Guild of Antiquarians

The Guild of Antiquarians have a monopoly on “the professional recovery of unique historical or cultural artifacts”. In short, they steal things that belong in a museum. They are backed by various wealthy patrons who are looking for a classy memento of a far flung land. They trade in maps, travelogues and antiquities. They have sent various representatives over to chart, sketch and loot anything that’s not actually nailed to the walls.

Faction Skill: Trade

Faction Symbol: A large A, typically made of rope or drawn to look like this.

History and Motivation

This faction is designed to appeal to characters who want less of a political game and more of an excuse to treasure hunt. You could end up on linears not to Save the Day, but because your backers want a picture of an ancient ruins guardian and apparently there’s some down that dungeon.

Because they receive personal commissions for a job well done, they tend to form close cells in which each member has a speciality, but compete against others of the Guild. Indeed, competition within the cells themselves is far from a rarity.

Play-style

These Agents are the most likely to have that crowbar for the stuck door on them when you need it, and the hammer for breaking the wall in just the right place, and the dagger for prying the gem off the wall, and the staff for poking the floor ahead of them, and the mirror for looking round corners at creatures without getting up close, and a spare waterskin to help look for depressions in the floor, and a notepad and set of instruments to take a rubbing with.

Often they will be dressed to suit rough weather and all eventualities, with thick clothing which could be discarded if necessary and hoods rather than hats. It is not uncommon for at least one of the group to have a sack tucked away somewhere in case there’s an object too large to carry or stow simply. The Guild’s has its origin as Alfar-commissioned trophy collectors. Alfar regularly accompany Guild members on work to show their bravery, and also to buy the trophies to show off their wealth.

Costume

Guild or Church costume features are those that add to the base look of the culture your Agent belongs to.

Popular fashions and styles within the Guild of Antiquarians:

• Crazy-prepared is a popular look. Festoon yourself with tools and "useful" things. Anything you might need on a grand adventure
• Ropes are incredibly useful, they are even on the Guild symbol!
• A Looting Sack is a classic.
• Pouches, bags, weird bits of junk you found in the last ruin you scavenged.
• You are an intrepid adventurer and scholar. Let this guide you.

Avoid:

• Hats. They tend to get lost down mineshafts, blown off your head when you're running from lizards, trapped behind doors, etc.
• Whips.

The Guild of Antiquarians in five points:

They are here for the Jobs

They’ve got the loot that someone else needs, or the skills to go and get it.

They work at the whim of their backers

The Guild has no grand aim, they exist to fulfil the demand for exotic goods and knowledge.

You might be after employment, you might be seeing adventure, you might have your own aims.

The Guild doesn’t care. The Guild just wants that McGuffin.

Looting is your purview

If other factions plunder and keep it, fine. If they SELL it without one of you involved, they broke Guild law.

You are being contracted to retrieve these artifacts

Don’t throw your life away, you can’t spend your pay if you are dead.