The Sand-Tithe Guildhall
At the heart of the Quarter of Dust and Bone, where the clamor of trade echoes through the streets, stands the Sand-Tithe Guildhall—the largest and most influential merchant guild in Dum Ramil. Its towering, sand-scoured facade looms over the surrounding buildings, an enduring monument to commerce, control, and the ruthless order that governs trade in the desert city.
A Bastion of Trade and Power
The guildhall is more than a mere center of commerce—it is a fortress of influence. Every caravan that crosses the dunes, every merchant who sets up shop in Dum Ramil, and every transaction of true worth eventually finds its way through the Sand-Tithe’s ledgers. Trade in Dum Ramil is not free, and those who wish to prosper must learn to pay their due.
Despite its grandeur, the building itself is worn by time, its walls pitted and cracked by centuries of sandstorms. Yet within its halls, the scent of ink, parchment, and freshly minted coin lingers in the air. Stately columns rise toward a vaulted ceiling, their surfaces etched with the names of the wealthiest merchants to ever pass through Dum Ramil—a reminder that power here is measured not in bloodlines, but in wealth.
The Masters of Coin
To do business in Dum Ramil is to deal with the Guildmasters of the Sand-Tithe, a collection of the city's most shrewd and influential merchants. They oversee everything from taxation and trade routes to market disputes and embargoes, ensuring that no fortune is made without their knowledge.
While they present themselves as a civil council, few would deny that the guild’s methods often veer into extortion and intimidation. Those who refuse to pay their dues or attempt to circumvent the guild’s authority often find themselves out of business—or worse, lost in the sands without a caravan to guide them.
A Place of Opportunity and Danger
For aspiring traders, the guildhall offers immense opportunity—but only to those who can navigate its cutthroat politics. Deals are struck in secret, alliances are formed and broken in a single breath, and fortunes are both made and ruined within its shadowed corridors.
Many come seeking guild patronage, offering their skills or wares in hopes of securing protection and legitimacy. Others arrive in search of trade permits, lucrative contracts, or whispered information about which caravans will soon fall prey to desert raiders.
Those who wish to rise in Dum Ramil’s economic world must eventually pass through these doors. Few leave unchanged.
"If you own nothing in Dum Ramil, then you are owned by someone else. That is the law of the Sand-Tithe."
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