High Guild Guilds
Swashbuckler's Handbook pg. 44 describes the 6 guilds of the High Guild. Order of Reason pg. 127 describes them with less detail. It does not have Royal Griffin Guild.
- Resplendent Axe Guild is the muscle of the High Guild. Its members, mostly men, are chosen for their courage, strength & size. Although used as guards & soldiers they are mages & fully aware of the High Guild’s business. Trained in combat & tactics, some members are covert agents who practice poisoning & assassination. They are usually employed by other guilds within the High Guild & often move around for different assignments.
- Black Uncles (Patron’s Guild) carefully choose artists, craftsmen, business partners & successors & then give them advice & funds. Black Uncles are subtle & clever, using their magic to guide their agents in the right direction. They work through their agents thus they are usually inconspicuous. Typical members are older mages who have had time to learn patience & gain influence. Most members come from noble or merchant families.
- Royal Griffin Guild members loan money to sovereigns, banking houses & large trading companies. They are among the richest people in all Europe. Unlike other patrons, these mages need something tangible of high worth before they loan money. They keep the big picture in mind as they use their money to build the future. They are often reclusive but like to mix with other Griffins on occasion.
- Albatross Guild is concerned with trade between distant locations. Members travel the world as they oversee their projects. In the process they serve as couriers, diplomats & ambassadors between the Daedalean lodges. Members outside Europe use animals other than the albatross to represent them. They often work closely with the Explorators. The rigors of travel in this age require much preparation. Members are trained in languages, etiquette, practical skills & different types of magic.
- Sun Guild members are masters of diplomacy focusing on communication, coordination & diplomatic ability. These mages spend more time managing finances, translating documents & learning about mundane courts of power than fighting but their impressive knowledge & contacts allow them to meet most any challenge. They know more than most High Guild members about what the Convention as a whole is doing. The average Guild House has many members of the Sun Guild.
- Rose Guild members are special agents of the High Guild. When an enemy needs to be swiftly removed, they are ready. Seduction, intimidation, assassination, intelligence gathering & other needful things are their specialty. Highly trained & polished for a variety of roles, Rose Guild members are ready for any challenge. They often travel for their assignments & learn to live with danger.