Guardians

Guardians organise and administer legislative, executive and judiciary matters for Aelin. They are the professional workforce, overseeing the legal and financial systems, diplomatic relations, infrastructure and regulations for communication services, the prison and public services.

Guardians can choose to be part of a district (North, East, South or West) or another division (Diplomat, Enforcer, Facilitator, Financier, Magistrate, Regulator or Warden).

The names of the Guardian suzerain vary depending on whether the reference is to the district/jurisdiction Marshals or the divisions who each have a specific title.

Residence Block

Suzerain

The suzerain live in a specific three-storey building near the centre of the residence block. The ground floor has three suzerain and the other two floors have four each.

Each apartment has a bedroom, bathroom, living room, spare room and kitchen as well as a separate dining room.

Guardian

There are multiple Guardian residence buildings in the block. Residence buildings are L-shaped and arranged in sets of four which surround a courtyard.

Each residence building uses the corner of the L-shape to contain a stairwell from ground to top floor and a front desk with Makers working behind it. Each building is allocated to either Guardian or High apartments. High apartments are larger than those of normal Guardians but smaller than those belonging to suzerain.

Cores

All Guardians can be split into four groups based on their focus and their doctrines. These are described as a Guardian's 'core' self. The core principles are as follows:

All Guardians have cores, regardless of where they work. So a discipline core working as a Warden would still have an addiction as their coping mechanism because it is based on the individual, not on which district they are situated in.

Coping Mechanisms

A Guardian's coping mechanism is related to their core. It does not set in until a period of high stress is experienced during juniority, at which point the coping mechanism will make itself clear. All coping mechanisms can be used to offer comfort as well as stress relief.

Addiction

Every discipline core has a single addiction to help them cope with high levels of stress. If for whatever reason an addiction is either ignored or withheld then the discipline core will steadily decline until mental instability sets in. Usually an addiction is based on something the individual already enjoys.

Affirmation

In order to relieve stress, fortitude cores create and repeat specific, personally tailored affirmations. Affirmations follow a pattern of two short statements, designed to be immediately motivational and easy to remember.

E.g. Criticism is expensive. Kindness is free.

It is a personalised statement for a specific situation that can be repeated and altered as necessary.

Dyad

In order to manage stress levels, stratagem cores seek support from their dyad. It is erroneously believed this has to be another Guardian, however this belief stems from proximity and likelihood and is now perpetuated.

Dyads can form with a non-stratagem core, however it is slightly more unusual and in those instances the echo is only one way.

The dyad acts as their support, sounding board and best friend.

The dyad becomes a voice in the core's head when the dyad themself is not present, this is known as an echo. They know the dyad so well they can predict what they would say to reduce their stress level.

Protocol

In order to manage stress levels, tradition cores adhere strictly to a personal protocol which is usually a combination of personal rulesets and localised conventions, rules and codes of conduct.

The protocol acts as a repeatable and referenceable internal code of conduct. Slight variations can be made ad hoc as required without causing too much additional stress, however the rigidity of the ruleset is a part of what brings stress relief.

As stress levels rise a tradition core will become more polite and become more exacting and precise with their speech. The protocol can involve etiquette and formalities, such as referring to individuals by their title or by the very polite term of rihrae. Other people are able to suggest momentary protocols for a stressed tradition core in order to support them.

Tradition cores also have a certain physical action they are able to perform in order to calm themselves down, known as a pacifying gesture. For example, touching their fingers in a pattern. This is generally only needed in periods of very high stress.

Juniority

All Guardians have a twenty year period of learning following being ranked that is known as their juniority.

The first decade of learning is spent in the Academy for further education. The Academy gives general knowledge and skills useful in a Guardian context, as well as helping students hone in on the factions and divisions they want to join following graduation.

The second decade mostly comprises internships. The student works for one or more factions after doing a formal appeal to a particular division's department for a position. This is interspersed with Academy lectures and exams to support the chosen role. Many of these are the same courses taken by fully established Guardians who are changing their role.

The second decade is flexible, allowing students to switch faction, department or division as much as necessary to find something that suits them. The settling of a student's core may affect their choice in this respect.

In the final year of the second decade, preparations for graduation begin. This involves an application to faction Highs in the division and department the student wishes to join, as well as exams to prove competence in that area.

Some departments or divisions have an additional selection process, which is also handled by the Academy. For example, Wardens have an intense physical test and Financiers have an extremely challenging written exam.

