Four Families
The Four Families are the founders and decision-making body of the MPD.
Contents |
See Also: History of the MPD
The heads of the Four Families were the most powerful and outspoken residents taking shelter in the Rock during the collapse of civilized society in Rivertown in the late twenty-first century. The residents were being protected by a militia assembled by Augustus Reichman and trained by Marshall Johnson. The two men envisioned retaking the southern portion of Rivertown from the bands of maurading scavengers that threatened them, but they lacked the support and resources to convinced the other residents to take the risk. This changed however when the well-connected Barrett Lukowski pledged to help persuade people and Carlo Reyes offered his resources as payment in exchange for the risk involved in launching an offensive, provided they both received a cut of any spoils from mission.
As the MPD grew in power and became more organized, the residents of the fledgling settlement at Summerland needed strong leadership, and it was assumed that the four men who had masterminded the escape from the seige at the Rock would assume these duties. Based on the democratic principle of balanced government, they divided responsibilities between them.
Main article: Johnson Family
The Johnsons oversee security and defense of the MPD, including the training and deployment of guards. When questions of military matters arise, Marshall Johnson's vote counts twice.
Main article: Lukowski Family
The Lukowskis are responsible for looking after the interests of the populus as a whole, and to guarantee that average citizens and the rank-and-file guards have a voice in the organization's decisions and to keep an accurate census. In matters that will impact the wider population, Barrett Lukowski's vote counts twice.
Main article: Reichman Family
The others accept the Reichmans as being the founders of the MPD and have treated Augustus Reichman as a de facto head of state, and his votes count thrice in all matters allowing him to effectively veto any action he sees as detrimental to the organization, a power he only used once. After his death, his position was assumed by his wife, Frederika.
Main article: Reyes Family
The Reyes Family owns the largest percentage of resources in the MPD inventory and are in charge of accounting for and distribution of rations to citizens and guards. In matters pertaining to expenditures from the common MPD holdings, Reyes's vote counts twice.
The voting structure for the Four Families is more of a formality than a legality. While it served them well in the organization's early years, decision making has become considerably more complex with the growth of the MPD. There is much posturing and wrangling between Family members that happens off record and behind the scenes as alliances are in a state of constant fluctuation.
The Families hold executive meetings four times a year in February, May, August and November with the physical presence of the heads only required at the latter, which also functions as a holiday celebration; the others may be, and most often are, conducted by cell phone given the dangers and difficulty of travel in Rivertown.
The unexpected death of Augustus Reichman has increased the strain between Families. The others allowed Frederika to assume the position to avoid a potential civil war between Families that could erupt, but no one is satisfied with this arrangement as Frederika does not command the same level of respect as her late husband.
The Rivertown Compendium draws from the much larger Rivertown Chronicles, a wide assortment of personal narratives and catalog entries of people, places, and things.