The Wayfarers League
Jar Noa'eegran
The Wayfarers League is one of the very few organisations that span across the entirity of Talrak and can be found in every kingdom, they are a guild of adventurers, explorers, historians, scholars, and teachers. They come from all walks of life, united under one simple motive: to disover and to to teach those of thier discoveries, to travel across Talrak, to teach the illiterate how to write, the starving how to grow food, and the intelligent: medicine and history. They are not only teachers however they collect and store infomation too dangerous to release to the people of Talrak, investigating unknown magics, and ensuring that some secrets are kept secret.
The wayfearers are a nomadic group often spending months or even years on the road only stopping in small settelments. Due to this nomadic nature they only have guildhalls in the most influencial of settlements like capital cities or major transport hubs. Guildhalls are libaries and schools where those who want to learn can do so for free with more senior members staying permenantly so they can teach and advise all those who enter. Guildhalls act as a common area for the Wayfarers, a place where they can resupply and rest for a few days before heading back out to travel the world.
Without the wayfarers the world would be lost half of the people can read because of them, half of history is written by them – and we are eternally grateful for their gift of knowledge and teachings. They are the unsung heros of the world, may the Spirits preserve them.There is no specific rank structure for the Wayfarers and usually the most experianced are the ones who will lead. But in the guilhalls there are specific roles consisting of: Quatermaster, Beastmaster, Armsmaster, Grandmaster, and libarian. They ensure that the Guild can contiune to venture out to teach the people, to ensure gathered knowllage is stored and catalogued correctrly, and to teach those who enter the hall. Wayfarers will often travel in groups of 2-10 people they consist of people from all different backgrounds, nations, ages, and skill sets. They move nation to nation aiding in archeological excavations and scientific studies as well as guest lecturers in other institutes of learning. When they enter settlements people will often flock to see them and listen to their stories, often staying for a week before moving off. In this time they would teach and share their stories of foreign lands, ancient tales, wonderful creatures, and forgotten histories. Due to thier unbiased nature the Wayfarers often aid local law authorities in investigations and sometimes act as judges. The wayfarers are also known as minstrels in some areas as many are also bards and have a talent with musical instruements to keep themselves entertained on the road. With no official uniform many wear or carry a broche or amulet with the symbol of a compass on it. Folk tales say that the amulet resonates with an ancient power only available to the Wayfarers even going as far as it unlocking secret bases and excavations too sacred and important to reveal to the general public. The amulet is also said to open the mysterious great halls and libraries of the Compass high up on the slopes of Storfell - the highest mountain on Talrak and the guilds main base of operation. This is where all Knowllage is stored it is the largest and most complete collection of knowllage in the known world, and every year people pilgrim to The Compass to learn. But those who venture up the steep slopes are only allowed in the First hall to venture anywhere else is strictly prohibited, watched over by the guards and keepers known as the Adish. They have resided in The Compass since before the Wayfarers claimed it as thier keep, the Adish however are not just guards, they are also libarians, scholars, and scientists. The Wayfarers are people who like to help and they are good, kind people who will go out of their way to aid anyone who asks. This makes the people trust the wayfarers as heros and teachers. Or dispise and distrust them as bad omens due to the rumours of them dabbling in unknown power and magics.Unknown citizen of Dayte, Re'alec - 4.1150
Structure
The only formal ranks in the wayfarers is the prospector and his deputies up in the compass they run the guild and ensure its members remain true to their motives. But with no official rank structure it usually goes off who is the most experianced with junior members of the order looking up to more senior members and so forth, the leader of a party is known as the pathfinder, who guides them through the wilderness.
The roles members can take on in guildhalls are still just as important:
The Quatermaster ensures that the guild is properly supplied with anything ranging from food and blankets to enchanted weapons and ancient tomes, the quatermaster is also incharge of selling all surplus suplies allowing the guild to have an income to fund expeditions when there are no investors.
