Corpus Merx

A corpus merx (plural, corpora mercia), is a commercial entity chartered by the state to conduct business which offers some degree of legal immunity to the owners. The first corpus merx was chartered in 2217 in Asbardy for the construction of goods for exchange with other neighboring states, including the Ithradite Dwarves and Ambrasia. At this time, the countries of Pytharnia were under the rule of the chaos rulers. The corpus merx developed from the medieval guild. The usefulness of the corpus merx grew steadily over the next two hundred years and was instrumental in the recovery of commerce from the fall of the chaos rulers and the transition to the modern order of affairs. The corpus merx differed from the guild as it was founded to serve the needs of the owners of capital rather than under the direction of master crafters. Corpora mercia among human and dwarven nations were chartered by the ruler or governing agency. They increased in number in Pytharnia, Ithatia, Corundy, Lucacia, and Erserce, with smaller numbers in Barathorn and northern Orrhymby.

The corpus merx is overseen by a body similar to a board of trustees or a board of governors. Members of this body are called syndics.

A special body in many ways similar to a corpus merx, but usually with additional government oversight is the corpus argentarium which is an officially chartered, regulated banking entity.

REQUIRES SERIOUS REVISION

A corporate entity recognized by law and empowered to conduct trade and industry in one or more states. //pl: corpora mercia//. A corpus merx is chartered by the state government, typically in the capital city, to conduct business as a corporate entity rather than as a group of merchants, nobles, an individual, or an auxiliary organization. Although Corpora Mercia and guilds function alongside each other in modern times, corpora mercia are in many ways a development of the medieval guild.

The following ten capitals have the most Corpora Mercia, in order from most to least: Aurice, Bryndyd, Sardeichs, Trevirs, Dagdoria, Tauhad, Elmundel, Benjalay, Galmaddin, Talil.

Development of Corpora Mercia

The CM evolved in the region of the Bhinsasas and the northeastern Pallathantic. The states of Aurice, Elystrio, & the cities of Corundy have agreed to reciprocal policies concerning Corpora Mercia. They have spread to all the major metropolitan areas of the eastern hemisphere.

Pledgefast

A Corpus Merx consists of patrons who put up the capital (pledges) and receive dividends, of employees of the CM who actually do the work for wages, and of the Prefects who direct everything. The relationship between patrons and prefects is established in a religious ceremony and consequently gives the entire institution a certain sacred nature, particularly with regard to the vows. The patrons pledge certain funds (pledges) to the prefects’ undertakings and the prefect pledge to give so much of the profit to the patrons. These pledges are uniform sums of money for that particular CM and each pledge is so great that only the wealthy may become patrons (consider the equivalent of 20,000sp for a pledge and 10 pledges or 200,000sps being quite normal). The prefects receive profit according to the same agreement. The patrons may withdraw the pledges (that is, exact them from the CM), if the prefects have broken their vows. However, the prefects cannot be removed from their offices unless they violate their oaths. The patrons may negotiate their pledges with others (that is, sell them to others). [The price of a pledge is fully negotiable between the owner and the buyer; there is no formalized or centralized market for the commerce of pledges.] Pledges may be exchanged at the Aurician Bourse. Since these oaths are exchanged under the watchful eyes of the gods, usually one god in particular, the CM may adopt that god as its patron deity. The integrity of the CM system relies upon lawcourts. The prefects can be held liable for wrongdoings of the CM only if they have violated their oaths, otherwise, the CM itself is held liable. The interest of patrons does not determine control (there are no ‘votes’). When the prefects leave office, the patrons may solicit new ones. The agreement establishing a CM is called a Covenant and it specifies the original patrons, their pledges, the prefects, the payment of the prefects, and perhaps other matters.

The place where CM pledges and other commodities are exchanged is called the bourse. Aurice, Bryndyd, Westborough, Talise, Benjalay, and other countries have such locales.

