for players to have a number of characters and run different ones during a campign.  Being a hireling aloows for a contract with the other players, it can be a flat fee OR a share of the treasure. 

The share system - I break down all treasure into shares, divid by 100 or some other number. 

Guild gets 25 shares
Founding members get 5 shares each, so, 5 founding members = 25%
Contact Hirelings get what contract states. 
PARTY NAME gets the rest, this is to pay the NPCs and for the party yo bank some money - founding members MAY have to cover losses with their shares.

Adding to parties membership: every now and then a character will want to join the party - this character is added but not a founding member, they get 3 shares.  These characters can buy founding membership but must deal with the other party members on the cost.  Over time you may find yourself running an adventure group that has NO founding members.


----------



## weem (Nov 17, 2011)

Great advice so far!

I myself wanted to include one in the last campaign I started. I never used them (avoided them really) in the 22-ish years I have been playing, but decided I wanted to give one a whirl.

I had the same kinds of questions myself when I started - how would it be structured, who is in charge, who gets what etc.

Then I decided that there is excitement in new things and building things from scratch.

So, I had the players meet a captain of the local guard in a major city (for something un-related). After they completed a task, he pulled them into a meeting with a few others and told them he had been wanting to put together a small group of citizens willing (and able) to take on tasks he could not ask his men (of the guard) to do.

By this time in the campaign, I got tied up with some other things and we stopped playing, but the idea was that they would help build what could possibly become a flourishing adventurers guild (though it would not be called such). It would likely be a (mostly) law-abiding group that the captain (and partners, including the players perhaps) could task with various missions - generally covert stuff.

This was the primary idea, but I had others as well and really wanted to keep it loose and just see what it would become based on the players actions/re-actions etc.

So long story short, that is an idea as well. Instead of trying to work out solid details of an established organization, perhaps they could go in with others on starting one, or get in on one that is just being established.

This would allow you to work with the players (in-game) on the rules of the organization and give them a real sense of ownership!


----------



## Mark CMG (Nov 17, 2011)

Here's a couple old threads on the subject that might prove useful -

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...find-adventurers-guild-help-wanted-signs.html

http://www.enworld.org/forum/media-...g-classic-adventurers-guild-ideas-anyone.html


----------



## Wycen (Nov 18, 2011)

One thing we did with our adventurer guild was implement a system of wergeld.

Originally we borrowed the Germanic idea so that if you died off adventuring then your family would get a portion of your treasure.  Most of us of course didn't bother describing family members or where they lived. As time went on and we understood the concept more this didn't quite work, but then again, we almost never used it.  It was for flavor cuz once a character died we'd just make another one and move on.


----------



## aco175 (Nov 18, 2011)

I guess the guild would exist to further what you want it to do.  If you want the party to join all together or only one or two types of classes, you set up the benefits that way.  Most Adventures Guilds I have seen are more or less like an american legion hall with help wanted posters and such.  People hire the guild members to do jobs for them and the guild hires adventuring parties.  Sometimes parties need to register with the guild or be assiciate members to get contracts, or at least the good ones.  Most halls have a bar and library attached to some degree.


----------



## Verdande (Nov 18, 2011)

I found the need, same as you did, but did it a little differently. 

Lawful Indifferent: Orders and Advanced Classes

Note that I'm not running 3e, but rather brainstorming a more or less custom scheme, so take that as you.

Specifically, the idea that orders are necessary for the advancement of classes. Since you've already stated that you're interested in having a monolithic "adventuring" guild instead of smaller, more specific guilds, you could still have little subsets of the community, kind of like how it'd work in real life. Warriors and wizards don't have much to discuss, so even while they're in the same guild they could have very different things to discuss, and so have a de facto split.

In addition (for extra fun!) instead of having a very boring gold cost to stay in, make it so that in order to access the "greater secrets" of the guild (i.e. advance), they have to perform a service. It only makes sense- you scratch my back, I scratch yours. You prove that you're worth the time it'll take for us to level you and teach you new feats and spells, you do a little something for us.


----------



## Tayne (Nov 18, 2011)

I have some ideas

"elite" quests - let them know that certain jobs have a higher risk/reward ahead of time - of course, sometimes they don't have the luxury of knowing how risky a quest may be, and sometimes intel is downright wrong. A gather information check may apply.

