The Merchant Seaman's Guild

Rank
2
Allies
The Farmers Guild, The Cattleman's Guild, The Fisherman's Guild
Enemies
The Slaver's Guild, The Mage's Guild, The Teamster's Guild
Guildmaster
Dominic Noretti
In a country where trade is the driving force for a lifestyle, the Guild that controls all waterborne shipping holds great power. The Merchant Seaman's Guild was ranked 11th in all of Athkatla's guilds until the ascension of Dominick Noretti to power 17 years ago. The seaman were consumed with infighting between rival shipping groups and were causing more internal strife than good. Dominick came in and negotiated truces between rival interests and created an internal structure that eliminated the need for infighting. Clear rules settled disputes quickly and allowed the Seamen to present a unified front. The first challenge to the unified front came from an alliance between the Slaver's Guild and the Teamster's Guild. The Slaver's had been playing the shipping groups against each other for the best price. When they were united, costs for transport increased by over 35% leading the Slaver's to threaten to go to overland routes for slave trading. Dominick, being a shrewd man, called the Slaver's bluff. The Teamster's couldn't support the increased demand for services that the Slaver's demanded and both Guilds suffered a tremendous loss of face. This led the Slaver's Guild to send an assassin team to deal with Dominick. Unknown to the Slaver's, a priest of Ilmater had performed a divination for Dominick and warned him of the impending attack. When it came, Dominick had employed six members of the Athkatlan Stalker's Guild as bodyguards. Two attackers were killed and two taken prisoner. One of them being a Slaver Mage. Word spread quickly and the Mage's Guild demanded that the Mage be released. The Seaman refused. When the Slaver's and Mage's Guilds tried to lean on the Seaman they imposed an immediate 300% increase in price on the two guilds. In the end, the Slaver's Guildmaster of the time was forced to admit his involvement in the assassination attempt and stood trial. His sentence was a lifetime of servitude. Dominick made a show of purchasing the Guildmaster and putting him to work as a dock hand. He died under mysterious circumstances within a week. Whispered rumors suggest that the Slaver's couldn't bear the disgrace. The Mage was returned to his guild. Sans hands. A horrible insult that forced the Mages guild to purchase an expensive regeneration. This also started the meteoric rise in power of the Merchant Seaman's Guild. Since then few have dared stand against the Merchant Seaman as long as Dominick Noretti is running the show. It's a well known fact that both the Slavers and Mages Guilds would pay well for Noretti to suffer an accident. His 17 years as a Guildmaster are a testament to his cunning and ability to avoid danger.