Assayers - Revision history

Ryker: /* Jurisdiction */

2026-03-03T02:45:16Z

Jurisdiction

Ryker: /* Structure */

2026-03-03T02:31:43Z

Structure

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:31, 3 March 2026
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	'''Numismator Ordinary''' - Runs key departments within the Avakair Mint or manages important operations in the field. Easy scapegoats when things go wrong and suffer limited lifespan as a result, unless blame can be passed to an Undernumismator.		'''Numismator Ordinary''' - Runs key departments within the Avakair Mint or manages important operations in the field. Easy scapegoats when things go wrong and suffer limited lifespan as a result, unless blame can be passed to an Undernumismator.

	'''Overnumismator''' - A member of the Committee of Overnumismators, the highest authority in the Assayers. The chairmanship of this committee rotates on an intermittent basis by an unclear method, with the chairman being known as the Overnumismator Eminent. The Overnumismators decide the strategic direction of the Assayers.		'''Overnumismator''' - A member of the Committee of Overnumismators, the highest authority in the Assayers. The chairmanship of this committee rotates on an intermittent basis by an unclear method, with the chairman being known as the Overnumismator Eminent. The Overnumismators decide the strategic direction of the Assayers. Their selection is subject only to notification of the [[Office of the Sacred Treasury]], not approval, and their deliberations remain confidential at all times.

	== Personality==		== Personality==

Ryker at 02:28, 3 March 2026

2026-03-03T02:28:18Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:28, 3 March 2026
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	The fraternity began to regain its historic monopoly within the confines of the [[Sovereign Confederation]] in the period between the [[Kalirion Fracture]] and the [[Second Elwynnese Civil War]] as their older traditions were revived with the Chamber of Assay, and were formally established as a subordinate entity under the [[Office of the Sacred Treasury]] in {{AN\|1699}} in [[Chryse]] by the [[Benacian Union]].		The fraternity began to regain its historic monopoly within the confines of the [[Sovereign Confederation]] in the period between the [[Kalirion Fracture]] and the [[Second Elwynnese Civil War]] as their older traditions were revived with the Chamber of Assay, and were formally established as a subordinate entity under the [[Office of the Sacred Treasury]] in {{AN\|1699}} in [[Chryse]] by the [[Benacian Union]].

			==Guild Charter==

			The Assayers were formally chartered as one of the preeminent guilds of the [[Sovereign Confederation]] in {{AN\|1699}}, with the charter subsequently amended in {{AN\|1753}} to incorporate the General Guild Charter Provisions Act promulgated by the [[Gæta uis Korïaneï]].

			===Jurisdiction===

			Under the terms of Charter II of the Guild Charters of the Sovereign Confederation, the Assayers exercise formal jurisdiction over the following domains:

			*'''Currency assay and financial engineering''' — the original and foundational remit of the Chamber, encompassing the establishment of currency standards (which are set by the Assay and subsequently approved by the relevant authorities, not the other way around).
			*'''State media production and censorship coordination''' — oversight of official broadcasting and information management, administered through the Division of Resonance.
			*'''Industrial chemistry''' — including hydrogen production, military propellants, and cognitive enhancement pharmaceuticals, administered through the Alchemical College.
			*'''Precision armaments''' — manufacture and development through [[Assayer Armaments]], administered through the College of Precision.
			*'''Intelligence operations''' — financial intelligence, informant network management, and corporate intelligence, administered through the Division of Correspondences.

			===Internal Divisions===

			The Assayers' operational activities are distributed across five internal bodies, known by their cryptic traditional nomenclature:

			*'''The Metallurgical College''' — currency assay, bullion management, and financial engineering.
			*'''The Division of Resonance''' — state broadcasting and censorship coordination.
			*'''The Alchemical College''' — industrial chemistry, fuels, and pharmaceutical development.
			*'''The College of Precision''' — precision armaments design, manufacture, and sales.
			*'''The Division of Correspondences''' — intelligence operations, informant networks, and corporate espionage.

			===Charter Provisions of Note===

			Consistent with the Assayers' historic resistance to outside oversight, their guild charter deviates from general provisions in several significant respects. The composition and selection of the Committee of Overnumismators — which may number between seven and thirteen members — is subject only to ''notification'' of the [[Office of the Sacred Treasury]], not to its approval. Internal disciplinary proceedings are conducted without external oversight, on the grounds that outside scrutiny would compromise personnel morale. Currency standards, similarly, flow from the Assay's determination to the relevant authorities, rather than being handed down from above.

	==Structure==		==Structure==

Ryker: /* Known Overnumismator Eminents */

2026-02-09T02:39:10Z

Known Overnumismator Eminents

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	\|[[Grigg Mercajski]]		\|[[Grigg Mercajski]]
	\|1696-1712		\|1696-1712
	\|First recorded Eminent since the Assayers were instated as the primary financial ~~instrument~~ of the Sovereign Confederation. Averted ~~financial~~ ruin at home using the powers of the Benacian Union's Sacred Treasury .		\|First recorded Eminent since the Assayers were instated as the primary financial architects of the Sovereign Confederation. Averted economic ruin at home using the powers of the Benacian Union's Sacred Treasury
	\|-		\|-
	\|[[Varl Mercajski]]		\|[[Varl Mercajski]]
	\|1712-		\|1712-1750
	\|		\|Continued his uncle's successes and fully rehabilitated the public image of the Assayers to its former glory, free of presumptions treachery
	\|-		\|-
			\|[[Titus Groen Mercajski]]
			\|1750-
			\|Former member of the [[High Presidium of the Benacian Union\|High Presidium]]. Assumed position following Varl's passing. Appointed as Uvngætz of the Sovereign Confederation and first [[Consulate of the Benacian Union\|Second Consul]] of the Benacian Union in 1753
	\|}		\|}

