Dusk Travelers

Merchants emerging from the Feywilds must brave a gauntlet of violence to reach their destinations. For those who bear the grey and silver badge of the Dusk Travelers, bandits and raiders may think twice before attacking. The Dusk Travelers emerged as a response and counterbalance to the Violet Company and have since served as its smaller, more intense, more professional counterpart.
The Travelers give loans, organize expeditions, monopolize on Feywilds trade, and project power for the Serene Principality of Okina. They use debts, threats, and the promise of protection and good deals to force raiding bands, families, businesses, towns, and even entire kingdoms into binding membership contracts. Once contracted, the Travelers work to bind the target's assets and financial future to that of the travelers. The Travelers like to keep what is theirs.
Where the Violet Company is decentralized and adaptable, the Dusk Travelers are centralized and controlling- providing more services but asking more from their contractors. This is a major competitive disadvantage for most Feywild tribes, but the Travelers have interests other than making money. They also serve as a vessel for Okina's spy network, assassins, and covert Ishkibite missionary network.
Within the boundaries of Okina, the Travelers have a complete monopoly on all trade and raiding.

Structure

• Grey Circle - Upper management and coordination, usually only found in Okina
• Emissary - Regional Managers
• Guide - Company representatives and mission assignments
• Master Merchant - Merchants with full membership
• Traveler Journeyman/Apprentice - Apprentices and Journeymen with full membership
• Oath Merchant - contracted merchants
• Oath Apprentice - contracted apprentices/journeymen
• Vassal Merchants - merchants under the effective control of the Travelers via debt or otherwise

History

The Dusk Travelers were founded in 850ME, after disloyal raiding and merchant families were purged in the "Night of Terror" by paladins of Deraksa, Goddess of Prophecy. The most loyal were granted absolute control over trade and raiding as long as they took orders directly from the Cult of Deraksa. Their structure was inspired by the Nefkan Traders in Purple- their primary rival- and would be used as inspiration for the Trader's second interation, The Violet Company. The Dusk Travelers became dominant throughout the Feywilds during the 1200's, and retained immense power until the Second Nefkan empire of the 1400's. 
When Okina fragmented following the 1700 coup, the Dusk Travelers became more detached from state authority but became the primary form of political access for merchant families and the religious powers that be. It has become a vital organ of state functioning since the new Okinan government of 1945.

Founding Date

850

Type

Guild, Merchant

Parent Organization

Serene Principality of Okina

Location

Okina