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Where you receive Bitcoin from bounty completions.
Federations unite multiple citadels for coordinated campaigns at regional scale. A single FOIA is noise. A federation of 10 citadels filing 100 coordinated FOIAs is a news story.
New? Read the 📚 Action Guide — step-by-step instructions + legal boundaries for every bounty type.
Every completed bounty is a Light Check Report — verified accountability, on the record.
Real actions. Real money. Real citadels.
Complete the course and pass the test to earn your Certified Citadel Leader badge.
Module 1 of 7
A citadel is a small, tight-knit cell of 5–12 people organized around a shared commitment to documenting and resisting surveillance overreach. Unlike traditional activist groups, citadels operate as decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) — no single person can make unilateral decisions affecting the group.
Every major decision — from claiming a bounty to spending treasury funds to removing a member — goes through a proposal and vote. Any member can create a proposal. Proposals require a majority vote to pass. Founders have no special veto power over the membership.
Citadels recognize two roles: Founder (the person who created the citadel) and Member. Founders have the same voting power as any other member. The founder's only special responsibility is administrative — managing the initial setup and approving join requests.
Module 2 of 7
A "light check" is the term for a citadel action that documents surveillance infrastructure — cameras, license plate readers, facial recognition systems — in public spaces. The goal is to build a public record of where surveillance is deployed and hold institutions accountable for it.
Always operate in public spaces where you have a legal right to be. Document what is publicly visible. Do not trespass on private property, enter restricted areas, or attempt to access camera systems. Keep interactions with the public calm and brief.
Record: GPS coordinates, camera make/model if visible, mounting location, apparent field of view, agency/entity responsible. Upload evidence to the bounty completion with a clear description. Poor documentation gets rejected — thorough documentation protects everyone.
Module 3 of 7
If approached by police or security while documenting in public:
Module 4 of 7
Members have varying risk tolerances. Some are comfortable being publicly associated with the citadel; others have legitimate reasons for anonymity. Respect that variation. Never share a member's real identity, location, or contact details without their explicit consent.
Keep member data minimal — you don't need home addresses, ID documents, or personal details beyond what's necessary for coordination. Store sensitive information encrypted. Delete what you no longer need. If you're ever compromised, having minimal data means minimal exposure.
If you suspect a breach: notify affected members immediately, rotate all credentials and access tokens, document what was exposed and when, and assess whether actions need to be paused. Transparency with your members is non-negotiable — they deserve to know when their information may be at risk.
Module 5 of 7
When your citadel completes a bounty and the completion is verified, the reward is credited to the citadel treasury. The treasury belongs to the membership collectively — not to the founder, not to whoever filed the completion. Distribution requires a proposal and vote.
Keep a simple ledger of all treasury inflows and outflows accessible to all members. Any expenditure from treasury — for equipment, travel, legal support — requires a proposal. "I'll pay it back later" is not a treasury policy. Decisions must be made before spending, not after.
Module 6 of 7
Quality matters far more than size. A citadel of 6 committed, trusted people accomplishes more than 20 loosely affiliated ones. Look for people who: care about the mission independently, have relevant skills (tech, law, journalism, community organizing), and can be trusted with operational details.
Good recruitment channels: privacy-focused communities, civil liberties organizations, journalism networks, local activist groups. Avoid broadcasting detailed plans on public channels during recruitment.
Conflict is inevitable. The process: attempt direct mediation first, then bring it to a full member discussion, then submit a formal proposal if the issue involves a governance or conduct decision. Removal of a member requires a vote. No one gets removed unilaterally by the founder.
Module 7 of 7
Surveillance overreach is not a partisan issue — it transcends left/right. Governments of all ideologies build surveillance states. Corporations of all persuasions collect and monetize personal data. The moment your citadel takes a partisan political stance, you lose half your potential allies and open yourself to being dismissed as just another political tribe.
Citadels target policies and institutions, never individuals or political parties. You can document a specific city's use of facial recognition — that's targeting an institutional practice. You cannot run a "defeat Politician X" campaign — that's partisan politics, and it's outside the citadel's mandate.
Some members will try to use the citadel as infrastructure for their personal political projects. When this happens:
The citadel's credibility — with journalists, legal organizations, foundations — depends on its apolitical reputation. Protect it.
18 questions. You need 80% or higher (15/18) to pass. Read each question carefully — some have nuanced answers. Take the course first if you haven't.
The Constitutional Framework for Citadels and Federations
Sovren exists to restore agency. We are not here to fix broken systems—we are here to build parallel ones that work.
Citadels are the organizing unit: 5–12 people bound by shared mission, transparent governance, and collective action. Federations are citadels in alliance, coordinating across geographies and causes.