Ryker: /* History */

2024-04-15T18:41:51Z

History

Ryker: /* History */

2024-03-28T15:39:23Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:39, 28 March 2024
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	==History==		==History==

	The Assayers (formally the '''Chamber of Assay of the Avakair Mint and Bullion Depository''') are an organisation founded to maintain the quality and reliability of currency and precious metals passing through the mint at Avakair~~, Ynnraile~~ - which traditionally ~~helds~~ the [[Shireroth\|Imperial]] contract for the production of [[Erb]]. Over the years its activities expanded to reach far beyond its original remit, to the point where it ~~resembled~~ something ~~between~~ an intelligence agency ~~and an organised crime syndicate~~ defying all attempts at regulation.		The Assayers (formally the '''Chamber of Assay of the Avakair Mint and Bullion Depository''') are an organisation founded to maintain the quality and reliability of currency and precious metals passing through the mint at Avakair - which traditionally held the [[Shireroth\|Imperial]] contract for the production of [[Erb]]. Over the years its activities expanded to reach far beyond its original remit, to the point where it became something akin to an organized crime syndicate with an intelligence agency, defying all attempts at regulation.

	The Assayers came into their most ~~notable~~ form during the Avakair Mint's rise to Imperial ~~prominence~~ during the rule of Baron Yvain Wintersong of Ynnraile. They were tasked with overseeing the rigorous quality control regime for the production of Erb, and granted wide-ranging powers to do so. The first Committee of Assay was populated by the precious few experts in currency found in ~~the then-defunct~~ [[Goldshire]], almost all of whom came from a single family: the Mercajas, famed as the ruthless Treesian merchant clan whose rule had once extended over all Goldshire ~~- and whose~~ power had worried the Gods ~~enough to forge~~ the [[Sword of Vengeance]] to contain them. After the Mercajas' humiliation at the hands of [[Raynor Me'Jiliad]] and the absorption of their Goldshirian realm into the newly-founded [[Shireroth]], the family's remnants sank into obscurity for millennia - quietly accepting the supremacy of the [[Cedrist]] Gods who had arrested their rise, and returning to the pursuit of finance and trade from which they had come. It was their descendants who were cautiously rehabilitated by the Avakair Mint, to utilise their ancient skills and safeguard the Mint's reputation.		The Assayers came into their most iconic form during the Avakair Mint's rise to prominence on an Imperial scale during the rule of Baron Yvain Wintersong of Ynnraile. They were tasked with overseeing the rigorous quality control regime for the production of Erb, and granted wide-ranging powers to do so. The first Committee of Assay was populated by the precious few experts in currency found in [[Goldshire]] at the time, almost all of whom came from a single family: the Mercajas, famed as the ruthless Treesian merchant clan whose rule had once extended over all Goldshire. Legends say their amassed power had worried even the Gods, who forged the [[Sword of Vengeance]] for their champion to contain them. After the Mercajas' humiliation at the hands of [[Raynor Me'Jiliad]] and the absorption of their Goldshirian realm into the newly-founded [[Shireroth]], the family's remnants sank into obscurity for millennia - quietly accepting the supremacy of the [[Cedrist]] Gods who had arrested their rise, and returning to the pursuit of finance and trade from which they had come. It was their descendants who were cautiously rehabilitated by the Avakair Mint, to utilise their ancient skills and safeguard the Mint's reputation.

	The Assayers used the old Mercaja cunning to further its bureaucratic aims within the Mint; first ousting all non-Mercaja appointees from the Committee of Assay itself, then slowly taking control of the management of the entire Mint. Their methods were decisive and discreet, with all who so much as murmured opposition simply disappearing off the face of Micras without any conclusive proof leading back to the Assayers themselves. Those wiser souls within the Mint learned to co-operate with the Assayers at every turn, not only to achieve their own aims but to preserve their lives.		The Assayers used the old Mercaja cunning to further its bureaucratic aims within the Mint; first ousting all non-Mercaja appointees from the Committee of Assay itself, then slowly taking control of the management of the entire Mint. Their methods were decisive and discreet, with all who so much as murmured opposition simply disappearing off the face of Micras without any conclusive proof leading back to the Assayers themselves. Those wiser souls within the Mint learned to co-operate with the Assayers at every turn, not only to achieve their own aims but to preserve their lives.
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	At this point the Assayers' sphere of dominance began to creep from the Avakair Mint itself to the nearest organs of government, and the focus of the Assayers' efforts expanded from simple currency control to furthering the interests of the Assayers themselves. While the Assayers' appetite for political involvement had been irrevocably damaged by Raynor's defeat of the Mercajas, those areas immediately concerning them were gradually made "safe" for their operations. The authorities of the City of Avakair soon learned to receive the Assayers favourably, otherwise key clerks and officials would begin to go missing.		At this point the Assayers' sphere of dominance began to creep from the Avakair Mint itself to the nearest organs of government, and the focus of the Assayers' efforts expanded from simple currency control to furthering the interests of the Assayers themselves. While the Assayers' appetite for political involvement had been irrevocably damaged by Raynor's defeat of the Mercajas, those areas immediately concerning them were gradually made "safe" for their operations. The authorities of the City of Avakair soon learned to receive the Assayers favourably, otherwise key clerks and officials would begin to go missing.

