Halcyon Trading Company
One of the most well known merchant guilds throughout Aecenys, the Halcyon Trading Company has established itself in Aurelia as a greater guild that wields an enormous amount of influence and power. Their reach is so prevalent that much of the city's governmental duties fall within its sphere of control.
Structure
As a merchant guild, the leadership and organization operates well when there is input from many different sources. Therefore even though the leaders of the guild are officially the guildmasters, there are several others that have significant say on the direction Halcyon takes, particularly the regional delegates. Instead of a true hierarchy of power, it is instead organized by divisional roles.
- Guildmaster - Primary responsibilities include providing the overall direction of the guild, including what goods to trade, and what factions to establish relationships with. Headquartered in Aurelia, although they do travel to other cities when negotiating valuable deals.
- Merchant Commander - In charge of protection of trade routes, on both land and sea. Negotiates contracts with mercenary groups, and commands naval protection while performing long distance trade on the sea.
- Treasurer - Manages the guilds wealth as well as its books. Responsibilities include bookkeeping, contract management, and ensuring all outstanding debts are settled
- Delegate - Representative of the Halcyon Trading Company in the various regions they operate. When guildmasters are not present, they are in charge of negotiating trade contracts and are responsible for ensuring all commodities are dispersed accurately across the region.
- Merchant - Typical guild member whose primary responsibility includes negotiating deals with local craftsmen guilds and acquiring goods to trade and sell. Any significant contract will be managed along with the local delegate, but most often the merchant is in charge of his own business.
Assets
The company owns and leases several vehicles to transport goods acquired from the craftsmen guilds they work with. This includes several trade carts, wagons and carriages all with their respective draft horse or donkey. They also entered in partnership with one of Riven's premiere shipwrights to build custom trade galleys. They currently own and operate a half dozen ships in the Aenean Ocean.
While they do not have a military force of their own, they do have several long-term contracts with mercenary groups meant for protection particularly for trade and transport along the Chancellor's Road. This includes agreements with the Crimson Spears, the Ironbound Legion, and even preferential treatment from the Aurelian Guard.
The Halcyon Trading Company also owns or partially owns several shops located in the larger cities of the Eastern Ring. This includes a heavy presence in the merchant districts of Riven, Beystone, Angelspire, and even Lucinia. The company's true role is to operate as middle-men, a way for craftsmen to sell their goods without having to establish a storefront themselves. By entering into contracts across several different industries, the merchant guild members gain an opportunity to learn the demands of citizens across the continent. This provides a significant economic advantage to the company and to its leadership.
All of these assets pale in comparison to the amount of wealth the Halcyon Trading Company has been able to amass. Significant hordes of gold remains hidden from public view in secret vaults built by the dwarves. They have been to amass such wealth through their most important contract of all - the dwarves of Clan Firebeard within the dwarven stronghold of Kazad Bryn. The gold the dwarven miners are able to generate from below the Burnt Mountains has been staggering. Their exclusive contract with the dwarves has allowed the company to generate wealth by operating as their own bank. It has also allowed Halcyon to take risks which has resulted in their status rising above all other merchant guilds.
Their wealth and influence has created opportunities with large factions like the Corinian Empire, the Kingdom of Ardor, and the Valorion Dominion.
History
The trading company began its storied history by setting up trade routes throughout Tusnya, working with small crafting guilds to deliver goods in a timely and respectable fashion. Unlike competitors who made most of their coin through war profiteering, the Halcyon Trading Company focused on natural resources like timber and precious metals like gold and silver.
After quickly finding success within Tusnya and establishing their headquarters in Aurelia, the company began looking beyond its regional borders and to the sea. By developing a strong relationship with the elves of Tol Annûn, Halcyon was able to safely trade with regions like Tyre, Ardor, and Cespion. Although overseas trade remains restricted to a few select commodities, it still became a profitable venture. Raw materials and easily portable luxuries became a staple of the Halcyon Trading Company, and became known throughout the Eastern Ring for always having gold bullion on its ships.
Because of the regional influence it garnered through highly successful trade operations, the company earned a stellar reputation at home in Aurelia. Economic decisions of the city were passed on to Halcyon, and soon the merchant guild had a commanding voice on what the city's future will hold. By integrating itself into the very fabric of the government, it was evident that the guildmasters were really the ones in charge.
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