The Terren Dominion has a vast and diversified mercantilist economy made up of two distinct types of economic entities, companies, which are privately-owned organizations designed around the selling of goods and services, and guilds, which are designed to educate and protect workers in an industry, different companies and guilds compete with the other for market power, customers, and imperium. The Imperial-Hazarikan economy is fueled by high productivity, vast ground and sea transportation infrastructure, and extensive natural resources both in the mainland Archipelago and in Terren's far-flung colonies.
Private Companies
A private company is an economic entity created by an individual which is authorized by the state to act as a single entity for the purpose of providing goods and services and conducting business. Due to Terren's policy of Autarky all private companies within Terren are expected to operate and employ solely within Imperial borders. There are a variety of different kinds of companies each of which has different levels of complexity and liability.
Corporation A corporation is a type of company in which the owners have limited liability, and the business has a separate legal personality from its owners. Corporations can either be privately owned or publicly owned, and they can organize either for profit or as nonprofit organizations and can be either privately or publicly owned. A privately owned corporation is owned by shareholders, who elect a board of directors to direct the corporation and hire its managerial staff. A publicly owned corporation is managed by publicly traded shares that are listed on the Imperial Stock Exchange.
Franchise A franchise is a type of company which works very similarly to a corporation, however instead of the managerial staff being appointed by the board of directors, individual entrepreneurs are instead able to purchase the rights to open and run a business under the brand and support of a larger corporation, while taking a larger percent of the liability onto themselves.
Sole Proprietorship A sole proprietorship, also known as a sole trader, is owned by one person and is operated for that individual's benefit. The owner operates the business alone, but they may hire employees. A sole proprietor has unlimited liability for all obligations incurred by the business, whether from operating costs or legal judgments against the business. All assets of the business directly belong to a sole proprietor.
Partnership A partnership is a business owned by two or more people. Partnerships function almost identically to a Sole Proprietorship however instead of one individual owning all assets of the company, all of the partners share ownership of company property. In partnerships, each partner has unlimited liability for the debts incurred by the business.
Monopolies Imperial Monopolies are chartered institutions created by order of the Hoftag to serve as the sole economic force in a region of the empire. This is generally done in colonial ventures as a means to develop industry and to ensure that the government is able to control the actions of a company in far off colonial regions to prevent abuses of power and protect the colonial economy from corporate infighting.
Guilds
Guilds and their representatives can be found in every corner of the empire, from the largest cities to the smallest colonial outpost. The 14 guilds of Terren hold a very important role not just in the economy but in the general life of the imperial citizenry. Guilds are responsible for a variety of functions which include providing vocational education for each specialized industry, working to protect the workers of their specialty from exploitation by providing solidarity and bargaining power for wages, and finally facilitating information about business innovations and enforcing industry standards among the businesses operating in the Empire, sometimes working with the Inspector Corps during investigations.
Below are the 14 Guilds and their areas of responsibility: Guild Explanations While most of the guilds within Terren are associated with legitimate industries and business there are a few which fulfil more unique roles. The Fighters Guild is not associated with any the official branches of the Imperial military and is instead tasked with managing private mercenary groups and pirate crews. Any mercenaries or pirate crews that form without first being endorsed by the Fighters Guild will not be tolerated. The Black Guild functions in a similar way, managing the black-market trade and organized crime. Like with the Fighters Guild, any criminals or illicit traders not endorsed by the Black Guild will be hunted down and arrested. The reasoning behind allowing these more unruly guilds to exist is simple. It is better to ensure criminals and mercenaries are monitored and controlled rather than allowing them to operate in the shadows. These Guilds have been mostly successful in keeping these criminal elements under control, and crime remains extremely rare throughout most of the empire.
