Crusader's Alliance

The Crusaders’ Alliance is a renowned and highly respected guild based in Ferindor, with its influence stretching across Kamulos and the wider lands of Tanaria. Acting as a coalition of adventurers, they are united by a shared mission to protect civilization from the forces of darkness and chaos. The guild operates from a grand hall in the city, a space filled with maps, trophies from successful quests, and a bustling board where requests from common folk and nobles alike are posted.
Agents of the Crusaders’ Alliance come from all walks of life—warriors, mages, rogues, and even bards—selected for their exceptional skills and unwavering dedication. Their work ranges from dangerous monster hunts and escort missions to investigative tasks and even urgent trade and mail delivery. The Alliance is proactive, seeking out threats before they can cause harm, often sending teams into unexplored territories or directly into enemy strongholds.
Supported by the oldest mage order in Tanaria, the Crusaders’ Alliance has access to powerful magical resources and training, further bolstering their capabilities. Their reputation as defenders of the common folk ensures strong support from the public, who frequently turn to the guild for aid. Their presence in Ferindor underscores the city’s role as a bastion of civilization, and their exploits inspire both awe and gratitude across Tanaria.

Structure

1. The High Council (Strategic Leadership)

Comprised of five to seven veteran members, the High Council sets overall direction, policies, and inter-kingdom diplomacy. They meet quarterly at the main Guild Hall, typically located in a neutral or central territory.

• Archwarden – Official leader of the Alliance, representing the guild in political and military courts.
• Magister Arcana – Representative of the Mage Order; oversees arcane policy, artifacts, and magical education.
• Master of Coin – Controls the treasury, funding of quests, rewards, and trade relationships.
• Marshal of Arms – Handles guild defense, combat readiness, and discipline among members.
• Voice of the People – Advocates for adventurers and responds to the needs of cities, towns, and rural outposts.
• Warden of Shadows – Oversees intelligence, covert operations, and internal investigations.

2. Regional Chapters (Decentralized Operation)

Each major kingdom or region has its own branch, referred to as a Chapter Hall.

• Chaptermaster – Oversees all operations within their territory. Chosen from high-ranking (Gold or Platinum) members.
• Questkeepers – Manage contracts, assign missions, and track adventurer performance.
• Waypost Officers – Serve as local liaisons in towns and remote areas, often offering quests or support on the road.

3. The Adventurer Corps (Guild Members)

The backbone of the Alliance. Members are ranked by performance, trustworthiness, and reliability.

• Guild Rank – From Copper to Platinum, rank reflects performance, reliability, and skill.
• Team Leads – Silver rank or higher. Authorized to lead squads or train recruits.

4. Support Divisions

To keep the guild running smoothly:

• Medicae Wardens – Healers, clerics, alchemists, and herbalists. Staff the infirmary and provide field support.
• Runescribes – Archivists and magical scholars. Maintain quest records and handle enchanted correspondence.
• Smiths & Quartermasters – Maintain the guild’s equipment stores and craft specialized gear for members.
• Initiate Instructors – Veterans who mentor new recruits during their initiation trials.

Culture

The Crusaders’ Alliance is more than just a guild—it is a way of life built on shared ideals. At its core, the Alliance believes that unity is strength. No single hero can stand against the tides of darkness forever, but together, adventurers from all walks of life can hold the line. This belief in collective action shapes everything from their training to their strategies in the field. Members are taught early on that the common folk come first. Though they may wield sword or spell, Crusaders are guardians, not conquerors. They exist to ensure peace and prosperity for those without power, and their mission begins with protecting those who cannot protect themselves.
Above all, the guild values respect through action. Prestige isn’t granted based on birth, wealth, or bloodline—it’s earned through proven deeds. Even a former thief or outcast can rise to become a Chaptermaster if they demonstrate courage, wisdom, and integrity. This ethos is paired with a doctrine of proactive vigilance; the Alliance does not wait for evil to strike. They seek out threats before they fester, responding to rumors, arcane anomalies, and cries for help before they become crises. That is why the symbol of the guild—a sword and quill crossed before a radiant sun—is so meaningful. It represents the balance of might and mind: bravery guided by thought, knowledge wielded with courage.
The culture of the Alliance is reinforced through time-honored customs. When a new recruit completes their third quest, they undergo the Third Coin Ceremony, where their name is magically etched onto their guild coin. This ceremony, though brief, is a moment of pride and recognition, often followed by a shared meal or celebration with their Chapter. The guild coin is more than just proof of rank; it becomes part of the member’s identity. Some wear it as a pendant, others forge it into a bracer, cloak pin, or belt buckle. It is worn with pride and treated with reverence.
Relationships forged in the field run deep. Adventurers who survive life-changing missions together sometimes become Sworn Kin, a bond of loyalty and trust as strong as family. These pairs or trios often take shared vows, craft joint insignia, or even live and travel together as a unit. Guild halls also observe Remembrance Day once a year—a solemn occasion where the names of fallen members are spoken aloud and inscribed in the magical Book of Flame, which glows with the essence of each name recorded. It is said that as long as a name burns in the book, that Crusader is never truly gone.
One of the most sacred customs is the principle of No Coin Left Behind. If a guild member dies in battle, retrieving their coin becomes the top priority. Leaving it behind is not only dishonorable—it is an insult to their memory. That coin is either returned to their family or laid to rest within the guild's vault, sealed in a ceremonial box with their name and final rank.
Finally, the Alliance lives by a few unspoken codes—lessons passed from mentor to apprentice and spoken quietly over campfires and training fields. “Finish what you start.”
“Don’t brag what you can’t back.”
“Your coin, your name, your bond.”
And perhaps the most important of all: “Guild before gold.” For the Crusaders’ Alliance, glory isn’t found in riches—it’s found in service, sacrifice, and the shield you raise for someone else.

