Silgrad Traders Guild - Motive Line

[Cuthalion]

Hey,

I'm writing the mainquest for the Silgrad Traders Guild, with Motive Line I mean the story behind everything, why do they do this and what is actually going on....

After the Emporer's death, the Elder Council took over. And, more importantly, the Oblivion gates opened. Why is that, in this context, important? Trading relies on peace, peace relies on an active army, an active army makes sure there are only a minimum of thugs on the road, thugs multiply when the land is in turmoil, turmoil affects trade negatively.

Thus the Traders Guild is in trouble. The once so untouchable Guild Leader Kaye Hleran (A Redguard raised by an Telvanni family) is now forced to seek the approval of the Traders Guild Senate before he can issue new orders.

It's a vicious circle: trading is beginning to get troubled, and bureaucracy is limiting the Guild Leader's adequate changes which could save the Traders Guild. Kaye's political protection against corruption is turning against him, everyone feels as though Kaye will soon lose his firm grip over the Traders Guild and powerful men want to pluck the fat chicken when he's being brought to the butcher.

However, to the outside world Kaye is still the shadowy figure who can bust men loyal to him out of jail, even when the charges against them are triple murder. Kaye still holds the respect of the Mages Guild. Kaye knows that if he can muster a private army to protect his trade caravans, he could change the tide. But such a private army is forbidden in the Empire, and the Emporer is dead.

Help Kaye Hleran return the Traders Guild to his former glory in the Silgrad Traders Guild mainquest!

Floris "Cuthalion" Schreuder


UPDATE:

When we look at KuKulzA's explanation and my story I don't think much has to be changed.

If we change the "Imperial Decret" to "by high Imperial political figure" (or some such), this imperial would have created a neutral faction taking advantage of the lack of influence the EEC has in Silgrad & surrounding areas. From ebonycaravans they gone to exhortion of local shops, etc. Since the death of this founding Imperial father, all of the houses and a group of local imperials have gotten equal control over the Silgrad Traders Guild. This formed a problem for the EEC, they could trade with and imperial Traders Guild, but not with a mostly dunmeric Traders Guild. They sought other ways of transporting their ebony to Cyrodiil, they found it. Effectively robbing the Silgrad Traders Guild of 90% of their profit. This is the basis for their hatred against eachother.

So the Silgrad Traders Guild adjusted and became dependant upon other caravans and shops. But now they're in trouble:

The STG is weak because of bandits, and the STG is not allowed more guards:

1 Kaye could accept the offer of the EEC, to let the EEC take over the STG
2 Kaye could accept the offer of the Redoran side of the STG Senate, letting Redoran men protect the caravans
3 Kaye could accept the idea of the Imperial side of the STG Senate, hiring more freelance guards

Downsides:

1 Well, seems obvious
2 Kaye would be in debt with the Redoran, the Imperials in the STG would not like going back to the more conservative ways
3 Kaye's political 'friends' are backing off, thus it would be difficult to legally hire more freelance guards


This is a compromise, do you agree bob & Kukulza ?

PS: Bob, will the Traders Guild questline ?ctually be featured in the mod?

Thanx,

[Razorwing]

Cool! :goodjob:
If there is anything the modelling department can do to assist you just let us know.

[Cuthalion]

Well, to be honest I would like someone to texture a flag with a "Trader's Guild" symbol, and to put on a steel cuirass and a steel shield such a symbol....

[Razorwing]

Okidoki. I can't texture, but someone who can might like to know some more details about the symbol you had in mind.

[IAMTHEEMPEROR]

How about a map thing on the flag too to show travel?

[TheImperialDragon]

How about something like this?

[Cuthalion]

To be really honest with you, for some reason when I thought "Trader's Guild symbol", I thought of a symbol like the Sovjet-Union symbol. It features this hammer and this sickle, it just stood perfectly for craftmanship. I think one of the most descriptive symbols for trade is a bag, we call it a knapsack . It's like the bag they put on horses in one of those many mods....

[raggidman]

No politically controversial symbols.

But to compensate, hows about a little addition to your basic stance:

In times of peace the peaceful trader profits normally, but in times of war the armorer and all the others who can profit from the fear and such come into a bonanza, and everything has a higher price ... so the consumer suffers ...

This situation is creating dissension in the Guild, with the hawks insisting that nothing interfere with profit, and the peaceful or loyal insisting that in such times friends have to be looked after as they form the basis for future trade ...

Waddja think?

[KuKulzA]

and I think the Traders Guild is Redoran in origin right?

so not only all those but also fierce Redoran nationalistic pride... the just-getting-rich Vvardenfell holdings are severly hurt since Ald-ruhn got crushed and is struggling to rebuild. This in itself means...
[1] less lucrative imports from Vvardenfell
[2] lowering of Redoran production
also, since Hlaalu are getting stronger and Redoran weaker, the value of Redoran goods is getting lower... additionally, Nords are attacking, meaning more war, less farming and production, more deaths, less stable government to help keep the economy running smooth as clan-coffers are being used to arm for war (necessary for survival but does hurt economy), and demand for consumer goods is lowered and everything is more of a survival level ... HOWEVER, few have enough money to afford the Traders Guild's quality stuff...
so either the Guild has to lower the quality and meet a larger market, but get stomped by Hlaalu later, or stay high quality but market shrinks... and then get stomped by Hlaalu trade-princes...
and remember, the EEC and the Hlaalu don't have the Redoran-ish respect and ethical restraints.... HOWEVER, the trade guild can be assured that the mjority of their customers (Redoran) will stay with the economic faction that helps them and is of their kind...

not only all of that... but many Redoran are going off to war, so fewer House-guards to guard their caravans and meeting places. They need to keep a high level of respectability, yet Thieves Guild is undermining that, and though Fighters Guild is admirable, they are n'wah. They cannot remain too insular, yet being too open to outsiders will turn away the more xenophib, traditional Dunmer market...

and here's a concept for the banner... but I think it still needs work


(though TID's is kinda cute )

[TheImperialDragon]

Originally posted by KuKulzA
(though TID's is kinda cute )

Very good, yes, would like to see you do better in MS paint sometime. :evil:

I think whatever we go with should reflect a possible "Moral Code" for the Traders Guild. My above image will be concept art... Actually...