Guilds in BA will not just be groups of friends who want to play the game together, they will serve a real, affectual purpose within our game world. Guilds are specific organizations of characters who exist to cooperate and work towards a mutual and beneficial goal for the entire organization.

If you belong to no organization in the game, who will defend your city if its mired in anarchy? Peasents with pitch forks and lone vagabond adventurers with only a sword to their name will be hard pressed to stand up against an organized military force that is well equipped, well organized and efficient in combat.

Likewise, who will protect your character against hostile PCs/NPCs on a religious crusade? If your character doesn't actively engage in furthering the cause of their religious organization, the group will be reluctant to lend assistance.

Who will protect the blacksmith or leatherworker by providing an organized front of skilled craftsmen to support and enforce the pricing on goods and services? It would be pretty bad if you had no means to enforce set prices and had poor business because of it.
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