Warning: Most of this is about a spice trading company and therefore may not be the most exciting thing to read about.

Lemme know if there's anything I should address.



Chances are that, unless born of blue blood or familiar with silver spoons, you’ve known very little about Fae Exotique until very recently. The owner, Affluent Enterprise, would have liked to keep it that way for the sake of his own pride, but now that things have started to change more and more are learning about the company and how it’s been just under their noses for quite some time. For you see, Fae Exotique is not just a large family owned company of spice traders making good on a vision visited early to the current chairman and acting CEO when he was but a colt. It’s growing number of subsidiaries, near domination over its own market and shadier practices when money fails have left it primed to gain a level of influence and power that would make more than the average pony uncomfortable.

History: Fae Exotique began as “Exotiquestrian”, a small fish in the ocean that was business numerous decades ago. Headed by Affluent’s father, the business was going nowhere until he finally died from illness and left control of it for Affluent to inherit. Affluent, far more vicious in his desire to succeed and caring not about those he had to stomp on to do it, made leaps and bounds for the company’s image and wealth, establishing it as one of the more prestigious options for those looking to import exotic goods of quality and importance. Rugs, candles, incense, sculptures, paintings, carvings, magical curiosities it didn’t matter, Affluent would be able to have his people find and deliver whatever you desired in a timely manner. How could he do this? He had his ways. Ways that would be kept very confidential for very good reasons.

Once established, Affluent renamed the company “Fae Exotique” to give it a fancier ring, this also being around the same time he met the mare he would eventually marry. Belle Élégance was called a trophy by those who never fully understood how important she was in the events that would lead to the company’s golden era. She and Affluent were perfect for each other, and it was her clever thinking and cold focus combined with Affluent’s fierce initiative and unstoppable ambition that would allow the pair to achieve their greatest victory to date.

Setting their sights on the spice trade, at the time on the cusp of a revolution due to some careful changes made to trade agreements between Equestria and its neighbors, Fae Exotique would lead an initiative to organize several of the country’s most influential companies in an effort to best manage and control the coming rush of goods and spices. They, of course, also volunteered to lead the syndicate’s efforts and take on the most financial risk in the process. This leading role would assist in them monitoring and keeping track of what the other members would be doing as well as put them in a powerful position where their word would carry enough weight to sway certain decisions.

Things went well for the first year of cooperation and how exactly Affluent and Belle were able to turn on that dime and tear the rug out from under the other members of the syndicate is something now buried under mountains of legal documents. Many accused them of blackmail, coercion, forgery, even whispers of worse at the time of the rival companies folding and follow up absorption into Fae Exotique, none of which would be proven and doing little to slow the train of progress they were now on. In one fell swoop Fae Exotique eliminated several of their most powerful rivals and was left towering over those that were left. The mountain they’d become over such a short time sent their remaining competitors into a frenzied panic that to this day can be humorously recalled by aged first hand witnesses before they solemnly recall it also leading to losing their job.

This momentum wouldn’t stop for years leading to a near monopoly being established over Equestria’s spice trade. The word saffron became near synonymous with Exotique. Was that vanilla in your ice cream? Chances were someone related to Affluent or Belle personally inspected the shipment it came in on as the families moved into leading positions within the company and ensured that the lion’s share of the wealth would be shared among blood only. Oddly enough, cinnamon was the only thing Fae Exotique did not have near total control over, but this did little to stop them from throwing their money around to start influencing more than just the market. This golden era for the company would succeed in having many members of the family make friends and connections in all the right places, ensuring that they be heard when matters of politics and business was brought up in courts across the country, and in some select ones outside of Equestria’s borders. Their power had left them feeling untouchable.

Their dominance would eventually cause concern on behalf of the Crown. Growing tired of their increasing nerve to meddle in politics and buy out anyone that would try to oppose them, the government would come down hard on Fae Exotique and sick their best on the company’s affairs. Through law, and some tasting of Affluents own methods, the company would be cut down considerably over the course of around a decade. The crown could not, though they tried, kill the beast Affluent and Belle had created, but wounds were inflicted severely enough to weaken it and allow others to gain some ground in the vacuum. Affluent would also both gain a daughter and lose his wife during this time. With Belle gone, his efforts in rebuilding the company would be slowed considerably and allow competitors to regain enough ground to keep them in some semblance of check.

Over the course of the next two decades Affluent would dedicate himself to rebuilding his company to a level comparable to just after the fall of the syndicate. Once reached, and after defeating several attempts to keep it down by both rivals and the Crown, Affluent became far more cautious in his spreading of his family’s influence and control.

Today, Fae Exotique is entering into a silver age with its wealth and influence once again sky rocketing due to several successful ventures. Competitors are again at risk of hostile takeovers and utter destruction as Affluent is reaching out to grasp at the remains of his old empire and regain his family’s lost power. He’s learned from his past and is this time ready for what may attempt to challenge his domination.

