Actii Mercantil

The Actii Mercantil (or simply Actii) are the overarching organisation that guide and regulate the numerous businesses controlled by House Eridanus. Most of these businesses were acquired in the year 3200 during the dismantling of The A.C.R.E. Corporation. The Actii Mercantil serve as a governing structure to control the individually owned companies of House Eridanus nobles. The primary purpose of the Actii is to get the individual companies of House Eridanus to act in a way that benefits and grows the House Eridanus economy as a whole. This is often more easily said than done.

Individual companies are members of an Acti that represents their industry’s interests within the Empire, similar to a guild. Acti structure, heraldry, and cultural aesthetic has been inspired by ancient Terran 14th century artisans guilds, and the mercantile city states and kingdoms of Africa, Asia and the Mediterranean Sea.

Economic policy and regulations are determined by Actii representatives during Summits. Smaller Summits determine policy for specific industries and are attended by a few hundred Acti representatives. Sector wide policy is determined during a special meeting called the Grand Summit of the Actii Mercantil. The Grand summit is attended by over ten thousand representatives and is the core governing structure of the Actii Mercantil. The differences in political styles between the Actii, and the conflicts of interest between them often make Acti Summits a very involved and rowdy affair, with representatives openly shouting at each other during debates, while the Committee tries desperately to keep everything orderly.

The Guild Halls of the Actii

The central management structure of the Actii is located in The Ziggurat on Demnoph. The top level of the Ziggurat that previously housed the A.C.R.E. Directors has been remodelled into Noble estates, as well as the Guild Halls where the Actii operate from. The Grand Summit Hall and the Guild Halls of the Actii Maggiori are built in a massive newly constructed spire on top of the Ziggurat. The other Guild Halls are located directly under the spire on the 50th floor of the Ziggurat. Floor 50 also contains the enormous estates of the nobles who work in the Guild Halls. These estates were seized from A.C.R.E. Directors who have been killed or arrested during the dismantling of A.C.R.E. The bureaucratic apparatus of the Actii Mercantil is located on the 49th floor. Many Noble companies based on Demnoph have their headquarters on floor 49.

The Guild Halls are the center of House Eridanus economic governance, and are the workplace of the ten thousand representatives of the Actii and their entourage, as well as the clerks and bureaucrats who run the administration of the Actii Mercantil. The Guild Halls are constantly busy. Summits, discussions, and meetings are never-ending. Clerks and aides are perpetually overworked to keep up with the massive workload of managing the sector-wide holdings of the Actii. Millions of serfs are required to keep the Guild Halls running day and night.

Ziggurat remodeling

The spire at the top of The Ziggurat is constructed of dark metal and tinted glass, with gold and silver trimmings, built in the architectural style of Tiberian archeologies. The spire reaches high into the atmosphere, looking out over the cloud layer of Demnoph. The aesthetic has been followed through on the outside of the Ziggurat, adding gold and silver trimmings to the already dark and imposing looking structure. The grav-train network on the outside of the Ziggurat has been remodeled in the same colour scheme, giving the illusion of golden, and silver rivers flowing on the outside of the megastructure.

The architectural design of the Guild Halls has been influenced by the opulence and deliberate extravagance of Tiberian architecture. Each of the thousand Acti have their own individual Guild Hall. The Guild Hall houses the offices for its serfs and nobles, as well as the Summit hall where representatives meet and debate. The design of an Acti hall is influenced by the cultural identity of the most powerful families in that Acti. This custom gives each Acti Hall a distinct cultural identity that collectively represent the whole spectrum of Eridanii cultures, mixed with the more utilitarian architectural style of Demoph. The central Grand Summit Hall at the top of the Ziggurats spire is designed to mimic the architectural style of the Offices of the Transactos on Tiber.

The Foundation after the Remerge

One of the most important reasons for locating the Guild Halls of the Actii Mercantil on Demnoph, instead of Tiber is the existence of A.C.R.E.’s pretech statistical analysis equipment located in the foundation of the Ziggurat. The integration of House Eridanus’s market analysis system DELPHI into ENIGMA was one of the primary reasons to make the Ziggurat the location of the higher management structure of the Actii.