Public Agenda

The Crusaders’ Alliance exists to protect the people of Tanaria and uphold the ideals of justice, unity, and vigilance. We believe that the strength of civilization lies not in castles or crowns, but in the bonds between those who defend it.
We stand as a united front against threats both known and hidden—monsters, corruption, ancient curses, and rising tyrants. Our agents come from all corners of the world: commoners and nobles, scholars and soldiers, mages and mercenaries. All who prove their worth and swear the oath are welcome beneath our banner.
Our goals are clear:
• To safeguard the people of Tanaria from unnatural, magical, and monstrous threats.
• To respond to calls for aid from villages, cities, and citizens in need.
• To pursue knowledge and root out corruption, wherever it hides.
• To act where kingdoms hesitate, and to prevent disaster before it strikes.
• To promote cooperation between regions and peoples, uniting under a shared purpose.

We do not serve kings or borders—we serve the realm.
If you value courage, camaraderie, and purpose, the Alliance offers more than coin.
It offers a cause.

Assets

Guild Halls & Chapter Houses

The Alliance maintains major halls in every kingdom of Tanaria, often situated in key trade cities, capitals, or magical nexuses. These halls act as administrative centers, housing quest boards, armories, infirmaries, and training grounds. Smaller outposts and waystations dot the countryside—modest but secure structures offering shelter, food, and courier drop-off points for traveling agents.

• Major halls in every kingdom of Tanaria
• Smaller outposts and waystations for field agents
• The Grand Hall serves as headquarters of the High Council
• Mobile field camps deployed in unstable regions

Quest Network & Communication Systems

Thanks to arcane partnerships with the oldest mage order in Tanaria, the guild uses a network of enchanted devices and bonded messengers for rapid information flow.

• Linked quest boards synchronized across regions
• Runescribe Dispatches – magical scrolls for urgent messages
• Whisper Coins – rare items that transmit brief telepathic messages

Armory & Equipment Access

Each chapter house maintains an armory stocked with:

• Standard weapons, armor, potions, and scrolls
• Emergency supplies and alchemical tools
• Merit-based access to relics and legacy artifacts

Arcane & Scholarly Support

The guild’s long-standing alliance with the Mage Order provides access to:

• Battle-mage assistance for high-risk missions
• Enchanters available for magical gear upgrades
• Diviners and scryers for investigations
• Libraries of magical and monster lore
• Guild-bound familiars in select chapter halls

Transportation & Logistics

To support cross-regional travel:

• Stables of horses, drakes, or region-based mounts
• Courier riders and fast-ship contracts
• Teleport Sigils for emergency chapter-to-chapter travel

Funding & Political Leverage

The guild is backed by not just the Order of Arelian, but by donations from kingdoms, merchants, and grateful towns. Their neutrality and efficiency have made them indispensable in a realm often torn by war or politics.

• Funded by contracts, donations, and regional sponsors
• Granted diplomatic immunity in many territories
• Employs advocates for negotiation and law bypass when needed