Tiered objectives - guild advancement is not based on just doing the job, but winning the absolute crap out of it. Sure, you killed the orc bandits - but did you capture the leader for interrogation? Did you rescue all their hostages? Did you swipe their fertility idol for the guild leader's collection? You don't get promoted by having the minimum 15 pieces of flair. Look at Bryan, he has 37!

Deals! - I've always thought that if adventurers were to organize the first thing they'd do is give eachother better deals than those greedy merchants. Of course, what's for sale (or better perhaps, barter) is totally random. The notice board would be like a medieval craigs list. Might be a good way to swap out a randomly rolled magic item the team doesn't like for an item of equivalent value, if they're lucky.

COMPETITION. - The best reason for having an adventurer's guild? Sabotaging  (and being sabotaged by) that rival group of brown-nosing ladder-climbers (who happened to be deliciously fleshed out NPC's) who got hired at the same time you did. God help you if they come to outrank you in the hierarchy. Could lead to a straight up team vs team throwdown.

Personalities - in the same vein as the above idea, an adventurer's guild is a great excuse to trot out flamboyant personalities. Adventurers are "special" people, and an adventurer's guild is a giant building full of them. Milk every last drop out of this. You could bring back their old characters, even, as guild leaders and such.

Wonders of the world - There would be people and things from all over the world in an adventurer's guild hall. Keep this in mind. This is how you will keep the premise from getting boring.

I would concentrate more on the flavor of the guild than the mechanics. In the end, the mechanics of the system are just a basic quest delivery platform, with the disadvantage of being the same platform over and over again. You have to compensate for this with creativity, in my opinion. Remember to keep it fun.


----------



## Hand of Evil (Nov 18, 2011)

Setup of the Guild:


Regional Grand Master - this person will deal with Kings
City Guild Master(s) - reports to the RGM and controls the guild in a city, sits on the City Council and deals with policy at a high level.
Chapter/Lodge Masters - Lodge masters report to the CGM, based on the size of the city there can be a number of lodges.  
Chapter/Lodge Council Members - runs the lodge, scheduling meetings, handling moneys - reports to the LM. 
Chapter/Lodge Officers - just a break down of the higher positions within the lodge, things like security officer, Magical officer, R&D.  
Chapter/Lodge Support Staff - record keepers, sellers/merchants, smiths, etc.  
Chapter/Lodge Adventure Party Leaders - player characters that look after their paries affairs.  
Chapter/Lodge Adventure Party Members - just the party.
Chapter/Lodge Hirelings - single player characters. 
Chapter/Lodge Henchmen

You have to think about the benefits a guild offers players; this can be simple stuff like stabling horses and buying the parties treasure but it could include things like travel passes, guild stamps, banking notes, reduced tolls (gate fees), etc.  

Adventures with in a guild - Lodges/Chapters/Houses are power blocks, some will be more powerful than others.  IF you have a large city with a number of lodges, you should try and work out a relationship chart, this just is how lodges work with each other.  

Conflicts - they happen, lodge wars can take place but other conflicts are things like guild members that are members of other guilds/orders.  This will mostly be clerics, wizards and paladins.


----------



## Niccodaemus (Nov 18, 2011)

It seems to me that the very essence of a guild is diametrically opposed to the spirit of being an adventurer. Of course, I'm mostly influence by folktales, in which "adventuring" is usually undertaken by someone who has had quite enough of the life imposed on them, and decides that rather than listening to anyone else they are going to go out and "seek their fortune". To then join a guild with rules about how you do that just seems odd.

The "adventurer" in stories tends to stumble into problems that no one else can solve, and succeeds often by sheer ignorance of the obstacles.

I also tend to think of adventurers as gunslingers in the old west. I just couldn't conceive of any of Clint Eastwood's characters belonging to some sort of "gun for hire" guilds.

That's not to say it is a bad idea. But I wouldn't call it an adventurer's guild. Perhaps "security" guild might be more apropo. I'd actually make it subservient to another guild, like the merchant's guild.

But that's just me. If it fills a need in your gaming world, do whatever works!
I could imagine it being an organization that often comes to the players _despite_ the fact they don't belong, rather than because they do.

"Look Caspian, I know last time things didn't work quite as well as we would have hoped, but we made it up to you, didn't we? We have a contract to find a husband for some king's b*tc... er... daughter, and so far every one we've sent out has come back sniveling like a child. Our two best men... look, don't snicker... are up north dealing with giants, if we don't get this done, the May festival is going to be held over in Putland. Now really... do you wan't THAT, do you? Have you _tasted_ their beer?"