The upgrade to ENIGMA that DELPHI provides allows the High Masters of the Economy and Trade Committee and other powerful Eridanii to design Acti regulations in such a way that the giant collective of privatised companies that is House Eridanus can exploit the opportunities in the market to make as much profit as possible. This is done through careful implementation of subtle changes in Actii regulations, with the purpose of incentivizing the companies and brands under House Eridanus to act according to the predictive models of ENIGMA. Doing so does not impact companies much on an individual basis, but significantly improves the profits and economic growth of the House Eridanus economy as a whole. This practise of allowing a supercomputer to influence the politics of the Actii is known only to the High Masters of the Committee, and the upper leadership of the House.

History

At the culmination of the STO conflict, an extensive audit of the A.C.R.E. Corporation resulted in the acquisition of a majority of A.C.R.E.’s factories, farms, and other such assets, representing a large slice of the sector's economy.

The acquisition resulted in the destruction of the old A.C.R.E. departments, in favour of businesses being owned by individual Noble families. Due to the inherent competitive nature of Eridanus nobles, it was decided that an efficient regulatory structure was needed for these newly formed Noble companies to function. The Grand Summit of the Actii Mercantil was formed in the months after the Remerge for this purpose.

Actii existed pre-scream when House Eridanus was at the height of its power. After the scream and the A.C.R.E. split, the Acti gradually lost influence to the point of irrelevance, and they promptly disappeared from the House’s political landscape. During the Remerge, families that remember the old ways of the Acti glory days bought out A.C.R.E. Departments. The Departments were broken up and splintered to better imitate the old Acti structure. The nine Acti of old were reinstated as Actii Maggiori, and the lesser Actii were created to subdivide the enormous amount of businesses under the A.C.R.E. brand.

Mandate

The primary mandate of the Actii Mercantil is providing an economic framework for Noble companies. Individual Actii enforce regulations and set prices for specific industries. All Eridanii companies are required by law to be a member of an Acti, but nobility from other Houses can voluntarily opt to become members. The economic framework allows for competition between Noble companies while limiting the unpredictable effects of the market. The Actii are mostly self-regulatory.

Regulations are constructed in a complex and byzantine way. Noble companies are reliant on technicalities within the rules to effectively compete with each other. The regulations are often designed with these loopholes in mind, even though on the surface regulations prevent such corruption and nepotism from happening.

Structure

Structure of Actii within Eridanus governance

Noble and High Companies

The Actii regulate the Noble companies of House Eridanus. These companies are owned by Eridanus Nobles and predominantly have nobles as their clientele. Products and services aimed at commoners are provided by High companies. These are subsidiaries of the Noble companies and are represented by their Noble company in Actii Summits. High companies are operated by Discounts, (many of which are believed to be previously A.C.R.E. Directors, or by the middle management of A.C.R.E. departments that were promoted after the Remerge.)

Actimaestri

Acti are represented in the larger Empire by their Actimaestri. Each Acti has a single Actimaesti, who is first among equals in the Acti’s government structure. Actimaestri are the political face of their Acti, and are responsible for forming coalitions with other Acti and conducting sector-wide trade negotiations. Actimaestri are chosen from the members of their guild according to the guild’s method of selection, which is different for each Acti.

High Masters of the Economy and Trade Committee

Acti Summits are presided over by the High Masters of the Economy and Trade Committee. It is the Committee’s duty to suggests policy changes, and mediate discussions. Smaller Summits are presided over by three Committee members, whereas the Grand Summit is overseen by the full Committee, including representatives of the Imperial Bank.

All Actimaestri of the Actii Magiori have a seat on the Economy and Trade Committee. The other positions are carefully selected by the Triumvirate to represent them. The Committee itself is headed by the Transactos, who’s seal of approval is required for a motion to be deemed valid. The Triumvirate appoints a number of Discounts to the committee, many are former A.C.R.E. Directors, who are selected for their expertise in running a mass market economy.

The High Masters of the Economy and Trade Committee decide what policies will be voted on during Summits, and they perform their duties out of sight of the rest of the House. Behind closed doors, the Committee oversees the use of extensive data analysis by House Eridanus Quanta and the fabled ENIGMA system to guide Acti policy and improve the profit margins of the House.

