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- May 6, 2016
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1. Brief
Founded by Gena Livanov in 306 AC, the Zolotoy Company operates the seas south of the Regalian Archipelago, trading in curios and exotic goods for high retail in the capital. Though the company does trade in some foreign goods, its main import to the capital are slaves, hauled off from foreign lands, and formally sold in Etolia.
2. Location
The Zolotoy ships operate in and out of the Thessalonikos harbour, travelling to Regalia whenever goods are to be delivered to buyers residing in the city. Buyers elsewhere in the archipelago must make the journey themselves unless compensation for travel is provided. The Company has no real headquarters in the capital but often operates through meetings in the Livanov household.
3. Slaves
There are typically three main avenues by which the Company gets its slaves. The first is those sold to them through war. Typically, in bulk, the Company purchases prisoners taken after a battle such that they can be resold at a profit. The second is through raids, wherein the Company sponsors an expedition to a foreign land, and either capture freemen themselves, or purchases captured individuals from a local slaver. The third method is through happenstance, wherein due to convenience or chance, the Livanov owners are presented with an opportunity to enslave a free person by hauling them to Thesslonikos, and then selling them off elsewhere.
Of the humanoid stock that the Zolotoy Company trades in, there are two classifications of slave. The first are the pronost, or labouring slaves. An individual is classified as a pronost if they are deemed most useful as some sort of physical labourer. Whether they are put to work on a farm, mine or a mill, they are typically cheaper and sold in gangs of four.
The second classification is the doma, domestic slaves who serve typically in roles that require some sort of trained skill. Doma can be accountants, house servants, cooks, barbers, wet nurses, and so on. The doma are usually sold at a higher price, the cost based on their proficiencies and looks, but also the rarity of their race.
3.1 Auctions
Gangs of pronosts are typically sold wholesale in the port of Thessalonikos, overseen by members of the ZC stationed there in the city. It is at this port that members of the ZC also bargain with emissaries from the capital who represent noble houses or other organizations.
The doma, often fewer in number, are usually brought to the capital for lively private auctions where bidders from peerage and the upper class may fight with their purses to attain the merchandise.
It isn't uncommon for an less desirable doma to be sold along with a few pronosts as a bonus, to entice a buy. Any slave that isn't sold or dies is a lost investment that must be shouldered by the company, and thus House Livanov.
3.2 Regulations
Regalian law states that no person may be sold within the capital, but for the sake of appearances and ease of access for bidders, the ZC must operate there. Thus, when holding a public auction in the capital, no money may actually trade hands. To circumvent the law, buyers place bids on parchment contracts that depict each of the slaves they refer to, usually by their name and a simple portrait. Whoever bids the most on the contract wins it, and then may turn it in for their slave at the end. In this roundabout fashion, bidders buy pieces of parchment, not living persons.
The second set of regulations the ZC adheres to are policies to protect its merchandise.
By willingly engaging in business with the Zolotoy Company, the customer knowingly agrees to the following.
Gangs of pronosts are typically sold wholesale in the port of Thessalonikos, overseen by members of the ZC stationed there in the city. It is at this port that members of the ZC also bargain with emissaries from the capital who represent noble houses or other organizations.
The doma, often fewer in number, are usually brought to the capital for lively private auctions where bidders from peerage and the upper class may fight with their purses to attain the merchandise.
It isn't uncommon for an less desirable doma to be sold along with a few pronosts as a bonus, to entice a buy. Any slave that isn't sold or dies is a lost investment that must be shouldered by the company, and thus House Livanov.
3.2 Regulations
Regalian law states that no person may be sold within the capital, but for the sake of appearances and ease of access for bidders, the ZC must operate there. Thus, when holding a public auction in the capital, no money may actually trade hands. To circumvent the law, buyers place bids on parchment contracts that depict each of the slaves they refer to, usually by their name and a simple portrait. Whoever bids the most on the contract wins it, and then may turn it in for their slave at the end. In this roundabout fashion, bidders buy pieces of parchment, not living persons.
The second set of regulations the ZC adheres to are policies to protect its merchandise.
By willingly engaging in business with the Zolotoy Company, the customer knowingly agrees to the following.
3.2.1 - The manumission, or freeing, of a slave is prohibited until they have reached middle age, or have been owned for six years.
3.2.2 - The selling of a Zolotoy Company slave to another slaving company or organization is prohibited, unless that slave has been owned for a period of 10 years.
3.2.3 - The Zolotoy Company offers a two-year warranty to all slaves sold. In this time period, if the slave flees, the ZC will commit to searching for the slave free of charge. If the slave dies of self-inflicted injury, or an illness that was not disclosed in their auction, the Company will offer a replacement of similar skill and quality. This warranty is broken after it is used, the Company will not search for a repeated run-away.
3.2.4 - Zolotoy Company slaves that exhibit undesirable, unusual, deviant or aberrant behaviour should be returned to company such that they can be tattooed or branded.
3.2.5 - Zolotoy Company slaves may not be killed without valid reason.
3.2.6 - Zolotoy Company slaves may not be used in heretical practices, or aberrant activities, such as feeding for vampires.
3.2.2 - The selling of a Zolotoy Company slave to another slaving company or organization is prohibited, unless that slave has been owned for a period of 10 years.
3.2.3 - The Zolotoy Company offers a two-year warranty to all slaves sold. In this time period, if the slave flees, the ZC will commit to searching for the slave free of charge. If the slave dies of self-inflicted injury, or an illness that was not disclosed in their auction, the Company will offer a replacement of similar skill and quality. This warranty is broken after it is used, the Company will not search for a repeated run-away.
3.2.4 - Zolotoy Company slaves that exhibit undesirable, unusual, deviant or aberrant behaviour should be returned to company such that they can be tattooed or branded.
3.2.5 - Zolotoy Company slaves may not be killed without valid reason.
3.2.6 - Zolotoy Company slaves may not be used in heretical practices, or aberrant activities, such as feeding for vampires.
4. Staff
The Zolotoy Company is owned by House Livanov, but generally is operated by freemen and Imperial citizens from Regalia and the world at large. Its hierarchy is as follows:
Company Manager
Bazyli Livanov
@YLMadness
Assistant-Manager
Nazaire
@RodentConsumer
Post Manager Post Manager Post Manager
Altho Kripp (NPC) Gendry Makhen (NPC) Ostwile Gerand (NPC)
Longshoreman
You!
At the top of the Company is the company manager, currently helmed by Gena Livanov's uncle, Bazyli. Beneath him is the assistant-manager, Nazaire. Beneath them are three post managers, who station various foreign ports to buy slaves at the source. Finally, there are longshoremen, who not only accompany the House's ships on their journeys but also aid in the transfer of slaves from the brig to hold.
5. Joining
Have you ever dreamed of sailing the sea? Travelling to foreign and distant places? Meeting interesting people? Join the Zolotoy Company today! We're interested in applicants with a range of skills, including, but not limited to: accounting, trading, ship sailing, management, guard duty, and construction.
Please fill out the following application for a chance at an interview:
IGN:
Full Name:
Character App:
Discord: (This can be submitted privately)
Letter: (Tell us about yourself!)
5. Enslavement
Have you ever dreamed of indentured servitude? Being dragged from location to location for menial labour? Waiting on pompous nobles? Be enslaved today! Though much of the Company's slave trade is background NPC types, we fully encourage people willing to either make a slave character, or see their character somehow come into this position. To participate, fill out the following application and we'll talk more about it in PMs.
IGN:
New Character or Old:
Full Name:
Race:
Age:
Gender:
Character App:
Brief Origin:
How they were enslaved:
Skills:
