The Guild of the Sea

The Guild of the Sea is a large guild that includes amongst it's members over 20,000 ship owners, sea captains, crew members and dock hands spread throughout the Empire of Kyrnia.
Guild membership is open to anyone who owns or works on a sea going vessel. Fees are based on level of ownership, or position on the vessel, so that the deck hands only pay a few silver a year, while a boat owner might pay 50 silvers a year per boat.  Captains of ships usually pay 25 silver per year.  As a member they are have certain rights, including lodging at guild halls when available, as well as the ability to find a ship to work on, as the guild will place members on ships before non-members.
The Guild has great influence over setting prices for passengers and cargo to be transported, although not absolute control over it. Most Guild members try to keep the prices relatively the same to protect their interests. Sometimes when a non-Guild ship enters harbor their are certain "difficulties" which delay the cargo, or cause extra fees to be imposed, this has encouraged many to join the guild so as to "smooth out those seas" of trouble.

Structure

The Guild of the Sea is very loosely across the Empire, but more formal within each port.  Each port i nthe Empire usually ahs a Guild hall located not far from the docks. The each port elects a "Port Captain" every year who's job it is to run the guild's business. Usually the Port Captain is a someone who has recently retired from a life at sea but still wants to stay connected to the business of the guild, and most Port Captains serve for many years, being re-elected as often as they want, as log as they have not done anything that goes against the Guild rules. The Port Captain will usually have several underlings to help him with Guild business and running the Guild Hall.

Wind and Waves!

Type

Guild, Merchant

Alternative Names

The Captain's Guild