Mr Key's Associates
The business in which Mr Key and his associates engage in is slavery, they are the only slavers gang in the Empire, and are intent in keeping things this way. In oder to hide the true nature of their work from the law, and blend in with the Imperial nobles and merchants that may be able to afford their prices, they adopt a very business-like transactional attitude. In discussions, they refer to the people they sell as "product", and have a variety of ways of blending into high society gatherings and social groups, in order to find clients. The gang employs many enforcers who deal with transferring and securing "product", and few "merchants", who handle the buying, selling and in rare circumstances renting out of people kept by their organization. The majority of slaves are acquired by purchasing children from the desperate families in the world, and very rarely are adults captured and sold.
In the Empire, slavery is seen as an abhorent practice, and is punishable by death. While the Empire practices feudalism, slavery was used very heavilly by the demonic hordes that took over Tolhera after AngelDeath, as a result the practice is reviled by most, and heavilly hunted down by the Inquisition. Unlike most other crimes, the only ones who engage in it, besides Mr Key's Associates are the rich and well-connected, which makes stamping it out entirely a difficult task.
Mr Key himself is a mysterious figure, and is more of a symbol and calling card for the gang, rather than an actual person. He does not directly oversee any of his gang, and some even think he may not exist at all. The gang is centralised in Exelnar, where most of their business is done under the cover of the huge ammount of goods and people that travel the capital city. There, the well connected merchants of Mr Key sell lives for gold, and enjoy protection from those that would hunt them down. However, some have been captured by the Inquisition, and even nobles have been executed for participating, though at a large scale, the organization is flourishing as nobles become richer, more detached from the world, and seek to expand their tastes.
Mr Keys associates have very few dealings with outsiders, and only do so when it is nessesary. They have a very small presence on the Floating Refuge, and maintain it against the distaste of most pirates for their work. There, they keep informed about the dealings of other major players in the Empire underworld, and can set bounties, and hire the services of pirate crews for different purposes. The few pirate crews that tolerate their line of work are rewarded with huge ammounts of gold, lucrative deals and contracts, and legal and political protection by Mr Key and his associates in Exelnar.
In the Empire, slavery is seen as an abhorent practice, and is punishable by death. While the Empire practices feudalism, slavery was used very heavilly by the demonic hordes that took over Tolhera after AngelDeath, as a result the practice is reviled by most, and heavilly hunted down by the Inquisition. Unlike most other crimes, the only ones who engage in it, besides Mr Key's Associates are the rich and well-connected, which makes stamping it out entirely a difficult task.
Mr Key himself is a mysterious figure, and is more of a symbol and calling card for the gang, rather than an actual person. He does not directly oversee any of his gang, and some even think he may not exist at all. The gang is centralised in Exelnar, where most of their business is done under the cover of the huge ammount of goods and people that travel the capital city. There, the well connected merchants of Mr Key sell lives for gold, and enjoy protection from those that would hunt them down. However, some have been captured by the Inquisition, and even nobles have been executed for participating, though at a large scale, the organization is flourishing as nobles become richer, more detached from the world, and seek to expand their tastes.
Mr Keys associates have very few dealings with outsiders, and only do so when it is nessesary. They have a very small presence on the Floating Refuge, and maintain it against the distaste of most pirates for their work. There, they keep informed about the dealings of other major players in the Empire underworld, and can set bounties, and hire the services of pirate crews for different purposes. The few pirate crews that tolerate their line of work are rewarded with huge ammounts of gold, lucrative deals and contracts, and legal and political protection by Mr Key and his associates in Exelnar.
Dissinterest
The Sundered Bones have long been interested in being able to work with and trade with Mr Key's Associates, but they consider the Sundered Bones to be untrustworthy and unreliable.
Cooperation
The Caretakers find the line of work of Mr Key to be too far, but the Floating Refuge is critical or Mr Keys business interests, so his associates do whatever is required to maintain their position.
