Trade Consortium of Blix
The land of trade, where one can find the wonders of the world if you have the coin in your pocket.
Capital: Terrin (pop)
Major Settlements: Mercst (pop), Vensta (pop), Terrin (pop), Bossol (pop), Junt (pop), Sart (pop), Netun (pop), Urist (pop), Pult (pop), Daftin (pop), Calim (pop), Gelium (pop).
Ruler: Trade-Master Tammerillion Godscoin (M, Halfling).
Government: Democratic Mercantile Senate
Major Races: Halflings, Numistian, and Boggle.
Major Faiths: None.
Resources: Trade goods of all types.
Languages: Bartongue (barter tongue or trade tongue), Halfling, Numistian, common, under-common.
History
After the Calling, Porphyra was in upheaval, as the world began to settle, there were new races and realms in abundance. There were also areas unclaimed by the new powers or the old. And one such area is where the Trade Consortium of Blix would grow into an economic power. It is recorded in the Scrolls of Mercantile Interchange that the Consortium began as a gathering of twelve Halfling clans. The clan chiefs decided that rather than compete with each other they would each focus upon a particular area of goods then pool their resources to further their collective interests. Thus the Twelve Great Trading Houses were born and the Republic of Merc was founded. The republic prospered but soon the Twelve Houses found themselves becoming overwhelmed by the demand of their goods. Production was failing to meet demand and trade routes were thinning.
That is when Blix found his way to the replublic. Blixander Coinspun was a halfing that had been bit by the bug of wanderlust early in his life. He could not resist the tales of other lands both ancient and landed and thus spent the greater part of his life abroad. But as he grew soft in the foot, he began to long for home and pleasures of working through the maze of trade contracts and business agreements while sipping imported Nether Cognac and smoking a churchwood of Half-T'bac, and so he returned to his homeland of the republic. Blix did not return alone though, he brought with him the salvation of the replublic, Boggles. He had befriended a clan of Boggles during one of his many adventures (recorded in the Chronicles of Blix and other worldly tales, purchasable at any fine bookstore within the Consortium) and had found them a fascinating peoples. So when Blix returned home he founded the Thirteenth Great Trade House of the Republic. Driven by the industrious nature of the Boggle clan he employed, Blix prospered, and soon began to outsource his Boggles to the other Great Trade Houses. Before long the entire Republic was revitalized, as production soared of old and new products alike. Trade with the rest of Porphyra was never higher.
Then disaster. Known forever as the beginning of the Great Depression, a plague swept across the Republic. If it were a simple virus or bacterial pandemic, it would have been contained. Rather, it was the Bon Flue, the Boggle primordial drive to continue their species. In a space of a month, every Boggle in the republic had been affected. No longer focused on creating new works, their industrious natures had given way to fits of fanciful performances, communal gatherings that would last for weeks on end, and the noise. Ask any of the Halflings that lived through the Great Depression and they will tell you that nary a night of sounds sleep was had. The Republic was faltering, production was ground to a halt and trade was waning.
It was then that the Numistian arrived. They brought with them a proposal for the Republic and more importantly a cure for the Bon Flue. Elected by the council of chiefs to represent the Republic, Blix negotiated the terms at the Glentia Customs Accord (GCA). When the GCA was ratified, the Republic of Merc was no more. In its place now stood the Trade Consortium of Blix. Nine of the Halfling Great Trade Houses remained reformed into the Nine Guilds, backed by the now restored Boggle Labor Unions and bolstered by the exotic Numistian Import Syndicates, once again the hub of commerce was restored to Porphyra, reaching even greater heights than before. Though to this day, the number thirteen is considered unlucky within the Consortium, to the point of the number being excluded in all but matters of currency and trade.
Current Events
The Trade Consortium is the hub of commerce and trade on Porphrya. It is said that no kingdom has deeper pockets and that no pocket is emptied without the Trade Consortiums approval. The Trade Consortium is ruled by the Mercantile Senate composed of democratically elected representatives from each of the Guilds, Unions and Syndicates. A Trade-Master is elected by the Senate to represent the Consortiums interests in matters of global politics, this occurs once every twelve years.
The capital of the Consortium changes with the seat of the Trade-Master, thus it is an influential and prized position.
No religion holds sway in the Consortium save that of the coin, yet none are banded, for all coin is welcome within the Consortium as long as their is profit to be made.
Major Settlements
The Guild Cities: each of the Nine Great Guilds central power is housed within the Guild Cities of Mercst, Vensta, Terrin, Bossol, Junt, Sart, Netun, Urist, and Pult.
Though not as large as the Guild Cities, the Floating Syndicate Holds of Daftin, Calim and Gelium are said to be able to sate the most exotic of appetites.
Intrigues (Hooks)
- The Mercantile Senate has been infiltrated by Doppelgangers causing unrest within the consortium both in the Labor Unions and Import Syndicates.
- Isolated break outs of Bon Flue have been reported, could a new Depression be looming?
- The Kingdom of XXX (insert appropriate other land) has began exporting some of the rare goods typically found in the Consortium via the Import Syndicates. Where are they coming from?
Regional Traits
- A Merchants Eye: You gain a +2 trait bonus to any Appraise checks.
- A Mind for the Small Print: You gain a +2 bonus on any Sense Motive or Bluff check when in negotiations.
