Stein Corp

Stein Corp is the umbrella organization for the multitude of companies owned by the Stein family. Having been established in the City for a few centuries now, they are among the few truly “transdimensional” corporations, and one of the largest and wealthiest companies to be found within the Endless City. They employ thousands upon thousands of people within the Clockworks and Corporate Sector, and generally are recognized as one of the top corporate players within the City. While no members of the Stein family have ever sat on the Council, they have always maintained relatively close ties, and the Corporation is one of the City's major contractors as a result (at least within the so-called “civilized” sections of the City where the Council's will holds sway).

As Corporations go, Stein Corp's history is remarkably free of scandal and corruption. The Stein family has kept a tight rein on the organization despite its' size, and tend to keep things running on the straight and narrow. This isn't to say they're entirely a white-hat organization…as a corporation they are fundamentally self-interested, after all…but simply that its' owners have recognized the public relations benefits of being seen as a “clean” company. Stein Corp, despite its' vast wealth, is the type of corporation that tries to focus on “doing a few things really, really well” rather than “trying to do everything” (ala LexCorp).

Technologically speaking, Stein Corp falls mostly within the “21st-century Earth” range, with a few specific areas where it surpasses those limits.

Stein Corp is primarily comprised of four major branches, each serving a different function. Of course each major subsidiary often has several, if not dozens of smaller subsidiaries that comprise it, so it may not always be immediately obvious that a particular small company is Stein-owned (particularly when you get down to the bottom rungs of the ladder, so to speak):

Stein Works - Stein Works concerns itself with the design, manufacture, and sales of heavy industrial equipment, primarily for mining and manufacturing concerns. They are a large supplier of factory equipment to many of the other companies that operate within the Clockworks (It's estimated that 85% of the modern factories in the Clockworks use Stein Works equipment to some degree). Additionally they ship out heavy mining equipment for everything from heavy drilling to offshore oil-rigs, with a small but rapidly growing segment devoted to solutions for asteroid mining in zero-gravity environments.

Stein Armaments - This segment of the Stein “empire” is (not surprisingly) concerned with the manufacture of firearms, artillery pieces, and vehicle-mounted guns, as well as military grade explosives (a natural outgrowth of their mining interests). In general, Stein Armaments has a reputation for extreme reliability and ease of use, if not exceptional technological innovation. While they generally eschew “futuristic” weapons like lasers, particle beams, and other energy weapons, they are recognized as an industry leader in magnetically-accellerated projectile weapons (Rail Guns/Gauss Rifles, etc…) on both a personal and vehicular scale. Stein Armaments also currently holds the contract to supply the Endless City's police force with most of their weaponry. Of particular note, Stein Armaments also operates a “boutique” segment in partnership with SteinCraft (see Minor Subsidiaries) which produces exquisitely ornamented, hand-crafted, fully functional antique firearms, all the way from arquebus to flintlocks to muskets through to Colt-style revolvers and early repeating rifles. This segment has proven unusually popular within the City despite the high price of the items they sell. Once more because it's worth noting: Stein Armaments makes guns and explosives…they do NOT make missiles, bombs, land-mines, military vehicles or other such things. As with many of their businesses, their business is often in selling to other businesses (For a hypothetical example, a LexCorp tank may well mount a Stein Armaments Railgun as its' primary weapon, or another arms manufacturer may use Stein explosives in their missiles or bombs).

SteinMetall - SteinMetall is specialized in mining concerns, production of industrial metals, and industrial chemistry with a particular focus in metallurgy and advanced synthetic materials. They undertake mining operations across multiple dimensions, and have a robust R&D department focused on the development and application of metals for specialized purposes and more eco-friendly synthetic materials. They have the know-how to work with Vibranium and to produce Adamantium, but rarely do so due to the extreme expenses involved (and the general lack of raw material in the case of Vibranium). They even have a branch dedicated to studying and working with “exotic” metals such as Mithril, Adamantite, and Orichalcum. Much like Stein Works supplies a great deal of the factory equipment to the Clockworks, SteinMetall is a major supplier of raw materials to several other corporations within the City (to say nothing of maintaining ample supplies for Stein Corps own use).

SteinBank - Pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. SteinBank is the financial-management segment of the overall Stein corporation. Aside from serving as a traditional banking institution, SteinBank operates a great many investment, insurance, and savings plans, to include transdimensional investments and market speculation. They are generally quite ethical in their dealings and relatively responsible (for a mega-corporation, anyway) with their customer base. This is largely because they can afford to be so, as they have a history of wise and forward-thinking investment while managing external financial crises well when they occur. They are arguably the most “quiet” branch of Stein Corp, but equally arguably the most important as they provide and manage the “fuel” that keeps the corporate engine running.

