The Grand Council

The Grand Council

Overview

The Grand Council is the ruling body of the Vellari people and one of the most important authorities in the Drift galaxy. It oversees every Vellari settlement and claims the right to regulate water standards across all known space. Its rulings are respected on most worlds, even by non-Vellari governments, because the Grand Council controls the systems that measure and seal water. Without its approval, water shipments are often considered illegal or unsafe.

Headquarters

  • Thalassa-Nine is the seat of the Grand Council.

  • It houses the Grand Water Ledger, the central archive that tracks every official water meter and seal in the galaxy.

  • Inspectors trained here are sent to ports across Core, Mid, and Rim sectors to enforce Council rulings.

Structure

  • Councilors: Elected or appointed leaders from major Vellari worlds and habitats. They rotate based on merit, work quotas, and records of past service.

  • Water Ledgers: Specialized clerks and record-keepers who track usage permits, contracts, and emergency allocations.

  • Inspectors: Field officers who verify seals, meters, and storage systems at ports. They can approve, fine, or shut down entire shipments.

  • Enforcers: Small but specialized crews that protect Council shipments, escort inspectors, and recover stolen or falsified meters.

Methods of Power

The Grand Council maintains its influence by controlling the most valuable resource in space: water.

  • Seals: Every legitimate water tank or meter carries a tamper-proof Vellari seal. These seals are universally recognized.

  • Ledgers: The Council issues official records of water storage, shipment, and consumption. A ledger entry can validate a contract or expose fraud.

  • Permits: Ports and ships must carry usage permits for large transfers. A missing permit can lead to seizure or blacklisting.

  • Emergency Drawdowns: The Council can authorize emergency water releases during droughts, giving it major political leverage over struggling colonies.

Reach by Region

  • Core: Grand Council rulings are enforced closely. Most Core governments and corporations follow their standards to keep trade legal.

  • Mid: Enforcement is mixed. Many Mid ports rely on Council seals for legitimacy but also cut deals with Syndicates who sell counterfeits.

  • Rim: Influence weakens. Council inspectors are often harassed, bribed, or killed. Syndicates control many pumps and depots, but even they use forged Vellari seals to appear legitimate.

Weaknesses

  • Counterfeit Seals: Syndicates frequently forge or steal Council seals to launder stolen water.

  • Limited Force: The Council relies on recognition of its authority more than military power. Its inspectors and escorts are vulnerable outside the Core.

  • Dependency: Many governments resent their dependence on Vellari rulings but cannot afford to ignore them, making the Council a constant target of sabotage.

Everyday Impact

  • For Crews: Any ship carrying water must show intact Vellari seals or risk seizure. Crews that tamper with meters can be blacklisted from most ports.

  • For Ports: A single Council ruling can cripple a depot by declaring its seals invalid. Ports that comply gain trust, those that do not lose trade.

  • For Citizens: On many worlds, the price and availability of water depends on Grand Council standards. A broken seal or ledger entry can mean famine or survival.

Reputation

The Grand Council is widely seen as necessary but heavy-handed. Most people respect their authority because water is life in the galaxy. However, resentment grows in the Rim, where Council rulings are viewed as tools for Core control. Syndicates consider them both enemy and opportunity, using counterfeit seals to profit while undermining the Council’s legitimacy.