The Seekers' Guild (Al-Majalibeen)

For centuries out of mind, brave explorers have been recovering riches from the monuments of Egypt. Many adventurers, too old or too wealthy to risk their lives seeking new plunder, encourage others to take to the trade. They write books, which are so popular they are available in most towns, or train apprentices, who always pay in advance. Even untrained men, made desperate by personal circumstances, try their hand at grave robbing; it's often fatal or futile, but there's always the chance that fate will smile. In some areas, digging for treasure is a popular sport, considered a plague by those who seek to preserve monuments.

Hundreds of years ago, during a time of drought or war, Egypt's impoverished rulers formalized this industry. Every person who wishes to ransack tombs must belong to the Guild of Seekers. Membership is purchased with an annual fee and a slice of the recovered treasure. This is currently 20% of all valuables found.

Membership has many benefits. Members have access to the guildhall in Cairo. It has an extensive library of seeker texts, which describe methods of disabling tomb defenses, give charms to ward off curses, give rote translations of important hieroglyphs, and describe common decoys and hiding places. This knowledge is covered by the Profession: Seeker Ability. Other texts, covering Area Lore, suggest locations, both cleared out (and thus ready for new residents) and not thoroughly looted. Older members of the guild train younger ones in useful skills. Members of repute can recruit teams of specialists to attempt noteworthy sites that have defeated earlier attempts at robbery. The guild is led by an emir, appointed by the sultan, often from among the most powerful of his councilors. Characters who regularly contribute money to the royal treasury have the ear of the emir, giving comparatively humble people access to the sultan's inner circle. They may also be selected as agents when the emir, or his allies, need tasks performed.

In high-fantasy sagas, the seekers have additional resources. Members may hire magic items recovered from tombs. The guild has supernatural allies, or even mystical members.

Medieval Egyptians had an adventurers' guild, with a guildhall and licenses. They had a library of scrolls listing sites for members to loot, and books describing the beasts and traps found within. They trained each other, exchanged rumors about local sites, and constructed parties of specialists. Players new to Ars Magica, but familiar with other fantasy games may find the Guildhall of the Seekers a familiar environment from which to explore Mythic Africa. Old hands at the game may enjoy a refreshing change of pace.