	The Assayers' capacity for intelligence gathering had begun as a network of informers in the financial profession. Soon it rapidly expanded into a cadre of active agents doing its bidding in the Avakair area, as well as key Ducal offices in Goldshire and even the ~~Imperial~~ [[Ministry of Trade]]. This talent caught the eye of Goldshire's Dukes, who realised the Assayers were considerably more accomplished in the field of espionage ~~then~~ their own agents. Thus began an uneasy relationship between the Duchy of Goldshire and the Assayers. A gentleman's agreement was established whereby the Assayers would provide the Duke with valuable information on request, and in return the Duchy would turn a blind eye to certain extralegal activities of the Assayers. The agreement was entirely unwritten and subject to frequent re-interpretation by both sides. It would frequently break down when Goldshirian authorities sniffed around the Assayers' interests too closely, resulting in the disappearance of key Ducal officials and the cessation or adulteration of the Assayers' intelligence reports to the Duke. The information remained essential however, and the relationship continued.		The Assayers' capacity for intelligence gathering had begun as a network of informers in the financial profession. Soon it rapidly expanded into a cadre of active agents doing its bidding in the Avakair area, as well as key Ducal offices in Goldshire and even the [[Ministry of Trade]] in Shirekeep. This talent caught the eye of Goldshire's Dukes, who realised the Assayers were considerably more accomplished in the field of espionage than their own agents. Thus began an uneasy relationship between the Duchy of Goldshire and the Assayers. A gentleman's agreement was established whereby the Assayers would provide the Duke with valuable information on request, and in return the Duchy would turn a blind eye to certain extralegal activities of the Assayers. The agreement was entirely unwritten and subject to frequent re-interpretation by both sides. It would frequently break down when Goldshirian authorities sniffed around the Assayers' interests too closely, resulting in the disappearance of key Ducal officials and the cessation or adulteration of the Assayers' intelligence reports to the Duke. The information remained essential however, and the relationship continued.

	Perhaps the most serious schism between the Assayers and the Duchy was the forced suicide of Duke [[Krasniy]] Yastreb of Goldshire in 5222 ASC and his replacement with his illegitimate son Ryabin, who by virtue of a tenuous Mercaja bloodline had been adopted by the Assayers and schooled as one of their own. But despite his strict education, Ryabin's loyalty to the Assayers was broken by an Imperial currency scandal during the reign of [[Kaiser Trantor IV]], and the Assayers' subsequent torture of Ryabin in the cellars of the Avakair Mint. Fortunately the greater blame for the affair fell on Ryabin's uncle and promoter Rimetar Mercaja, who was forced into suicide while Ryabin was released from the employ of the Assayers and effectively disowned from the Mercaja dynasty. Only his position as Duke of Goldshire, deemed useful by the Assayers, prevented his own demise. Since the Trantor Affair the Assayers entered a period of semi-dormancy, seemingly preferring to consolidate their existing spheres of dominance rather than establish new ones. During this time Committee of Overnumismators, the highest authority in the Assayers, was subjected to a period of reflection, reorganisation and refinement that saw the post-holders rotated with an urgency and vigour seldom seen in the organisation's long and varied history. Meanwhile, on the surface, all appeared to be outwardly calm.		Perhaps the most serious schism between the Assayers and the Duchy was the forced suicide of Duke [[Krasniy]] Yastreb of Goldshire in 5222 ASC and his replacement with his illegitimate son Ryabin, who by virtue of a tenuous Mercaja bloodline had been adopted by the Assayers and schooled as one of their own. But despite his strict education, Ryabin's loyalty to the Assayers was broken by an Imperial currency scandal during the reign of [[Kaiser Trantor IV]], and the Assayers' subsequent torture of Ryabin in the cellars of the Avakair Mint. Fortunately the greater blame for the affair fell on Ryabin's uncle and promoter Rimetar Mercaja, who was forced into suicide while Ryabin was released from the employ of the Assayers and effectively disowned from the Mercaja dynasty. Only his position as Duke of Goldshire, deemed useful by the Assayers, prevented his own demise. Since the Trantor Affair the Assayers entered a period of semi-dormancy, seemingly preferring to consolidate their existing spheres of dominance rather than establish new ones. During this time Committee of Overnumismators, the highest authority in the Assayers, was subjected to a period of reflection, reorganisation and refinement that saw the post-holders rotated with an urgency and vigour seldom seen in the organisation's long and varied history. Meanwhile, on the surface, all appeared to be outwardly calm.

Primo de Aguilar: /* History */

2024-01-19T04:07:40Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:07, 19 January 2024
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	That period of quietude came to an abrupt end when Overnumismator Eminent of the Chamber of Assay of the Avakair Mint and Bullion Depository, Tudor ap Rimetar, in 1638 AN made a rare public intervention to denounce ''the debasement of the coinage, the circulation of inferior mockeries of currency, the wanton profligacy of the Royal Government and the fatal tendency towards the indulgence of [[ESB-Jörmungandr Group\|certain asset-stripping bands of stateless marauders hiding behind the imperfect disguise of private enterprise]]. A stand must be taken against this unconscionable state of systemic irregularity''. The truce with the nominal government of Goldshire was at an end.		That period of quietude came to an abrupt end when Overnumismator Eminent of the Chamber of Assay of the Avakair Mint and Bullion Depository, Tudor ap Rimetar, in 1638 AN made a rare public intervention to denounce ''the debasement of the coinage, the circulation of inferior mockeries of currency, the wanton profligacy of the Royal Government and the fatal tendency towards the indulgence of [[ESB-Jörmungandr Group\|certain asset-stripping bands of stateless marauders hiding behind the imperfect disguise of private enterprise]]. A stand must be taken against this unconscionable state of systemic irregularity''. The truce with the nominal government of Goldshire was at an end.

