Business & Financial News January/February 3000

In this issue:

Kingdom News

Local News

Constable's Blotter

Business/Financial

Offerings for Sale
Jobs for Hire
Trading Company Standings
Commodities

Features

Society Announcements
Obituaries
Writings of the Bards
Puzzles
Cityscapes
Horoscopes

Sports

Pit Fighting Standings
Commentary

BUSINESS & FINANCIAL NEWS

Overturned Oxen Cart slows trades to a near halt; some merchants take a big hit.

On Wednesday, December 15^th a disaster for the Southern Combine Merchants’ Bargaining Group (Southern Combine) was avoided by the narrowest margins and at a relatively high expense. The Southern Combine was established fifteen years ago by a group of merchants attempting to control most of the trade between Neridia and the southern nations of Lyrr, Shandyle, and Mooria. They currently control over ninety percent of the shipping up and down the Western Tyne River, dangerous due to its bordering the Varykite Confederation most of its course. Though dangerous the Southern Combine has done consistently well in the past fifteen years, having only lost one ship and rarely taken any serious damage to any of its vessels. The Southern Combine uses only top of the line ships, combat ready, crewed with the most skilled sailors they can hire.

On this particular day the N.M.G.S. Aeowyn’s Pride was bringing in a shipment of the expensive and delicate Kaidin Fruit, which is native only to Shandyle. The shipment, being luxury items represented a large capitol investment for the Southern Combine. The particular disaster this day was in the mishandling of an oxen drawn wagon which tipped over causing the death of one of the oxen and a complete blockage of the docks to all carts and wagons.

This would normally be a small delay and cost to the shipping concern, the additional day’s port charges and perhaps a small penalty for late delivery. This day however it was particularly bad, the shipment had already been delayed due to reported Varykite activity along the Western Tyne as well as an attack upon the ship by a creature from the shores of the Forbiddance. At this point the ship was already three days behind schedule and the Kaidin Fruit were close to the point where they would begin to spoil. This would cause a loss of properties to the Southern Combine but also cause an additional loss in penalties to the customers due to the fact that they were unable to deliver once the ship had actually made port. Had the ship not made port in time or had the ship had been lost it would not have been this bad, but the maximum penalties were invoked due to the ship actually being in Neridia’s Gate and unable to make good on its delivery.

In order to deliver the shipment to their customers on time, the Southern Combine was forced to hire enough porters to carry all the fruit across the entirety of the city. Enough unskilled porters were not available in a timely fashion so the Southern Combine was forced to hire the Adventurers’ Guild members to carry the fruit and deliver it. The adventurers did not come cheap, we are told, as many thought it beneath their station to do such work.

The losses due to late delivery combine with the expense of the porters eliminated any hope for profit on this normally profitable item and in fact cost the Southern Combine a fair amount. This did not sit well with the Southern Combine investors many of whom sold off their holdings following the fiasco. Many speculators took the opportunity to acquire shares in this normally strong merchant consortium at a bargain price. Several of the smaller merchant concerns who control the remaining ten percent of the trade along the Western Tyne who were able to undercut the Southern Combine at this point, causing them even greater losses, have now made moves to acquire more of the Western Tyne trade. All of this means that the cost of quality Kaidin Fruit has gone up for the consumer due to the shortage of high quality fruit. Speculation in the mercantile world is running high due to this event and the winter trade will make or break the Southern Combine. By Nerid’s Day we may see a reorganization of trade along the Western Tyne and a great change in the money holdings of the merchants who trade along it.

Sooth-Gate Archives Burn to the Ground

by Merredith Beach, Financial Reporter & Analyst

Sooth, Bainbridge- Despite all valiant efforts on the part of the Bainbridge citizenry, the blaze that begun in the early morning hours just before dawn on a cold December day claimed the archival depository of Sooth-Gate Publications for its own.

All magazines, news publications, and journals published by the 250 year old printing and publishing company were utterly destroyed in the deadly flames of the fire.

Sources close to those in the know at the publishing house reveal that in addition to the loss of historical data and materials, several works in progress as well as some key plans for future ventures perished in the fire.

This setback has been estimated to cost Sooth-Gate a substantial loss in the next quarter’s revenue.

Many investors went running for cover and scrambled to dump many of the publisher’s shares. However, still more remained optimistic by seizing upon this opportunity and bought the shares for sale. In the end, Sooth-Gate finished at 3 ^4/10at the end of the year, down 1 ^2/10.

