<strong>Government</strong><br/>The Anglo-Sino Alliance is the governing body for the entire system. Originally formed between the two first-settled planets, Londinum and Sihnon (where the “Anglo” and “Sino” come from), the Alliance is rich and powerful, with resources that most folk can’t begin to imagine—manpower, intelligence-gathering, military might, and technological innovation. And, like an overprotective parent, it thinks it knows what’s best for its “children”—all those who live and work under its rule. The Alliance government believes that by controlling information, technologies and even people’s lives, they can forge a better ‘Verse, one where people live in peace and no one ever goes hungry. Some call this Utopia. Others call it hell.<br/><br/>Londinum is the formal seat of government, home to Parliament and the Prime Minister. While every planet (at least within the Core) is allowed to organize its own affairs on a planetary level, system-wide policy is set by legislation. The planet of Sihnon is home to the headquarters of the trade associations and guilds in the system. The most powerful of these have their academies here. Trade tariffs for all manner of goods are established in Sihnon’s bureaucratic halls.<br/><br/>Most people of the Alliance are allowed a say in their government. Anyone can stand for a seat in the Parliament and be voted in by the home folk. But the money required to run a campaign generally prevents the common man from ever winning a governmental position. To raise the necessary funds, one must make deals with businesses, guilds, and private interest groups. As to voting, only those who are “full citizens of the Alliance” actually get a vote. Folk who fought in or supported the Independents are not considered “full citizens.” (After all, if they couldn’t be trusted to fight for the right side, how could they be trusted to vote for the right candidate?) Thus only candidates who support the Alliance are ever elected. That law is due to expire after ten years, though there are some on the Core worlds who are pushing for it to be extended.<br/><br/>Since the Alliance can’t be everywhere at once (not for lack of trying!), it has to trust the local governors to do the right thing. Each Core world under Alliance control has a governor who holds a vast amount of power. The Alliance has given guidelines on how such a person is elected, but out of respect for the sovereignty of each world policies vary from place to place. Some Core worlds are fairly ruled by honest folk. On others, local political machines or long-standing family dynasties rule.<br/><br/>There are local governments on the Border and Rim planets. Cities have mayors. Planets have governors. Moons have magistrates. All these answer to the Alliance. At least, that’s the way it’s supposed to work. Local officials on the outer worlds tend to wield heaps more power then their counterparts on the Core, just because no one’s close enough by to tell them they can’t.   Though the Alliance officially rules over all, they only have a firm grip on the Central Planets where they have eyes everywhere.<br/><br/><strong>Corporations</strong><br/><span class="bbc_u">Blue Sun Corporation</span><br/>Without doubt, the ubiquitous Blue Sun is the richest and most politically connected corporation in the system. Blue Sun is on every planet, in every home—rich and not so rich alike. For all its fame, it is one of the most shadowy institutions in the ‘Verse.<br/><br/>Blue Sun produces a lot of different things, but the company concentrates mainly on the basics of life. Folk will always need food and drink, and Blue Sun is there to sell it. They hold the monopoly on packaged foodstuffs, and their products have become essential to people on the newly terraformed worlds. Many new settlers wouldn’t have made it through their first year without Blue Sun packaged food.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">The Corone Mining Consortium</span><br/>The Corone Mining Consortium, formed just before the war, is made up of several of the most powerful mining corporations in the system. Those corporations were having a problem with prospectors mining claims of their own. Individually, the corporations couldn’t muster the resources to put the small fry out of business. By combining, they could afford the best lawyers, pay off the right politicians, and acquire the technology needed to buy up claims, drive people off their land or simply make it unprofitable for the lone miner to keep operating.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Iskellian Technology Solutions</span><br/>There are many tech companies throughout the system, producing everything from computers to lasers, and Iskellian is the largest. Iskellian holds the Alliance contracts to produce arms, spacecraft, and weapons for their troops. The products it sells are the best money can buy, and what Iskellian charges for its wares more than makes that point. Given that the Alliance buys arms from Iskellian, the Alliance has laid down the law that none of these weapons can be sold to anyone else.<br/><br/>However, Iskellian does manufacture weapons for civilian use. These are not the same weapons that the military buys, of course, but they are of the same high quality and have the price tags to prove it. Such weapons are rarely seen on the outer worlds and few are on the black market. If you can get hold of an Iskellian weapon, you count yourself lucky.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Unified Reclamation</span><br/>There is a lot of trash in the ‘Verse, and Unified Reclamation owns it.   Currently Unified is the only system-wide operator allowed to claim salvage rights. Due to the sheer magnitude of a system-wide salvage collection operation, Unified Reclamation also issues licenses for small operators to collect salvage on their behalf. The small operator can go through the local government to obtain a salvage license, but that involves mounds of paperwork and fees. Such licenses are more quickly obtained by going through United Reclamation, though they see to it that you pay for the convenience.