The Board
Description
The Board is The S.A.C's formal executive branch. It is within this power structure that all decisions regarding S.A.C policy and actions are made, usually behind closed doors. The Board occupies itself with the vast and complex job of lashing together the cornucopia of sentient species scattered throughout the Hyperion system, leaving the challenges of day to day, city to city governance to their lower authorities. These other branches are required to get approval from the Board for major policy changes and other large official decisions, and the Board reserves veto power over any and all actions or decisions made by lower branches.
Their governing axiom, written in Old Saikar and taken from the Empire of the ancient past, translates to:
When in session, the Board meets in an intimidating chamber deep in the The Hall of Ages in Vespa. The room is a massive hall with 6 throne-like seats sunk into the top of a pedestal ten feet above the floor, behind a rounded, metal console that looks a buit like the nose of an airplane, set with control panels and switches on one side and a recessed desk space on the other.
These meetings are held behind closed doors once every two weeks in times of stability, leaving the Stewards ample time to continue their work with the Guilds. During this time, the Board makes executive decisions about issues effecting the S.A.C as a whole, coordinating corporate initiatives, and making new policy. Sometimes, these meetings are followed by a special hearing, where a member of the public or subservient governing branch is invited to stand before the Board to present a case, provide details regarding submitted reports, or to receive instructions. These hearings are said to be a great honour, as they are not often granted.
In the time between official sessions, the Stewards are known to reach out to each other regarding time sensitive concerns, or to collaborate on operations taking place within the S.A.C or their own companies.
Structure
The Board seats 5 Stewards, one representative from each of The Greater Guilds, and one Chairman. The Stewards choose the Chairman from amongst the noble houses; the ancient and elite families who trace their lineage to the days of The Saikar Empire. They serve as the Board's liaison to the public, delivering news of the Board's actions or rulings, presenting new laws, fielding any questions or petitions put to the Board, and working to safeguard the carefully crafted illusion of choice fed to the masses to keep them in line. The other Board members may vote to remove a Chairman at any time if they deem them unfit for service.
Current Seats
- Chairman: Vespasian III Breckett
- Technomancer's Guild Steward: Fabricator General Sirah Karina
- Royal Guild Historica Steward: Guildmaster Aeron Cyrila
- Black Sky Contracting Steward: Guildmaster Jynna Phaerys
- Blacksteel Industries Steward: Guildmaster Ander Creighton
- The Prividea Conglomerate Steward: Guildmaster Aenwyn Morganna
- Specialist Consultant: Lord Gwydion Arianrhod
Culture
The culture surrounding the Board is one of exclusivity and ego; everyone in the game with ambition fights daily to take over one of the Stewardship positions, no matter the cost. Those on the Board, fuelled by their power and influence, nearly always fall into an attitude of entitlement and arrogance.
Public Agenda
Publicly, the Board serves the people of Hyperion, directing the course of the S.A.C, providing for its citizens all of their needs and luxuries, to the best of its ability, and working to manage and maintain order in an extremely complex, multi-planetary governing force. But as it is with most things, many of the Stewards have their own reasons to be there, and often make decisions for personal gain.
History
The Board almost 100 years after S.A.C came together to officially take over governance of Hyperion. In that first century, the S.A.C wrongly believed that the unification of the two ancient guilds would be enough to bring back the glory of the Saikar Empire. When they began to extend their reach beyond Bastion, however, they quickly realized that they didn't have the resources or power yet to manage such wide borders. So they approached the next most powerful organizations operating in the system; a series of mega-corporations that had formed to fill the power void after the Fall. With nothing in their way, The Prividea Conglomerate and Blacksteel Industries had quickly monopolized their fields of production, making their products invaluable to the struggling people of the system.
After working through a series of extremely complicated contracts, these two guilds signed the System Trade and Manufacturing Pact (STAMP), which guaranteed their monopolistic footholds and unrestricted business operations in exchange for their loyalty to the S.A.C, the commitment of products and materials to fuel S.A.C expansion, and the ability to act as a branch of the government.
When STAMP began to show positive results, the market became an arms race of new guilds and companies vying to find their niche market and working their influence to gain status as a Greater Guild, and a seat on the Board. By the founding date of 1012 AD, the structure and operational policies of the Board had been given a strong field test, and the organization as it can be seen today, although with varying guilds attached, was locked and ready to implement.
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