The Hithchhiker's Guild is a secretive, decentralized collective of operatives with a social mission of improving the communities of North America and overthrowing tyrants. Their role varies from spy to samaritan to vigilante, depending on the situation.
In the future, terrestrial travel is less of a default choice, so the descriptors of different modes of travel are a bit less articulated. The action that we call hitchhiking is simply called traveling or getting a ride. Hitchhiking specifically refers to the actions of a Guildsman, and carries clear connotations of such. It is generally assumed that someone does not own their own vehicle, so getting a ride is the most common mode of terrestrial travel in North America.
Establishment & Original Membership
The Guild dates back to the aftermath of Emergency Interstate Travel Restriction Act, which made travel highly dangerous for the uninitiated or undocumented. Safe travel became a major concern after the Federal Emergency Austerity Act (FEAA) progressed, which enabled predatory types to roam the highways with far less fear of government enforcement.
The original rolls were largely recruited from members of Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon (Self-Help Group), NarcoticsAnonymous, Crust Punk Vagabonds ("The Genuines"), AnarchistCulture, PrepperCulture and ConspiracyTheoryCulture. All of these groups had a deep and lasting effect on the original culture of the Guild.
Known founding members of the Guild include:
The Guild has never had a leader, though Guildmasters are people of unofficial authority within established Unknowns.
They have historically had some backing from states, most notably New Africa and formerly/surreptitiously United American Workers' Syndicates.
Cultural Currents
Upstream
Early Anti-Surveillance Culture
Downstream
Belief System
See also: Hitchhiker Culture
Their principles are expressed by The Hitchhiker's Oath, but some do go rogue. Notably, the first Monarch Of Ozarka was a Hitchhiker who got greedy. But for the most part they eschew power, riches & glory for the sake of their cause, which they refer to as The Principle of Being Small.
Hitchhikers are some of the last true believers on the continent, seeking to rebuild order and justice after what seemed like apocalyptic destruction.
It is not uncommon for Hitchhikers to find common cause with Unionists, but their goals are divergent. Hitchhikers seek to correct efforts of self-determination to do right, whereas Unionists seek a revanchist reunification of the United States of America. Hitchhikers are justifiably skeptical of restoring the state that created this chaos in the first place.
Membership
Membership numbers are low, by design. They are highly selective and secretive. Members must undergo a Hitchhiker Initiation ritual to confirm their membership.
Structure
The Guild is decentralized and atomistic, designed for each member to be as survivable and self-sufficient as necessary. There is no formal leadership structure, though one generally errs on the side of agreement with the local Unknowns & their Guildmasters.
Guildsmen will Apprentice for three years under the sponsorship of a more experienced agent, then progress to independent travel as a Journeyman.
A Journeyman has two paths to MasterHH:
1. A Master may select them for apprenticeship, teaching them the techniques required to be a Master. A Master Apprenticeship takes five years.
2. A Journeyman who has accrued a sizeable network and a certain level of experience in an area may find it more useful to travel less, serving instead as a hub for other Guildsmen. They are elevated to Master when their network considers them to be one.
As a Guildsman proceeds in the organization, they learn more advanced Shibboleth to verify their status of trust.
Still, this structure is informal. It is not unheard of for a Guildsmen to disagree with other members, and in rare cases come to direct conflict due to a difference in values.
If a Guildsman is generally agreed to have gone rogue, the The Regulators are the specialized internal task force Chapter for addressing such matters. Rogues are a black mark on the organization, and are dealt with ruthlessly because they threaten the legitimacy of the entire mission.
Operations
Hitchhikers are decidedly interventionist, where they have the power to be so in concordance with The Principle of Being Small. Being publicly known as a Hitchhiker could be a death sentence in some places, and even in the safer areas it's not a good idea because word always gets around.
The collective is somewhat small in number and works in subtle ways. They are not taking over areas, just tipping the balance so that they develop in the right ways. They prefer self-reliance and independence even when operating in concert, many teams splitting and reforming as needed for a task. Every member is intended to be autonomous, and able to travel, survive and blend into nearly any community or wilderness they encounter. As a result, vetting is cautious, intense and selective.
Their lifestyle tends towards the margins of society. Hitchhikers are more likely to camp in a homeless camp, TentCity, ruins, Outlands, Sprawls or wilderness rather than a location that would draw substantial attention to their means.
Still, it is not unheard of for Hitchhikers to infiltrate higher echelons of society, as the ideals of the organization transcend class. A Guildsman is encouraged to stick to the environment where they are most prepared, whatever that may be.
In effect, no Guildsman is expected to do it all - some specialize in wilderness survival, others in political intrigue, others in advanced technology, yet others in combat and sabotage. Their backgrounds run the gamut of races, classes & cultures.
Reputation
United American Workers' Syndicates
The Syndicates were an early supporter of the Guild, but later withdrew official support as they wanted to keep their hands clean of interventionist actions. Teamsters are often prime suspects for membership, despite their non-interventionist philosophy, but it's not unheard of. They often go to lengths to advertise that they are not Hitchhikers, and want no part in their often seditious endeavors. Any Teamster who acts too much like a Cowboy is at risk of being suspected a Guildsman. And it's not unheard of for a Cowboy to join the Guild, making for a powerful ally. Okay, the Syndicates are largely benignly infiltrated. It's a good thing for everyone.
Conversely, many Hitchhikers are critical of the often mercenary attitudes of Teamsters, frowning on those who work with slaver states and enable the worst actors, yet claiming a role of supposed neutrality. To the Hitchhikers, non-intervention is a pipe dream, and many Teamsters don't own up to their actions.
Northwest Pact
The Hitchhikers are almost universally welcome within the Pact territory. Their pro-social actions have been appreciated, though some holdouts resent their interventionism. But this remains one of the few regions where a Hitchhiker need not keep his identity secret, except for the need to keep it secret everywhere else.
Minneapolis Motor Syndicate
The MMS's outrage at the suspected intervention of Hitchhikers in The Akron Conflict was responsible for the Razing of Akron, the city being the supposed headquarters of the group. The Hitchhikers had indeed infiltrated the membership of Alcoholics Anonymous at that point and were using its network for recruitment, but Akron was not any kind of base of operations as the group was already decentralized from its inception.
Hidalgo
Zero tolerance. La Sindicación ("La Sín") does not really care who the Hithhikers are, but they are seditionists and thus targets for the most extreme brutality.
Kingdom of Ozarka
The Hitchhikers are nominally respected as part of the national myth of liberation, but this is still a monarchy that sees them as an existential threat. Modern hitchhikers are considered here to be a rogue branch of the true form, exemplified by King Felix I.
Dust Bowl & Outlands
Say what you want about the brutality of the Dust Bowl, but it's at least evenly apportioned there. A Hitchhiker is as likely to be victimized as anyone in these wild parts, so Being Small is an important survival strategy where you might look like an easy target.
Spanish Coast
Generally appreciated but seen as outsiders.
Notable Historical Hitchhikers
- King Felix I, first king of Kingdom of Ozarka
- Rabbit, original contributing author to Rabbit's Guide to North American Travel