The Assassin's Guild- The most dangerous guild in all of Felor. The guild has members on all the continents of Felor. Most of its members are former members of the Thieves Guild or the Fighters Guild who found the drawing of blood most appealing. For as long as there have been guilds the Assassin's Guild has been one of them as has the Thieves' Guild, the Adventurer's Guild, the Fighter's Guild, and the Mage's Guild. The Banker's Guild, and the Merchant's Guild came soon after as many who previously did not have money now sought to buy things with the money they now had because of their work in the Guilds, and after that ways to protect their money until they could buy a place of their own. The exact date of its founding is unknown as records from that time are scarce but most assume it is when the first cities were founded and people came to despise others who they would encounter far too often in the streets. The wealthy are thought to have begun it to kill off the poorer citizens and take over the former slum lands for their own desires, usually shops or other revenue streams.
The Thieves Guild- As far back as anyone can remember the Thieves Guild has stolen from the rich and gave some to the poor, but kept most for themselves. It is said the poor formed the Thieves Guild to counter the Assassin's Guild, which was founded by the wealthy. This prompted the wealthy to form the Adventurer's guild who were paid to hunt them down, and bring back the stolen goods, and ideally the Thieves themselves so the wealthy client could have their way with them, typically through torture or even at times execution. More often than not it is said the wealthy client themselves aided in the punishment personally. Nowadays the Guild takes on all kinds of job sometimes taking on jobs better suited for other guilds if they pay is high enough. Also has operators on each continent. Believed to be the second largest of the Guildhouses.
The Adventurer's Guild- Originally founded by the wealthy to retrieve stolen items from the Thieves' Guild. Soon after the founding the Guild decided to accept all types of jobs to better establish themselves against the Assassin's Guild and the Thieves' Guild. By taking on almost all types of jobs the Guild grew rapidly, and is now the largest Guildhouse. Members of the Guild must pay dues (100 Gold) to the house once per month and are allowed up to six months of defaulting before a Writ of Apprehension and Seizure is put out to multiple other Guildhouses including; the Thieves Guild, the Assassin's Guild, the Bounty Hunters Guild, the Merchant's Guild, the Banker's Guild, as well as to the heads of the Hipar Syndicate, the Black Port Triad, the Sulanni Raiders, the Jal, the Tesardinian Mercenaries, the Crimson Spear, the Angels of Death, and all of the Royal Houses of Felor. Should you be brought before the Guild Master in Vateria on Adventurer's Avenue you will be asked for double the previous amount due, if you are unable to pay, you will be given once chance to explain yourself, should your explanation be deemed insufficient you will be stripped of all belongings, have your tongue cut out, your ears ripped off, your eyes sewn shut, and the thumb of each hand severed; so that you have nothing but your skin, that you may never lie again, nor hear danger coming, nor see the road of adventure, and are unable to wield a weapon again. Needless to say this is part of the Oath you must swear when joining the Adventurer's Guild.
The Bounty Hunter's Guild- At its inception it was an offshoot of the Adventurer's Guild, early on many Adventurer's Guild members were unable to pay the dues and so sought refuge in other parts of the world. In addition to recovering deserters from the Adventurer's Guild the Masters soon realized there was a need for this amongst the other two Guilds as well, and so an unknown, although certainly large amount, was paid to the Adventurer's Guild to become an independent house. The guild now functions more like the Assassin's Guild, with the exception they will not kill, unless absolutely necessary.
The Merchant's Guild- Soon after the first Guildhouses were founded it became necessary to have places to spend their new found wealth and so Merchant's who formerly were all independent and ill treated, ill stocked, and in most cases just plain ill, founded their own Guildhouse, and the world has changed ever since. Now active on every continent, by wealth the Merchant's Guild is one of the wealthiest, by membership however they are thought to be third. Dues are paid quarterly and are 2,500 gold. This affords access to the Merchant Guild's supply line which is the most legitimate and therefore desirable in the world. Penalty for default is simple, find your own supply line.