See Also

• Bourse
• Pledgefast

!ARCHIVED SOURCE LIST [NEW LIST] CORPORA MERCIA OFFICES District [not all in a ‘district’] Greatest Aurician Corpora Mercia Headquartered in Aurice Gallantine Skyshippers: (owned by Merchant Prince House Gallantine) Merchant Aviator Industries: Sungo Company: (owned by Samoyat Rhaurvace) Onchese Industries: Pallathantic Air Combine: Aurician Zephasia Company: Shadevan Air Combine: Skaligdæse Company: Dragon Wind Company (Aurice):

Greatest Aurician Corpora Mercia headquartered outside Aurice City Thuskan Guard Combine (Borenlas)

Greatest Foreign Corpora Mercia's offices Jaffes (Bryndyd, Asbardy) offices in same building as the Asbard Embassy Galmaddinic Merchants League (Galmaddin, Skymark): Sardeichs (Sardic, Dwarven): Greater Pallathantic Company (Westborough, Amerzcelindo): Four Winds Company (Galmaddin): Wingmerchant Company (Benjalay): Skyguild of Strondol (Strondol, Shanjahar): Industry Skyshipping Company (Benjalay): Telluride Mercantile (Tauhad, Ithrads): Harmiccheals, Jave, and Company (Trebhirru, Empire of Magdala): Obish Mercantile Company (Ob): Corundian Industries (Johaulia):

Other Corpora Mercia League of Gneikladasic Merchants

[OLD LIST] Major Corpora Mercia Chart

NAME of CORPUS MERX CM Home Office Year Est. Revenue x1000gps Persons TRADE VESSELS Industries Sky Turbo Sea

Drakes of Aurice Aurice 120,000 ? ? shipping insurance Jaffes Bryndyd 105,500 shipping insurance Flying Dolphin Aurice 56,000 78 62 b, s Thuskan Guard Combine Borenlas 54,000 ? ? mercenaries Gallantine Shippers Galmaddin 53,000 188 0 s, w Golden Trident Aurice 52,000 102 48 b, s East Wind Aurice 47,000 121 3 s Onchese Industries Aurice 45,700 63 53 m, s Four Winds Galmaddin 42,500 97 0 s Sardeichs Sardic 42,300 97 0 b, m, o, s Wind Alliance Strondol 35,200 145 0 s Sons of Angrazoon Benjalay 33,000 25 85 s Winged Prospero Benjalay 26,800 18 54 s Geo Consortium Tauhad 21,500 12 0 m, o, s Barathorn Sky Westborough 17,800 15 121 s Great Blacksmithy Tib 12,000 25 0 m, s Pallathantic Voyages Aurice 7,000 17 1 p, s Airbarge Combine of Erechóreb Rhafyx airbarge ferrying Amerzcelindot Omre Company Omre Aurician Magitechnology Aurice magitech Aurician Zephasia Company Aurice Zephasia Corundian Forgeworks Johaulia ? ? cast iron Dragon Frontiers Aurice ? ? Barathorn Essence Servo Luminaires Enoultseyrand essence servo Fleegleweavers Worldwide Dzan-Kahisa fleeglesilk Glaike Zephasia Company Enoultseyrand Zephasia Harmiccheals, Jave, and Company Trebhirru mercenaries, courier Loyal Knights of the High Lance Trebhirru ? ? guard, merc. Mage Technologies of Amerzcelindo Westborough magitech Magitechnic Engine Company Bryndyd magitech New Earth ? general, west hemi. Obish Mercantile Company Ob general Shadevan Air Combine Aurice high Bhinsasas Skaligdaese Company Aurice Skaligdae Strax of Selexis Selexis shipping insurance Sundyrian Enterprises Sundyria general Thringolian Warriors Gneikladas mercenaries Umbard Grange and Timber Galmaddin ? ? Umbardia Xsyte Worldwide Company Selexis distribution

Income per year after expenses, measured in thousands of gps (roughly equivalent to one grand auric). Thus, 1,200 represents 1,200,000 gps. One gp is roughly equivalent to $50US. Year Est: Year Established: for most between roughly 2600 and 2751.