Family

Family is a flair that Guardians have that is designed to offer them a support network. It's based around advocates and dependents.

An advocate, the established Guardian, can only have one dependent who is in full time education at a time. The twenty-year period in which a dependent is considered to be in education and therefore in their formative years is known as their juniority.

Gaining an advocate during their juniority, the first twenty years that they are a Guardian, establishes their family due to the flair.

Kinlace

Kinlace is the bond that forms between family members. It is initially and automatically formed based around the connection between an advocate and their dependent. Kinlace includes immediate family, such as an advocate's lover, and brothers, as well as their advocate's advocate, their uncles and their cousins. Family members that are further removed generally form looser bonds. The bond between family members is not an indicator of the relationship they share, the bond can exist despite no relationship or a wholly positive or negative one. Once a bond forms it is permanent.

Other than the merilace bonds, which only form during juniority, a Guardian can form other familial bonds at any time in their life. Bonds can only form when meeting a family member directly, knowing that the person exists is not enough to trigger the flair.

Terminology

Districts and Jurisdictions

In terms of Guardian coverage, Aelin is divided into four jurisdictions. District Guardians refers specifically to those working within Aelin City. The buildings used by district and jurisdiction Guardians are referred to as Headquarters, for example the North Headquarters for the building used by the North District.

Financiers

A Guardian division that is Aelin's economic and finance ministry responsible for national finances, maintaining control over public spending, setting the direction of the economic policy, the finance policy and working to achieve strong and sustainable economic growth.

The title of the suzerain is the Executive Financier.

The central headquarters of Financiers is called The Commission, which is located in the Northford district of Aelin City.

Facilitators

A Guardian division responsible for a variety of public services and governmental functions. The departments are:

• Orination Management
• Venillion Information Services
• General and Emergency Services
• Operations and Maintenance
• Immigration and Emigration
• Education and Development

The title of the suzerain is the Supervisor Facilitator.

The central headquarters of Facilitators is called the Control Centre, which is located in the Eastley district of Aelin City.

Magistrates

A Guardian division responsible for the court systems of Aelin. The departments are:

• Civil
• Common
• Criminal
• Legislation

The title of the suzerain is the Principal Magistrate.

The central headquarters of Magistrates is called the Judiciary Canton, which is located in the Westaine district of Aelin City.

Wardens

A Guardian division responsible for the supervision, safety, and security of prisoners in secure custody. They are responsible for the care, custody, and control of individuals who have been arrested and are awaiting trial while on remand or who have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to serve time in prison. They are also responsible for the safety and security of the facility itself.

The title of the suzerain is the Chief Warden.

The central headquarters of Wardens is called the Aelin City Penitentiary, which is situated underground on the edge of Southerton Park in Aelin City.

Enforcers

A Guardian division who enforce the law of the land, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder.

They investigate crimes and provide law enforcement with evidence that could lead to an arrest. They collect any physical or electronic clues at crime scenes. Later on, during investigation periods, they try to gather information about what happened. Gather and verify evidence through interviews and observation of suspects and witnesses or by reviewing and analysing records and logs.

The title of the suzerain is the Descry Enforcer.

The central headquarters of Enforcers is called the Enforcement Bureau, which is located in the Southerton district of Aelin City.

Regulators

A Guardian division in charge of infrastructure and regulations for TV, radio, internet and phone services, as well as The Golden Times which is the official Aelin newspaper. They are also responsible for the postal service.

• Broadcast
• Infrastructure
• Ongoing Services
• Policy
• Postal Services
• Press

The title of the suzerain is the Meister Regulator.

The central headquarters of Regulators is called the Regulator Complex, which is located in the Eastley district of Aelin City. The Complex contains several buildings including the Highrise and Distribution Centre.

Diplomats

A Guardian division that conducts diplomacy with foreign nations and bodies, with individuals often residing in established embassies situated within those nations. The main functions of Diplomats are: representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state; initiation and facilitation of strategic agreements; treaties and conventions; promotion of information; trade and commerce; technology; and friendly relations.

The diplomat should be an excellent negotiator but, above all, a catalyst for peace and understanding between people. The diplomat's principal role is to foster peaceful relations between states. This role takes on heightened importance if war breaks out. Negotiation must necessarily continue, but within significantly altered contexts.

The title of the suzerain is the Key Diplomat.

The central headquarters of Diplomats is called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is located in the Northford district of Aelin City. Ambassadorial offices can also be found in many locations around the world.