The Banker's Guild- When the newly paid guild members finished restocking their supplies most chose to start saving and soon found the Thieves guild or other poor and destitute had taken their wealth while they were working, and voila, the Banker's Guild was established. Among the poor it is believed the founder was a wise and intelligent blacksmith from the slums who collected metal containers that were used in the transport of some mercantile items, when the shopkeepers would throw them away, usually bent or broken, they were repaired and kept in a dead end alley, with the help of a friend who was a mason the two slummers sealed the one entrance to the alley and added a metal door crafted by the blacksmith hired a retired adventurer to guard the door and only allow admittance to those who heard rumor (spread by the smith and the mason among the Guildhouses) of the place and had a guild membership. Dues are paid yearly and are 20,000 gold. Default on dues, well let's just say it hasn't happened, but some suspect all guilds, the wealthy, and some unknown parties use the Banking Guild's establishments to protect their valuable items and information.
The Trade and Transport Guild- While overlapping somewhat with the Merchant's Guild the Guild provides not only overland transport , but has the largest supply line of overwater craft in the world. Recently purchased a fleet of small skyships to test the possibilities of flown trade transport. By wealth ranks in the top five, by size, is in the top three.
The Crafters and Smithing Guild- Not too long after the Merchant's setup their Guild than did the laborers setup their own. As a way to ensure a fair and stable amount be paid to the laborers for their work.
Fighter's Guild- Soon much wealth flowed amongst the continents and the strongest from each Guild often wish to test themselves against other Guildhouses members. While originally for sport and betting, the guild soon found itself inundated with newcomers they came from taverns, inns, coliseums, arenas, fighting pits, docks, sailing ships, and smithies. The bookies decided to approach the other Guilds and ask for a Guild Charter, it was quickly given. Some of the strongest on all Felor belong to the Fighter's Guild. As the only guild offering dual membership (due to it's origins) the Guild's exact membership is unknown, though it is belived to be just outside the top five by size.
The Tavern and Inn Guild- The amount of devastation caused in the Taverns and Inns by newly wealthy Guild workers frustrated many owners of rest and relaxation establishments, luckily enough of the wealthiest individuals were affected and went to the Guilds seeking a charter, though reluctant it was ultimately the complete loss of one particularly wealthy individuals world renown establishment that allowed the Charter to be granted. It is thought otherwise the Taverns and Inns would be closed to the Guilds, and that would cause a massive divide between the guild members and the general public.
The Mages Guild- Some things are just not able to be handled by physical threats or lesser minds. The Mages Guild is said to have been around in circles throughout the world administered by buildings known as Arcane Towers. This worked well while the majority of citizens still lived well away from one another and allowed secrecy. When the people started to gather together in communal fashion the First of each circle advised the others in the circle that the day would come when they too would need to "become" a Guild. After much debate amongst the Firsts of each circle at the Tower of Tomes it was decided to go to Vateria and establish a Guildhouse. While all other Guilds are required to build in a square fashion, the Mage's Guild has been afforded the right to continue the tradition of building a circular Guildhouse, and so Mage's Towers were setup on each continent in most every major city. No one knows how many mages there are, as the Guild does not have to release its membership, many fear they may be the most numerous due to the predating of any of the other Guilds.
The Druidic Circle- As old as the Mages are, their Guild is thought young by comparison to the Druidic Circle. The only guild not required to use the Guild moniker, the reason is unknown, but it is rumored the other Guild Masters once ordered the Druids to adhere to the tradition, and the Grand Heirophant of the First Circle of Felor called forth the roots of Sylvereos himself and held the masters upside down, as he further called forth the power of Felora to open a bottomless pit to dangle them over. After which it is said the Grand Heirophant spoke and his voice ripped through the wind with the force of a massive tornado, saying, "Do not presume to be in charge because you stand behind your stone walls, and hide under your wooden roofs, and melt metals with your puny fires and trade them for still other smaller metals, there is nothing you have done that we have not mastered first. Your walls will erode, your roofs will rot, your metals will rust. When all this has come to pass and you are huddled together where your civilization once stood, we will still be here and you will be in our lands once more!" Although this cannot be confirmed due to obvious reasons, this is sufficient for most as the truth. Many fear those in green robes, although less so than black, as no one can confirm a green robed being has ever outright killed anyone.