Pledgefast
A Corpus Merx consists of patrons who put up the capital (pledges) and receive dividends, of employees of the CM who actually do the work for wages, and of the Prefects who direct everything. The relationship between patrons and prefects is established in a religious ceremony and consequently gives the entire institution a certain sacred nature, particularly with regard to the vows. The patrons pledge certain funds (pledges) to the prefects’ undertakings and the prefect pledge to give so much of the profit to the patrons. These pledges are uniform sums of money for that particular CM and each pledge is so great that only the wealthy may become patrons (consider the equivalent of 20,000sps for a pledge and 10 pledges or 200,000sps being quite normal). The prefects receive profit according to the same agreement. The patrons may withdraw the pledges (that is, exact them from the CM), if the prefects have broken their vows. However, the prefects cannot be removed from their offices unless they violate their oaths. The patrons may negotiate their pledges with others (that is, sell them to others). [The price of a pledge is fully negotiable between the owner and the buyer; there is no formalized or centralized market for the commerce of pledges.] Pledges may be exchanged at the Aurician Bourse. Since these oaths are exchanged under the watchful eyes of the gods, usually one god in particular, the CM may adopt that god as its patron deity. The integrity of the CM system relies upon lawcourts. The prefects can be held liable for wrongdoings of the CM only if they have violated their oaths, otherwise, the CM itself is held liable. The interest of patrons does not determine control (there are no ‘votes’). When the prefects leave office, the patrons may solicit new ones. The agreement establishing a CM is called a Covenant and it specifies the original patrons, their pledges, the prefects, the payment of the prefects, and perhaps other matters.
The place where CM pledges and other commodities are exchanged is called the bourse. Aurice, Bryndyd, Westborough, Talise, Benjalay, and other countries have such locales.
See Also
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