Chapter Two - Walkers of the Paths


The Guild wouldn't need to exist still if we were just all wanderers and news hounds. We do have other tasks, and that's why we formed our groups. Unions, if you will. That fits as good as anything.

 

Pilots:

The pilots are the travelers of the Byways, often with a commission from the Legions to carry goods or people. Or goods that are people. You get the idea. They're the ones that walk along the established paths, to and from Necropoli, and are often the ones with Relic vehicles, be they ships, trucks or airplanes. These are the guys that get paid the most for the most dependable work, but they're hardly the kind of people to miss an opportunity to make a fast Obolus on the side, be it setting free a Thrall or taking an otherwise lawful soul to the Legions' Artificers.

 

Merchants:

If you need anything, from a Relic to a map to the latest rumor, Merchants are the Restless to see. While others ply the Tempest for their trade, it's a means to an end for the Merchants. Whatever they find down there ends up in the Agora of Stygia, or the equivalent in their home town. They're usually flamboyant, and they still duel anyone challenging their style. Many Merchants have a way of knowing things before anyone else, which leads some to look for Oracles. I think they're just damn good at their job.

 

Guardians:

These are scary people. They restrict themselves to a single Necropolis, generally, but nobody knows the place better. Occasional spies and more often vigilantes, they slip through the cracks or end up in Legion postings where they can do what they need to. If a Spectre crops up in their city, they will do their damnedest to know and to kick it's sorry ass back to Oblivion. Depending on who is stirring the trouble, they'll either point the mob the right way or drag the underdog out of there. Most of them aren't on the take, which freaks most Legion commanders out badly. Then again, many of them never know there's a Guardian in the city.

 

Explorers:

We came from them, and they won't let us forget it. They plumb the Tempest looking for new things. More than any of the others, the Explorers are noted for their love of new places, and their need to be moving. Even when they get to a place, if they stay for more than a week without scouting out some place in the Tempest, they get nervous and on edge until they can find something new and bring back news.

 

The Others

Allies - Spooks and Pardoners:

Of all the other Guilds, we have the best relations with the Spooks. Simply put, our turf doesn't usually cross over, but when it does they find an organization of freelancers easiest to work with. After all, we don't dick them over and bring them choice words, they look out for us. Strange, but it works. The Pardoners are more an alliance of convenience for us. We head down close to Oblivion and in the winds of the Tempest. They fight against the influence of Oblivion, both without and within. If we weren't on these guys' good side, we wouldn't be here.

 

Cautious Companions - Masquers:

It might sound strange that we're averse to working with the Masquers, but it's true. You see, there's one field that we cross over - information gathering. They shape themselves to be the perfect spies, and act all subtle. We just watch from the shadows that are everywhere, holding them to us. We cover too much the same ground to have a viable working relationship.

 

Hierarchy:

Say what you like about the Hierarchy. Finished? Good. Despite what you might think about them, they're some of our best customers, if you will, even though they don't realize that they're dealing with us. They think they're using one of their own Legionnaires, or maybe a Renegade on the occasional secret mission, but most of it comes back to us. So we can exist with them.

 

Renegades:

This is what most of us are, in spirit if not in politics. Rebels. Thing is, we're rebels who care less about government, and the hard line Renegades are rebels wanting to bring it all down. We have no reason to work with them, but no real reason to work against them. But for now, that's the choice of an individual. Sometimes, their slavers pay well, but more often they try to screw you worse than the Deathlords' flunkies.

 

Heretics:

Ahhh, the niche markets. Though they say they need the Ferrymen, if you know a good route to a Far Shore and the Tempest is calm - and if you have a means to transport them all - then the Heretics can be a nice little money-spinner. On the other hand, on their way to their destination, they'll probably try to convert you. Just remember, they can't offer the kind of satisfaction you most likely need. They want to stay on their Far Shore, and most of us can't stand the idea.

 

The Twilight World:

There's a lot out there, you know. And though we might not see as much as even the average Restless, we ain't stupid. There's a rumored city of vampires in the Tempest, and you can believe me we're all trying to find out where the hell that is. Sometimes, you'll see a werewolf or something roaming around down here, or maybe some kind of wizard, in which case your best bet is to dive into the Tempest and not look back. If a guy with lots of strange toys comes looking for you, double back and poleaxe the bastard, as many people like that have a nasty habit of wanting to see us moved on.



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