Lessons of the Trade

The sun beat down on Ul’dah’s streets, gilding the marble walls and the brass domes above. Finn followed closely as Lolorito strode through the bustle of merchants, porters, and guildsfolk. Every movement seemed deliberate, each coin changing hands a stitch in a vast tapestry of commerce.

“Now listen. A bolt of cloth is not merely fabric. It is coin made tangible. The weaver spins it, the merchant purchases it, the caravan bears it, the market sells it. Each hand along the way adds a stitch of value — until what was once straw in Thanalan becomes fine raiment in Gridania. Trade, boy, is a loom. Coin is the thread. With the right design, you can weave prosperity to clothe thousands. With the wrong… you weave ruin.”

Finn’s brows furrowed. “And you’re saying… all this starts with coin?”

“With vision,” Lolorito corrected. “Coin without direction is a purse with a hole. But coin gathered, pooled, directed — that is power. I collect from nobles, from guilds, from commoners’ savings, and I place it where it multiplies. A new loom hall. A mine. A spice route. These ventures birth more wealth, feed more mouths, than a hundred blades could ever win.”

“Look closely, Finn,” Lolorito said, gesturing to a cluster of merchants negotiating in the Sapphire Markets. “These men are more than hawkers of cloth and spice. They are part of a larger consortium — a network of merchants pooling coin, resources, and influence to expand their reach. Together, they accomplish what a lone trader could never dream.”

Finn watched as a noble-backed merchant handed over a small pouch of gil to a caravan leader. “So… this is like… everyone working together even though they are competing with each other?”

“Exactly. Cooperation and competition multiply the yield of every venture. Observe the guilds over there.” Lolorito pointed to the Weaver’s Guild and nearby craftsman halls. “Guilds expand not just for profit, but to stabilize supply and maintain quality. Each hall, each apprentice, is a node in a network that sustains the city’s markets. Expansion allows ventures to survive setbacks — a shipment lost, a loom ruined, a trader failing — without collapsing the whole system.”

They moved toward the city gate, where carts were being loaded with textiles, ores, and spices. “Here is the second key: caravans and routes. Trade is not just about production; it’s about movement. Protecting these routes, organizing shipments, ensuring timely arrival — that is how wealth is preserved and grown. Coin flows through every hand, every convoy, every chain of effort.”

Finn nodded, watching a porter balance crates on a cart. “So it’s all connected. One delay and the thread could break.”

“Indeed. But long-term influence is the masterstroke,” Lolorito continued. “Invest wisely. Fund ventures that create demand and you shape the economy, not just react to it. You can cultivate prosperity for Ul’dah, not just for yourself. That is how the city maintains balance: strong merchants, skilled guilds, secure trade, and careful oversight. Each element reinforces the others, keeping Ul’dah stable even when storms or bandits threaten.”

Lolorito’s eyes gleamed. “And now, Finn, I propose a challenge — and an opportunity. I will seed a fund in your name. Start a Free Company, manage it as I’ve shown you today. Hire apprentices, invest in trade, guard shipments, expand influence. This is your chance to practice, to fail safely, and to see first-hand how vision and discipline multiply coin into power.”

Finn blinked, trying to absorb it all. “I… run my own Free Company?”

“Yes,” Lolorito said with a small, approving smile. “Apply what you’ve seen. Shape resources, guide labor, protect ventures. You will learn faster than any lecture alone could teach. And when you succeed, the city — and perhaps those who cannot speak for themselves — will benefit.”

Finn’s grip on his axe loosened as he considered the scope of it all. The streets, the guilds, the caravans, the coin — all threads he could now begin to weave. His world of blades and stealth had expanded to include ledgers, routes, and strategy. And for the first time, he felt the thrill of shaping more than just battles: the very lifeblood of Ul’dah’s commerce.