Cities with CMa: Aurice, Tshaakha Dzhaaz, Borenlas, Dzan-Kahisa, Dagdoria, Sardic, Elystrio, Syre, Talil, Bardi, Johaulia, Ob, Cathras Mond, Ati, Smeidinia, Azabria, Tinchozzo, Yophénthë, Spoltus, Achoronórsë, Selexis, Rhafyx, Bryndyd, Tauhad, Trebhirru, Kumeikë, Amyrn, Gnousikai, Galmaddin, Stroy, Amberstar, Elmundel, Talise, Enoultseyrand, Genskas, Gneikladas, Thurbund, Drackmarrow, Thrott, Jericord, Westborough, Underlined Cities have a CMa Bourse.

General Income Rankings: Great up to 1,000,000,000 gps 1,000,000 Exceptional up to 100,000,000 100,000 High up to 10,000,000 10,000 Considerable up to 1,000,000 Small up to 100,000 Paltry up to 10,000

Industries legend: b=banking, m=manufacturing, o=mining, p=passengers, s=cargo shipping, w=skywood production

What about CMs for: Bryndyd, Ithatia, Trebhirru, Amyrn, Xsys, Glaye, CORUNDY and environs [Phionace, Zoama, Cathras Mond, Iairin, Kratas, Lamaël, Estyo Rhe, Ob, Sundyria, Azzaboon, Tinchozzo], Kalikán, Amerzcelindo, Benjalay, Ishdind, COLONIES [Skaligdae, New Pytharnia, New Erechóreb, Umbardia, Omre, Imsools, etc]

Business Concerns (CM and otherwise) • fleegleweaving mill • fleeglebeast ranch • fleeglesilk plantation (merrow only, undersea) • skyship construction • skyshipping (distribution) • seaship building • seashipping • airbarge ferry company • gnake tree plantation (in the delta) • mercenary company • weaponsmithing • banking and finance • timbering (usu. delta) • grain crops (usu. senatorial landowners with land-tied serfs) • craft guilds (glaziers, potters, carpenters, weavers, tailors, cobblers, sculptors, painters, goldsmiths) • gambling casino • 'escort' services • essence company (essence fixtures, maintenance, services) • construction company • guard company (personal security) • horse breeding • dreggo breeding • falcon breeding • wine-making • beer brewery • armor smithing • insurance

GUILDS • craftsmen (glaziers, potters, carpenters, weavers, tailors, cobblers, sculptors, painters) • skyship navigators, sky pilots guild • seaship navigators • swordsmen • tavern-keepers

The CM evolved in the region of the Bhinsasas and the northeastern Pallathantic. The states of Aurice, Elystrio, & the cities of Corundy have agreed to reciprocal policies concerning Corpora Mercia. They have spread to all the major metropolitan areas of the western hemisphere.

A Corpus Merx consists of patrons who put up the capital (pledges) and receive dividends, of employees of the CM who actually do the work for wages, and of the Prefects who direct everything. The relationship between patrons and prefects is established in a religious ceremony and consequently gives the entire institution a certain sacred nature, particularly with regard to the vows. The patrons pledge certain funds (pledges) to the prefects’ undertakings and the prefect pledge to give so much of the profit to the patrons. These pledges are uniform sums of money for that particular CM and each pledge is so great that only the wealthy may become patrons (consider the equivalent of $100,000 for a pledge and 10 pledges or one million dollars being quite normal). The prefects receive profit according to the same agreement. The patrons may withdraw the pledges (that is, exact them from the CM), if the prefects have broken their vows. However, the prefects cannot be removed from their offices unless they violate their oaths. The patrons may negotiate their pledges with others (that is, sell them to others). The price of a pledge is fully negotiable between the owner and the buyer; there is no formalized or centralized market for the commerce of pledges. Since these oaths are exchanged under the watchful eyes of the gods, usually one god in particular, the CM may adopt that god as its patron deity. The integrity of the CM system relies upon law courts. The prefects can be held liable for wrongdoings of the CM only if they have violated their oaths, otherwise, the CM itself is held liable. The interest of patrons does not determine control (there are no ‘votes’). When the prefects leave office, the patrons may solicit new ones. The agreement establishing a CM is called a Covenant and it specifies the original patrons, their pledges, the prefects, the payment of the prefects, and perhaps other matters.

See Also

• Archguild
• List of Corpora Mercia