Scientific Consortium of Saint Baldur

The Scientific Consortium of Saint Baldur, often referred to simply as the Consortium, is the main regulated scientific institution in Caradia. The institution is funded entirely by government funds, being one of the larger targets of government spending, behind the military and support of the Church of the Black Flame. The institute is utilised for domestic purposes only, with all military scientific projects being handled by the CAAT or the Sacred Guard.

History

The Scientific Consortium of Saint Baldur was founded in 1577 AN under Duke Alecsi X. The original purpose of the institution was actually an idea propagated by the Archbishop at the time which was intended to provide backing in science to aid the public opinion of the Church. The original idea was scrapped in less than three months when it became apparent that its ability to perform in this regard was limited to nonexistent because of the already overwhelming public support for the Church. The Consortium was quickly reformed into a practising scientific institute.

Structure

The Scientific Consortium of Saint Baldur utilises a top-down organisational structure, with the Consortium being led by a council of eight top scientists who organise broad goals for the Consortium, which is then broken down into simpler and more manageable tasks progressively to individual team studies. Funding will also occasionally be directed towards projects which are unrelated to the Consortium's dictated goal, but this is rare, and most who do get this funding get it at a reduced rate. Most projects which are outside the overall goal of the Consortium are expected to provide their own funding.

The Consortium is split into the conventional and medical fields, which both contribute four researchers to the council. This distinction is blurred and often fluid, with tasks remaining different in the different fields, but scientists being directed and transferred from one field to another, depending on which position is most efficient. The Consortium is also responsible for maintaining Caradia's hospitals and other medical centres, which means that all licensed medical practitioners are overseen by the Consortium.

Controversy

The actions of the Consortium have occasionally been the subject of brief controversy among Caradian citizens, mainly due to the widely interpreted rules governing the ethics that Consortium researches are required to adhere to. These controversies are typically denounced by the Flemic Church, which quickly extinguishes the unrest. The main point subject to controversy is the often-used practice of human testing. This is usually performed on Dochvern prisoners or persons identified by Inquisition or Serfești agents as impure.