Aethersea Adventurer's Association
The Aethersea Adventurers' Association, or Triple A as it's commonly called, is a confederation of well connected, wealthy and/or well-off adventuring teams which search for adventure (and, often, fame). Well over 450 years old, it has seen substantial growth and reorganization over the years. Outside of the Royal Navy, they are undisputed in their knowledge of the Aethersea, having developed a huge and well guarded secret repository of knowledge. Some believe that it is with the Shadow Fleet, but this unconfirmed.
This sea-wide group of adventures, popular at the edges of civilized space, is a service guild for bonafide adventurers. They offer significant discounts on registered craft-services, especially refueling, and information which is often timely and useful. With "civilization" of worlds having occurred fourcore, Triple A had to continue more further Outward, towards the Fringes.
Triple A is a politically neutral entity, operating somewhere between a merchant consortium and a cultural icon. Their neutrality allows them to travel typically unhindered throughout the Hegemony and other Fringe worlds.
The Responders are a spinoff of the Triple A, focusing exclusively on providing emergency services wherever they are.
Becoming an Adventurer
An Adventuring Family may extend Affiliate status to a deserving person giving them member rights at their own Chapter House, and limited access to other Chapters. Affiliates are candidates to become full Adventurers.Structure
Ranks and Requirements
Affiliates
An Affiliate is typically (but not always) the first step to becoming an Adventurer, considered by many to be the Application Process. Some never rise above the position of Affiliate to become a full Adventurer. Affiliates may be nominated by any Adventurer but must be accepted by a Adventurer of the First Order, who then becomes their Sponsor.Adventurers
Adventurers must be recognized as making a Notable contribution during a Quest. A Principalos may immediately confer Adventurer status upon an Affiliate or someone who is not a part of the Association, whether or not they have completed a Quest.Adventurers of the First Order
A Chief is an Adventurer who is recognized for Notable action upon a Great Quest. A Team Leader is a Chief which leads an Adventurer Team; the two are often used interchangeably. A Principalos of the First Order may immediately confer Chief status upon an Adventurer or Affiliate who has shown extraordinary ability and/or leadership, whether or not they have completed a Quest.Principalos
These are distinguished, effective adventurers. They must complete an Epic Quest while serving as Team Leader or have a Very Long and Distinguished History while serving as a First Order Adventurer. Those Principalos who actively lead teams are often called Captains. One must be at least a Principalos in order to lead an Adventuring Family. No Royal above the status of Knight may proceed above the rank of Principalos. This is a source of consternation amongst the Royals, but this is one of the few Immutable Principles of the Adventurer's Guild. Recenly, however, a number of young royals who live for the thrill of the hunt have formed a pseudo-adventurer's organization called the Royal Rival where only Royals are welcome.Principalos of the First Order
These Principalos have successfully recruited and built at least one other Adventurer Team AND have the blessing (patronage) of a Master of the Guild. They must also have completed a Most Epic Quest. They sometimes continue with the title of Captain, especially those who operate from an AetherShip. Those Principalos of the First Order who establish and maintain an active Adventuring Family are usually called Matriarchs or Patriarchs. One must be a Principalos of the First Order to lead a Chapter House.Masters of the Guild
More commonly Guildmasters must complete a Most Epic Quest while coordinating an Expedition (two or more Families working together on a Quest) or have Exceptionally Long and Distinguished History while serving as a Matriarch / Patriarch. The Circle of Guildmasters exist to make broad policy by which the Guild carries out its duties. Rarely do they involve themselves with the regular operations of the Guild, but the word of a single Guildmaster is essentially Guild Law and can only be overturned by a majority vote of the Circle of Guildmasters. It is said that a Guildmaster's power rivals that of many Royals, though this has not been put to the test... at least openly.Teams and Chapter Houses
The Association maintains chapters in virtually every populated star system. Each Chapter House is run by an Adventuring Family and are typically independent, but are bound by broad charter rules to work with each other. Any competition between Chapter Houses is simultaneously highly encouraged and highly regulated.Adventuring Teams
