Gray Cartel

The Gray Cartel is a network of people in the Kingdom of Wolfsbrunn who operate and conduct business that may not be in accordance with the written and unwritten laws of the kingdom. Throughout history the cartel has had a changing reputation. Most historians agree that the cartel has played a vital part in the rise of the kingdom and the accruement of wealth in Wolfsbrunn. How the cartel gained that wealth was not so much accepted by the nobility as tolerated. In 6729 AV, the High King of Wolfsbrunn declared the Gray Cartel as a criminal organization, since that moment the influence of the cartel has been diminished greatly.  

Keep it in the family.

— common cartel saying

Chapters and Leadership

The cartel has informants in almost every major city, but because of the unlawful nature of their practices, they don't often make themselves known. An exception to this is the chapter in Hartloch, where Amira Del'Aero, the leader of the chapter, is a trusted advisor to the baron of Hartloch. The Gray Cartel in it's entirety has no central leadership, there are small groups of people who operate together, but it is quite common to see entire families conducting cartel business, often being led by a matriarch of the family. The largest part of the Gray Cartel can be found in the capitol of Morhan. Underneath the city of Morhan, the cartel has made a network of tunnels, hide-outs and black markets. People who are unfamiliar with these tunnels may get lost in the darkness or find themselves triggering deadly traps. Those who can find their way through this maze might be able to make use of the services of the cartel.

Goods and Services

You don't go to the Gray Cartel unless you plan on breaking a law or two. Families and members within the Gray Cartel usually have one or two expertises. If you are in need of any of the following, the cartel might be of help.  

Code of the Cartel

Members of the Gray Cartel operate by a code of honor which helps them keep the order in an organization that has no regard of the law. In general the cartel works like a miniature democracy, where each member has a vote in matters of business and judgement.
  I. Do not harm or steal from the harmless or those that are living a life of hardship.   II. Every person has a vote in how business is conducted, the leader of a chapter or family has a right to half of the earnings. The other half is divided between all other people, each of whom have equal rights on a part of the earnings and profits made from cartel business. They may spend it as they seem fit, unless hard times ask for frugality. Every person can be removed from the list of people that share in the profits by a vote.   III. If a person gets their belongings stolen by another cartel member, they may take back their property if they can prove it was theirs. If ownership is unclear, all members of the cartel have the rights to take back the belongings and divide them amongst themselves as a form of retribution.   IV. Cartel business may never be conducted in the light of the sun or within a place of worship.   V. A person's health is to be in good condition, all information is to be kept organized and all equipment is to be kept clean and operational.   VI. Whoever betrays the cartel with actions that have caused direct harm to their members, is to be banished from the cartel. If their actions have threatened the existence of the cartel, they are to be put to death.