Unfortunately, while he’s prepared for external threats, things are not as assured when it came to internal affairs within Fae Exotique itself. Belle Élégance’s side of the family has slowly been pushed out to make room for Affluent’s own relatives leading to internal struggles across the company over rightful ownership and control. This divide is on the verge of tearing apart different key components of the company with Affluent’s daughter - more importantly her pre-ordained inheriting of the company - being one of the few things keeping a lid on it and preventing a full on civil war for control. Her shared lineage assures the relatives of Belle their rightful share of control in their minds upon stepping up to claim her inheritance, though Affluent’s family would prefer they be ejected entirely and stripped of their say in corporate affairs. This comes easy to them as Affluent’s daughter has, in their eyes, proven to be an ungrateful and rebellious child that can’t be trusted with the company, countless other far safer choices being available to Affluent with urgings to reconsider his decision being a near daily event. His pride refusing to even allow him a chance to consider it, Affluent is unwavering in his decision.

Fae Exotique is an aged company that started from dirt and worked its way up into the upper echelons of Equestrian society no less than twice now. Its current influence, wealth and power demands respect, but it is at risk of falling apart from within. What comes next for Fae Exotique is up in the air, hinged on Affluent’s pride and presence, and may be a cause for concern for more than those with a controlling interest in the company. Whatever happens, rest assured that few will enjoy what benefits there are to gain and many more will suffer the consequences.



Fae Exotique obviously serves as the nucleus for the company and as a result commands the most wealth and greatest access to its resources. If it can be bought, Affluent most likely has two, this being anything from airships to mansions. In addition, Fae Exotique has begun working to buy and build different subsidiaries to increase their wealth and spread themselves out to better survive the threat of another trimming curtesy of the crown.

Aside from those listed below, Fae Exotique has bought out numerous small shops, factories and so on upon noticing any potential.

Affluent Enterprises: Affluent’s name is proudly splashed across the front of many buildings throughout every city in Equestria, the purposes of which being numerous ventures that he views has potential. Research and development into technology, study of various new applications of magics, even a kitchen dedicated to developing new recipes meant to be premiered in a planned string of restaurants, Affluent Enterprises is the most versatile of Exotique’s developing subsidiaries but also the most prone to risk and failure. The next earth shattering invention could be developed here, but so too could the next waste of several hundreds of thousands of bits in need of a swift sweep under the rug.

Marigold/Minos: Marigold is supposedly Fae Exotiques specialty office which employs specially trained and equipped adventurer types meant to acquire particularly dangerous or rare items for the highest of bidders. In reality, it serves as a front for Fae Exotique’s illegal operations with most of its operators intended to instead act as corporate spies and saboteurs with some especially expensive experts being used to gather information on individuals working in government. This filters down to every level of society, even going as far as street level with a number of gangs and hoodlums working under handlers employed by Minos whom carefully keep details about their employer a mystery to them. Here is where Fae Exotique hides its teeth as Minos is equipped with the best weapons, armor and equipment money can obtain to carry out their work.

The connection between Minos and Fae Exotique has been made only by an extremely small number of ponies throughout its existence despite having been established not long after Affluent inherited the company from his father. This is due to most who learn never having a chance to tell.

Exotiquestrian: Not to be confused with Fae Exotique, Exotiquestrian is a name Grace has used several times to poke fun at her father and his ambitions by reminding him of how low his company can go. She has in the past used it solely to rile him up, but after several occasions has earned a made-up position revolving around the name and is now technically in control of its assets. That being none.


Affluent Enterprise: Current chairman and acting CEO of Fae Exotique. Affluent is in control of many of the company’s ventures and has final say in most of its affairs. He oversees Fae Exotique directly.

Curb Exemplar: Exemplar’s official position within the company is “Chief of Corporate Security”. His unofficial position is “King”. Affluent’s brother, Exemplar is trusted with countering corporate espionage against Fae Exotique and its interests while also juggling the wrangling of Marigold’s criminal element operating under the name of Minos.

Harmonie Ordonné: Cousin of the late Belle, Harmonie is technically the highest-ranking member of the company remaining from their side of the family. Harmonie is responsible for numerous projects within the Enterprises branch.

Grace Délicatesse: Heiress to Fae Exotique, Grace has a reputation among her family for being damn good at what she does but rebellious and difficult to deal with. Her current position within the company is “Regional Manager of Exotiquestrian Affairs”, something Affluent straight up threw together in a fit of rage after Grace had wasted away a chunk of his personal collection of antiques for the second time. As such she has no real job to do aside from be brought in as a consultant on various matters. This was intentional to try and keep her in check and force her to abide by his authority and act more according to what her family wants, but Grace has turned it into an opportunity to pursue her own interests.

Benchmark: The heir that Affluent’s family wishes was set to inherit the company. He is a perfect example of everything they could ask for and is one of Grace’s main rivals whenever she bothers to care.