Aspects and Concepts of the Economy
Liability Those who wish to do business within Terren must accept responsibility for ensuring their goods and/or services work as intended, ensuring their conduct is proper and professional, and ensuring that their business is compliant with guild regulations. Different individuals within a company share different levels of responsibility for any mistakes, failures, or problems encountered while operating, and different types of companies and businesses have different methods of dealing with liability. Corporations are so common and revolutionary because they allow investors to gain a stake in a company without becoming liable to any unforeseen issues that arise.
The Company Govenors In an effort to gain more prestige and trust most companies will have special officers called Company Governors. The governor of a company is usually a noble and serves as a face for the company. Although their role tends to be ceremonial most Company Governors invest highly in their companies and they tend to have a great deal of sway within the company.
Business Imperium Like nobles and noble families, businesses and guilds which perform exceptional acts of service, implement strong regulations, and accomplish impressive feats are rewarded with Imperium although the use of corporate Imperium is slightly different than the Imperium used by the nobles. Instead of being used to challenge for rank, Business Imperium gives an economic entity favor in subsidization, stock prices, government contracts, and other benefits. The competition for Business Imperium is one of the driving factors of the economy.
The Imperial Stock Exchange The Imperial Stock Exchange is an exchange where stockbrokers and traders can buy and sell securities, which take the form of shares of stock (small parts of ownership in a company) and bonds (loans to the government). Private corporations can choose to go public and issue stock which is then listed on the Imperial Stock Exchange for open trading. Gustivars and Herrstivars are often granted the privilege of receiving information about companies that are about to become public. The Chorhaltov Stock Exchange is the largest exchange in the empire and is specialized to allow both securities trading and traditional auctions.
Key Imperial Shipping Routes
The Terren Empire extends over a vast amount of land and produces a tremendous amount of goods which need to be transported across the nation's territory. Thus, the empire has long, well mapped and frequently traveled shipping routes which are plied by large trading fleets which move from port-to-port receiving and delivering goods. These shipping routes are the life blood of the empire and are also very tempting targets for both pirates and enemy nations. Thus, the Imperial Navy spends much of its time patrolling these trade routes to protect them, although they cannot be everywhere at once, and many merchants will hire naval heroes to serve as escorts. While most of these trading fleets are comprised of civilian vessels, during times of peace the Galleons of the Imperial Navy may be commissioned to serve as trading vessels thanks to their increased cargo holds and their military readiness provides an extra layer of protection.
Originally designed as a one-off project by the Imperial College of Engineers, the invention of the steam powered locomotive has proven to be immeasurably beneficial to the Terren empire's transportation infrastructure and colonial ambitions. Currently the Terren Archipelago has a variety of rail lines which connect almost all of the major imperial cities together, ensuring that people goods and information can be swiftly and securely transported between them. Although these rail lines are appreciated, their value and benefit are not particularly recognized in the archipelago, for naval transportation and the immensely well-maintained and comprehensive roads of the Terren Archipelago mean revolutionizing transportation between the different areas of the isles is not particularly high on anyone’s to do list. That being said many companies do appreciate the value of being able to transport large quantities of good overland without needing to use the sea-lanes. However, the location where the empire's locomotives are most prized is not the Terren Archipelago but the imperial colonies. The development of low upkeep mass transportation has been an incredible boon for the colonial states, where vast distances and difficult terrain previously hindered rapid communication and the transportation of goods, with almost all of them investing heavily in the construction and maintenance of rail networks which connect every single city and town within them. Unlike within the Terren Archipelago however the colonial railways are dangerous, especially the long and unguarded track which runs through the large stretch of uncolonized, unclaimed land which connects North and South Leviatheagle. As such the Frontier Rail Company has begun utilizing its business imperium to requisition troops to patrol and guard the tracks as well as escort repair teams which must be frequently dispatched to ensure the rail line remains operational.
Terren Archipelago Railroad Map
Colonial Railroad Map
Industries and their Major Companies
Below is a list of each industry and the major companies and corporations within them.
