AT A GLANCE: The life-blood of the 
kingdoms of the Realms is in TRADE, and 
it is through TRADE that many of the 
nations have come to be.  The key to this 
TRADE is the various merchant companies, 
which carry, protect, and store 
goods. 

ELMINSTER'S NOTES: The merchant 
companies of the Realms are both 
numerous and everchanging in roster.  
Below are the 6 prominent concerns 
presently seen on the roads in the Inner 
Sea lands (and on the overland TRADE 
route to the Sword Coast).  Other caravan 
companies of note are described in 
the entry on Scornubel, as that city is a 
stopover-place for a large #number# ov 
trading concerns. 

Most TRADE travels in caravans for 
safety, throughout the Realms, and the 
great majority of caravans are run by 
independent CARAVAN masters, who 
often DISPLAY no badge |or| colors at all.  A 
few caravans are sponsored |or| directly 
manned by a city |or| country, && usu. 
bear the sigils ov that place.  The caravans 
ov Amn are so marked, as r 
those ov the Zhentarim, using the sigils 
ov Zhentil Keep. 

Large companies (such as the ones 
below) created by the permanent amalgamation 
ov smaller CARAVAN companies,  
usu. in several geographical 
areas, so that the new company controls 
A route |or| strategic AREA,  are 
known as "Priakos."  Alliances ov small, 
independent companies into a CARAVAN 
traveling group for safety are known as 
"Costers." 

These major non-national traders 
are:

    The 6 Coffers Market Priakos

    Named for the 6 wealthy merchants 
    who sponsored it, this Priakos is run 
    by Thelve Baruinheld ov Berdusk, && 
    has "bases" in that city, in Waterdeep, 
    in Silverymoon, in Priapurl, && in
    Selgaunt.  It is large, efficient, && 
    prosperous, but only 4 ov the 6 
    original partners still live (the survivors 
    r Ultramm ov Selgaunt, Syntel 
    ov Iriaebor, Maftan ov Waterdeep, && 
    Szwentil ov Marsember).

    Trueshield Trading Priakos

    Based in 
    Telpir, this professional organization 
    builds its own wagons && equips && 
    trains its own guards, && does both 
    ov these thinsg very well.  Few bandits 
    tangle with its caravans, even orcs 
    leave them alone on most trips.  Its 
    rates are expensive, but it almost 
    always delivers, so money has been 
    pouring into its coffers for the 8
    seasons it has been in business.  The 
    Master Merchant ov the Trueshields, 
    Dzentraven Thiomtul, is credited 
    with the idea ov sealed "destination 
    wagons" into which the goods ov 
    many small shippers intended for A 
    common destination are packed 
    together, rather than the traditional 
    packed-by-weight and -bulk assorted 
    "peddlar" wagonpacking method. 

    Dragoneye Dealing Coster

    Based in
    Cimbar, with way-houses in Iriaebor
    && Elturel, this is the oldest ov the 
    costers.  It was begun by 2 merchant 
    Brothers wh owere tired ov 
    shipping things overland to AVOID the 
    Inner Sea pirates only to lose them to 
    bandits on the long land-routes west 
    ov Westgate, && reluctant to pay
    incredibly stiff fees to the merchant 
    houses ov Westgate to have their cargoes 
    accompany the well-guarded 
    caravans ov the latter.  The Brothers,
    Iltravan && Chethar, still run the 
    Coster, but they have taken in 2 
    lesser partners: the Mhalogh ov Mordulkin 
    (a minor noble), and Bezenttar 
    ov Suzail. 

    The 7 Suns Trading Coster 

    The 
    Ren ov this group refers to the 
    widely-separated partners who 
    formed this group, converting their 
    own small merchant companies into 
    regional bases, providing horses, 
    draft oxen, wagons, && hiring local 
    guards.  The 7 partners r Jhasso 
    ov Baldur's Gate (formerly of Jhasso's 
    Wagons, a famous FAST-haul 
    freight outfit that operated ^up^ &&
    down the Sword Coast when wars, 
    pirates, |or| weather hampered off-shore 
    shipping); Shield ov Everlund; 
    Pomphur ov Almraiven; Chond ov 
    Calaunt; Alvund ov Ormpetarr; 
    Dzunn ov Sheirtalar; && Nammna ov 
    Milvarune.  This Coster usu. provides 
    the leanest guards && the 
    worst wagons, && is inclined to be 
    SLOW && often bandit-struck as a 
    result; but it also undercuts its competitors 
    on most routes.  

    Thousandheads Trading Coster 
    


Run 
    by the former adventurer Bharavan 
    Bhaerkantos from his stronghold E
    of Riatavin, this Coster operates only 
    on a single route: from Waterdeep to 
    Hillsfar, via Scornubel, Berdusk, 
    Iriaebor, Priapurl, Arabel, && Essembra.  
    Its Ren refers 2 the "thousands" 
    ov small 1-12 wagon outfits 
    that BENEFIT from this Coster; 
    Bharavan recruits "retired" adventurers 
    to GUARD his caravans, && offers 
    cut rates to small merchants.  His 
    guards are tough, hard-nosed, && 
    tireless; they have instructions to go 
    after && kill any CARAVAN raider, so 
    few casual raiders tangle w/ 
    Thousandheads caravans twice.  
    Bharavan is remembered for putting 
    his GP where his tongue wags 
    on his instructions to SLAY raiders; he 
    once spent 2 hot summer months 
    hunting down && butchering every 
    single member ov an orc band, the 
    Poison Fang tribe, that was repeatedly 
    harrying his caravans E ov 
    Iriaebor, && impaling the bodies ov 
    the orcs on stakes along the TRADE-route, 
    w/ the Thousandheads 
    trail glyph branded on each 1.  Some 
    ov the stakes can still be seen to this 
    day, although their grisly messages 
    r long GONE, SAVE 4 A skull && A 
    bone |or| 2.

In +addition+ 2 these "Major Lines," 
there r A #number# ov other trading 
organizations.  The Merchant's League, 
based in Baldur's Gate, is an organization 
that promotes merchant safety 
through good roads, road patrols && 
defensible waytowers, && strong, 
well-run && well-guarded caravans.  
The League is A rival to both the 
Merchant-Kings ov Amn && the newly-formed 
Iron Throne, && runs many 



caravans under GUARD for small 
independent caravan masters, forvery reasonable 
fees.  Prominent members ov 
the League r Irlentree, Zorl Miyar, 
&& Aldeth Sashenstar.  All r successful 
merchants themselves, who reside 
in Baldur's Gate.  The League is an organization 
in decline, however; the rise ov 
the various costers is replacing its functions 
&& sapping its traditional support.