What you start out knowing of the Aspis Consortium (if you're not already familliar).
The Aspis Consortium is a trade organization, a group of merchants and mercenaries who trade goods and artifacts. They have no known government affiliation, but are run by a group of members whose identity is secret, called the Patrons.
The members have ranks (and badges of the appropriate material), Gold, Silver, and Bronze.
The symbol of the Aspis Consortium is a gold snake on a shield.