Rainbow Ribbon Caravan

A collection of individual traders, travelers and artisans. This one large group first came together when a small company, it's name now forgotten to the decades, sold their shop, home, and nearly everything they owned to buy a cart and 2 capable pack animals. They took what was left of their goods, and began to travel along the roads, stopping at each town and village, no matter how small. Through skillful trading and intense bartering, it's said they gained their wealth by selling Go'danro sand in small bottles, trading up and up until one day they had the papers to make themselves nobility within Goldscape (which they promptly sold).
At some point during the travels, a small group of refugees from Woadpress sought to join them, citing safety in numbers. Unsure of where they were even going, the refugees stayed with the caravan for nearly a year, doing labor for the small company. As time passed on, an apprentice jeweler joined the caravan to sell his shotty work in other lands where he was unknown. The refugees, having come from the Sinstram capital of goldworking, took them under his wing. As his skills improved, his craft became more demanded and nobles would request the entire caravan visit their towns and cities. The caravan, growing in wealth, hired guards, which attracted more travelers seeking safe roads. Enjoying the chance encounter of the jeweler and refugees, the formally nearly bankrupt company that started the caravan opened it's arms to any that requested to join were simply told to pick a spot in the line and keep up.
Now nearly 4 decades later, the caravan hovers around 300 people as strangers come and go. It is comprised of dozens of individual carts, small families walking, and solo riders. The Rainbow Ribbon Caravan's worldwide travels have caused it's adoption of dozens of colors, races, professions, and has earned it it's name.

Defences

At any one time, the Rainbow Ribbon Caravan has a strict "4 paid guards per 50 strangers" rule in place. They are to be professionals with experience (often tested against the most trusted of the caravan guards), make a flat rate, are fed, and have their preferred non-magical gear maintained and repaired for free. The average length of a full time guards stay as a result is 12 years. Guards not assigned to the "vault" carts are allowed personal steeds to ride alongside the caravan, but often are tasked with driving the carts.

Industry & Trade

Besides trading of their stockpiles of goods, it is common for the caravan to buy products directly from artisans and traders traveling with them, typically at a discount price. This most commonly happens when a trader is about to leave the caravan itself to go a different direction, but wants some security in their profits by selling to a guaranteed buyer before attempting to sell leftover goods for more in other locations. Additionally, due to the variety of professions that often tag alongside the caravan, it is considered both polite and "tradition" to give the owners of the caravan a cut of any profits as you ride alongside them, though this isn't actually enforced beyond social pressures.

Infrastructure

Owned directly by the leaders of the Rainbow Ribbon Caravan:

3 "Barrack" carts, which are large closed cabins that allow up to 6 to sleep in hammocks, even when the cart is traveling.

1 medical cart, where healers may work their craft on the road in exchange for food, supplies, and oftentimes, better pay then the villages they left behind.

1 "forge" cart, a small workshop built of stone, and riding along reinforced stone wheels. It has a small forge, and is pulled by 2 elephants. 

3 "vault" carts, made of metal, having 3 full time guards each, with 2 inside, and 1 watching from the fortified roof. Inside each cart is said to be all the wealth the caravan has gathered, but rumors state the "special" items are kept hidden in other permanent carts. 

2 "temple" carts, with one being specifically to Khaleed, and the other having small shrines to Eztar, Korrick, and Skrill.

Assets

The caravan often has anywhere from 10-15 independent traders (who may bring their own guards), 5-10 artisans, 2-4 medical staff, 1-3 entertainer troupes, and 16-32 paid guards. It is common for religious pilgrims or nobles join alongside the caravan as well which may provide additional magical services or political boons. 

---

It is estimated that the caravan, including carts, stores, animals, and goods, is worth anywhere from 3500 gold pieces to 10,000 gold pieces, though it is mostly in trade goods, and not actual currency. Actual currency is also split up into dozens of different national and local currencies, which oftentimes simply aren't accepted outside of their place of origin, making the caravan itself an unsavory target to most, despite it's "actual value".

Founding Date

5 First Arrival Era (FAE)

Alternative Name(s)

The Long Caravan, World Carts, Townboon Caravan

Type

Caravan