The Role of the Triumvirate

The Triumvirate is rarely directly involved with the internal politics of the Actii. The elected leaders of the Triumvirate influence the Actii through the Economy and Trade Committee, by appointing it’s members. The Office of the Transactos is ultimately responsible for validating the agenda of the Committee.

The Transactos also has the power to fine, sanction or otherwise punish Noble companies if they break Acti regulations. Actii self-regulate their own members, so accusations of rule-breaking from outside an Acti must go through the Offices of the Transactos, who function as a third party mediator and judge.

Iconography

Eridanus company owners show their membership to an Acti in the form of a metal brooch worn on their apparel. The brooches are shaped like shields and depict the heraldry of their Acti. They are elaborately decorated, to make up for the fact that the Acti heraldry is often very simplistic. Brooches are linked with the noble’s SIGNET, and required as official identification for Acti representatives during summits, and other Acti related business.

Actii Maggiori, Mediane, and Minori

The Actii Mercantil consist of nine Actii Maggiori, twenty-four Actii Mediane, and around a thousand Actii Minori. Individually, they implement the economic framework of their respective industry. Collectively, they are responsible for debating and approving economic policy during Actii Summits. Each Acti is allowed to send a number of representatives to Summits, based on their revenues and economic power. Actii Maggiori each have hundreds of representatives, while an Acti Minori has only a handful of representatives.

Actii Maggiori

The nine Actii Maggiori are the most powerful and influential of the Actii, their control reaches over a vast range of Noble companies and High companies. The collective wealth and economic power of a single Acti Maggiori is equal to that of a planetary government. They each have billions of people in their employ.

The nine guilds have control over the cornerstones of the House’s economy. The Actimaestri of these guilds automatically gain a seat at the High Masters of the Economy and Trade Committee. The Actii Maggiori hold the most political power during Actii Summits and often have many other Actii Minori and Actii Mediane in their political sphere of influence.

Actii Mediane

The twenty-four Actii Mediane represent large industries within House Eridanus. These guilds control a single branch of the Houses economy. An Acti Mediane has the economic power of a large country or small moon, and employs up to a billion people.

Actii Mediane are often within the sphere of influence of an Acti Maggiori, due to them being reliant on similar regulations as these larger guilds. However, the Actii Mediane are still very influential within Actii politics, and can afford to push their weight around.

Actii Minori

There are around a thousand Actii Minori. Each of these guilds represents a specific industry or service. An Acti Minori has a net worth of a small country and employs hundreds of millions of people. They have little political power on their own compared to the other Actii, and are almost always dependent on forming coalitions to exercise their political power during Summits.

Politics

Day to day politics of the Eridanii are no longer directed by PNIDA and The Blues, but instead Actii determine most of the day to day politicking of the House. Not completely eliminated, the old Political Parties of House Eridanus have waned with the waxing of Actii identities but retain some influence in Triumvirate elections. These elections and the lengthy time-scales that they imply are the few instances when the values and morality characterized by the political parties are deemed relevant. So much so have industrial and familial concerns have been brought to the forefront of internal conflicts over power that the distinctions between major and minor parties have all but disappeared.

Acti Holdings

The Holdings of an Acti can be highly diverse and extensive, because of this a degree of terminology is used to refer to what aspect of the Acti in question one is referring to.

At the Sector Scale:

When referring to the sum total of an Acti’s holdings in the Sector, it is standard to simply refer to the Acti in question.

At the scale of a Solar System or Navigation Hex:

The sum total of an Acti’s holdings, personnel, and resources within a system is referred to as that Acti’s Cohong.

At the scale of a Large Astrological Body:

At the scale of a Planet, Large moon or other satellite. The Acti in questions holdings are referred to as a Corporatus.

At the scale of a city, small astrological body or space station:

At the scale of city, Asteroid, Large Space Facility or other installation with a high population, the Holdings of the Acti in question is called a Fabbricanti.

Smaller scale holdings and Miscellanea:

A single installation below the population of a city-owned by an Acti is called a Corte and usually also contains the name of the specific family who owns the Corte. For example, Corte Tanaka upon the surface of Demnoph. An Acti’s Military presence is called a “Petronel” and typically also contains the family name of the Petronels Condottieri as well as a common moniker chosen by that same commander.

An Acti’s Naval Presence is called a “Kai” and follows the conventions of a Petronel with the exception being that the common moniker is the crude name of its flagship.

