Departments

The Departments are special branches within The Lamplighters that grant abilities and advantages to those who join them. Agents who have successfully completed several adventures alongside the guild, and have proven themselves excellent team members and invited to join into. Though they are considered individual ranks within The Lamplighters, there is no hierarchy between the Departments. Each one is equal in rank to all others with no Department sitting above or below another in power or respect.

Each particular Department grants an Agent access to abilities and advantages specific to their chosen field. Depending on which Department is chosen, these Agents are enhanced further and They are also given more responsibilities among The Lamplighters and are tasked with aiding and guiding newer Agents along the same journey, while relying and supporting fellows in other Departments in kind.

## Agent

After a new prospect has met with Control and has agreed to follow The Directives, a recruit is invited into the first rank within the guild: an Agent. Agents are immediately granted a personal Lantern upon joining, given access to expenses paid food and lodgings within the Dormitories in Dalaran City and a bank account is opened in their name for wages and item storage should they not already have an account with the Bank of Dalaran.

Agents are considered professionals in their field from the moment they arrive. They will spend time venturing on adventures and missions alongside the other Lamplighters to get a feel of what Department they feel they would best benefit from joining.

Every Agent commands as much respect as any other member of the guild, their opinion is just as valued and they are not seen as a lesser rank than any other member of the guild.

## Joining a Department

Once an Agent has embarked upon enough missions, they will be called for a meeting with Control. Here they will request which Department they would like to join, and receive further training in those aspects. The Department may not reflect what the Agent is currently good at; instead it is what they aspire to be good at, and what role they would like to take going forward.

For example, a gruff warrior may not wish to be a Guardian but feels they would rather become better at being a Speaker or Observer (further information below). As a result, they will be given the opportunities to do better in these fields after picking these Departments and will find that their talents will be enhanced when they attempt to perform such actions when out on adventures.

## The New Departments

### The Guardians

*Bulwark. Spellbinder. Defender. The Guardians of the Lamplighters are champions that embody the unwavering spirit of a protector of Azeroth and her life-forms. A Guardian’s aid can come in many forms, whether it is weaving a shivering ice barrier or the slicing arc of a tempered blade.*

The talents of the Guardians lie in battle and combat and expect to engage in defence and martial training more than the other three Departments. Guardians hone their martial and magical skills for peacekeeping purposes and those who choose this as their Department can expect several hours of physical training, spellcasting or healing disciplines each day to keep their abilities at peak condition.

However, the title of the Department is "Guardians" and not "Fighters" or "Battlemages". Guardians are always tasked to be defensive in their role and never be the initiators of combat. Unrefined aggression, cruelty and barbarism are traits unbecoming to a Lamplighter and run against the spirit of the Primary Directive.

**Abilities:** Borne out of the former Department known as *Keepers*, the Guardians excel in combat situations. Agents of this Department never need to roll for success during any events with combat situations; they will always perform to the best of their ability. Any rolls called for only determine finesse and style.

### The Seekers

*Thinker. Inventor. Tactician. The Seekers of the Lamplighters are the enigmatic minds that bolster the Lamplighters’ endeavours with logic, innovation and sometimes daring tactics. A Seeker’s aid can manifest in many forms, whether it is crucial insight to a troublesome problem or the creation of an advantageous tincture.*

The Seekers study the mysteries of Azeroth in all of its forms and their talents lie in a multitude of skills from environmental awareness, to professions and their practical applications. Knowledge is their weapon, tool and currency, and as their title suggests, they continually seek out further sources of information.

In an adventure, it is common to witness Seekers using their knowledge of lore, the world and its components to their advantage. They may recognise spellwork wrought, identify ambushes and traps (or places best suited to lay their own) and conduct keen investigations to determine more about a scene or environment.

Seekers are encouraged to keep their peers informed, to be their guide through dangerous terrain and to use their knowledge wisely to better others. Sometimes a certain kind of knowledge or spell can bring great harm is used errantly, and it is the Seeker's role to recognise and contain such dangerous magics and artefacts.

**Abilities:** This Department was the only one to retain its former title, as theirs was the only title that reflected their purpose accurately enough. Masters of their environment, they are able to garner more information from scenes and situations, and are able to uncover specific information, situations, boons and items others would otherwise not notice without a trained eye or senses.

### The Observers

*Spy. Operative. Scout. The Observers of the Lamplighters are the unseen specialists and ever-watching eyes for the Lamplighters’ operations.  An Observer’s aid can come in many forms, whether it is soundlessly incapacitating a foe or stealthily overhearing a guarded piece of intel.*

**Abilities:** Observers can pass unseen with ease into places other Agents would find difficult to access. They never need to roll for success when hiding either themselves or shrouding their companions with magic, defusing traps or picking secure locks, blending in or remaining unnoticed, eavesdropping into conversations and a myriad other clandestine tasks they may be required to do. Observers will always perform such tasks to the best of their ability.

### The Speakers

*Negotiator. Charmer. Peacekeeper.  The Speakers of the Lamplighters are the silver-tongued voices of reason who aid the Lamplighters’ efforts with an arsenal of social skills. A Speaker’s aid can come in the form of using a quick-witted guile to deceive an enemy or using roguish charm to turn a wary ally into a valued friend.*

As their title suggests, this Department builds strong and lasting connections to the people of Azeroth that The Lamplighters aid. After the Curator's demise, many saw that the greatest strength of the old Emissary Department was all forms of social skills, be this in peace times or no.

## The Old Departments

Founded by Control with guidance from the First Circle and The Curator, these Departments were more regimented and defined as unique schools of thought where Agents would focus on becoming masters of their chosen field. Each member of The Circle was to take charge of a particular Department, to embody its traits and be the guide to the others on how best to achieve their aims.

Though the Keepers, Seekers and Emissaries Departments were on equal footing, Department Four was considered outside of normal Lamplighter business. Following the disillusion of The Circle and the reconfiguration into The Hands, these old Departments have similarly been disbanded or repurposed to better align with the principles of the guild today.

### Keeper

Masters of the self, the Keepers fulfil many roles within the Lamplighters: stalwart guardians, skilled soldiers, enlightened ascetics, inspiring leaders, creative artisans, confident organisers, and reliable shoulders to lean on.

Movement is the Keepers' domain. They wish to progress on their path and often excel in combat, whether that means mastering a blade or powerful magic. You best not stand in a Keeper's path when they have their mind set on a goal and you better believe they will find a way to conquer every situation they face.

### Seeker

With an undying thirst for the secrets of the universe, the Seekers were scholars, clever puzzle-masters, devious spies, eccentric geniuses, and endless wells of useful and useless trivia. Seekers wish to know everything and share information with their allies so they may best defeat the challenges they face.

Most Seekers prefer logic and planning over impulsive force, but when they are forced into combat, they spare no effort in using all they know to bring their opponents to heel.

### Emissary

Silver-tongued snakes or simply fond of social situations, the Emissaries excelled at using words to achieve their goals. Determined debaters, driven world-improvers, calm mediators, masterful liars, and entertaining bards all suited the title of Emissary well. They knew how to navigate social situations, soothing ruffled feathers to make life easier for everyone.

If a situation could be solved with words, the Emissaries were likely to try it before breaking a bottle over anyone's head, but if it came down to a fight, allies and enemies alike could be certain that they would have the cleverest quips to yell out in the heat of battle.

### Department Four

Once intended as a place of care, healing and (if necessary) containment for Agents and citizens who had seen too much, Department Four was masterminded by their leader to overthrow Control. As such, shortly after the Great Cataclysm, Department Four betrayed the other Lamplighters. After a long campaign of conflict, their leader was defeated and the Department disbanded.