Weavers Guild

The Elitest of the Elite

They had not been in the city five minutes when they were stopped. Chanifa was nervous, but Dilan looked thoroughly unsurprised. The officer pointed to Dilan's shirt. "That's a registered pattern."

Chanifa felt her jaw drop. She had always thought it odd that Dilan, ready to teach at a moment's notice, refused to show anyone how to weave the intricate pattern he included in his own clothing. She had never guessed that it was a pattern registered to be used by one family and one family only.

She was even more stunned as Dilan very calmly replied, "yes, it is."

"You'll have to come with me."

Dilan sighed--the kind of sigh that gave when he was purposely being overdramatic. "I don't suppose you'll let me stop by the guildhouse first? To let them know I'll be late for the annual meeting?" As if the Dye Guild meeting held precedence over stealing a pattern from the Weavers Guild.

The officer was unamused.

Dilan shrugged and indicated that the officer should lead the way. As they walked to the magistrate's office, Chanifa hissed angrily at Dilan. "What are you doing?"

"I've learned it's best not to argue with them," he whispered back.

"That's not what I mean. You're wearing a registered pattern? What family did you steal it from? Do you even have the amber to pay the fine?"

Dilan only insisted that he hadn't stolen the pattern, which was absurd. Of course, he was a member of the Dye Guild--he could make colored silks. But the Weavers Guild wasn't exactly enthusiastic about accepting the applications of Jumpers, even those as talented as Dilan.

When they arrived at the magistrate's office, there was a brief commotion. Someone advised the officer to let Dilan go, and when he refused, they were apparently moved to the head to the line. The magistrate looked even more bored than Dilan. "And what brings you in today?" She asked.

The officer stood as tall as he could, wings stiff against his back. "He's wearing a registered pattern, your honor."

"Yes. Because he's a member of the family it's registered to."

Dilan shrugged and turned to the officer, who looked even more stunned than Chanifa. "You could have taken me to the Dye Guild meeting. They could have told you that."

The Weavers Guild is the oldest and most prestigious of the five tailor sprite guilds. Its members are some of the best weavers in Kivika, not only able to create complex patterns, but able to make them look easy. As a reward for being part of the guild, each member family automatically has a registered pattern which only they can use. Use of a registered pattern by a non-family member can result in a fine. If a new member is not related to any current or previous guild members, they may create a new pattern for their family. Members of this guild also serve as government officials, alongside members of the other five.

Weavers of the People

CW: This article deals with politics and politicking. If you've had enough of that in the real world, you may want to visit another article.

Type

Guild, Professional

Leader Title

Orb Weaver

Location

Kivika Canyon

Related Species

• Tailor Sprites

Related Ethnicities

• Diving Belles
• Fishers
• Jumpers
• Trappers
• Weavers

Anything for Power the People

"You're family... is part of the Weavers Guild..." Chanifa was still trying to process what had happened.

"My mom is." As calm and confident as Dilan had looked going into the magistrate's office, he was reserved as quiet as they left. "My dad was... but they revoked his membership... when he had a child out of season."

"Why... did they only revoke your dad's membership?"

This time, when Dilan sighed, it was real. "My dad's a Jumper. My mom's a Weaver.... My family... they're old guild. Hard to touch."

Chanifa hadn't asked about Dilan's birth. She understood why he would have wanted to keep that particular part of his history a secret. But now, she waited expectantly.

Finally, he stopped holding back. "My grandmother is governor of Änä."

The words almost knocked the silk out of Chanifa. Hard to touch was an understatement. Änä's governor was known for her fair treatment and her push for progress; one of the few people willing to criticize her own guild. It was said even the Orb Weaver was afraid of her family. She had been removed from the governorship only once, and the city had all but rioted. "Well," Chanifa said at last, "that explains you, I guess."

Though everyone in the Weavers Guild is an incredibly talented weaver, not all talented weavers are members of the guild. Guild members are primarily Weavers , and often from wealthy or prominent families. Though guild membership runs in families, every member has fully proven their worth. Nevertheless, Jumpers, Fishers, Trappers, and even poor Weavers may have difficulty getting membership, despite outstanding weaving ability, and are sometimes only able to gain membership if they are sponsored by a current guild member or have been a longstanding member of the Artisans Guild, which is often seen as a stepping stone for the Weavers Guild.

To become a member of the guild, someone needs to submit an application, by way of creating a complex web. Because tailor sprite writing is done in web, this web is both a submission of relevant information and a demonstration of skill. Guild applications are reviewed and voted on at the annual meeting, which is mandatory for guild members. Applications may be accepted, rejected, or deemed more appropriate for a different guild (usually the Artisans Guild) and referred to said guild. Families who are not part of the Weavers Guild may apply for a registered pattern that only their family can use, (again, applications are simultaneously a submission of relevant information and a demonstration of skill), which are also voted on at the annual meeting. Also during this meeting, the Orb Weaver decides which guild members will govern which cities during the following year.

Through its politicking, the Weavers Guild is one of the primary forces keeping the tailor sprite social hierarchy in tact. Its practices indirectly promote harmful stereotypes (such as Trappers being poor weavers), but through a careful selection of applicants, they are able to earn enough goodwill from the masses to stay in power. Similarly, the Orb Weaver usually selects governors who will serve their personal goals (including continued wealth and power) and the governors typically follow this example. But through careful governing decisions, they are usually able to redirect animosity from themselves, allowing other groups to fight one another rather than banding together to challenge the guild itself.