Runner's Guild

Runner's Guild Logo on Runner's Guild Sweatpants Merch by Jade McGilvray(Twitter)

The Runner's Guild is a guild dedicated to the delivery of packages, letters, and secrets. Runners and Couriers associated with the guild deliver parcels using a variety of conveyance: by foot, mount, magic, or vehicle.

Overview

As a whole, the Runner's Guild retains neutrality in the face of wars and other conflicts. It is made up of branches established in cities spread throughout Innworld, with multiple branches existing in larger cities like Invrisil.

Runner Ranks

There are three ranks that a Runner can receive, according to their ability and speed. Higher ranks usually result in higher pay, dangerous deliveries, and recognition.

Street Runners

Street Runners can take on delivery requests within city limits. They are normally slower Runners who are young and still leveling up.

City Runners

City Runners can take on long-distance delivery requests between cities or in a large region.

• Alevica (operating area unknown)
• Charlay (around Walta)
• Fals (between Remendia and Liscor, around Celum)
• Garia (between Remendia and Liscor, around Celum)
• Herove (around Toremn)
• Luan (water-based, around Telanqual)
• Persua (formerly between Remendia and Esthelm, then Toremn, currently assigned to Southern Izril)
• Raich (around Toremn)
• Ryoka (formerly between Remendia and Liscor, around Celum, then around Reizmelt)

Couriers

Couriers are the highest rank a Runner from the Runner's Guild can reach. They can take on delivery requests of high urgency or danger, on a much larger scale than City Runners, usually continent-wide.
(For more details on Couriers, see here)

Regulations

Runner's Handbook

Rule 21 of the Runner’s Guild states that any Runner affected by spell or Skill may refuse to provide services and cancel any request made. Also, it says that anyone who attacks, hinders, or otherwise alters a Runner in the course of their duties can be banned from receiving or requesting any future deliveries.^{[citation needed]}

Even for an emergency delivery, a Runner is under no obligation to risk their lives in an active combat zone.

The Runner's Guild maintains a code of conduct that Runners keep the name of their clients and the nature of their delivery secret, even from [Guardsmen], unless testifying in relation to a crime. City Runners and Couriers relied on their trustworthiness and ability to keep secrets. Runner's Guild branches keep rooms set aside for the purpose of confidential negotiations for Runners and their clients.

Exceptions to a delivery's anonymity include those sent or received by the Antinium.

Operations and Logistics

Runner's Guild Celum Logo on Runner's Guild Jersey merch by Jade McGilvray(Twitter)

Runner's Guild Liscor Logo on Runner's Guild Jersey merch by Jade McGilvray(Twitter)

...for most Runners their code is simple: deliver the package. Get paid. Don't die.
The Wandering Inn Glossary describing Runners.

Each Runner's Guild branch administrates the logistics, storage, and handling of packages and delivery requests. A branch is led by a Guildmaster. [Receptionists] handle delivery requests and payment. In-house mages or the Mage's Guild receive [Messages] and can detect dangerous packages prior to delivery.

Runners and Couriers carry out the transit of packages moving within the Runner's Guild network or to specific recipients. Runners register with the Runner's Guild so that packages can be handled by the administration at each guild branch. They are not strictly locked into delivering within a region; one can transfer to a different branch.

Bulk Mail

City Runners deliver bulk mail every day between the local Runner's Guild of different cities. The mail would then be distributed by Street Runners to their individual recipients. Bulk mail routes are standard, usually safe, and easy, making their pay-out cheap.

Requests

[Receptionists] accept requests, packages, and payment from senders. Senders are able to ask for a reply from the recipient or a confirmation of delivery. Requests are then displayed on a board. Runners can take requests based on a first-come-first-served basis. [Receptionists] can choose to not give a parcel to a Runner based on their ability or other reasons. Recipients can either have their parcel delivered directly to them by Runner or pick their packages up at their local Runner's Guild.

People can make private requests for a particular Runner to deliver confidential packages or letters. Due to the private nature of these requests, the Runner would receive the message straight from either an in-house mage or the Mage's Guild to prevent [Receptionists] from having a chance to open them.

The Runner's Guild doesn't regulate the type of delivery or recipient a request contains. Runners can accept requests where the recipient is moving, as well as requests that point the Runner to their destination by spell, leaving the Runner clueless as to where they are ultimately going. Requests can also have unlisted recipients, with arbitrary methods of identifying the recipient, such as by [Detect Truth] spells or truth stones.

Multi-part deliveries can span as much distance as a Courier delivery. They are eventually delivered in relay, by multiple Runners. It is sent by those avoiding the higher fees associated with Couriers.

'Old-style' requests can be received remotely by [Message] spell. The Runner would need to meet with the client to receive the parcel, payment, and recipient information.

Seals

Runner Seals are used in a system to verify that Runners have delivered their parcels to the correct recipients. Recipients provide a matching seal to a Runner in exchange for the parcel. Seals are also vital for Runners to receive payment by turning in seals to a guild [Receptionist]. They can receive their pay whenever they like, but most collect a lump sum from the [Receptonist] at the end of the week. If the client does not mind paying in advance or on completion, Runners and Couriers can accept delivery requests without a seal, independently from the Runner's Guild.

Runners do not necessarily require a seal to verify a delivery, although they do expedite things. Alternative means of verifying a delivery include truth stones or spells.

Couriers use a different system from City and Street Runners. The recipient need not offer the Courier a seal. Courier Seals can bind a package, which unravels after a recipient accepts the delivery. The seal will record the recipients' faces and identities, location, and time of the delivery. It can then be used to verify a delivery by any mage.

Dangers on the Job

Neither rain nor snow, nor gloom of night shall stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds', huh?
Ryoka quoting the widely regarded postman's motto to Valceif and Hawk.

Runners need to be on the look-out for bandits and monsters who would rob them of their packages. Runners making their way through battlefields may be able to avoid being attacked by soldiers, if they can get a word in. A Runner's Seal can be used as proof of affiliation with the Runner's Guild to avoid trouble.^{[citation needed]}

To avoid harm, Runners depend on speed, potions, artifacts, and Skills to get themselves out of hairy situations. A branch of the guild may stock up on stamina and healing potions to provide to Runners. Whether Runners must pay for guild-provided potions is unknown. Couriers, especially, will carry expensive magical artifacts to protect themselves on dangerous deliveries.

Interguild Relations

Merchant's Guild

As there is overlap between the services provided by the Runner's Guild and the Merchant's Guild, there exists an enterprisal rivalry between the two. The Runner's Guild can boast of faster deliveries with more guarantee of success, but the Merchant's Guild may charge cheaper for slower deliveries. Poorer villages who need goods delivered will often rely on slower wagons, instead of the most costly Runner with a bag of holding.

Adventurer's Guild

Animosity between the two guilds is common. To the displeasure of adventurers, City Runners will often avoid the danger that follows them, waiting a distance away from danger for the adventurers to come and accept their delivery or refusing to accept the delivery request at all. In return, many adventurers view Runners in a cowardly light.^{[citation needed]}

Assassin's Guild

[Assassins] are diametrically opposed to the Runner's way of life. ^{[citation needed]}

Members

(For a list of known Runners, see Here)
(For a list of known Couriers, see Here)

Trivia

• Some [Receptionists] of the guild are former Runners.
• The largest Runner's Guild branch in Invrisil is painted light blue, like most buildings in the city.
• A Dullahan Runner Ryoka met carried his head in a sling.
• Invrisil head hunts brave Runners.
• The Runner's Guild of Liscor is usually filled with part-timer Street Runners, instead of City Runners as Drakes rarely traded with Human cities and other Drake cities were too far away.