The Trade Guild
From Breetown to Hightower, no place is outside the vast network of the Afiran Trade Guild. Traveling merchants wander between towns, bustling markets pack city squares, and great caravans link distant wonders. The power and effects of the Trade Guild can be found all over Afira. The organization goes far beyond a facilitator of trade, its mysterious leadership and secret police make it seem more like a state rather than a merchant guild.
Structure
The operating arm of the guild includes a wide variety of merchants and servants. These individuals are not separated by an orderly system and are ranked only by local merit. At the executive level, the leadership is heavily tiered. There are dozens of positions related to the reruitment and mannagment of merchants, and still more of keeps product moving around the contintent.
At the higher levels of power the system becomes more and more opaque. Some people get a promotion and are never heard from again. Others become more and more distant from society as they climb the executive ladder.
Culture
The Guild has a long history of mysterious and shady activity, executive members often act as if they have something to hide, and give evasive answers to straight questions about their work. Guild members are very cliquish and withdraw from non-guild society.
They all seem to know something, or be part of a cult or something
History
The guild started as a straightforward trade group. They helped comment sellers and buyers and funded maritime trade. They quickly grew into a well-known ally of trade. Thye grew and started hiring mercenaries to protect caravans, this service grew into a full-scale armed force will a vast array of skills. They built a great hall and market in the city of Hightower, that's when the weirdness started, a new leader took control of the board and the whole guild leadership retreated into secrecy.
Founding Date
1532
Type
Guild, Merchant
