Sanctuary lacks wandering merchants. It does not have caravans going to Fort Mur, Holdfast, and the Shadow Tribe, it does not have caravans going to all the potential trading partners throughout the underdark, Sanctuary's economy devoutly relies on Piracy, thieving, and dishonest gold making.

We have to few exports, to many imports, to few traders willing to traverse the underdark to actually buy and sell wares first hand with the Kobolds, dwarves, svifneblin, and the neutral Duegar Settlement of Fort Mur. Sanctuary cannot afford to remain in Isolation, it is a problem of monolithic proportions caused by a conservative council and a to holy Watch. We've been attacked repeatedly, merely because they thought us easy, weak, and foolish. The latter is correct, we are a foolish town in where the Watch has more power than the council, and the Council must sit at the Sheriff's heels and play fetch to have any amount of power.

Merchant's make it there business to know politics, they have spies in any settlement they trade in, point to a wandering merchant who does not have some political contacts in other settlements and I'll be flabbergasted. Sancturian merchants can find out more information than the so called "Covert and obvious" seeker patrols and under-cover scouting the Watch does. Merely because of one thing: They are necessary to any cities growth.

People underestimate the value of merchants, Frum Highhill made this city great, and I pleased to see several merchant families explode, the Valerian emporium, the Wares of House Fireheart, Norma, Sugriam, and so on. But we need caravans, we need ships, we need brave men and women willing to travel the underdark for Sanctuary, to sell our wares to allies and bring wealth into our gloriously placed town.

Merchant's bring smiles to people's face, they bring toys, dolls, food stuff, weapons, armor, and most importantly, information. People are willing to spill there guts over a cup of wine on a business deal.

I say let free trade reign, and ban all slaver activities within the town though, let the other races come to trade here, let them sell there wares without trepidation, consternation, or what not.

I do not condone slavery, but neither will I let it stop economic growth, I do not condone butchery and random violence, but I will not let it take place in town. Searching the caravans and giving the races a full escort should reticify any problems.

Thank you for reading this,

~Lord Allivarn Fireheart.

Adelia Tyrell takes a large red quill and marks up the essay, pointing out various grammatical and stylistic errors, before finally re-writing the whole thing with a distressed sigh.

The Wealth of Trade

Sanctuary lacks wandering merchants. It has no caravans that go to Fort Mur, the Khazlun Holdfast, the settlement of the Shadow Tribe, or other potential trading partners. Instead, the economy of Sanctuary is dependent upon piracy, thieving, and other dishonest forms of earning gold.

We have too few exports, too many imports, and too few traders willing to traverse the Underdark to buy and sell wares first hands with the exotic races of the darkness below. Our town can no longer afford to remain in isolation. The monumental proportions of this problem are exacerbated by the inadequacies of our too-conservative Council and too inflexibly righteous Watch. We've suffered multiple attacks and raids because of the perception that Sanctuary is weak, foolish, and unable to defend itself. Unfortunately, this is partially true: the Watch exercises more power than our Council, relegating the Council to the position of lapdog that does the bidding of our Sheriff.

Merchants make it their business to know politics. A successful merchant is one that keeps spies in the settlements they trade in. The vast majority of traveling merchants have extensive political contact with other settlements. Merchants from Sanctuary could learn far more about potential trading partners than all the Seeker patrols and Watch scouting that currently take place. Merchants and the trade they bring are necessary to the growth of any settlement, and because of this are ideally situated to learn about other cities from the inside.

The value of the merchant is often underestimated. Councilor Frum Highill made this city great, and there have been a rise of other merchant families that have the potential to have a similar impact. The Valerian Emporium, Vile Industries the wares of House Fireheart, Norma, Sugriam, and others all have the capacity to be tremendous boons to Sanctuary. For Sanctuary's mercantile cast to be successful, however, they will need caravans, ships, and brave men and women willing to travel the dangerous Underdark in order to offer wares and bring wealth to our glorious town.

Merchants bring smiles to people's faces: they bring toys, dolls, food stuffs, weapons, armor, and, most importantly, information. It is well known that many secrets can be revealed over a cup of wine during the course of a business negotation.

I say let free trade reign. We must keep slavery illegal, yet we should welcome other races. Let them offer their wares without concern.

I oppose slavery, but I will not let the practices of other races stop economic growth. Although many Underdark races are violent, potential problems could be addressed by assuring that any visiting merchants were kept under careful escort in a secure situation.

Thank you for reading this.