The Caped Carousers’ Clan Bank
The reintroduction of free trade meant that it was possible to legitimately provide a new service to all members of the Caped Carousers – a clan bank.
The bank is designed to act as a kind of safety net, providing material and financial assistance to Carousers in need. Its aim is to get members back on their feet, armed and able to fend for themselves, in the shortest time possible. Please note that, unlike the banks of some PvM or warring clans, the Carousers’ bank is specifically not intended to act as a repository for shared items or equipment.
The principle under which the bank operates is simple: those who have donated to the bank may subsequently call upon it for assistance. Participation is entirely voluntary – donations are not compulsory, but are of course always welcome!
Current officers
Banker: Archaeox
Auditor: Sjoerde
Oversight, arbitration & appeals: Lumine
Basic charter
Purpose
The bank exists to help players in distress or straitened circumstances. The bank will generally provide loans, but outright gifts may be made in truly exceptional circumstances.
The bank may also be used to hold the prizes for Carouser events and competitions.
Media of exchange
The bank will hold cash and F2P items, runes and raw materials.
Financing and eligibility for assistance
Financing for the bank comes from members of the Caped Carousers clan, i.e. those with access to the clan chat, on a voluntary basis.The bank operates as a mutual society, meaning that only those who have previously contributed will be able to seek its assistance.
The minimum donation is 50,000 gp. There is no maximum. Donations to the support system are just that: donations. They are not refundable under any circumstances, including but not limited to withdrawal or removal from the Caped Carousers.
Anyone who has previously contributed on their main or an alternate account, and who has access to the clan chat, is eligible for assistance. The banker will approve or decline assistance requests; rejections may be appealed to the Patrona, whose decision is final.
Those receiving assistance in the form of a loan will be asked to return more than they were loaned, but no more than they feel they will be able to afford. Repayment periods will be agreed on a case-by-case basis, and will be renegotiable.
Liquidity
From time to time, items within the bank may be sold for cash to Carousers or on the Grand Exchange. Such transactions will be approved in advance by the Auditor and will be for fair market values only.
Levels of assistance available
Assistance will be provided based on what is currently in the bank, and on the understanding that sufficient capital must be left to cope with further emergencies!
Transparency
A thread in the Jagex-hosted private clan forum is used to show what is currently on the account, to detail all receipts from members, and to show where assistance has been granted. This allows for full transparency.
Since all the accounting is public, nobody need contribute if they don’t want to, and it’s all within the clan, the bank cannot be considered to operate as a ‘trust trade’. Full oversight is provided by all clan members.
In addition, the Patrona (Lumine) and Auditor (Sjoerde) will provide direct oversight of all aspects of the clan bank’s operation.To prevent conflict with Jagex rules, the banker may neither donate to nor receive assistance from the clan bank.
Termination
Should the bank close for any reason (e.g. clan leadership decision, re-introduction of trade restrictions by Jagex), anything remaining on account will be distributed to all current members of the Caped Carousers by way of a drop party or parties.
Should Jagex introduce a formal in-game clan banking system, then anything on the account at that time will be transferred to that system instead.