Guild: THE SWORD AND COIN

THE SWORD AND COIN

(In the style of Guilds, by AEG)

MERCENARY GUILD

Type: Class Guild
Trade: Combat and protection
Motivation/Goal: Make money, protect its members, provide mercenaries.
Size: 200-350
Influence: The Sword and Coin has established a firm reputation as loyal mercenaries.
Public Face: The Sword and Coin are rough and tumble mercenaries that work hard for their coin and never betray their employers.
How to Join: Apply, prove yourself in combat against other members, submit to a magical examination. There is no membership fee, but the Sword and Coin gets 50% of the hiring cost.
Tiers/Ranks: New members are Coppers. Proven members are Silvers. Senior members are Golds and the head of the guild is the Platinum.
Symbol: Sword surmounted by four coins
Motto/Slogan: “Life or death for coin.”
Alignment: Non-Evil
Meetings: The guild meets on weekends for regular tavern nights. Golds and Platinum meet monthly to discuss business. Emergency meetings and funerals take place when needed.
Allies: The Sword and Coin is quite friendly with the various merchant guilds due to their use as guards at various businesses.
Enemies: The Sword and Coin is on bad terms with any evil guild and especially with those that betray their employers.
Prominent Members: Tana Crees, Platinum, female human Ftr15, TN; Aden Whitehammer, Gold, male dwarf Clr15, LG; Salis the Nimble, male Halfling Ftr5/Rog5, TN; Bethany Drake, Gold, female helf-elf Wiz7/Ftr5, CG.

Full Description: The Sword and Coin are native to the city of Elinstara, founded by the adventurers Crees and Whitehammer. Both had been abandoned by hirelings while on adventures, and they wanted to make sure that there was a trustworthy source of mercenaries available to other adventurers.

New members are magically examined by Whitehammer via Commune to determine if they’re worthy of membership. In the past individuals of evil alignment, questionable morals and even spies have attempted to gain membership, but Whitehammer has thwarted all of them. He is backed up by four large Silvers when he makes these examinations.

Despite not being Lawful in alignment, the guild prides itself on keeping their contracts, even to the death. In the ten years of its existence, not one single member has ever betrayed a paying employer. However, if the employer is abusive, violent or traitorous toward the member they will be blacklisted and charged a 100 gp fine per level of the hireling. Due to the various contacts that the Sword and Coin maintain, cruel masters will also find merchant prices around town will have gone up as well.

The cost to hire a merc is simple: 1 gp/day + Stat Bonus (if any) + Level. This is doubled if the NPC is of an Adventuring class, doubled again if over Lv 10. So, for example:

Lv 1 Warrior, +2 STR bonus = 4 gp/day
Lv 8 Fighter, +3 STR bonus = 24 gp/day
Lv 5 Adept, +2 WIS bonus = 8 gp/day
Lv 16 Wizard, +4 INT bonus = 84 gp/day

They come with basic gear for that level, but will accept better gear if given any.

The Guild looks after its members, providing healing and cures. If needed, funeral costs are also provided.