Ville solant

The ville solant is an elite guild of performing artists, musicians, storytellers, actors, stuntmen, and acrobats. It is based in the Jeceau Empire but is one of the nine Old Guilds and therefore receives diplomatic immunity and freedom of travel throughout the Green Cradle. Members of the ville solant are considered the most talented, charismatic, and agile theater performers in the world. For most people, their performances are a once-in-a-lifetime treat. "Ville solant" is an old Jeceau name, and is pronounced "veel-EH sohl-ahwn," quickly tapering to a soft "n" and silent "t" at the end of solant. It is often mispronounced by non-Jeceau speakers.

In old Jeceau, the name "ville solant" means "House of the Sun."

"Ville solant" is both the name of the Guild and the title for a member of the Guild. "That actress is a member of the ville solant." / "That ville solant is a stunning actress."

The banner of the ville solant is the Guild Compass, otherwise known as the Compass of Guild Neutrality.

Orphan Slaves
Every member of the ville solant is selected and stripped of both their birth name and family name as an infant. The Guild raises and trains the child from infancy for life as a performer. All connection to the child's former family is erased. In effect, all ville solant are orphans, and the Guild serves as an institutionalized orphanage system in the Jeceau Empire. In the Empire, babies born from unwanted pregnancies of single mothers are often given to the Guild at birth. This is considered honorable, because the child will be "well" cared for and will serve in an honored profession.

The only way to join the ville solant is to be selected as an infant. Children and adults cannot join. The Guild gives its members new, temporary names until age nine (their first equiarium), at which point they are given permanent names.

All members of the ville solant are considered "owned" by the Guild, similar to subjects of a sovereign crown. Their allegiance is first and foremost to the Guild, not to the Empire or any other kingdom. Within the Guild, members may be bought, sold, and traded between schools and theater companies, often without any say in the matter.

Leaving the Guild without permission is a crime punishable by death. A deserter is called a liberant. The most common way for a member to leave (besides death) is to be purchased by a buyer who is not ville solant. The buyer (typically a lover) may then emancipate and marry the member. The few ville solant who reach old age without deserting or being bought may rise to administrative roles within the Guild or be "retired" by emancipation when their company can no longer use them.

Talents
Each ville solant performer is cross-trained in multiple performing arts talents, each according to his or her natural skill. The talents are those typically associated with rogues, and may include:
 * Dancing
 * Singing
 * Musical instruments
 * Tumbling
 * Acrobatics
 * Fire-eating and fire-breathing
 * Tricks of illusion
 * Sleight of hand
 * Storytelling and oratory
 * Contortion
 * Feats of strength
 * Fencing
 * Acting
 * Mock combat
 * Disguise
 * Ventriloquism

Ownership
Owners of Guild companies are rarely ville solant themselves. They are usually wealthy Jeceau merchants or nobles who acquire a company by tithing money to the Guild. The owner must adhere to Guild law and custom or their ownership may be revoked. To own a ville solant company is an extraordinary privilege and honor among wealthy Jeceau.

Guild Hierarchy
All members of the ville solant follow the same path through the Guild hierarchy, depending on their age.

First Equiarium (Ages 0 to 8)
Members are raised in orphanages throughout the Jeceau Empire. They are taught basic lessons in acrobatics and music, and are taught to memorize and recite legends, myths, and stories. This makes members of the ville solant excellent sources of lore and mythology. At age nine, children are given a new, permanent name and are acquired by more specialized schools.

Second Equiarium (Ages 9 to 17)
Members receive intensive training in specific areas of skill, according to their natural talent. The training is grueling and often dangerous. During this time, many children die in tragic accidents, such as falling from a high-wire or being killed during swordplay. Beginning around age 13, schools will include children in exhibition performances or even loan children to theater companies, as a way of demonstrating and marketing the child's talent, with an eye toward eventually selling the child.

At any point during a child's second equiarium, they may be sold to a company. In other words, the child does not have to be 17 to be sold. In fact, most children are sold to companies around age 15 or 16.

Third Equiarium and Thereafter (Ages 18 and Up)
Members belong to a traveling theater company and begin their life as a ville solant performer in earnest. They will remain with the company until they either are sold, become liberant, are emancipated, or die.

Certain elder members may be selected to mysterious leadership roles within the Guild. The member's company will be notified, and the owner must surrender the selected member to the Guild, with or without compensation.

Decline of the Guild
The Guild relies on noble patronage to survive. As a point of pride, Jeceau culture is rich with artistry and music; skilled artists and musicians are exalted and revered. Historically, ample patronage was available to sustain the ville solant. Recently, however, the prolonged Jeceau Civil War has destroyed the Guild's traditional sources of funding. Nobles now use their money to fund armies instead of art.

As a result, the ville solant has fallen into steep decline. Orphanages and schools have been closed or sacked; companies have dwindled in size; and owners have begun seeking patronage in neighboring kingdoms, outside the Empire.

The Chalice Moon
The Chalice Moon is a ville solant theater company featured in Book 1 of the series. It is owned by Benereau Vichesne, and, as of the beginning of Book 1, it has dwindled down to only nine members. Fiorah and Samurrian are two of those members. Reflecting the Guild's decline, the Chalice Moon seeks patronage in the Kingdom of Bruhinn and its members resort to petty thievery to stay alive.