1

Introduction

Written by: Charles Rice

Editing/Proofreading: Paul King
Layout: David Jarvis
Playtesting: Paula Rice, Corey Hodges,
Edward Lennon
Cover: The London Guildhall, as engraved
by E. Shirt

Welcome to the third installment of Vigilance

Press line of historical fantasy supplements.
Clash of Kings: Craftsmen, Merchants and
Medieval Money brings the monetary world of
medieval England into your OGL fantasy games.
This product presents a new core class, the
Guildsman, as well as rules on medieval guilds,
medieval coinage and nally an equipment list of
historical equipment suitable for a campaign set in
the historical Middle Ages.

Since a guild could serve to punish those that

cheated their customers and set fair wages and
prices, the church saw them as a way to prevent
greed from taking hold of the ock. While this
relationship was mostly positive and mostly
worked the way the clergy intended, as guilds
grew more wealthy and were able to use that
wealth, which their sovereigns sorely needed, to
negotiate sweeping monopolies over entire elds
of trade (and could thus charge whatever they
wished for necessary commodities) the clergy
began to speak out against the very guilds they
had encouraged and nurtured.
Background: Guild training began with an
apprenticeship typically started between the ages
of 14 and 21. Apprentices lived with a master
craftsman to learn from him while also serving as
a form of cheap labor. They were not allowed to
marry and the fee for becoming an apprentice was
rather high.
Because of this, apprentices were typically sons
of the landed gentry (those ranks between the
yeomanry and the peers) or perhaps the younger
sons of the nobility (those ranks detailed in Clash
of Kings: Nobility). Women could take on a guild
apprenticeship as well in select elds, typically
those having to do with embroidery, weaving
and similar tasks. Apprentices served for a term
of seven years and were taught the basics of their
craft, in part to serve as a foundation for more
advanced study but also because the apprentice
had not yet proven he could be trusted with the
jealously guarded advanced techniques of the
guild yet. A characters apprenticeship normally
takes place before 1st level of this class (thus a 1st
level guildsman will typically be a journeyman at
least).
If the apprentice had shown an aptitude for
his craft at the end of seven years (requiring the
production of a quality piece of workmanship in

New Core Class: The

Guildsman
Guildsman
Description: The guildsman is a craftsman
(someone who makes things) or merchant (a
middle man who buys and sells commodities).
On top of his skills at crafts and business, he is
also a member of a medieval guild, a powerful
organization that wielded great political power,
especially in the towns and cities of the Middle
Ages.
Adventures: As the name of one of the most
powerful trading guilds of the Middle Ages, the
Merchant Adventurers attests, craftsmen and
merchants did not just sit home and tend their
books. They traveled the dangerous oceans, risked
capture and death at the hands of enemies of their
home nation, dealt with backwater colonies and
attended armies in the eld to provide their crafts
skills.
Characteristics: The guildsman advances in one
or both of two specialties: merchant or craftsman.
He also gains experience in guild politics which
could eventually see him rise to one the position
of Alderman, the guildsmen who wielded most
of the political power in medieval towns, even
selecting the Mayor (Londons Lord Mayor, for
example, was selected by a mere 26 Aldermen in a
town with a population in the tens of thousands).
Religion: Guilds held an often uneasy
relationship with the churches in medieval
Europe. Guilds had in part been formed at the
behest of the clergy, who were uncomfortable
with the greed associated with rampant
capitalism.

the eyes of his master) he would be granted the

title of journeyman. The word journey described
the distance one could travel in a day during the
Middle Ages and the journeyman was thus a day
laborer.
The journeyman was given papers by the guild
identifying him as someone qualied to travel
and study from other masters while he worked
for them as temporary labor. This allowed the
craftsman to expand the range of his knowledge
far beyond what he had learned at the hands
of a single master. This also allowed the guilds
techniques to evolve (though this happened very
slowly) as the journeyman could travel all across
Europe honing his craft.
After years of traveling, the journeyman would
no doubt aspire to rise to the rank of a master
craftsman. This would allow the journeyman
to settle down and take on apprentices of his
own, while also granting him an increased
level of security (since he would no longer be a
day laborer) and in increase in wealth. Master
craftsmen would be permitted to settle down in
a town that needed their services and open up
a shop of their own. To advance to the level of
master, the journeyman would have to produce a
masterpiece (a masterwork item).
Finally, if a craftsman was very good at his
craft (enough to become extremely wealthy)
and a skilled politician, he might move into the
ranks of the aldermen. These guild members
were given the authority to run the towns that
the guild operated in by the King or Queen and
served for a term of six years. In true medieval
fashion, the citizens of the town had no say in
the election of aldermen; rather they were elected
by the outgoing aldermen, those who were
nishing their six-year term. In turn, the council
of aldermen would select one of their own to
serve as the towns mayor. In a small town there
might be a dozen aldermen but in the sprawling
metropolis of London there were 26.
Other Classes: The guildsman would be a
welcome addition to many adventuring groups.
If the character is a craftsman, especially one
skilled in the creation of weapons or armor, the
craftsman would nd many friends from the
warrior classes (indeed such a craftsman might
nd wealthy nobles offering to pay him to come
create weapons for them). If the guildsman is
a merchant, his ability as a shrewd negotiator