Baked Goods, Confectionaries, and Cheese Exports
Arms Manufacturers
Information Technology and Entertainment
Insurance and Medical
Farming, Agriculture, Food Delivery and Restaurants
Retail and Shiping
Railroading and Vehicle Manufacturing
The Biene Dairy Corporation The Biene Dairy Corporation is famous for its honey infused confectionaries and their products are in high demand across the Empire.
Riechmanns Incorporated Riechmanns Incorporated is the largest of the cheese making companies in Terren, but recently has faced a challenge from Lanfella Cheese Company.
The Lanfella Cheese Company The Lanfella Cheese Company is a new company, but has started to rapidly increase in popularity, even beginning to challenge the predominant dairy company, Riechmanns Incorporated.
Qraft Terren Dominion Qraft Terren Dominion is a company which specializes in manufacturing a verity of artificial cheeses as well as pastas.
Reitz's Baked Goods Reitz's Baked Goods is a popular bakery chain based in Ostroburg.
Cassandra's Candies Cassandra's Candies is a company that manufactures and distributes a wide array of different candies and sweets throughout the empire.
Anne and Maries Bakery Anne and Maries Bakery is a bakery chain that hails from the colony of Ulban which has gained traction across the empire.
Truesword Incorporated Truesword Incorporated is the greatest manufacturer of swords and daggers, as well as kitchen supplies.
The Wolftalon Arms Company The Wolftalon Arms Company manufactures a variety of long ranged weapons, specializing in the Janis and Slavian Class Repeater rifles.
Goldsong Industries Goldsong Industries is responsible for the creation of most military and police body armors, as well as specialized armor like the Knight Suit.
Büchner Arms Büchner Arms creates a variety of guns made for civilian use as well as providing weapons training for civilians.
R.E.D. Industries R.E.D. Industries is an arms manufacturing company specializing in railguns, explosives, and daggers.
Promnestatesen Technologies Promnestatesen Technologies is one of the two information technology companies in Terren, specializing mainly in phones and computers.
Thunder Industries Thunder Industries is the other information technology company in Terren, specializing more in artificial beings, gadgets and military technology.
Dreamlite Media Dreamlite Media is a company that has begun pioneering dreamscape technology, allowing people to create shared lucid dreams.
Tanzen Incorporated Tanzen Incorporated is a media conglomerate that manages many theaters, concert halls, and musical bands.
Imperial News Network The Imperial News Network also known as INN is a government-owned news television and radio broadcasting network.
Vision Entertainment Vision Entertainment runs a massive network of different channels and produces a large quantity of digital entertainment.
TDGM Studios TDGM Studios is a company that films and publishes live-action movies.
Tellengrad Studios Tellengrad Studios is a media company which creates and publishes animated movies.
Safe Homes Incorporated Safe Homes Incorporated is a major insurance company which specializes in property and life insurance.
The Hazarika Contributionship The Hazarika Contributionship is an insurance company which provides insurance against monster attacks and damage.
Kisling Vehicle Insurance Kisling Vehicle Insurance provides insurance for personal Vehicles.
Nechrome Medical Nechrome Medical is a hospital chain which operates hospitals across the empire.
Blackwell Medical Technologies Blackwell Medical Technologies specializes in the creation of a variety of medical tools, artificial limbs, and specialized organs
Ludwig Pharmaceuticals Ludwig Pharmaceuticals is the company which creates a vast array of medications and preforms many medical experiments.
Odette Farms Odette Farms is a major farming corporation with farms located across Nostra.
Inarishima Pastures Inarishima Pastures owns and distributes a majority of the meat within Terren.
Stonemill Incorperated Stonemill is another major farming corporation which operates mainly within Haltengrad.
Harpiengrad Farms Harpiengrad Farms is a large farming corporation located in Eliadland, which also operates a major beekeeping farm.
Venture Food Distributers Venture Food Distributers is responsible for transporting agricultural products throughout Terren
Sabastian's Pizza Pies Sabastian's is a restaurant franchise which is primarily located in the western colonies famous for their thick-crusted pizzas.
