to be a hunter is a way of life. it technically is a mercenary who uses magic, joins guilds, and adventures around the world interacting with the strange and supernatural.

a guild is an organization comprised of hunters. individual guilds will have different reputations, and usually reflect what type of hunters their members are. some are better for adventuring, small town errands, etc. others are better for assassinations, elite fighters, etc. naturally there are some guilds that are infamous for their reputation and hunters.

the sons of belial is currently considered the most elite and ruthless guild, commonly commissioned for assassinations and various other high profile crime. the underguilds are the black market, criminal underbelly of the hunter world. this subculture is openly denounced and condemned by the council. the sons of belial is one such organization among the underguilds. all guilds, despite their differences, ascribe to the way of the hunter.

a lord, also referred to as fuedal lord, is the hunter designated to have control over a state. the fuedal lords are chosen on magic strength, ability and affluence. if one dies from natural causes or with no challenger, a replacement is chosen by the council. though frowned upon, if a fuedal lord is challenged and killed, their challenger will become the new lord. each lord has one or two retainers, which is also a very distinguished position. retainers serve as bodyguards, lieutenants, vassals.

there are 13 states, and 12 feudal lords, plus the magistrate. the 12 lords all report to the magistrate. the 13 states make up the worldstate. the council is made of hunter elders, and there are many retired lords among their leagues. the magistrate and the council govern the worldstate. while they technically rule over the fuedal lords, many of them are a bit wilely, and only loosely follow their orders. the magistrate is the heir of the royal family. though he does have a say, the magistrate is mostly a figurehead, the council are the end all rulers of the worldstate.

among hunter culture, something to note are the family lineages, or clans. among upper worldstate society, the strongest, oldest families have much sway in society, also among the council and the magistrate. clans are distinguished most obviously for their magic abilities, as magic abilities are typically passed down genetically. historically, families with very strong magic abilities have always been very favored and beloved, and this is still true in modern society. it is extremely common for the most affluent families to also hold positions among the lords and the council.

an heir is designated as the single head of a clan. historically it is the eldest son of the main family. the heir will become the owner of the clans estate (if they have one), and serve as the leader of the clan. a ward is an apprentice taken in by a clan of some significance. often times, a ward will go on to become a retainer to a lord, should their clan have the honor.