Each clan contains citizens who are members of one of the twelve guilds, based on the proficiencies of the first families (see Early History). Within clans, members of different guilds will work together to achieve mutually beneficial goals. For instance, members of the Gemform guild work well with all the other guilds. The Food and Transport guilds have close links, whereas the Military and Magic guilds are currently in dispute (see Magic).
Each guild will have a greater or lesser number of schools. The size of these schools varies and, rarely, a school comes into existence. So far none have achieved the status of a separate guild. In the Transport guild there are currently moves afoot for the interstellar exploration school to form a separate guild. Support is coming from the Space school of the Military guild. They desire to merge and form the Star guild. Recent contact with the Quo'kar and Valdori civilisations has given impetus to this push, though the other Military schools: land, ocean and atmosphere are resisting the proposed new guild.
Each guild member wears a ring bearing the Guild gem or stone. The cut and shade of the gemstone designates the school to which a particular guild member belongs. The size of the gem or stone is an indication of rank. Whilst non-Golcondans may note little difference, Golcondans themselves can distinguish the size of such gems and stones to the tenth of a carat. The greatest gem, the Star Sapphire belongs to the Gemform guild which has only three schools: forming, cutting or shaping, and evaluation.
Clan Name Gem/Stone Responsibilities ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Military Ruby Planetary defense Bureaucracy Jacinth World government Judicial Topaz Interpretation and application of common and statute law Enforcement Onyx Domestic law enforcement, psychological adjustment Transport Tourmaline Transport infrastructure, trade, interstellar exploration Communication Garnet Communication infrastructure, entertainment Energy Diamond Energy control, esp. dissipation Food Jade Agriculture, mariculture Education Sapphire Curriculum formulation, evaluation of apprentices Gemform Star Sapphire Gem forming, cutting and evaluation Magic Emerald Manipulation of essence Ontological Amethyst Medical: physical; and religious: spiritual
The guild representatives from the different clans keep in touch at the senior level through the executive arm of government where disputes are generally settled. Disputes within guilds which cannot be settled in this way are presented for resolution at the Annual Guild meeting. Whilst guild members of any rank and from every clan can attend, generally each school sends a representative from each location where it has a presence.
The first order of business at an AGM is to award promotions. This is a spectacular affair accompanied by presentations of the work which has led to the award. Increasingly, the important discoveries of the various guilds are being broadcast by the Communication Guild. Gemform and Magic AGMs are virtually national holidays for other Golcondans. Needless to say, methodologies are closely protected.
After the awards, AGMs become closed sessions for resolving internal issues, and where a Guildmaster has surrendered his life force to the Essence, a new Guildmaster will be recognised in the ritual way. Choice of a Guildmaster can be made only by guildmembers of the clan of the deceased Guildmaster. This is done at a Clan guild meetings as soon as possible after the death of a Guildmaster, generally by acclamation, but occasionally by ballot, where there is more than one outstanding candidate.
Where disputes between guilds are concerned all guildmasters must resolve the matter with a two thirds majority of the executive government - 44 of the 65 votes. Failing this a guildwar is declared and a Grand Guild Meeting (GGM) called. As well as the 65 formally elected guildmembers, each guildmaster is accompanied by two other guildmembers. Again a vote is taken to see whether the conflict can be resolved. With 185 delegates, 124 either for or against the issue are needed to obtain a binding decision. Should this fail the two conflicting guilds must go into closed session.
Whilst thirty enter, it is rare for thirty to emerge. What happens in closed session is not for discussion here. Golcondans and non-Golcondans generally agree that this is a most efficient way of resolving disputes. The general populace never suffer as a result of power-plays. It is of noteworthy that mismatched clans never get into a closed session dispute, and politics and back-room deals are an art form for members of the executive council.
