Guilds have long acted as havens for those in particular trades. They allow established professionals to pass on knowledge and skills to younger generations, they foster a sense of community, they create an institution that holds its members to certain standards, and perhaps most importantly the guild allows for collective bargaining and exercise of power against systems that would have easily crushed any individual worker standing on their own.
The idea of the guild grew and changed over time, with the language around them shifting and altering with every generation. However, as a tool to preserve skills and institutional knowledge, and to push back against exploitation of workers, they never went away entirely. And in a future where governments can be stretched thin, and where powerful corporate interests barely take the time to hide their iron fists in velvet gloves, these organizations are more important than they’ve ever been.
Whether used as background for your game, as paymasters or even as plot hooks, the following list of guilds can serve many purposes!
To use the list, either roll d100 for a random result or select appropriate ones manually.
Here are some sample results:
91. Infomongers Guild: The exchange of information happens several millions of times a second, all day, every day. While much of the information exchanged is inane or worthless, some is of an extremely sensitive nature. Banking records, legal briefs, personal affairs, industrial trading records, there is information on the net that if it fell into the wrong hands could start fires that would burn down entire conglomerates and spark revolutions in the streets. The Infomongers Guild facilitates secure transfers of data, using networks considered all but uncrackable by most industry professionals regardless of the color of their hats. A linchpin of security, the guild treats all information as equal regardless of its source or destination… and while they claim to protect the privacy of their clients’ messages, there’s suspicion that the guild isn’t above blackmail if that’s what it takes to strengthen its position and standing.
92. Greasers Guild: As any industrial worker can tell you, regular maintenance is the backbone of any technological endeavor. While many such tasks can be handled by average workers on the ground, complicated pieces of machinery require the aid of trained and skilled professionals. The Greasers Guild are the ones who swap the parts, change the oil, grease the gears, who keep the chains clanking and cogs turning. Found in the motor pool for vehicle fleets, in mining and drilling operations and in the repair bay of nearly every space port, this guild is as ubiquitous as the technology they keep running.
93. Weathering Guild: While the atmospheric effects of most worlds are far too complicated for even advanced technology to meddle with, there are satellite installations and moon-based locations whose weather patterns and systems are artificially created. The Weathering Guild, which handles these delicate operations, ensures the safety of individuals living in such places. The guild is also commonly engaged with agricultural sites, however, ensuring that all of the crops under their care receive the optimum conditions to prosper so they can be harvested and moved offworld.
Released: 21st January 2023 Pages: 24
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