Don't fuck with the couriers bro
Stop the Press! This Isn't Right! |
The Crimson Couriers
History
No one actually knows who the Crimson Couriers are or where they came from. They first started appearing during the early 12th century offering to deliver letters initially for no cost at all. People were curious and soon discovered that those letters were consistently delivered. Over time more and more trust was placed with the couriers and once people knew they could be relied upon the couriers started charging a nominal fee for each delivery. Many find it odd that the couriers don’t have any fixed rates for delivery of packages. It is often explained that they allow each individual courier to set their own rates to account for the wide variety of unusual situations that sometimes occur in the process of delivering mail. Rumors have swirled for years about who exactly the couriers are and what their goal is. Are they just in it for the money? Do they work for a branch of the Thieves’ Guild? Or perhaps something more sinister? No one really knows, at least not publicly. This has led some major organizations to use them sparingly, only sending messages they aren’t concerned with third parties possibly knowing about. Though there is no evidence that the Crimson Couriers have ever copied a letter or sent information on to third parties, many believe the couriers read the letters they deliver when given the chance. As a result the couriers are thought to be one of the most well informed groups in all of Novitas. How they deliver the mail so quickly is also unknown. Sometimes they get letters to their destinations in minutes, other times it can take days. Tipping may have a significant impact on how fast things get delivered. It is also a good practice to tip couriers upon delivery. Many believe they have mastered two-way leyline travel, a secret only Evenandra is also thought to know, and this fact can lead to people connecting the two.
Identification
Crimson Couriers can be identified by the very specific cloaks they wear and their pins with the image of the legendary horse on it. Typically at least one will always have a journal to take records of any parcels picked up while traveling.
Membership
The Couriers are as mysterious with their membership as they are with their origins. They definitely take on new members as on occasion people will see new couriers being trained in the field. Where exactly they recruit from is unknown. While a great many couriers are human they do take other species as members as well including snow goblins and drakes though they aren’t seen often in the Freelands.
Interaction
Don’t mess with the Crimson Couriers. Generally speaking if a Courier is attacked they respond in force to make sure such perpetrators deeply regret their actions. Outside of the Freelands they will sometimes involve local authorities depending heavily on exactly which nation they were in at the time of the incident. If the local authorities are an issue, people who have harmed a Courier have a tendency to just disappear which is probably a worse fate than being made an example of in public.
The Temperance League
History
The Temperance League, or as it is often called the Elven Temperance League originally hails from Evenandra where they are a charity organization dedicated to the Mother. Members travel to other places outside of Evenandra to offer healing services to those in need. They collect donations in the form of coins, but also magic to accomplish this goal. The magical blue gem the missionaries carry with them is capable of storing large quantities of magical power within them. Sadly they cannot harness the power of the leylines, but any individual can put their own power into it allowing the healers of the League to draw that power out later to heal those in need. These gems are rare and quite difficult to make, so they are never sold to others. If you see a Temperance League gem in the hands of someone who is not a member it is generally best to run, as far and as fast as you can. As an Evenandran organization the League is protected by Evenandran Wardens who do not take kindly to anyone harming the League’s missionaries, and a gem that is in the possession of someone outside of the league is a sure sign something has gone wrong; expect Wardens to show up to aggressively ‘question’ such individuals rapidly. When hostile creatures attack, or nefarious Dark Three plots occur it is common for the Temperance League to send aid as quickly as they can. Using the Evenandran mastery of leylines they are quite adept at traveling quickly to dangerous locations. Recently during the plague that preceded the Shattering, the Temperance League took point on efforts to counter that plague. Though they ultimately failed there have been many rumors that the large scale donations they collected during that period are still being used for something aimed at helping as many people as they can.
Identification
Most members of the Temperance League are high elves but certainly not all. They dress well (assuming they are not returning from an active battlefield) and always carry with them the large blue magical gem that so many identify them with.
Membership
Anyone willing to dedicate themselves to the service of the Mother can potentially become a member. Their standards are quite high however and it is rare that non-elves are invited to join them. This doesn’t mean that they don’t work with outside aid from time to time, especially considering most of the work they do is for non-high elves.