Actii Maggiori and Actii Mediane

Acti Mehar (Agriculture)

Acti Mehar is the guild responsible for producing the vast quantities of myco-proteins and other mass-producible foodstuffs used not only in House Eridanus but across the sector. Their heraldry is a basket fruit and bread on a golden background. Their farms and other facilities are made up of the plantations on Tiber, the gargantuan vat growing facilities of Demnoph and assorted holdings across the sector.

The internal political structure of Acti Mehar is modeled as a republic with the Actimaestri as the head of government. Acti representatives and Actimaestri are selected from a list that ranks members on their land ownership and food output. This system ensures that the member with the highest production capability is the de facto leader of the Acti.

One of the largest and most publicly visible divisions of the Acti Mehar is the one responsible for managing the imperial rations system, the program for the Legally Overseen Allotment of Various Edibles, aka the L.O.A.V.E. Program, in the Emperox's name.

A lesser known aspect of Acti Mehar is their extensive biological sciences division which is leveraged to increase the efficiency and profitability of husbandry and agricultural stocks. It is thought that in the final days of the Remerge, Mehar poached a number of A.C.R.E.’s best minds from Project GAIA .

Acti Mehar are closely affiliated with a number of Acti Mediane and Minori. While the Minori are too numerous to warrant specific mention, the Actii Mediane are:

Acti Graja (Non-Food based Agriculture)

Acti Graja’s main stock and trade is the use of non-food agricultural goods. Their heraldry is a bundle of cornstalks on a silver background. Acti Graja produces mycofiber, biofuel and even the production of the complex carbohydrates used in House Eridanus’ industrial manufacturing. Graja is a powerful and influential Acti in its own right, controlling significant defacto powers over popular brands such as Fizzy Cheese and Myco-Cola.

Acti Cuina (Meal Processing)

A true juggernaut of industrial prowess and effective marketing, Cuina makes up the second part of the Fizzy Cheese™ and producing the Protein Brick™ manufacturing machine that is Graja and Cuina. Their heraldry is bubbling pot on a silver background

Having extensive holdings over the facilities required to process cheap and mass producible finished food goods, The Cuina brands are household names all across the sector in homes of Serfs and lower Tier Nobility.

Acti Soppar (Luxury Food Items)

Most of the Noble companies that produce luxury agricultural items, such as high-end ingredients or beverages, are collected in the Acti Soppar. Their heraldry is a bottle of liquor and a cigar on a silver background.

A large amount of the plantations on Tiber are used for the production of luxury crops and are therefore represented by Acti Sopar. This includes high-grade coffee and tea plantations, as well as tobacco. The large Tiberian hardwood forestry industry and the products that it produces are also considered part of this guild.

Acti Artesa (Consumer Goods)

Acti Artesa is one of the largest guilds in the entire Acti structure. It contains all consumer product manufacturing brands, from clothing, to electronics, to household appliances. Their heraldry is a polished silver crate on a golden background.

Acti Artesa represents all of the consumer industries in House Eridanus. A significant quantity of total production is located on Demnoph, in consumer industry archeologies.

The guild has a large amount of influence during Acti summits. However, the fact that the guild is made up of such a wide variety of companies and brands makes it difficult to effectively pursue their agenda. Representatives and Actimaestri of Acti Artesa are elected by popular vote, which causes the Acti to have highly competitive political landscape within its own members. The turbulent internal politics cause Acti Artesa representatives to change their political stances quite regularly, and they are considered to be fickle by their colleagues in other Acti.

The guild closely affiliated with close to a hundred Acti Minori, but the most powerful consumer industries are represented by the Acti Mediane.

Acti Roba (Clothing)

Acti Roba produces general apparel for serfs and commoners across the sector. Their heraldry is a needle and thread on a silver background.

While not as decadent and elaborate as the clothing worn by nobles, the clothing of the brands under Acti Roba are fit for purpose and inexpensive. More functional apparel such as vacc suits and environmental protection wear also fall under the Acti Roba.

Acti Dome (Appliances)

These companies produce a wide variety of domestic appliances. Their heraldry is electric lightbulb on a silver background.

All of the machinery and equipment a serf needs in their domestic life is produced by the High companies in the Acti Dome. This guild works together with dozens of Acti Minori who all produce different products for household purposes.

