Mundane Guide to Guilds

by dinglish

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Mundane Guide to Guilds
A supplement for Caverns and Kobolds

Introduction

While there are the essential guilds that come to mind like Merchants Guild, Thieves Guild, Artisans Guild, etc. when creating a lived-in world, there are an abundance of professions from the Middle Ages that can add a little extra salt; something that adds flavor but is not always noticed.

Inside of this supplement, you have a ton of everyday professions organized into larger guilds for ease of navigating and use, but each profession could easily be its own guild in the right location! There are some professions that could easily be in two guilds– in your world, maybe those careers participate in both guilds!I also included brief descriptions, and I hope that down the line I’ll include the many ideas I had for hooks and quest that helped me make this in the first place.

One note: some of these terms, like “schoolmaster,” “handmaiden,” or “link man “ were historic professions in the middle ages but contain in the names remnants of oppressive systems that I wanted to leave in the past. I made efforts to make these terms gender-neutral and respectful of communities the best that I could.

List of Guilds

Artificers Guild

Artificers are tinkerers and creators, inventors and makers. With complex creations, this guild is filled with brilliant minds inspired by their imagination and "what-ifs".

Notable professions:

  • Alchemists
  • Clockmakers
  • Engineers - siege machines
  • Tinkers
  • Toymakers

Artisans Guild

to be an artisan is to create with your hands the many things that folks use and enjoy every day-- often taking those simple pleasures for granted.

Notable professions:

  • Alabasterer - Alabaster worker
  • Arkwright
  • Basketweaver
  • Besommaker
  • Bookbinder
  • Bookprinter
  • Bonecarver
  • Bottlemaker
  • Cardmaker
  • Collier - charcoalmaker
  • Candlemaker
  • Cooper - Repairs barrels and tubs
  • Dyer
  • Engraver
  • Furniture maker
  • Glassblower
  • Glazier - Maker of stained glass
  • Gilder - One who gilds (applying gold to items)
  • Jeweler
  • Lampwright
  • Lute maker
  • Luthier - maker of stringed instruments
  • Nedeller - Needlemaker
  • Painter
  • Potter
  • Parchment maker
  • Purse maker
  • Ropemaker
  • Rugmaker
  • Scabbardmaker
  • Silkmaker
  • Tapicer - Tapestry maker
  • Weaver
  • Wig maker

Banking Guild

Words

Notable professions:

  • Accountant
  • Actuary
  • Banker
  • Moneyer

Caravan Guild

Words

Notable professions:

  • Cartwright
  • Farrier - sometimes vet but horse tack person
  • Lorimer - Maker of horse gear
  • Ostler
  • Saddler

Clothiers Guild

Words

Notable professions:

  • Clothiers Guild
  • Draper
  • Cobbler
  • Haberdasher
  • Glovemaker
  • Bucklemaker
  • Linen-armorer
  • Mercer

Construction Guild

Notable professions:

  • Stonemason
  • Locksmith
  • Carpenter
  • Architect
  • Bricklayer
  • Riveter
  • Drywaller
  • Roofer

Courtiers Guild

Words

Notable professions:

  • Chancellor - The Court’s Treasurer
  • Courtier - royal court staff
  • Diplomat
  • Interpreter
  • Herald
  • Exchequer - The Court’s Treasurer

Culinary Guild

Words

Notable professions:

  • Cook
  • Baker
  • Brewer
  • Winemaker
  • Eggler
  • Pickler
  • Cheesemaker
  • Waferer
  • Acater
  • Rectifier - distiller of alcohol

Entertainers Guild

Notable professions:

  • Jester
  • Minstrel
  • Revelmaster
  • Troubadour
  • Mime Artist
  • Mime’s A Wastin’
  • Storyteller
  • Acrobat
  • Barker
  • Circus actors
  • Musician
  • Playwright Reader - A performative reader of books

Farming Guild

Notable professions:

