THE HISTORY OF THE GUILDS
Soon after the founding of the Toreador clan, artists began to identify themselves by their chosen art form. The Toreador showed a tendency to gather according to their artistic interests. Practitioners of an art would meet to debate artistic principles and aesthetics; to determine the direction of the art; and to train new artists. Some have suggested that they also gathered to keep track of what their rivals were working on so that they could either steal or discredit their ideas. This continued in a loose method from the Second City for several thousand of years.
By the sixth century BC in Greece, a system of artistic Guilds had developed. The struggles, accomplishments and battles fought amongst these emerging groups contributed heavily to the Greek's polydeistic mythology. In Athens, and throughout the other city-states, artistic production became a vital issue to a citizen's intellectual life and civic duty. Throughout the year, the city celebrated festivals that highlighted the different forms of art. By the end of the Hellenistic period, five distinctive Guilds had formed.
GUILD MEMBERSHIP
Membership in a particular Guild is often not a conscious decision. There are no membership cards, initiation rites, secret handshakes, or application processes involved. Rather, the Toreador simply does what they wish, and is recognized for their accomplishments. Generally, the first venture will define a Toreador's membership, but while still at Apprentice level there is often some experimentation and switching performance styles is not unheard of. If undertaken alone, this experimentation and switching is tolerated with little, if any, scandal. If, however, the young apprentice accepts a Patron and later switches performance style, the Patron may scandalize you for wasting their time and money.
Those Toreador who show little interest in formal recognition or Clan Status will often remain at the Apprentice level for their entire unlives. To attain any level higher than Apprentice requires more than passive involvement. Journeyman (the next level above Apprentice) is only achieved after a formal petition is made to the regional Grandmaster of a Guild. At this point, the Toreador has made a conscious choice in their Guild membership and is expected to seek formal recognition in that Guild alone.
When creating a Toreador persona, it is important to decide on the specific art form that the character will possess. While a character may possess Performance in more than one art form, each Toreador may only be a member of one Guild at any time. Thus, while a character may have Performance x4 (Lute) and Craft x4 (Sculpture), the character would need to choose between the Guild of Aphrodite (Sculpture) and the Guild of Apollo (Lute). Leaving one Guild to join another is a complex process that usually involves scandal at some level. Being ostracized from the Clan or declaring yourself Caitiff is the only way to avoid participating in the Guild system and will be the direct result of a character's refusal to participate.
THE GUILDS
GUILD OF APHRODITE
This Guild has dedicated itself to the arts of Painting and Sculpture.
GUILD OF APOLLO
Rival of the Guild of Aphrodite, this Guild has pursued the fine arts of live performance and the written word. Over the years, members of the Guild of Aphrodite have come to generally regard the Apollonians as lesser artists, because they do not deal with "true" art.
GUILD OF HEPHAESTOS
This Guild represents the artisans and craftsmen, and their art which is making the functional beautiful, as well as the arts of technological innovation. Members of the Guilds of Aphrodite and Apollo generally regarded the Hephaestans as lesser artists, because they dealt with utilitarian items. In time, many would begin to assert that the Hephaestans' craft products were, in fact, not art at all.
GUILD OF NEMESIS
Those who appreciated art and were capable of assessing a work's artistic value formed this Guild. While this Guild has the ability to make or break an artist's reputation, the Guild of Nemesis has historically had tensions with the three art-producing guilds.
GUILD OF PLUTUS
This Guild was created in Athens by the Guilds of Aphrodite, Apollo, and Hephaestos. During the sixth century BC, these Guilds became so powerful in both mortal and Kindred Athenian affairs that they could require wealthy Kindred to serve as patrons for artists. Indeed, legend says that the Guild was created when the three Artistic Guilds forcibly inducted a number of wealthy Toreador and Ventrue and made them serve as their patrons. Over the millennia, the Plutists have gained a measure of power over the three art-producing Guilds, especially in America. Often artists are compelled to beg for funding from the establishment and the wealthy in order to produce the art that they see as necessary to their existence.
