THE BROTHERHOOD:

The Brotherhood Enclave is headed by the Fraternal Council, a group of senior members who have risen through the ranks through cunning politics, power, or simply recognition. The Head of the Council is Franz Herne, and being the Head of the Council means he has the deciding vote in case of a tie, and that he has the most power over what is brought before the Council, and when.

The Brotherhood is found equally in Korresh and in Lirynn. Thought to be on an Isle somewhere near the Wizard's Isle, the Brotherhood was initially created to take up the gauge the ancient Wizards let fall with their sacrifice. It is one of the oldest of the Elite Guilds; only the Church and the Paladins are older. Its noble ideals were religiously followed at first; then, becoming one of the more influential Elite Guilds, the Brotherhood became fractious and political; while every member is a Brother or Sister, some Brothers or Sisters are more equal than others.

Still, it is one of the more powerful and progressive of the Elite Guilds. It was the first to accept the Misharr within its ranks, on the basis that all races are equal. It is their doctrine that all races are welcome--though dwarves and ss'tiss are necessarily few, of course. It has minor chapterhouses in Mirg, Garr, and Tahnn among the misharr, and though the Brotherhood's good ideals are now inextricably wrapped up in politics, the ideals are still there and it is still one of the most powerful Guilds in Telgard.

Tested Skills:

The Brotherhood tests in all the magical talents and in scholar. They are not so concerned with mundane tasks as other guilds and instead influence others through their temporal, worldly power.

Entrance into the Guild:

The Brotherhood is not terribly picky about its membership; its requirements are personal values such as inclusivity, respect, and a lack of prejudice. Entrants must be willing to learn and work hard, but overall it is rather like joining a somewhat exclusive club. There is no Guild Trial to enter the Guild; applicants come to the Brotherhood, or the Brotherhood may seek out a promising candidate.

Advancement within the Guild:

PCs who are accepted into the guild generally work as pages and errand-boys; in fact, their title is officially Page. Though they are considered members of the Brotherhood, they don't actually enjoy the title Brother at this point; it is not until they pass their first trial that this will happen. To pass their first trial, they must have a sponsor within the Brotherhood to support him before the Council or the Council's representative, and the PC must have proven that they are intelligent enough to advance. Note that the meek are seldom advanced within the brotherhood; 'intelligence' often means 'ambition', but at the least, it means 'strong of will.'

PCs who go through their first Guild Trial, which consists of a series of exams testing knowledge, values and morals, gain the official title of Brother (or Sister, as the case may be) and begins to take on duties that are assigned to him by his superiors. He may be assigned supervision of a page or two, and if he is he becomes entitled to their services (cleaning, fetching, and other pagely duties.) The Brother or Sister serves the bureaucracy of the Brotherhood, generally gathering information for one faction or the other or occasionally finding a right to wrong outside the Brotherhood. (Despite the politics in the Brotherhood, most of its members are zealous in their desire to guide Telgard and help it.)

A PC who has served with distinction, made a significant accomplishment or spearheaded the destruction of some evil, becomes entitled to another Guild Trial. Unlike the other levels of advancement, the PC at this point must demonstrate some level of skill; that is, they must be advanced in at least three skills, one of which must be a tested skill. The Guild Trial tests magical skill and endurance and upholding of values in the face of adversity. Success means the Brother or Sister earns more responsibility; they are given a branch of the Brotherhood to lead, usually something like procuring resources (money) or establishing new chapterhouses where the Brotherhood presence is thin. (Procurement of something to benefit the Brotherhood is usually what a PC will receive so that they may keep adventuring without conflicting with their duties as a Brother.)