Adventuring Companies/Guilds
Adventurers in the North tend to organise themselves into formal groups known as bands, companies and fellowships. Most adventuring groups take a name based on a famous event in their career, their leader, a god, a sign, creature, symbol, etc. The adventurers become justifiably proud of their company names, their deeds and honours attributed to them. Over time many of the legends and stories of the more famous companies are retold around firesides at inns and taverns throughout the North, inspiring others to join in the adventuring life.
Eventually most bands retire as age, wealth or misfortune overtakes them but there are always more eager youngsters ready and willing to brave the dangers of the wilds in order to find that elusive goal of fame and fortune. In recent years the more canny adventurers have formed themselves into guilds to ensure the continued success of the company long after the original members have retired (or died). This has several benefits for the adventurers concerned as it allows them to retire gracefully but still keep a hand in their old "trade" as they can pass on their knowledge to a new generation of adventurers. The youngsters are always more than willing to brave the dangers of the wilds to collect an important item, ingredient or creature that the master deems needed for their experiments, studies or simply feels poses a threat to the civilised lands but which they'd rather no longer risk themselves for. Of course not all adventurers are suited to becoming guild masters, some build their own freeholds on the edges of civilisation, others give up the adventuring life completely to pursue other careers. But for those that do choose to become a guild master the rewards can very satisfactory.
An adventurer guild is very much like a merchants, thieves, business, or any other guild. Young adventurers are recruited and after serving an apprenticeship of a set duration become members of the guild and entitled to wear the coat of arms or insignia of the company that sponsored them. Often there are formal induction and graduation ceremonies and it is becoming popular to send the apprentice out on some for of quest or deed on behalf of the guild before they can become journeymen. In return for guild membership adventurers pay the guild a percentage of any treasure gained as guild dues (typically 25%). In return the fledgling adventurer gains the benefit of having access to the guilds resources such as libraries, high level spell casters, being able to purchase special equipment at discount rates, tutors, training when needed, access to the guilds contacts in other professions, as well as being able to get advice of the 'old hands" and leaders whenever needed. Membership has its draw backs though for should a guild make an enemy then all guild members are considered to be enemies by that person or organisation. This has led to feuds, assassination attempts, vendettas and even skirmishes occurring between rival guilds. In Stormhaven the rivalry was so fierce between two adventurer guilds that it threatened to escalate into full scale war. At this point the authorities in Stormhaven intervened and a truce was called. Since then a council of the more prominent guilds has been set up to ensure that inter-guild rivalries don't get out of hand. The council was made up of representatives of all the main guilds and holds a monthly meeting. Each registered guild and company of adventurers is entitled to one seat on the council, and they meet to discuss important events, mediate disputes and generally cooperate to ensure a repeat of the fracas of earlier times is neve repeated.
It isn't necessary for all adventures to join a guild but those that do find that they have certain benefits (as outlined above). Other adventurers feel that membership restricts them too much and that the costs outweigh the benefits and they'd rather go it alone and forge their own name for themselves. It is up to the individual adventurer to decide.
Adventuring Companies/ Guilds
Here is a brief list of some of the more famous companies and guilds operating in Stormhaven and the North.
Brothers of the of the Silver Axe
The Brothers of the Silver Axe are an all dwarf guild based in
Nazakhan. The Silver Axes are all followers of Clanggedin
Silverbeard, the dwarven god of war, and are active between
Nazakhan and Stormhaven. Most of their time is spent protecting
dwarven caravans travelling between the two cities but guild
members also engage in other activities such as attacking goblin
and orc outposts and patrolling dwarven lands. As well as their
guildhall in Nazakhan the Silver Axes maintain an chapter house (and
tavern) in Stormhaven. The leader of the chapterhouse in
Stormhaven is Durin Rockcrusher.
Midnights' Circle
Midnights Circle is the second oldest guild hall in Stormhaven
and was founded by Midnight Telerak, a charasmatic female mage of
some repute, and her companions. Midnight and her companions, who
called themselves Midnights Circle of Seven, were long time
rivals of the Winter Wolves and several times they two bands came
to blows in taverns and inns of Stormhaven. After the Winter
Wolves founded their guild hall Midnight and her friends did the
same and the rivalry continued unabated as each guild tried to
outdo the other. Things came to a head when members of the Circle
claimed that the Winter Wolves stole a magic item that they'd
recovered from a tomb in the Border Hills. A brawl erupted in the
tavern where the rival groups met and one of Midnights followers
was killed. After this things quickly escalated and before long
there were ambushes and assassinations which resulted in several
fatalities and all out war seemed inevitable. It was at this
point that the authorities intervened and a truce was arranged.
The governor of Stormhaven made it clear that such unlawful
behaviour would not be tolerated in the town and a council
comprising of members of the various adventure companies was
convened to hear grievances from both sides. Reparations and a
halt to the bloodshed ordered.
The Circle's coat of arms is a midnight blue shield with a circle
of seven stars in the centre of it.
Ogreslayers
The Ogreslayers are a small company that was active in the North
in the years 202-2206WR. They became famous for their preference
for killing ogres to all other types of humanoids and were
instrumental in defeating a large band of Ogres preying on farms
around Medwyn's Crossing. Three of the company were killed in the
final battle with the ogre mage leaders of the ogre band and the
surviving Ogreslayers decided to retire and settled in the
village of Medwyn's Crossing where they founded a tavern, the
Ogreslayers Arms. It is said that they occasionally sponsor
adventuring bands in the region of Medwyn's Crossing and can be
called upon to provide healing or training to those that need it.
The Ogreslayers are:
The Shadow Blades
The Shadow Blades aren't a guild as such but a loose
affiliation of rangers active in the woodlands and forests of the
North. Little is known of their goals, or membership, but it is
said that they are primarily concerned with maintaining the
balance between humans and nature in the North.
The Winter Wolves Guild
The Winter Wolves were one of the first bands of adventurers to
operate in the North after the founding of Stormhaven and were
instrumental in taming the lands around the town. They got their
name from one of the earliest adventures when they sacked a frost
giants lair and slew the giant and his winter wolf guard dogs,
taking the wolf pelts as trophies. The pelt of the largest wolf
still hangs in place of honour in their main hall. After more
than a decade of successful adventuring the Winter Wolves retired
and formed the first Adventurers Guild. Since its founding the
Winter Wolves Guild has gone from strength to strength and
continues to prosper. There are more than fifty members in this
guild making it the largest guild in Stormhaven. The original
members, and leaders, of the Winter Wolves are:
This page was last updated on
Wednesday, 10 October 2001