The Merchants Guild

The Merchants Guild is one of the most powerful groups in Maak Tir. They are called by different names, including the Merchants Guild, Empty Emgee, the Shopkeep Cabal, The Union, and the Bankers Guild because they generally have a hand in all major economic transactions and own most of the banks in the empire.

The symbol of the Merchants Guild is a golden wheel with 8 spokes. High ranking members of the Guild can be identified by the pin they wear in the shape of this symbol.

The Merchants Guild is divided into eight different branches:

• Agriculture/Fishing
• Alchemy
• Finance
• Governance
• Manufacturing/Crafts
• Mining/Forestry
• Real Estate
• Trade

Each branch is built on a hierarchical structure that includes arch-ministers, ministers, secretaries, clerks, and acolytes. Most people do not care enough to decipher the different levels, but even if they tried, they would find that there is a certain air of mystery to the business dealings of the arch-ministers. In theory, it is possible to become a member directly by applying at the headquarters, but the giant stack of paperwork is designed to turn away all but the most dedicated bureaucrats.

The Imperial Bank is closely aligned with the finance branch of the Merchant’s Guild. Although they are technically separate organizations for legal reasons, the bank and the guild are effectively the same group. Branches of the Imperial Bank can be found in every major city in the empire.