As my last entry detailed my thoughts on what individual Merchants are, in this page I will discuss the Merchant Guild as a whole.
The Merchant Guild of Koguryo has had a varied past to say the least. While in the future I intend to detail the history of the Guild in full, this description is of what we are at the present time.
First and foremost, the Guild is run as a business. As we have very little room for loss with almost no production costs, much of our excess can be offered to our members. As the members of the Guild work towards making the Guild stronger, they benefit with an even greater variety of services than available to the rest of the Kingdoms, and at cheaper costs too.
To the rest of the Kingdoms, the Merchant Guild exists to provide services, nothing more or less. Many of these services are widely known; some in our Guild are fine engravers and this is probably the best known service we offer. When it comes to interactions with any other organization, we have a completely neutral stance. As businessmen and women, our Guild is run similarly to our own personal thoughts: Everyone else is a customer. We do not have friends or enemies when it comes to entire organizations. The Guild may, as a whole, recognize a sole person an Ally or Enemy, but these recognitions are not reflective of our views towards any organization they may be a part of.
Although this may make us seem isolationist up to this point, that is not true. In going along with our theory that everyone else is a customer, we strive to strike deals on a Guild-to-Other Organization basis that are equally beneficial to both parties involved. We do not wish to close ourselves off to the world which fills our pockets. Thus, while our politically views will always remain neutral, we are more than eager to trade.
From an interior standpoint, however, the Merchant Guild has a symbiotic relationship with all of its members. The people who make up the Guild strive to help one anothers’ business as much as possible, and although it is not necessarily a requirement, most tend to get along rather well with the knowledge that by helping another in the Guild at some point, there most likely will be a return favor in the future. By helping one another out, we all prosper. This is why Merchants join the Guild in the first place. Generally by this activity, the Guild makes gains in numerous ways, and the circle completes with both the Guild and its members prospering.
Many may think I solely am speaking from a monetary level, but this is also untrue. The Merchants do not solely value money. We value ‘wealth.’ I have detailed what this means in my former post and will not go into it further, but suffice to say that my above statements do not solely talk about gaining more money in our pockets but encompasses much much more.
The Guild is founded on honesty and good trading, just as each member has these morals. We do not hurt our customers and most importantly never take advantage of them, especially by using their own ignorance against them. However, the Guild WILL always strive to make the most of any deal for itself, just as our walkers will. There is a thin line between the two, and sometimes other members of the Kingdoms may not recognize the difference, but the Guild values the morals of honor and integrity. With any deal, it takes at least two parties. As long as the deal is not underhanded in any way, there is no limit to what can be put on the table from both sides.
Thus, the Merchant Guild of Koguryo and its members are here with the desire to succeed and prosper. We look out for ourselves and our other members. Any relation we have with people not within our Guild is generally, on a professional level at least, solely to make a deal in our favor.
~everclear~
Merchant Elder