The Establishment of The Exchange

It's a fairly simple and easy journey by the time you've returned to Holtburg. By the time you've arrived it is snowing lightly, nothing heavy, the snow isn't even sticking to the ground.

In your mind, you have a mental map of the immediate requirements you need; Gold, and some access to it first and foremost. Personnel, of many types which you've thought about already. Some type of infrastructure, either as simple as a basic building or several outlets to cater to different needs. And organization, which will mostly be tied to personnel.

You know that you can get ahold of Sailors at the Holtburg docks; Most Sailors rarely stick with a single ship for long, unless they get a good deal going or the ship travels far and wide so they can see more of the world. Thus, there will be no shortage of qualified individuals. However, Sailors command a hefty price tag as you're also well aware, but it is also possible you could hire on some fledgling Sailors who have no experience under their belts as well. These would demand less in the way of wages for the chance to gain experience and skill, and climb their way up the career so to speak. These could be found just about anywhere, though the local Colleges and the Docks are both good ideas. In both the case of experienced or amateur Sailors, the question of trust must be kept in mind as well. You also talked with a few people before leaving and know that the absolute, bare minimum crew your Galleon will require is 1 Helmsman, 1 Navigator, 3 Lookouts, 3 Sailmen, and 6 Deckhands. The Helmsman and Navigator could be the same person in a pinch. This also leaves you with no Gunners to man the weapons, unless you get Deckhands who are skilled in that as well, but you are aware that it takes two people to man a Cannon and you have 16 of them on your ship.

You need, at an absolute minimum, at least one building that is not the Veil to handle affairs. Optimal would be to have one for each venue of organization; paperwork and record keeping, buying, and selling. There are plenty of buildings for rent throughout Holtburg who's prices vary wildly, depending on size, location, and other effects. These buildings ideally need to be capable of keeping their true business hidden, but that can slide in a pinch as long as you can keep soldiers bribed and the collective nose of the organization clean.

Right now your assets look something like this, in simplest terms:

The Hidden Veil: A large series of alleyways built into the superstructure of Holtburg's Commerce District, where most of the crafters and workers Weave or craft their particular trades.

The Lower Veil: A much smaller section built underground and attached to the Hidden Veil which houses the resources of the Holtburg group, which at the moment amounts to about 12 Writs, 2000 platinum, and no raw materials.

Crafters of Holtburg: A large group of varied and experienced crafters who are skilled in making any mundane, low, or medium difficulty items either via normal means or Weaving. You have 'on payroll' exactly 2 archmages who can do high difficulty Weavings, with the obvious problems in place for that. Both Archmages insist upon having materials on hand to do non-creationist Weaving, for their own personal and professional reasons.

Van: A competent middle manager, or Mid-Leveler as the old speak would go. You learn all of this information from Van in-character, as he has been taking stock of what they have and what they need. Bare minimum, in his professional opinion, right now you need to worry most about regular supply chains (which you have none of currently), customers (of which there are plenty in Holtburg itself but with an eye towards stretching out soon), mundane workers, and Agents, in that order of priority. Van has also identified several people at the Holtburg University of Business and Science who are interested in working with the Exchange. He had to pay them a starting fee which came out of your personal business' funds, but they are now on board. Their information is as follows.

Untrained

Holtburg:

Bronk of Hammersmith: Dwarf
Spying:
Sneaking:
People Skills:
Mercantile:
Combat: I
Identification:
Research:

Vandril of Wolfrunner: Elf
Spying:
Sneaking:
People Skills: I
Mercantile:
Combat:
Identification:
Research:

Valwyn of Floralwind: Elf
Spying: I
Sneaking:
People Skills:
Mercantile:
Combat:
Identification:
Research:

Geranis of Wolfrunner: Elf
Spying:
Sneaking:
People Skills: I
Mercantile:
Combat:
Identification:
Research:

Leonic of Feathermoon: Elf
Spying:
Sneaking:
People Skills:
Mercantile:
Combat:
Identification: I
Research:

Ghilm of Hammersmith: Dwarf
Spying:
Sneaking:
People Skills: I
Mercantile:
Combat:
Identification:
Research:

Vernon of Blackrock: Half-Elf (Orc)
Spying:
Sneaking:
People Skills:
Mercantile:
Combat:
Identification: I
Research:

Shatharia of Feathermoon: Elf
Spying:
Sneaking:
People Skills: I
Mercantile:
Combat:
Identification:
Research:

"Good work, Van. But I have to ask: Is this permanent or just consulting?"

