The South Sails Trade Consortium
The SSTC is a Villani private navy of trade ships that is funded by the various noble families of Vodria. It is a well organized trade organization that was founded on the principles of capitalism that the Villani are so well known for. There prime trade commodities consist of slaves, spices, sugar, manufactured goods, coffee, narcotics, and weapons. The SSTC inner council is a regular rogue’s gallery of the worst types humankind has to offer. The central leadership is rumored to be controlled by the five most powerful families of the Villanian Empire, and is subject to change due to assassination, bribes, and imperial whim. While the SSTC does pay homage to the imperial family, it is not uncommon for the two entities to have conflicts of interests and to quarrel from time to time.
The SSTC controls the vast majority of islands in The Aruli sea along the tail-like archipelago that extends from the southern corner of the continent of Primael. They have their own currency, standing army/navy, towns and forts. While the main trade emporium is found in Vodria hundreds of trade house franchises exist in the majority of the imperial capitals of Primael. It is well known that many of the trade lords of the SSTC fund and operate private operations, pirates, smugglers, mercenaries, thugs, and Slavers. Many of the most notorious pirates aspire to gain legitimacy by being sponsored privately by a trade lord. Despite the nefarious natures of many of the trade lords, some have nobler dispositions and behave with honor and dignity that is often seen as anathema to Villani culture.
The Sea Eagle Patriots are a separatist group that wishes to gain independence from the Vodrian Empire. They wish to found there own nation along the south eastern coast of Primael and a few of the surrounding isles. The leadership is mostly composed of the nobler stock of the trade lords who tend to be on the fringes of the SSTC leadership and the most fierce anti-imperial pirates that prey on the SSTC and the Villanian Navy proper. The groups binding principles involve anti-slavery sentiment, Independent Tariff free markets, anti-imperialist oppression, and Human/Demi-human equality and unity. Many Unchained flock to the Sea Eagle movement due to its perceived role as an agent for change and at the moment this is their greatest strength. The Sea Eagles and the SSTC have a love hate/relationship, while the Imperials wish the movement crushed; many of the SSTC are involved with the colonial operations that occur off the south eastern coast. Many of the agents of the SSTC are in Actuality Sea Eagles themselves, or sympathizers.
