Tomas Blackhand — Guildmaster of the Merchant Guild
Tomas Blackhand is the wealthy and influential master of Grayhaven’s Merchant Guild, a man whose authority reaches far beyond the doors of the guildhall. Through the guild, he oversees much of the town’s lumber trade, river commerce, warehouses, and collection of import duties, placing him at the center of nearly everything entering or leaving Grayhaven. Merchants seeking warehouse space, captains unloading valuable cargo, logging companies bringing timber from the surrounding forests, and traders arriving from distant settlements all eventually find themselves dealing with Blackhand or one of his representatives. He dresses well without being needlessly extravagant and has the polished manners of someone accustomed to negotiating with nobles and dockworkers alike.
Blackhand’s considerable fortune is hardly a secret, nor is the political influence that comes with it. He is regarded as a shrewd negotiator who rarely raises his voice and almost never enters a bargain without knowing exactly what he expects to gain from it. Some townsfolk admire him for bringing prosperity and employment to Grayhaven, while others grumble that too much of the town’s commerce passes through the hands of one man. Whatever people think of him personally, few dispute one simple truth: Baron Valmont may govern Grayhaven, but Tomas Blackhand understands what keeps its coin moving.
