Adventurer's Guild
The adventurer's guild is an organisation that helps adventurers find paying jobs. Adventurer Guild Halls can be found in larger settlements across Ataland.
Guild Halls act as middle-men between the client and quester. A commission fee is charged for each job to keep the hall running. Common clients are the local leadership, temples and more wealthy individuals. Sometimes a small group of citizens will pool money to pay for a job posting. It is possible for the client to remain anonymous. Although this normally incurs an additional fee.
The Adventurer's Guild tries to remain neutral, especially in local power struggles. This neutrality affords the guild some protection from the winds of political change. The guild will post any job that falls within the rules of conduct and local laws.
Each hall is independently run and there is no leadership as such. However the various halls cooperate others nearby, creating a network that spans all factions. Bigger halls have more influence forming a loose hierarchy. Over time a shared set of rules has evolved. Guild Halls that don't enforce the code of conduct risk being shunned and isolated by the others.
Adventuring is a dangerous occupation and a lot of adventurers choose to retire while they can. Most guild halls are operated by retired adventurers. Their prior experience in the business makes them ideal candidates and provides a way to pass on their experience and expertise to the next generation.
Code of Conduct
Adventurers contracted by the guild are expected to abide by a code of conduct.
1) No Lawlessness
Adventurers are expected to work within the local laws and ordnances. No theft, threats or assassinations.
It is the adventurer's responsibility to ensure their actions and killings are lawful.
2) No Abandoning Quests
Adventurers are expected to complete tasks they accept. If unable to complete a quest, you must report to the nearest guild hall.
Occasional failures will not be held against the adventurer. However repeated failure, and especially abandoning quests without informing the guild, may result in being barred.
3) Abide Your Contract
Adventurers should not attempt to squeeze the client for additional rewards beyond that which is agreed in the contract.
If an adventurer is asked to do something they feel was not covered by the contract, they can report it to the nearest guild hall.
Reputation Chits
Adventurers tend to not stay in one place. They'll travel from town to town taking jobs through the local guild halls. If a newly arrived adventuring party claim to be veterans how do you know if they are telling the truth? The Guild's solution to this problem was Reputation Chits.
The chits themselves resemble coins. They are stamped with the name and symbol of the specific hall that issued them on one side. On the other the name of the adventurer or party that earned it is engraved. The more dandy adventurer may choose to wear their chits like medals.
When inquiring about new jobs the adventurer shows their chits, which will determine the difficulty (and value) of quests offered. Chits are given in addition to the monetary reward on competition of a job. The more difficult the task, the better the reputation chit. Chits are made of different materials to denote value.
| Material | Name | Exchanged at guild hall for... |
|---|---|---|
| Tin | Greenie | |
| Copper | Proper | 5 Greenies |
| Silver | Stellar | 5 Propers |
| Gold | Gildie | 10 Stellars |
| Platinum | Veteran | 50 Gildies |
Stolen Valour
Reputation Chits share a lot in common with currency, but it's important to note that they are not transferable. A conman caught using another's reputation will find themselves barred at all guild halls.
The chits do have intrinsic value, and are sometimes seen being used like coins in less reputable circles. Sometimes a down on their luck adventurer might barter a chit for one more flagon of ale. More often these rouge chits originated from looted corpses.
Quests!
Guild Quests provide excellent experience and wealth opportunities for the player's characters. As game master, you can use them as plot hooks to draw the players in to larger stories.
Either hang your own plot-hooks on the guild's boards, or use the list of randomly generated quests in their inventory.