would be welcome. And of course all guildsmen

would be prized for the contacts they hold in
cities throughout Europe both with their own and
allied guilds. This makes the guildsman especially
valuable in any sort of urban adventure.
Role: The guildsman is a fair warrior, able
negotiator and skilled in a variety of skills
valuable to the adventuring party.
Iconic guildsmen: Dick Whittington was a
legendary guildsman who embodied everything
people of the Middle Ages feared and were
fascinated by about the guilds and the towns they
operated in. A poor but industrious apprentice
in London, Whittington would rise in wealth,
prestige and political power all the way to Lord
Mayor of London. In fact he was one of the
longest serving Lords Mayor of that great city,
serving as Lord Mayor through the tumultuous
reigns of Richard II, Henry IV and his son Henry
V.
One of the wealthiest men in London at the time
of his death, Whittington, who was unmarried
and childless, left enormous bequests to help
build a new library for his guild, and to fund
guild schools where other boys like himself could
rise from obscurity to greatness and also alms
houses to feed the poor. Some of these monetary
grants are still funding schools and charitable
causes into the 21st century.

Game Rule Information

Guildsmen have the following game statistics.

Abilities: Intelligence and Charisma are the
most important attributes to the guildsman.
Intelligence grants the character more experience
points and, in the case of a craftsman, makes
the character better at his chosen craft. For the
guildsman who specializes in buying and selling,
or for any guildsman wishing to advance in the
upper political echelons of the guild,
Charisma is vital to gain an edge in negotiations.
A guildsman who is an adventurer or traveler
(such as a young journeyman wandering Europe)
will need good physical abilities in case he gets
himself into trouble.
Alignment: Guildsmen can be of any alignment
though Chaotic guildsmen could nd themselves
expelled from their guild if they cheat their
customers or fail to follow the guilds rules. For
this reason most master craftsmen are Lawful,
since they work better within the hierarchical
structure of the guild.

Hit Die: 1d8

Class Skills
The guildsmans class skills (and the key ability
for each skill) are: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha),
Concentration (Con), Craft (all) (Int), Diplomacy
(Cha), Disable Device (Int), Gather Information
(Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (architecture,
geography, history, local, religion) (Int), Open
Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex) and
Sense Motive (Wis)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6+ Int. modier) x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6+ Int.
modier

Each time this ability is listen on the class table

the guildsman may select an ability from either
of these categories. The guildsman may be as
specialized or as generalized as he wishes. The
only requirement is that the abilities must be
selected in order. For example a character could
select the rst ability from the crafts specialty,
then the rst ability from the mercantile specialty,
then the second ability from the crafts specialty
and so on.

Crafts

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the

guildsman.
Weapon and Armor Prociency: The guildsman
is procient in simple and martial weapons and
light and medium armor (including shields but
not tower shields)
Makers Afnity: The guildsman has an
intimate knowledge of his own wares, knowing
every nuance of the items strengths and
weaknesses, up to and including how it was
made.
If the item is a weapon, the guildsman gains a
+1 to hit with it. If the item is a suit of armor, he
gains a +1 bonus to armors armor check penalty
and maximum Dexterity modier.
For other items the guildsman gains a +2 bonus
on a single skill check involving the item. For
example a cobbler could make a pair of soft shoes
granting a +2 bonus on Move Silently checks or a
pair of shoes with exceptional traction granting a
+2 bonus on Balance checks but he could not gain
a bonus on more than one skill at time.
If the character is a merchant rather than a
craftsman, this bonus applies to one category of
items he deals in. Using the example above, a
Factor (someone who buys and sells goods from
farmers to sell in town) might have a special
eye for shoe-leather and would be able to buy
shoes granting a bonus to one skill. Even though
the Factor might not know the rst thing about
making a pair of shoes, he knows a good pair for
slipping past the town guard when he sees one.
Guild Specialty: There are two specialties
available to the guildsman: crafts or mercantile.
Either the guildsman makes nished goods or is a
master at buying and selling them.

