Merchants' Guild

The Merchants' Guild is the rising economic power of Doriande, controlling most of the kingdom’s trade routes and marketplaces.

The arrival of the dwarves in Doriande opened vast new possibilities, which the Dorians were quick to embrace. The most transformative idea they adopted was that of commerce—the peaceful exchange of goods. Until then, most settlements had been in constant conflict over limited resources, but trade offered a way to obtain what they needed without resorting to war. Thus, the profession of merchant was born.

In the beginning, trade was limited to nearby settlements, using overland routes for short-range transport. Eventually, however, seafaring knowledge from the south introduced overseas commerce with foreign cultures, bringing new goods deep into the interior of Doriande.

As cities developed the capacity to produce surplus, entirely new problems arose: merchants would travel great distances only to find that competitors from other settlements had arrived first. Larger cities built roads, only to see them used freely by rivals. Essential resources were over-harvested or hoarded in warehouses to inflate prices.

Merchant associations began lobbying local leaders for protections—measures to defend their trade interests. These pressures led to what would become known as the Trade Wars.

When the dust settled, it was no longer conflict that drove change but a call for cooperation. The larger trade factions urged reconciliation and compromise. After long negotiations, the Merchants' Guild was born: a pan-Dorian organization designed to guarantee stability through agreements on territory, mutual trade, and cooperation with local governments.

The Guild was granted authority to protect its members by lawful means, maintain its own buildings and infrastructure, and participate in governance. At a time when compromise was essential for the survival of Doriande, this structure was accepted as necessary.

Its role during the repulsion of external threats was critical. Without the Guild, cities would not have been able to secure the supplies needed for defense, food for the people, or arms for the soldiers.

Since then, the Guild’s power has only grown. Some now attribute to its influence the founding of Rivermark, the construction of the King’s Highway, and even the establishment of the Kingdom itself—a move seen as necessary to unify markets and strengthen Doriande against the powerful city-states it traded with.

There are even whispers that Guild emissaries have traveled as far as Caleh, working behind the scenes to ensure peace with the enigmatic neighboring power. Some claim that recent royal decisions regarding the rejection of refugees from Caleh serve Guild interests, rather than protect the kingdom from outside threats.

Today, the Guild operates warehouses, outposts, guards, and a vast network of clerks and staff. It is organized into regional chapters, at least in the major cities. As the kingdom’s largest and one of its oldest institutions, it maintains an enormous bureaucratic machine. Many of its senior officials pursue personal agendas, leading to internal conflicts that rarely spill into public view.

There are persistent rumors that local councils are influenced—if not outright controlled—by their regional Guild chapters. What is certain is that the Guild wields more power than the army, navy, farmers, miners, or smiths combined. After all, everything now is bought with gold—
and merchants have deep pockets.