Mercantile Collective

In one way or another the Mercantile Collective has been around for as long as Exdora has. The Collective began as a religious order in Vacia run by the Church of the Hammer and the Body. At first it was an order that was dedicating to training and licensing smiths and craftsmen as a religious rite in worship to their smith god, Gorne. As Unica slowly replaced the Forged Faith in Vacia the order slowly lost its power. However, after the establishment of the Maer of Vacia and the requirement that they license any smiths the Collective was renewed with new found power.

Shortly after Vacia’s Maer’s power was instated the Collective was first formed under the name Mercantile Collective. At this time its power was rather limited to just within Vacia and was the organization the oversaw the licensing of blacksmiths. As time went on the responsibilities of the Collective grew to organizing and managing a number of mines, forges, and shops throughout Vacia becoming a vast trade network with the province. From there slowly new merchant houses were created in nearby Vas’ternia and Atardec. Trade routes were established into Perlane, Corazan, the Summer Isles. Eventually the Collective controlled almost all trade of metal within Exdora. From there it expanded into other goods. Lumber, hides and furs, grains, and alcohol. As the Collectives trade grew so did its power.

The Collectives power grew to the point that they had a trade house in nearly every major city. Their caravans were protected by the best mercenaries money could buy, most commonly Iron Cloaks, and they could pay for the establishment of new roads just for their own personal trade. High ranking members of the Collective held as much sway as minor nobles and the organization itself could weigh in on most political affairs. The Collective began to impose tariffs on external merchants that had not partnered with them already. Slowly, merchants decided to simply join the collective rather than try and fight against the monolithic power they held over commerce.

Now the Collective holds an iron grip on commerce all across Exdora. In most cities one must be Licensed by the Collective to even operate a shop as without it they are unlikely to be able to find or afford the supply needed to run a shop. In addition the Collective still holds the responsibility of granted rights of craftsmanship in partnership with the Maer of Vacia. Merchants that are licensed by the Collective enjoy benefits such as tax exemptions, cheaper payments for caravan guards, and insurances on their goods and contracts. Even in some small towns it's better to shovel out the cost of getting licensed rather than risk the Collective coming knocking one day to claim their pound of flesh for operating unlicensed.

The Collective almost operates a number of trade and artisan schools across Exdora. They teach most common trades, blacksmithing, tailoring, tanning, armoring, even things like herbalism and medicines can be taught in these trade schools. While these schools are not as commonly found as trade houses there are enough of them that a prospective craftsperson usually needn't leave their home duchy to find one.