Terrusian Guilds

Guilds play a fundamental role in Terrusian society and the empire at large. They are the middlemen to the monarchy and nobility, the foundation and backbone of the economy and national defense, and the most prevalent form of social mobility for commoners and adventurers alike. These organizations can be formed and recognized locally, but must acquire the proper ordinances, permits, and the like in order to legally function on a regional and national scale. Once they reach this level of power, each guild (more specifically the guild meister) must declare their allegiance to either one of the Council families or even the monarchy itself.
Guilds take four primary shapes, each with their own structures and rankings; Merchant Guilds, Martial Guilds, Engineering Guilds, and Mage Guilds. Each have their own specialties. Merchant guilds focus on economics, trading, banking, and the like. Engineering guilds concern themselves with construction, architecture, technological development, and of course, general engineering. Martial guilds take on the roles of adventuring guilds, mercenary groups, and standing armies who serve their pledged liege (and of course the realm as a whole). Finally, Mage guilds focus on the advancement of magical pursuits and knowledge, often fronted by arcane colleges and universities which train and weed out future members and agents.
These institutions, by and large, run on contracts, commissions, and the like, though the larger guilds namely aim to earn the funding of their sworn liege.