The Scout's Guild of Outpost

The Scout's Guild was formed almost one hundred and fifty years ago by Jenna, a lady of some considerable talent and one of the foremost explorers of the realm of Nocturne. She repeatedly led expeditions deep into Nocturne, always keen to uncover new seams of blackalt. However, she became more and more obsessed with the substance and with the riches which it could provide, until eventually she left Outpost to walk into the night and was never seen again. Some say that it was not the lure of riches which tempted her into Nocturne, but the intoxicating power of the substance itself. Whatever her reasons, she lives on as a legendary figure to the Guild. A great statue stands in the Old City Market to commemorate her life and her contributions to Outpost.

The Scout's Guild as it now stands is largely a testament to her. It has some lodgings in many of the towns of Nocturne, especially those with a human majority. The Guild is very informally managed, mainly due to the impracticalities of keeping track of all its members. However, it provides high levels of training in all of the skills necessary to become a master woodsman and to give the user knowledge about many creatures. Naturally, the Guild specialises in teaching its members about the creatures and geography of Nocturne.

The Guild is currently led by the human Corban Naresse, a former Bondsman, who was elected to the post of Alderman in November 900 after Lamorre Sint's defection from the Council. Formerly a reclusive man known to few outside of the Guild, he still spends much of his time in Nocturne, and has pushed back the frontiers of the realm far during his period as Guild Head. It was he who discovered the River Corban, and who led a mission to save the town of Ziel, which now calls itself Naresse in his honour. He was also responsible for secretly negotiating a treaty of alliance between Outpost and the Iaché of the North, at a time when they looked set to all but declare war upon the city, a feat which clinched his election to the Council.

As with the other Guilds, the Scout's Guild has a formalised Ranking system:

1. Apprentice: a novice who has only recently entered into the Guild and has as yet little or no experience.
2. Neophyte: a novice scout with some limited skills.
   Most characters will usually start at this level.
3. Tracker: a scout who has performed well on one or two missions and has gained some acclaim within the Guild.
4. Woodsman: a scout whose ability is recognised by some Guild members.
5. Ranger: a scout whose competence is known to most Guild members.
6. Hunter: a scout whose competence is known of even by those outside of the Guild.
7. Master Scout: a scout who is well known by and has considerable respect amongst their contemporaries.
8. Grand Master of the Scout's Guild: a highly skilled scout who is renowned for their prowess throughout Nocturne.
9. Guild Head - Alderman Corban Naresse

Information on some of the more noteworthy members of the Scout's Guild and their Ranks can be found here.