GUILD OF CHRONOS
This sixth Toreador Guild was formed in the late Twentieth Century and arose as the fourth artist guild after a great deal of controversy about art created by modern technology. Most members of Guild Chronos today were once members of Aphrodite, who rejected their non-traditional artform, or Hesphaestos, who did not see much utiliarian use in what these computer-based artists produced.
ART'S BLURRED LINES
As mentioned previously, the Hephaestans are generally looked down upon by the Apollonians while the Aphroditeans tend to hold themselves above both. One of the most prominent debates in the Art world, is about whether Illustration is Art. While Art is defined, and it's quality rated, by the artist's portrayal of his personal message to the audience, Illustration is the portrayal of someone else's message to the audience. On the other hand, many religious works of the Renaissance (such as Michelangelo's Cistine Chapel) are considered works of Art although they are clearly illustrative of ideas presented in the Bible. These works are exceptions because the immense talent of the artist allowed his personal feelings about the subject to be portrayed despite the fact that he was illustrating someone else's ideas. While this concept may seem to blur the lines between the arts, to those who who truly percieve art as communication on a higher level the lines are clearly drawn.
While the Guild of Aphrodite has generally maintained its traditional identity with a few notable exceptions, both the Guilds of Apollo and Hephaestos have more readily accepted new art forms. This process often takes quite some time as the "generation gap" between the older, more established Toreador tries to come to grips with the taste and sensibilities of the younger. The assignment of new forms to a Guild is under the control of the Guild Council, and sometimes-virulent battles have erupted when a new form is discussed. This has led to compromise and sometimes surprising artistic alignments.
For example, an early debate was over the arts of War, and both the Hephaestans and Apollonians vied for these art forms. Based on the work of Thucidydes, Military Strategy and Warfare were inducted under the Guild of Apollo. Similarly, all forms of fighting and martial arts were inducted into the Guild of Hephaestos. But not all compromise has been accepted, as in the case of Guild Chronos. After those Toreador who created graphic arts through the use of computers were rejected by both Aphrodite and Hesphaestos, they went on to form their own Guild. However, many Toreador argue that Chronos is a rogue Guild, yet unrecognized by the Guilds Council.
ARTISTIC RANKS AND POSITIONS
APPRENTICE
To be recognized as an apprentice to a Toreador Guild house, the character must have at least a Performance level of 1 in an appropriate field. The exceptions to this rule is the Guild of Plutus and the Guild of Nemesis. An Apprentice to the Guild of Plutus may substitute Resources Levels for Performance Levels, while an Apprentice to the Guild of Nemesis need have no Performance levels whatsoever. If a character has no performance levels whatsoever, they will be recognized as a member of the Guild of Nemesis automatically until they prove otherwise. Apprentices have no vote in Guild issues, and traditionally they are kept under the tutelage of one of the guild's masters. They are expected to come to the guild house as often as possible for instruction and are asked to ensure that other aspiring members of their guild are shown where the guild house is.
JOURNEYMAN
After serving as an Apprentice, the character may seek the position of Journeyman by petitioning their Regional Grandmaster. Their Regional Grandmaster, however, is most likely to ignore the request unless the character has attained Performance x3 in the appropriate art. The Regional Grandmaster will commission the Apprentice to create a "Journeyman's Piece." This piece, when completed, will be reviewed by the Regional Grandmaster. If they review the work favorably, the character is named as a Journeyman. Journeymen have the full privileges of membership in the Guild, and they may vote on Guild issues. During votes, all members of the Guild (except Apprentices) may cast a number of votes equal to their current Clan status.
MASTER
When a Journeyman feels that he has achieved true mastery of his art, he may petition the Regional Grandmaster to become a Master. If the Regional Grandmaster decides that the journeyman is worthy, the character may attempt a "Master's Piece." This piece, when completed, will be juried by the Guild's Masters, the Didaskalos, and an appropriate critic. If the piece is deemed worthy, the artist is recognized as a Master in the Guild. In most cases the Nemesine's view of the piece is the most weighty, though there are sometimes mitigating circumstances where the Didasklos may overrule the Nemesis. A Master often enjoys autonomy within the Guild. A Master may oversee larger projects or the proper training of Apprentices. Additionally, the Master may award or remove Clan status from any Apprentice of their Guild, but not from Journeymen or above.
