Congregation of Merchants

The Congregation of Merchants (also known as the Merchant Congregation or simply the Congregation) is an Old Continent nation of merchant families who command a great deal of commercial power, so much so that they can maintain neutrality between warring factions. It is currently led by Prince d'Orsay, whose son Constantin d'Orsay was recently granted the governorship of New Serene, the Congregation's latest colony on Teer Fradee.

Culture
The Congregation is a merchant principality that prides itself on its neutrality. With its purchasing power to keep themselves well-protected through the Coin Guard as well as the demand other nations have on their goods, the Congregation has been virtually untouched by the conflict that engulfs the rest of the continent, mainly between Thélème and the Bridge Alliance (the latter of which wishes to annex the Congregation through peaceful means). Despite this, the Congregation seeks to establish a foothold on Teer Fradee in search of a cure for the Malichor, a deadly plague that has been ravaging the continent.

Notable Members

 * De Sardet: the protagonist. A member of the ruling prince's family and the new Legate of New Serene who acts as the chief diplomat for the Congregation on Teer Fradee.
 * Princess de Sardet: de Sardet's ailing mother who is slowly succumbing to the Malichor. She is the sister of Prince d'Orsay and aunt of Constantin d'Orsay.
 * Constantin d'Orsay: the new governor of New Serene, appointed by his father Prince d'Orsay.
 * Sir de Courcillon: a professor employed by Houses d'Orsay and de Sardet to tutor Constantin and his cousin. He is now an advisor to Constantin on Teer Fradee,tasked with mapping the region and sending reports back to the prince.
 * Madame de Morange: the former governor of New Serene prior to Constantin's appointment.

Trivia

 * With its emphasis on sea trade as well as the names of its characters, the Congregation is most likely based on France as well as European trading republics and families such as Venice and the Hansa.