1st: Speedy Construction +10%: When this

ability is gained, choose a single Craft skill. When
determining your progress for a weeks work
on an item using that Craft skill, multiply any
successful skill check by the amount listed on the
class table. This is the actual progress (in sp) for
that weeks work.
This ability may be gained multiple times. Each
time it is gained it applies to a different Craft skill.
2nd: Trade Secret (Intermediate masterwork
qualities): The guildsman has been introduced
to the hidden trade secrets of his guild and is
able to make items beyond the ability of ordinary
craftsmen. While the bonus the guildsman can
grant to an item is still only +1, he has now
learned how to grant a different bonus besides an
attack bonus or armor check improvement if he
desires.
Intermediate masterwork bonuses include:
initiative for weapons, maximum Dexterity for
armor, Save DC for chemicals (including poisons).
If the item is an article that can be worn, it can be
improved to grant a +1 bonus to a single check
(for example a pair of ne gloves that grants a +1
bonus to Sleight of Hand checks).
Adding an intermediate masterwork quality to a
weapon increases its value by 50 gp in addition to
the normal 150 gp increase for a masterwork item
(300 gp for weapons), as items with intermediate
qualities are even rarer than typical masterwork
items.
One-third of this additional price must be paid
up front as usual.
3rd: Apprentice: The guildsman takes on an
apprentice. This provides an immediate cash
boost as well as giving the guildsman a source of
free labor. Each apprentice pays the guildsman
100 gp for his training. In addition, an apprentice
increases the speed of the craftsmans work by an

additional +10%.
This ability may be taken multiple times.
4th: Speedy Construction +20%: When this
ability is gained, choose a single Craft skill for
which you have acquired the Speedy Construction
+10% guild specialty. This ability may be gained
multiple times. Each time it is gained it applies to
a different Craft skill.
5th: Trade Secret (advanced masterwork
qualities): The guildsman has been introduced to
an even greater trade secret of his guild.
Advanced masterwork bonuses include: damage
for weapons, +5 range increment for ranged
weapons, armor bonus for armor, ability damage
for poisons or damage for chemicals such as acids.
If the item is an article that can be worn, it can
be improved to grant a +1 bonus on two related
skill checks, such as boots that provide a bonus
to Move Silently and Balance, an eyepiece that
provides a bonus to Appraise and Search and so
forth.
Footwear made with an advanced masterwork
quality can instead increase the wearers
movement by +5 per round or allow him to
ignore the movement penalty of a single type of
terrain (not both). The game master has the nal
discretion on skills that are linked.
Adding an advanced masterwork quality to a
weapon increases its value by 100 gp in addition
to the normal 150 gp increase for a masterwork
item (300 gp for weapons), as items with
advanced qualities are even rarer than typical
masterwork items.
One-third of this additional price must be paid
up front as usual.
6th: Masterwork +2: This ability increases the
masterwork bonus a guildsman can grant an
item to +2. This bonus must still be in one area
but can be applied to normal qualities as well as
intermediate and advanced qualities. Granting a
masterwork bonus of +2 increases the DC to make
the weapon to 25, rather than the usual 20 and the
cost of a masterwork +2 component is increased to
300 gp (600 gp for weapons).
One-third of this additional price must be paid
up front as usual.
7th: Speedy Construction +30%: When this
ability is gained, choose a single Craft skill for
which you have acquired the Speedy Construction
+20% guild specialty. This ability may be gained
multiple times. Each time it is gained it applies to

a different Craft skill.

8th: Masterwork +3: as above except the total
bonus granted to the item is increased to +3, the
DC to make the item masterwork is increased to
30 and the cost of the masterwork component is
increased by 450 gp (900 gp for weapons);
Trade Secret (multiple qualities): the
guildsman has learned the nal trade secret of his
guild and can now grant an item its masterwork
bonus in multiple areas. The total bonus of
the item is unchanged but a weapon with a +3
masterwork bonus could grant a +2 damage
bonus and a +1 attack bonus, for example.
9th: Speedy Construction +40%: When this
ability is gained, choose a single Craft skill for
which you have acquired the Speedy Construction
+30% guild specialty. This ability may be gained
multiple times. Each time it is gained it applies to
a different Craft skill.
10th: Masterwork +4: as above except the total
bonus granted to item is increased to +4, the DC
to make the item masterwork is increased to 35
and the cost of the masterwork component is
increased by 600 gp (1,200 gp for weapons).