An Adventuring Team, led by a Chief, can be as small as 2 and as large as a dozen (most have 3-5 Adventurers). They often have Affiliates to help fill out ranks and provide candidates for growth.Adventuring Families
An Adventuring Family is an Adventuring Team that has attained Prominence - that is, they have one or more Principalos and at least one other First Order Adventurer. The Family Leader enjoys a vote in Chapter House guidance, though typically all Team Chiefs are allowed to share their input.Chapters
Chapters are a loose organizational unit of Adventurers operating within a defined area, typically a geographical area; they can be as small as 2 Adventuring Teams. A Chapter (and all organizational units higher) have a Recorder serving as the Chapter (or higher) Secretary. The Secretary coordinates the activity of all Recorder business within their organizational unit.Chapter House
2 allied Adventuring Families along with at least 1 other Adventuring Team in a Chapter may apply to become a Chapter House; the most influential Family becomes the Guiding Family (influence is typically, but not always, typically determined by Quest Count - combined value of all members' quests - though occasionally size and resources are the deciding factors). They are allowed to make unilateral decisions, but another Family Leader may call them out upon the matter and reason together. This particular kind of political wrangling rarely occurs when there are only two Families in the Chapter, but with 3 it becomes quite possible. Rarely are there more than 3 Adventuring Families in one Chapter House, and traditionally, the largest House has 12 Teams and Families total; newer Families will typically found their own House (usually at the behest of the Guiding Family).Beyond the Chapter House
A Chapter House with 3 Adventuring Families is in position to be a Chapter of Prominence, or a Powerhouse; in addition, the Chapter must complete a Most Epic Quest to qualify. Seven or more allied Adventuring Families OR two or more allied Powerhouses may be awarded Guild Chapter Status by the Circle of Guildmasters, but this typically requires the completion of a Most Epic Quest and the presence of one of the Patriarch/Matriarchs is often elevated to Guildmaster status.Public Agenda
AAA is the Official Face of The Frontier. There are many spin off activities dealing with exploration, survival, and colonization as well as the documentation and promotion of the same. Frontiers simply aren't the unexplored or recently explored boundaries of known space, but also of commerce and development.
Adventuring has always been one of the acceptable ways that Royals and "commoners" could interact and even compete on a somewhat level playing field, with ability (and often luck) allowing some Adventuring Families to achieve significant prominence; several have received Knighthoods.
Some suspect that the Triple A has the backing of the Hegemony because of the usefulness of such a widespread organization with no ostensible political ties. Several Chapter Houses have been accused of pandering to the deeper pockets of the Royal Families and helping to sway public opinion of them in various ways. These scandals are often cleaned up by Triple A's own internal controls, giving them a rather positive view in the eyes of the public.
Assets
Assets are owned at the Chapter House level and managed at the Family/Team level. Even the most meager of Chapter Houses will have access to a Working class AetherShip (minimum effective Wealth or Contacts of 4).
The largest Chapter Houses have incredible levels of wealth, rivaling small Royal Families.
History
Adventurers, like ships, have a long and colorful tradition in the Aether Sea. Many Chapter Houses and their Adventuring Families have incredible histories, some able to trace their roots back to Homeworld.
Initially created to report and support civilian funded exploration activities on foreign worlds, as the Hegemony started to run into more... diverse... issues which was unsuited for government intervention (typically due to administrative response times), they gained public acceptance as the official scouting and reporting effort of the Expansion. Though the Hegemony met no other sapient life in their explorations, they have come across phenomenal events requiring true adventuring grit which have fueled the public imagination for centuries: Aether-faring reality shows became a coin of the realm.
Go Where Not Even Angels Dare to Tread
Type
Guild, Professional
Alternative Names
AAA, Triple A, The Association, TripA (pronounced Trip A).
Demonym
Adventurers, Questers, Meddlers
Subsidiary Organizations
Related Professions
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