Six Coffers Market Priakos (Berdusk) and Trueshield Trading Priakos (Suzail) are two trading houses that use this word, but I cannot find any definition for it real or imagined. Anyone out there know what it is? El?
Power of Faerun mentions the term in the merchants section, as does Elminster's Forgotten Realms. I believe it was also covered in the 2e Revised Grand Tour of the Realms in one of the sidebars. At any rate, it is essentially a large caravan company that was formed from several smaller ones who combined to control a given trade route or area, though the term was falling out of favor as I understand it.
Thanks! I have not picked up Powers of Faerûn (p64) since reading it after purchase in 2006; never was a huge 3e fan, mainly due to excessive multi-classing, and I have not played in a FR campaign since 1995. However, since I now have it on my desk again I will re-read it.