Of Crowns and Conquest (3.5e Campaign Setting)/Organizations

Merfolk Guilds

The Merfolk guilds (Arti) are secular corporations that control the arts, trades, and merchants throughout the Merfolk sphere of influence. They are headquartered in Signoria, the largest and most influential Merfolk trading port. These Arti include seven major guilds (collectively known as the arti maggiori), five middle guilds (arti mediane) and nine minor guilds (arti minori). The rigorous quality control and the political role that the Arti Maggiori assumed are formative influences throughout the entirety of Kryptiea. Anyone not belonging to a guild is referred to as part of the Minuto Popolo.

Entrance to the Arti is highly structured, one must be the child of a member, give proofs of competence in the craft involved and pay an entrance tax. Masters of the various guilds frequently take on apprentices and journeymen to help with their production. Each Arti is ruled according to its statutes, which have the force of the law and passes judgement in controversies among its members and their workers.

The Arti play a direct role in the government of the Merfolk republics, seats in the tribunal are staffed with representatives from the Arti. Six of the nine seats are elected from the Maggiori, two are elected from the Mediane, and the last spot is held by a member from the Minori. The tribunal oversees cases involving more than one Arti, relations with foreign nations, and the ranking of the Arti every decade.

Arti Maggiori

The major trades of the Merfolk, these guilds conduct their business throughout Kryptiea and are the most powerful guilds according to the tribunal ranking.

• 1. Arte del Valai ("Sea Gold" bronze workers and merchants) The Arte Del Valai do not really do intrigue towards other merfolk, they prefer diplomacy with the other Arti. However they are very heavy handed with the use of espionage outside of merfolk territory
• 2. Arte di Seta (Tapestry/rug weavers and merchants) Arte di Seta does not employ much espionage at all, like the Arte del Valai they ally with other houses predominantly.
• 3.Arte del Notai (Arcane college and clergymen), Notai ruthlessly employ espionage towards other Arti, and have been suspected on multiple occasions of being behind assassinations.
• 4. Arte del Cambio (Bankers and money changers)
• 5. Arte dei Speziali (Seasilk weavers, clothiers and merchants) The Cambio and Spezaili are the largest in number of both members and outposts under their control they employ espionage regularly, but with a code of ethics. They never sabotage another Merfolk's profit margins or cause any harm to their goods. Physical harm still happens, short of actually killing another merfolk, which they will not do. Secure in their spot in the top seven, they are mostly concerned with who else gets in the Maggiori and keeping other Arte in line.
• 6. Arte di Calimala (Perfumes and cosmetics) Slightly less ruthless as the Notai, likely because they have enjoyed their place in the Maggiori for a millennia whereas the Notai have had to claw their way up from the Minori. They are not adverse to some of the more underhanded tactics.
• 7. Arte del Lana (Jewelers, gilders and merchants) Lana does not employ much espionage at all, like the Valai they ally with other houses predominantly. However, the Lana being ranked Seventh in the Maggiori has seen them employing espionage of late.

Arti Mediane

These guilds are smaller in their scope, and rarely have established networks beyond the scope of merfolk influence.

• 8. Arte dei Beccai (Shipwrights and Sailors)
• 9. Arte dei Fabbri (Toolmakers and Locksmiths)
• 10. Arti di Rignatteri (Fishermen and Coral Workers)
• 11. Arte dei Calzolai (Couriers) Over the centuries, the Calzolai have fallen from their original rank of fourth in the Maggiori, replaced by the Notai. There is a large amount of ill will between the two Arti.
• 12. Arti dei Spadai (Clandestine arts)

Arti Minori

These minor guilds tend to represent local professions, and have little to no political clout.

• 13. Arte di Pietra (Laborers)
• 14. Arti dei Legoli (Carpenters and Masons)
• 15. Arti degli Albergatori (Innkeepers)
• 16. Arti dei Cuoiai (Sailors)
• 17. Arti dei Fornai (Entertainers)
• 18. Arti di Pizzica (Provisioners)
• 19. Arti di Correggiai (Physicians and Apothecaries)
• 20. Arti dei Chivali (Guardsmen and Civil Servants)
• 21. Arte dei Krabipati (Kelp Farmers)