Ideas needed for an adventurers' guild

[Jon_Dahl]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.