<br/><br/>Small operators make more money if they run unlicensed, illegal salvage operations. Best to be careful, though, as things can get right ugly if Unified catches you poaching on their territory. You’d better hope the Alliance catches you doing illegal salvage before Unified Reclamation gets its hands on you.<br/><br/><strong>Guilds and others</strong><br/><span class="bbc_u">Companions’ Guild</span><br/>The oldest profession in the ‘Verse has one of the oldest and most respected guilds in the Core. Prostitution as it had existed on Earth-That-Was was abolished long ago, replaced by a government-approved profession officially titled “Companion.”<br/><br/>The Companion’s Guild established Guild Houses throughout the system to train its members, though, due to the war, there are few Houses currently on the outer worlds. The Guild establishes its own laws and rules. For example, Guild law states that no House may ever be run by a man. The law also states that a Companion is free to choose her clients. Originally a female organization, the Guild has since allowed males to enter. The men undergo the same training as the women and, like the women, they service both sexes. The Houses exist to provide training to the Companions. No work is ever done inside a House.<br/><br/><em>Companions are not Whores</em><br/>Prostitution as legalized in the form of the Companion Guild, whose registered Companions have great social status conferred upon them--to the point that some planets will not even let a ship dock without a decent Companion onboard. The Guild is organized into Houses (such as House Madrassa, based on Sihnon) run by a House Mistress or House Priestess, who has a say in how Companions conduct their affairs. At a Companion Academy, present and future Companions engage in an intensive--and arguably lifelong--course of study that includes training in seduction, body language, and signals, along with music and rituals such as the Companion Greeting Ceremony, involving tea.<br/><br/>Companion Guild law stipulates, amongst other things, that Companions choose their own clients from a Client Registry, and no Companion will ever contract with someone who has earned a black mark in that registry. Engaging a Companion is not about sex for money, as there is no shortage of those willing to offer that, so the process is more formal and selective  Companions take their cues from their clients, and are put at ease if they're respectful.  Guild law also requires all Companions to undergo a physical examination once a year in order to renew their license. Other guidelines include the notion that Companions do not "kiss and tell" about their clients, and a "complicated" policy on dating.<br/><br/>Companions are expensive and selective.  Just 'cause you have a bit of coin in your pocket does not mean you'll get a Companion in your bed.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">The Syndicate</span><br/>While not a guild in the official sense, the Syndicate styles itself as such and has many of the same trappings. The Syndicate controls most of the organized crime in the system. Only a few people are aware the Syndicate even exists, and they know better than to start mouthing off.<br/><br/>If a crime boss manages to claim a territory for himself, or comes to monopolize a certain area of illegal trade, he may be offered membership in the Syndicate. Those who receive such an offer are fools to refuse. While the position brings responsibility, it also brings benefits. (Plus those who say “no” have a tendency to become very dead very quick.)<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Tongs</span><br/>The Tongs come from ancient China on Earth-That-Was. The word “tong” is innocent enough, meaning “hall,” or a place to meet and talk. The original tongs began as business or social organizations for Chinese men.    Many tongs got wrapped up in lawless activities—running illegal gambling concerns, brothels, and opium dens—gaining for themselves a criminal-minded reputation.<br/><br/>The tongs continue to operate in a not-so different way to this day. To their credit, tongs help their own members, whether they are rich or poor; speaking up for them when they are in trouble with the community or helping out if they get into disputes with rival tongs. Still, human nature being what it is, the traditional hatreds and feuds carry on, and have even grown stronger. Some of the tongs are mightily involved in various illegal dealings throughout the system. Tongs have a strong presence on the outer worlds, where they can operate openly, as opposed to the Core worlds, where they tend to keep a low profile. It is said, though (however quietly), that their influence can be felt even in the Halls of Parliament.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Traders’ Guild</span><br/>One of the newest guilds, the Traders’ Guild, came about to help small and independent traders compete against the mighty corporations. This Guild offers legal advice to its members, allows them to work together to gain large contracts, and provides contacts. Anyone who lives by trade can join the Guild, be he store-owner, cargo ship captain or supplier.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">The Miners’ Guild</span><br/>The Miners’ Guild is one of the largest guilds in the system, and probably the most controversial. Though it has successfully fought for the rights of exploited miners and gained a great many concessions from the large corporations, some human rights groups have accused it of turning a blind eye to slavery.<br/><br/><em>Taken from the Serenity RPG.</em>