The Scalebreaker Guild

The Scalebreaker Guild - often referred to as 'The Guild' by Hunters - is a monster hunting faction operating across the Aether.

The Scalebreakers is one of the few Guilds that balances finely on the thin line that is neutrality when it comes to morals, Guilds, politics and religion.

The primary goal of the Scalebreakers is to take out Aether's most destructive and malignant monsters for one reason or another.

On one moral standard the Scalebreakers can hunt for sport, monetary value or simply because they can, on the other side of the line they can hunt to protect ecosystems, rare creatures and civilisations and protect trading caravans and convoys, even monitor habitats and prevent poaching.

The Scalebreakers accomplish these goals through their loose family of ‘Hunters’ who are paid a decent living for active services.

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The Guild holds a very close bond with the merchants of the Aether and Merchant Guilds.

They hold a distant but respectful relationship with the Dragon Guard, often sharing contracts for the most difficult of monsters with the Guard and exchanging information together.

They have a neutral outlook on the Ingaros and other crime organisations, contact with them is limited but not unheard of due to monster parts being widely prized on the black market.

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Unlike most guilds, the Scalebreakers lack an official contract of membership, nor are there high expectations for Hunters to remain within the Scalebreakers with the understanding that, while you are Hunting or on Guild grounds, you are a Hunter and must abide by the Guilds rules and hierarchy while as a Hunter.

In this, the Scalebreakers are a ‘loose’ guild/family, with any Hunter not obliged to ever come back or remain active in service.

In return for active service comes promotion within the guild, more shares of the cut, more money, a stable roof to sleep under, regular food, cleaning and advanced health care. All these and more to those that are reliable and dependable within the Guild, while those who hold the Guild at more of a distance may find they lack priority.

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A hunter can recognise a hunter by the skinning knife they carry while out on missions, however, these knives must be returned to the Guild upon completion unless the Hunter is a regular or of a higher rank. The Guild also has a written record of contracts and their participants in the case of death or breaking Guild code.

The hierarchy system is as follows, with ranking up by acclaim from a peer.

* Guild Masters

Managers of finance, distributors of contracts and the embodiment of order, stability and law within the Guild, Masters are the most experienced, trained and active of the Guild, having dedicated their life to the Scalebreakers and making a hall their home, most will be retired from the battlefield if they do not have an extended lifespan.

Guild Masters are appointed by other Masters and are to be referred to as ‘Master [name]’ by all those of a lower station.

There can only be a maximum of 5 Guild Masters at a time in any Hall but there does not have to be this many.

Guild Masters are to communicate with other Guild Masters from other Halls across the Aether, usually via letters or convening together once every three moons at an ancient temple in a location known only to Masters.

* Knights

Knights are Hunters who have reached great acclaim and prestige, having performed admirable and active feats, perhaps even miracles and astonishing accomplishments. They are anointed in traditional ceremonies by the Masters and often lead bands of Hunters to take on some of the toughest of contracts.

* Guild Hunters

The most common of ranks, Hunters are the standard, everyone who is trained in combat, healing or other is a Hunter to start with and can stay a Hunter for most of their life.

* Initiate Hunter

If a Hunter, fresh to the guild, has proved via a test that they have no fighting experience then they remain an initiate under the charge of a Knight or experienced Hunter for training.

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There is no shame to any of these ranks, with most Hunters standing as Hunters their entire lives, yet still having great respect and camaraderie.

To join the Scalebreakers and begin the journey with the Guild, one must simply arrive at a hall and request the Test.

The test will place the individual in a series of tasks set by the examiner (Hunter rank or higher) to examine three skills; fighting ability in the forms of ranged, melee and magic; problem solving and reactionary speed; lastly, group coordination and camaraderie.

If two or more of these are failed, the Hunter becomes an Initiate for training, but it will be exceptionally rare that anyone will be turned away for a lack of ability.

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To be banned from the Guild would require a breaking of guild rules, such as murdering a humanoid, poaching, stealing, thievery, betrayal, hunting more or less than a contract states etc. In many cases, the Guild will be in close contact with the Dragon Guard or respective policing parties in other Kingdoms about member activity.

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## The Halls

The Guild has what is referred to as Guild Halls spread throughout the Aether, with the largest halls in the major kingdoms, however, due to the Dragon Guards dominant presence within Aramoor, the Guild has a small hall within the city and their larger Hall taking up a sizeable residence within Panhandle instead.

Each main Hall has a donned name based on a powerful wild beast, with minor Halls having more docile names. For example, Panhandle's is **Diabohlkhan Hall.** Silia de la Norte has **Zhukerikan Hall**, Regis Caeli has **Rhastikan** **Hall**, while Aramoor has **Minerikhan** **Hall**.

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### **Diabohlkhan Hall**

Diabohlkhan Hall has 3 current Guild Masters out of 5.

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#### Hreda

A towering woman at 8 foot, Hreda is Half-Fae and Half-Elf of Wild Elf and Summer Court descent. Favoured for her honesty, compassion and rationale that has saved lives, Hreda has the inability to lie and the ability to communicate with the monsters she hunts, often tricking them. She is also proficient in conjuration magic, summoning ethereal beasts she has slain before.