Offerings for Sale

For Sale at Auction – One Enchanted Long Sword used by the late adventurer Peter Roden of the group the Fury. He died in battle with one of the Strange Ones in the north and we, his family, now hold title to his sword. The sword was forged by Master Smith Adock Rintar of the Rintar-DeVane Forge and was enchanted by Guildmistress Andraya Winterthorne of the Neridia’s Gate Guild of Arcane and Alchemical Studies. The enchantments are all celestial in nature and were cast recently with a greater extension upon them. The sword’s dweomer will last until September 1^st 3001. It bears the enchantments of a single damage aura, two expanded enchantment magic armors, and a single expanded enchantment shield magic. The sword has been rendered indestructible for the duration of its enchantment.

The sword will be auctioned off at Sir Rodrick’s feast on Nerid’s day. The minimum bid is two hundred gold certificates. May it serve the hand of whoever wields it in the future and uphold the ideals of Neridia.

For Sale – A recently found trove of antiques including: genuine first millennium furnishings, thirteenth century vases and urns, and a pair of dueling swords bearing the Valerton crest dating back to the second Valerton Dynasty. A great find for the collector or the investor. Contact Devin Huron, Esquire, care of the Neridia’s Gate Merchants’ Guild.

For Sale – A complete set of blacksmith’s tools in fine condition, including a fifty stone anvil. These items will only be sold to a member of the Neridia Smiths’ Guild. Contact Margo Donnelley care of the Neridia Smiths’ Guild for inquiries.

For Sale or Lease – The Freshly Risen Bakery is for sale or lease following the retirement of its owner and head baker Gil Forsythe. The sale includes the lease of tenancy on the building within Neridia’s Gate, all hardware associated with the existing company, all renewable materials for the preparation of foodstuffs currently held by the bakery, all recipes developed and used by Master Baker Forsythe in the thirty five years the bakery has been run, the rights to the name Freshly Risen Bakery, and the goodwill of the former owner.

Contracts to be negotiated through the services of the Merchants’ Guild and its solicitors.

Estate Sale – The Ryforth Family Estate is being sold at auction. All possessions to be sold to reclaim losses and debts outstanding. Come find the bargain of a lifetime. The Ryforth Estate has been the envy of the merchant set for the last century with the financial difficulties the family has experienced since the death of High Master Merchant Alan Ryforth all possessions must be sold to meet the secured and unsecured debt to their creditors. Sale to be held in private in the Neridia’s Gate Foreign Quarter Common Guild Hall in April or May, date to be announced. For a prospectus of the Ryforth holding being sold see Solicitor Samuel D. Castor of the Neridia’s Gate Merchants’ Guild.

Job Offerings and Jobs for Hire

Needed Urgently – Exterminators with experience dealing with rats. Please contact the management of Himmel Storage as soon as possible. One and one half times the standard pay offered for success plus an additional bonus for quick action.

Blacksmith’s Apprentice Wanted – Master Smith in Neridia’s Gate seeking apprentice. See Master Smith Torgon Wesson at the Fine Edge Smithy in Neridia’s Gate.

Security Wanted for Feast of Nerid’s Day – Extra security is needed for Nerid’s Day due to the feasts and the large number of people expected to come to the city for the celebrations. Please apply at the office of the City Watch with Deputy Becca Lane.

Caravan Drivers Needed – The rise in caravans transporting goods to Neridia for the three thousandth anniversary of Nerid’s Day has left of in need of experienced caravan drivers, packers, and guards. To apply for a position see Senior Guildsman Richard Occa of the Merchants’ Guild.

Security Expert Seeking Position – Expert in security and property defense seeks new position with a household. References available on request. See Senior Guildsman Lana Deverau of the Adventurers’ Guild for details.

Artist seeking employment – A journeyman illustrator, trained at the Bardic Collegium in Sooth, Grand Duchy of Bainbridge, seeks employment in his field of specialty.

