Laws
Westerness Law
Guild Law
Guilds are associations of workers by type of industry that act to protect the interests of its members, to regulate competition and to provide specific member benefits. Throughout the kingdom in any settlement with a town charter or above, no one is able to practice any guild regulated trade without being a member of the guild and having the approval of the guild to practice such trade.
Members of a guild have ranks, starting with Apprentice, then Journeyman, Master and Guild Leader.
There are five types of guilds established in Westerness law - Craft Guilds, Labor Guilds, Merchant Guilds, Service Guilds and Town Guilds. The first four operate specifically in cities. All tradesman in a city must belong to a respective guild; the guild determines who can work in the city and closely regulates quality and safety standards of all of its members.
At the town level, the town council acts as a single operating guild and regulates which tradesman can work in the town. All tradesmen must still belong to the parent guild, and individually act as representatives of their guild in the town, and they can petition for or against competitors from opening up practices in the town.
Craft Guilds include the largest number of separate associations.
Town Charters
In the Kingdom of Westerness for a hamlet or village to be converted to a Town, the settlement files for a town charter with the Office of Land Management in Kingsbridge. Only towns can host regional markets. Each town provides a copy of their charter and is obligated to report the names of the town mayor, sheriff and other elected positions. Additionally, each town must complete a census every five years and deliver taxes to the local duke.