Thats what happens when you disappear for a few days Ghaz
Zako: While you can 'remind me of my place' all you want, the truth of the matter is in everything Terenos said. While the rest of you need to tread carefully around your various kings - i can come and go with business as i please. YOU are not a leader, yet. As I am not a large trading guild, yet. BUT currently, as a pirate posing as a merchant, i hold no real allegiance to any king. I'm not required to. The neutrality of merchants has always been their greatest assets. They were often the backbone or driving force to treaties and other peaceful solutions. If Kingdom A has the only easy sources of HQ lumber, they'll happily trade with Kingdom B who has the only metals suitablbe for war. A war breaking out between them would be rare.
Your taxes, if excessive, will work against you. After miring is taken care of, 2 ports and a land market will be under the control of Erik. Even if the taxes aren't directly going to him and go to the various dukes for the 2 ports (which im sure erik will want 10% of the taxes as well) if they exceeded an 'acceptable' rate without cause (wars, embargo, etc) I could easily just stick to Vasir and Suul. Empirial favor is something merchants would enjoy as well - Besides, i never said i -wouldn't- be using the Guild dues to gain that favor either. 'Special relationships' with port authority is helpful for unloading contraband, but empirial favor is nice when said leader needs an army moved without questions being asked.
I'm not unaware of my current position, but given that i'll have the first of (potentially many) Trade Guilds built by season's end even without Ardas' assistance. By the end of the year I plan to have built a second one as well. My goals are simply a matter of time and money - not political power and favor. As i said, while all of you jockey with your kings. I'll be puttering around the gulf facilitating trade, paying my taxes and thus supporting -your- armies.