The Rundeen
Overview
This ancient secret society dominates trade across much of Central Calimshan, but its major seat of power lies south of the White River. The Rundeen oligarchy controls numerous shipyards, fleets, caravans and trading costers, and many other attendant businesses. In this manner, the Rundeen exists behind the scenes in every aspect of trade in the southern Realms, and only rarely is it prevented from having its way, as very few powers beyond the sultans of Calimshan can challenge its influence. For more than 500 years, the Rundeen have dominated and held monopolistic control over every port in Calimshan and the peninsular lands to the south. Only in recent times have they encountered increased opposition and breaks in their control. With the economic unification of Calimshan under the current Syl-Pasha, the Rundeen lost control over both Calimport and Memnon, though enough of their members and agents are powers in the others cities to help maintain near-monopolies in certain trades. Less than 75 years ago, a group of Pathfinders dedicated to breaking the Rundeen choke hold on the majority of ports along the Pacjour Coastline succeeded in uncovering and killing three of the Yrshelem (and no less than 47 lesser agents and represetatives of the Mitalibbar). Rundeen-affiliated trades encompass nearly every aspect of the shipping and caravan traffic in the Calimshan area. The consortium owns or has members who own a significant portion of the known trading businesses in this geographic region and dominates the affiliated guilds in many ports south of Calimport. Unlike many other financial power groups, the Rundeen do not involve themselves in trade goods so much as the service and maintenance end of the trades. The specific businesses, warehouses, and ships of the Rundeen are too numerous to mention, but the major trades of broader Rundeen involvement are the following: butchers, coopers (barrelmakers), carters/coachmen, farriers (horse trainers), fishermen and fishmongers, harbor hands, harness makers, joiners (cratemakers), mariners (ship crews and officers), moneychanging, moneylending, salters/packers (food prep for shipping), shipwrights, saddlers, wagon makers, and wood (and ivory) carvers. The only trade goods the Rundeen deal in are raw materials (wood, grains, spices, sugar, raw wool or unworked but tanned leather, furs, etc.) and slaves. The Rundeen are a major linchpin in the slave trade operating along (and beneath) the southern shores of Ekrune. In fact, if not for them, slavery might long ago have been disrupted and reduced to unprofitable proportions and thus abandoned. The bulk of the slave trade coming out of the Whispering Expanse and the North and leading into Calimshan and parts south is under the absolute control of the Rundeen, as is the slave trade running to Kymos and Chondath for the Wizards and the Zhentarim. Membership in the Rundeen is very loose and informal, though it is not without structure. Joining the Rundeen affords one additional protection for caravans and ships alike, cut rates on services and products (for example, cheap rates on wagons or ships are more than enough to make it worth becoming a member), and preferential treatment within the numerous ports under Rundeen control. Every port and caravan city south of the White River has an agent for the Rundeen actively watching its members. This person is the mitalib, a representative of the collection agency known as the Mitalibbar. To many Rundeen merchants and members, this person, to whom all membership payments are due, is the highest-ranking member of the Rundeen they know. A mitalib employs his own agents to keep tabs on all creditors and any meddling usurpers such as rival merchant houses or Pathfinders. He is effectively a pasha of each city in his own right, though he too has his superiors. (A number of Calishite pashas are secretly the local Mitalibbar of the Rundeen.)Leadership
Known quietly as the Yrshelem (coin collectors), the leaders of the Rundeen organization are of two ranks: First Yrshelem and Grand Yrshelem. The First Yrshelem are the primary organizers and managers of the Rundeen's many holdings and fortunes. Numbering 15 in all, the First Yrshelem work in groups of three to serve the five Grand Yrshelem. The first of the trio handles the money, the second the personnel, and the third manages the hard assets of equipment and costs. All First Yrshelem are former lower-level members who made their way to the upper circles through hard work and/or voluntarily acceding their independence as members to work among the inner circle.
Type
Illicit, Cartel
Subsidiary Organizations
