The Knight's VigilThe Realms Protectorates




About

To keep the entire Northern Hemisphere safe from the turbulent Southern powers, Escryma, Alazar, and Glasia cooperated to create the Knight’s Vigil (Vigil for short), an independent armed force whose only mission is to repel invaders from the South. Despite receiving funding from all three empirical powers, the three entered an agreement to make the Vigil a self-contained force that does not answer to anyone but its Knight Commander. This is done in order to prevent any one of the three powers from abusing the Vigil’s military power. Despite providing the world with their service of protections, the funding has dropped considerably since its founding.

The Vigil’s headquarter is located directly on the Southern Border, separated from the horror of the south by a single wall. Given its arduous mission and limited funding, the Vigil recruits people of all age, race, sex, and financial situations. It is especially popular amongst the impoverished because the Vigil provides boarding and nourishment. In exchange, these recruits often have to go through military training. Although the Vigil’s rate of recruitment is extremely high, very few recruits become Knights. Those incapable of being knighted becomes Militiaman, a lower ranked class of soldiers that make up the majority of the Vigil’s fighting force. Militiamen are not allowed to venture from the border. On the other hand, Knights are not restricted by sex and may travel anywhere in the world and take up any occupation they desires. Despite their freedom, when there is an emergency at the border, Knights must fulfill their oath and join the fighting force in the frontline.
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Enlisting: Enlistee goes through a week of boot camp before an initiation rite takes place. In the initiation rite, the enlistee takes takes an oath.

"I swear fealty to the benevolent night that devours the forces of evil and to the blood of the nobles before me. I promise to not stray from my righteous path, to cut down vile invaders threatening the peace of the night. I will lay down my life for my brothers and sister and will answer to the call of war until my dying breath."

Resigning: Should a Knight renounce his oath, he is branded with a mark of deserter, possibly the worst social punishment imposed in Etheria. The victim of the mark are treated as the lowest of the scum.

• Headquarter Southern Border (Euvaria)
  
• Funded by Escryma, Alazar, and Glasia
  
• Ranking Apprentice, Militiamen, Knight, Knight Captain
  
• Lead by Knight Commanders
  

The GuildThe Merchant's Guild




About

The Guild is an association composed of traders, merchants, and/or crafters. The Guild retains its power through an enormous web of connections that includes political, affluent, or extremely influential figures, negotiating and drafting agreements that mutually benefit both sides. Although the Guild is internally competitive, its primary goal is a cooperative one. All merchants within the Guild share information regarding prices and the rates of demand of particular cities or regions they do business in. In exchange, the Guild protects them from politics and direct taxation. Aside from sharing information, all members of the Guild pay a membership fee yearly for the services the Guild offers. The yearly fee fluctuates from year to year however, as the state of global economy changes often.

Although its headquarter is in the Dragon’s Coast on the southeastern part of Euvaria, the Guild has offices all over Etheria. Anybody apply for membership at one of their offices; however, there is a small setup fee. For members, the Guilders’ Office is a place where they could share or obtain trading information. To determine the members’ ranking and advancement, the Guild looks at the merchant’s gross income. When it passes a certain level, a merchant may advance to the next level, privy to exclusive information that will further boost their sale. However, not many merchant can make it past this point. It is known that affluent merchants or trading companies that stay in one place may have dealings with the guild, but do not need its service. The Guild caters more to individual merchants who have only started on the path of commerce.
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Miscellaneous

Enlisting: Enlistee goes through a lengthy process of filling paperwork. After completing it, a small down payment is expected to be made.

Resigning: No penalty but do not expect any refund.

• Headquarter Dragon's Coast (Euvaria)
  
• Funded by Yearly membership fee
  
• Ranking Apprentice Merchant, Veteran Merchant, Master Merchant
  
• Lead by Four Guild Masters
  

Aslaran ThaumaturgyThe Magician Guild




About

The Aslaran Thaumaturgy (thaumaturgy for short) is a magician guild that specializes in magical research of all types. Although the Thaumaturgy’s headquarter is in Alazar, they have smaller offices everywhere in Etheria called Magic Ateliers. Here, mages could resupply themselves with common regents for their spellcrafting needs. Each Magic Atelier is run by a veteran Thaumaturgist. A recruit may get informal training from them. However, it is advisable to seek proper magical training in their Magic Academy in Alazar.

Once a recruit becomes a certified Thaumaturgist, they are expected to submit their magical research to a Magic Atelier monthly. Any Thaumaturgist who fails to maintain their research are banished and fined for all services that had been provided by the organization. Upon being certified, the Thaumaturgist branded its members with an insignia that is used as a method of tracking, in case they revoke the oath of membership. Although it is commonly asked, nobody actually knows where the funding for the Thaumaturgy is coming from, or the reason why it is collecting all magical research.

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Enlisting: Enlistee goes through an interview and have to demonstrate their magical competency either through a research porfolio or a practical demonstration of magic. Those who pass the test are given a mage pass.

Resigning: Members who quit are expected to pay the Thaumaturgy back on the resources they provided.

• Headquarter Alazar (Al’kazem)
  
• Funded by Unknown source
  
• Ranking Apprentice, Thaumaturgist, Exalted Thaumaturgist
  
• Lead by Three Arch Mages
  

The EnclaveThe Fighter's Guild




About

The Enclave is a tight-knitted group of adventurers that proactively takes contracts to complete quests, clear dungeons, retrieve valuables, or to act as hired blades for war. The Enclave offers its members a mean to band together to take on the most difficult of quests or hunts. Given their family-like structure, members refer to themselves as ‘Companions’ and one another as ‘brother’ or ‘sister’. Membership-wise, the Enclave does not open its door to just about anyone; it caters only to the strong. Its philosophy is all about keeping the house upright with strong foundations. As such, it runs on a glory system that determines whether or not a member may advance from a recruit to a companion, and then eventually allowing them into the inner-circle. In order to obtain glory, a companion will have to go on a hunt or a quest to slay the most lethal of all beasts or monsters. Once they have obtained the head of their game, either through a quest or a hunt, the head is hung in the Glory Hall with their name engraved underneath. This head is replaced by bigger and rarer hunts. If it was a joint effort from two or more companion, their names will be listed accordingly.

With its headquarter deep in the desolate region of Nordwyn, it is difficult for the Enclave to obtain membership through normal means. As such, there is a fair number of Enclaves quarter around Etheria called Vaskah. Companions who find themselves in need of lodging may present their brooch to any Vaksah to get free lodging and sustenance. Once a person becomes a companion, they are granted a palm-sized brooch with a symbol of the sword atop the shield engraved onto its metallic body. This is the physical proof of the Enclave’s membership.
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Enlisting: Enlistee goes through a determining process where they showcase their battle prowess either by sparring with a trainer or go on a hunt with a companion.

Resigning: There is no penalty in resigning the Enclave. However, the member in question will have to incinerate their biggest game and return their brooch. This is so they will have to earn their glory if they decided to rejoin the Enclave once more.

• Headquarter Glasia (Nordwyn)
  
• Funded by Contracts
  
• Ranking Recruit, Companion, Inner-circle Companion
  
• Lead by Guild Master