Editing Free Guilds

{{Update Needed|[[Tamar Rising]]|[[Empire Alone]]}}
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| Type = Trade union
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| Parent Organization = The [[Clans]]
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The '''Free Guilds''' are those scientists, technicians, merchants, and laborers whose allegiance is to [[Clan]] society as a whole and not to any Clan in particular. They have "leased" their services and transport assets to different Clans for various undertakings.

==Overview==
The Free Guilds were often contracted for the worst jobs in Clan Space such as sewerage maintenance and hazardous environment labor. Although regarded as beneath those belonging to a Clan, Free Guilders themselves carried out their duties conscientiously and policed their own ranks of malcontents and non-performers.<ref name=TRp19>''Tamar Rising'', p. 19</ref>

==History==
===A Prize for the ilClan===
During the Grand Kurultai's discussions for the invasion of the [[Inner Sphere]], [[Elias Crichell]] of the [[Clan Jade Falcon|Jade Falcon Clan]] suggested that whichever Clan conquered [[Terra]] would also take control of the Free Guilds. This would provide the victorious "ilClan" with unprecedented resources and manpower. His proposal was accepted enthusiastically by every Clan involved.<ref>''Jade Falcon Sourcebook'', p. 21: Elias Crichell's interpretation of the Kerensky archives</ref> <ref>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', p. 18</ref>

===Operation REVIVAL===
The Jade Falcons had long regarded the Free Guilds with scorn, an attitude that came back to haunt them in the preparations for [[Operation REVIVAL]]. When [[Khan]] Elias Crichell authorized the Falcons' bankers to hire a token number of transport ships to augment his Clan's supply vessels, the Free Guilds charged the Jade Falcons an exceptionally high fee for each ship. By contrast, the other invading Clans were offered a reasonable rate.<ref>''Jade Falcon Sourcebook'', p. 21: Clan Jade Falcon's existing poor relationship with the Free Guilds</ref>

As the Clans conquered worlds of the Inner Sphere, Free Guilders supported civilian caste members in overseeing a given planet's transition from Spheroid rule to Clan government. Many of the native populations who refused to give allegiance to their new overlords and accept a [[Clan Caste System|caste]] assignment were allocated to a Free Guild instead.<ref name=TRp19/> One notorious example of this were the members of [[Malthus Gambling Unlimited]]  and its associated criminal network. Enraged at the dishonorable connection between this family and the [[Malthus (Bloodname)|Malthus]] [[Bloodhouse]], the Falcons payed off some of their large debt to the Free Guilds by gifting them with Malthus Syndicate members as slave labor.<ref name=TMC>''The Malthus Confederation'' (fiction), Shrapnel 8 Kindle Edition</ref>

===Jihad Era===
The [[Wars of Reaving]] hit the Free Guilds hard, with hundreds of dead in the Clan fighting; [[The Society]] attacks also disrupted trade. Besides, at least one Free Guild, the Red Willows, was discovered to be a front for [[Dark Caste]] members.<ref>''Icons of War'', pp. 56–57</ref>

===IlClan Era===
After the [[Battle of Terra (3151)|Battle of Terra]], [[Clan Wolf]] became the [[ilClan]]. In theory, that put all the Free Guilds under their control, but, at least initially, the new ilKhan, [[Alaric Ward]], didn't show any interest in doing so. The Yellow Suns Free Guild assisted in the defense of the [[Wolf Empire]] against [[Wolf's Dragoons]]' attacks, but apparently only because it benefited them.<ref>''Redemption Rites'', p. 235</ref>

==Known Free Guilds==
*[[Black Rose Free Guild]]<ref name=TMC/>
*[[Blue Horizon Free Guild]]<ref name=IWc2>''Icons of War'', ch. 2</ref>
*[[Blue Narcissus Free Guild]]<ref name=TMC/>
*[[Crimson Hellebore Free Guild]]<ref name=TMC/>
*[[Golden Snapdragon Free Guild]]<ref name=TMC/>
*[[Gray Lotus Free Guild]] (absorbed)<ref name=IWc10>''Icons of War'', ch. 10</ref>
*[[Green Winds Free Guild]]<ref name=TRp21>''Tamar Rising'', p. 21</ref>
*[[Indigo Summit Free Guild]]<ref name=TMC/>
*[[Orange Wind Free Guild]]<ref name=TMC/><ref name=TRp59>''Tamar Rising'', p. 59</ref>
*[[Red Willows Free Guild]] (dissolved)<ref name=IWc5>''Icons of War'', ch. 5</ref>
*[[Yellow Sun Free Guild]]<ref>''Redemption Rites'', p. 219</ref>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky]]''
* ''[[Icons of War]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Jade Falcon Sourcebook]]''
* ''[[The Malthus Confederation]]'' ([[Shrapnel (magazine)|Shrapnel]] article)
* ''[[Redemption Rites]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Tamar Rising]]''


[[Category:Trade Unions|Free Guilds]]