Mercantile

1st: Grease the wheels: The guildsman has

learned how much easier money can make
negotiations. For each 10 gp gratuity the
merchant gives an individual, he gains a +1 bonus
on his next Diplomacy skill check when dealing
with that individual. The maximum bonus a
merchant can gain through the use of this ability
is equal to his guildsman level.
Note that when combined with the Master
Haggler ability below, the merchant might
actually end up turning a prot using the two
abilities together. This means, effectively, that the
merchant is bribing the factor hes negotiating
with for an easier negotiation at the expense of
the nobleman the factor is negotiating on behalf
of. This is a good way for heads to start rolling if
the merchant is caught, but no said the life of a
merchant was easy (or safe).
Greasing the wheels is done with gifts of value,
never money. It is a grave insult to offer anyone
who is not a servant of yours money. Offering a
noble a cash bribe will surely result in a challenge
to duel.
2nd: Merchants Craft +2 (one skill): The
merchant gains a +2 bonus to one of the following

skills: Appraise, Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather

Information or Sense Motive.
3rd: Goods and Services -10%: The merchants
contacts with his fellow merchants allow him a
10% discount on all goods and services with all
the guilds he is on good terms with (guilds in
places where his Town Contacts ability would
apply).
Money or your life +1: When forced to choose,
for the merchant it can be a hard choice. Anytime
someone tries to rob the merchant, he gains a +1
morale bonus to attack, melee damage and saving
throws when ghting for his goods. This could
be something as simple as an attempted street
mugging or as elaborate as a hijacking on the
open seas.
4th: Merchants Craft +4 (two skills): The
merchants bonus increases to +4. Also, the
merchant receives this bonus on two of the listed
skills, rather than just one.
5th: Master Haggler: The merchant is an expert
at drawing his opponent into negotiations and
getting the best deal out of those negotiations.
This ability requires opposed Diplomacy checks.
If the seller wins, the price of the item is increased
by 25% for every 5 points by which his skill check
exceeds his opponent (+25% at 1-4, +50% at 5-8
and so on). If the buyer wins, the cost of the item
is decreased by the same amount.
In addition, the merchant is skilled at drawing
his opponent into the negotiating process. If his
opponent wishes to avoid negotiations, he must
make a Will save (DC 10+ the guildsmans level+
the guildsmans Charisma modier). Even if the
opponent succeeds at this save, he must give some
ground, granting a +25% bonus to the guildsman
if he refuses to negotiate (+25% if the guildsman is
the seller, -25% if the guildsman is the buyer).
6th: Goods and Services -20%; Money or your
life +2.
7th: Merchants Craft +6 (three skills):
Money on the Wind: The merchant can nd the
best market for his goods. On a successful Gather
Information skill check, the merchant hears of a
limited time opportunity to ll a need and reap a
large prot.
If the merchants check is 15-19, the opportunity
is three weeks away, on a 20-24 the opportunity is
two weeks travel away and on a 25 or higher the
opportunity is one weeks travel away.
If the merchant arrives in time, he can sell his

goods at a 25% higher price than normal, +2% per

guildsman level. This is in addition to any bonus
to sale price the merchant could gain through
successful use of the Master Haggler ability above.
The merchant must arrive at the location within
one month, meaning on a low check (15-19) the
merchant will have to act fast and hope to avoid
any delays to capitalize on the opportunity.
If the merchant arrives late, he has missed the
boom and will only be able to sell his goods at
-50% their normal price. The merchant will also
be unable to use the Master Haggler ability in this
case, as the market has already been ooded by
merchants who were quicker (or closer) than he.
8th: Blockade Runner: Merchants can get
into places where another character would not
be allowed to go as they develop contacts with
smugglers, pirates and disreputable merchants.
For a fee of 500 gp, the merchant can get into an
area safely with a successful Diplomacy check
(DC 20 if passing through a normal blockade or
evading the law, DC 25 in wartime). The game
master rolls this check secretly and if the check
fails the merchant is betrayed and turned over to
the authorities.
This ability does not cover transport of goods,
merely people. If the merchant wishes passage
for more than one person, the price is 500 gp per
person, with a maximum number of people equal
to half the merchants level rounded up.
9th: Merchants Craft +8 (four skills).
10th: Blockade Runner (1,000 lbs.): As above
except the merchant now has enough clout to
actually move a small amount of cargo as well, up
to half a ton (1,000 lbs). The cost to move this illicit
cargo is 10 gp per pound or 10,000 gp to move the
full half-ton; Money or your life +4.
Town Contacts: The guildsman has professional
contacts in guilds in cities throughout the land.
While a young journeyman just starting out might
have a single friend in the town where he served
his apprenticeship, an experienced merchant
could have friends all over the world.
The guildsman can make Gather Information
checks in areas where he has contacts in minimum
time (two hours).
Further, the guildsman can pay to gain access
to even more information. This ability functions
like the Grease the Wheels ability but it applies
to Gather Information or Knowledge (local) skill
checks rather than Diplomacy skill checks.

