Gold Scale Merchants

few see their aims as a threat or competition to personal claim...

John Bakker

The Gold Scale merchants are an organization of Kadru cooperating for economic gain as well as aiming to establish themselves as a legitimate organization within the EUS structure. The Gold Scales travel Sol, establishing trade deals, making friends with the locals and always trying to set up green ghettos. The well-known goal of the Kadru is to cut a slice of Sol for themselves, and currently, their eyes are on Mars. The Gold Scale Merchants seek to make a reputation in Sol as legitimate businessmen, impress the leaders of the EUS, the SDA as well as all locals. The Gold Scales do not attempt to hide their goals of making a home on mars from others, however, due to their persuasive techniques, few see their aims as a threat or competition to personal claim.
The Gold Scale Kadru get their name from the dull sandy-yellow hue common to Kadru scales. It may also be in honor of their leader Karnelian, a King-Brood Kadru with rare bright gold colored scales. The clutches of Kadru that follow Karnelian are vast and loyal, so much so is their devotion to Karnelian that despite the different beliefs and aims of the Various broods Karnelian has them all cooperating without many squabbles. However, whether their devotion to Karnelian is born out of respect for fair rule or fear of the legendary power of their ruler is unclear.
The Gold Scale Kadru travel Sol in large armed ships called Bazaars. Hulking Cargo ships carrying wares from world to world as well as serving as the home for a culture of Kadru. Some merchants but mostly Pilgrim mothers and fathers ferrying their egg clutches in hopes of setting up a new home on Mars in a Green Ghetto by lending their labor to the bazaars.

Structure

The Gold Scale Merchants are currently led by Karnelian, the Cockroach King, the hero that brought order to the Kadru after the chaos following their species arrival in Sol.
Following Karnelian are his many merchant lords; some are mere captains of small bazaars or admirals of entire trade caravans but all are granted a seat in the Cockroach King's court, having earned some level of the High Scale's respect.
Each Merchant lord's particular hierarchy varies and follows no hard regulation. Some organize their bazaars into a hierarchy based on brood, some strength, others are pure merit.
It is common for merchant lords to employ Giecomb laborers by clipping their antennae. This makes the Giecomb far more susceptible to suggestion. These "employed" Giecomb aid in land-based trade and are rarely treated humanely.

Public Agenda

To first make a home for themselves by establishing green ghettos on mars and to secondly become the primary transporter of goods, resources and services throughout the system.

Assets

The main asset of The Gold Scale is their fleet of hulking Bazaar class cargo vessels. When the Kadru crossed through the God's Eye Meld event that carried them from their universe to ours, these are the ships that carried them through. Their fleet is not as large as the EUS fleet, nor as well armed, but the technology powering the Bazaars is second only to angel tech and certainly far more advanced than any human frigates. While the particulars of Kadru technology are very complicated, it is worth noting that Kadru ships are powered by energy-based creatures from their home universe, by channeling their energy throughout the ship the Kadru can power all of their intricate systems. Beyond that, each Bazaar is massive, able to support a thriving society of nearly a thousand Kadru, beyond that of the official crew working the ship.
Protecting the Gold Scale fleet are the rare Citadel class vessels. These crafts are smaller, more maneuverable and heavily armed allowing them to protect the Gold Scale cargo routes from any violent interlopers. Unlike the Bazaar class vessels, citadels vary in size and shape depending on the merchant lord commanding it.
However, it has many times been said the most valuable asset the Kadru have is their trade acumen and the vast trove of wares filling the bellies of their hulking Bazaars.

History

The history of the Golden Scale merchants begins with the previous era of Kadru society. On another plane of existence, in a galaxy plagued by war, the serpentine race of Kadru fought to maintain a loosening grasp of several systems. Planet by planet fell to an invading threat referred to as the Travellers. In a last-ditch effort to push back the Traveller forces, the remnants of the once powerful Kadru culture pushed to the edge of their territory, set off a theretofore untested superweapon. In a flash, the Kadru royal navy was gone.
What was intended to be a local warp in space-time capable of crushing the invading traveler forces had instead triggered a God's Eye event. Suddenly the Kadru fleet, consisting of a few warships and many cargo-ships and transport vessels, was floating peacefully just inside the asteroid belt. No longer refugees seeking to reclaim their lost home, the Kadru were refugees in a strange land. Chaos erupted in the ranks of the military.
Warlords and religious leaders turned on one another, after what is referred to as the Week of Venom, one King-brood warlord stood atop the bodies, This Kadru was Karnelian, The Cockroach king. Known as such not for cowardice or decay, but due to his survival of the bloodbath. According to legend, Karnelian had been involved in several conflicts but never drew his word (how exactly the last competitor died changes from person to person). During this time the local ruling power, The EUS had surrounded the kadru fleet and was waiting patiently for the Kadru to either murder themselves, give the EUS reason to engage or start talking.
The minute Karnelian sat in the command chair of the Golden Citadel, he addressed the EUS, in a short but powerful speech he explained his people's blight, sought asylum and offered Kadru's worth as merchants and transporters of goods, people, and services. After a month being held at the asteroid belt, the kadru were formally welcomed into the EUS as a trade organization with limited visas. This trade organization is The Golden Scale Merchant League.