This Charter establishes the rules of engagement for all citadels and federations in the Sovren network. It is not a limitation. It is the architecture of trust.
A Citadel is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) governed by its members. Authority flows from the membership—not from founders, leaders, or external forces.
Minimum requirements:
Decision-making power:
Proposal submission: Any member can submit a proposal. Proposals must be posted publicly at least 48 hours before voting.
Voting period: Default is 7 days. Shortened to 3 days for urgent decisions. Cannot extend beyond 14 days without unanimous member approval.
Quorum requirement: Minimum 50% + 1 of active members must vote. If quorum is not met, proposal fails.
| Decision Type | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Routine (bounty approval, tactical) | Simple majority (50% + 1) |
| Policy changes, bylaws, treasury rules | 2/3 majority (66.7%) |
| Leadership removal | 2/3 majority |
| Citadel dissolution or federation exit | Unanimous (100%) |
Tie-breaking: If votes split exactly in half, proposal fails (no casting vote for officers).
| Role | Responsibility | Removal Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Coordinator | Calls meetings, facilitates votes, ensures execution | 2/3 member vote |
| Treasurer | Manages funds, logs spending, approves routine payouts | 2/3 member vote |
| Scribe | Records decisions, maintains charter compliance, publishes updates | 2/3 member vote |
Officers hold no special voting power. Cannot approve spending without member vote. Term limits: Default 6 months, maximum 2 consecutive terms.
Joining: New members nominated by existing member, 2/3 majority vote to admit.
Leaving: Members can exit anytime by written notice. No clawback of bounty earnings. No exit fee.
Suspension: Member can be suspended pending removal vote for CoC violations. Requires documented evidence and 48-hour notice.
Financial: Members are not personally liable for citadel debts.
A Federation is a voluntary alliance of 2+ citadels coordinating on shared missions, pooling resources, and escalating decisions. Citadels retain full autonomy within their local governance. Federation acts as a coordination layer, not a supergovernment.
Federation Council: One representative per member citadel. Council meets at least monthly.
Federation offices: Chair (facilitates), Treasurer (manages shared treasury), Scribe (records votes and compliance).
Council voting: Each citadel gets one vote regardless of size. Quorum: 50% + 1 of citadels. Voting periods: 7 days default, 3 days urgent.
Federation CAN: Coordinate on shared campaigns, pool grant funding, set shared Code of Conduct standards, mediate disputes, admit new citadels.
Federation CANNOT: Override citadel internal decisions, seize citadel treasury, change citadel mission without vote, expel citadel without 2/3 council vote AND citadel consent.
Citadels inherit federation-level policies on: Code of Conduct, Removal grounds, Dispute resolution, Data privacy, Financial transparency.
Citadels retain authority on: Local membership decisions, local spending priorities, local mission specifics, officer selection.
| Level | Timeline | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 — Direct negotiation | 7 days | Involved parties attempt resolution with optional federation mediation |
| Level 2 — Federation mediation | 14 days | Scribe presents case; Chair + two neutral Coordinators hear both sides |
| Level 3 — Federation vote | 30 days | Council votes on resolution; 2/3 majority required |
Appeals: Any party can appeal within 14 days. Second appeal decision is final.
Legality: No illegal activity, full stop. We operate openly within our jurisdictions.
No harassment, defamation, or harm: No threats of violence, doxxing, swatting, or intimidation. No false accusations. Institutional critique is protected.
No negative talk — constructive critique only: We focus on building better alternatives. Analyze system incentives, never the “evil” of individuals.
No partisan political discussions. No Red vs. Blue. No “the other side is destroying the country.”
Partisan politics is a cognitive distraction designed to divide us from one another. People across the entire political spectrum want privacy, agency, and freedom from corporate control. Sovren members come from all political backgrounds.
✓ Allowed: Geopolitics & world events — with zero blame toward any party or political figure. Analyze systems, not sides. “EU Chat Control regulation will enable mass surveillance” (system analysis). “The incentive structure of democratic governments makes them vulnerable to corporate lobbying” (structural).
✗ NOT allowed: “Democrats/Republicans are destroying free speech.” Ad hominem attacks on political figures. Conspiracy theories that depend on “the other side is evil.” Culture war debates.
How to debate policy: 1) Describe the system incentive 2) Propose an alternative structure 3) Test it logically 4) Acknowledge tradeoffs. Stop at step 4.
Cite sources. Distinguish facts from opinions. Change your mind when the evidence changes. Steelman opposing arguments before critiquing.
Transparency: Decision-making, voting, treasury, strategy discussions are visible to citadel members.
Opsec: Do not publicly doxx campaigns before execution. Do not post operational details that endanger participants.
