Goran: Hierarchy

From the Master of Metal himself to the lowliest tinker, every member of each academy knows his or her place. It begins with Goran. His chosen on Layonara is the Chief Engineer. Below the Chief Engineer are the first engineer to the chief, the second engineer to the chief, and the third engineer to the chief. Then there is the second engineer to the first engineer to the chief, and the second engineer to the second engineer to the chief, and the second engineer to the third engineer to the chief. Next is the third engineer to the second engineer to the first engineer to the chief, and branching from there are his or her assistants, the first assistant to the third engineer to the second engineer to the first engineer to the chief and the second assistant to the third engineer to the second engineer to the first engineer to the chief, and under that are the first through fifth tinkerers to the first assistant to the third engineer to the second engineer to the first engineer to the chief and the first through fifth tinkerers to the second assistant to the third engineer'well, it's given that only someone within the organization will know exactly where he or she stands. In fact, it is said that only a born gnome has a chance to truly grasp all the levels of the hierarchy of the academies.

Elections and Organizations

The organization of Goran can only be understood if one acknowledges that the temples, which are referred to as academies, exist independently but linked'often in good-spirited competition. There are no elections in the voting sense; a new Chief Engineer and his three runners-up win their positions in the Stupendous Competition of Layonara's Most Innovative Inventions for the Glory of Goran. This contest is held every 20 years on 13 Oclar. Members of the three largest academies and gnomes (and occasionally other races) from all over the world gather at the Clockwork Academy on Mistone to explain their inventions and compete for the honor of being the Chief Engineer. The inventions are displayed and points are awarded by the contestgoers. From this, the top 10 inventions are selected. Then the current chief, and the first, second, and third engineer to the chief, review them and select winners to succeed them based solely on the inventions shown. To curb favoritism, these four are not given the identities of the inventors. After the new chief and runners-up have won, applications for the positions below them up to assistant are submitted and they select their choices from those applicants. The remaining tinkers are the inventors who form the bulk of the academies.

It is possible for someone to apply for and remain in their position every contest cycle. The third engineer to the second engineer to the first engineer to the chief, Wibblie Gizwhack, has been in his position for 199 years running. However, while a chief engineer and runners-up can win their positions more than once, they may not compete in the years they leave office, forcing a 20-year skip between stints. In the event of a death in the hierarchy, everyone is bumped up a notch until the next contest.