----------



## Jon_Dahl (Nov 18, 2011)

I think I'm going to go in the lines of Weem.
NPCs are going to start up a guild for adventurers, but they need help. PCs will have strong influence in the first steps of the guild. But I still need to outline it because I need to have some kind of suggestions which players can either accept, modify or trash them and create something different. I'm not just going to throw the ball to my players and tell them to think everything from the scratch.

So, I've been thinking something like this:
- Reputation and proof of quality. Whatever makes the adventurers look good makes the guild look good too and vice versa.
- Guarantee for a proper funeral. If you suffer TPK in the Underdark, we'll get you out and bury you decently. Even if you're just a week old pile of poop.
- Masterwork prostheses to members. For some reason "losing limbs" if oft mentioned in D&D, even though it never happens!
- Buying tips of monsters, treasures and other things related to adventuring. Treasure maps too. Guild will investigate the validity of tips and then sell them to their members after they have ranked it. All tips are ranked according to different qualities.
- Missions. If an outsider has a job to do which considered as adventurous enough, guild will accept it and find the right guy for the job. Bulleting boards as previously mentioned? Just pick your mission!
- Magical item trading: Don't like that shield +1? Trade it for scrolls then! No selling since they don't want to make Merchants' Guild irritated (this is something that should be considered: No overlapping with other guilds!).
- Recruiting new adventurers for adventuring parties. So you have a 13th-level group and your roque just died? Where are you going to find a replacement? Of course usually a new character just steps out of nowhere and without any delay, but this sort of guild could perhaps help with verisimilitude? (btw I hate that word  )
- Magical healing and arcane casting services.
- Arcane library.

This of course doesn't cover the different levels of membership, but I'm going to think about it (SteelDragons had very good suggestions).


----------



## Desdichado (Nov 18, 2011)

I never liked the idea of adventurer's guilds, as they felt too artificial and "meta" for my taste.

That said, I picked up Paizo's Pathfinder Society book.  The Pathfinder Society is the setting's signature organization, and basically, it's a continent spanning adventurer's guild.  In spite of myself, I found myself quite liking it.  

Here's the wiki entry on the subject, and here's the actual book... in case you need that much detail.


----------



## Tayne (Nov 18, 2011)

If you're inclined to a more humorous approach to your setting, you could treat your guild like a modern union. There's a lot of satire to be mined out of this.

What happens to non-guild adventurers?

What happens when the guild goes on strike?

What happens if the king decides he doesn't like organized adventuring?

After the guild is disbanded or before it is formed, how much worse is it to be without a guild watching your back? Or better without one, depending on your particular economic or political leanings?


----------



## Wiseblood (Nov 19, 2011)

A guild needs bylaws that apply only to guildmembers.

Two or three levels of membership.

Member: It has it's perks.

Guild Officer : These guys can tell members what to do with a reasonable expectation of obedience.

Guildmaster: This person runs the show and is usually feared for their political clout or actual personal power or deeds. 

First, you are a nothing. You either are recommended or seek out members to sponsor you. You get hazed. Which might mean crappy or dangerous missions to enrich the guild these also display loyalty and or talent. After the initial phase of hazing is concluded there is a vote by the guild to let you in or not. Once you are a member you get full benefits. If you break guild bylaws too often you may get kicked out or worse.


Once you're in, common adventurers/citezenry are unlikely to cross you because you have the guild backing you. Authorities are less likely to hassle you, again, because you are one of a powerful and exclusive group of dangerous folks. You instantly get street cred, at least amongst the non-guild people. Most guildmemebers will back you, even in dangerous situations and they are very likely to treat you like family. With that said, family squabbles and drama still arise. Non-members that wish to get into your good graces will perform favors. Equipment can be baught through the guild cheaper. Guild dues are collected as a share of the loot taken while adventuring. If you don't make money you don't pay. You can help the guild out other ways.


You all meet in an inn. No, seriously.The guildhouse is probably an inn or a fortress. (a few safehouses squirreled away too) Because these structures meet the needs of adventurers moreso than a mansion, library or sewer system. 


Guilds have markers, pins, cloaks, tatoos or whatnot that all members carry. This is not to identify other guildmembers. You already know them, some quite well, they're family remember? It is so common folk can tell who you are.



Some guild bylaws migh be:

Defend the reputations of the guild and it's members.

Always aid a fellow guildmember.

Never betray the guild or a member to outsiders. ( authorities or their enemies)

Be ready to punish traitors to the guild.

