The Guild

All Guild members are generally given the same respect and inclusivity. Working for The Guild is already enough to know all about their operations. Though, the more clandestine information is kept between a few members.

Active members are the ones that mainly sent on missions like:

• Surveying potential threats

• Acting against threats

• Fighting supervillains

• Operations that are too dangerous for normal people

• Rescuing or examining potential superpowered individuals

Keeper members are generally at The Hub and are responsible for:

• Taking care of Supers

• Monitoring known threats

• Surveying threats (overlap)

• Maintaining hub and related areas

• Improving public relations

• Training other or newer members

The “Superpower, Action and Protection Initiative”, or SAPI for short, is the approved proposition for The Guild to conduct acts on behalf of aligned governments and provinces regarding superpower happenings and globally funded by the “Superpower Engagement” Fund. SAPI was officially approved in 2009.

Under the initiative, The Guild is expected to 

• Investigate and research superpower origins

• Protect the general populace against superpowered threats and organisations

• Rescue and/or contain superpowered individuals

• Prevent illegal activity and operations pertaining superpowers

Members of the Guild would be able to take hold of authority investigations concerning superpower production, harbourment and activation. 

Not all countries and provinces have agreed to the initiative however and thus The Guild cannot act in unaligned regions without explicit permission.

There are processes for looking after Supers depending on their origin of powers, their capabilities and psychological capability.

Most Supers gain their powers from illegal “super-farms” or facilities. Notably a man named Carter Greene was responsible for many current Supers before he was captured and his operations were torn down in 2023. However there may still be hidden facilities existing in the world that Greene has ‘forgotten’. Prior to Greene, a man named Joseph Hart was a rogue sorcerer that created Supers as well in the region of Bellefri. He was stopped in 2010. 

There are still numerous illegal operations in the world, employing rogue sorcerers or using unethical techniques to induce superpowers. Supers created this way are usually trafficked to other clandestine operations or countries/provinces that desire to exploit them.

Supers can be rescued from these holding facilities, or found in trafficking incidents or otherwise. Or authorities aligned with SAPI will willingly hand any restrained or found Supers.

The majority of ‘other’ cases of gaining powers is via electrocution, lightning strikes or interacting with a magical object or substance.

When a Super is found or recovered, their identity is uncovered, either by asking them or researched via databases. More importantly, their powers are investigated and examined for potency and lethality, and their psyche is evaluated for possible danger to the public and other members of The Guild. 

For individuals that can learn to manage their powers and do not show any dangerous traits, ideals or mindsets etc, they may be integrated back into society with oversight by The Guild. Or they may choose to aid The Guild either on Guild grounds or officially join as an Active or Keeper member. These Supers will generally spend a few months learning their capabilities, how to manage their powers and creating boundaries for what they should and shouldn’t do with them in public.

For individuals with lethal or unstable powers that can’t be reasonably managed but otherwise considered to have a ‘non-dangerous’ mindset, they may be given a remote location to stay, either in the world or on Guild sanctioned grounds (link for an example remote place). Or they may have to stay in a holding room if their powers are too unmanageable. Generally the Guild will try their best to learn how powers can be managed, but all powers and circumstances are different.

For individuals with dangerous mindsets and/or unstable powers, they are kept in secure holding rooms and looked after as best as they humanely be.

Superhero vigilantism is generally disallowed under SAPI, with only Guild sanctioned Active operators legally able to enforce the Initiative across regions. Superpowered vigilantes are usually tracked, found and brought into The Guild to be evaluated like any other super. If they can show constraint, promise and understanding of their powers, they can be quickly assigned as an active operator.

The term “Superhero” has been used to describe members of The Guild with some accuracy. However The Guild does not condone this term as it may cause issues elsewhere…

With superheroes, comes the term “Supervillains” and therein lies the problem with the former. Any alleged Super doing shady activity, whether as part of The Guild or not, can be quickly dubbed a supervillain by the public, causing irreparable damage to the face of the individual or making them relish the attention, regardless of whether they are a Super or not, or if they were truly doing something illicit.

There has been a recent insurgence of individuals claiming to have superpowers, and then claiming to be a superhero or supervillain. Some cases are investigated, but this is mostly a waste of time on The Guild’s resources. But they can’t always be sure that a claim is false or true until they investigate…Isn’t the world lovely.

The Hub

There is one main hub facility simply called The Hub. The Hub consists of four main buildings spanning multiple floors and basements connected to each other via bridges. Each building is designated: North, South, East and West.