REGIONAL GRANDMASTER
The Regional Grandmaster determines the projects that will be sponsored in a particular region. Additionally, the Regional Grandmaster may award or remove Clan Status from any member of the Guild within their jurisdiction. Regional Grandmasters are elected, from the available pool of Masters in a region, by a vote of all voting members of the guild. When a guild has reached agreement, they submit the name to the Didaskalos, who names the Regional Grandmaster. Usually, the Regional Grandmaster serves for a period of one year. The members of the Guild Master's region may call for a vote earlier, but to do so requires/creates a scandal.
SYNDYSKOS
There are no requirements for this position save the favor of one of the Didaskaloi. Each Didaskaloi handpicks a Syndyskos to be his eyes and ears among the general populous. The Syndyskos is also the first level of contact when the Guild Masters want to reach their Didaskalos. It is from these assistants that most Guild Masters gain most of their understanding of the Didaskalos' moods, habits, etc. It is also through these assistants that the Guild Masters must make pleas for money, influence, etc. to help in their endeavors.
Didaskalos
There are only six (one for each Guild) in the whole world at any given time. A Didaskali is the leader of a Guild. They may award and remove Clan Status from any member of their Guild. The Didaskalos is elected for the period of one year, at a gathering of the Guilds, by each Guild's Regional Grandmasters. The Didaskalos is the living representation of the Guild's ideals, virtues, and principals. At any time, the Didaskalos may call for a jury to evaluate the work of any artist within the Guild.
CHANGING GUILDS
By proactively insisting on recognition (critical appraisal) for work done in another Guild's medium, a Toreador may switch their Guild allegiance. At the Apprentice level, this is tolerated as a normal part of the early artistic development of the Toreador. Once a Toreador has attained the level of Journeyman or above, however, this switch becomes less trivial. Unless a Master can be persuaded to judge the first piece presented to the new Guild (unlikely at best), the initial appraisal will be made by a critic. This means that the Toreador will enter the Guild as an Apprentice, and consequently lose any Clan Status above one. Also, it is often seen as a betrayal of their current Guild. In fact, sometimes, the artist may find themselves without a home as the newly chosen Guild refuses to accept the work for jury, and the old Guild refuses to grant further juries and/or strips Toreador Status for the betrayal. Of course this last is an extreme case, but it is not unheard of... The political finesse of the Toreador proves as important as their artistic talent, if not more so, in these situations. If the switch can be made without offending their current Guild officers or costing them too much in Patronage revenue, it can be done. Generally, the task is seen as too daunting by any but the most driven or accomplished artists. The rest are content to simply pursue their "side" interests for the pure enjoyment of it and never seek critical acknowledgement.
While an artist might not seek critical acknowledgement outside their Guild themselves, they may very well find themselves the recipients nonetheless. This does not force the recipient to switch allegiance. This sort of "Hostile Takeover" is not possible. Attempts to pressure or trick particularly talented Toreador into such a switch have been the subject of large scandals.
As said earlier, a simple refusal to participate, indifference, laziness, etc. will not get you kicked out of the Guild system. Nothing, in fact, will get you kicked out short of ostracization from the clan. Even the worst-case scenario, mentioned above, when switching Guilds still leaves you as an Apprentice in the Guild of Nemesis... Thus, "opting out" is an active and conscious choice on the part of the Toreador. It is a renouncing of the very system of social interaction in the clan. It is seen as a slap in the face to the clan as a whole. The Toreador must state publicly that he renounces all Clan Status, refutes the authority of the guild to grant or remove status from them, refutes the authority of the guild to critique his work and, in essence, alienates all those in his clan. He is seen as something worse than an Anarch, for even the Anarchs stick by each other...
