The Britannian Merchant League Charter

Guild Description:

The organization is called the “Britannian Merchant League”. It is a collective of merchants and craftsmen who work for the benefit of each other and promote cooperation among merchants of various trades rather than competition. Along with this, we work to assist and support the well-being of the kingdom of Britannia. It is also created to allow prospective apprentices to learn under a master of their desired craft.

Skills considered as craftsmen skills:

Blacksmithing
Mining
Tinkering
Carpentry
Tailoring
Fletching/Bowmaking
Lumberjacking
Inscription
Alchemy

Full Membership:

Merchant Lords/Ladies - 3 seats. A Tribunal to make certain final decisions like discipline. May raise any issue at meetings. A merchant lord is either a founding member of the guild, or a person chosen to fill the seat by a vote of all full members following, an election, retirement, or death. All Merchant Lord nominees must meet the criteria of a Merchant.

Merchants - Unlimited number of seats. People capable of running a successful business with their crafts and are capable of teaching an apprentice. Merchants may raise any issue at meetings. Must have two trade skills of 75% unless it is in alchemy, tailoring, or inscription. Only one of those three skills is needed to skip Tradesman and become a Merchant.

Tradesmen/Tradeswomen - Unlimited number of seats. The people who have proven their commitment as craftspeople, yet still have work to accomplish before they can run a successful business Tradesmen may raise any issue at meetings. May not yet have an apprentice. Must have one trade skill of 75%.

Partial Membership:

Apprentices - Sponsored by a merchant who is willing to teach them. Pays the Merchant training them for their lessons in either gold, resources, or tasks. Form of payments is to be determined by the Merchant. Only gets certain benefits, mostly those pertaining to the trade they are studying. Can not have their primary trade skill over 75%. (Apprentice blacksmiths may have 80% mining, but not 75% blacksmithing) They may not raise an issue during a meeting unless called on by a Merchant Lord or their sponsor.

Physical Protection:

Previous guilds, such as the Britannian Wealth Consortium and the United Chamber of Commerce had sections of their guilds whose sole purpose was defending their members and enforce their guild rules. Such forces were then used to destabilize and rebel against Britannia's well-being. Therefore our guild will hold no such position, and will depend on authorized guilds or the Order of the Silver Serpent to perform their duty. We will also swear to work with the Britannian authorities fully to ensure that any fears of such an organization can be investigated and hopefully disproved. Being capable in combat does not disqualify one from seeking membership within our guild.

Contracted Affiliations:

A person or association paying a monthly fee or offering a service in exchange for the use of the merchant guild resources and privileges. A representative of their group may attend meetings, but may not raise an issue at a meeting unless called on by a Merchant Lord. May have any range of skills, not necessarily craftsmanship in origin. Members of NPC organizations can not speak on behalf of their guild, but may come to meetings if no other member is sent to represent their group. Also, because they are of an NPC organization, they may not offer services in exchange for such an affiliation, only gold or resources.

Meetings:

Meetings are held on announcement by a Merchant Lord. All issues raised with the exception of discipline are subject to the results of a vote of all present full members. (So even if the merchant lords vote against something, if there are enough positive votes, the measure gets passed)

Elections:

There is an annual meeting where the election of the Merchant Lords shall occur. Votes are cast by all full members. The term of one year is set, unless 75% of the guild votes to change it. If two thirds of the guild votes no-confidence, then a new election must occur within 3 days of the no-confidence.

Guild Fund:

The Guild fund is to help the guild and its members grow and prosper. It can be used to assist a guild member in purchasing a shop, acquiring a larger guildhall, donating to charity, or helping a member with a streak of bad luck. The fund is for the express purpose of helping the guild and its members and for helping Britannia as a whole. Uses of the fund can be presented at a meeting for the all full members to vote on. It is gathered through donations to the guild or payment from Contracted Affiliations.

Rules for all members:

- You must obey all the laws and edicts of the Kingdom of Britannia and its government.
- You may not perform business with people or organizations with whom the Kingdom of Britannia is at war or who affiliate with such enemies.
- You must maintain the confidentiality of your customer and the business performed unless called for by the Britannian legal offices or a Merchant Lord to state it.

Rules of full members:

- You must be an adept in your crafting abilities.
- You must wear the symbol of the guild at all meetings. (Likely a sash/cloth gloves of some color)
- You must give the guild's privileges to all guild members.

Rules of Apprentices:

- You must be sponsored and trained by a Merchant of the guild.
- You must train with the pace and level expected of your sponsor.
- You must perform tasks asked of your sponsor., unless they violate the laws Britannia or of our order or if they place yourself or others at physical risk.

Benefits of being a Guild member:

- A guild member pays only 50 percent of the wholesale price for any item sold by his fellow guild member. In the case of apprentices, they only get the discount price on items that assist them in their learning.
- The guild will offer assistance in any way possible to help its members.
- You may display our guild's banner outside a shop you own.
- Being a full merchant, you can charge your apprentice in either gold, resources, or tasks for their training.

Guilds or Organizations Prohibited from Trading with:

Note: Trading with these guilds or organizations will result in expulsion from the guild, and informing of the proper legal authorities.

-The United Chamber of Commerce
-The Citizens and Armies of Atarka
-The Grey Arrow Merchants
-Merchant Organizations of Buccaneer's Den