"Never say die!"

@Edwin Voskamp's AD&D Game: Freehold Protector's Guild

Being an Overview of the Protector's Guild

• Home Page
• Being a History of the Rise of Freehold
• Current State of Affairs in Freehold
• Being an Overview of the Protector's Guild

No discussion of Freehold would be complete without a discussion of the Protector's Guild. From that long ago time when they began, they have grown into a powerful bureaucracy that watches over every aspect of life in Freehold. The Guild numbers it is a powerful organization, capable of doing much, though they number only about two percent of the population of the kingdom of Freehold, (meaning there are about 14,000 Guild Members). These 14,000 Guild Members, range from the 8,000 of the Guild members of the White Circle to the just under 300 who have advanced to the Gold Circle and sit on the Council of Lords.

Guild University

Membership to the Guild is determined by ability, no more, no less. Of course, offspring of the members have certain advantages in gaining the ability to pass the stringent tests for admission to the Guild University, but nothing is assured in these matters. Extensive tests are given and those who pass are admitted to the Guild University. In the Guild University, they are taught by the Protector's Guild the basics of all of the trades in the first year, and choose their field of specialization. After a variable amount of time,depending on the field of study selected, the students are ready to proceed to the final step.

They are gathered together in teams of 4-8 and taught the means of "adventuring" - that is working in coordination and utilizing the special skills of the other team members. It is this training that makes the parties of Freehold so fearsome in all things. All of the rulers of Freehold who did not advance through the Black Circle stayed with their teams from school and the teams were successful or failed as a group. In addition, the teams are taken from end to end of Freehold, and given instruction in survival in all sorts of terrain, and introduced to Elf and Dwarf rulers.

Final Examination

Once the team has completed its final year of training, it is sent for the final test. This entails entering a dungeon maintained by the Guild University, and getting out the other side. The entrance to the final test holds a house, fully stocked with food and resting areas, in a sealed courtyard. Leaving the courtyard - by any means other than the dungeon exit - is equivalent to declining to take the test. There are three outcomes to the test:

1. One or more members decline to take the test: They are allowed to stay in Freehold (though this is unusual), but cut off from the resources of the Guild. The remaining members can elect to try without these members, or train for another year with the group filled out by other trainees.
2. The party sustains too many causalities to complete the test: The survivors are sent back for another year of training.
3. The party completes the test with minimal or no casualties: They are inducted into the White Circle of the Protector's Guild at that time and granted their sigils.

Protector's Guild Sigils

Sigils are polished metal badges, 4 inches across and 2 inches high. They are commonly used to clasp cloaks, but can be displayed in any number of ways, depending on the wish of the wearer. They must be displayed at all times while in the demesnes of Freehold. Display is optional, but encouraged, when outside of Freehold's demesnes. Attempting to alter the sigil in any way without authorization from the ruling council is punishable by death. There are magical ceremonies that are a part of Guild membership, that cause the sigil to display the circle of the wearer, and other incidentals that might come about as a result of Guild membership. The primary color of the sigil marks the wearers standing the in circles of the Guild.

Protector's Guild Circles

The Guild is divided into 5 circles. These are:

• The White Circle: composed of those who have passed their exams but not proved worthy of or are unready for further advancement. Those who completed their test in one day display a silver "V" on their Guild sigils.
   
  The White Circle is the first circle of the Protector's Guild. Members of that circle have four options:
  
  1. Go back to school: after sufficient study in these matters, advance to the Black Circle and hold a steading.
  2. Work in the Guild: Make oneself available for any such work as higher ranking guild members might require. This path leads most often to advancement within the Guild, but it is often dangerous to get caught up in the intrigues of the Guild too early in life.
  3. Stay in the Northern half of the city: - an area set up for the white circle to hone their skills as adventurers. The area is barred to all but non-Guild members and White Circle Guild members. A merchant class and various and sundry other characters choose to live in that area of town and provide for the adventurers - both financially and in terms of work and "finding" ways to hone their skills.
  4. Seek adventure outside Freehold: The Guild has sanctioned areas for these things. While the Kingdom is completely civilized, there are frontier areas that have areas tame enough for "green" members of the Guild. Near Mandoralia, there is a rift leading to a network of caves under the mountains. It is believed that there is a large network of caves deep under the mountains where the sun never shines, inhabited by a kingdom of dark, evil Elves. It is reported that these Elves are similar in setup to Freehold. The upper areas of the caverns are used by both kingdoms for training their new initiates. Many have gone to glory from the caves, but the caves are littered with the bones of those who did not go to glory - for both sides.
• The Black circle: composed of the rulers of the Freehold Steadings. Service in the Black Circle is not necessary for advancement, but any who have served may wear a "black sword" in the middle of their Guild sigil as they progress. It is considered a necessary step for advancing to the Gold Circle, but nearly a quarter of the Gold Circle members do not display the black sword in their Guild sigil. Ship captains also come from this circle and display a "black ship" in their Guild sigils after they advance.
• The Blue Circle: Those who have progressed past the Black Circle, but are not ready yet to go farther. A select few are responsible for running the Guild University (distinguished by a "blue scroll" on their sigils), and others of them maintain order in the Northern half of Freehold. Others have no portfolio and engage as wandering troubleshooters. Others assist the Red Circle in administrative matters.
• The Red Circle: Those who have proved ready to inhabit the 64 towers of Freehold and are destined for the ruling council in time. These towers are the ones spaced every 5 miles in the inhabited areas of Freehold and have dominion over 250 steadings. Other towers are gathered on the frontier and serve as buffers against the advancement of those who would do Freehold ill. Some few of them are Admirals of the fleets that ply the Sea of Fire. A "blue tower" or "blue masts" on the "black ship" mark those who have served as commanders while in the Blue Circle. Some of the best are the trusted lieutenants of the individual members of the ruling council.
• The Gold Circle: The rulers of Freehold. They hold some of the towers on the Eastern frontier, and ten of them guard the rift by Mandoralia. A dozen of them run the Navy. Most of them stay in the city of Freehold, where they can be dispatched to deal with threats that require their attention.