Acti Ordina (Electronics)

Acti Ordina represents the House Eridanus electronic manufacturing brands. Their heraldry is a computer chip on a silver background.

Acti Ordina is very active in trade negotiations with other Actii, because the guild produces a lot of components for other industries. Acti Ordina also contains the House Eridanus software development companies and virtual intelligence developers, as well as designers and manufacturers of integrated computer systems.

Acti Titella (Cybernetics)

This guild is responsible for the development and manufacturing of cyberware. Their heraldry is marionette with strings on a silver background.

The products produced by the brands of Acti Titella are nowhere near the quality of those produced by The Trilliant Ring. However, they are far more affordable, and therefore used by many serfs across Acheron Rho.

Acti Medi (Pharmaceuticals)

Acti Medi produces most of the cheaper pharmaceuticals in the Acheron Rho sector. Their heraldry is a bottle and a pill on a silver background.

Although most of the medical development and research in the sector is done by House Serpens scientists, the High companies in Acti Medi use House Serpens patents to produce affordable off-the-counter pharmaceuticals on a scale that can supply entire planets worth of population.

Acti Llança (Military)

Acti Llança is the guild that incorporates the military forces of House Eridanus, which are almost entirely privatised. Their heraldry is a crossed sword and spear on a golden background.

The guild has a special duty to guarantee the safety and stability of the House. They are obligated to be commandeered by the Triumvirate in times of war. The upper echelons of the Acti Llança contain the House Eridanus military command structure. Their representatives and Actimaestri are determined by their military rank. The positions are filled by generals and captains. The leadership of the guild imitates the military command structure set out by House Aquila, and is highly authoritarian in nature. Everyone has a place in the structure and is expected to follow orders at all times.

While Acti Llança houses the centralised military command and security organisation of the House, the privatised military companies and military industries are represented by three Acti Mediane, who each control an important aspect of the military.

Acti Condotta (Private Military Companies)

Acti Condotta represents a large collection of privatised military companies that are hired by Actii and Eridanus nobles as security forces. Their heraldry is paper contract pierced by a sword on a silver background.

The guild is collectively responsible for the security and safety of the House, but individual companies are often used in the internal politics of the Actii as intimidation or deterrents. The PMCs are used by Eridanus nobles to protect high-risk factories, installations and other locations of interest. PMCs plan, organize, and lead troops in military operations. They maintain and command their own aircraft, ships, armored vehicles, and mechs. They also provide military personnel with professional services in medical, legal, and engineering.

Each PMC is called a Condotte, and is led by a Condottieri, a Noble-blooded military commander who is the owner of the company, and responsible for contracts and wages. Lower military officer positions are filled by Eridanus Acquisitos or former Aquilan commanders. Powerful Condotte are often sponsored by rich nobles that lack military prowess. These sponsors hire less wealthy, but better-trained nobles to be the Condottieri for their company.

Condotta often differ in the amount of firepower they possess. The more capable a Condotte is, the more expensive their contracts are. This has the consequence that the more wealthy Actii and Nobles are able to secure their assets to the best of the Houses ability, while the less wealthy are often not as well protected. This system comes from the Eridanii cultural tradition where wealth is power. Nobles with the most wealth have the most military might at their disposal.

The more capable Condotte often have Aquilan trained soldiers and commanders in their ranks, or have Deathless personnel and specialists on their payroll. Employing expertly trained military personnel from outside the House is seen as a badge of honor for Condottieri who wish to flaunt their superiority and wealth over others in their guild. This type of one-upmanship is commonplace amongst the Acti Condotta.

The Acti Condotta generally does not allow Condottieri to be hired by Nobles outside of House Eridanus, because it is viewed as a breach of their primary mandate, which is to protect and serve House Eridanus and it’s assets.

Acti Canó (Naval Fleets)

This guild contains the privatised naval forces of House Eridanus, and are mostly used to secure trade routes and spaceports. Their heraldry is flying starfighter on a silver background.

Acti Canó function in a similar way to the Acti Condotta, and are hired primarily by Actii to protect the vast quantities of goods and resources that are transported through space on a daily basis. Acti Meva and Acti Moure are their primary customers.