	Following the assassination of Princes Arn and Rostam Ayreon-Kalirion in 1639, Goldshire plunged into chaos. Amidst the turmoil, the ESB-Jörmungandr Group, tasked with enforcing Martial Law, found themselves at odds not only with the Royal Government's dwindling authority but also with the infamous Assayers.		Following the assassination of Princes Arn and Rostam Ayreon-Kalirion in 1639, Goldshire plunged into chaos. Amidst the turmoil, the [[ESB-Jörmungandr Group]], tasked with enforcing Martial Law, found themselves at odds not only with the Royal Government's dwindling authority but also with the infamous Assayers.

	The Assayers, once only a small rogue intelligence arm of the Avakair Mint, had transformed into a powerful shadow organization with a ruthless grip on the kingdom's financial sphere. Their fanatical devotion to the "gold standard" Erb clashed directly with the ESB's agenda of promoting the fiat currency, the Teldrin Thaler. This conflict erupted into open warfare, with the Assayers utilizing their shadowy network of informants and agents to destabilize the ESB's control. Goldshire's capital, Avakair, became a battleground, ravaged by assassinations, sabotage, and financial manipulation.		The Assayers, once only a small rogue intelligence arm of the Avakair Mint, had transformed into a powerful shadow organization with a ruthless grip on the kingdom's financial sphere. Their fanatical devotion to the "gold standard" Erb clashed directly with the ESB's agenda of promoting the fiat currency, the Teldrin Thaler. This conflict erupted into open warfare, with the Assayers utilizing their shadowy network of informants and agents to destabilize the ESB's control. Goldshire's capital, Avakair, became a battleground, ravaged by assassinations, sabotage, and financial manipulation.

Ryker: /* History */

2024-01-19T03:21:33Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:21, 19 January 2024
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	That period of quietude came to an abrupt end when Overnumismator Eminent of the Chamber of Assay of the Avakair Mint and Bullion Depository, Tudor ap Rimetar, in 1638 AN made a rare public intervention to denounce ''the debasement of the coinage, the circulation of inferior mockeries of currency, the wanton profligacy of the Royal Government and the fatal tendency towards the indulgence of [[ESB-Jörmungandr Group\|certain asset-stripping bands of stateless marauders hiding behind the imperfect disguise of private enterprise]]. A stand must be taken against this unconscionable state of systemic irregularity''. The truce with the nominal government of Goldshire was at an end.		That period of quietude came to an abrupt end when Overnumismator Eminent of the Chamber of Assay of the Avakair Mint and Bullion Depository, Tudor ap Rimetar, in 1638 AN made a rare public intervention to denounce ''the debasement of the coinage, the circulation of inferior mockeries of currency, the wanton profligacy of the Royal Government and the fatal tendency towards the indulgence of [[ESB-Jörmungandr Group\|certain asset-stripping bands of stateless marauders hiding behind the imperfect disguise of private enterprise]]. A stand must be taken against this unconscionable state of systemic irregularity''. The truce with the nominal government of Goldshire was at an end.

	~~(Civil war blurb here)~~		Following the assassination of Princes Arn and Rostam Ayreon-Kalirion in 1639, Goldshire plunged into chaos. Amidst the turmoil, the ESB-Jörmungandr Group, tasked with enforcing Martial Law, found themselves at odds not only with the Royal Government's dwindling authority but also with the infamous Assayers.

	Following the civil war ~~the~~ surviving members ~~of the Assayers~~ - those who had not been rounded up, castrated, and dispatched to monasteries in the cursed, frozen, land of Raikoth, began to gradually seek each other out and, cautiously, throughout the 1640s formed new fraternal associations whereby they could continue to ply their trade, albeit on a more local scale and under reduced circumstances. Gradually they began to be known as the '''Gentlemen of the Assay''', dread in the community for the ruthlessness with which they tested for deficiencies and weaknesses in their fellow citizens, rich and poor alike, that could be turned to their advantage. In 1653, they registered an arms development, manufacture, and sales business with the Kingdom of Goldshire.		The Assayers, once only a small rogue intelligence arm of the Avakair Mint, had transformed into a powerful shadow organization with a ruthless grip on the kingdom's financial sphere. Their fanatical devotion to the "gold standard" Erb clashed directly with the ESB's agenda of promoting the fiat currency, the Teldrin Thaler. This conflict erupted into open warfare, with the Assayers utilizing their shadowy network of informants and agents to destabilize the ESB's control. Goldshire's capital, Avakair, became a battleground, ravaged by assassinations, sabotage, and financial manipulation.

			However, the Assayers' methods, honed on fear and intimidation, alienated potential allies among the peasantry and merchant classes. This paved the way for the rise of the Goldshire Liberation Front, an agrarian resistance movement advocating for local rule and an end to both ESB overreach and Assayers' tyranny. The Civil War in Goldshire raged for four years, carving deep scars across the kingdom's once idyllic landscape. By 1643, a fragile peace was finally established, leaving Goldshire politically fractured and economically crippled. The Assayers, though severely weakened, retreated into the shadows.

			Following the civil war, their surviving members - those who had not been rounded up, castrated, and dispatched to monasteries in the cursed, frozen, land of Raikoth - began to gradually seek each other out and, cautiously, throughout the 1640s formed new fraternal associations whereby they could continue to ply their trade, albeit on a more local scale and under reduced circumstances. Gradually they began to be known as the '''Gentlemen of the Assay''', dread in the community for the ruthlessness with which they tested for deficiencies and weaknesses in their fellow citizens, rich and poor alike, that could be turned to their advantage. In 1653, they registered an arms development, manufacture, and sales business with the Kingdom of Goldshire.