The Beastmaster handles and trains all animals that the guild use like horses and hunting dogs, they also ensure transport arrangements are met and the acquiring of vehivles like ships and wagons.
The Armsmasters are the smiths and artisans of the guild with many of their crafts going strait to use with other members and what they don’t need gets given to the quartermaster to sell as surplus. If anything needs making or repairing they can do it.
The Grandmaster oversees this guildhall reporting to the prospector they make sure the guild remain in a upstanding status and charter expeditions as well as small archelogical sites within the local area for parties to undertake.
The Libarians store and catalogue all knowllage brought to the guild and send it to the compass they are also the teachers and researchers of the guild ensureing all who enter leave with new knowledge.
There may be many members fulfilling some of these roles however there is only one grandmaster and the only people who have power over anyone else in the guild are the prospectors.
Culture
The members of the Wayfarers league believe that if they have knowllage and wisdom to share they should and that if there is the oppotunity to teach someone somthing new they should. But although knowllage is great it is also very dangerous and they aim to hide and ensure some secrets or infomation are never released. They believe that everyone has the right to a second chance and that everyone deserves to be helped, that every mistake is just a chance to learn and do better the next time you try.
They will go out of their way to give aid to anyone particually the poor and ill-informed tending to restrain helping the rich and powerful. Many Wayfarers have become folk heros in smaller settlements with people revering them.
Public Agenda
Ignorance is neither blessing or burden, it is who has that knowllage which turns it into somthing beautiful or a deadly mistake. Ignorance - wether you have it or not - will be the down fall of mortal kind. Therefore I shall bring knowllage and wisdom to the right people and hide it from the wrong. So that this world may blossum and grow to become beautiful. To teach, it is the reward of discovery. I plan to explore, I plan to discover anything and everything. But I also plan to share to the good people of Talrak.Edaan Min'leth of Re'lak - 2.106
Since that day those who beilived in Edaan continued to teach and spread the right knowllage to the right people, but prevent the most devastating of secrets being revealed. Over time more and more joined Edaan's cause becomeing the Wayfarers League.
Assets
The Guild owns about 12 guildhalls in total spread across Talrak in each kingdom with numerous smaller outposts in more remote regions. They also own a rather substancial fleet for travelling into the unknown lands in expeditions which they regularly embark on. Many of thier assests however are made by its members and sold to gain money for example the weapons and armour used by travelling parties are often made by blacksmiths or armsmasters in a guildhall and handed out to whoever needs it, then the surplus is sold by the quatermaster.
However apart from what they make and find in their expedititions they own nothing else of worth except for the grand library in the compass.
History
Founded in 2.301 by Edaan Min’leth the guild has always been involved in any major historical event and archeological excavation. They were also the first to venture out into the unknown lands launching the Ellanden, the largest ship at the time, into the unknown lands in the year 2.499 nearly 200 years after the guild formed. In this voyage they formed the first settlement outside of Talrak on P’lash island. Since that day they have regulaary sent more expeditions into the lands with more and more returning with new and exciting tales - they are the foremost experts on the unknown lands.
In 3.704 they claimed the compass as their main base and started to store all their gathered knowledge there as well as storeing knowledge that should remain hidden, they joined forces with the secretive keepers of the compass known as the Adish who still remain as guards and protectors.
As their influence spread across all of Talrak as teachers, explorers and historians they started to make smaller outposts in major cities the first was in 4.1142 in the kingdom of Re’alec close to the massive glaciers and icesheets known as the stretching ice in the city of Dayte, close to the archelogical marvels hidden in the ice. While Dayte is full of highly eductated visitors is residents are among the poorest in Re’alec and it is at this point that they became known to teach the illerterate free of charge turning their guildhalls into libraries and schools for all who want to learn.
Now there are guildhalls in most major cities across the face of Talrak and its members ever wander through its lands teaching and discovering its secrets as well as in the unknown lands.
'To teach, it is the reward of discovery.'
Founding Date
2.301
Type
Guild, Adventuring
Alternative Names
The minstrels
7-12-11.4483