Rhinemark Rhinemark is a popular bar and grill franchise, with locations primarily placed for use by travelers.
Salamandra's Pizza Salamandra's Incorporated is another pizza franchise based in the Terren Archipelago.
Windland's Sandwiches Windland's Sandwiches is a fast food restaurant which is unique for its "make-your-own" style of sandwiches.
Kaiser's Burgers Kaiser's Burgers is another popular burger place, prioritizing speed and convenance for their customers.
Wilma's Wonderland Wilma's Wonderland is a kids focused restaurant chain famous for its Animatronic mascots.
Verkauf Megaplexes Verkauf Megaplexes is a chain of massive shopping complexes which host a variety of independent merchants.
The Zielmart Company The Zielmart Company operates similarly to Verkauf but uses their own inventory instead of independent merchants.
Haushalt Buget Retail Haushalt Buget Retail is a company which relies on donations to keep their prices extremely low in order to cater to the poorer citizens.
The Exotische Mercantile Company The Exotische Mercantile Company is a company which specializes in artifacts, enchanted items, and other exotic goods.
The Bedroom-Lounge-Utilities-Enhancement Company The Bedroom-Lounge-Utilities-Enhancement Company, also known as the B.L.U.E. Company, are the largest furniture retailers in the empire.
The Buckler Furnishing Company The Buckler Furnishing Company is another furniture company and longtime competitor of the B.L.U.E Company.
Otto's Restorationists Incorporated Otto's Restorationists Incorporated is a furniture company that specializes in antique furniture restoration.
The Ealindaes Continental Shiping Network The Ealindaes Continental Shiping Network is one of the 2 major goods transportation services within Terren, using Galleons to transport large quantities of goods across the empire.
The Banan Colonial Trading Company The Banan Colonial Trading Company is the other goods transportation service based in the Grail Lands Colony which facilitates the delivering of raw materials from the Western Colonies.
The Helvetii Colonial Trading Company The Helvetii Colonial Trading Company is not as large as the other goods transportation services but is responsible for transporting goods and materials to and from the colonies of Helvetii and Bogontona.
The Lutz-Thalia Automobile Manufacturing Company The Lutz-Thalia Automobile Manufacturing Company is the premier luxury vehicle manufacturers in Terren and is in close competition with the Rennauto and Robustes Auto vehicle manufacturing companies.
Rennauto Incorporated Rennauto Incorporated is the premier racing vehicle manufacturer in Terren and is in close competition with the Lutz-Thalia Automobile Manufacturing Company and Robustes Auto vehicle manufacturing companies.
Robustes Auto Robustes Auto is the premier tank and armored vehicle manufacturer as well as a civilian vehicle manufacturer famous for their robust cars. They are in close competition with the Lutz-Thalia Automobile Manufacturing Company and Rennauto Incorporated.
Luftcraft Incorporated Luftcraft Incorporated is a company that specializes in the manufacture and sale of both civilian and military craft.
Swift Railroad Company The Swift Railroad Company is a major railroad company based in the Terren Archipelago.
Frontier Railroad Company The Frontier Railroad Company is a major railroad company mainly based in the western colonies.
Legion Railroad Company The Legion Railroad Company is a major railroad company mainly based in the Colony of Helvetii.
Book Publishing, Newspapers, Law Practices and Libraries
Fishing and Shipbuilding
Tourism
Timber, Logging and Woodchipping
Gambling Casinos and Sports Arenas
Mining
Banking and Finance
The Castelrain Publishing Company The Castelrain Publishing Company is a major book publishing company.
The Gaia Map Company The Gaia Map Company is a cartography company responsible for the creation of maps for the Terren Empire.
The Orientalem Publishing Company The Orientalem Publishing Company is also a major publishing company but specialized in comics, graphic novels, and light novels.
