East Wind Trading House

The East Wind Trading House (or EWTH) is a highly profitable and powerful trading company of Aleverd. Able to exert extreme pressure on the military, the gentry, and even the Parlour of Peers, the EWTH is, in function, the most active and influential political body in the nation of Aleverd. The EWTH possesses vast holdings of land, shipping rights, and slaves in the Windward Isles.
== History ==
=== Founding ===
In the early days of Aleverd, the East Traders (as they were then known) made a meager living plying trade up and down the eastern coast of Aleverd. Composed mostly of private captains commanding their own ships, the East Traders were nevertheless an instrumental part of the early Aleverdian economy. 
This loose and informal coalition of captains was eventually united by Captain Edgar Wintersmith, who demanded and gained recognition by the Crown for their value as traders. Under Edgar's leadership, the trade captains of the eastern coast banded together as the East Wind Trading House. Operating under a royal charter, the EWTH enjoyed military protection from local pirates and access to the materials and infrastructure necessary to build and maintain ships, as well as economic incentives such as reduced tax and tariff. Indeed, the term "an Eastern Coin" is still used to refer to a profitable venture or a loophole in tax laws in Aleverd.
=== Early History ===
The EWTH was, even in it's infancy, a lucrative enterprise. Responsible for all trade and shipping along the eastern coast of Aleverd, the EWTH (or simply "the Company" as it came to be known) was entitled to a cut of 8% of all profit from trade conducted under its aegis. Rather than simply hoarding this money, Edgar Wintersmith (and later, his sons and grandsons) invested their earnings back into the company, setting up elaborate schemes of cargo insurance, personal transportation, mail delivery, and even small flotillas of "Private Gunships" (later to be known as Privateers) to expand and protect their little empire of trade up and down the eastern coast of Aleverd.
=== The Windward Isles ===
After the discovery of the Windward Isles by Bartholomew Tottleby, the EWTH quickly moved to explore, colonise and exploit this newfound territory. A loophole in their original charter (King Leopald having granted them "Dominion of all coasts and waters East of Fontinplas, or the Brackenswell and it's deltas, or the Temeric Strand and it's rocks") allowed the EWTH to establish a near-total monopoly of Aleverdian holdings in the Windward Isles. Swiftly leveraging this control, the Trading House mounted expeditions and founded colonies to exploit their new territories. Already, the Company was in a favorable political position as the nigh-exclusive holders of land and wealth in the Isles; but this position was cemented with the discovery of Prima Materia. This new resource, and its revolutionary value, swiftly catapulted the EWTH to the forefront of economic and political power.
=== Current Day ===
The East Wind Trading House of today is deeply ingrained, in some facet or another, in all aspects of daily life in Aleverd. The Postman delivers mail to and from the Windward Isles, the Crier tells news of the colonies in the town square, the speculator ponders the price of wheat and beef in the Isles, and the Admiral and General move their ships and troops by the Company's whim.
The EWTH has become such a necessary force within the economy of Aleverd that it's failure or dissolution is unthinkable- if such a tragedy were to occur, it would spell ruin for all, both the yeoman in the field and the Peer in the halls of the great. As such, the Government and Military of Aleverd have all but openly pledged themselves to the preservation and profit of the East Wind Trading House.
Though nominally headed by Bertram Wintersmith, from his headquarters in Giltham, it is commonly understood that the real power of the EWTH lies with Winthrop H. Butcher, head of the Local Office at Valbury's Landing on Dawnmount in the Windward Isles. A ruthless profiteer, Butcher has nearly tripled the Privateer Fleet of the Company, as well as "taking advantage of native labor resources" (enslaving the indigenous Goblins) to drastically increase the profits of regional plantations. It is also understood that Mr. Butcher has close ties with King Theodore Fairburne, who recently assumed the Throne.
==== Indenture ====
The EWTH acquires Indentured Servants primarily through the purchase of debt; when an Aleverdian citizen accrues debt beyond what they can reasonably pay, they or their creditors may choose to 'sell' this debt to the EWTH. Under this arrangement the debt is paid in full by the EWTH, and the debtor is obliged to perform labor for the EWTH until the Trading House deems the debt to be paid. In addition to monetary debt, the EWTH also recruits labor from petty criminals.
Under the terms of indenture, a worker's room and board must be provided, together with an allowance of 1 Hans, 3 Knochel per year for clothing, medicine, or personal use. 1 day (defined as 12 hours) of work is treated as 1 Hans off the Servant's debt. Overseers in charge of Indentured Servants may choose to award additional pay for good behavior or exemplary performance; or deduct pay for poor performance or behavior. 'Damages' may also be deducted from the pay of an Indentured Servant; 'Damage' being defined under contract as:
* Damage to Materials, Goods or Facilities owned by the EWTH, whether by Accident or Malice
* Loss of Production or Shipping due to Illness, Injury or Idleness
* Accrual of Debt while in Service of the EWTH
* Vice and Debauchary (Gambling, Whoring, etc.)
The terms of the EWTH allow Servants to 'pay' Damages into their time served; thus, a Damage of 30 Hans may be 'paid' into 30 additional days of Indenture.
Under these terms, many (indeed, most) Indentured Servants are obliged to serve the EWTH far beyond their agreed-upon periods. Criticism of these policies have been levelled against the EWTH; however, the influence and status of the Trading House ensures that little is done for the well-being of it's labor force.
==== Slavery ====
In addition to it's Indentured labor force, the EWTH also engages in Slavery in the Windward Isles. While Slavery was abolished in Aleverd nearly 100 years ago, the Law of Abolition has been ruled not to apply to colonies, territories and military holdings outside of mainland Aleverd. This loophole allows the EWTH to capture and enslave anyone not legally considered a Citizen of Aleverd. Fugitives, Mutineers and Deserters are all given to the EWTH out of hand (when not hung), as well as captives taken from hostile nations. However, by far the largest proportion of slaves are Gibi-Wana; a culture of Goblins native to the Windward Isles.