Major Guilds/Organizations

In Tiefebene each province has 4 Major noble houses ( one from each giant clan ) in addition to any "small-folk" noble houses. While the giant houses have no true government power and are not part of the Lower chorus they are still an influential noble house within the protectorate and have a lot of unofficial say in things. Since the giants are the rulers of the protectorate most people want to be favorably associated with one of the giant houses. The Guilds of Tiefebene have also organized themselves around the giant houses , using their wealth and knowledge to further the guilds goals. Many of the Tiefebene guilds are an extension or mirror of the guilds the giants have set up for themselves.

Cloud Giant associated

• The Merchants guild: The cloud giants love of wealth and decadence resonated with the merchants and so they chose cloud giants as their patrons. To ensure only the highest quality of goods are sold the merchants of the guild only buy and sell items that bare the seal of another recognized guild. These items fetch a higher price (+10-30%) and are generally of high quality.
• The Guild of Law: As the leaders of the Ordning clearly the cloud giants are the best choice to patron the guild of law. This guild is responsible for educating and licensing any official law keepers. Those who would join the guild include magistrates, nobles, local leaders, paladins and clerics. It is certainly not required to join the guild to become a local leader but those who do and receive the guilds education are in a much better legal position.
• The Sondri school of High Magics: Given the Cloud giants natural spell casting abilities it seemed only right that the local magical academy be founded under their patronage. The Schools of Divination, Conjuration and Transmutation are extensively studied here, with A focus on Divining what is to be , and controlling the domains of Air and Gravity both in general manipulation and as transportation. The style of education is more suited to sorcerers, but wizards are also trained here though they are seen as less magical than their sorcerers counterparts.
• The college of Bardic Arts: This college is both a guild and school for entertainers and performers of all varieties. The College of Eloquence is the most prominent bardic college and often practices their skills in competition with the Guild of Law. The members of this guild are often recruited to entertain at one of the many Cloud giant festivals and are beginning to make a name for themselves outside the Cloudian borders
• The garden of earthly delights: This society is dedicated to enjoying all the luxuries and types of enjoyment the world has to offer. Joined by invitation only the membership is highly exclusive. The society is /the/ place to find and exchange rare and unusual items. It is also highly secretive. what happens behind the garden walls stays behind the garden walls. what on the surface is an exclusive club for those who like to flaunt their wealth, is in reality a front for secret meetings, black market exchanges and all sorts of underhanded dealing.

• /*Mists: Mostly considered a rumor by the masses the Mists society is a group of people who specialize in infiltration and espionage. A sub group known as The Fog of Night are assassins and thieves that specialize in high profile targets. */

Fire Giant Associated

 

• The Grand Armed Forces: The official standing army of both Erhoben and Tiefebene, contains people from all associations. They have a strict training regimen and prospective applicants are given aptitude tests to determine their placement within the military. Trainers travel to the towns and villages to train the local militia or help support them as needed.
• The Metal Shapers Guild(s): The fire giants have a tight hold on the metal work done in all of Cloudia. Representatives travel offering training, taking on adept apprentices and making sure that produced work is up to a certain quality. Outside of isolated villages and hamlets many will not buy non guild metal work. The metal shapers guild has very close ties with the mining guild and can heavily influence the flow of raw materials to those that fall out of favor. exceptionally talented members have the chance to apprentice in a fire giant workshop.
• The Miners guild: The miners guild is in charge of approving mine prospects and construction, safety standards and maintaining the quality of raw minerals sold on the market.
• The Iron Fist: The special forces of the Grand Armed Forces. These highly trained warriors are used for any situation where a small force is better than a large one. They also end up being the leaders of military units. They are trained in both martial and runic arts and many spend their time as adventurers taking care of looming threats. They are also the most likely to be chosen as the guards for nobles or other important people/ places. they are able to be hired much like a mercenary band, so long as they do not have opposing orders.
• The Great Engine: This society is formed of rich patrons, artificers, mechanics, and rune carvers. They are dedicated to the intricacies of mechanics. There are some whispers of a subset that worship Mechanus but nothing sustainable.

