Guilds

Legalized after the signing of the Guild Compact, Guilds are groups of often likeminded people who band together to ply their skills and trade for a living. Guilds will offer people with various skills representation and guaranteed work and pay in exchange for that persons skills.
Often these Guilds focus on one particular skillset or ability, such as magical ability, the ability to fight, or skill with banking and gold. Some Guilds will often have multiple areas of specialty. Guilds will also often have influence on local governments or Fallen Cities to guarantee them certain types of work or make laws fairer to their chosen specialty.
Many would be adventurers and mercenaries find themselves in service of a Guild at some point, if not for life.