Interaction
You can expect the Temperance League to show up in the most dire of situations when things are at their absolute worst. And when that happens you’ll be happy to receive the healing they have to offer. As such if you see them at other times consider making donations of goods or magic to aid the cause. If you see them in trouble or worse one of their gems in the wrong hands, aid is always welcome. Gems should be returned as quickly as possible, by Courier if necessary. For your sake as much as for theirs.
Thieves' Guild
History
It might seem strange to think that there is only one single Thieves' Guild in all of Novitas. And you’d be correct. There are many branches of the Thieves’ Guild, each one operating almost completely independently of the others. However they are all tied together at the same time. Using each other for support particularly in cities or nations where operations are more difficult the Thieves’ Guild is a wealthy and very well connected group. In Civen they are well tied to the Merchant Guild and are very profitable there. They help the resistance in Vlean in exchange for access to smuggling routes used to exfiltrate faekin from the country. In Fionn A’ilean and the Freelands they operate in plain sight with no need for cover, while in Terra they are very well connected with the Reavers who help them sometimes infiltrate the underground stronghold where most of the nation resides. Their connections in Gersh are directly linked to each of the Great Clans who work with them for the mutually beneficial resources. Evenandra is the most difficult place for them to operate but they are there never-the-less. It is only the Dellin Tribelands where they rarely travel, largely because there is little there worth taking, but if something worth having can be found there you can bet they’ll send someone to infiltrate a tribe. The Thieves’ Guild is stealthy, they like to blend in and make as few waves as possible. You’ll only know they were there when they’ve departed with the thing they were after.
Identification
If everything is going correctly you won’t identify the thieves’ guild, they’ll find you if they want to find you and that’s all. It is rumored that they have certain naming schemes that they use to identify each other, but that could just be a false story to trick those not in the know. Many also suspect that they have their own code language that they use to speak to one another.
Membership
To join the guild you have to prove yourself to one of the existing members. This is a dangerous initiation, it is rumored that many who attempt to join but fail to prove themselves wind up dead, but again this could just be clever marketing on the part of the guild.
Interaction
The guild is always on the lookout for new membership. Proving yourself when you don’t know who is watching can be tough though. Some people say that the best way to get in touch with them is to steal something daring and then just leave it out in the open for the original owner to find it again will get the attention of the guild. Valuables have a way of disappearing if they aren’t protected. The Thieves’ Guild aren’t simple bandits however, they choose their targets carefully and deliberately. Another way to attempt to get in contact with them is to lay a trap that seems too good to pass up that can’t be taken by simple banditry. Not every job goes smoothly, and if you find yourself in a position to help a member of the guild they are certain to pay it back. They don’t like being in anyone’s debt.
Alchemists' Guild
History
The Alchemists’ Guild originates from Civen but has since spread across much of Novitas. They exist to advance members’ knowledge of techniques and to exchange resources among those who practice. They see alchemy as a quintessential practice that should be pursued ethically, kept free from the taint of Nox. The guild is devoted to the Sept and this impacts their actions considerably. This guild provides a network of alchemists for communication, trading of resources and knowledge.
Identification
There is no standard dress for members of the Alchemist’s Guild. Often they communicate with their membership via Crimson Courier in fact. Members are expected to make their membership known often through self made plaques displayed proudly on the walls of market stalls.
Membership
Membership in the Alchemists guild is open to all who are open to the teachings of the Craftsman, they actively try to investigate potential new members to make sure they have no ties to the Dark Three or Draconus. The former will lead to instant failure of a new application and often the individual will be reported to any local authorities. As for the latter they will attempt to “redeem” such individuals if they think they have merit but again will ultimately turn them away. Once approved for membership, members are expected to pay a monthly dues of a silver coin sent via Crimson Courier. Members in good standing can buy and sell potions to the guild at competitive market rates.
Interaction
When a member of the guild behaves unethically by the guild’s standards they will act on such information if it gets to them. You can expect the local authorities to intervene and if such authorities don’t exist, such as in the Freelands, the guild itself will get involved. The members of the Alchemists’ Guild are always on the lookout for new formulas and techniques. If someone were to find such a thing they would almost certainly pay handsomely for this information.
| Site Index | About Us | Event Calendar | Novitas Linktree | Contact Us |
 |