	The fraternity faded out of history in the period between the [[Kalirion Fracture]] and the [[Second Elwynnese Civil War]] but the traditions of the Assayers were revived with the Chamber of Assay established as a subordinate entity under the [[Office of the Sacred Treasury]] after {{AN\|1699}} in [[Chryse]] by the [[Benacian Union]].		The fraternity faded out of history in the period between the [[Kalirion Fracture]] and the [[Second Elwynnese Civil War]] but the traditions of the Assayers were revived with the Chamber of Assay established as a subordinate entity under the [[Office of the Sacred Treasury]] after {{AN\|1699}} in [[Chryse]] by the [[Benacian Union]].

Ryker: /* Known Overnumismator Eminents */

2022-09-05T21:31:34Z

Known Overnumismator Eminents

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:31, 5 September 2022
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	\|First recorded Eminent since the Assayers were instated as the primary financial instrument of the Sovereign Confederation. Averted financial ruin at home using the powers of the Benacian Union's Sacred Treasury .		\|First recorded Eminent since the Assayers were instated as the primary financial instrument of the Sovereign Confederation. Averted financial ruin at home using the powers of the Benacian Union's Sacred Treasury .
	\|-		\|-
	\|Varl Mercajski		\|[[Varl Mercajski]]
	\|1712-		\|1712-
	\|		\|

Ryker: /* Known Overnumismator Eminents */

2022-09-05T21:30:45Z

Known Overnumismator Eminents

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:30, 5 September 2022
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	\|First recorded Eminent since the Assayers were instated as the primary financial instrument of the Sovereign Confederation. Averted financial ruin at home using the powers of the Benacian Union's Sacred Treasury .		\|First recorded Eminent since the Assayers were instated as the primary financial instrument of the Sovereign Confederation. Averted financial ruin at home using the powers of the Benacian Union's Sacred Treasury .
	\|-		\|-
	\|Varl ~~Marcajski~~		\|Varl Mercajski
	\|1712-		\|1712-
	\|		\|

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:45, 3 March 2026
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	==Guild Charter==		==Guild Charter==

	The Assayers were formally chartered as one of the preeminent guilds of the [[Sovereign Confederation]] in {{AN\|1699}}, with the charter subsequently amended in {{AN\|1753}} to incorporate the General Guild Charter Provisions Act ~~promulgated by the [[Gæta uis Korïaneï]]~~.		The Assayers were formally chartered as one of the preeminent guilds of the [[Sovereign Confederation]] in {{AN\|1699}}, with the charter subsequently amended in {{AN\|1753}} to incorporate the General Guild Charter Provisions Act.

	===Jurisdiction===		===Jurisdiction===

	Under the terms of ~~Charter II of the Guild Charters of the Sovereign Confederation~~, the Assayers exercise formal jurisdiction over the following domains:		Under the terms of their charter, the Assayers exercise formal jurisdiction over the following domains:

	*'''Currency assay and financial engineering''' — the original and foundational remit of the Chamber, encompassing the establishment of currency standards (which are set by the Assay and subsequently approved by the relevant authorities, not the other way around).		*'''Currency assay and financial engineering''' — the original and foundational remit of the Chamber, encompassing the establishment of currency standards (which are set by the Assay and subsequently approved by the relevant authorities, not the other way around).
	*'''State media production and censorship coordination''' — oversight of official broadcasting and information management, administered through the Division of Resonance.		*'''State media production and censorship coordination''' — oversight of official broadcasting and information management, administered through the Division of Resonance.
	*'''Industrial chemistry''' — including hydrogen production, military propellants, and cognitive enhancement pharmaceuticals, administered through the Alchemical College.		*'''Industrial chemistry''' — including hydrogen production, military propellants, and cognitive enhancement pharmaceuticals, administered through the Alchemical College.
	*'''Precision armaments''' — manufacture and development through [[Assayer Armaments]], administered through the College of Precision.		*'''Precision armaments''' — manufacture and development through Assayer Armaments, administered through the College of Precision.
	*'''Intelligence operations''' — financial intelligence, informant network management, and corporate intelligence, administered through the Division of Correspondences.		*'''Intelligence operations''' — financial intelligence, informant network management, and corporate intelligence, administered through the Division of Correspondences.

	===Internal Divisions===		===Internal Divisions===

	The Assayers' operational activities are distributed across five internal bodies~~, known by their cryptic traditional nomenclature~~:		The Assayers' operational activities are distributed across five internal bodies:

	*'''The Metallurgical College''' — currency assay, bullion management, and financial engineering.		*'''The Metallurgical College''' — currency assay, bullion management, and financial engineering.
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	'''Asset of Assay''' - the informants, low level 'plants' in government institutions, and menial workers. Generally of non-Mercaja blood, kept loyal through a combination of bribery and threats.		'''Asset of Assay''' - the informants, low level 'plants' in government institutions, and menial workers. Generally of non-Mercaja blood, kept loyal through a combination of bribery and threats.

	'''Officer of Assay''' - act as handlers of the Assets or bottom-tier managers. Usually of weak Mercaja blood, although occasionally a ~~meritous~~ non-Mercaja will be promoted to this rank.		'''Officer of Assay''' - act as handlers of the Assets or bottom-tier managers. Usually of weak Mercaja blood, although occasionally a meritorious non-Mercaja will be promoted to this rank.

	'''Undernumismator''' - an apprentice rank, usually attached to a Numismator Ordinary and taught the latter's craft. This process can take many years.		'''Undernumismator''' - an apprentice rank, usually attached to a Numismator Ordinary and taught the latter's craft. This process can take many years.
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	== Personality==		== Personality==

	While Assets are made to do the Assayers' bidding by threats and bribery, all other ranks undergo a prolonged period of instruction and indoctrination at the Avakair Mint, usually beginning from an early age. Here, no matter what their personality or temperament on joining, they are ~~moulded~~ into individuals who would be considered utterly dull, devoid of jollity or humour, and clad in smart but featureless formal suits. They are expected to subordinate all family and social commitments to their work for the Assayers, and indeed to incorporate said family or social circle as Assets. All contacts of no use must be shunned.		While Assets are made to do the Assayers' bidding by threats and bribery, all other ranks undergo a prolonged period of instruction and indoctrination at the Avakair Mint, usually beginning from an early age. Here, no matter what their personality or temperament on joining, they are molded into individuals who would be considered utterly dull, devoid of jollity or humour, and clad in smart but featureless formal suits. They are expected to subordinate all family and social commitments to their work for the Assayers, and indeed to incorporate said family or social circle as Assets. All contacts of no use must be shunned.