The Grand Chorhaltov and Hazarika Mail The Grand Chorhaltov and Hazarika Mail is the government-owned newspaper and investigative reporting agency responsible for updating the people about goings-on across the empire.
The Chorhaltov Library Association The Chorhaltov Library Association is a privatized union of libraries located across the empire.
Telos Repositorium's Incorporated Telos Repositorium's Incorporated is a vast company that manages a vast network of scholarly repositories and libraries.
The Law Firm of Tam, Sic, and Ita The Law Firm of Tam, Sic, and Ita is a law firm that specializes in personal injury.
Konstantin Legal Konstantin Legal is a law firm that specializes in fraud, injury, and copyright law.
Westermann Law Office Westermann Law Office is a law firm that specializes in corporate law, corporate disputes, copyright law, mergers, and acquisitions.
Thorsten and Associates Law Firm Thorsten and Associates Law Firm is a law firm that specializes in criminal law.
Oceangrad Trout Fishing Incorporated Oceangrad Trout Fishing Incorporated is a major trout and salmon fishing company.
Frostra Shrimping Company The Frostra Shrimping Company is a colonial-based fishing company specializing in shrimp, crabs, and lobsters.
Lorali Oceanic Delicacies Incorporated Lorali Oceanic Delicacies is a company that specializes in the hunting and serving of exotic oceanic animals and monsters.
Mortaburg Shipyards Mortaburg Shipyards is the largest shipbuilding company in Terren.
Blackport Industries Blackport Industries is the second largest shipbuilding company within Terren.
Urbellam Shipyards Although Urbellam Shipyards is the smallest shipbuilding company in Terren, they are the only company capable of creating the Terren navies famous Sky Galleons.
Astral Winds Incorporated Astral Winds Incorporated is an airline company that runs commercial flights across the Terren empire.
Dominion Air Dominion Air is an airline company that runs commercial flights across the Terren empire.
Easy Blues Incorporated Easy Blues Incorporated is an airline company that specializes in luxury flights, as well as air balloons and blimp rides.
The Kappashima Luxury Cruise Company The Kappashima Luxury Cruise Company offers a variety of luxury cruises around the Terren Archipelago.
Venture Terren Venture Terren is a company that provides scenic tours of the various regions and cities of the Terren Dominion.
Heilmann's Logging Company Heilmann's Logging Company is a major logging company based out of Harpiengrad.
The Hans Woodchipping and Lumbermill Company The Hans Woodchipping and Lumbermill Company is another major logging company mainly based in the Forest of Spirits.
Donnas Logging Donnas Logging runs both colonial logging operations and mainland wood pulp processing plants.
Lazarus Casino Lazarus Casino is a popular gambling chain that comes from the City of Sinners that operates a vast array of casinos across the empire.
Nightflower Entertainment Nightflower Entertainment is a large gambling and brothel chain.
The Nostrian Arena Company The Nostrian Arena Company is a special contracting service that constructs temporary sporting arenas for races, gladiatorial matches, and other spectacles.
The Daystar Mining Company The Daystar Mining Company is a mining company which is responsible for extracting and selling a wide variety of previous gemstones and jewels from the Eliadland Mountains.
Maulwurfsmensch Mining Incorporated Maulwurfsmensch Mining Incorporated is a mining company focused on the harvesting of coal, stone, gravel, and limestone.
The Octoburg Oil Company The Octoburg Oil Company runs a variety of oil rigs at sea and fracking operations on land.
The Imperial Financing Company The Imperial Financing Company is a powerful sereies of lenders and merchens who invest in citizen initiatives and manage private finances.
The Bank of Terren The Bank of Terren is the central bank of the empire, responsible for ensuring the government remains solvent and providing banking services to the citizenry.
Terrenic Investment Society The Terrenic Investment Society is a powerful company which assists private citizens and companies in investing, both on the Stock Exchange and on the ground floor of new companies.
