Guilds (17)
Membership Hath Its Privileges Delvers need civilization in the sense that without it¸ selling loot¸ collecting rewards¸ buying better gear¸ and scoring lucrative quests would be difficult. On the other hand¸ paying taxes¸ obeying petty laws¸ and kowtowing to your "betters"... well¸ those aspects aren't so appealing. While even the toughest heroes rarely go it alone¸ savvy ones would sooner take their chances with crude¸ bloodthirsty¸ but well-armed peers than settle down and trust Somebody Else to deal with the monsters outside (and often inside ) the city walls. Yet clever adventurers also know it's foolish not to exploit every possible advantage in their pursuit of wealth¸ power¸ and glory. Organized society isn't always polite society¸ after all¸ and some organizations are downright useful to treasure-hunters and monster-slayers -- whether as sources of employment and gold or as providers of training¸ equipment¸ and supernatural support. Such groups are the subject of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 17: Guilds ¸ which covers: Assistance. Sign on temporarily or join up permanently to reap benefits that range from a place to stay in town¸ through maps and supplies for your next mission¸ to a handy mob of spear-carrying thugs -- and beyond¸ to magical augury¸ blessings¸ and power-item recharges. Social Clout. Civilization can be as unforgiving as dungeons and wastelands to those without Claim to Hospitality¸ Rank¸ Reputation¸ Status¸ or Tenure. These power-ups get short shrift in Dungeon Fantasy ¸ but they pack a lot of bang for the buck for the fortune-seeker who thinks big! Organizations. Not just guilds per se¸ but also tribes¸ armies¸ temples¸ crime syndicates¸ secret conspiracies¸ and more. Learn who they are¸ what you can do for them¸ and what they can do for you. And more! Including secret languages and funky titles for guild members¸ concrete details on geographical scope¸ and plenty of advice on how to use all these concepts in Dungeon Fantasy. Whether you're the GM of a Dungeon Fantasy campaign where society is more than an abstraction or the player of the next Grand Master of the Wizards' Guild¸ GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 17: Guilds has something to offer. Not every adventure ends when the heroes return to civilization!