The Tari are a powerful trading consortium from the distant continent of Chinos. They settled in Talamh without ever trying to found their own state. Instead, they created the Tari Trading Guild, a vast network of trading outposts, caravans, and spies operating all over the continent.
Origin
The Tari Trading Guild was originally founded in Chinos, where the sultan created a central authority for logistics and trade. The main purpose of the guild there was building and maintaining a complex network of caravans, which bring trade goods from one place to another. To avoid competition, that could harm the efficiency of this government organization, the sultan introduced taxes to every private trading facility. Over time, all competing organizations had to give up, as those new fees were no longer affordable.
After only a few years, the Tari Trading Guild was quite cost-effective and the sultan decided that the organization should grow beyond national trading. He assigned a huge budget to the guild with the goal to establish an international business. In response, the guild started building a huge fleet of trade ships. With this fleet, the plan was to kickstart a global trade network to gain international relevancy. In the beginning, the outposts were small and they primarily sold chinose wares like tea or coffee, which were unknown to the rest of the world. From there, the guild grew in influence and became what it is today over the course of the years.
To foreigners, the Tari Trading Guild looks like a foreign but independent business. Chinos itself is a country that usually does not accept visitors, so it is hard for foreigners to discover the guilds true origins. Over the years, the guild also recruited local workers, further annealing themselves with the local people.
Details
At least one large Tari Trading Guild outpost can be found in every major city in Isholion. These outposts contain warehouses with the currently stocked goods, a chinose embassy, and a small garrison to ensure security. In port cities, these outposts are located in the harbor, where a few guild ships lie at anchor. Smaller outposts are established in cities on central trading routes and they primarily serve as warehouses.
Caravans move wares from one outpost to another and a popular service of the guild is to transport goods and passengers for customers. These entourages are heavily guarded by chinose soldiers and are the primary way of moving goods across the country. Depending on the destination, the guild also offers travels by ship.
Influence
The guild uses cheap prices and tempting contracts to gain influence in foreign countries. This usually starts with better trading conditions, cheaper taxes, or becoming primary logistics partner of the established industries. Their first goal is to establish long-lasting contracts with punishing exit-conditions to have a solid foundation in the country. Afterward, the guild actively undercuts other local logistics institutions to become the primary player on the market.
Isholion
In Talamh, the guild is already the most powerful trading organization. It is tied to almost every local government and has a number of privileges over other competitors on the market. In High Soria, the guild is directly responsible for the transport of gemstones, Livith, and other produced goods to and from the government warehouses. The guild also controls and maintains all major roads and ports in the country.