Whistleblowing: Any member can report conduct violations confidentially to Federation Scribe; retaliation is grounds for removal.
Grounds for removal:
| Phase | Timeline | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Notice | Immediate | Member informed in writing of violation and evidence; respond within 48 hours |
| Investigation | 7 days | Scribe gathers evidence, writes summary |
| Vote | 7 days | Removal vote called; requires 2/3 majority; member can speak before vote |
| Appeal | 14 days | Appeal if procedural error or new evidence |
| Finalization | Immediate | Member loses voting rights but retains earned bounty payouts |
Officers can be removed faster (simple majority instead of 2/3) if they abuse authority. Additional grounds: Unilateral spending without vote, deliberate non-compliance, chronic absence, financial negligence.
Grounds: Persistent CoC violations, treasury mismanagement, charter violation, inactivity (less than quarterly for 6 months).
Process: Warning (30 days) → Review (30 days) → Council Vote (2/3 required) → Appeal (30 days). Removed citadels retain internal treasury; can rejoin after 6 months.
Any removed member or citadel can appeal within 14 days. Each removal case gets one appeal; second decision is final.
Each citadel maintains a collective treasury. All members have viewing rights. Treasurer has transaction authority but only for pre-approved expenses.
| Amount | Authorization Required |
|---|---|
| $0–$50 | Treasurer approval (routine operational) |
| $50–$500 | Coordinator + Treasurer approval |
| $500+ | Member vote required |
| All grants/large donations | Member vote required regardless of amount |
Spending standards: No personal loans to officers, no spending on partisan campaigns, no payments to non-members without vote approval.
Federated treasury holds shared grants and platform revenue. Individual citadels do not contribute mandatory fees. All federation spending approved by Council vote.
If a citadel dissolves: Active projects wound down, bounty earnings paid out immediately (vested), remaining treasury distributed per dissolution charter.
If a federation dissolves: Each citadel retains local treasury (no seizure), shared treasury returned to grant-givers.
Each citadel creates a local charter (bylaws) implementing this Master Charter. Required elements: mission statement, member requirements, officer roles, treasury rules, meeting schedule, dispute resolution process.
Amending: Simple majority vote (50% + 1 active members), 14-day notice before vote. Cannot contradict master Charter.
Only the Federation Council can amend this Master Charter.
Process: Any citadel proposes amendment → Posted publicly for 30 days → Council votes (2/3 supermajority) → Amendment takes effect in 60 days.
If a provision of this Charter is ambiguous:
In the event of imminent harm: Federation Chair can convene emergency session (24-hour notice), temporary protective measures approved by Chair + 2 Coordinators (limited to 72 hours), full vote within 7 days.
Emergency measures CANNOT: Remove members permanently, seize treasury, dissolve citadels, or override core Code of Conduct.
New citadels must:
Annual audit: Every citadel and federation audited once per year on: Charter adherence, Code of Conduct compliance, Financial transparency, Dispute resolution timeliness.
Citadel has 30 days to remediate. Continued non-compliance escalates to removal warning.
Public information: Citadel mission and member count, officer names, voting records (summary), treasury balance and monthly spend summaries, active campaigns and bounties.
Private information: Individual member identities (if pseudonymous), removal investigations and appeals, confidential campaign operations.
We commit to:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Citadel | A decentralized autonomous organization of 5–12 members governed by member vote |
| Federation | A voluntary alliance of 2+ citadels coordinating on shared missions |
| Member | An individual with voting rights in a citadel |
| Officer | Member elected to Coordinator, Treasurer, or Scribe role |
| Active member | Member who has voted in the past 30 days or notified the citadel |
| Proposal | A formal request submitted for member vote |
| Quorum | The minimum number of members required for a vote to be binding |
| Multisig wallet | A cryptocurrency wallet requiring multiple signatures |
| On-chain | Recorded immutably on a public blockchain |
| Charter | The governing document for a citadel or federation |
| Treasury | Collective funds managed by the citadel or federation |
| Bounty | A payment reward for completed work or campaign outcomes |
This Charter becomes effective upon adoption by a Federation. Individual citadels adopt it as part of onboarding.
Authority: This Charter is the supreme governing document for all Sovren citadels and federations. No citadel bylaw, federation policy, or member decision can contradict it.
Amendment authority: Only the Federation Council can amend Articles I–IX. Article X (Definitions) can be amended by simple majority.
Severability: If any provision is found unenforceable, that provision is removed, but the remainder stands.
| Version | Date | Change | Author |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | April 15, 2026 | Initial adoption | Sovren Founding Council |
By joining Sovren, members and citadel leaders acknowledge:
Recruit and build citadels. Get paid when they reach 5 members — and every month they stay active.