Merchant Class

"Kings, Queens, Barons, Nobles, Lords, none of them really matter. Sure, they make the laws. Sure, we are forced to at least pretend to listen to them, but let's face it, the only thing everyone actually listens to is the jingle of coin. And as rich as they all are, they are nothing compared to all of us."

The so-called Merchant Class of Arkland is a special designation given to those individuals who have established rich and powerful businesses within the nation of Arkland. As a nation that has grown powerful through trade, Arkland, at its heart, respects the power of money above all else. As a result, its society has remained relatively open and free to the idea that the individual can start and manage a business. Of course, they are subject to the ultimate will of the nobility who will own the land under which their business rests, but even the nobility is astute enough to understand that a person free to run a business is a person who generates more taxes.

As such, the business leaders of Arkland make up the Merchant Class, and they are a powerful political and economical force within Arkland. Powerful merchants control most of the shipping industry in Arkland from the loading and unloading of boats to the sailing of trading fleets. They are responsible for the delivery of goods to market, the storage of goods, for negotiating deals with foreign nations, and for the day to day flow of material through all of Arkland's ports.

The Merchant Class is also responsible for much of the employment and other business which exists within the larger cities of Arkland. The myriad businesses it takes to fuel the population of a city are invariably controlled by business organizations or individuals in the Merchant Class. From the cobbler to the cloth weaver, for those who do not work government or toil the land, they instead are on the payroll of the powerful Merchant Class.

## Merchant Armies

The Merchant Class often has need of the martial service or Lord Commanders. This generally comes in the form of marines which they need for the protection of their vessels while at sea but also, more importantly, while in foreign ports. One never knows if the shipping village one just landed in might suddenly decide to confiscate your goods rather than legally buy them. The marines help to make sure it is the latter. However, the Merchant Class also has need for land forces, especially those Merchants who run over-land trading businesses such as moving goods from the rivers of the South to the ports around the bay.

On rare occasions, Merchants may also have need for land based military forces of their own to defend from internal hostility. This could come either in the form of a rival business leader or even from a rival noble. Although the relationship between nobility and the merchants who live on their land is usually very amiable, the relations between a Merchant and the nobility who are seeking to take control of that land are generally quite hostile. As such, many times it is the businesses of the Merchant Class that are targeted by subterfuge or vandalism as the ceaseless power struggles between the nobility sometimes spill over into other areas of life.

## Merchant Fleets

Most of the naval vessels of Arkland are actually under the direct ownership of the Merchant Class. Other than the navy that the kingdom uses for defense, almost all vessels are owned and operated by trading businesses. This further includes many ships of war as the need to protect trading vessels during long voyages is paramount. After all, a merchant is ultimately responsible for the goods that were on a boat that has been pirated or sunk.

Most merchant fleets have a home port, and that port is usually chosen based on which port owner or noble will give them the best prices for maintaining and unloading their vessels. The largest ports are in King's Crossing and Chavriselle, but many ports exist all along the coast of the Bay of Kings.

## Merchants in Society

As with any society, the people with the most access to money and resources also tend to possess the most power within the society. This is true of the Merchant Class in Arkland, as well. Some of the Merchant Class are so rich that their wealth rivals that of much of the nobility. As such, these Merchants can often command more political power and sway than even the land owners of Arkland. They can manage this simply by leveraging their wealth. Putting a few coins in a pocket can change the mind of any person and sway them to your cause.

Merchants are also a very important part of the livelihood of the commoner. As basically commoners themselves, the merchants understand that it is through hard work and taking care of the people that ensures a long, healthy business. Thus, when the workers are unhappy, the merchant is unhappy. An unhappy merchant with enough money and clout is often the most capable of making sure any grievances are brought up and cleared with the nobility. A noble will never turn down a powerful merchant for an audience.

Further, as many commoners derive their livelihoods from working in the businesses of the Merchant Class, merchants also often become a sort of default for the governing officials of Arkland when they need to pass along information, collect taxes, or otherwise interact with the commoners. As such, the relationships between merchants and the political arm of Arkland is often quite strong and needed to maintain order.

Lastly, as they continue to grow in wealth, especially with good alliances, many Merchants eventually become nobility. This happens through the accrual of wealth and eventually the purchase of land from existing nobility. It could also happen as a grant from an existing noble who wishes to strengthen relations with a merchant or as a result of the continual power struggles between nobles. Thus, noble families which are new to power are most often products of a lineage of merchants.

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--Neil (talk) 20:14, 21 October 2016 (AST)