Acti Arma (Weapons Manufacturing)

Acti Arma contains all weapons manufacturers. Their heraldry is a crossed mag pistol and laser rifle on a silver background.

The guild has a close relationship with the Condottieri for the purpose of arming the military forces of House Eridanus. The High companies under Acti Arma produce standard grade weapons and armor. Armament models produced by Acti Arma brands often useHouse Reticulum designs and patents for their mass production. The quality of these knockoffs cannot compare to the artisanship of House Reticulum crafters, but are far more affordable and are produced at scale.

Acti Meva (Mining)

Acti Meva is the inheritor of A.C.R.E.’s truly massive mineral and orbital resource collection facilities. Their heraldry is a crossed pickaxe and shovel on a golden background.

With holdings sector-wide and the nature of their trade goods value, Meva frequently contracts Condottieri and Canó from Acti Llança in order to protect the rivers of ore and raw resources that the Acti handles.

Acti representatives are appointed by a council of oligarchs, who collectively own most of the businesses in Acti Meva.

Acti Forn (Foundries)

Acti Forn represents all ore processing companies in House Eridanus. Their heraldry is a blazing furnace on a silver background.

The final destination for the raw ore produced by Meva, the din and cacophony of Acti Forn’s foundries and mills can be heard for miles. If Meva is the blood of the Acti, Forn is the beating heart. The metals required by nearly every aspect of the Imperial Economy and that of Eridanus is in no small part served through the labors of Acti Forn.

Acti Llum (Gas Mining)

A vast amount of basic resources is produced in Acheron Rho through the harvesting of gas nebulae and gas giants. These very specialised mining operations are represented by the Acti Llum. Their heraldry is a shining star on a silver background. This guild is also responsible for the extraction and purification of water from ice mining, usually for the purpose of supplying space stations.

Acti Grua (Industrial Processes)

Acti Grua is the largest of the Actii Maggiori, and is responsible for all industrrial manufacturing and processing. Their heraldry is a hammer and wrench inside of a gear on a golden background.

Noble and High companies under this guild produce factory machinery, farming equipment, large mechanical installations, building materials, bulk chemicals, and fuels. Acti Grua is the largest producer of these products in the entire sector, and is influential in setting prices for materials and equipment.

This gives the guild a large amount of influence on the other Actii and Acheron Rho’s economy in general. However, Acti Grua is very reluctant in wielding their political power, due to their mandate. The guild is tasked with providing stability within the sector's economy, and to never allow scarcity to stifle economic growth. This causes Acti Grua to adopt a conservative stance in Actii politics, and makes them a reliable business partner.

The guild selects is representatives through a commission who appoints them. This commission is made up of the owners of the most influential companies and brands inside Acti Grua. The members of the commission are appointed for life, unless the commission as a whole decides otherwise. This system causes government of the guild to be stable and more resistant to changes in opinion, but the leadership has sometimes been criticized for being too rigid and set in their ways.

Acti Grua is closely affiliated with many Actii Minori, and with the important industries represented by three Actii Mediane.

Acti Fabri (Industrial Machinery)

This guild produces most of the standardised factory equipment for Acheron Rho. Their heraldry is a smoking factory chimney on a silver background.

Most of their bulk production takes place in the heavy industrial archaeologies on Demnoph. High companies under this guild collectively export a staggering amount of machinery on a daily basis. This production is also vital for maintaining the industrial archaeologies on Demnoph itself.

Acti Mao (Building Materials)

High companies in this guild process a large quantity of the sector’s building materials, from concrete and metal construction materials, to complex alloys used for spaceship manufacturing. Their heraldry is a stack of bricks on a silver background.

This guild produces the largest quantity of product out of all the Actii and requires the greatest amount of raw materials. Acti Mao has a close relationship with Actii Meva, and Forn, because they are reliant on them for their raw materials.

Acti Afin (Chemical Refining)

Brands in this guild produce large quantities of bulk chemicals used in most other manufacturing processes. Their heraldry is an erlenmeyer flask on a silver background.

A large quantity of the industrial processes under Acti Afin take place in the chemical industry archeologies on Demnoph. These companies are reliant on Acti Llum and Graja for most of their raw materials.

Acti Edif (Construction)

Acti Edif controls the largest collection of construction companies in Acheron Rho. Their heraldry is a hammer and nails on a golden background.

