Lore:Guilds
The following is a list of various guilds from throughout Althas's history.
Massereas Faereld
The Massereas Faereld is a large guild founded by low/middle-class artisans and laborers in Thenodar sometime before the Sundered Order period.
Massereas means "merchants" and faereld means "company" in Old Maelan.
Origin
The Massereas Feareld were initially formed in 66 RK when various merchant groups in Narthendar found difficulty in trading with the dissolving of the Windrae Alliance (an alliance between the houses House Eastanwind and House Westanwind). At the time, the Windrae Alliance ruled the now two hostile cities of Mundríce and Múthrand respectively. The guild was formed by merchants from both cities to ensure their regional trade business was not disturbed by the conflict between the Houses of the former alliance. Their main business early on acted as a third party facilitating trade throughout the region that was too dangerous for small peddlers or merchant companies. They also helped mediate trade between Mundríce and Múthrand. Their primary dealings at the time were in grain, hence the wheat in their emblem.
Over time, the Massereas Faereld became a more powerful force in the economy of the region. They absorbed a number of smaller merchant companies and expanded trade to encompass the entire Narthendar region as well as to areas just beyond, such as with House Gerenian in Gorandel. After Mosvaseb was founded and the great roads were built to connect Mosvaseb to Anorthile, the Massereas Faereld's wealth grew greatly.
However, Mosvaseb frowned on the guild's lack of discernment when it came to clients and trade partners. Sensing this discontent, the Massereas Faereld built a new branch in a small town in northern Thenodar in 115 RK, a town that would later become the city of Thingstów. All trade to less respectable regions went through this new outpost, which later became their new headquarters. The branch in Thingstów was still the headquarters of the Massereas Faereld at this time.
With the fall of Mosvaseb in 337 RK and the subsequent rise of Thenodar in 339 RK, the Mosvaseb's business came under the new scrutiny of Thenodar. While they were able to maintain their dealings with unsavory regions in the Gorandel region through bribery and isolated outposts in the more sparsely populated southern border, trade with The Sómstrynd proved difficult due to the proximity of Arísan to the Sómstrynd lands.
In order to facilitate this forbidden trade (which was key to many of the money-making schemes of the guild), the guild established a new branch in Bordrima, a town still independent of Thenodar, in the northeast Narthendar region.
Settlements of Operation
- Thingstów: Massereas Faereld headquarters. Oversees directly all trade in North Thenodar.
- Arísan: Oversees trade and dealings in eastern South Thenodar region. Also oversees trade in The Feralands. Communication hub for hidden outposts along the southern border that facilitate trade with Feraland settlements that Thenodar forbids trade with.
- Bordrima: Center for northeastern lumber trade. Also a hub for all illegal trade between the guild and The Sómstrynd Clans and other parties in Lamniemalos.
- Fiscrýne: Outpost that serves as communication hub for southern operations.
- Múthrand: Oversees trade and dealings in western South Thenodar region. Also oversees sea trade.