The North Building is the main building for free-roaming Supers, and consists of furnished rooms, recreation including a gym and a pool, a cinema, a cafeteria, a daycare, tutor rooms.

The South building is closed off to free-roaming Supers and non-operatives as it contains the dangerous superpowered Individuals. The top floors consist of the least dangerous individuals who usually have unstable powers but are generally harmless in personality. They have comfortable rooms and around-the-clock care. The lower floors consist of individuals with dangerous personalities but may not have the most dangerous powers. The basement floors consist of the most perilous individuals.

The East building is a general home for Active and Keeper members, though they may prefer to live in the North building if they wish to. The rooms in the East building are generally more spacious and private. The medbay is also here.

The West building is mostly closed off to non-operatives and is the main area for Guild operations, such as gathering and evaluating intelligence, making mission briefings, etc. 

General grounds

There are tracks around the Hub, as well as tracks that lead into the surrounding forest that cover 60% of the grounds. There are sensors and cameras scattered throughout the forest, and a metal fence spanning around 200 acres including the Main Hub. 

There are numerous “Prohibited Area” signs on certain branches of the track throughout the forest and the outskirts of the grounds. Though these areas aren’t closed off, the paths usually lead to houses that keep individuals with solitary personalities and/or somewhat unstable powers. These individuals know to expect other wandering Supers to investigate every now and again, but they are generally left alone save for the occasional Keeper visit if they are trusted.

Other

There are also scatterings of safe houses and small bases across SAPI aligned regions.

All members of The Guild generally work  3-7 days a week, with workloads dependent on their role, responsibilities and abilities. 

Non-Super members work 4 days a week and anywhere from 5-8 hours a day. These members are either carers, cleaners, psychologists, or have other specialised jobs that The Guild has taken interest in.

Super members are either Active operators or Keepers. Active members can be working around the clock if sent on a mission or investigating a major threat, but otherwise work when needed.

Keepers work according to their role and can vary from a few hours a day or a few days to week, to 8hrs a day everyday.

For members with interchangeable responsibilities or higher duties, such as Rhonda and Rolan, they work when and where they are needed.

Benefits

Along with the clean, safe living space and access to recreational facilities, members of The Guild have access to around-the-clock medical care (including dentists), psychology appointments, several vacation weeks every year and approx. $80k salary. 

Non-members that live in the Hub or on the grounds are given a small allowance, but not a lot seeing as all their living expenses are already paid for. Supers that are neither a member or live on Guild grounds are given accommodation with a deposit for a few months and access to career counsellors to help them be independent.

Members of the Guild are allowed several weeks leave (parental leave or loss of family etc).

The Founders of the Guild are relatively public figures, with some more well known and participating in PR than others. 

Rolan (he/him) is one such member, being a former member of the Bellefri military. He’s known for his superstrength and durability, having been the public voice of the Guild even before its founding. He’s known to be a leader, commanding and compromising, yet gentle and understanding. He is also known to have mind control and telepathic abilities, but he does not utilise these latter powers often.

Ariadne (she/her) is second to Rolan in terms of a public presence, often accompanying him to important events. She’s the planner, calculating and thoughtful, and compassionate, always hoping to minimise casualties as much as possible. She’s also the most active in the Hub area, making sure to spend time with rescued Supers and get potentially-rehabilitated Supers a chance to redeem themself.

Twinnet (they/them) is a slightly more reserved individual, possessing monumental strength. There is an article roaming around the internet before the Guild was founded, of them pummelling a supervillain to death outside their local gym. They were hailed as a hero after that, and the world never forgot them, even as they stated they don’t look back at that moment fondly. They are empathetic and love sports. They have participated in javelin throwing, high jump, long jump and marathons, and is currently training themself in swimming in their older age.

Tanya Burns (she/her) is a lesser known member, either seen hovering behind the others or staying out of sight altogether. She’s known to be more reserved and distant, but ultimately coming through for the Guild and her fellow Founders. She’s as dedicated as they are, even if that isn’t obvious. Her signature superpower is mindreading but she is rumoured to have others, from rapid-fast reflexes, to temperature control or even mind control; but these latter mentions are simply rumours. There have been hints toward a lesser political background but this hasn’t been confirmed by anyone publicly.

Cornerstone was established under the guise as a new facility for the Guild under SAPI. This is an area for members of the Guild and the Order alike to work together.