CIENA

Name: Ciena (chee-EN-ah)
Type: Public
Original aim: The Revolution
Original membership: Serfs, peasants, farmers
Current aim: "Good Government"
Current membership: Civil servants, beaurocrats, intellectuals
Headquarters: Portalpas, Dalziel (Cambrai/Western Gorami, NLR) and Avenira, Mizeret (Kagere, NLR)

CIENA is the only publicly acknowledged society.  Its original purpose was simply to overthrow the corrupt dynasty of the Deleste kings, but it emerged as the leadership of the first republic, and grew into a symbol of good government opposed to tyranny.  Its fall from power in the Second Republic did not tarnish this reputation; if anything, it restored it, making sure that CIENA could not be blamed for corruption or mistakes in government.

Members of CIENA are in all ranks of the government, although they are not supposed to be actual senators or government ministers.  We suspect otherwise, however, because CIENA makes constant unannounced inspections of senatorial offices, ministries and government programs, auditing books and passing recommendations onto their superiors.  These recommendations can result in a lowly clerk being promoted to director, or a director demoted to clerk.  As a result, even a minor functionary of CIENA can send a full Minister into a sweat.

CIENA's influence can still be found in all areas of government, but most especially the Ministry of the Interior, the Senate and the Chancellory.