	Despite their boring nature, Assayers' training in sharpness of perception and tactical thinking results in an extremely sarcastic outlook which is only tempered by their general dourness. It is said that nobody can outwit an Assayer in conversation - and the harder one tries, the harder one will be verbally humiliated. Assayers are also notoriously unwilling to divulge information to anybody except for higher ranked Assayers - answering a question of any kind from anybody else is considered an extreme faux-pas, even if it is something innocent like "How are you?" Doing so is seen as an act of degrading capitulation. This means that junior Assayers must work only on their orders without seeking clarification, relying on guesswork and initiative to fill in the gaps in their instruction. This is considered an essential part of an Assayer's development, and those who guess wrongly too ~~mnay~~ times will generally meet with severe punitive measures.		Despite their boring nature, Assayers' training in sharpness of perception and tactical thinking results in an extremely sarcastic outlook which is only tempered by their general dourness. It is said that nobody can outwit an Assayer in conversation - and the harder one tries, the harder one will be verbally humiliated. Assayers are also notoriously unwilling to divulge information to anybody except for higher ranked Assayers - answering a question of any kind from anybody else is considered an extreme faux-pas, even if it is something innocent like "How are you?" Doing so is seen as an act of degrading capitulation. This means that junior Assayers must work only on their orders without seeking clarification, relying on guesswork and initiative to fill in the gaps in their instruction. This is considered an essential part of an Assayer's development, and those who guess wrongly too many times will generally meet with severe punitive measures.

	A graduated Assayer is issued a small, golden magnifying glass to be carried on them at all times. The loss or damage of this glass is an extreme ~~offence~~ punishable by instant termination by the methods described below.		A graduated Assayer is issued a small, golden magnifying glass to be carried on them at all times. The loss or damage of this glass is an extreme offense punishable by instant termination by the methods described below.

	==Methods & Motivations==		==Methods & Motivations==
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	Those individuals deemed irreconcilably problematic by the Assayers (obstructive bureaucrats, for instance) are quietly stalked until such time as they can be discreetly removed to the Avakair Mint, whereupon they are "tested beyond use" by the methods given above, with their remains being dissolved in acid and disposed of as chemical waste.		Those individuals deemed irreconcilably problematic by the Assayers (obstructive bureaucrats, for instance) are quietly stalked until such time as they can be discreetly removed to the Avakair Mint, whereupon they are "tested beyond use" by the methods given above, with their remains being dissolved in acid and disposed of as chemical waste.

	Those of previously honourable standing requiring termination (nobles, the wealthy, or high-ranking Assayers themselves) are generally ~~aproached~~ during their usual business and offered a suicide pill, with a gentle instruction to use it. If they refuse, they are dealt with by the standard method.		Those of previously honourable standing requiring termination (nobles, the wealthy, or high-ranking Assayers themselves) are generally approached during their usual business and offered a suicide pill, with a gentle instruction to use it. If they refuse, they are dealt with by the standard method.

	The specific motivations of the Assayers are a mystery, and vary according to the dominant personalities on the Committee of Overnumismators at any given time. The tendency is to feel gently for greater influence and power until they court too much public controversy, then withdraw to the shadows and explore a different route. Despite the passage of untold aeons, the ancient humiliation by Raynor and his attendant Gods inspire caution in the Mercajas and their ~~organisation~~ to this day.		The specific motivations of the Assayers are a mystery, and vary according to the dominant personalities on the Committee of Overnumismators at any given time. The tendency is to feel gently for greater influence and power until they court too much public controversy, then withdraw to the shadows and explore a different route. Despite the passage of untold aeons, the ancient humiliation by Raynor and his attendant Gods inspire caution in the Mercajas and their organization to this day.
	==Known Overnumismator Eminents==		==Known Overnumismator Eminents==
	{\| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" border="1"		{\| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" border="1"

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:41, 15 April 2024
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	The Assayers' capacity for intelligence gathering had begun as a network of informers in the financial profession. Soon it rapidly expanded into a cadre of active agents doing its bidding in the Avakair area, as well as key Ducal offices in Goldshire and even the [[Ministry of Trade]] in Shirekeep. This talent caught the eye of Goldshire's Dukes, who realised the Assayers were considerably more accomplished in the field of espionage than their own agents. Thus began an uneasy relationship between the Duchy of Goldshire and the Assayers. A gentleman's agreement was established whereby the Assayers would provide the Duke with valuable information on request, and in return the Duchy would turn a blind eye to certain extralegal activities of the Assayers. The agreement was entirely unwritten and subject to frequent re-interpretation by both sides. It would frequently break down when Goldshirian authorities sniffed around the Assayers' interests too closely, resulting in the disappearance of key Ducal officials and the cessation or adulteration of the Assayers' intelligence reports to the Duke. The information remained essential however, and the relationship continued.		The Assayers' capacity for intelligence gathering had begun as a network of informers in the financial profession. Soon it rapidly expanded into a cadre of active agents doing its bidding in the Avakair area, as well as key Ducal offices in Goldshire and even the [[Ministry of Trade]] in Shirekeep. This talent caught the eye of Goldshire's Dukes, who realised the Assayers were considerably more accomplished in the field of espionage than their own agents. Thus began an uneasy relationship between the Duchy of Goldshire and the Assayers. A gentleman's agreement was established whereby the Assayers would provide the Duke with valuable information on request, and in return the Duchy would turn a blind eye to certain extralegal activities of the Assayers. The agreement was entirely unwritten and subject to frequent re-interpretation by both sides. It would frequently break down when Goldshirian authorities sniffed around the Assayers' interests too closely, resulting in the disappearance of key Ducal officials and the cessation or adulteration of the Assayers' intelligence reports to the Duke. The information remained essential however, and the relationship continued.