Most of A.C.R.E.s centralized construction departments and maintenance divisions have been split up and privatized as individual construction contractors during the Remerge. The expertise of these companies is vital for maintaining space stations and planetside infrastructure across the sector.

Most of the construction contractors in Acti Edif are large companies that have the equipment to build entire city blocks or space stations. Labour shortages have driven the previous A.C.R.E. departments to invest heavily in automated equipment. Most companies now own colossal construction equipment and automated systems capable of constructing projects with minimal human resources.

The mandate of Acti Edif is to set out strict rules and regulations for contractors regarding the pricing of their services. The guild also sets out and enforces building codes and standards, to ensure that the companies in Acti Edif deliver sufficient quality projects to their customers. The guilds mandate makes working with them a long and arduous process. The labyrinth of regulations contractors must abide by can often make projects take far longer than they should. Companies often try to get out under these regulations using technicalities to gain the upper hand on their competitors.

Acti representatives and the Actimaestri are appointed through commission, in a similar way to Acti Grua.

Most small scale construction companies are represented by specialized Acti Minori. The more large scale contractors belong the one of three Acti Mediane.

Acti Ciut (Macro-structures and Infrastructure)

Acti Ciut represents companies that specialize in large scale planetside infrastructure. Their heraldry is a city skyline on a silver background.

From the more standard Urban cityscapes on human hospitable planets to the planetside habitats on the more inhospitable planets of the sector, to the massive constructed archeologies on Demnoph and Imperial prime. Acti Ciut also oversees the construction of massive transportation infrastructure on most planets in the sector.

Acti Mante (Maintenance and Utilities)

Acti Mante oversees the maintenance of planetside habitats and Urban areas. Their heraldry is a bolt of lightning on a silver background.

Companies in this guild are responsible for keeping the great works of mankind from crumbling, and falling apart. The guild also regulates the construction of energy generation facilities and utilities infrastructure.

Acti Esta (Orbital Construction)

This Guild is responsible for the construction and maintenance of orbital installations and deep space stations. Their heraldry is a purple nebula and stars on a silver background.

The workforce of these contractors is almost completely automated using large industrial spacefaring drones, due to the difficulties of using human workforces in vacuum zero-gravity environments.

Acti Veico (Vehicle Manufacturing)

Acti Veico represents all manufacturers of planetary vehicles, and interplanetary vessels. Their heraldry is wooden cartwheel on a golden background.

All standard urban transportation methods, such as cars, transportation pods, monorails, and hover vehicles are produced by the various brands in this guild. Most serfs in the Acheron Rho sector use vehicles from the High companies of Acti Veico for their daily transportation and work, as they are the most affordable and mass produced vehicles on the market. Rich Nobles rarely own cheaper brands of transportation, often choosing more expensive Trilliant products.

Although Acti Veico is one of the smaller Actii Maggiori, their importance cannot be understated. Together with Acti Moure, they are mandated to keep the deeply interdependent economies of the sector core running, through the transportation of goods and resources.

Acti Veico appoints its representatives and Actimaestri through a complex system of revenue calculations. The more profits a company makes, the more secure their position. This gives the most profitable families the most influence, but shakeups in the market can alter the political landscape substantially. Future positions are determined according to profitability predictions that are determined by the Acti’s Quanta. Acti Veico and Acti Moure both use this government system.

Acti Veico is affiliated with two Actii Mediane that represent the largest specialised vehicle manufacturing industries.

Acti Carro (Military Vehicle production)

This guild represents the Noble companies producing military vehicles. Their heraldry is fiery chariot on a silver background.

High companies produce the sectors standardised military transportation and mechanized equipment, such as troop transports, armored vehicles, landing craft, and grav-tanks. Most of this equipment is produced as standardised models in large quantities to outfit the mobilized infantry units commonly used in the sector.

A few select companies even produce mechs. These machines tend to be large and bulky, and cannot compare to the high precision engineering of House Fornax. However, they are seldom lacking in firepower, and are a worthy addition to any battlefield.

Noble companies in Acti Carro are by guild regulations required to work closely with Acti Llança to coordinate military equipment production. However, in matters of business they work more closely with Acti Veico, because they require similar production facilities and materials.

