Captain Ash
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Image Source: Made by Me on Canva
- Canon Link: N/A
- Primary Source: N/A
- Corporation Name: The Interstellar Merchant-Captain's Guild
- Headquarters: Terminus
- Locations: Most Systems With Significant Interstellar Trade Traffic
- Operations: Insurance, Brokerage, Retirement Pensions, Legal Aid, Contract Review, Hospitality, Education, Safety Inspections, Credit Agency & Limited Banking
- Parent Corporation: N/A
- Subsidiaries: N/A
The IMCG has ancient roots on Terminus and the Outer Rim from the ancient days when Terminus was the stopping off point between Wild Space, the Unknown Regions, and the rest of the galaxy. In a far corner of space far from the Core, many Core-world and larger institutions were reluctant to do business on what they considered the wild frontier of the galaxy, which at the time was accurate. As a result, some grand merchant-captains of old banded together to establish the first Interstellar Merchant-Captain's Guildhouse. Putting their finances together and making investments in local businesses, they purchased a guildhouse to ensure captain's from other systems would always have a place to stay while groundside, to self-insure the member ships and cargoes, ensure a retirement fund for those who so wished, and to care for the dependents of any members lost to the dangers of space.
Slowly, the IMCG spread throughout the Outer Rim and Coreward, eventually setting up shop with various levels of influence in different regions of the galaxy, and their operations slowly expanded. While at the core, the IMCG exists to support and protect the merchant-captains of the galaxy, they also expanded offerings to all crew-members and shipping companies as well. Since they've grown and developed, being revitalized by the first Galactic Alliance and the Outer Rim Coalition encouragement of trade throughout the Outer Rim, they reactivated their assets and aggressively recruited to rebuild their former status.
Currently, the Guild is doing well and has established itself in most places that have a decently sized shipping business, especially on the Outer Rim, they serve as a sort of regulator for trade and shipping. Captain's pay a fee per annum for certain levels of membership which have priority preference for all basic services, though all members have access to all services. The core services especially have no priority as they are the ones dedicated directly to the well-being of the industry, and are usually mandatory buy-ins for all guild members.
Core Services:
- Insurance for cargo and vessels (various coverages depending on risk assessment of regions traveling through)
- Retiree Pension
- Health and Emergency Insurance (With various coverages available)
- Life insurance/pension to the dependents of deceased guild-members
- Safety Standards, Quality Control, and Training Standards for guild-members aboard merchant's vessels
- Salvage Right Determination
- Lawyers & Attorneys: Each Guildhouse has its own group of locally licensed lawyers on retainer to write contracts, review contracts as an objective party, and pursue legal aid for Guild members who request it.
- Cargo Brokerage: For a flat commission of 7.5%, the Guild will act as a broker for any and all legal cargoes.
- Living Quarters to Rent: Rooms and suites of various levels of comfort and privacy, either short term for captain's conducting business, or long-term for those who prefer to live in the Guildhouse semi-permanently
- Training Programs: Most Guildhouses include training programs for those interested in interstellar commerce, often as apprenticeships in various departments of the local Guild chapter.
- Cargo Appraisal: The Guild's appraisers can appraise not just for insurance, but to ensure all parties are paying a fair and reasonable price, as well as detecting and preventing fraud.
- In-Guild Banking: Funds can be easily saved and transferred through the IMCG internal accounts across various systems for transactions between members, members and the Guild, and in some cases, external parties.
- Currency Conversion: The Guild has a standard fair exchange rate between all galactic currencies, especially useful for dealing with localized currencies in which the Galactic Standard Credits are not yet widespread.
- Translation Services
- Local Security Assessment
- Market Analysis
RATIONALE
There is no one person who runs the IGMC as a whole. Rather, Guild Masters on each system are responsible for all guild operations in their respective system, and guild-masters are elected by the locally-based members of the Guild for a life-term, and often are retiring merchant-captains who are wanting to settle down groundside. Guild-wide decisions are voted on by all Guild-Masters.
In intent, the IMCG is not meant to be a directly PC-run organization, but one that offers necessary but less than glamorous services for an annual membership due, as well as auctioning off foreclosed cargos, selling insurance, assessing value, and other mercantile services.
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