Finally, the guildsman can receive a discount

on needed goods equal to his Goods and Services
bonus (if any).
The only case in which this ability will not
apply is if the guildsmans country is at war
with the nation in question, as national pride
trumps professional courtesy. So for example an
11th level British guildsman in a campaign set in
medieval Europe might have contacts in towns all
across Western Europe, but if Britain were at war
with France, he could not expect any professional
courtesy from French guildsmen.
Guild Privilege: The guildsman may claim
hospitality from afliated guilds, gaining a bit of
shelter or aid. This ability applies only to guilds
in areas where the guildsman has contacts (see
the Town Contacts ability for more information).
Unlike the Town Contacts ability, however, this
ability applies even in wartime. So while a French
guild might not be willing to give a discount
on services or provide information to a British
guildsman during wartime, they would allow him
to rest and eat without notifying the authorities.
While courts served as the embassies for the

Table 1-1: The Guildsman

nobility, guild halls served that function for the

guildsman. Whatever privileges the guildsman
requests, the time of that privilege is limited, no
more than one day per guildsman level per 6
month span.
For example a 5th level guildsman could receive
food and lodging at the York guild hall for 5 days
every 6 months.
Room and board allows the guildsman to rest
awhile at a guild, receiving some food and a
comfortable bed before setting out on the road
(or the sea) again. The guildsman can extend
this privilege to friends but this reduces the time
he can stay. Divide the number of days room
and board by the number of guests (so a 5th
guildsman and four friends could stay a single
night at the York guild hall).
Workshop access allows the guildsman access
to a guild workshop and a set of masterwork
tools for one day per guildsman level, giving
the guildsman time to complete a quick project
or repair an item while in a strange land. Guilds
jealously guard their secrets, even the tools they
use, so this privilege will be extended only to the

Level

Base Attack Bonus

Fort

Ref

Will

Special

1st

+0

+0*

+2*

+0*

Makers Afnity

2nd

+1

+0

+3

+0

Guild Specialty

3rd

+2

+1

+3

+1

Town Contacts (one town)

4th

+3

+1

+4

+1

Guild Specialty

5th

+3

+1

+4

+1

Guild Privilege (room and board)

6th

+4

+2

+5

+2

Guild Specialty

7th

+5

+2

+5

+2

Town Contacts (one nation)

8th

+6/+1

+2

+6

+2

Guild Specialty

9th

+6/+1

+3

+6

+3

Guild Privilege (workshop access)

10th

+7/+2

+3

+7

+3

Guild Specialty

11th

+8/+3

+3

+7

+3

Town Contacts (one continent)

12th

+9/+4

+4

+8

+4

Guild Specialty

13th

+9/+4

+4

+8

+4

Guild Privilege (passage out)

14th

+10/+5

+4

+9

+4

Guild Specialty

15th

+11/+6/+1

+5

+9

+5

Town Contacts (worldwide)

16th

+12/+7/+2

+5

+10

+5

Guild Specialty

17th

+12/+7/+2

+5

+10

+5

Guild Privilege (armed escort)

18th

+13/+8/+3

+6

+11

+6

Guild Specialty

19th

+14/+9/+4

+6

+11

+6

Guild Privilege (court access)

20th

+15/+10/+5

+6

+12

+6

Guild Specialty

*Guildsmen may choose any of their three saving throws to progress at the fastest rate. The other two progress at the slow
rate. The saving throws are simply included here for ease of reference.

