The Guild Authority

The Guild Authority, those egg heads always seem to be arguing. Don't get me wrong its better than the Corsairs, but gods can they bicker all day long, they have this plan for the future, and that means a plan for all of us shmucks just making the world turn. I aint sure they know what we want, they argue it's not about what we want but what we need.   Eh all things considered they make the city work, I mean the whole place keeps getting busier but somehow we all got jobs and if your a smart kid you can make your way up to the top. What more can you ask for? At the end of the day they know what working in the city is like, and they keep it all ticking. Just don't pester them for a raise.

    The Guild Authority is a collection of the heads of the different guilds that make up Caspi. Each guild sends a number of 'Expert Guild Members' elected by their guild, the number a reflection of its power. This group makes decisions on how best to rule Caspi and ensure a bright future for its people. They are joined by those holding the title Crown, who are included in addition as a reflection of their support for the largest and most powerful Pillars in Caspi.     Often referred to as the Over Guild by the Caspians, this organisation makes their home in the Storm Nail where the founders of the city first met. Each member is a powerhouse of knowledge and intelligence and tries to balance the needs of its people and business against the needs of the city at large. There is lots of controversy about how these decisions are made, with guilds with competing interests often clashing and arguing over the best ways forward. These arguments while intense generally find a compromise. Such maturity doesn't come from altruism but due to the high taxes imposed on the individual guilds, the resulting earnings then being filtered back to the guilds based on their contributions to the city at large. This motivates all guilds to try and contribute rather than seeking to hoard their power.   The Guild Authority considers itself the perfect example of the balance of democracy and technocracy, balancing the whim of the people with the need to elect those with technical skills to understand the decisions being made. The Guild Authority sees this as a key selling point of its rule, and while nepotism and bribery are rife in the lower levels of individual guilds the rigorous exams and challenges imposed to become an 'expert guild member' is seen as a key barrier to 'unfit' dynasties imposing their rule on the nation. That hasn't stopped power blocs and long alliances forming, but as Experts by due of their career tend to be independently wealth, and are often intensely defensive of their work corruption that would impact that has so far been minimal.