Board of Trade (Dry Hook)

The Board of Trade (Dry Hook) is the regional administrative and commercial hub for the Skyssian Board of Trade within the Kingdom of Zushonia. Sited at the mouth of the volatile River Wackle, it serves as the principal interface between Zushonian riverine commerce and the Skyssian deep-sea merchant fleet. The organisation provides an anchor point for Skyssian interests, managing the export of agricultural surplus while coordinating a vast intelligence network that monitors local circumstances to maintain northern maritime hegemony.

In accordance with the high volume of traffic moving through the Wackle delta, the Board of Trade maintains two distinct facilities within the city of Dry Hook:

• Main Office: Located immediately to the south of the West Dock, this building serves as the administrative heart of the mission. It follows the state standard for BoT architecture, being painted a distinctive bright blue and flying the green ship flag. This site includes specialized warehouses and dormitories to house stationary clerks and transient messengers.
• Sea Gate Outpost: A secondary facility situated at the corner of the Old Market near the Sea Gate. This outpost is positioned to monitor the entry and exit of hulls and to provide immediate customs services to mariners as they come ashore.

The Dry Hook mission is a vital link in the global Skyssian maintenance network. To ensure that the fleet of merchantmen and coastal cogs remains operational despite the hazards of the Wackle delta (such as submerged trees and shifting silt) the BoT uses its numbered warehouse system. These facilities store standardised pre-fabricated components to enable swift repairs. This allows vessels that suffer damage to their masts or rigging to be repaired in two to three days through modular swaps, rather than the weeks required for bespoke artisanal repairs.

The Board of Trade detachment in Dry Hook needs to be sufficient to operate its two separate facilities: the main office south of the West Dock and the secondary outpost near the Sea Gate at the Old Market. The permanent team is comprised of 50 personnel with up to 30 extra during seasonal surges. This personnel count would be divided into several specialised cadres:

• Customs and Factors (25, surging to 35): Tasked with the scrupulous collection of trade data and the enforcement of standardisation in weights and measures used by Skyssian merchants.
• Intelligence and Clerical Staff (15 surging to 25): Responsible for collating “trend data” on commodity pricing (grains, cured meats, dried fruits) to ensure Skyssian merchants trade at the peak of market cycles.
• Messengers and Couriers (10–20 all transient): Using the BoT's high-redundancy protocol where merchants routinely carry despatches, ensuring Dry Hook remains synchronised with Kronstadt despite the 780-mile distance.
• Security (10): Local security and sometimes roving special agents from the Department of Resolutions who operate undercover to prevent political or military disruptions from interrupting the flow of trade.

The primary function of the Dry Hook team is the collection of “trend data” regarding the Zushonian agricultural exports and their more varied import demand data. Agents monitor the production of grain, cured meats, and dried fruits in the 11 provinces, allowing Skyssian merchants to plan their purchases at the peak of the market cycle.

• Message Redundancy: To overcome the 780-mile distance to Kronstadt, the office uses a high-redundancy protocol. All critical despatches are duplicated and carried by Skyssian merchants as part of their regular travel.
• Fast Packets: For urgent diplomatic or commercial intelligence, the BoT coordinates with the Skyssian Navy to use fast packet ships that can outpace standard cargo vessels.

Hidden within the security structure of the Dry Hook office is a small contingent from the Department of Resolutions. This clandestine unit is comprised of special agents tasked with resolving political or military disruptions that threaten trade stability. These agents operate under cover and are authorised to use “other methods” to protect prosperity. However, recent intelligence suggests that renegade elements associated with Rojden have attempted to subvert local station chiefs to feed disinformation back to the capital.

• Yngvild the Fierce: A hero whose despatches regarding southern blockades were facilitated by BoT agents.
• Erik: The local agent in Beretha who coordinates regional intelligence with the Dry Hook office.

• Dry Hook: The primate port city where the organisation is based.
• Board of Trade: The parent organisation headquartered in Kronstadt.
• Kingdom of Zushonia: The sovereign territory whose trade the BoT manages.
• River Wackle: The primary waterway monitored by BoT river pilots.

• Standardisation: The core goal for all weights, measures, and ship components managed by the office.
• Trend Data: The collated intelligence that provides Skyssian merchants with a competitive market edge.