“Always comes down to the families, doesn’t it?“
The Council of Families has existed in various forms from the centuries. Descended from the ancient assembly of Chiss Houses that would create the Chiss Ascendancy over 50 centuries ago, it would supplant the Syndicure after the Sith Era.
The Nuz Bazan Reforms returned the Council of Families to their ancient mandate of representing the Chiss Houses, with the caveat that only Major Chiss Houses seated in the Council. Today the Council represents the Chiss community and bridges the gap between the needs of the people and the expectations of the State. Whilst oversight of governmental policy is fully reserved to Syndicure, the Council exists to support the community.
The Council of Families may make proposals to the Syndicure, including request for funding of community projects. The Council of Families may also, in a modern update to the ancient March of Silence Ritual, submit questions and suggestions to the Syndicure anonymously. This modern March of Silence allows the Council of Families to be the voice of the Chiss Community and provide a means for mere dissent to be differentiated from hostile actions intended to undermine the Ascendancy.
If a request if rejected, the Syndicure must provide an explanation. The Council may review and revise a rejected proposal and may resubmit it no sooner than 30 Galactic Standard days after rejection.
House Patriarchs seated in the Council of Families are known as Aristocra. They serve for a term of 12 Galactic Standard Months, after which they must be renominated as Patriarch by their House to retain their title as Aristocra. The number of seats within the Council of Families; as well as the terms for Promotion, Demotion, or Exile of a House are defined by Chiss Law and subject to the approval of the Syndicure.