Merchant's Guild

One of the most powerful and omniprescent organisations in Maqbara, the Merchant's Guild holds unequalled infleunce over the world's politics and policies, profiteering and working amongst most other organisations and events, cementing their authority and place in history.

A World Paved in Gold

The Merchant's Union

Back in the early days of the Merchant's Guild,, it began not as the massive international organisation that is stands as today but rather as an economic alliance between a group of Silk, Gold and Weapons merchants that called itself the Merchant's Union. Originally, the organisation simply provided insurance, economic support and shared access to contacts, trade routes and economy insights but rapidly developed beyond its remit, beginning to turn into a debatably democratic corporation that held almost complete authority over those who sought membership. And yet, it wasn't until the Steward first got involved that the Merchant's Union first began its millenia-old metamorphosis into what exists today.

Midas' Steward

When the Steward was elected as the first Merchant's Guildmaster after "persuading" their fellow Merchant's Union members into passing numerous key reforms, it brought about a complete shift in how the organisation would be run, no longer a collection of merchants acting in a vaguely coordinated manner but instead an organised, directable coalition across most of the key industries of its day.
Intent on not only securing his power but also on expanding the Merchant's Guild, the Steward used his newly appointed position to order more, significantly more impactful, reforms into place, changing the economic policy and, most importantly, renaming the organisation to the Merchant's Guild. Through these effective, albeit highly controversial, decisions, the Steward managed to expand the Merchant's Guild not only beyond expectations but across boundaries that had been left unspoken since the formation of the Old Empire, becoming an international juggernaught that could rival most minor nations and threaten the interests of the Empire itself.

Rise and Fall

Even with the Merchant's Guild's meteoric rise, there were still major power vaccums and economic crisis that held it back as other organisations preyed on their weakness and their trade was disrupted by warfare. To make matters worse, the Steward's dealings with the gods had left the Guild technically under new management, almost cusing a revolt by the Guild's leading members, eager to finally get their time in charge.





Although the Merchant's Guild does not have a recognised territorial domain outside of their Subsidary Cities, the Guild still employs a retainer of professionals trained in the various legal systems and law codes of nations where they are active to write treaties, negotiate partnerships and secure new Subsidary Cities.

Type

Guild, Professional

Founders

• The Steward

Government System

Corporatocracy

Power Structure

Transnational government

Related Ranks & Titles

• Merchant Doge
• Merchant King
• Merchant Duke
• Merchant's Guildmaster

Notable Members

• Klaus Haufmann
• The Steward