The Council of Guildmasters is the guiding hand of all trade and commerce in Hardby. They regulate the trade laws and import tariffs. Their primary motivation, as an organization, is to make Hardby as strong an economic power as possible. The Council does have the prerequisite squabbling and bickering that any organization should. Fortunately the members of the Council, and the guilds they represent, are focused on maximizing profits of the tradesmen of Hardby as opposed one-upmanship, a game that has been the downfall of many trade organizations.

The first pillar of their trade policy is the aggressive forging of trade alliances. This involves opening markets in other cities, and welcoming foreign traders into their town. The second pillar of their trade policy involves the control of money. The Gynarch and the Council agree that it benefits Hardby that money does not leave the city. Because of strict money controls, a majority of traders leave with goods rather than cash. As a result of this policy, Hardby has secured vast amounts of precious metals and gems. The exact amount of this reserve is perhaps the best-kept secret in Hardby. The third and final pillar of the Hardby economy is foresight. This is part due to the Council’s use of diviners, and in part due to careful observation of market trends across the Domain. These aggressive trade policies, along with meticulous accounting, have kept Hardby economically ahead of every other city in the Domain except Greyhawk.

The council is made of two representatives from each Guild, and each guild selects their Guildmasters in their own manner. They meet twice a week. The first is a Sunday night closed session, where the guilds bring up business to be addressed the following afternoon with the Gynarch and her council. Much of the work is done during this session. A second, open, session is held on Freeday morning. It is during this meeting that the public, especially foreign merchants and non-guild members have the opportunity to bring up grievances and businesses. It is scheduled on Freeday morning to discourage attendance, as the majority of the citizenry are still recovering from the Earthday evening festivities.

Governing Bodies and Organizations of Hardby