Kolson's To-Do List:

Agent Tasks:

Van would much rather get back to managing a shop where his biggest worries are arranging the lighting just so and ensuring he has plenty of wood and silver for his small group of workers. But he is willing to see this through for now.

Oghren is willing to spare some money to purchase real estate and supplies, but will have to be convinced to spare some for Sailors.

At the moment you have no hard information in required supplies, as you have no customers, but some basics are always helpful; supplies of different types of metals and wood, cloth of various qualities, gemstones, and leather or hides. You deploy those 3 Agents to the Bazaar north of Irondell, it's unlikely they will be back for at least a couple of days.

Kolson finishes the letter and hangs on to it for now. In it, he suggests that sending a force to secure the town and offer relief would be in the best interests of everyone, to reduce potential panic and investigate the assassins/raiders.

Afterwords, he sees Oghren. After procuring funds for supplies and real estate, he makes the following argument for funds for sailors.

"This ship is a great opportunity for us. By securing it we are left with the option of either selling it to bring in additional operating funds or using it for our sea trade routes. I'm not asking for a full compliment of experienced sailors, just enough for an experienced captain and whatever crew he or she deems appropriate." (Diplomacy +10)

*skipping letter response for the moment*

Oghren considers your words carefully. "I'll allow the funds for now, but I'd better see some return on that investment pretty soon, directly or indirectly, because keeping Sailors employed is expensive, especially the better they get."

"I was thinking it would be a one-time hiring for now. We don't really have the work just yet for a full time crew. Does that make it a bit more palatable?"

"Hah!" Oghren leans back. "You don't have to lie to me, Elf. If you want a ship of your own, it's not out of line. All I care about is that the income supports the expenses. You manage to get us enough business to cover it, you can keep the ship as long as you want."

"Lie? Me? I've been told on several occasions by trusted family members that I can't lie worth a damn." Kolson's tone makes it clear he isn't holding the suggestion against the accountant. "Now, off I go. Though I'll likely be back many times, dear Third."

Agent Tasks:

With nothing further to do for the night you retire on the streets, in the gutter... er I mean at Van's place.

The next day your three Agents return with a whopping two Captains they believe might be interested in running a Sailing vessel (apparently most of the people they talked to were more interested in Magitek ships).

Karen of Moonsong: A Half-Elf of Orc and Elf, not particularly experienced and having never captained her own ship before, but she is studied in both Navigation and Helm control so could fulfill both posts with relative ease. She will come for 30 gold initial, and is willing to negotiate her salary.

Steamcrank of Greatgear: A Gnome who until recently was Captain of a Contract crew and ship, the Flung Wrench, but the ship was lost during a vicious monsoon a few months ago. Most of his crew have since scattered to other jobs, and he's taken the last few months to relax a bit before hitting the seas again. He will cost 50 gold initial, and demands no less then 20 gold a week for his salary. Given his years of experience, this is about average. He also might be able to scare up some of his old crew as well.

I'll make some small talk with each of them separately, working in questions to try to gauge their temperaments and leadership ability.

Karen:
1. So, Karen, what do you believe makes you qualified to be a captain?
2. What ships have you sailed on?
3. Why did you choose a sailor's life?
4. What is the minimum amount of crew needed for a galleon?

Steamcrank:
1. Why did you choose a sailor's life?
2. What is the minimum amount of crew needed for a galleon?
3. We are on a budget for the time being. How willing are you to work with greenhorns?

Karen:
1. So, Karen, what do you believe makes you qualified to be a captain?
"Well I've taken 3 years of schooling for it, and worked as First-Mate for several Captains on merchant Schooners sailing between Hebian-To and Holtburg."
2. What ships have you sailed on?
"The Sacisa, the Envoy of Gold, and the Great Gatsby, all merchant vessels."
3. Why did you choose a sailor's life?
"Why wouldn't I? Good pay, get to see the world, and there's nothing like feeling the spray of the sea in your face as the horizon streaks closer."
4. What is the minimum amount of crew needed for a galleon?
"Oh that's an opinion question right there, but I'd say bare minimum of 15 people, plus two per cannon you plan on manning. More would be preferable but what can you do."

Steamcrank:
1. Why did you choose a sailor's life?
"I didn't choose it, it chose ME! The seas are my destiny, my FUTURE!"
2. What is the minimum amount of crew needed for a galleon?
"Well that depends on many variables including whether or not you intend to use the firepower one has aboard it. However I'd say 13 minimum crew, with a few handling the cannons doing double duty as deckhands. Unless you want all yer gun ports open, of course."
3. We are on a budget for the time being. How willing are you to work with greenhorns?
"I can whip ANY Sailor into shape, lickity split! Just you watch me, I'll run those deviled eggs ragged like the bloomin' cockroaches they is!"

