The Charioteers are probably the most respected guild (if not beloved) since they control space travel. Although other groups may have trained space pilots (limited, basic pilot training can be commissioned from the guild, carefully leaving out most of the tricks initiated pilots know) the Charioteers maintain a ruthless monopoly on the production of Jumpkeys, which are essential for interstellar travel.
Charioteers form the face of the Merchant League, they are congenial and extremely extrovert. The division between the face they put on as a performance to sell their goods and their own personalities are often blurred at best. They are the primary traders of goods (and sometimes information) of the Known Worlds and almost every merchant who trades is either a subsidiary or pays a commission to the Guild.
The Charioteers are also the masters of the transport industry, whether it is Beastcraft, Landcraft or Aircraft the Charioteers Guild can ride, drive or fly it. Most importantly the Charioteers own a monopoly on spacetravel. Not only are they the best starship pilots but they own the production of jumpengines (shared with the Supreme Order of Engineers) and jumpkeys and charge all factions for jumping between systems.
Charioteers run a dichotomistic life of merchant and star pilot. They trade, they jest, they are outrageous show-offs to a man, they are often seen as bizarre travelling shows whenever they come to town. Of course this is merely their way of attracting potential customers.
The guild is dominated by merchant families called hongs, with the Galbraiths, Cartashes, and DeVatha the most powerful of the families.
Chariotteer Hongs