	Perhaps the most serious schism between the Assayers and the Duchy was the forced suicide of Duke [[~~Krasniy~~]] ~~Yastreb~~ of Goldshire in 5222 ASC and his replacement with his illegitimate son Ryabin, who by virtue of a tenuous Mercaja bloodline had been adopted by the Assayers and schooled as one of their own. But despite his strict education, Ryabin's loyalty to the Assayers was broken by an Imperial currency scandal during the reign of [[Kaiser Trantor IV]], and the Assayers' subsequent torture of Ryabin in the cellars of the Avakair Mint. Fortunately the greater blame for the affair fell on Ryabin's uncle and promoter Rimetar Mercaja, who was forced into suicide while Ryabin was released from the employ of the Assayers and effectively disowned from the Mercaja dynasty. Only his position as Duke of Goldshire, deemed useful by the Assayers, prevented his own demise. Since the Trantor Affair the Assayers entered a period of semi-dormancy, seemingly preferring to consolidate their existing spheres of dominance rather than establish new ones. During this time Committee of Overnumismators, the highest authority in the Assayers, was subjected to a period of reflection, reorganisation and refinement that saw the post-holders rotated with an urgency and vigour seldom seen in the organisation's long and varied history. Meanwhile, on the surface, all appeared to be outwardly calm.		Perhaps the most serious schism between the Assayers and the Duchy was the forced suicide of Duke Krasniy [[House of Yastreb\|Yastreb]] of Goldshire in 5222 ASC and his replacement with his illegitimate son Ryabin, who by virtue of a tenuous Mercaja bloodline had been adopted by the Assayers and schooled as one of their own. But despite his strict education, Ryabin's loyalty to the Assayers was broken by an Imperial currency scandal during the reign of [[Kaiser Trantor IV]], and the Assayers' subsequent torture of Ryabin in the cellars of the Avakair Mint. Fortunately the greater blame for the affair fell on Ryabin's uncle and promoter Rimetar Mercaja, who was forced into suicide while Ryabin was released from the employ of the Assayers and effectively disowned from the Mercaja dynasty. Only his position as Duke of Goldshire, deemed useful by the Assayers, prevented his own demise. Since the Trantor Affair the Assayers entered a period of semi-dormancy, seemingly preferring to consolidate their existing spheres of dominance rather than establish new ones. During this time Committee of Overnumismators, the highest authority in the Assayers, was subjected to a period of reflection, reorganisation and refinement that saw the post-holders rotated with an urgency and vigour seldom seen in the organisation's long and varied history. Meanwhile, on the surface, all appeared to be outwardly calm.

	That period of quietude came to an abrupt end when Overnumismator Eminent of the Chamber of Assay of the Avakair Mint and Bullion Depository, Tudor ap Rimetar, in 1638 AN made a rare public intervention to denounce ''the debasement of the coinage, the circulation of inferior mockeries of currency, the wanton profligacy of the Royal Government and the fatal tendency towards the indulgence of [[ESB-Jörmungandr Group\|certain asset-stripping bands of stateless marauders hiding behind the imperfect disguise of private enterprise]]. A stand must be taken against this unconscionable state of systemic irregularity''. The truce with the nominal government of Goldshire was at an end.		That period of quietude came to an abrupt end when Overnumismator Eminent of the Chamber of Assay of the Avakair Mint and Bullion Depository, Tudor ap Rimetar, in 1638 AN made a rare public intervention to denounce ''the debasement of the coinage, the circulation of inferior mockeries of currency, the wanton profligacy of the Royal Government and the fatal tendency towards the indulgence of [[ESB-Jörmungandr Group\|certain asset-stripping bands of stateless marauders hiding behind the imperfect disguise of private enterprise]]. A stand must be taken against this unconscionable state of systemic irregularity''. The truce with the nominal government of Goldshire was at an end.
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	Following the assassination of Princes Arn and Rostam Ayreon-Kalirion in 1639, Goldshire plunged into chaos. Amidst the turmoil, the [[ESB-Jörmungandr Group]], tasked with enforcing Martial Law, found themselves at odds not only with the Royal Government's dwindling authority but also with the infamous Assayers.		Following the assassination of Princes Arn and Rostam Ayreon-Kalirion in 1639, Goldshire plunged into chaos. Amidst the turmoil, the [[ESB-Jörmungandr Group]], tasked with enforcing Martial Law, found themselves at odds not only with the Royal Government's dwindling authority but also with the infamous Assayers.

	The Assayers~~, once only a small rogue intelligence arm of the Avakair Mint,~~ had transformed into a powerful shadow organization with a ruthless grip on the kingdom's financial sphere. Their fanatical devotion to the "gold standard" Erb clashed directly with the ESB's agenda of promoting the fiat currency, the Teldrin Thaler. This conflict erupted into open warfare, with the Assayers utilizing their ~~shadowy~~ network of informants and agents to destabilize the ESB's control. Goldshire's capital, Avakair, became a battleground, ravaged by assassinations, sabotage, and financial manipulation.		The Assayers had by this point fully transformed into a powerful shadow organization with a ruthless grip on the kingdom's financial sphere. Their fanatical devotion to the "gold standard" Erb clashed directly with the ESB's agenda of promoting the fiat currency, the Teldrin Thaler. This conflict erupted into open warfare, with the Assayers utilizing their network of informants and agents to destabilize the ESB's control. Goldshire's finacial capital, Avakair, became a battleground, ravaged by assassinations, sabotage, and financial manipulation.

