+-----------------+
|     VOTING      |
+-----------------+

Members of the merchant council who have knowledge of the "vote" skill are
able
to vote in the guild room set aside for this purpose.

Voting is performed in the time honoured method of dropping either a white
or
black ball into the voting bag.  A white ball indicates approval and a
black
ball indicates disapproval.

The voting procedure is administered by a bailiff.  This Xodar was chosen
for
its steadfast loyalty, and the fact that it has never lost a fight. 
Attacking
it is generally thought to be a suicidal and ultimately futile gesture.

+-----------------+
|     STATUS      |
+-----------------+

A merchant's status in the guild is the sum of votes she has received. 
There
are limits to how high or low a persons status can be, however.

The merchant council has a far reach of influence and is able to influence
many
aspects of a merchants life.  Skills may fail or become expensive to use,
traders may refuse to do business with you, and certain skills might not
work
at all.

Certain skills taught by the merchant council become greatly more
profitable
when performed by somebody with a high status.

Currently only merchants may have status and so members of other guilds who
are trained in merchant skills will not be penalized.

The bailiff will allow you to count your own votes, but will only inform
you
of the overall status of other merchants and not their particular status.

+-----------------+
|     REMEDY      |
+-----------------+

The council members can change their votes as often as they like.  If a
merchant has been black balled he may apply to his peers for mercy once
his offending behaviour has ceased.