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The Mercenaries' Guild
Providing a range of services including bodyguarding, thuggery, guarding, and 'obstacle removal', the Mercenaries guild are a tough bunch. For enough money (or, failing that, ale), they could be your tough bunch for a night. The creedo of the mercenaries guild is simple, look out for your mates, do what the boss says, and don't do anything without getting paid.
The Guild takes a percentage of the money that each member earns, and uses it to deal with little niggling legal issues, and to provide accomodation, healing and so on for its members. A notable coup was when they arranged with the city authorities to allow all of the Guild's members to openly carry a sword in Grantabrugge during the height of the Sword Licensing laws under Norscan Rule.
Each member of the guild will wear a yellow sash or a yellow device affixed to their belts. Each rank of the guild will have a more impressive sash than the rank below, to allow easy determination of status, should two members meet.
In general it's pretty easy to hire a mercenary for bodyguarding duty, for sufficient money. The tougher mercenaries tend to charge more, you really do get what you pay for, but quite often the mere presence of a mercenary standing guard over you can be a deterrent, regardless of their actual competence. Actually hiring a mercenary is often just a matter of finding one and giving them money, the lower ranks tend not to bother with annoying details like paperwork (although large or Official contracts make use of it).
A couple of years back, city law made it illegal to hire a mercenary on a contract for a single shilling. There was some trouble with mercenaries taking small payments to perform tasks of dubious legallity, and then using their position with the guild and the existance of a contract to skirt legal troubles. This however, did little to dent the merenary work ethic which often appears to be "if I can get away with it, I can do it"
Since worship of Sordan and Vivamort was legalised, mercenaries are seen daily standing outside the Temple of Sordan as door-guards. Under the current Captain of the Mercenaries, some efforts have been made to teach guild members how to use sufficient but not excessive force when carrying out their duties. Not only is killing a serious matter anyway, but if you are known for only knocking out your enemies then there is a chance that that is all they will do to you when you find your roles are next reversed!