  • Ackerman - Oxherder
  • Miller
  • Shepherd
  • Goatherd
  • Cow milker
  • Cowherd
  • Farmhand
  • Drover - Livestock guide (usually to market)
  • Horse trainer
  • Sheepshearer
  • Plowfield
  • Swineherd

Hunters Guild

Notable professions:

  • Hunter
  • Fletcher
  • Bowyer
  • Fewterer
  • Falconer
  • Hawker
  • Field guide

Keepers Guild

Notable professions:

  • Woodward - tender of forests
  • Hayward - tender of hedges
  • Beekeeper
  • Rabbitkeeper
  • Forester - Game warden or forest warden
  • Parker - park caretaker
  • Gardener

Guild of Law

Notable professions:

  • Executioner
  • Bailiff
  • Chancellor
  • catchpole - literally 'chicken catcher', one who finds and brings in debtors.
  • Constable
  • Tax collector
  • Jailer
  • Barrister - lawyer

Leatherworkers Guild

Notable professions:

  • Currier
  • Leatherworker

Mariners Guild

Notable professions:

  • Fisherman
  • Brimgeist - sailor
  • Shrimper
  • Netmaker
  • Shipwright
  • Weirkeeper
  • Cannaller - mariner on canals
  • Oysterer
  • Sailmaker
  • Salter - saltmaker
  • Ferryer - operator of a ferry
  • Ship captain
  • Hobbler - ship tower on a river or canal

Guild of Medicine

Notable professions:

  • Apothecarist
  • Astrologist
  • Barber Surgeon
  • Birth-nurse
  • Pissprophet
  • Plague doctor
The Stars Foretell...

Fun fact: In the middle ages, astrology was connected with medicine– often used to predict illness, and determine treatments

Merchants Guild

Notable professions:

  • Peddler- travelling merchant
  • Costermonger - Fruit Seller
  • Fishmonger
  • Glass Seller
  • Shipchandler - ship supplier
  • Oynter - Oil Merchant
  • Grocer
  • Poulter - seller of poultry
  • Hay Merchant
  • Waterseller
  • Grainseller
  • Unguentary - seller of unguents
  • Spicer
  • Fueller - seller of fire fuels
  • Innkeeper
  • Wool stapler - buyer and seller of wool
  • Colporteur - seller of religious books

Mining Guild

Notable professions:

  • Lapidary
  • Miner

Scholars Guild

Notable professions:

  • Scrivener
  • Provost
  • Scholar
  • Librarian
  • Philosopher
  • Cartographer

Service Guild

Notable professions:

  • Wagoner (wagon-body-man? or is that a undertaker/ditch digger?)
  • Town Crier
  • Delver
  • Gravedigger
  • Lighterman
  • Rat catcher
  • Molecatcher
  • Chimneysweep
  • Plumber
  • Water carrier
  • Dung carter
  • Raker
  • Cartier/carter - cart driver
  • Bather
  • Bath attendant
  • Lampguide
  • Liner
  • Lavendar - a launderer
  • Copyist - a copier of books and documents
  • Handservant
  • Privycleaner

Smithing Guild

Words

Notable professions:

  • Goldsmith
  • Silversmith
  • Armorer
  • Weaponsmith
  • Lancier
  • Brazier - maker of brass goods
  • Billier: Axe-maker
  • Smelter

Thieves Guild

Notable professions:

  • Black Marketeer
  • Burglar
  • diver - pickpocket
  • Fence - one who trades in stolen goods
  • Fixer
  • Footpad - one who robs pedestrians
  • Lockpick
  • poacher - one who illegally kills animals, usually on somebody else's land
  • silk-snatcher - one who steals bonnets
  • Smuggler
  • thimblerigger - a professional sharper who runs a thimblerig (The Cup Game, but using a pea and a thimble)

Guild of Worship

Notable professions:

  • Clergy
  • Clerics
  • Friar
  • Monks
  • Nuns
  • Priests
  • Theologian

Thank You

For Reading!

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Thank you to Rabuiods for editing!

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