Formal guilds are banned
under Dorlafan law, meaning that, in theory, any trade or craft is open to any
Christotan citizen. The extent this applies in practice is limited partially by
the licensing system placed on certain professions. Licenses are issued by the
local Town Council generally reviewed on an annual and bi-annual basis. Special committees for each are formed with
semi-regular membership (one or two Councillors & their deputies, leading
lights in the profession and a couple of arbitrating outsiders or lawyers),
acting under the auspices of either the Trade & Industry or the Civic
Welfare Councillor. Trades and professions requiring licenses are:
Herbalism, healing, weapon
smiths, weapon sellers
('armourists'), alcohol brewers and
sellers, the legal profession, property renters or dealers, food preparers or
sellers over a certain size, builders, prostitutes.
Most occupations requiring licences are those for whom failing to meet a certain standard could have serious, even fatal consequences for others. With the exception of weapon smiths & traders and also prostitutes, unlicensed activity will not lead to prosecution for a criminal activity. However the local Council has the right at any time and giving only a day's notice to confiscate all the property of an unlicensed trader which relates to that trade. The practitioners also cannot hope for funding from the Council or from their licensed fellows, and more importantly, if something does go wrong, if, say, a mason's building falls down, the fault will automatically be placed on the mason, except in exceptional circumstances (if he is licensed, and can prove he acted within the set guidelines, blame for the tragedy will usually go elsewhere). Manslaughter charges and the like will usually follow. Armourists are in a particularly vulnerable position; if a murder or serious assault has been committed by a weapon sold without a licence, the seller may also be held partially liable. The Guards tend to prosecute if they have failed to convict the actual perpetrator of the crime and are determined to nail someone.
A common feature of Cities
life is one person doing various activities to earn their crust, rather than
choosing one trade and sticking to it. Partially this is because of the
aforementioned easy entry into most fields despite everything, partially by the
diverse array of low-paid, occasional tasks on offer in the Cities, and
partially by the anti-specialist culture prevalent, which says anyone can do
anything if they put their mind to it.