Okay, decided to hammer some quick responses out for the questions asked before before I go to bed.  If I felt I couldn't adequately answer a particular question, I've left it out of this list so I could think about it more and give a better answer in the near future.<br/><br/>1) What shall we call the public trading company?<br/><br/>Acquisitions Incorporated (after the founding council who were a party of adventurers in their own right [also, stolen shamelessly from the D&D party using the same name for their party])<br/><br/>2) What shall we call the hidden numenera org within it?<br/><br/>MythCo (a nickname.  The hidden numenera section doesn't actually have an official name)<br/><br/>3) Does this hidden numenera org exist only within the PC's public trading company or within many?<br/><br/>With government restrictions on numenera, MythCo is far from the only trading company (secret or otherwise) that deals with the ancient devices.  It is but one of many, but perhaps one of the front-runners in terms of success and profit.<br/><br/>4) Which is more important to them, the public or the private?<br/><br/>It depends on who you ask.  The leader of the council (mentioned in Venus's post) is kept unaware.  The only living founding member, he is busied with the Acquisitions Inc. while the remainder of the council work in more lucrative matters.  Namely, MythCo.<br/><br/>9) Are there any that dislike them? If so, why?<br/><br/>Some chapter houses of Acquisitions Inc. are less friendly towards MythCo.  These charter houses would be placed in towns or regions where numenera trade isn't as restricted, but for whom, their reputation is undermined by MythCo's direct opposition to the governments within the Steadfast.<br/><br/>10) Do the PC's have a good/bad reputation within the public, the private or any other org?<br/><br/>Members of MythCo have a decent reputation among normal people who disagree with the government regulation.  Those that support regulation, though, oppose MythCo, it's affiliates and any like them.  Of course, members of MythCo are generally despised by the leadership of other companies trading in numenera (however, individuals working in those companies may feel differently, depending on how seriously they take that rivalry).<br/><br/>12) Do they owe debts that have been paid or worse...have not been paid?<br/><br/>Perhaps a debt is owed to Acquisitions Inc., prompting the PCs to work for them.  The debt could also be to one of the council members responsible for MythCo for setting them up as merchants or merchant's assistants, hence working for MythCo dealing with numenera.<br/><br/>13) What kinds of Numera are most valuable to the private organization?<br/><br/>Anything that would give the user a hint in tracking down other numenera (or people who have traces of numenera radiation).  That would then allow the government to start cracking down on organizations like MythCo.<br/><br/>14) What are the PC's allowed to keep and expected to hand over on discovery?<br/><br/>The PCs aught to make a commission on Numenera sold in more friendly territory.  Aside from that, perhaps they're allowed a discount if buying their own merchandise through MythCo.<br/><br/>15) What perks do they get from the public and private org? What obligations are there?<br/><br/>Acquisitions Inc. sells goods whole sale at basic prices and, if needed, extra back-up protection if the destination they're going is more dangerous.  Sometimes, the party will be obligated to transport certain goods to specific locales, participate in a merchant convoys and are disallowed from buying goods from rival companies.<br/><br/>16) What are the consequences of someone finding out they work with the private organization?<br/><br/>At best, a hit to their reputation or a fine and at worst, imprisonment with threat of an execution.