The Trading Company Standings

Company Name	Share Price	^Change
Bluefeather Trading	12 ^6/10 GC	Down 1 ^7/10
Boondock Shipyards	12 ^3/10 GC	Up ^5/10
Bykul River Shippers	3 ^6/10 GC	Down ^2/10
Carousel	7 ^0/10 GC	Up ^4/10
Chasenbrook Unlimited	12 ^1/10 GC	Unchanged
Damscar and Sons Ltd.	0 ^9/10 GC	Down ^3/10
Eastern Endeavors Ltd.	1 ^3/10 GC	Up ^1/10
Far-Western Shipping Group	0 ^7/10 GC	Up ^1/10
First Neridian Common Merchants Enclave	18 ^8/10 GC	Up ^3/10
Four Rivers Trade Consortium	3 ^2/10 GC	Down ^6/10
Gateway Transport	6 ^7/10 GC	Up 1 ^1/10
Hartwell Forest Developers	4 ^3/10 GC	Down 1 ^0/10
Holway-Cheval-Brand Triad	2 ^1/10 GC	Unchanged
Interduchy Trading Concern	3 ^4/10 GC	Down 1 ^6/10
Ironhold Mining Consortium	4 ^3/10 GC	Down ^4/10
Keenblade Importers	8 ^9/10 GC	Down ^2/10
Malandano Group	2 ^1/10 GC	Up ^1/10
Mid-Avalon Holdings	5 ^5/10 GC	Up ^3/10
Neridia-Andulon Axis	4 ^7/10 GC	Up 1 ^1/10
Neridian Farming Collective	3 ^1/10 GC	Up ^3/10
The Neridian Group	32 ^4/10 GC	Up 1 ^3/10
Northern Duchies Holdings	5 ^0/10 GC	Down ^4/10
Outer Holdings Trade Group	6 ^6/10 GC	Down 1 ^0/10
Rintar-DeVane Holdings	21 ^1/10 GC	Up ^2/10
Risen Cities Construction	2 ^8/10 GC	Down ^1/10
Sooth-Gate Publications	3 ^4/10 GC	Down 1 ^2/10
Southern Combine Merchants’ Bargaining Group	5 ^4/10 GC	Down 2 ^1/10
Second Southern Way Trade Consortium	3 ^2/10 GC	Up ^3/10
Tarren-Neridia-Incanus Path	1 ^3/10 GC	Unchanged
Tradeworthy Engineering and Development	7 ^7/10 GC	Up ^3/10
Transom and Company	8 ^5/10 GC	Up ^1/10
Triangle Vista Trading Group	0 ^3/10 GC	Up ^1/10

Current Prices on Commodities – Please Note this is a summarization of all prices for a given commodity.

This financial index does not distinguish among grades or types within a given commodity

Commodity	Price Per Unit	^Change
Ale	4 ^4/10 GC	Down ^3/10
Beef	5 ^5/10 GC	Up ^1/10
Cattle	5 ^1/10 GC	Unchanged
Cloth	3 ^8/10 GC	Down ^2/10
Coal	5 ^8/10 GC	Up ^3/10
Dyes	2 ^7/10 GC	Down ^4/10
Fine Ink	4 ^8/10 GC	Up ^1/10
Finished Wood Products	6 ^2/10 GC	Up ^4/10
Finished Gems	9 ^3/10 GC	Up ^1/10
Fish	4 ^1/10GC	Up ^2/10
Fruit	5 ^7/10 GC	Up ^3/10
Glass	4 ^4/10 GC	Down ^2/10
Kaidin Fruit	6 ^1/10 GC	Up ^7/10
Mutton	5 ^3/10 GC	Up ^2/10
Oxen	4 ^9/10 GC	Down ^1/10
Pigs	5 ^2/10 GC	Down ^2/10
Pork	4 ^7/10 GC	Up ^1/10
Pure Chemicals	7 ^1/10 GC	Down ^4/10
Pure Spring Water	6 ^1/10 GC	Down ^2/10
Salt	3 ^3/10 GC	Down ^3/10
Scrap Metal	6 ^2/10 GC	Up ^2/10
Sheep	5 ^1/10 GC	Up ^4/10
Steel	6 ^3/10 GC	Down ^2/10
Uncut Gems	6 ^6/10 GC	Up ^3/10
Vellum	5 ^7/10 GC	Down ^1/10
Velvet Touch Fungus	13 ^8/10 GC	Down 1 ^0/10
Wheat	4 ^4/10 GC	Up ^3/10
Wine	6 ^1/10 GC	Up ^2/10
Wood	4 ^3/10 GC	Up ^4/10
Wool	3 ^5/10 GC	Up ^2/10

The Gate

The Gate