Merchant Venturers

The Merchant Venturers are the guild of bulk traders and wholesalers of Morton. From their Guildhouse, that sits between the Strand and Duke's Square they control much of the bulk trade of goods in and out of Morton. They have an uneasy relationship with the Boatmen's Guild and the Morton Porters Guild reflecting the fact that few of the merchants directly control their own transport but while the boatmen control the river, the main quay and the market place of the Strand are firmly the domain of the Merchant Venturers.
There are many other merchants and bulk traders operating in Morton - the Merchant Venturers do not claim a monopoly on trade, but they do exert a range of controls on it. They own outright the market space and quay, but also have considerable control over trade from the other markets of the town, exercised through the Market Wardens. This draws an income from the stall holders and traders (or in the case of the Stockyard , from the auctioneers) as well as controlling the rules by which the markets operate. Their other major advantage is their exemption from the tolls and charges imposed on goods entering Morton.
Admission to, or ejection from the Merchant Venturers is rare and most of the current houses have been members of the Guild for several generations. The last house to be ejected was the Golden Lion, ejected in 1022 for the systematic adulteration of the grain that was shipped through its warehouses. Their assets in the town were confiscated and the family barred from trading within the walls of Morton for 2 generations. The last admission was the Crimson Hare, in 1015 which contributed 200,000 Dukes to Guilds Care as a mark of their wealth and committment to the town.

Structure

The Merchant Venturers are made up of the dozen or so major trading houses that are based in Morton. This is small for a guild, but each of these houses is a significant employer both within the town and in many of the other towns in the Duchy and along the Durran River. Each house is represented by one member of the guild council and this council, unlike the other guilds, operates a rotating chair for its meetings and decision making (as well as for covering the town council meetings and any other ceremonial aspects of the town's business). This is to prevent any one house being in a position where it could unfairly swing the trade policies of the Duchy. Whilst it can result in some jockeying and shenanigans around the timing of some key meetings the system seems to work well.

Type

Guild, Merchant

House Names

The naming conventions in the Moran Duchy make it difficult to maintain a family name over several generations. Instead the trading houses pick an emblem which they use as their trade mark and seal. This may have some connection to their family history or be an invention for the purposes of guild membership. Although There is nothing to prevent non-guild traders trading in such a style, it is generally seen as presumptious and even laughable - everyone in Morton knows which are the true houses forming the Guild.
The current members are (in order of seniority):-

• Two Fish

• Red Tower

• Wolf's Head

• White Rose

• Red Boat

• Two Stars

• Cup and Bowl

• Sun and Star

• Checked Board

• Golden Rule

• Star and Moon

• Crimson Hare

Newcomers to the town should take care to note these names for much embarrassment can arise and offence be taken from the assumption that the Two Fish (for example) is a tavern.