The Tea Merchants of Yor

There are a couple of kinds of Tea merchants. There are those who live locally and run the tea shops which sell cups of tea and dried tea packages to take home. And there are those who travel and take the tea wider afield. There are also those who work with small businesses and those who work on a more commercial scale. 
The travelling tea merchants often cause quite a stir when they arrive in town and will be put up in a nice inn and anyone who can afford to will purchase a cup of tea or some dried tea. It is not cheap as the production can be expensive, particularly if they have a Yor Tea Cake Press as part of their process.

Career

Qualifications

They must have at least 2 years experience as an apprentice, tasting and trialing the tea. Becoming familiar with its aromas and flavours. And also the whole process. Every tea merchant has spent time at each step of the process of tea production so they are familiar with the intricacies.

Career Progression

They often start as farm hands in the tea fields. They progress through all the roles on a farm to learn the ins and outs thoroughly. They may work in a local shop before being trusted to go out on the road selling to the towns and villages of the Aswarian Empire. Some may be assigned to be the King's offical tea merchant but for the most part they work as a group.

Payment & Reimbursement

They are paid well for their time and the risk of travel. Some are independant but most are sponsored/employed by one or more of the tea houses. They may also be asked by the Tea Bee Keepers to take some of the Tea Honey with them to sell and get a percentage of the sales.

Other Benefits

They get to see the world. They are well respected wherever they go.