Aspis Consortium

The Aspis Consortium is an unscrupulous multinational trade organization based in Ostenso, Cheliax, but with interests in many parts of Golarion.

What distinguishes the Aspis Consortium from other trade organizations is the size of their operations—their liquid assets, properties, and other holdings are valued in the tens of millions of gold pieces)—and their willingness to do whatever is necessary to accomplish their goals. While merchant groups sometimes sell weapons to both sides in a conflict, the Consortium might have had a hand in starting the strife. Others might praise the Consortium for providing desperately needed grain to a famine-struck region without knowing that agents helped cause the drought.

They are loyal to no government, having members from many countries and nationalities. This also allows them to take neutral positions in any disagreements and appeal to all sides.

These tactics have allowed the Aspis Consortium to grow to be the largest and most diverse business venture in both Avistan and Garund.

History

The Aspis Consortium was founded approximately 200 years ago. In its first business venture, a ship bearing the emblem of three intertwined asps docked at the Osirian capital of Sothis. Its agents bought up all the cheap, locally made knick-knacks it could find at the local markets. During the voyage back to Cheliax, these inexpensive crafts were mysteriously transformed into priceless, pharaonic artifacts, and were then sold to the eager (and gullible) aristocracy of Westcrown at exorbitant prices. The enormous profit made off this venture enabled the three backers of the voyage to create the Aspis Consortium.

The organization has weathered the social and political upheavals of the last few centuries remarkably intact. During the twilight years of the Age of Enthronement, the Consortium used its connections in the government of Imperial Cheliax to secure preferable trade deals with all of its colonies and dependencies. Even after the majority of these territories gained independence after the chaos that followed the death of Aroden, the ex-colonists continued to long for the goods and fineries of their former motherland, and the Aspis have been only too willing to supply them at exorbitant prices.