Guild tokens (cape, knife, tatoo or whatnot) must never be defaced.


Other perks of membership might be. 

Guild sponsored restorative magic. (raise dead, cure disease and so on)

Taxes are paid on your behalf by the guild from dues.

Places to stay, eat and seek employment. (or hide from enemies)

Assistance from other guildmembers.

Legal defense. ( and he's probably a bard)

Guild favors, when the guild calls in a favor they have a much bigger pool to draw from than just your party.

That's just the tip of the iceberg.

These are the kind of folks that you can call on to hide the bodies.


----------



## Tayne (Nov 19, 2011)

here's a dry, scholarly approach to medieval guilds if you value historical accuracy in a campaign. Mostly it seems to apply to craft guilds, so take it for what it's worth.

Guilds

A very small sample of highlights -


Services Performed by Guilds
Guilds performed other services for their members as well. They

provided funeral expenses for poorer members and aid to survivors;
provided dowries for poor girls;
covered members with a type of health insurance and provisions for care of the sick;
built chapels;
donated windows to local churches or cathedrals;
....

Guilds and Community Interrelationships

The members of the guild were called confraternities, brothers helping one another. From the political viewpoint, the guild was neither sovereign nor unrelated to society outside the guild and town organization. As a collective unit, the guild might be a vassal to a bishop, lord or king, as in Paris. The extent of vassalage depended on the degree of independence of the town where it was located. There was a close connection between the guild and the city authorities:

-The City Council could intervene in event of trouble between guilds.
-Council could establish the hours of work, fix prices, establish weights and measures
-Guild officials were frequently appointed to serve in civic government because guilds usually voted as a unit, raised troops for the civic militia, and paid taxes as a group.

Each guild was required to perform public services. They:

-took turns policing the streets and
-constructed public buildings and walls to defend the town or city.

A perceived higher social status could be achieved through guild membership. The guildsmen of The Canterbury Tales had wives who liked to be called "Ma Dame" by their inferiors.

By the 13th c. to become a guild man one had to go through 3 stages:

lowest was apprentice,
next was journeyman, and
top-ranking stage was master.


----------



## TheAuldGrump (Nov 19, 2011)

A 19th Century approach is an Adventurers Club - less structured than a guild, membership dues are just that - you pay for membership on a yearly basis. Dues include discount on a place to stay while in the city - inexpensive enough that some groups maintain the rooms on a yearly basis. Clubs by city, not by nation, with a few exceptions.

Good food, good drink, folks listening to your lies and telling you theirs. A social network.

Look up 19th century Gentlemen's Clubs for an idea. (For that matter, look up Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's brother, who lived in the Diogenes club.)

The Auld Grump


----------



## Tayne (Nov 19, 2011)

around the wolrd in 80 days starts with a gentlemanly bet in a 19th century-style adventure guild, doesn't it?


----------



## TheAuldGrump (Nov 19, 2011)

Tayne said:


> around the wolrd in 80 days starts with a gentlemanly bet in a 19th century-style adventure guild, doesn't it?



Thank you! That's the example of the Adventuring Club that I couldn't quite remember. And Fogg spent more on his 80 day Journey than he won.... 

The Auld Grump, so I was saying to Sir Hillary the other day, you've met him, haven't you? Well, I was telling him about my time in Madagascar....


----------



## saskganesh (Nov 19, 2011)

In my current game, I don't have a guild, but the PC's have a patron who is part of a NPC adventurer's "conspiracy" called the Eight Pointed Star, which  functions as a decentralised, anarchic guild. The PC's are unwittingly part of this conspiracy and as the game progresses they will find more out about the conspiracy's membership, networks and goals. From my point of view, it's a good vehicle to bring in new PCs and plothooks, as well as being its own  mystery/adventure should the player's wise up and start investigating.


----------



## Mark CMG (Nov 19, 2011)

TheAuldGrump said:


> Thank you! That's the example of the Adventuring Club that I couldn't quite remember. And Fogg spent more on his 80 day Journey than he won....
> 
> The Auld Grump, so I was saying to Sir Hillary the other day, you've met him, haven't you? Well, I was telling him about my time in Madagascar....





Along those lines, one could create a group based on the Royal Geographical Society that has a purpose beyond adventuring.


----------



## Hand of Evil (Nov 21, 2011)

Also, Adventure Guilds and Merchant Guilds can be merged in a fantasy setting, as both would be building trade routes and looking for new sources of resources.


----------