Frost Giant Associated

 

• The Hunters Lodge: A guild for those who make a living hunting and surviving in the wilds. members include Hunters, Guides, mercenaries, retired/current adventurers. To join proof of a big game kill must be presented. Rank and renown in the guild is entirely based on who has killed the most/ most dangerous beasts.
• The Lodge of Questing: The local adventuring guild. They take advertisements for things that need done and match them with the most suited party of adventurers , they also help put parties together. The quests you get are based off your parties skills and how well you've done on previous jobs. Additionally they offer recovery services where they will send a party to recover your body and gear to deliver to your next of kin or other specified recipient. Jobs from the guild pay a bit more than non guild jobs but access to them can be restricted by your guild rank.
• The Mountain Wall: This is the division of the military that patrols the borders of Tiefebene. They are adept at moving through and fighting in extremely cold and hazardous terrain and often go on long excursions in to the mountians to remove threats or for training. They are very selective choosing their members from the ranks of the military, or particularity strong adventurers. Additionally their camps are known for having incredibly skilled ship-writes and sailors.
• The Ice Knives: Stories tell of disappearances and important people dieing in their beds but those are just rumors...arnt they. The ice knives are assassins who excel in making sure the deaths look exactly how they want them to. From natural causes to animal attacks or mysterious deaths in the night. Unlike the Mists they do not mingle and spy.
• The Wind Song: Sklads of the Wind-song college are bards of the Spirit and Valor traditions. They accompany the warriors of the Mountain wall or travel the wild parts of the land bringing stories and news to the remote villages. Bravery and the skills of an adventurer are taught alongside the entertainment skills bards are known for.

Stone Giant Associated

 

• The guild of hands: Many of the "common" or "lesser" crafts and trades can find patronage among the stone giants. members of these guilds are known for working some artistic or decorative element in to even their most basic work. Their work almost always stands out from non guild craftsmanship and fetches a higher price especially with the merchant guild members. Rank in the guild is entirely based on trade skill.
• The Rune singers Guild: Members of the Rune Singers are those who have dedicated themselves to the art of Rune craft. While anyone can carve the shapes or draw the symbols only those who show talent or potential for imbuing the runes with their magical properties are admitted in to the guild.
• The Silent stones: In pursuit of furthering their skills and devoting themselves to their craft the members of the silent stones society have sworn an Vow of silence, finding spoken sound to be just another distraction from their work. They often live in small secluded groups and devote themselves fully to their craft.
• The Hidden Gems Society: This group travels the land and searches for hidden talent ripe for training and patronage. They will go to villages and hold fairs that allow the people to show off their works or try their hand as a new skill. If promising talent is found they offer to find them an appropriate master. Apprentices found by this group are highly sought after as they almost always show promise.
• Dream walkers: The Stone giants view the surface world as a dream, something unreal and fleeting. the Dream walkers are a society of stone giants who have decided to spend more time in this "dream" and the companions who would help them navigate it without causing to much trouble in the towns they come across. They serve as the go between for the surface world and the stone giants who would otherwise be disconnected and unconcerned with their surface charges
• Stone throwers: Those rare stone giants who possess no artistic talent or skill are largely ignored or shunned by their people. Pushed to the edges of their society they become the defenders of the stone cities. Stories of rude stone giants lobbing rocks at any who get close are generally referring to the stone throwers. Some find purpose among the Dream walkers, others wander the surface world. The Stone thrower society has arisen from their desire for companionship among their own kind and some members are working to earn a better place among the stone giants for their members.

Un-associated Guilds/ Societies

• The Church of Hiatea: This is the order of clerics , priests and other persons who dedicate themselves to the goddess Hiatea, their presence is strong in the lands of Tiefbene and most towns have at least one priest. Larger towns will have a cleric who is able to preform healings or blessings

• The large " small-folk" society: This growing group of non-giants is gaining traction as the favoritism to giants and larger peoples makes it harder for the "small-folk" to move up in society.
• The Church of the Veiled Lady: A small but growing death cult that tends to the needs of the living in regards to the loss of their loved ones