Council of Merchants
Contents
GENERAL
The Council of Merchants is a ruling body in Arad Doman consisting of twelve of the most powerful nobles in the country, who are also the heads of the merchants guilds. These are most often women. The only purpose of this group is to appoint and depose the kings and queens of Arad Doman. A vote of three-quarters, minimum, must be given for a monarch to be deposed or raised.
After the Alsalam, the king, and several members of the Council of Merchants disappeared, rumor had it that the Council of Merchants kidnapped the king (TGS, Ch. 31).
When Rand send the Aiel to find the Council of Merchants, he only captures four, though we are given the name of another. They are: Milisair Chadmar, who lived in Bandar Eban itself, Alamindra Cutren, who was captured after discovered hiding on her cousin's land's near the northern border, and Meashan Dubaris, who died at the hands of a mob before being found. By Rand's count, this makes four captured and two dead. He has only to capture four more before he has enough members to order a vote for a new king (TGS, Ch. 31).
MISCELLANEOUS
The king's palace is said to be inferior to the houses of the members of the Council of Merchants (TGS, Ch. 29).
MEMBERS
The known living members are:
Milisair Chadmar
Alamindra Cutren
The known deceased members, and causes of death are:
Meashan Dubaris - died at the hands of a mob. (TGS, Ch. 31)
Thusara - presumably died in the balefiring of Graendal's fortress, Natrin's Barrow, where she is seen in TGS, Ch. prologue
QUOTES
"What?" Ituralde snapped. "You think I'm some fancy merchant with a palace? . . ." - Ituralde to a messenger boy as Rand arrives. (The Gathering Storm, Chapter 10)
"The Council of Merchants has been too disorganized lately, each member trying to keep their own chunk of Arad Doman from unraveling. If they'd had the King, they'd have revealed him by now." - the innkeeper Quillin Tasil to Rand, when informing him of the rumors and his own opinions on them. (The Gathering Storm, Chapter 31).
