Corporal,
Do you read? If so, you would benefit greatly were you to obtain a copy of the Sage's Guild's Guide to Barran. It is a comprehensive guide to our lands that ensures that no matter where you are, be it the Kingdom or the Empire, you will not walk in ignorance of our ways or history.
As to your question, I can offer you the following:
Both the Empire of Tel Al Anor and the Kingdom of Islan Tel'Nava recognize recognize approximately fourteen guilds whose establishment predates the governance of either. These institutions favor certain trades and attempt to foster environs wherein the eager student may hone their relevant skills - either via individual study, communal training, or some combination of the two.
To the very best of my knowledge, the following guilds are universally sanctioned within both Kingdom and Empire:
-The Apothecary Brotherhood, whose members study alchemy and potionry.
-The Order of Celestial and Arcane Mysteries, whose members study the celestial arts as well as various esoteric skills - divination, fortunetelling, et cetera.
-The Order of the Earth, whose members study the Earth's bounteous magics and doctoral skill. I... may be partial to this one.
-The Brotherhood of Anvil and Iron, whose members perfect trades including blacksmithing as it pertains to arms and armor.
-The Engineers Guild, whose members perfect trades including trapmaking and seige arms and whose studies focus on any number of skills which would otherwise fall under the purview of "engineering".
-The Jewelers and Gem Cutters Guild, whose foci are... obvious.
-The Builders' Guild, whose foci are... also obvious.
-The Teamsters and Seamen's Guild, whose primary studies include the expedient transportation of goods by land, sea, and sky and whose primary objective is to conceive of and execute new means to facilitate that transport.
-The Clothiers Guild, whose... you know, this is just getting silly.
-The Leatherworkers Guild. I am not elaborating.
-Hearth and Home, whose members possess any number of talents ranging from butchery, poultry, fishmongery, herding, shepherding, farming, trapping, baking, et cetera...
-The Brewers Guild, which, in addition to its namesake, includes those who excel in glassblowing, beekeeping, pottery, and candlemaking.
-The Order of the Wilde, whose members excel in hunting, ranging, fletching, and so on.
Where membership is concerned, you will need to find a representative of the guild whose ranks you wish to join. Most guilds issue some form of entrance examination wherein the applicant is required to demonstrate some basic proficiency of relevant skill. Beyond that, guild structure varies slightly but you can expect you will be required to serve time as a representative of your chosen guild - either within its hall proper or on "the field" - am I using that correctly? You will also likely be expected to pay some form of recurring membership fee, which I have often seen satisfied via the supply of coin or goods relevant to your guild's studies - in my case, potions or sometimes reagents as needed.
I hope the information I provided is sufficient. If you have further questions, do not hesitate.
In service,
V