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#### Aenhart

Aenhart is very obviously unusual for he appears as a monster, yet sits as a Guild Master. Favoured for his wisdom and exceptional knowledge on creatures great and small, Aenhart was once a captured specimen many decades ago, the first - and seemingly last - of his unknown species. Through communication and years of toil, Aenhart gradually grew to trust and be trusted by his captors who treated him well for his cooperation, eventually releasing him. Aenhart chose to stay, having become close to many hunters who sought his company and treated him as an ally, a friend.

A lonely soul allowed to flourish, Aenhart can boast the ability to camouflage, speak almost any language, exceptional knowledge and wisdom, heightened senses as well as his physical traits that are obvious to the eye.

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#### Eolfrid

An Orc adopted and raised by Dragon Guard humans, Eolfrid was dubbed the title of ‘He Who Refuses to Die’. A bitter and angry soul, he is favoured for his ruthlessness, sheer fighting strength, bravery and unyielding willpower. He has tanked many solo and group missions and has taken on the highest number of 4 and 5 star contracts without failure in the entire Guild. He is a remarkable combatant that seems to be resistant to elemental damage, even to physical as he can take double the hits most others can before needing to stop.

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Diabohlkhan Hall abides by the laws of Panhandle, but less so of Aramoor, finding guild numbers soared when Aramoor deemed many races and magics illegal. As such, Diabohlkhan Hall is a scene of almost constant construction to make more room, the hall can sometimes be overcrowded during the hours of the day where the sun begins to rise and fall, seeing some semblance of calm between, making the Hall one of the busiest in Aether.

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### **Zhukerikan Hall**

Zhukerikan Hall is led by 4 Guild Masters: Azam, Baltha, Kaeri’olori and Ewis. However, Zhukerikan Hall is in a different state of turmoil to Diabohlkhan. Finding religion - specifically Viothism - to be a constant source of conflict with a lot of infighting, some murders, blackmail and zelousy that has threatened to see the Hall destroyed. It is held afloat by the very thing that sees to its slow demise, Viothism, with the call of the gods being used to try and bring peace to the chaos.

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### **Rhastikan Hall**

Rhastikan Hall is lead by 2 Guild Masters, Ethen and Ethin, twins, but there is a sense of danger here for Rhastikan Hall is commonly believed to be under the influence of a third party due to the lack of other Guild Masters, all of them having gradually and mysteriously chosen to die by contract after the twins promotion, questionable wealth and decisions and how young the twins remain, though who or what that influence is remains unknown as the twins make clear they will not entertain the idea, being offended at the notion and even becoming distant to the other Halls, missing many a meeting.

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### **Minerikhan Hall**

Minerikhan Hall is small, taking residence with the Guard and borrowing their land, they are so well integrated with the guard that many get the Guard and Guild confused. Minerikhan Hall acts mostly as a gateway to Diabohlkhan Hall, as well as a base for a small number of Hunters to convene, usually temporarily.

Minerikhan Hall has 1 Guild Master, Glup, a retired Dragon Rider Froglum who’s wyvern died in battle many years ago.

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## Contracts

Contracts will have starred levels that are vital for any Guildee to know.

*(PTH is always active on these contracts, however, PTK is only on 4 and 5 star contracts, sometimes on the 3 star.)*

* 1 star

The easiest of contacts, simple, and can be accomplished solo and quickly. This usually nets pocket money but a determined and active Hunter can make a living to scrape by.

* 2 star

Still relatively easy but with the increased potential of bodily harm. They pay decently if enough are taken on.

* 3 star

With the potential to cause grievous bodily harm or even death at a more likely rate, these are not to be taken lightly, are usually done solo or in a band of 2 or 3.

* 4 star

These are very dangerous and running solo is seen as a death wish. Some Scalebreakers use these contracts and above to die in battle. Recommended party size is 3 or more.

Pay is enough to live very comfortably.

* 5 star

Lethal in groups of 4 or less, these are tasks involving monsters that even the guard will struggle without aid of dragons. Most of these contracts are shared with the Guard, party sizes are recommended at 5 minimum.

Pay is enough to not need another contract for several years.

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## History

The history of the guild is largely brushed under the rug, both willingly and unwillingly, having had their origins in the Occidere Empire.

Where once they were proud of such a thing, Guild Masters now mostly avoid the subject altogether due to how poorly viewed the Occidere now are and how damaging it could be to their reputation if emphasis was placed on their past, but their roots are not widely unknown through the Aether.

The guild was founded in Occidere hundreds of years ago, long before the Dragon Guard was thought of, but their purpose was somewhat the same. They made up a large body of the people of the city, being the biggest employer and giving the Occidere their reputation as monster hunters.

Known as The Eldrikhan Hall, Occidere’s Guild hall was impressive and towers over the Halls of today, taking residence in the centre of the city. So large was it that many scavengers sought out the hall after Occidere fell, seeking the treasures and weapons found within that had not already been taken by the other kingdoms.

After the bloodlines of Occidere citizens was cursed and after the war, many not of Occidere descent fled to the other Kingdoms, taking only specs of tradition of the original Guild with them and starting anew. Over time they grew their halls and their numbers once again to be a Guild worth taking heed of and sought for alliances.

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**By Impy**

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