guildsman and any apprentices, not to friends

who are not a part of the guild.
Passage out will allow the guildsman free
passage for himself and one friend per level.
This passage is one way and it is free but does
not include cargo of any kind beyond what the
guildsman can carry. This ability is typically used
to escape a war zone and is a sensitive courtesy
on behalf of the guild. If the guildsman is known
to be a spy or saboteur, this privilege might not be
granted.
Armed escort some lands are quite dangerous
and the guildsman might be carrying a substantial
amount of cash. So long as the two nations are
not at war he can request a number of armed
men equal to one-half his level to escort him as he
completes a sensitive trade, for a maximum of one
hour per guildsman level. These escorts are well
armed and are one-fourth the guildsmans level,
rounded up.
Court access on occasion a message must be
passed through unofcial channels. This ability
allows the guildsman to send a message (and only
a message) securely through friends in guilds
anywhere in the world. While the guildsman cant
guarantee the message will be acted upon, he can
be sure the message will reach a high councilor at
any court in the world (assume the highest level
the guildsman can reach is that of an Exchequer or
Finance Minister).

such as the Freemasons continue the traditions of

mysticism, fraternity and secrecy that were also
components of the medieval trade guild.
To these groups were drawn those who did
not t into the pastoral life of the medieval
village. Medieval villages were designed around
numerous rules designed to make good subjects
and good neighbors. Since these villages were
so small, this meant everyone knew everyones
business and as part of the Great Chain of Being,
medieval villagers were encouraged to nose
into each others business and attempt (with the
help of the local clergy) to get them to conform
politically and socially. A small minority of
villagers found this life too conning, or not
sufciently rewarding and these headed to town.
As the saying went town air makes one free.

Letters Patent:

Medieval Guilds
Guilds are quasi-religious organizations started
at the behest of the Roman Catholic Church.
Nervous about the greed associated with rampant
capitalism, Church ofcials encouraged the
development of organizations that would manage
and mitigate the greed associated with business.
These organizations would serve as training
centers, better business bureaus, labor unions and
price regulators all in one.
Since they had their origins in the church and
since one of their goals (to keep prots high) was
to keep trade secrets out of the hands of those not
in the guild, these organizations also operated
as mystical secret societies in medieval societies.
While guilds have largely been done away with
as capitalism has replaced mercantilism as the
economic model of the modern age, organizations

Medieval guilds were given a charter by the

sovereign called letters patent. Letters patent are
public documents granting a guild a monopoly on
trade in a given town or over a given commodity.
Most towns only had a single guild encompassing
all crafts and trade in that town. In medieval
England, for example, only London was large
enough to support multiple guilds.
Letters patent could also be issued to grant a
monopoly over a certain area of trade. Since this
meant all merchants dealing in that commodity
would have to work through that particular
guild (who would then take a cut of any prots),
monopolies were paid for handsomely by guilds.
Medieval monarchs were almost always
strapped for cash and issuing a monopoly was
an effective (though unpopular) means of raising
some quick coin. The Merchant Adventurers
became one of the most powerful guilds in all of
British history when they secured a monopoly
on wool, Englands most lucrative international
commodity. This monopoly on wool, though
controversial and unpopular, helped the Kings
of England in many ways, because the Merchant
Adventurers were based in London. This meant
that the entirety of international wool exports
owed through London. This allowed the
royal court to be close at hand to this river of
money and made drawing from that river more
convenient.
Finally letters patent allowed guilds to protect
their trade secrets by force of law. Even if an ex-

guild member moved to set up an independent

shop outside the guilds jurisdiction, such as a
shop in the distant suburbs of London that were
not covered by the city ordinances, the member
could still be ned or jailed for using the guilds
trade secrets without permission. This helped the
guild further regulate trade and forms the basis of
modern patents and copyrights today.

of aldermen who would run the town on behalf

of the sovereign. The number of aldermen was
set in the towns charter and aldermen served for
a six-year term. New aldermen were selected by
the outgoing aldermen, a situation that allowed
for the maximum amount of nepotism and bribery
(possibly by design). The mayor was selected
by the aldermen and served a one-year term.
This makes men like the legendary merchant
Dick Whittington, who served as Lord Mayor
of London for decades during the reign of three
kings (Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V), truly
rare and extraordinary examples of medieval
town politics at work.

