Worldly Guilds of Akurr-Zufam

The World Guilds of Akurr-Zufam is the largest Sangheili-owned corporation that operates in the Human Sphere. Its main claim to fame is the import and adaptation of Covenant technology, though it also has significant investments in manufacturing and spaceliners.

History
Although recently reformed, the roots of the company could be found in the ancient Zufam Mercantile Alliance. Founded over 2,000 years ago by Neru 'Al Ikazufamee, it controlled all of the clan's commercial and industrial centers, as well as its small fleet of trading ships and escorts. During its peak in the Late Antiquity, it was a leading manufacturer of high-technology, and ships bearing the navy blue-and-gold sigil could be found regularly traveling as far away as the Scattered March Domain. By the time of the 9th Age of Reclamation, however, ineffective management from clueless kaidons, competition from Qikost merchants, and general stagnation turned it into a tiny trading group found near-exclusively in the Sunlit Worlds.

The organization's revitalization during the latter part of the Human-Covenant War was largely due to Raxs 'Gatakurr. A trader himself before he enlisted with the Covenant, he had been hired only due to his marriage to Hela 'Zufam, the Kaidon's sole offspring. However, none of the nobles involved in the company had any want for Raxs to take any controlling part of it, and instead placed him in charge of an old, underfunded shipping fleet in the Solis Nexus, with the expectation that he'd cause the least damage - and have the smallest chance of advancement there.

Disappointed as he was to be in charge of six underpowered freighters, Raxs was nevertheless used to operating with limited resources. While he subcontracted some of his ships out to larger organizations, he cleverly called upon his contacts to source rare and valuable goods that he could advertise and supply to interested parties. While their supply was often low and varied with the times, it was reasoned that specializing into this market allowed him to make the best use of his limited resources, and he could use leverage them as a way to establish business contacts that might lead to future prosperity. In addition, he also invested in expanding the diversity of his division. The result was that within four years of Raxs taking charge, he increased the size of his shipping fleet three-fold, all of much more modern designs, and had purchased and expanded upon a series of assembly forges for manufacturing purposes.

However, none of this was a smooth process - the ancient structure of the Zufam Mercantile Alliance meant there was a lot of unnecessary bureaucracy, and a culture of promoting nepotism had taken root - often as a side effect of securing deals. As a result, he had done away with the flowery but inefficient policies that, while they had given the Zufam merchants their reputation, had stifled his profits and allowed for nepotism to take hold. In addition, the company was still rather small in the grand scheme of things, and often had to pick and choose its contracts carefully.

The year 2551 was a turning point for the company, and incited what would be internally known as the "Modernity vs Tradition" debate. Although Raxs' tactics were undeniably successful, the result of doing away with their mercantile code and had dragged the Zufam name through the dirt. This was also partially due to the decision for Raxs to cut out incompetent individuals, many of whom had only received their positions through deals negotiated with their clans. It was eventually settled with a reform of the corporation: the division Raxs was in charge of was rebranded under the name 'Akurr Shipping Concerns', while the traditional sectors that the company previously appealed to would use the old name. The collective name was changed to the.

Post-Covenant War expansion
Akurr-Zufam was in the process of expanding into the Greater Spinward Frond when the Great Schism occurred. With the complete breakdown in all economical activity as trade collapsed, the reinvented organization was being badly mauled as the civil war spread. This required a series of drastic measures to ensure its survival in such a hostile environment.

The company was among the first to formally abandon the use of any currency in favor of bartering with goods, although internal transactions between shipmasters and Akurr-Zufam still relied on it. Next, they called upon whatever military personnel they knew of - officers who swore oaths of fealty to Zufam's Kaidon, stranded Covenant ships with nowhere to go, and even mercenaries and pirates - to protect the corporation's shipping, assets, and suppliers. Although their loyalty was generally guaranteed, thanks to the supply of regular shipments of food, fuel, and ammunition, there were defectors who violated their agreements and preyed on the very ships they were supposed to protect. For this reason, only the very most trustworthy ships were permitted with escorting their ships within the Sunlit Worlds. What secured Akurr-Zufam's future, however, were their success at negotiating mergers and alliances with other organizations and emerging polities. Spearheaded by Raxs directly, he orchestrated mergers with other struggling competitors, struck deals with fabricaries to replenish his losses, and even organized deals that saw his freighters being protected by the few government navies that were in a position to do so. That they were motivated to do so proved just how desperate many of these entities were for a reliable transportation partner; after all, an order for more weapons was no good if it could not be delivered.

The result was that the Worldly Guilds of Akurr-Zufam, despite suffering major setbacks between the years 2552 and 2557, rebounded in a spectacular way as everything settled in the late 2550s and 2560s.

Ships

 * Enduring Patron-class fast freighter: The first successful ship class produced by Akurr-Zufam's drydocks, these ships were well-armored, well-shielded, and fast enough to keep up with warships used by the Covenant's ministries. As they were envisioned for ferrying small, odd loads in a timely manner, they had a very small cargo capacity for a ship of their size, and unremarkable endurance.

Materials

 * T'Soram-blend nanolaminate: One of the company's signature products, the exceedingly-limited T'Soram-blend nanolaminate is among the best known materials used in armor plating.

Weapons

 * M567 Plasma Repeater: The first infantry plasma weapon adopted by the Phoenix Initiative, which featured a number of adaptations that made it easier to use with human hands.