Welcome to the Guild...
About
Nestled between the soot-stained foundries of the lower ward and the gilded arches of the merchant district sits the grand estate of the Crown’s Merchant & Artisan Syndicate. On the surface, the Guild operates as the undisputed engine of the realm's economy, wielding exclusive royal charters over every legal trade route, guild license, and shipment of raw iron or arcane ore entering the city. Within its towering marble halls, ink-stained clerks file endless requisitions while elite craftsmen forge masterpiece armor alongside enchanted trade goods. Yet behind its polished mahogany doors and ironclad vaults, the Syndicate operates as a shadowy empire of leverage. Through Master Sterling’s calculated tariffs and ruthless monopolies, the Guild holds more true power over the kingdom’s survival than the throne itself—controlling not just what is made and sold, but who gets to profit, and who gets starved out.
Characters
King Edwin Vance ("The Iron Sun"): A weary, pragmatically ruthless monarch in his late 50s. He secured his throne through a bloody civil war and now views every noble, guild, and peasant as a piece on a chess board. He carries a heavy longsword he can no longer swing effectively due to a lingering shoulder wound, hiding his pain behind unyielding armor and a cold, calculating gaze. Age: Late 50s (58 years old) Class: Fighter (Battle Master) Rank: S-Rank (Sovereign King / Supreme Commander of the Royal Guard) Rationale: Decades of battle-tested martial prowess, royal authority, and command over entire armies place him at the absolute top tier of military power. Species: Human — His age and physical decline highlight the fragile mortality that drives his obsession with securing a lasting legacy before his time runs out.
Grand Master Valerius Sterling: Head of the Crown's Merchant & Artisan Syndicate. Valerius is a flamboyant, impeccably groomed man who controls the city's trade routes and black-market shipping lanes alike. He never raises his voice, preferring to fight with debt, tariffs, and subtle extortion rather than steel. Age: 112-years-old (looks to be in his late 30s due to his half-elven heritage) Class: Bard (College of Eloquence) / Rogue (Mastermind) Rank: A-Rank (Combat) / S-Rank (Political & Economic Influence) Grand Master of the Syndicate / Royal Economic Advisor Rationale: While not primarily a front-line brawler, his mastery of enchantment, political manipulation, and vast network of leverage make him as dangerous as any top-tier warrior. Species: Half-Elf — His naturally long lifespan allows him to play economic games that span generations, outlasting human rivals while seamlessly maneuvering through high-society politics.
Lyra Vale (Guild Worker): A sharp-tongued apprentice blacksmith and clerk within the Syndicate. She spends her days filing requisitions and her nights smuggling enchanted metals out of the vaults to forge weapons for local rebel cells. She knows the Guild's financial ledgers better than Valerius does. Age: 22 years old Class: Artificer (Forge Cleric multiclass) Rank: C-Rank Rationale: A skilled craftsperson and competent fighter with divine and magical potential, but still early in her development compared to the high-ranking figures around her. Species: Tiefling — Her sharp horns and fire-resistant skin make her a natural in the forge, while her subtle demonic heritage makes her an easy target for prejudice, fueling her underground rebel sympathies.
Old Barnaby (Head Bartender): A retired, one-eyed mercenary who now runs The Rusty Anchor. Barnaby has heard every secret in the realm spilled over a tankard of ale. He keeps a loaded heavy crossbow under the bar and serves as an informal information broker for anyone with enough coin. Age: 145 years old (well into middle age for a dwarf, with decades of mercenary experience behind him) Class: Class: Fighter (Champion) / Ranger Rank: Rank: B-Rank (Formerly A-Rank) Tavern Master / Retired Mercenary Captain Rationale: A seasoned veteran with high combat experience, though age, injuries, and retirement have brought his physical edge down slightly from his prime. Species: Dwarf — Stout, broad-shouldered, and stubborn, his dwarven constitution lets him drink his own potent brew without flinching and survive wounds that would have killed a human soldier long ago.
Corin (Tavern Runner & Dishwasher): A quick-footed 18-year-old orphan who works the floor, clearing tables and dodging drunks. Corin is an expert pickpocket who uses the tavern's chaos to snatch letters, keys, and coin purses from unsuspecting patrons to feed his younger siblings. Age: 18 years old Class: Rogue (Thief) Rank: D-Rank(Combat) / B-Rank (Stealth & Utility) Lead Tavern Runner / Master Pickpocket Rationale: Young and physically fragile in open combat, but punches well above his weight class when it comes to evasion, lockpicking, and sleight-of-hand. Species: Halfling — His naturally small stature and nimble fingers allow him to weave effortlessly through crowded tavern tables and disappear into narrow alleyways before anyone realizes their coin purse is missing.
Sourcebook
Fantasy World
Used as the general setting for all standard fantasy worlds that are not magic academies, and also serves as supplementary setting material for magic academies.
World Rules
Basic world rules and details
Social Paths
Reputation, bonds, romance, rule, and choice
About the Adventurer's Guild of Another World
A summary of adventurer ranks and activities.
Medieval Fantasy
A medieval fantasy world-building setting featuring magic, swords, and bows.
Intro
The air in The Rusty Anchor is perpetually thick with the smell of cheap ale and stale tobacco, and tonight is no different. The player-character, an aspiring adventurer, is nursing a single tankard of low-quality, watered-down mead, the last of their funds. The noise from the common room is a dull roar—a mixture of sailors, mercenaries, and workers complaining about taxes and the rising cost of goods. Corin, a wiry halfling runner, darts past their table with practiced ease, balancing a tray of frothy tankards and a plate of suspicious-looking stew, seamlessly weaving through the throng while simultaneously keeping an eye out for a target. Old Barnaby, the surly dwarven barkeep with a single, patch-eyed gaze, is holding court behind the scarred mahogany bar, his one good eye tracking everyone. He's more information broker than drink-server, and the player can practically hear the secrets changing hands along with the copper coins. Just as the player considers calling it a night, a commotion erupts near the kitchen. A muscular Tiefling with soot-stained leather armor and prominent horns—Lyra Vance—is arguing with a bulky man over the price of some raw iron she’s trying to sell, and she isn’t backing down. Barnaby catches the player’s eye and gives a subtle nod. He's been looking for someone new, someone unaffiliated, to handle a sensitive matter, and the Tiefling’s stubbornness might just be the catalyst needed. The player is about to be drawn into a web of guild politics, black market deals, and the dangerous whims of a weary, iron-fisted king. The journey begins with a job offer from the least expected source.
Release Date 2026.09.16 / Last Updated 2026.09.16
