Consilium Mercator

A worker of the Consilium Mercator.

The banner of the Caldanian Empire.

### **Purpose**

Due to the size and scale of the **Caldanian Empire**, a vast network of administrators, scribes, law makers and other such roles was required to keep everything running smoothly.

The Consilium Mercator, or 'Merchant Council', is the administrative body of this huge trade-empire, as well as its most wealth bank and most voracious industrial concern. There are independent trading magnates in the Empire, either self-made or dynastic, but the single largest financial entity remains the Consilium Mercator.

### **History**

When Novotium began to  **expand** its borders, the need for more bureaucrats, diplomats, merchant, notaries and administrators rose drastically. To this end, the Consilium Mercator was formed.

### **Hierarchy**

Similar to the **Officium Defensionem Commercia**, the power structure within the Consilium is rather strict. The lowest scribes and paper-pushers are governed by those with slightly more power and control, who are in turn governed by those with more reach and territory.

This continues until the Emperor, as he is the ultimate pinnacle of this organisation.

#### **Ranks**

* **Praes Ultima**, the rank reserved solely for the Emperor.
* **Praes Regio**, one of four members of the Consilium Mercator who hold sway over vast amounts of territory. These are often individuals who have slowly amassed wealth and power over a lifetime. Unofficially known as the 'Trade Princes', only three are publicly known of.
* **Praes Finnibus**, administrators of territories comparable to a lord or king. They are responsibly for the legal and economic enforcement of the Empire's will. Often they are the supreme authority within their lands.
* **Praes Coloniam**, similar to a Finnibus, although they will look after a colony or settlement. Often associated with a Regio, as large amounts of funding is needed to found a colony. They are ultimately personally responsibly for the success or failure of the colony.
* **Praes Adiutor**, a general term for a bureaucrat or clerk. These members often have specific jobs within the structure, such as taxation, recruitment and otherwise. They are often assigned to a Coloniam or a Finnibus, often one of many assistants and may sometimes be assigned to non-Consilium affiliated groups or people, such as lords and barons.
* **Praes Scriba**, the lowest rank of the CM. A Scriba will have a specific task, such as a scribe, tax collector, transcribers or office assistants. An Adiutor may have a small number of Scriba under their command, whereas higher ranks may have up to hundreds.

### **Formations**

Although not a military organisation, the sheer paperwork that flows through the Consilium Mercator demands the rigid structure of an army battalion. Although varying with amounts of people and their job roles, each Praes Regio will have enough under his command to correctly organise their domain. The Praes Finnibus under them will have enough Coloniams to manage all of the colonies and settlements within their lands. This goes on, ensuring that each member of the Consilium Mercator has the right amount of manpower to ensure the steady flow of information and money.

### **Training**

Rarely will an individual be trained for a specific role within the organisation. Usually they will start off at the very bottom, as a Praes Scriba, taking notes and earning favour with their higher-ups. As they become more in-tune with the role and more dependable, they can expect to be promoted; albeit slowly.

### **Uniform**

There is no official uniform within the Consilium Mercator.

### **Notable Groups**

There are no known notable groups within the Consilium Mercator.

### **Notable Members**

As the Consilium Mercator contains countless individuals, there are many hundreds, if not thousands, of members whose deeds have earned them a noteworthy mention in the annals of the Empire's history. Here, however, we will only include those of the highest rankings and those characters who have made an impact in their world.

* **Garcia Sagarra**, Lord of the Paledo Archipelago. An enigmatic and cunning leader, who executed his father, gained power over his realm and revolutionised the local government. Some of his structural and practical changes have been adopted within the Empire as a whole. The Sagarra family built their wealth in fishing and shipbuilding, but have forayed into alchemical exports as well.
* **Keffu Sadiq**, descendant of the Slave King. Her ancestor freed the lands of the Shahmoud from a tyrant and, in return, gained the loyalty of the people and the land. The Shahmoud is a sprawling territory but makes up only a small portion of a vast and dry land that extends beyond the boundaries of the map. Her wealth has been built on spices, textiles, dyes and other exotic materials. Those loyal to her tattoo their face with lines, dots and shapes, to resemble the slave scars of her ancestors.
* **Alvar Viitala**, the only non-Human Trade Prince. When the **Dwarves** first  **emerged**, they came into contact with a small time trader from the city of Krnov, in the realm of Volansk. After realising they were being conned, after various trade deals, Alvar; Overseer of Dol Kurum, put his mind to acquiring the trade routes owned by the merchant. Now a very old Dwarf, Alvar's mind is as shrewd as ever and his wealth is beyond measure. His realm exports vast quantities of raw minerals and some of the strongest and most flavourful liquor in the known world.
* **Bardir Stoutbrew**, first Praes Coloniam of **Port Canis**.
* **Aellin Thornworld**, Praes Finnibus of Port Canis.
* **Lorelei**, Praes Coloniam of Port Canis, former colonist of **Silvara**.