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Kaibis
2018-03-30, 05:26 PM
The players are going to sign a contract to join an adventurers guild - this is the type of guild that once you are in, you are in for life... (Sure you can retire and live a quite life in the hills - but you will always be a member). For anyone who has seen any of my other threads on the subject, this is the guild in which all members will receive mystical tattoos that appear on their forearm as soon as they sign the code-of-conduct.

So I have a few questions.
1. What is the proper term for the contract that you sign to join a guild?

2. I would love some suggestions to have on the contract... Stuff that might make them a little hesitant to join. Any ideas?

Kaibis
2018-03-30, 06:37 PM
I got it (filched largely from: https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/5bb82l/oc_guild_membership_contract_handout/)

Upon the willing signing of this contract, the signatory agrees to submit themselves into membership of THE GUILD, whereby subjecting themselves to the guilds guidelines, expectations, standards, and laws, including but not limited to:
a) When a contract is accepted by the guild member, a guild member may not willingly cancel said contract, however a contract can become cancelled with the agreement of either the contractor and/or a guild authority under the following conditions i) the contract is no longer valid due to the elimination of the contractor ii) the contract is no longer valid due to the elimination of the contractor's target.
b) An active guild member (See article ??) is obliged to fulfil sufficient contracts, such that the guild receives a minimum contribution per day, pertaining to membership level.
c) The guild receives a twenty-five percent of each contract payment. This amount is not negotiable. The guild portion is attributed equally amongst signatories.
d) The guild commits to providing suitable lodgings, food, and basic adventuring supplies in accordance with the members rank. Upon return from adventuring duty adventures are entitled to a refund of any gold spent on lodgings, and food, up to an amount in accordance with their guild ranking. (See Article ??)
d) Any loot, treasure, gold, items of value, arcane items, living or dead creatures, or any other aquired item that is not explicitly part of the contract is considered the personal property of the guild members (or members) that found it, and shall be treated as such.
e) No guild member shall infringe upon the boundaries of another guild member's contrqact, wether with intent to help or impede. This includes, but is not limited to killing a contract target, acquiring a contracted item or treasure, or completing the work of a contract in any form. Any such actions shall result in serious financial penalty, and/or disciplanary action (se Article ??).
f) Each guild member is their own person and retains the right to sign or withhold from signing any contract which they choose.
g) A guild member shall hold the laws and order of the guild above the laws and orders of whatever land they might be in. A member shall remain bound to the guild laws even in the face of penalty from outside powers, and is granted permission by the guild to break said outside laws if necessary to complete the expressed terms of the contract.

I, __________________________________________________ ____, under witness of a guild authority and under oath bound by fate and blood, do submit myself to the laws of GUILD.

Goaty14
2018-04-02, 12:45 PM
2. I would love some suggestions to have on the contract... Stuff that might make them a little hesitant to join. Any ideas?

Clauses on...

-Unlawful Spellcasting (No more stinking clouds in the hallway! :smallyuk:)
-Taxes
-Harm (beating up other guild members has a price, even more if the guild has to raise them)
-Power (I dunno, if the PCs get so powerful then stuff happens, like maybe they have to beat existing high-level adversaries in order to keep going. This is mainly off the idea of the Githyanki Queen killing off 16th level githyanki)
-Tracking (You must carry a scrying crystal with you)

jayem
2018-04-02, 01:56 PM
a)
To support the guild
(weaker alternative to take no action that could harm the guild)
b)
To not bring the guild into disrepute
c)
That all disputes between guild members are to be resolved by the guild, and all judgments in disputes are binding on you.
d)
To render appropriate assistance to guild members
e)
Other Practical obligations and rights (e.g. board)
f)
Access to guild secrets, harsh penalties if passed on
g)
To not work for those the guild has forbidden it, (or otherwise in a way that reduces the guilds control, e.g. for free)
h)
Fees, 'taxes'

Martin Greywolf
2018-04-02, 02:40 PM
So I have a few questions.
1. What is the proper term for the contract that you sign to join a guild?


A contract. But it gets more complicated than that.

The actual copntract will likely have only very general terms - follow the guild rules, your name and seal and the same for witnesses. The actual rules will be on a guild rule/charter/whatever you decide to call it. This is done for several reasons, one big one being the necessity to amend the guild rules. Copy of guild rules will be available in each guild house, possibly as several copies depending on how easy it is to make books.



2. I would love some suggestions to have on the contract... Stuff that might make them a little hesitant to join. Any ideas?

First thing would be guild ranks - depending on how the guild wants to run things, they could start at rather young (12-ish) apprentices and it usually ends with positions like grandmaster, treasurer, chief diplomat, spymaster and any profession specific top management (head wizard, head archeaologist, head cleric). New meat doesn't get to vote on anything, once you reach journeyman levels, you get to have a vote, members of aforementioned high positions have several votes.

Taking a cut of pay is a given, and here's the thing. These are highly prestigious organizations in a world without modern law, so something like a hard cash per month plus a cut of profits plus a cut of loot is entirely reasonable. Look up how massively costly universities were in medieval times.

A common clause in these types of charters is the prohibition from doing the work on the side - all your jobs go through the guild and the guild takes its cut. More senior members can probably negotiate contracts themselves, but the guild still takes its cut.

Another complication arises if there's a rival guild - your guild may well have a pretty restrictive agreement with it, stopping you from taking any jobs in an area.