Chapter 19 – Diabolical Market Manipulation at the Merchant’s Guild

Name.

Daniel.

Guild affiliation.

None.

Check all the materials specialities that apply. Gold. Ingot. Monster bone.

The materials specialties list covered half the page. Daniel wasn’t sure how to fill the paperwork in, so he checked a few that seemed reasonable and filled in the rest of the questions, then headed back to the receptionist with the completed paperwork.

The spectacled female receptionist took his parchment and handed it back underneath a cloth screen, where a small gnome hand reached underneath and took the parchment for processing. Just three minutes later, the gnome handed back a certification paper.

“Here you go. Please review your merchant working papers and certification for errors,” she droned on.

[Quest completed.]

[You have gained experience.]

Nice, Daniel thought to himself, before skimming down the certificate.

Merchant rank 1.

You are now affiliated with Raskal’s merchant guild as a novice merchant. In Raskal, you will receive a 1% discount on all goods traded by merchants at the trading posts. You may now access the chamber of commerce’s trading board, and the auction house.

Your rank is insufficient to access further amenities.

“Excuse me, miss,” Daniel asked the spectacled receptionist. “What’s a trading board?”

“Down the hall, to the right,” she snapped back, not even answering his question fully. He asked her what the trading board was, and she replied with where.

Sensing that he would get no further information from the irritable bespectacled woman, Daniel headed towards the trading board to check out how it worked. He passed a few groups of merchants chatting in low voices nearby, and finally reached a massive board near the middle of the tent, with dozens of merchants congregating around it while discussing business.

There were hundreds of different products available for trade posted on the board.

[Trading Board.]

[Raskal treasury bond – 1 month bond – 70,000 gp principal, 12% yield per annum]

[Raskal treasury bond – 1 month bond – 50,000 gp principal, 12% yield per annum]

[Dwarven Lira call option, 2.74 gold per Lira, rate fixed for the seventh of next month]

[Traveler’s insurance, Raskal –> Evonice, price negotiable.]

[Mining rights to mithril mine in Rock Basin, 12.7 mil gp per quarter.]

[Veteran mercenary engagement, Mika’s Warband. Available for one fortnight. Starting price 1,200 gold.]

Daniel’s eyebrow lifted in surprise. He didn’t expect so many different trade options, from insurance to mercenary contracts to mining rights for some area near town, and some of these were complex financial products as well– they were even selling foreign exchange call options and city insured bonds!

He’d need to come back here and investigate the options more carefully when he had capital to work with. He had no gold right now. But even now, he knew there was potential for profit here, and just as much potential for risk.

12.7 million gold just to loan mining rights for a mithril mine… that seemed like an absurd amount! If only he could raise an army to seize control of a mithril mine and monopolize its output… for each mithril mine he took over he could pocket 12.7 million in gold, minus expenses for the mercenary force, so approximately 5 million gold at least per quarter… ah, he realized he was getting ahead of himself.

Currently Daniel’s in-game net worth was a big fat zero. He didn’t have a single gold piece to his name, at least not until that visitation ceremony quest later today.

Daniel mentally noted that he’d come back here and thoroughly take advantage of his financial prowess to arbitrage every last coin he could from this exchange. How dastardly would it be if he bought up all the mercenary contracts in the city, used them to feign an imminent attack on the city, then resold the mercenary contracts after their market value went up tremendously due to the perceived ‘threat’?

Diabolical thoughts of market manipulation in mind, Daniel nearly let out an evil laugh.

A tug on his shirt from within his hood brought him back to his senses. “Why are you shaking?” a small wind faerie whispered from within the safety of his hood.

“Ah, I was trying not to laugh…” Daniel replied truthfully in a low whisper, just loud enough to be audible for his little faerie companion. “I’ll tell you more later.”

“Hey, you.” A burly man in a black robe and an inquisitor hat stepped towards Daniel, flanked by two other men in similar outfits. In his hand was a baton, and in his other a compass that shone a dull light when directed towards Daniel. “Unauthorized mana usage is not allowed within the chamber of commerce.”