- 5 Hives - Factions and Patrons in Necromunda setting / Merchant Guilds

08 Dec, 2024

Second post dedicated to Factions and Patrons in rethemed 5 Parsecs. Welcome to the Underhive! :)

Merchant Guilds

Merchant Guilds are powerful organizations that control the flow of resources, trade, and wealth across Necromunda’s hives. Each guild has its unique influence, role, and secrets, making them rich sources of narrative intrigue.

Guild of Salts

• Description: Oversees the production and trade of salt, a vital preservative and a resource that controls food supplies across the hives.
• Reputation: Known for harsh control over labor and monopolistic practices in the salt trade.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Salt Blackout
    • An entire sector's salt supply has been contaminated. The gang must trace the sabotage to prevent a famine and expose the culprits.
  • Underhive Harvest
    • The guild believes rare minerals in the underhive can enhance salt quality. They hire the gang to secure the area and fend off competitors.

Gun-Guild

• Description: Specializes in the manufacture, trade, and smuggling of weaponry. This guild supplies both lawful and illegal arms to factions across Necromunda.
• Reputation: Feared for its ruthless enforcement of trade agreements and zero tolerance for betrayal.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Prototype Pursuit
    • A new weapon prototype is stolen. The gang must retrieve it before it can be replicated by rivals.
  • Arms Embargo
    • The guild enforces a weapons ban in a rebellious zone. The gang is tasked with confiscating illegal arms shipments fueling the unrest

Mercator Gelt - Guild of Coin

• Description: The financial backbone of Necromunda, this guild controls loans, debt collection, and monetary policy.
• Reputation: Ruthlessly efficient, they wield economic power to manipulate politics and rival factions.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • The Counterfeit Conspiracy
    • Fake currency floods the market. The gang must find the source to stabilize the economy and earn the guild's favor.
  • Debt of Honor
    • A prominent debtor disappears. The gang is hired to locate them and recover the assets by any means necessary.

Mercator Lux - Electro Guild (Guild of Light)

• Description: Controls the production and distribution of energy throughout the hives, from illumination to industrial power.
• Reputation: Viewed as both saviors and oppressors due to their control of energy supplies in a resource-starved world.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Blackout Blitz
    • A sector-wide blackout threatens chaos. The gang is hired to protect Guild technicians as they work to restore power amidst looters and saboteurs.
  • Surge Protector
    • The Guild suspects tampering with energy distribution. The gang must find and eliminate the cause before an overload devastates the hive.

Mercator Munda - Iron Guild

• Description: Specializes in raw materials and the production of heavy machinery. They control manufactorums and mining operations across the hive.
• Reputation: Feared for its brutal treatment of laborers and monopoly on industrial production.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Steel Siege
    • The Guild's shipment of rare metals is targeted by raiders. The gang is tasked with escorting the convoy through perilous zones.
  • Machinery Mayhem
    • Malfunctioning equipment leads to accidents. The gang must uncover whether it's faulty manufacturing or deliberate sabotage.

Mercator Nautica - Water Guild

• Description: Manages water supplies, filtration systems, and trade across Necromunda’s water-scarce hives.
• Reputation: Holds immense leverage over the hive’s population due to their control of a vital resource.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Aquifer Assault
    • A critical water source is under threat from contamination. The gang is hired to secure the site and ensure clean water supply.
  • Tides of Profit
    • The Guild wants to expand into new territories controlled by hostile factions. The gang must negotiate or clear the path by force.

Mercator Noctus - Guild of Ash

• Description: A shadowy organization that trades in toxic materials and hazardous substances. Secretly, it is a front for a Genestealer Cult infiltrating the hive.
• Reputation: Known for dealing in dangerous substances and mysterious disappearances.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Ashes to Ashes
    • The gang is hired to investigate a series of mysterious fires, only to discover the Guild is covering up a larger conspiracy.
  • Shadow Trade
    • A rare resource found in the ash is highly sought after. The gang must secure it while dealing with the Guild's hidden agenda.

