Overview

The Raxudia Trading Dynasty is the more active of the two trading dynasties emanating from Phoenix. It is governed by a council of 13 oligarchical families, collectively known as the Scorpions. This council comprises ruthless business leaders who prioritize their own interests and those of the dynasty when making decisions. While the Scorpions generally tolerate businesses operating within their territory, they will not hesitate to eliminate any disrupting variables. The heads of the Scorpion families oversee the capital city, Scorpio, while younger or less experienced family members are appointed to govern the other municipalities within the dynasty.

Government Operation

The heads of the Scorpion families each reside in Scoripio and hold absolute collective authority over the Raxudia Trading Dynasty. The legislation they pass often reflects their brutal and efficient nature: commerce is allowed to flourish, and any threat to their rule is swiftly crushed. To prevent dissent throughout the Dynasty, every high-ranking official is a family member of the Scorpions. The king of Varesh is typically an experienced clan member, while the king of Dune’s Reach is a magically skilled family member of the Scorpions. As a result, every ruler or high-ranking administrator in the Dynasty is directly related to the Scorpion families, creating an ironclad grip on Phoenix's western continent.

To effectively execute the will of the Scorpions, there is a corps of clerks known as the Raxudian Registrars. These clerks often handle minimal work and make few decisions. Ambitious individuals seeking to rise in rank and gain more power are placated in some way before they become a threat to the Scorpions.

Scorpion: The patriarch or matriarch of one of the thirteen families that rule Scoripio and The Raxudia Trading Dynasty. They possess complete collective authority over their dynasty and will destroy any threat to their power. 

Lesser Scorpion: Any family member of a Scorpion is considered a Lesser Scorpion, and they are placed in charge of the other cities, towns, and villages across the dynasty. They are essential for the dynasty's administration.

Raxudian Registrars: A corps of clerks that answer to the Lesser Scropions, they number in the thousands, and they track the dynasties' vital statistics while also sometimes having some authority over minor things like villages. 

Military

Both of Phoenix's trading dynasties share the same military system. Instead of maintaining a formal professional standing army, they utilize their considerable wealth to hire mercenary companies, mages for hire, and other similar forces to meet their military needs. While both kingdoms have large and organized guard forces specifically for protecting their cities and towns, this approach has fostered a thriving mercenary industry in Phoenix. Towns like Zalmin’s Harbor have emerged as hotbeds for some of Gevadun’s finest mercenaries.