Guild Hierarchy:

As detailed in the guildsman class above, guilds,

like all medieval organizations, had a strict
hierarchy in accordance with the Great Chain
of Being, the medieval idea that everyone had
a place in the Divine Plan. Thus, according to
the Great Chain, wives and children obeyed
husbands and fathers, subjects obeyed kings
and kings obeyed God. Guilds adopted this
structure, with masters having absolute authority
over apprentices and aldermen having absolute
authority over masters.
Still, the Guild Hierarchy was looser than
that found in villages and at court. First, the
journeyman was allowed to travel and work
anywhere as a day laborer. This unusual mobility
and freedom (by medieval standards) allowed the
journeyman to nd a town or city that suited him
best.
Also, even within the upper echelons of the
guild, authority was based on monetary wealth
rather than land. The passage of all land to the
eldest son (primogeniture) allowed noble families
to keep all their wealth and power intact from
generation to generation. Marriage with other
landed families allowed successful noble lines to
grow in power over time as well. This meant that
the rich got richer where the landed gentry and
the nobility were concerned.
By contrast, monetary wealth was much more
uid and uctuated much more often. This
allowed guild members to rise and fall with their
fortunes in a way unheard of anywhere else
in medieval society. While it is true those who
lived in towns and cities were not much freer
than anyone else, they were more mobile socially
and nancially than any other class. Though not
yet quite a middle class, they were nonetheless
something new.
At the top of the guild hierarchy was the
corporation. This small group consisted of a
Mayor (in London a Lord Mayor) and a number

Relations with the Crown:

Merchants and kings were important to one

another. Exigencies of leadership (such as a war)
often required kings to raise money quickly. This
required the king to turn to those who had liquid
money that could be tapped immediately, which
meant the merchants rather than the landed
nobility. Though the nobilitys wealth was more
stable, easier to keep in the family and easier to
grow over time, its value was relatively xed.
Though the nobility could provide manpower,
increasingly in the Middle Ages it was money that
won wars. Money for ships, weapons and hired
mercenaries.
In an absolute monarchy, where the sovereign
was the sole source of law and taxation, turning to
the merchant class for money was still preferable
to imposing a new tax. While a king might anger
his subjects through excessive taxation, when
the merchant class as a whole raised prices it
was easier to spread the blame around. Even
monarchs as powerful as Louis XIII, perhaps the
most powerful medieval king since Charlemagne,
knew the value of not being seen by their subjects
as greedy or rapacious. This the merchant class
were an important source of wealth in absolute
monarchies.
In a constitutional monarchy such as England,
the importance of the merchant class was
magnied. Only Parliament could levy taxes and
kings were loathe to call them into session, since
Parliaments inevitably raised issues and presented
bills the king had no interest in. Thus turning to
the merchant class was even more important to
kings in constitutional monarchies, especially
those that were personally poor, such as many

English kings.
In return for their money, the merchant class of
course required the ability to make more money
in return, since each guilds power and prestige
was based on its cash on hand. Usually this
meant issuing a monopoly to the guild. During
the reigns of Elizabeth I, James VI, Charles I and
Charles II, these monopolies became increasingly
unpopular and even played a hand in the
deposition of Charles I by Oliver Cromwell.

responsible for seeing to the poor, especially in

Protestant countries. In Catholic countries, it was
believed good works could gain salvation. This
served to stimulate donations to alms houses and
general care for the poor.
By contrast Protestant religion taught that
mans wickedness was too great for good works
to render salvation. Only faith could save. As a
result poor laws were passed, taxing the Kings
subjects to raise money to care for the poor. This
money was distributed by the merchant class,
who also were expected to spend some of their
growing wealth to aid the poor, which for the
most part they did.

Relations with the Nobility:

Merchants had a similar relationship with

the nobility as with the sovereign though
the relationship with the lesser nobles was
complicated by the proximity of the two groups.
Technically the nobles were in command of the
merchant class through the Great Chain of Being.
This was complicated however by the Royal
Charter granting authority to the guild aldermen,
which came from the sovereign. This relationship
was further complicated by the nobles tendency
to see merchants as peasants who had left their
land and thus their place.
For their part, the merchants resented the
nobles intrusion on their authority but also
their business. As a rule, nobles had little
understanding or patience for business. They
understood little about mercantilism and were
completely bafed by the even more complicated
nancial arrangements of capitalism.
Of course, the fact that the merchants were
buying the goods of the nobility served as an
added source of strain, since the merchant was
often the one telling the noble his crops were
worth less this year than last.
As with most things involving the merchant
class, the money they could provide the nobility
served to ease the relationship as well as buy the
merchants some autonomy, since their world was
so alien to the landed classes.

Medieval Coinage
There was no paper money in Europe of the
Middle Ages. What follows is the monetary
system of Britain, which was representative
of Europe and can thus provide for a more
historically-based coinage and economy for
your fantasy games. All coins contained varying
amounts of silver and/or gold, copper was not a
part of coins of the realm during the Middle Ages.
The basic denominations are (from least to most
expensive) pence, shillings and pounds. 12 pence
equals 1 shilling, 20 shillings equals 1 pound.
These denominations are abbreviated as follows:
pence (d), shilling (s), pound ().

