Career: Guilds and Organizations
Guilds
Throughout Lodoss are many groups and organizations, the most powerful of which are the Guilds who exert their influence across the land with a might invisible hand. Some guilds, such as the Mages' Guild and the Merchants' Guild have a strong organizational structure, while others, such as the Thieves' Guild, are loosely organized by virtue of necessity.
At character creation, the character may be given membership in any guild, so long as it fits their class and the character's life. In the game, they may also join guilds if the situation permits, but they must also pay initial membership fees and go through any initiations and paperwork necessary. A character may later increase rank in the guilds by buying more membership, or gaining more experience, but this will rarely happen in the game. Many guilds will simply promote certain members after a number of years, or when their socio-economic status changes.
Organizations
There are countless organizations in Lodoss, ranging from secret cults, to mighty mercantiles, to knightly orders. You must be a member of the organization to be involved, just as with the guilds, but these organizations are often structured far differently from the guilds. Few organizations charge membership fees, as members are expected to work for the organization as employees (with the exception of Knighthood, which is in fact, a title). The Shadow Guild, though classified as a guild, could probably be classified as an underworld organization as well.
Orders of KnighthoodOrders of Knighthood are many in Lodoss. Each nation has their own collection of orders, though some are shared with other nations. For the most part, knighthoods are recognized universally, so an Alanian knight's title bears the same legal and noble weight in Valis. A knight of the sixth Order (or level), is legally equivalent to a Lord. An eighth level is equivalent to a Marquis, and a tenth level is equal to a Baron.
There is only one eleventh level Knighthood Order, Knight of Lodoss. There can only be one Knight of Lodoss, appointed jointly by the rulers of the Lodoss nations. The hero Parn currently holds this title.
Dragon Riders of MossThe Dragon Riders of Moss are a knightly order, highly prestigious and renown throughout Lodoss for the fact that they ride wyverns instead of horses. The Dragon Riders are the chief protectors and guardians of the Kingdom of Moss. King Jester of Moss holds the knightly title of Knight of the Grand Order of the Dragon, the highest attainable order in Moss.
A Mossian knight can become a member of the Dragon Riders only if he is accepted, and often only after performing some vital quest. He must be of the Order of the Wyvern or higher. Once he is in the Order, he must tame and train his own wyvern to ride, a task that could take years.
Scouts of RaidenThe Scouts of Raiden are a special mercenary organization dedicated to the protection and garrison of Raiden and the surrounding lands. Though Raiden is technically in anarchy, free of government and political structure, the merchants and populous still demand protection from thieves, criminals, and warlords. The Scouts of Raiden were established a hundred years after the fall of Kastuul by a small company of mercenaries. They were hired by merchants to guard caravans moving between Alania and Raiden from bandits, monsters, and other threats. Over the centuries, the Scouts have grown in number to nearly six hundred mercenaries, rangers, and mages. Guilds, merchants, mercantiles, and individuals can contract one or more Scouts for guard duty, scouting, or other tasks. Fees can range from one to five Raidens a day depending on the Scout's reputation and membership level. The Maritime Mercantile employs a contingent of about thirty Scouts as permanent guards to keep order in the city, but primarily in places where the Maritime has interests at stake.
Mercantiles
Maritime MercantileThe Maritime Mercantile is the largest trade guild in Lodoss. They employ over eight thousand people in Raiden alone—including ship crews—and have branches in every major city, each which employ hundreds more. Though they are primarily a sea trade company, they have many caravans for transporting goods to inland cities. Maritime has a fleet of sixty trading vessels. Contrary to belief, they do not own or use warships, instead relying on the protection of the navies of Flaim, Valis, and Alania, which are charted to protect all merchant ships. When sailing outside of the national waterways of these nations, Maritime will employ privateer ships.
Maritime is owned by men from Alecrast, and may be an extension of an even greater Alecrastian mercantile. Maritime is enormously powerful and holds the strongest influence over the economy of Lodoss. It is Maritime, in fact, who mints the Raiden coin—the most widely accepted currency for trade and commerce. This began when the Maritime first began using "Raiden Notes" to pay it's workers, which could be exchanged for actual goods Maritime imported. Soon, the Raiden Note began to be used by non-workers, usually other merchants who had accepted the note as valid tender, to buy goods from Maritime. Over many decades, the note became a coin and was universally accepted by merchants who know that, if no one else, Maritime would honor the coin in exchange for goods. One Raiden is equal to 100 gold (even though it is only 12% electrum alloy and the rest tin), because the Maritime Bank will give one Raiden in exchange for 100 gold coins.
Membership in the Maritime Mercantile dictates one's position in the company. Level 1 is a hard laborer, dockhand, or seaman. Levels 2 and 3 are are basic workers, such as foremen, supervisors, teamsters, or lower officers. Levels 4 and 5 are constitute managers, bookkeepers, caravan leads, and higher officers. Levels 6 and 7 are made up of higher managers, coordinators, and ship captains. Levels 8 and above are for the very upper echelons of the company.
Eastern Sea MercantileThe only real rival to the Maritime Mercantile is the Eastern Sea Mercantile. Whereas Maritime's trade route goes from Raiden far north to Alecrast, the Eastern Sea Mercantile trade routes brings it around the eastern side of Lodoss, from Alania, north to Flaim, south to Kanon, then to Valis. Apparently, the Eastern Sea Mercantile also trades with the island chain of Azarn, far to the northeast. The Eastern Sea Mercantile owns about thirty merchant ships and employs nearly five thousand people. They are headquartered in Alania.
Membership in the Eastern Sea Mercantile dictates one's position in the company. This follows closely to that of the Maritime Mercantile.
Capital Ironworks MercantileCapital Ironworks was the largest Mercantile in Kanon, headquartered in Shinning Hill. However, after the invasion of the Marmo, Capital Ironworks suffered a tremendous blow. Their assets were divided between the headquarters in Valis and Blade, but with the lost of their largest steel mill in Kanon, the company was in dire straits. They tried selling off the remaining stock of iron and metalwork, and opened a few branch mills in Flaim. They were collecting funds to construct a new, large steel mill in Valis to breathe life back into their dying company.
Luckily, once the occupation ended, Capital Ironworks returned to Kanon. Their former headquarters were in ruins, but with help from the Lodoss governments during the rebuilding, they were able to reopen their mill and began production again. Capital Ironworks is nearly restored to it's former glory. Meanwhile, they are able to continue to fund their operations started in Valis and Flaim during the occupation.
Membership in the Capital Ironworks Mercantile dictates one's position in the company. This follows closely to that of the Maritime Mercantile.
Mossian Spice MercantileThe Mossian Spice Mercantile dominates the trade routes out of the Kingdom of Moss. Moss, as it is well know, is a land of many rich spices and exotic foods, and the Spice Mercantile is more than ready to share them with the rest of Lodoss, at a tremendous profit. The Spice Mercantile not only trades in spices, but also other rich and luxurious goods, such as silks, exotic fruits and foods, wines, and other intoxicants such as opium. Spice Mercantile caravans are a prime target for bandits, especially those that cross through the Wildlands to Raiden or the Storm and Fire Desert to Flaim. For this reason, they employ many mercenary escorts, and pay well too.
Membership in the Mossian Spice Mercantile dictates one's position in the company. This follows closely to that of the Maritime Mercantile.
Classes | Occupations | Guilds and Organizations
