The Bounty Hunters' Guild

Founded in 4E 153, by the Nord bounty hunter Jalmir Redhand, the bounty hunters guild rose to prominence as a group that consistently brought down criminals, be they petty thieves or bandit lords. However, the group was not especially liked by many, because of their willingness to hunt those not technically considered criminals.

The guild was one of the least strict in Tamriel, openly accepting members, and giving them lodging in their base, located on the Pales' southern border. The latest leader of the group, the Khajiit Ja'Zhir'Mal, took control of the guild, and though he maintained some rules, many, including those that demanded payments, were undone.

Origins
The bounty hunters' guild was originally formed by the Nord bounty hunter, Jalmir Redhand, with the intention of organizing Tamriels independent bounty hunters. Especially since rogue hunters often came into conflict with law enforcement groups.This lead to many deaths,on both sides. His efforts were eventually successful, and several of his fellow hunters joined him. They hired a group of builders from Dawnstar to build a small fort on the Pales' southern border.

By 4E 160, the group had grown to over two dozen members, most of them from Skyrim itself, but a few hailed from Morrowind, Cyrodiil, and High Rock. The hunters worked for whoever was willing to pay, and eventually became highly esteemed for their competence and professionalism. Redhand, demanded a small tithe from successful hunts, in return for lodging, and help in their hunts, should a hunter request it.

In fact, those were some of the few rules enforced by Redhand and his partners. Among others, including the forbidding of other hunters interfering with other hunters' jobs. Despite their elimination of criminal groups, the hunters also took jobs that targeted military officers, among others not technically considered criminals.

In 4E 186, a new rule was implemented, demanding that all hunters of the guild be in good standing with local authorities. Many of the less scrupulous members of the group ended up leaving the guild, though many others trickled in over the years.

Ja'Zhir'Mal, a Khajiit bounty hunter, joined the guild in 4E 200 despite making his disdain of the group publicly known. However, he quickly rose through the ranks of the guild, and staged a takeover in the early months of 4E 201. Many of the younger hunters, resentful of the need to pay a tax to the leaders of the guild, sided with him. After a series of brief skirmishes, the Khajiit and his followers emerged victorious.

The Khajiit eliminated the rules requiring hunters to pay a tithe to the guild leader, as well a the rule demanding they be in good standing with authorities. These changes brought in more members, many of them more assassin than hunter.

Specialties
The hunters that joined the guild were competent warriors and trackers. Many were capable of taking on small bandit camps on their own. Others, specialized in slipping into a targets camp or dwelling, and quietly capturing or eliminating them. Others still, excelled at hostage rescue, or object retrieval,fighting their way into a location, and rescuing their target. Many hunters preferred to work alone, but it was not unheard of for them to form pairs or triads, in order to bag bigger prey, or especially dangerous individuals.

Equipment and training
All hunters were required to provide their own equipment, and most of those who joined, either permanently or temporarily, were seasoned fighters. However, many would take younger hunters under their wing as 'apprentices' and bring them on jobs. This lead to many in the guild forming close bonds, and making formidable hunting partners.

Employment
The guilds members were in high demand all over Tamriel, specifically in Skyrim and later in High Rock and Cyrodiil, after the outbreak of the civil war, and the vampire war. The guild remained, as a whole, largely neutral, during the civil war. However, the leader of the guild did not forbid its members from taking bounties posted on either Imperials or Stormcloaks.

The bounty lists went in order from low risk, easy jobs, to higher risk, more dangerous jobs.

Master listings- Generally high risk missions. Targets included Imperial and Stormcloak commanders, along with bandit lords and powerful spellcasters. Generally, a pair or more of hunters were required to complete these jobs. However, hunters like Va'Shavra, and Torven Hall, worked independently on these jobs, and more often than not, completed them.

Journeyman listings- Less dangerous than master bounties, but still held a higher degree of risk than apprentice jobs. Targets were generally dangerous individuals, such as assassins, or rogue bandits. The occasional thief, if they were of the more violent type. Rescue jobs, and small bandit camps were often on this list as well.

Apprentice listings- The least dangerous, easiest jobs. Retrieval jobs or small bounties. These jobs were many times easily completed and required less violence. Many of these bounties were wanted alive, and more likely to give themselves up, rather than fight to the death.

Rules
These rules were instated once Ja'Zhir'Mal was in charge of the group. However, many were already in place before he arrived.

1: '''Under no circumstances, will one hunter attack or interfere with anothers' bounty. '''

2: Hunters will not kill other hunters.

3: '''No hunter will refuse to assist another hunter. '''

4: Kill or capture, never both

5: '''Hunters will deliver their bounties to the employer as swiftly as possible. '''

6: '''No bounty is worth dying for. '''

7: People don't have prices on their heads, targets do.