Mercator Pallidus - Corpse Guild

• Description: Responsible for corpse recycling and maintaining Necromunda's grim economy of death. They ensure the hive’s dead are repurposed into food or materials.
• Reputation: Feared for their macabre practices and unflinching practicality.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Harvest Hijackers
    • Bodies destined for processing are disappearing. The gang is tasked with finding the culprits and returning the "cargo."
  • Grave Matters
    • Rumors of reanimated corpses spread fear. The gang must confront the unsettling truth behind the Guild's new practices.

Mercator Pyros - Promethium Guild

• Description: Manages fuel supplies and trades in volatile promethium, crucial for the hive’s industry and war efforts.
• Reputation: Powerful but unstable, they are both feared and respected for their role in Necromunda’s economy.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Fuel Frenzy
    • A rival is producing a synthetic fuel alternative. The gang must sabotage their operations to maintain the Guild's monopoly.
  • Burn Notice
    • The Guild's promethium reserves are at risk from internal betrayal. The gang must uncover the traitor before catastrophe strikes.

Mercator Rex - Guild of Crowns

• Description: Controls luxury goods and high-society trade, catering to the noble houses and spire elite.
• Reputation: Glamorous and exclusive, they wield significant influence over the nobility.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Luxury Lockdown
    • A shipment of exotic goods is held hostage. The gang must negotiate or fight to release the cargo and preserve the Guild's reputation.
  • The Royal Decree
    • The Guild plans an exclusive event for the elite. The gang is hired to ensure its security against those who would disrupt it.

Mercator Sanguis - Slave Guild

• Description: Manages the trafficking and trade of slaves, including laborers, fighters, and experimental subjects.
• Reputation: Reviled but tolerated, they provide essential manpower to the hive’s economy.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Chains Broken
    • A mass slave escape threatens the Guild's operations. The gang is contracted to recapture the escapees or assist them in their flight.
  • Auction Anarchy
    • A high-profile slave auction is targeted by abolitionists. The gang must protect the event or aid in its disruption.

Mercator Temperium - Air Guild

• Description: Oversees the hive’s ventilation systems and controls the distribution of breathable air.
• Reputation: Often overlooked but critical, they wield immense hidden power.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Breathless
    • The Guild's air filtration systems are compromised. The gang must repair or replace critical components before the hive chokes.
  • Whispers on the Wind
    • Toxic fumes are spreading, and the Guild blames a rival. The gang is hired to find the true source and stop the pollution.

Mercator Viritas - Guild of Oaths

• Description: Oversees contracts and agreements, acting as mediators and enforcers of deals between factions.
• Reputation: Trusted for their neutrality but feared for their ability to destroy anyone who breaks an oath.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Broken Promises
    • A major contract is violated, threatening the Guild's integrity. The gang must enforce the terms or bring the offender to justice.
  • Web of Lies
    • The gang uncovers forged contracts implicating powerful figures. They must navigate the political fallout carefully.

Mercators Cartographia

• Description: Specializes in mapping the hive and its shifting territories, selling valuable intelligence to factions.
• Reputation: Known for their obsession with detail and occasional misinformation for profit.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Map of Madness
    • A newly charted route leads to disappearances. The gang is hired to explore and validate the map, facing unknown dangers.
  • Charted Territory
    • Competing factions seek control over valuable mapping data. The gang must protect or steal this information.

Merchant Guild (General)

• Description: Represents smaller trading guilds that don’t fall into the larger categories.
• Reputation: Diverse and adaptable, these guilds operate in niche markets.
• Narrative Hooks:
  • Market Mayhem
    • A dispute between minor guilds escalates into violence. The gang is hired to mediate or exploit the chaos for profit.
  • Trade Secrets
    • The gang is approached to smuggle goods past Guild inspections, risking severe penalties if caught.