	However, the Assayers' methods, honed on fear and intimidation, alienated potential allies among the peasantry and merchant classes. This paved the way for the rise of the Goldshire Liberation Front, an agrarian resistance movement advocating for local rule and an end to both ESB overreach and Assayers' tyranny. The Civil War in Goldshire raged for four years, carving deep scars across the kingdom's once idyllic landscape. By 1643, a fragile peace was finally established, leaving Goldshire politically fractured and economically crippled. The Assayers, though severely weakened, retreated into the shadows.		However, the Assayers' methods, honed on fear and intimidation, alienated potential allies among the peasantry and merchant classes. This paved the way for the rise of the Goldshire Liberation Front, an agrarian resistance movement advocating for local rule and an end to both ESB overreach and Assayers' tyranny. The Civil War in Goldshire raged for four years, carving deep scars across the kingdom's once idyllic landscape. By 1643, a fragile peace was finally established, leaving Goldshire politically fractured and economically crippled. The Assayers, though severely weakened, retreated into the shadows.

	Following the civil war, their surviving members - those who had not been rounded up, castrated, and dispatched to monasteries in the ~~cursed,~~ frozen~~, land~~ of Raikoth - began to gradually seek each other out ~~and, cautiously~~, throughout the 1640s formed new fraternal associations whereby they could continue to ply their trade, albeit on a more local scale and under reduced circumstances. Gradually they began to ~~be known~~ as ~~the '''Gentlemen of the Assay'''~~, ~~dread~~ in the community for the ruthlessness with which they tested ~~for deficiencies and weaknesses in~~ their fellow ~~citizens~~, rich and poor alike, ~~that~~ could be turned to their advantage. In 1653, they registered an arms development, manufacture, and sales business with the ~~Kingdom~~ of Goldshire.		Following the civil war, their surviving members, including those who had not been rounded up, castrated, and dispatched to monasteries in the frozen wastes of Raikoth, began to gradually seek each other out. Cautiously, throughout the 1640s formed new fraternal associations whereby they could continue to ply their trade, albeit on a more local scale and under reduced circumstances. Gradually they began to diversify into ventures outside of finance as Assayer Armaments, dreaded in the community for the ruthlessness with which they tested their business acumen as well as their beautifully handcrafted weapons upon their fellow subjects, rich and poor alike, so long as could be turned to their advantage. In 1653, they registered an arms development, manufacture, and sales business with the King of Goldshire.

	The fraternity ~~faded out~~ of ~~history~~ in the period between the [[Kalirion Fracture]] and the [[Second Elwynnese Civil War]] ~~but the~~ traditions ~~of the Assayers~~ were revived with the Chamber of Assay established as a subordinate entity under the [[Office of the Sacred Treasury]] ~~after~~ {{AN\|1699}} in [[Chryse]] by the [[Benacian Union]].		The fraternity began to regain its historic monopoly within the confines of the [[Sovereign Confederation]] in the period between the [[Kalirion Fracture]] and the [[Second Elwynnese Civil War]] as their older traditions were revived with the Chamber of Assay, and were formally established as a subordinate entity under the [[Office of the Sacred Treasury]] in {{AN\|1699}} in [[Chryse]] by the [[Benacian Union]].

	==Structure==		==Structure==

	The Assayeers' hierarchy is formalised into the following structure, a relic of the Avakair Mint's pre-~~Assayer~~ days:		The Assayeers' hierarchy is formalised into the following structure, a relic of the Avakair Mint's pre-Mercaja days:

	'''Asset of Assay''' - the informants, low level 'plants' in government institutions, and menial workers. Generally of non-Mercaja blood, kept loyal through a combination of bribery and threats.		'''Asset of Assay''' - the informants, low level 'plants' in government institutions, and menial workers. Generally of non-Mercaja blood, kept loyal through a combination of bribery and threats.
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	'''Overnumismator''' - A member of the Committee of Overnumismators, the highest authority in the Assayers. The chairmanship of this committee rotates on an intermittent basis by an unclear method, with the chairman being known as the Overnumismator Eminent. The Overnumismators decide the strategic direction of the Assayers.		'''Overnumismator''' - A member of the Committee of Overnumismators, the highest authority in the Assayers. The chairmanship of this committee rotates on an intermittent basis by an unclear method, with the chairman being known as the Overnumismator Eminent. The Overnumismators decide the strategic direction of the Assayers.


	== Personality==		== Personality==

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	The specific motivations of the Assayers are a mystery, and vary according to the dominant personalities on the Committee of Overnumismators at any given time. The tendency is to feel gently for greater influence and power until they court too much public controversy, then withdraw to the shadows and explore a different route. Despite the passage of untold aeons, the ancient humiliation by Raynor and his attendant Gods inspire caution in the Mercajas and their organisation to this day.		The specific motivations of the Assayers are a mystery, and vary according to the dominant personalities on the Committee of Overnumismators at any given time. The tendency is to feel gently for greater influence and power until they court too much public controversy, then withdraw to the shadows and explore a different route. Despite the passage of untold aeons, the ancient humiliation by Raynor and his attendant Gods inspire caution in the Mercajas and their organisation to this day.


	==Known Overnumismator Eminents==		==Known Overnumismator Eminents==
	{\| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" border="1"		{\| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" border="1"