Skelow Trade Federation

The Skelow Trade Federation (STF) is a multi-planetary, multi-species federation united under the principles of trade (specifically, Hatat), contracts, peace and prosperity. They are friends of the Earth Republic, although not strictly allies. They are technologically more advanced than the Earth Republic, by degrees, with superior Hyperspace Travel, Hyperspace Communication, and nano-technology.

Constituent Powers
The species that comprise the bulk of the Skelow Trade Federation are the Skelow, the Abni-S'zaelyn, the Changers, the Travelers, the Conservators, the Syhoii, the Den'omu, the Skelash, the Kimbelites, the Radeit, the Verrantin, and the Kwee.

Guilds
Guilds are the primary economic and social structure of the Skelow Trade Federation. Guilds typically center both a profession and a hobby, both of which drive membership in the guild. Guilds overwhelmingly have three grades within their structure; apprentices, journeymen and guild masters. Guild membership provides numerous benefits and guilds often take on the debts or obligations of their members in exchange for their services or as guarantors of contracts their members take on their behalf. The naming of guilds is often quite florid, such as The Precise Guild of Celestial Survival Aficionados, Navigators, Explorers, and Cartographers. Guild membership is viewed as an ideal relationship, and should be voluntarily and dissolvable. A Guild is a first class legal entity in the Skelow Trade Federation, and may hold property, sign contracts, engage in trade, accrue debts, launch or own Ventures and otherwise engage with any facet of society. Guilds are always self-owned and necessarily do not separate the concept of ownership from membership.

Ventures
Ventures are the suboptimal structure for an incorporated entity which cannot operate as a guild, typically by dint of the inability to be employee owned cooperatives. Many government functions are structures as Ventures instead. Ventures are viewed as socially less desirable employers, but may engage in most legal operations that a guild could.