Disbursements

As the financial overseers of the Technocratic Union, Disbursements holds the responsibility of managing the organization's funding. Its decisions can either seal the fate of a promising project or lead to the decline of a flourishing construct if it becomes displeased. Those who earn its favor, on the other hand, benefit from a steady stream of materials, talent, power, and various resources. Additionally, Disbursements manages the largest and most secure Ventures under Technocratic control, packaging and distributing the fundamental essence of reality to support our endeavors and initiatives worldwide. In exchange for its services, Disbursements seeks only minor favors.

## History

In tracing the history of the Syndicate, one must delve into the origins rooted in the Convention of the Ivory Tower. The Convention attracted idealists aiming to challenge supernatural elites through collective willpower. Discussions encompassed strategies, alliances, technological wonders, education initiatives, and military maneuvers. However, a crucial question emerged: who would bear the financial burden? This inquiry marked the inception of Disbursements, initially known as the Sun Guild. In an era where the Sun symbolized goodness akin to a divine source, the Sun Guild managed the funds of the Order of Reason. It directed offensives against Traditionalists and approved construction projects, albeit with a Euro-centric focus.

Over time, the initial plethora of guilds within the Order condensed into Conventions. The financially inclined guilds coalesced into the High Guild, owing to their role in managing wealth funneled into other Conventions. The High Guild, thriving on trade connections and protections, eventually overshadowed the Sun Guild's original purpose. When Queen Victoria assumed leadership of the British Empire, the High Guild, now the Syndicate, aligned with her vision of maintaining a status quo of free trade, resource extraction, and importation to Europe.

With Victoria's backing, the Financiers emerged as the Syndicate's leaders. The Sun Guild, now Disbursements, found itself relegated to a clerical support role, leading to discontent. However, within the Syndicate's framework, Disbursements utilized its primary tool—the purse strings. Over the years, it diligently cultivated a reputation as frugal influencers, weaving a web of influence throughout the Union. Additionally, Disbursements gradually steered fellow Methodologies towards laissez-faire, free-market policies, often aligning with the Syndicate's economic approach.

This evolution brought the Syndicate into conflict with the New World Order, which, ironically, had supported Victoria's move to sideline the Sun Guild. The Syndicate's pursuit of laissez-faire policies, intertwined with a historical vendetta, underscored the multifaceted nature of its trajectory within the Union.

## Organization

### Assessment Division

When mentioning the Syndicate, the focal point for most Technocrats is the Assessment Division. This division is composed of bureaucrats responsible for inspecting, assessing, and approving or denying funding for new projects. Despite the perception of Assessors as mere paper-pushers, the reality is far different. Assessors possess a comprehensive understanding of both Enlightened and publicly released sciences, often being accomplished engineers, surgeons, lawyers, and policy makers. Many experienced Syndicate members choose to retire to the Assessment Division after a lifetime of adventures. In addition to their primary responsibilities, Assessors often find themselves functioning as troubleshooters, handling failed or unleashed projects. Meeting a seasoned Assessor warrants respect, given the multifaceted nature of their role.

### Extraction Division

The Syndicate, boasting the largest collection of Nodes and Ventures among Enlightened organizations globally, relies on the Extraction Division for maintenance. This specialized division is tasked with ensuring the security and secrecy of node locations while also being responsible for harvesting, distilling, and distributing condensed Primal Energy. These deliveries are indispensable for the Union's strenuous tasks and intense battles. Extractors are alternately perceived as miracle-dispensing saviors or stingy misers, depending on the extent of the resources they make available. While Assessment determines the quantity Extractors are supposed to deliver, Extractors have a tendency to under-report their harvests and capitalize on the surplus for profit and favors.

### Procurements Division

Within the Syndicate, the Procurements Division takes charge of managing the flow of goods provided by the rest of the Union. This division handles the inventory and distribution of new technology, clones, and various other materials, ensuring that deserving Syndicate members receive the necessary resources and services. Procurements is highly regarded within the Syndicate for obvious reasons. However, it faces resistance from entities outside the Convention that may attempt to divert materials for purportedly crucial projects. Procurements adeptly navigates these challenges, consistently securing the required goods for the Syndicate.

### Reorganization Division

The Syndicate harbors a formidable division known as the Reorganization Division, often colloquially referred to as the Axe-Grinders. This division intervenes when amalgams or constructs fail to perform up to their potential. Similar to the Assessment Division, Reorg consultants engage in work that involves assessing, but with a focus on the entire organization rather than individual projects. Their task is to identify weak links, excess elements, and disruptive components within the organization that need removal. Although they technically offer advice, disregarding the recommendations of Reorg consultants leads to invasive investigations by Assessors. The Reorganization Division plays a critical role in optimizing the Syndicate's overall functionality.

## Convention

While the Syndicate's ongoing rivalry with the New World Order spans the entirety of the Convention, the focal point of this animosity is rooted in Disbursements. Historical factors contribute, but the conflict's essence revolves around logistics and personal egos. The Ivory Tower's control operates in a top-down, policy-driven, and ideological manner, while Disbursements engages in a bottom-up, value-driven, and personal politics approach. These two forces interact like oil and water, or more accurately, oil and fire.

In the recent decade, the Ivory Tower and Disbursements have been engaged in a subtly polite war for control over the Union. The Ivory Tower dictates policy, initiates actions, and heavily influences the Time Table, while Disbursements allocates funds to projects based on viability, proven ability, and potential benefits to the Union's infrastructure. In simpler terms, what the Ivory Tower advocates may not always receive the necessary resources for implementation. Though the New World Order has yet to publicly accuse the Syndicate of diverting the "correct" agenda and promoting its own through selective funding, the anticipation of such an accusation looms on the horizon, acknowledged by all parties involved.

It's worth noting that Disbursements harbors the memory of NWO Operatives executing three of its own back in the '90s—an event that the Syndicate is determined not to allow a repeat of.