The House of Merit

• Apprentice: New members to the House of Merit begin as an Apprentice. They typically serve 4 to 7 years under a Master, living and working in the guild halls while performing labor and studying the fundamentals of their chosen craft. Apprentices earn 1 silver piece per day. To advance to Journeyman, they must complete a practical Journeyman’s Trial, which involves the creation of a high-quality piece of work that demonstrates both skill and care. Upon passing, judged by their Master and two additional Guild Masters, they are publicly named a Journeyman in a yearly ceremony and granted the right to work independently.

• Journeyman: At this stage they gain the freedom to live and work in any guild chapter across the domain, continuing to refine their craft while taking on tasks and commissions assigned by various Masters. Journeymen earn 1D6 silver pieces per day depending on the quality and difficulty of their work. After 5 to 12 years of consistent excellence, a Journeyman may petition to become a Master. To qualify, they must complete several significant projects, aid in the education of apprentices, and create a true Masterpiece. This Masterpiece is presented before a council of at least five Masters. Upon approval, the new Master receives a silver guild badge, the formal right to take on their own apprentices and the respected title of “Master.”

• Master: Masters gain the right to take apprentices, lead major projects, and sit on the Guild Council. While they don’t own land, they share a similar social status to Oathsworn and often own their own home or estate in the High Market of Moonwatch. In addition to income earned by their own projects, the guild helps fund a Master’s work and study with a per diem of 1D10 gold a week.

• Grandmaster: Elected by the High Lord directly, the Grandmaster oversees the House of Merit, implements House Aetherian’s decrees, and serves on the High Lord’s direct council. They are expected to be knowledgeable in all crafts and a Master of two.

Life inside the House of Merit is disciplined but respected. Members work hard, often from sunrise to sunset, but are rewarded for their efforts with free room and board and additional payment to pursue their own interests. Older Masters are treated with great deference; and veterans of the Guild are often more respected in their communities than minor nobles from other Houses. Many commoners dream of their children being accepted into the House of Merit, seeing it as the surest path to a better life.