Golden Weld Association

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*"obedire lucrum" - the slogan of Golden Weld Association*

## **Description**

The Golden Weld Association, or simply referred to as the GWA, is the biggest and most popular association of merchants across Tealon. They are currently leading technologies of Tealon with the best magicians, alchemists, and blacksmiths. The origin of the name comes from trading only in Welds. GWA doesn't have specific locations but its main office is based in Larin. They have a good reputation among citizens for their good deeds, such as supporting orphanages and allowing citizens to use the roads of GWA without tolls. GWA has its own trade routes in sea and overland, which is the fastest and safest route that is open to the public. They have branches in each region of Tealon and have storage and stores in every city of Tealon. Over 10,000 GWA members are now working for the wealth of the association.

### **Businesses**

GWA has influence in almost every business but the main area is arms sales. Quality of weapon/armor is best in Tealon. Especially weapons, nobody can win GWA as a quality weapon because wootz steel products/Damascus weapons are only sold at GWA. But, they are now expanding and focusing on other businesses like a musical show, opera, high-end furniture, teas, fine dining, clothing, and accessories with magical enchantments. Their business expansion was successful and the culture of doing everything only with GWA's products to show off wealth has begun to be the trend among noble societies. Now nobles are Listening opera of Association, tasting tea of Association, sitting furniture of Association, eating cooking of Association, wearing a dress of Association and accessories of Association.

After successful business expansion in noble society, they started to turn their focus to the private market. More specifically, the only market that they didn't touch yet. But, there was a problem which is their brand value. Their sales strategy was 'highest price for highest quality. This means if they target the commoner's market and reduce their price and quality, their brand value will be damaged. So they started to takeover 7~10 guilds as their affiliate to use their name to expand, there were also famous guilds like The Mercenaries' Guild and The Equestrian Mercenary Corp.

Due to it being a large-scale takeover, they spent half of their hard cash currently so they will refrain from large-scale activities until they become stable again.

### **Plans/Operations**

Another face of GWA is '**merchants of death'**. This name is famous in the underworld. They have been directly and indirectly involved in every war and conflict in the last decade, GWA grew up fast while selling weapons in all wars and conflicts, and the GWA has shown no mercy to those who disturb them. And now, they are showing ambition about making some abandoned lands their land. Frostheart mountain is already fully secured by Association and a large military operation occurred at fang island. Most scholars are predicting they will try to take past-red dawn empire lands after they are done with western kingdom issues. Also, some rumors that they found something in the south of western kingdoms, but this is still just a rumor.

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## **Structure**

### **Worker of Association**

"They're selling their lives for a few coins. Welds can have much value, but if you ask me if it's as expensive as life, i don't think so." - ???, Unknown Merchant

Outsiders of the association. Those in charge of chores such as horsemen and simple porters. They are not official members of the GWA, but just daily workers. They are provided with only simple information like destination. Their wage is 1 Weld per 3 month, they receive more wages than other daily workers on the condition of keeping secrets. Actually, high wages include the cost of life. This is because it is the easiest counterpart to obtain information about GWA's transports.

Workers are not counted as member of Association.

### **Assistant of Association**

"Most of us started there. Even me" - "C", Executives of Association

The starting line to become a merchant of association. They usually learn about paperwork and commodity management and prepare to become Merchant of Association, in short, probationary period. These are not yet full members. Their wage is 1 Weld per month. It takes an average month for them to become a Merchant of Association.

Over 2100 Assistants are learning work at the association.

### **Merchant of Association**

"Think one more time before you sign, once you sign, there's no going back." - ???, Golden Weld Association Mercenary

The members of the association. They become aware of the secrets of GWA. And because of that, they sign a contract which is called 'last chance' to keep all the secrets of association before becoming a merchant of association. Five to ten people will be deployed for every GWA transport to manage supplies and control workers. When normal, get scattered to each branch and do paperwork, customer service, etc. Their wage is 2 Weld per month. Most people stay at this position because they can live rich enough with their wage and its really hard to become manager.

Over 3000 Merchants are working for the association.

### **Manager of Association**

"If you've come this far, it means you have wealth and fame, but no one stops here, because everyone in here has ambition." - Henry Hudson, Leader of Association.

The elites of Association. These are managers of branches, 4 managers control each branch and managers in the branch are divided into charge of logistics, charge of administration, charge of information, charge of security.

Charge of logistics manages all supplies in the branch and requests supplies if there is a shortage. Charge of administration manages monthly revenue/loss and makes plans for sales strategies and advertising. The charge of information is to manage information for obtaining and reporting all the information in the area. Treats individuals, confidential organisations, fledgling guilds/associations, and political situations as key information. The charge of security manages all convoys and security forces in the area. However, it is much more efficient to undertake this task in the GWA mercenaries, and they are actually working on it. In fact, the real role of charge of security is to deal with smuggling or clandestine transactions/actions. Wage of managers are 30 Weld per month.

44 managers are working to become executives.

### **Executive of Association**

"Welcome to the highest place a commoner may visit." - "A", Executives of Association.

The control tower of the Association, in other words, control tower of the Tealon economy. These are the richest people in the richest Association in Tealon. These people are the only commoners who can be equal with the nobles because of capital power that can't be compared to anyone else. They spend most of their time dealing with nobles, or meeting with other organizations. When they serve as executives of Association, they cover their faces with golden masks, and their identities are kept secret. Very few people, including their families, know about the real face of executives. There are 7 people in total, and they are called alphabets. The Executive of Association is not taking wages, just takes money from local GWA shops when it needs money.

### **Leader of Association**

“Everyone dreams when they are young, but not many people achieve their dreams. But I did it. And I'm not going to stop.” - Henry Hudson, Leader of Association.

Henry Hudson, who is the founder of the GWA is current leader of Association. He is one of the most important individuals in Tealon. Famous than kingdom rulers, every single word he says shakes the economy of Tealon, and most importantly, he has a connection with every single noble, and it's a most likely positive relationship.

*credit: cmj07245#5463 Captain Carl#6969 (...) BAGUETTENESS#2423 for making memes on this page*