Trading Companies
At any time any courtier, preferably a merchant, may choose to found a trading company. They will be required to write up a charter and keep track of all members. Trading companies at first are general and simply act within the kingdom. However, they may be granted monopolies on certain regions, as represented by in-game trading companies. To claim monopolies on these regions, the trading company must petition the king for the right to sole operation within the region. Once the right is granted, all provinces within the region are added to a trading company. If the trading company becomes successful enough to grant an extra merchant, that in-game merchant is assigned to that trading company. Members of the trading company vote on which member will take the position and receive the extra voting power. A trading company may also choose to keep the merchant as an NPC, such as when there are more in-game merchants than members of the trading company. In this case, the head of the trading company receives the extra voting power.
Every trading company must make a post that includes their charter and a list of members. I will link to this post in the table of contents for easy access. The trading company should also have a clear method for determining the head of the company, whether it is determined by blood, seniority, or a vote. It should be noted that only courtiers may join a trading company.