SteinCraft - The (not-so) little company that started it all. SteinCraft is chain of high-end jewelry boutiques, and the only “direct retail” outlet that Stein Corp operates. This was the first company started by one of the Stein patriarchs centuries ago, and due to its' “historical importance” still falls under the direct control of the main Stein Corp headquarters and is ostensibly run by the owner and CEO himself. Indeed, the head of the entire corporation is still “hands on” enough that every year he designs and produces an extremely limited piece (whether jewelry or a watch) available only within the Endless City. These “Founder's Line” pieces are considered highly fashionable amongst the City's wealthy elite, and there are some among them that make a point of trying to collect every piece. Aside from the rare and limited Founder's Line, SteinCraft watches are also generally considered an “elite” brand within the City, as much a status symbol as a nice-looking timepiece.

Stein Foundation - The Stein Foundation operates all of Stein Corps nonprofit, charitable, and humanitarian efforts within the Endless City and beyond. They are heavy contributors to many of the City's educational institutions, and are particularly well-known for attempting to improve conditions for (and generally take care of) the vast multitude of workers that toil within the Clockworks, as well as their families (even if said workers aren't Stein employees). The Foundation also operates a series of orphanages for “foundlings” (children who find their way to the City by accident), which are known for offering top-flight education and excellent living conditions to the children under their care. There have been some concerns about corporate indoctrination occurring at these orphanages, given the disproportionately high number of people who have spent time at one of them eventually going to work for Stein Corps in some fashion, but so far no evidence of anything out of sorts going on has been found (though the more suspicious/conspiracy-minded question just how thorough an investigation the Police and/or City bureaucracy are going to do on one of their major suppliers).

Of course, Stein Corp really has dozens, if not hundreds of subsidiaries across its' major branches, but generally all of them can at least tangentially relate to one of the four major areas in which Stein Corp excels (Heavy manufacturing, material fabrication, banking, and firearm/gunmaking.

Alternately known as Stein Plaza or Stein Towers, the Stein Corps headquarters occupies a rather large plot of land within the corporate sector. Comprised of four “outer” towers (each representing one of the major subsidiaries) and one “central” tower (holding the overall Stein Corp headquarters), they are a bit of a “landmark” even amidst the seemingly-indistinguishable glass-and-steel edifices that surround it. The Towers are connected to each other by several skywalks that seem to defy the rules of gravity and architecture, as well as a ground-level monorail. Additionally, a subterranean mag-lev railway ferries people to and from the company's holdings in the nearby Clockworks. The open spaces between the towers on the ground level hold a variety of restaurants, parks, and shops.

Of course, Stein Corp has extensive industrial holdings in the Clockworks, as well as many subsidiary offices throughout the City.

Stein Corp is what grew out of what started as a simple chain of high-end jewelry boutiques. Of course, when your chairman and CEO literally has magic on his side, it may not be so surprising that it grew to become a massive financial juggernaut. Most of that growth has happened because of the City itself, and Stein Corp is regarded as a “home grown” business by the native (or semi-native) denizens of the City, even though its' origins began on one of countless alternate Earths.

Stein Corp is a major player in the City and employs hundreds of thousands of people therein. Any player that wishes to apply for a Stein Corp employee is welcome to do so, though those looking to fill high-ranking or unusual positions (department heads, special researchers, executive Vice Presidents, etc…) should check with Nicholas Stein/Artificer beforehand. IC recruitment is also entirely possible via RP with members of the company.

Stein Corp is an equal-opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender (or lack thereof), age, sexual preference, synthetic origin (artificial life forms/AIs), dimensional origin, supernatural abilities, genetic mutation, nonhumanoid physical form, lack of physical form altogether, or undeath.

Player Characters

The Artificer/Nicholas Stein IV - CEO and Owner of Stein Corp

Aethera/Dr. Josephine Themylthorpe - Special Projects Director, Stein Corp Research and Development

Non-Player Characters (Appable unless noted otherwise)

Urdnot Wrayz - Krogan Chief of Security. Pretty sociable for a Krogan, but still plenty jaded and world-weary, at least outwardly.

Snarkimedes - Free-Willed Artificial Intelligence, CEO and Chief Designer for Stein Works, every bit as sarcastic as you expect. Is not planning the annihilation of all fleshy life forms. Really. (non-appable)

Martin Hamilton, esq. - Human President and CEO, Stein Bank. Arrogant as all get out, but good at his job. Extremely loyal to the Stein family.

Damien Knight - Human (discreet cybernetic enhancements) President and CEO, Stein Arms branch. Ambitious. Ingenious. Dangerous. (A feature character from the Shadowrun setting)

Ingrid Breakshield - Dwarven President and CEO, SteinMetall. Has worked her way up the ladder through the last three generations of the Stein family. A natural genius in the field of metallurgy and a very gifted smith, but has an even better head for business. Has come a long way since her arrival from a medieval fantasy world, but she still keeps a bunch of weapons on the walls of her office, and remembers how to use them.