Golem Hunters Guild

The Golem Hunters Guild is an organization that has only recently begun to establish a foothold on the continents of Ignas and Aquvy. Much like the name suggests, its primary focus is on the unearthing of golem technology within recently discovered ruins. In practice the guild will buy just about any technology that Drifters unearth, but a special premium is paid for any major discoveries related to the guild's namesake.

Operation

Members of the guild are typically independent Drifters looking to get a quick financial turnaround on their discoveries. The guild manages a private list of buyers for artifacts in all fields and its own overseas distribution routes, allowing its members to sell artifacts directly back to the organization for a small brokering fee. While it's possible for Drifters to earn more by soliciting potential collectors directly, seldom is it possible to achieve profit as quickly and for the average Drifter it's frequently not worth the inconvenience. It is also known to pay commissions for tips on recently unearthed artifacts of note; if the Guild is successful in reaching out to the discovering party and negotiating a sale, the facilitator will receive a significant kickback in appreciation.

Similar to the Adventurers Guild, the Golem Hunters Guild has an official "no tolerance" policy when it comes to dealing with known outlaws. This does not prevent hired go-betweens from using the Guild as a laundering operation for stolen relics, as the goods have typically long since been shipped overseas by the time a proper complaint can be filed. Any parties who are found to have been dealing in stolen relics after the fact are immediately blacklisted from the guild register.

Reputation

While the Golem Hunters are fairly popular among Drifters, local governments tend to view the organization with a small degree of contention. The Guild respects the privacy of its buyers and does not disclose the identity of its customers, but it's safe to assume that many of the artifacts unearthed will be shipped overseas with no opportunity for study by local researchers. The fact that outlaw elements have had some success at using the Guild to launder hot goods does not help their reputation either, despite the fact that the Guild asserts that they are faultless in these matters.

The lure of easy money continues to ensure that the Golem Hunters are for no lack of business, but one should always be cautious of the local political climate when disclosing an affiliation with them.

Membership

It can be assumed that a guild office can be found in all major cities. Membership typically requires a cursory certification of competency with some form of martial weapon or ARM, but these policies are frequently waived for Drifters who already have goods in their possession that they are looking to move.

While membership comes easily (outside of Elru), advancement does not. Drifters begin as Rank "D" affiliates with several opportunities for promotion. Advancement criteria is arbitrary, highly selective, and reviews cannot be requested. Higher rank represents greater trust and a longer relationship, allowing the Guild to relax the brokering fees it imposes on Drifters selling artifacts to them. Advancement to Rank "A" provides Drifters with the opportunity to leverage the guild's extensive transportation networks for their own benefit, a significant logistical advantage that comes with a similarly high barrier to entry. It is notoriously difficult to gain access to this rank, with Nightburn Acklund being one of the few individuals known to have obtained it. It is not unheard of for a year to pass with no advancement from ranks B to A.

(OOC: This group is not currently registered on the game, as its only members are two Wild ARMs 5 FCs. If you are interested in joining the Golem Hunters, please reach out to Nightburn.)

Transportation Network

The guild operates its own transportation network and does not subcontract for artifact transport. Most of these routes are by rail and by sea, with artifacts being funneled through private warehouses and vehicles. Due to the discreetness of the relationship that the Guild maintains with its network of buyers, it is unknown what defensive capabilities these fleets have or how successful they have been at deterring threats.

(OOC: This is a potential plot hook. Anyone interested in "repossession" of Guild assets should reach out to Nightburn.)