Guild Brands
The Guilds of Calengwag shares a surprising number of similarities despite the fractious nature of their world, most interesting among these are the usage of so-called ‘Guild-Brands’. These symbols are akin to the more familiar image of heraldry but tend to serve much more subtle purposes than a mere symbol of identification, a matter attested to by the fact that most among even their own world cannot properly describe the images which can be mistaken for a confusion array of interlocking symbols. While it is true that the Hollow Techno-Barbarians delight in pointlessly complexity as much as they do their rituals, the purposes that I have gleamed serve some purpose.
It is most helpful to begin with what the brand is at the most basic level, a stylized animal overlaid onto a scene relevant to the guild’s foundation legend. The beast in question is often of some mythical persuasion and whose tale embodies some allegory that is seen as important for a young Seeker to cleave to in order to survive. It is understood that a brand should grow more elaborate in the case of each Seeker in reflection of their age, achievement or acclaim, with an added flair without popular ascent being seen as pretentious or even a sign of corruption. The highest honor a Seeker might obtain is understood for their own markings to be added to the base of the guild’s Brand. So when one sees on of these symbols, one must understand that they are witnessing a guild’s history, founding principles and the achievements of both the owner and their most notable predecessors. It is my understanding that it is something of a regulatory mechanism that this requires a Seeker to renew their brand every generation or two which makes claims based solely on hereditary difficult to maintain. I confess that despite my extensive research, I have been unable to discern the other meanings of the Brand despite many works eluding to their existence.
So, let us delve into the seven brands of the guilds and what we know of them.
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