Thlayli
Le Pétit Prince
Sure.
Originally, the guilds were first formed in medieval southwestern Arios, when Mettlingen was still a loose collection of trading cities. The cities were mostly ruled by offshoots of a Gottic dynasty that had migrated south after their power was largely broken by the Guipikan Confederacy...though that's more Gosican history.
The guilds started in a similar fashion to OTL, as associations of craftspeople that were associated with a common trade. However, the key difference was that the guilds gradually acquired more exclusive property rights, patronage, and even ships and militia, all provided by the Mettlingen trading cities, each of which needed to compete with the powerful Republic of Palantina and Principality of Torenze, the other two main trading bodies of the medieval period. The trading cities were essentially run by the guilds. Even the petty lords and monarchs of the day had to obtain guild permission before declaring war or peace.
In OTL, guilds gradually diversified as professions became more specific. However, the intensely competitive nature of the trading states caused guilds to engage in price wars with each other, which occasionally escalated into violent conflicts. This process of, literally, "hostile takeover," led many guilds to gain incredible wealth and size, and eventually, they were no longer associated with any specific trade, though many retain specialties.
As a result, by 1400 (approximately 1750 by our calendar) the guilds had become something like enlightenment-era multinational corporations. Though eventually the tradition of royal patronage died out, the guilds remained a powerful force, and drove the advances in mechanical technology, having access to the best forges and metal deposits of Alhaven and Arios.
The guilds have their greatest influence in Mettlingen, where they essentially rule the colonial empire, and maintain some presence in western Princeps as well, though the Lord-Dominator's alliance with Gosica doesn't sit well with them.
They were violently purged from Gosica and Jathalland several hundred years ago, those two nations being the most often at war with Mettlingen. Even so, the guilds maintain an extensive network of merchants that penetrates most Arion markets, though they're closely watched by the Confederate Kingdoms.
Besides merchant shipping, even the smallest guilds maintain escort ships to protect against piracy, and private mercenary companies to protect colonial assets. Though there are about ten guilds, three or four are the most powerful.
Guild Elstadt, the most ancient of the preexisting guilds, has the most material wealth of any. Their interests today are mostly in acquiring imports from Karai, Hadir, and Alhaven, and even Princeps grudgingly requires their trading connections that stretch all the way to Suzira and the Yun Empire, since many Karaian and Hadiran nations refuse to deal with anyone else. Elstadt is starting to stagnate, however.
Guild Kuurel is heavily invested in industry. Their metalworks supply cannons, ironclads, and a variety of weaponry to many Arios nations, and ironically to the other guilds as well. Kuurel was one of the first to recognize the promise of steam power, and developed the first airship prototype. Though their prices are extravagant, their products are unmatched in quality, and they have a tradition of innovative leaders.
Guild Dreningen focuses on mining and raw materials, and recently moved their headquarters across the Gates of Air to the Hadiran colonies, to be near their centers of production. They supply and transfer iron, copper, gold, lumber, and occasionally slaves, when lucrative. Dreningen maintains a large extra-governmental mercenary force, since their high profit margin is in part due to appalling conditions for the hordes of miners bound by contract. They are currently involved in repressing a major revolt on the Alhaven frontier.
. The most likely cause of death for a NES of this massive scale is because the mods don't feel like they can manage it, most likely because some people are constantly nagging them about this and that, and go faster, higher, better. Why not just let them take their own time, and quit the whining? The NES will be so much better for it.
