Guild structure by wytchcroft

BLUE SUN ROOM

Guild structure

POSTED BY: WYTCHCROFT
UPDATED: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 15:38
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Tuesday, February 26, 2008 1:55 AM

i sort of imagine a network - each House has its Priestess but Sihnon has the High Priestess , the head of the Guild so to speak. Her function made be mostly ceremonial however - the hard job goes to the House Priestess.

sound plausible?

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008 2:20 AM

AGENTROUKA

Quote:
Originally posted by wytchcroft:
i sort of imagine a network - each House has its Priestess but Sihnon has the High Priestess , the head of the Guild so to speak. Her function made be mostly ceremonial however - the hard job goes to the House Priestess.

sound plausible?

Certainly doesn't sound implausible. *g* Works for me, which is rare enough.

Plus, the network makes sense. Responsibility has to be delegated to keep an organzation running that depends so highly on the individual skills of particular people. You'd have to be close-by to make any necessary leadership decisions, I figure.

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008 2:43 AM

SPACEANJL

I'm with you on this, as you know. But I'm not sure about the High Priestess being a purely ceremonial role.

There was definitely mention of a Council at some point. If the Guild is similar in form to medieval Guilds, then there would be some form of internal election for officers, the priestesses in this case. The High Priestess would be a form of President, elected from the elect. They are obviously accountable to Parliament in some way, but I imagine they have their own internal politics, too. And as I've written, I imagine they have an...executive arm. For the...delicate jobs.

I've always had a 'bene gesserit' vibe off the Guild, which automatically makes me think of them as political. If they aren't political in themselves, then they will be manipulated by others. It would be nice to think of them as a benevolent trade union, but I have a suspicion that they are far darker.

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008 3:28 AM

SHINYSEVEN2

I think of the various houses as not merely being political but being *partisan*--associated with a particular political party. I figure that Inara had to get out of town in a hurry because the party she was supporting got voted out.

I'm not sure what kind of position that leaves her in post-Miranda...

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008 3:45 AM

ZZETTA13

I think you're on to something there Wytchy. I need to ponder on it a bit before adding more though.

Z

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:27 PM

AGENTROUKA

Quote:
Originally posted by shinyseven2:
I think of the various houses as not merely being political but being *partisan*--associated with a particular political party. I figure that Inara had to get out of town in a hurry because the party she was supporting got voted out.

I'm not sure what kind of position that leaves her in post-Miranda...

But what would be the reason for such a thing? The Guild is, after all, a unifying body for a special purpose and mere geography alone already implies a need for more than one place of housing and service for the Companions, so I'm not quite certain why and how Companions should sort their individual political views along the lines of the houses? I seems their political interests would be fairly identical, considering the big committment to a way of life that Companion status implies, anyway.

The Guild seems so spiritually based that I find it unlikely that great philosophical differences in opinion could arise in the first place without being a sign of conflict with the entire structure of the Guild.

Hell, Nandi was shunned because she threw a tantrum like a thee-year-old, so there you go. Similarly to a religious order, the Guild would probably have a certain amount of conformity in their philosophy. Buddhist values seem to play a big role.

For all its size and influence, I don't see a darkness there, though. No reason, really. It's an unconventional enough concept to be interesting without focusing on the hypothetical perversions of the union/order concept. To me, they're a bit like medieval nuns, only instead of brewing and selling beer and vowing chastity, they practice a form of spiritualised prostitution that happens to be very popular with the population, hence their great income and lush temples. It's mainly their personal way of saying "Ommmm", I think. Others buy space ships and smuggle cows for similar purpose.

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008 8:59 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Guild, such as the Screen Actors Guild, has normally been more of a administrative, or executive function for a group - keeping the paperwork in order. Tom Cruise is a powerful member of SAG, but he has not been elected leader of that group - and often the leader is not at their peak demand for work.
High Priestess sounds more like "Queen" - which does not sond like Guilds.
I don't see any "ruling" member being ovelord of the others, who are likely more talented and in demand than the elected "leader".
I don't see the Guild being "accountable" to Parliament. That would get too close to men ruling over the RCs, which is forbidden.
I don't see it repeated here, but I've always assumed Companion Houses on Shinon to follow the traditions of Geishas in the Oriental way, and on Londonium more following the Courtesan customs - not too different. Neither of these were fly-by-night professions or practices.

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Wednesday, February 27, 2008 12:10 AM

WYTCHCROFT

Quote:
Originally posted by SpaceAnJL:
I'm with you on this, as you know. But I'm not sure about the High Priestess being a purely ceremonial role.

well, not purely - and not necessarily - might depend on the character of the High Priestess - but i can imagine the role as being the last pasture, in some sense, where the House Priestess goes when she should retire.. ( cue frank miller / dark knight returns style illustration! ) - not sure i'm articulating that very well - but hopefully my fic'll make it clear.

Quote:
I've always had a 'bene gesserit' vibe off the Guild,

i know what you mean - but i also think of the grand european courts.

Quote:
which automatically makes me think of them as political. If they aren't political in themselves, then they will be manipulated by others. It would be nice to think of them as a benevolent trade union, but I have a suspicion that they are far darker.

yeah my view is similar;) though it's fair to say that many in the 'verse would not not see it that way - just as with the Allliance itself, no simplistic black n white. murky.

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Wednesday, February 27, 2008 3:38 PM

NCBROWNCOAT

I just finished The Other Boleyn Girl(the movie comes out Friday) so "high class prositution" for political or family gain is age old.

I can see how gaining the secrets of powerful men and women (in bed and out)can be corrupting to individuals but maybe not to the Guild as a whole.

There are close ties to the Alliance but that seems to be because the leaders of the society are the clients. And they are the ones that can confer power and financial resources to the membership of the Guild.

It also seems to me that each House would be semi-autotomous much like how convents are self governing but also look to some sort of a Council composed of House Mistresses to set overall policy and standards.

The position of House Mistress seems to be a terminal career goal in itself. She may only service a select few clients but also have to deal with the internal politics of the indidvidual Companions and the relationship of the House to the outside world.

She would likely have to deal with the most powerful men and women in the area, smooth over conflicts between the individual Companions and their clients, counsel and advise Companions, deal with the House staff and effectively be the House CEO and COO to put it in our terms.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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