### **Basic Information** - **Name:** The Southern Trade Confederacy - **Alias/Nicknames:** The Free Merchants of Rostland, The Coin Pact - **Type:** Merchant Guild, Economic Coalition - **Symbol/Emblem:** A golden balance scale over a map of Rostland, symbolizing fair trade and economic independence. - **Headquarters/Base of Operations:** Restov, with trade networks spanning across southern Brevoy and beyond. - **Scale & Reach:** Regional, focused on Rostland but expanding into the River Kingdoms and Numeria. ### **Purpose & Goals** - **Primary Objective:** To secure economic independence for Rostland by removing [[House Surtova]]’s influence over trade. - **Core Ideology:** Free commerce, fair competition, and the rejection of noble monopolies. - **Methods & Operations:** - Establishing independent trade routes free from Issian tariffs and controls. - Forming alliances with local guilds, free traders, and anti-Surtova factions. - Smuggling goods to bypass Surtovan taxation and restrictions. - Funding political candidates and leaders who support economic sovereignty. - **Notable Activities:** - Coordinating trade boycotts against pro-Surtova businesses. - Sponsoring new merchant ventures that circumvent Issian-controlled routes. - Supporting local militias that defend traders from Surtova-backed enforcers. - Engaging in clandestine negotiations with the [[Aldori Council]] for mutual aid. ### **Structure & Leadership** - **Leader(s):** A council of merchant lords, with the most influential figures holding senior positions. - **Hierarchy & Ranks:** - **Grand Merchant-Prince** – The Confederacy’s highest authority, responsible for overarching trade policy. - **Trade Lords** – Wealthy and powerful merchants who oversee regional commerce. - **Coinmasters** – Trusted members who coordinate shipments, logistics, and financial strategies. - **Guild Traders** – General members, traders, and transporters who benefit from Confederacy protection. - **Recruitment & Membership:** Open to merchants, financiers, and traders who align with their goals; membership often requires sponsorship from an established member. - **Key Figures:** - **Varik Salvero** – A cunning merchant-prince who orchestrates major trade deals. - **Anisa Veylan** – A former noble-turned-trade-broker, expert in diplomatic negotiations. - **Gorin "The Ledger" Tarvos** – The Confederacy’s master accountant, rumored to know every coin’s movement in Rostland. ### **Influence & Power** - **Allies & Affiliations:** - **The [[Aldori Council]]** – A shared interest in weakening [[House Surtova]]’s grip on Rostland. - **Rostlandic Free Traders** – Independent merchants who align with their ideals. - **Anti-Surtova Nobles** – Lesser noble houses who resent Issian economic control. - **Enemies & Rivalries:** - **[[House Surtova]]** – The Confederacy’s primary opposition, seeking to crush their influence. - **The [[Issian Merchant Guilds]]** – Pro-Surtova economic entities that dominate northern Brevoy. - **Corrupt Magistrates** – Officials bribed by Surtova to uphold monopolies and tariffs. - **Reputation & Public Perception:** - Celebrated by small business owners and free traders for advocating economic independence. - Viewed with suspicion by pro-Issian nobles who see them as destabilizing forces. - Respected as economic powerhouses, but criticized for engaging in smuggling and financial subterfuge. - **Military/Magical Strength:** - Employs mercenaries and private guards to protect trade routes. - Secretly funds resistance groups willing to disrupt Surtovan economic dominance. - Uses divination magic and information networks to predict and counteract economic sabotage. ### **History & Lore** - **Founding & Origins:** - Established by discontented merchants after Surtova raised tariffs on Rostlandic trade. - **Major Historical Events:** - Brokered secret deals with foreign traders to undercut Surtovan pricing. - Sabotaged a major Issian trade embargo through underground networks. - Led the economic push that allowed Restov to maintain relative autonomy despite Brevic oversight. - **Scandals & Secrets:** - Rumored to have hired assassins to remove Surtova-friendly trade lords. - Allegedly working with Pitaxian smugglers to bypass Issian customs. - Some factions within the Confederacy advocate for direct conflict rather than economic warfare. - **Current Struggles:** - Increased pressure from Surtova-backed officials cracking down on Confederacy operations. - Internal divisions between hardliners who want open rebellion and moderates favoring economic subterfuge. - Growing concern over foreign competition from River Kingdom merchants encroaching on Rostlandic trade. ### **Culture & Traditions** - **Core Values & Ethics:** - Freedom in commerce, loyalty to the Confederacy, and defiance against economic oppression. - **Rituals & Initiations:** - New members swear an oath over a set of golden scales, vowing to resist Surtova’s influence. - Annual Trade Moots where major decisions are made, and alliances forged. - **Notable Sayings/Mottos:** - “Gold should flow where the people will it, not where tyrants demand it.” - “A closed market is a dying one.” - “Trade is war, and we intend to win.” - **Symbols of Authority:** - The Merchant’s Sigil – A silver coin stamped with a crossed scale and sword, signifying Confederacy membership. - The Golden Ledger – A record of every major deal struck in defiance of Surtovan control. - The Trade Pact Ring – Worn by high-ranking members, granting access to the Confederacy’s most exclusive networks. ### **Additional Notes** - **Vibe & Inspirations:** A blend of historical trade leagues like the Hanseatic League, Renaissance merchant oligarchies, and anti-monopoly movements. - **Adventure Hooks:** - The party is hired to protect a crucial trade shipment from Surtovan saboteurs. - A Confederacy leader goes missing, and the players must uncover whether it was an Issian plot or internal treachery. - A rival merchant group infiltrates the Confederacy, threatening to fracture their influence. - The Confederacy seeks new trade partners, and the party is sent as diplomats to secure lucrative deals.