Old Guilds

The Old Guilds are nine ancient societies who have served special purposes throughout the known history of Landfall. Guilds carefully select their members according to secret criteria, and members learn ancient secrets and skills known only to their Guild. In present-day Landfall, members of Old Guilds are not subjects of any sovereign and are free to travel throughout the world. Each Guild pursues its own mysterious agenda, although all profess to serve the greater good of kin. By edict of the Conclave, it is a crime for commoners to impersonate Guild members or interfere in Guild affairs. The Guilds clearly have powerful influence at the highest levels of government throughout Landfall. Collectively, they are the most politically powerful force in the civilized world, even moreso than the Thlossian Conclave, but their influence is covert. To be a Guild member is highly prestigious and respected. Some Guilds only recruit from certain regions or populations (for example, all Ardent are elf-kin), but theoretically any kin from any kingdom may join any Guild.

The Old Guilds are sometimes called the "Dark Societies." These terms have the same meaning, but "Old Guild" is preferred.

The Old Guilds should not be confused with the many artisan and merchant guilds throughout Landfall. References to the Old Guilds are capitalized ("They flew the Guild banner") whereas references to other guilds are not ("The masons' guild"). Artisan and merchant guilds do not have the special privileges and status of the Old Guilds.

## The Nine Old Guilds

As of Book 1 of the Grim Dream series, the known Old Guilds are:

1. ville solant: a theater and performing arts society in the former Jeceau Empire
2. Ardent: elf-kin hunters and killers of ziraduun
3. Cayrien Order: librarians and researchers who seek to preserve the history of all kin
4. Navigators: those who study the stars and cartography
5. nanji: assassins for hire
6. Care-Takers: specialists in agriculture and farming
7. Deathcatchers: specialists in tracking, ghost-hunting, and grief

The remaining two Old Guilds are not mentioned in Book 1.

Although every Guild is ancient and has its specialty, these specialties have changed and evolved over time. For example, the Ardent did not always hunt and kill ziraduun. During the Myriad, the Ardent *helped* ziraduun by systematically testing children for magical potential, then forwarding promising candidates to magical academies for further training. The core, founding principle behind each Guild is a mystery lost to history. But it is believed they were all founded simultaneously and designed to work together to serve a specific common goal, which has since been forgotten.

## The Circle of Nine

The Circle of Nine is a whispered myth -- a conspiracy theory -- that the highest-ranking members of each Guild secretly meet to coordinate and manipulate the course of world events, to mysterious, self-serving ends. There is no confirmation of this theory.

## Guild Banner

The Guild banner or Guild Compass is a crest shared by all nine Old Guilds. It features the Great Compass of the *Izu'a'ir*, representing the delicate balance between the nine elements of existence. It is sometimes called the "Compass of Guild Neutrality." People flying this banner or displaying the Guild Compass are granted immunity and safe passage through all realms of kin, by law. Notably, Old Guilds receive the same special treatment from all cultures, regardless of origin -- Thlossians, Tazitan, and Shaolei all grant the same privileges.

## Guild Culture

Each Guild has its own unique chain of command, and members must obey their superiors without question. The Guild "owns" its members for life, like subjects of a sovereign crown, but may choose to release any member at any time. Deserting a Guild is a crime punishable by death.

Guilds respect each other as peers and generally do not interfere in each others' business. There is no sign of any conflict between them, nor any overt cooperation either.

The number nine is important, in different ways, to the lore and secrets of every Guild. Guild members often come to revere the number nine as sacred or lucky.