British Coins of the Middle Ages and

their values

The Sovereign is a gold coin with a value of 1 or

20s.
The Angel is one of the most common gold coins
and has a value of 10s. This name was often used
in various expressions and turns of phrase. For
example if you were trying to bribe a doorman
to gain admittance you might suggest that the
singing of an angel would persuade him.
The Crown is the most common coin in
medieval England and is worth 5s. These coins
come in gold and silver of varying purities.
The Half-Crown is worth 2s 6d and is sometimes
called a two and six.
The Shilling is a silver coin worth 12d.
The Sixpence is a silver coin worth 6d.
The Groat is a silver coin worth 4d.
The Tuppence is a silver coin worth 2d.

Relations with the clergy:

Though it was the church that had pushed for the

establishment of guilds, they were uncomfortable
with the direction they were traveling in,
especially when monopolies were involved. This
seemed like an expression of just the sort of greed
the clergy had hoped to avoid.
Still, as the Middle Ages progressed, it was
the merchant class who were more and more

10

The Penny is a silver coin worth 1d.

The Half-Penny (often pronounced hapenny) is
literally a Penny broken in half and is worth d.
The Farthing is a Half-Penny broken in half and
is worth d.
A gold piece is the equivalent of a shilling.

Table 1:3: Martial Weapons

Weapons

Cost

Axe, throwing

8s

Hammer, light

1s

Handaxe

6s

Kukri

8s

Medieval Equipment

Pick, light

4s

Sap

1s

For those wishing to use the monetary system

above with the standard equipment list from the
system reference document, the following tables
are provided with prices converted from gp to
pounds, shillings and pence.
When looking at these prices remember that the
wealth of most commoners averaged 2 10s per
year in the Middle Ages.

Sword, short

10s

Battleaxe

10s

Flail

8s

Longsword

15s

Pick, heavy

8s

Rapier

20s

Scimitar

15s

Trident

15s

Warhammer

12s

Falchion

3 15s

Glaive

8s

Greataxe

Greatclub

5s

Flail, heavy

15s

Greatsword

2 10s

Guisarme

9s

Halberd

10s

Lance

10s

Ranseur

10s

Scythe

18s

Longbow

3 15s

Arrows (20)

1s

Longbow, composite

Arrows (20)

1s

Shortbow

1 10s

Arrows (20)

1s

Shortbow, composite

3 15s

Wealth Other Than Coins

Merchants commonly exchange trade

goods without using currency. As a means of
comparison, some trade goods are detailed below.

Table 1:2 Simple Weapons

Weapons
Gauntlet
Unarmed strike
Dagger
Dagger, punching
Gauntlet, spiked
Mace, light
Sickle
Club
Mace, heavy
Morningstar
Shortspear
Longspear
Quarterstaff
Spear
Crossbow, heavy
Bolts, crossbow (10)
Crossbow, light
Bolts, crossbow (10)
Dart
Javelin
Sling
Bullets, sling (10)

Cost
2s

2s
2s
5s
5s
6s

12s
8s
1s
5s

2s
2 6s
1s
1 15s
1s
6d
1s

Table 1:4: Exotic Weapons

11

Exotic Weapons

Cost

Sword, bastard

1 15s

Whip

1s

Flail, dire

4 10s

Table 1:5: Trade Goods

Cost

Item

One pound of wheat

1d

One pound of our, or one chicken

2d

One pound of iron

6d

One pound of tobacco or copper

1s

One pound of cinnamon, or one goat

2s

One pound of ginger or pepper, or one sheep

3s

One pig

4s

One square yard of linen

5s

One pound of salt or silver

10s

One square yard of silk, or one cow

15s

One pound of saffron or cloves, or one ox

2.5

One pound of gold

25

One pound of platinum

Table 1:6: Armor and Shields

Armor

Light armor

Cost

Padded

5s

Leather

10s

Studded leather

1 5s

Chain shirt

Medium armor
Hide

15s

Scale mail

2 10s

Chainmail

7 10s

Breastplate

10

Heavy armor
Splint mail

10

Banded mail

12 10s

Half-plate

30

Full plate

75

Shields
Buckler

15s

Shield, light wooden

3s

Shield, light steel

9s

Shield, heavy wooden

7s

Shield, heavy steel

Shield, tower

1 10s

12

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