Employment Terms & The Merchant Code

Employment Terms In most houses, there are four general categories of employees: family members, senior agents, agents, and hirelings. Family members are, to one extent or another, all owners of the companies. They are usually based in the headquarters and oversee the administrative operations of the house, such as the keeping of accounts, routing of caravans, and planning for expansion. Often, they are also sent to run emporiums in distant cities. Of course, a family member s relationship with his house can be terminated only for the most dreadful breaches of trust. Senior agents are trusted employees of the house and have the authority to conclude fairly large deals in the house's name. They are assigned to important positions requiring a fair amount of skill, such as running emporiums, outposts, or being caravan captains. A senior agent holds his position for life, and can even pass it on to a trusted son or daughter - though the house patriarch or matriarch has the option of replacing incompetent senior agents who have risen to their positions through inheritance. It should be noted that although both outpost agents and caravan captains are senior agents, they seldom pass their positions on to children. Even if they survive long enough to have families, the children are usually too wise to follow in their parent's footsteps. Regular agents, like senior agents, are usually life-long employees of the house, but their employment can be terminated for just cause by senior agents or family members. Agents usually have limited authority to conduct a specific type of business. Hirelings are people the house contracts to perform a specific service. Their relationships are usually short term, although hirelings who perform well are usually assured of receiving more work of a similar nature in the future. The Merchant Code All merchant houses abide by a strict code of ethics that applies to all employees from family member down to agent. Although this code varies from house to house and is usually kept secret, it is not impossible to loosen an agent's tongue with a few friendly tankards of ale. Generally, I've found that all merchant house codes are designed to promote commerce and keep the house out of trouble with the templars and the sorcerer-kings. They usually include the following provisos: 1. Recognition that by joining a merchant house, the agent forsakes citizenship in any city or membership in any tribe. 2. An oath by all members of allegiance to the merchant house. 3. A promise to perform in the best interests of the merchant house in return for a specified salary. 4. A promise to deal honestly with stranger, friend, and foe alike. 5. A promise not to flaunt any wealth gained through employment with the house. 6. A promise to uphold the laws of the city in which the agent is stationed, and to do nothing to bring the wrath of the sorcerer-king or his agents down upon the house. 7. A promise to cooperate with other merchants to make life very expensive for any person (this usually means templars) who unjustly imprisons, blackmails, or otherwise harasses any merchant. In most merchant houses, violation of its code is sufficient reason to terminate the house's relationship with any agent, senior agent or family member.