Acti Vaix (Shipyards)

Acti Vaix is responsible for the manufacturing of spaceships. Their heraldry is a frigate on a silver background.

Most of the shipyards under their wing are located on Demnoph and Maja. Although a large amount of the spaceship manufacturing in the sector core takes place on Maja, the colossal bulky cargo freighters used by Acti Moure are produced on massive drydocks in orbit around Demnoph. Standardized models of planetary shuttles are produced in smaller shipyards around the planet. The guild controls a limited number of medium-sized spaceyards around Demnoph for the purpose of docking and maintaining military ships used by Acti Canó.

Many companies in Acti Vaix that produce lower quality interplanetary spaceships own small to medium shipyards around Maja. These facilities tend to produce an affordable range of interplanetary vessels. These ships are standardized models with little amenities for their crew.

Acti Llibre (Financial Services)

Acti Llibre represents the large collection of financial service companies that belong to House Eridanus nobility. Their heraldry is a stack of coins on a golden background.

These companies perform a wide variety of services, such as administration, notary services, investment funds, and debt resolution. Most of these services for nobility are performed directly by the Eridanus Imperial Bank. High companies were created to sell similar services to the commoners of Acheron Rho, after the acquisition of the A.C.R.E. Corporation’s financial infrastructure. These newly formed High companies function as an extension of the Imperial Banks services to the lower classes.

Unlike the Imperial bank, Acti Llibre is not designed to support their clientele with financial matters, but to extract as much profit from its lowborn customers as is feasible. High companies do little to hide the unfeeling, unyielding corporate machinery they use to provide financial services for serfs and commoners.

Acti Llibre representatives and the Actimaestri are directly appointed by the Vaultkeeper and the Imperial Bank, making Acti Llibre the only guild which is technically controlled by an organisation outside the Acti structure.

It is one of the smallest Acti Maggiori, but their solid profit margins and direct relationship with the Imperial Bank makes them more influential in Acti summits than one would expect. Acti Llibre works closely together with one Act Mediane.

Acti Segur (Insurance Companies)

Acti Segur represents the private insurance companies of House Eridanus. Their heraldry is an opened umbrella on a silver background.

High companies offer a myriad of insurances to serfs. These include health insurance, vehicle insurance and habitat insurance just to name a few. Insurance companies tend to be a lot less forgiving with common born customers, and regularly deny payouts to serfs based on technicalities in the rules. High companies commonly use these tactics to increase their profit margins.

Acti Moure (Logistics)

Acti Moure is responsible for all transportation and logistical companies that belong to House Eridanus. Their heraldry is a cargo freighter on a golden background.

Acti Moure control the massive interstellar cargo freighters that haul goods and resources across the sector, as well as planetside cargo transportation infrastructure. The primary revenue stream for many companies in Acti Moure is the planetside cargo hauling in the sector core. House Eridanus logistical companies often own large amounts of planetside cargo infrastructure to better facilitate their logistical efforts on those planets.

Most planets in the sector are home to logistical companies that belong to House Eridanus. These companies are responsible for distributing the products manufactured by the other Actii to customers across Acheron Rho. Acti Moure is an influential Acti among House Eridanus politics. Together with Acti Veico they are responsible for keeping goods and resources flowing across the sector. Acti Moure is constantly in negotiation with the other Actii for determining the cost of distributing their products across the sector.

Acti Moure appoints its representatives and Actimaestri through a complex system of revenue calculations. The more profits a company makes, the more secure their position. This gives the most profitable families the most influence, but shakeups in the market can alter the political landscape substantially. Future positions are determined according to profitability predictions that are determined by the Acti’s Quanta. Acti Moure and Acti Veico both use this government system.

A single Acti Mediane is closely affiliated Acti Moure.

Acti Viat (Passenger transportation)

This guild represents all personal transportation companies belonging to House Eridanus. Their heraldry is a black lacquered coach on a silver background.

These companies organise travel between planetside destinations, as well as interplanetary travel. Since these companies often use similar infrastructure as Acti Moure, they have adopted a similar set of regulations.

Noble Companies in this guild differ largely from their High Company counterparts. Noble Companies offer fancy and comfortable travel across the stars for their noble clientele. High companies often try to stack as many common-born passengers into their transportation vessels as they can to increase their profit margins.