Trademaster
Trade is at the heart of Absalom’s wealth, power, and independence. Through trade, Absalom extends its influence into all corners of Golarion and even into planes beyond. Citizens of other nations might revere noble knights, warrior champions, or grand spellcasters, but citizens of Absalom admire the spirit of trade and entrepreneurship that lies at the heart of their city’s success. In Absalom, people aspire to attain the title of trademaster. Trade is the force that flows everywhere and touches everyone, and it can be mastered by anyone clever enough to do so. Those who can master trade can ultimately master the politics, armies, and navies of the world.
To attain the official title of trademaster within Absalom, one must prove able to run a trade or financial organization with a budget at least as large as that of a full-sized manor and do so legally and profitably for no fewer than five years. Only the Grand Council can grant the rank of trademaster, though they usually do so as a formality to acknowledge a request made by an existing trademaster or one of the district councils. The Council lacks a formal process for proving the claims of an applicant for trademaster. No existing trademaster or council has so far risked losing the ear of the Grand Council by knowingly nominating someone unworthy of the honor, however. The only political entity that can work outside of the Grand Council’s jurisdiction and grant the title is the primarch. Lord Gyr only used this power a handful of times during his reign. The Grand Council typically grants the Writ of Acknowledgment to a handful of prospects every year; some years see only a single new trademaster, while other years feature dozens receiving the title at once. Sometimes a year will go by without a new trademaster entirely, though this occurrence is particularly rare.
Trademasters have no official badge or designation, and the writ itself merely serves as a notification of the addition of the trademaster’s name to the city’s tax tolls. Over the centuries, however, trademasters have taken to wearing a beret or a sleeve-ribbon in the city’s colors. Many trademasters also add a gold and teal merchant’s scale to their coat of arms along with the motto “Ex Prothex,” which is interpreted to mean “first among equals,” to represent Absalom’s prominent role in the world economy (and, perhaps arrogantly, the trademaster’s rank relative to her peers). Absalom’s prime economic philosophy is that trade is a force influencing and influenced by everyone.
Beyond the prestige of the title, trademasters within Absalom enjoy tangible benefits. Trademasters receive a modest reduction in duties, tariffs, and other trade-related taxes. They might also appeal any trade dispute within Absalom directly to the Grand Council. In addition, the title of trademaster communicates to potential clients and business partners that the individual can successfully conduct a profitable business.
Although price fixing isn’t unheard of, it’s also strictly forbidden; the council and other trademasters diligently watch for such schemes. Any trademaster caught breaking these rules is severely fined and immediately stripped of their title. The former trademaster often finds difficulty in acquiring new wealth, as they become a disgraced pariah among the trademasters’ network. In a city known for its relatively laissez-faire attitude toward trade regulation, the strict adherence to these rules is intended to ensure free, open, and profitable trade.
To attain the official title of trademaster within Absalom, one must prove able to run a trade or financial organization with a budget at least as large as that of a full-sized manor and do so legally and profitably for no fewer than five years. Only the Grand Council can grant the rank of trademaster, though they usually do so as a formality to acknowledge a request made by an existing trademaster or one of the district councils. The Council lacks a formal process for proving the claims of an applicant for trademaster. No existing trademaster or council has so far risked losing the ear of the Grand Council by knowingly nominating someone unworthy of the honor, however. The only political entity that can work outside of the Grand Council’s jurisdiction and grant the title is the primarch. Lord Gyr only used this power a handful of times during his reign. The Grand Council typically grants the Writ of Acknowledgment to a handful of prospects every year; some years see only a single new trademaster, while other years feature dozens receiving the title at once. Sometimes a year will go by without a new trademaster entirely, though this occurrence is particularly rare.
Trademasters have no official badge or designation, and the writ itself merely serves as a notification of the addition of the trademaster’s name to the city’s tax tolls. Over the centuries, however, trademasters have taken to wearing a beret or a sleeve-ribbon in the city’s colors. Many trademasters also add a gold and teal merchant’s scale to their coat of arms along with the motto “Ex Prothex,” which is interpreted to mean “first among equals,” to represent Absalom’s prominent role in the world economy (and, perhaps arrogantly, the trademaster’s rank relative to her peers). Absalom’s prime economic philosophy is that trade is a force influencing and influenced by everyone.
Beyond the prestige of the title, trademasters within Absalom enjoy tangible benefits. Trademasters receive a modest reduction in duties, tariffs, and other trade-related taxes. They might also appeal any trade dispute within Absalom directly to the Grand Council. In addition, the title of trademaster communicates to potential clients and business partners that the individual can successfully conduct a profitable business.
Although price fixing isn’t unheard of, it’s also strictly forbidden; the council and other trademasters diligently watch for such schemes. Any trademaster caught breaking these rules is severely fined and immediately stripped of their title. The former trademaster often finds difficulty in acquiring new wealth, as they become a disgraced pariah among the trademasters’ network. In a city known for its relatively laissez-faire attitude toward trade regulation, the strict adherence to these rules is intended to ensure free, open, and profitable trade.
Type
Civic, Honorific
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