History

The Crusaders’ Alliance was founded in the year 317 HE, during a time of growing instability. It began not with a grand declaration, but with a crisis—the Duskspire Conflagration, a magical catastrophe that tore through a secluded research tower in Arandor, releasing dangerous magical constructs and planar anomalies into nearby villages. The kingdoms squabbled over jurisdiction. Local guards were overwhelmed. And for three weeks, the people suffered as monsters spilled out and reality frayed.
But help came—not from a crown, but from a handful of wandering adventurers, retired soldiers, and mages from the Order of Arelian. They coordinated efforts to quarantine the zone, evacuate survivors, and eventually banish the incursion. Among them were warriors, rogues, clerics, and scholars who shared no banner, only purpose. Their success proved something: that a unified force, one unshackled by borders or bureaucracy, could protect the realm when kingdoms could not.
From that alliance, the guild was born.
Backed by the Order of Arelian—the oldest mage order in Tanaria—the newly-formed Crusaders' Alliance quickly gained legitimacy. With arcane support and a growing network of agents, they began establishing outposts in troubled regions, responding to threats too obscure or dangerous for local forces. Their neutrality made them ideal for navigating border tensions, and their efficiency earned them the trust of the common folk.
By 325 HE, the Alliance had expanded into every major kingdom, with Chapter Halls established in Drakoria, Necai, Kamulos, Eouma, Eithwyn and even Jou'lunn and Valoria—though the latter maintains a strained relationship with the guild to this day.
Throughout the centuries, the Crusaders' Alliance has been instrumental in suppressing Demon cults in Zalhara, thwarting draconic incursions near Miranore, and responding to dozens of local plagues, curses, and monster uprisings. While some rulers see them as disruptive vigilantes, most recognize their value. They are the blade that cuts through red tape, the shield raised when armies falter.
Today, in 502 HE, the Crusaders' Alliance is one of the most recognized and respected institutions on the continent. Their guild coin has become a symbol of honor, and their creed—“Guild before gold, people before power”—remains unchanged.

“Guild before gold, people before power”

Founding Date

317 HE

Type

Guild, Adventuring

Location

Ferindor

Notable Members

• Drazan Griksson
• Grikug Wolfblade

Crusaders’ Alliance Guild Ranks
Each member carries a guild coin with their name and rank. Rank determines trust, access, and mission clearance.

---

Rank 1: Platinum (Level 20)
Legends among the guild. Trusted with world-altering missions and guild leadership.
Rank 2: Gold (Levels 17–19)
Veterans known for exceptional skill and integrity. Often lead teams or advise Chaptermasters.
Rank 3: Silver (Levels 14–16)
Reliable agents with a solid record. Frequently assigned to high-stakes quests.
Rank 4: Bronze (Levels 12–13)
Proven adventurers trusted with mid-tier assignments and team leadership.
Rank 5: Ruby (Level 11)
Skilled specialists starting to gain recognition and deeper trust.
Rank 6: Emerald (Levels 9–10)
Competent and versatile. Ready to handle missions solo or with minimal backup.
Rank 7: Sapphire (Levels 7–8)
Learning quickly, with consistent performance and potential.
Rank 8: Steel (Level 6)
Durable, dependable, and honing their edge through field work.
Rank 9: Obsidian (Levels 4–5)
Rough around the edges but capable. Often paired with mentors for guidance.
Rank 10: Copper (Levels 1–3)
Initiates. Must complete three quests to earn full membership and formal recognition.

Honored and Fully Integrated Partner

Crusader's Alliance

94

Kamulos

88

Kamulos, with its spirit of unity and its diverse racial harmony, has long been one of the Crusaders’ Alliance’s strongest allies. The kingdom’s founding myth—tribes uniting in common cause—mirrors the Alliance’s own creed, and as such, the guild was welcomed early in its expansion. Rather than being treated with suspicion, the Alliance was seen as a natural extension of Kamulan ideals: protection of the people, defense of the land, and cooperation across all races and professions.

Conditional Recognition

Crusader's Alliance

45

Dhuma

33

Because rulers change frequently through combat or challenge, formal agreements often lapse or require renegotiation.
Alliance agents assigned to Dhuma are trained in cultural adaptability and often work solo or in pairs to avoid being seen as a foreign force.

Limited Recognition (By Province)

Crusader's Alliance

45

Drakoria

25

Drakoria is a land steeped in ancient traditions, military pride, and draconic influence, where power is respected but outsiders are often distrusted.
The Alliance’s decentralized nature and racial diversity make Drakorian traditionalists wary, particularly among dragonblooded nobility and militant houses that favor strict hierarchy.
In provinces where local rulers value results over rhetoric, the Crusaders are welcomed as problem-solvers and monster-hunters—especially in areas suffering from rogue drakes, cult activity, or Underdark disturbances.

Unofficial Toleration / Borderline Hostile

Crusader's Alliance

-25

Jou'lunn

-40

Jou’lunn is known for its harsh authoritarianism, a caste-based society, and strict control over magical knowledge and foreign influence. The Alliance’s values—freedom of movement, racial inclusion, and decentralized power—stand in direct opposition.
Alliance agents are often viewed as destabilizing elements by Jou’lunn’s ruling elite. In some cities, simply being identified as a Crusader is grounds for arrest or interrogation.