A quick follow up.

Karen:
1. Why do you say 15 and not say, 10 or 12?
2. How many would you need to maintain the ship while its in dock?

Steamcrank: 1. How much crew would you need to maintain the ship at dock?

Karen:
1. Why do you say 15 and not, say, 10 or 12?
"Well, if you want to run a substandard ship that's your business, but me I'd rather not skirt the lines of real minimum. You ride that line and you lose a person, or someone gets sick, or you get boarded, or you need to use yer cannons, then all you've got is no wind in yer sails. Better to have the extras. Running a ship on such low crew is dangerous anyways, easy to miss something in upkeep."
2. How many would you need to maintain the ship while its in dock?
"Well now that's an odd question. Normally I'd say, the same amount since it could be put out at any moment, and all the work that keeps a ship runnin' doesn't change just because it's sittin' still."

Steamcrank: 1. How much crew would you need to maintain the ship at dock?
"The same, if not more! Just because the sails don't need tending doesn't mean you can get away with laziness on MY deck."

I'm going to hire Karen of Moonsong. I'll pay the initial 30 gold out of my own pocket, and negotiate her salary.

"I'm impressed, Karen, and wish to make you an offer. I'll pay the 30 up front and an additional 20 gold a week. If our little enterprise takes off we can renegotiate at a later date." (Diplomacy +10. I'm also assuming she'll haggle, which seems to me to be a cultural thing in Aluvia.)

Karen proves exceptionally diplomatic and will counter-roll Haggle you up to 25 gold a week, but does not push for more.

"Very well, 25 gold it is." He shakes her hand and pays her the 30 gold. "How much do you know about the job?"

"Getting a crew for a military-grade Galleon, no sweat. I, ah, hope this is not about starting a bandit or pirate group, cuz I'm afraid I'm not into any of that." She gives a nervous smile. "But otherwise, what kind of budget am I looking at for crew?"

"No worries there, though it's former owners were a bandit or pirate group. In fact, its packing double the amount of cannon than the legal limit. Any thoughts on that would be appreciated."

"As for funds, you can use this." He hands her 50 gold. "Please shoot for 30 if you can. If you want to spend the other 20, be prepared to defend you choices later. We are also on a time crunch here. We need the crew assembled and at Janwall in 2 days. Thoughts? Questions?"

Spoiler:

The Half-Elf frowns at Kolson for a bit. "If you really want me to get a serious crew going I'm going to need about 220 gold, bare minimum. I'm pretty good at haggling but I doubt I'll get much below that. That's for the first week, though I might be able to swing it for a week plus extra if I'm lucky. Oh and," she laughs a bit, "I forgot to ask the name of the ship!"

"Whew, I didn't realize sailors cost so much. 220 it is." He doles out the cash for it. "The name of the ship is, [Ship Name Here]. Isn't that the best name ever?"

While Karen is dubious of your ship name, she does head off promptly to begin hiring Sailors.

Now the task of finding a specific type of real estate lies before you. But what kind of building to look for, other then one close to the Veil? Hm...

I'd like something to use as an office for buying and selling. I figure we are small enough to combine the two.

Questions on setting up and staffing the office

1. What is the normal employee to Agent ratio in this type of office?
2. Are Agents put into administrative roles considered to be on a mission, with all the benefits and risks that entails?

1: That question has too many additional variables to say with the only information given but, on average for a multi-city organization you are probably looking at around 1 agent to 100 mundane employees.

2: Agents put into administrative roles do not level up or otherwise act as Agents until they are put on real missions.

Okay, I'm looking at 1,725 square feat of needed space assuming the following dimensions:

2 Standard Offices (10'x15)
1 Small Meeting Room (15'x15')
1 Small Reception (15'x20')
1 Files/Library (15'x25')

This space can be divided between 2 stories and I am willing to look at places with more space for growth later.

Do you need me to assign Agents to this?

You recall Snarg mentioning places to rent so decide to check them out yourself, and fine one on the southwest edge of the Commercial District, about an hour's walk away from the nearest entrance to the Hidden Veil. It is a two story building, decent windows, rent is 80 gold a month. It is currently set up so the bottom floor has one large room, two smaller rooms, and staircase. The top floor has 3 smaller rooms and 2 medium rooms.