The Code of the Cockroach-King

The unofficial creed of the Golden Scale Merchants is Known as the Code of Karnelian or the Code of the Cockroach-King. It is the guideline held for operating practices while dealing with other Golden Scales, unaffiliated Kadru and the other species. It lays out non-interference guidelines over GSM trade routes and trade ports. It explains when it is acceptable to engage in combat and when not to. It has many many recommendations based on decisions made in the High Scale's court. Some reflect the court's decisions, other reflect Karnelian's own thoughts despite allowing the court to rule otherwise.
It is a fluid and ever-changing document that updates fairly frequently but is only spread in hard copy. Some Merchants may have very old copies that will contradict others more current copies. for this reason, it is held as an unofficial modus operandi that holds no true weight in the Golden Scale Court.

Unofficial Practices

The Golden Scale Merchants officially discourages piracy and privateering, such practices are a threat to their trade routes and to the integrity of their products. However, few believe that there is no connection between the attacks by all Kadru crews against competing trade organizations, especially when lost cargo mysteriously appears in the holds of a Kadru Bazaar. You can only claim a God's Eye event Placed it there so many times! Such attacks are considered illegal by the Golden Scale Council but little is done to reprimand merchant lords engaging in these practices. As for the EUS, so long as piracy stays in the private sector and EUS stations and ships are left unscathed, the Earth Council has elected to allow it to remain an internal issue for the Golden Scales.
When on occasion a Captain is removed from the Merchant league for privateering, they typically continue to raid ships on their own but give official Golden Scale ships a very wide berth. A scorned or outcast Kadru is not welcomed home from their exile happily.

Splinter groups and unaffiliated Kadru

Some Kadru elected not to follow Karnelian and once granted rights to fly in EUS space went off on their own journies. Many decided to merely in with already established colonies stations and cities, others formed splinter factions. The two most prominent factions to leave the Golden Scale Merchants are The Shrouded Eye and The Shattered Sang.

The Shrouded Eye

The shrouded eye is an order of priests that believe the kadru were brought to the Sol system by an unknown Divine Power as punishment for their hubris in their home system. They left the Golden Scale Merchants in defiance of what they saw as more of this same hubris realized in a new form. The Shrouded Eye Kadru live a simple life devoted to the study of zendikite and God's Eye events, hoping to glean some information about who sent them here and why.
The name Shrouded Eye comes from their belief that the eyes of a kadru are the source of their hubris, hiding them is the path to humility. It has a dual meaning, however, representing the shroud of the God behind their exile and all God's Eye events.

The Shattered Fang

When Karnelian made the controversial decision to alter the structure of Kadru society and head forwards as a merchant and market-driven society, many of the old guard soldier brood kadru felt it was near sacrilege. Many thousands of soldiers, warriors, and their clutches left the fleet to continue following the warrior code and maintaining the practices of the old world Kadru. The shattered fang, unlike the other two kadru factions, is more of a code of ethics and banner carried by many unaffiliated kadru. They do not have a single formal structure or leader, but all follow the same warrior code. Like most other kadru, The Shattered Fang have no true home outside their ships and wander the system searching for work as mercenaries, hired muscle and bodyguards.
The name shattered fang comes from an old Kadru Saying "Eyes will go blind, tails will be lost, hands will be broke and even when the fangs shatter, we will fight on."

Neither Freeze, Fight nor Flight When a Bargain Can Be Struck

Despite the shift from their once conquest determined society before their tragic exodus, the Kadru still view themselves as domineering and can be quite haughty in casual conversation. The Golden scales are no different but will often feign humility if it might seal a trade.
It is worth noting, while the Golden Scales as an organization is market focused, many many Kadru still practice a time-honored cultural warrior code.

Under Karnelian the merchant lords make up a confederate council. Karnelian calls the shots, but Merchant lords act as delegates for the various ships operating in the Kadru fleet.
The Golden Scales are rather progressive for Kadru society as Karnelian is the first ruler to enact a constitution that holds the ruler accountable to those he governs.

Type

Financial, Merchant League

Capital

The Inner Rim

Alternative Names

Kadru League of Merchants

Demonym

Gold Scales.

Government System

Monarchy, Constitutional

Power Structure

Confederation

Economic System

Traditional

Parent Organization

Gold Scale Merchants

Subsidiary Organizations

• Gold Scale Merchants

Location

The Inner Rim

Relations with the EUS and other major faction within Sol have been cordial thus far. The Kadru serve a purpose to both inner rim and outer rim factions by acting as a third party or middleman between groups that would prefer not to deal with one another.
The Ratone family sees the Golden Scale Merchants as a threat to their black market trade as many Bazaars smuggle contraband and can do so in far greater quantities as the EUS doesn't have the resources to sufficiently searching each of these massive Kadru Cargo ships.