The Stonemasons Guild
House Brandlekliener
The Stonemasons are not just builders and sculptors; they’re also architects. Every structure you see – from beautiful carvings to ornate hearths- was created by this order of secretive artisans who remain largely anonymous despite their incredible talent for design that can be seen in every facet across both above-ground structures. As those below its earthy depths…
Every structure of note has many secret passages, from castles to fortresses and keeps. Some hidden within them is an entranceway into the abandoned tunnels that have been lost for centuries but still have strategic importance today if you know how to read the old markings.
Are you looking to hire a Guild Brother to assist you on a quest? Maybe it’s time to build out that extension on your castle finally… The Stonemasons are always at your service, for a price, of course!
We Built This CityÂ
©Geoffrey Schumann. Not for resale. Permission is granted to print this document for personal use only.Â
We Built This CityÂ
Guild of
We are the makers. We are the dreamers.
Fire & Forge
This armor fits you like a glove.
Guild of
Anything can become everything to us.
Is that loose coblestone a trigger, or a pending repair?
~ Brother Mo’tar
The Builders of Dreams
As you walk the streets, admiring the beautiful carvings and ornate hearths of the well-crafted houses, you can’t help but wonder who created all of this beauty. It’s not until you see a stonemason in the distance, hard at work on a new structure, that you realize it was all designed by these mysterious artisans.
You’ve always been fascinated by their secretive order and the skills they possess. Maybe it’s time to learn more about becoming a stonemason yourself. Getting into the guild isn’t easy – you need to know how. Perhaps you’ve decided to finally fix up that castle you recently purchased after a quest but don’t know who you can trust. The Stonemasons Guild always has someone available for hire for your character’s needs.
Who are the Stonemasons
The Stonemasons are a secretive order of builders and sculptors who have designed some of the most notable structures in Ertha. They are not just builders but architects as well. They designed every structure you see, including carvings and ornate hearths. Every dungeon you’ve ever crawled, every trap you’ve avoided (hopefully), and every castle you’ve explored was created, updated, or repaired by the Stonemasons Guild.
Their oaths prevent them from revealing any of their knowledge to non-stonemasons. Even graduates and inductees into the guild aren’t privy to all the secrets of the order – it comes with time. But there are some skills that all stonemasons learn, such as how to read maker’s marks and signs in dungeons. This knowledge can be used to avoid traps and escape from battles unscathed.
Oathbreaker
The Stonemasons Guild has a long and storied history, from building the first two cities and what was created during the great war of the first age. A young guild member made the ultimate sacrifice to save many lives during the Guild Wars in the second age. To save lives, he broke every oath he took and revealed the way to read the maker’s marks, which allowed thousands to escape, and where seek refuge.
When the Guild Wars concluded, and new laws were implemented, one task had to be done before the Third Age could begin. This unnamed guild member was willing to pay the ultimate price and knew that the bill would come due when the dust settled. At an appointed place and time, he met with an Arbiter and paid the ultimate heavy toll for his broken oath. He did the wrong thing for the right reasons, a lesson that has been taught to every new Stonemason ever since.
Since then, no one has dared break their oath for fear of the heavy toll it would take. Those who knew the secrets from the broken oaths vanished in mysterious ways, and the sacred knowledge was again lost by design. Only those who have taken the oaths are allowed to know some of the great secrets.
Becoming
Not everyone is considered a Stonemason – it takes talent and training. But if you’re already a skilled builder or sculptor, the guild may be interested in admitting you into their ranks. Once admitted into the guild, you are banned from joining any other of the Great Guilds or their houses. The Stonemasons take their sacred knowledge seriously, as it dates back to their founders, the First Ones.
The Stonemasons Guild holds all of Ertha’s secrets, those remembered and those forgotten by all except House Brandlekliener, for they are the keepers of the sacred knowledge. Only a select few within the Guild knows all of the secrets. The rest is locked away in their arcane libraries protected by their vaults.
If you’re interested in becoming a stonemason, the best way to get started is to find a local guild and speak with one of the Wardens. They will be able to tell you more about the requirements and process for becoming a member.
Benefits in Stone
You have now realized that the requirements to join House Brandlekliener – The Stonemasons Guild are steep. Unlike the other Great Guilds, which allow multiple memberships with the other Guilds and Houses, the Stonemasons Guild stands alone, for what they offer and can teach their members outweighs what the others have.
Below are just some of the benefits that your character will enjoy:
- Obtain exclusive rights and privileges not granted to non-members
- Get hired for your next project through the guild’s network of contacts
- Learn how to read maker’s marks and signs
- Become a part of the Guild’s living history
- Gain access to the guild’s libraries
