Multiple people pointed out that a lot (but not all Spaces) have one person designated as the “cat herder”, community manager responsible for the legal standing of the Space, remembering about the bills, handling sponsors and making sure the events do happen. This person also tries to resolve all dramas and keep the communication standards high. One of notable examples in real Spaces may be Mitch Altman of Noisebridge.

• Cat Herder represents a real archetype existing in some of the spaces
• Such a character creates a good reference point for others' communication skills and often very subjective points

• The magical “communication skills” of the Cat Herder make them really hard to fit into a good story. Suddenly we have a character who is supposed to be objective / above petty squalls (which can be subverted)
• If the Cat Herder doesn't care for the consensus as much and clearly has their own agenda, the whole conflict may resolve into fascism / anarchy which has already destroyed a lot of Spaces
• This character would be often seen as the arbiter of the space, someone other people go to to resolve conflict, therefore has “the purest” values. A lot of diversity of viewpoints may die this way.

Some of the story drafts actually start with the Cat Herder / Negotiator leaving the Space one way or another. Other characters are trying to find a new, dynamic balance

With multiple characters at least three of them would like to see themselves as community managers: Adam, Robert and Amanda. Each of them has their own skills, strengths and agendas:

• Amanda has a lot of experience gettings things done in the anarchist squat, which required directing people without bossing them outright. She's one of the people most often seen in Glider and isn't afraid of getting her hands dirty by doing most of the maintenance stuff herself. She usually assumes other people are sensible and will help in the tasks, which is not always the case. Additionally, not everyone likes her strong feminist views and the fact that she doesn't program, which earn her a lot of disrespect from the basement dwellers.