Guild of Aphrodite
Members of the Guild of Aphrodite often claim, quite proudly, that their guild is the eldest, because it is the home of the static, representational arts--Sculpture and Painting. This claim, while repeatedly challenged by the Guild of Apollo, has significant merit; the Venus of Willendorf and the cave-paintings at Lascaux and Altamira are truly ancient. The fact that song and dance would not leave such relics to be uncovered later is studiously ignored by the Aphroditeans.
Ideologically, the Guild of Aphrodite tends to be the most conservative and elitist of the Guilds. While other Guilds have allowed new arts over the millennia, the Aphroditeans have staunchly limited themselves to Painting and Sculpture. However, the twentieth century has forced this guild to examine their interpretation of what exactly constitutes Painting and Sculpture, with surprising results. In the first half, they chose to admit photographers into their guild, much to the surprise of all Toreador. Then, in the latter half, they chose to admit certain forms of artwork produced on computers (though not computational or computer-created art - i.e. fractals). However, later, Aphrodite overturned this decision, rejecting computer artists altogether. Perhaps the most surprising was when the Aphroditeans pronounced film as an intriguing form of moving photography and inducted it into the Guild. The argument was that the media remained static with each showing.
While traditional members of this Guild may work with stone or canvas, more modern members may work with items scavenged from a junkyard, spray-paint, photographic paper, projected light, etc. Artists of the Guild of Aphrodite are encouraged to experiment with both form and media. If they stray too far from their Guild's roots, however, their art may be brought before a jury. As a general rule, members of the Guild of Aphrodite create the types of works that are found in museums (be they of contemporary art or fine art, museums nonetheless).
Guild of Apollo
The Guild of Apollo follows the fine arts of performance, storytelling and writing. For much of the clan's history, numerically this has been the largest Guild, but the diversity of artists has rarely allowed it to be unified in purpose.
Performing and performance art, as well as the written arts, are included within the confines of this Guild and, like the Guild of Aphrodite, the Guild of Apollo has had to stretch to accommodate more modern views of what performance is. Although Art is most often considered to be beautiful and harmonious, many modern forms of dance, music, and all things classified as "theatre" or performance often belay that view.
Guild of Chronos
The Guild of Chronos was created in response to what its membership saw a stagnation in the views of the other guilds. The Guild of Chronos progressively embraces technology, in all forms, as it affects art. Those who join this Guild straddle the lines drawn by the other guilds. Many members of Chronos were at one time members of other Guilds, but after rejection from those other Guilds and near ostracism, they formed Chronos to cater to their unique artistic needs. The arts they practice can be viewed, used, or listened to. They are writers (of code), sculptors (of virtual mediums), and creators of works that entrance Kindred and Kine, alike. Chronos members hold the opinion that the works they accomplish will end the creative stagnation that they see within their clan. They see themselves as the gatekeepers to the future who use their arts as the keys that allow clanmates passage into the twenty-first century and beyond.
The Guild of Chronos is considered the least conservative of all the guilds. Members willingly open their arms to accept technological advances in the computer field. They have a love for those things of technology and choose to coddle and nurture technology as though it were their own child. Chronos see the computer as their canvas, creating life, and vividly create worlds as the technological "Wizards" of this modern age.
Guild of Hephaestos
Traditionally, members of the Guild of Aphrodite and Guild of Apollo have shown contempt to the Hephaestans. Perhaps this is because the Guild originated with the traditional crafts - those that can be used or worn. Some of the most entrenched members of the Guilds of Aphrodite and Apollo dismiss the Hephaestans as a Guild entirely, claiming that art must, by its nature, be viewed and appreciated, not used. Lately, this Guild has come to absorb Computational Imaging; creating images from equations. This is separate from the computer art of the Guild of Aphrodite which is Art created using the computer as a tool. Most of the members of this house, however, turned to the Guild of Chronos when it formed, citing that those Toreador would best understand and appreciate their work.
6. Some guild historians suggest that this Guild was founded in pre-classical antiquity after the Guilds of Aphrodite and Apollo refused to accept artisans of the traditional crafts. However, others note that the sentiments of the Aphroditeans and Apollonian run deeper than simple contempt. Noting that Urania (Muse of Astronomy) is one of the Nine Muses, these scholars suggest that an ideological rift formed within the Guild of Apollo. This rift, it is thought, could have caused a contingent of the Apollonians to break away and form this distinct Guild. Regardless of their origins, the Hephaestans have become the most diverse and technological of the Guilds.
Guild of Nemesis
The Guild of Nemesis is the established critic's Guild. It is the traditional home of those who critique and evaluate art. Many have scoffed at its membership, but often, the same artists weep when their newest work receives a scathing review.
"The Fates" have the unique position of acting as in-clan Harpies. These critics determine the ebb and flow of the majority of in-Clan Status. They have the ability to destroy (and sometimes establish) the reputation of both Artists and Patrons. Many a Toreador has had their aspirations crushed by an unkind word to members of this unforgiving Guild.
ADVANCEMENT
In critiquing the work of others, Apprentices must choose which single Guild (Aphrodite, Apollo, Hephaestos, and Chronos) that they will critique. Often this choice is made without thinking when they speak out about a work in a fit of passion. As the Nemesine rises in rank, the number of guilds they may speak out against also rises. At Apprentice they may only speak against a single guild; at Journeyman a second; at Master a third and at Regional Grandmaster a fourth. The Didasklos of Nemesis may speak out against any guild.
Members of guild Nemesis are expected to carry levels of Academics (Art critiquing) equivalent to their ranks (Apprentice: 1, Journeyman: 3, and Master: 5). This is to reflect their studies of Art in its various forms
Guild of Plutus
DESCRIPTION
The Guild of Plutus contains the patrons of the various arts. A member of this Guild can have significant impact on an artist's ability to produce art. Often art is expensive to produce, and without adequate funding, an artist must focus on day to day necessities rather than on their art. In addition to the more readily recognized role of funding the artistic endeavors of others, members of this Guild have other roles that are very much unique to them. They preside over the banquet, the ball, and all social enjoyments and elegant arts.
SPONSORSHIP, PATRONAGE, AND ADVANCEMENT
To sponsor an artist, a base amount must be invested in the necessities that artists require. This is represented by a monthly Resources or Influence expenditure. Artists whose work continually receives critical disapproval may find themselves owing a boon to their patron.
Members of this guild earn Prestige vicariously through the accomplishments of those they fund, or through the successes of their social events. In the latter, they are more directly at the mercy of the Critics. In the former, each time a sponsored artist gains or loses Clan Prestige, then the sponsoring character shares in the adulation or discrediting, mirroring the gain or loss themselves. In this way, the Critics hold sway indirectly only. The artist can as easily be blamed and often is.
Members of this guild have two avenues to advancement in the Guild. The traditional route (available to all other Guilds) is to improve their Performance level, create a work (i.e. ball, salon, or other social event), and have it critiqued. There is, however, the ability to advance with no performance ability whatsoever (a feat even the members of Nemesis cannot accomplish). Through the expenditure of Resources to patronize a work, the member can initiate the process of application as if they had performed the work themselves. Thus, if a Journeyman's Piece was patronized (minimum of US$3,000.00), the patron could call for the work to be juried. If the piece is deemed worthy, the Patron is awarded the title "Journeyman" merely for their ability to fund quality work rather than their ability to produce it themselves. This process can also be used to attain Master level. In order to attain the titles of "Journeyman" and "Master" in this fashion, the Plutist must be the sole patron of the work. This can lead to bidding wars as various Plutists vie for the center to patronize a particularly talented artist's work.
Also note that a Plutist's call for recognition of an artist's work doesn't stop the artist from also reaping the rewards (or penalties) that result. This can lead to a struggle of a very different type, where an artist may wish to hold off on the presentation of their work, while the patron insists the commission be satisfied.
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