• Foundation established to shorten a dark age after collapse of galaxy-spanning empire.
• Plotting ahead the course of history to have events turn out in a way that minimises the dark age — this is only possible by reducing variables, so the goal is to plan a succession of crises that leave only one course of action.
• Subordination of individuals, even the “great men”, to the historical forces - conscious that the plan cannot account for individual actions, they must avoid taking actions until it is clear that their options are sufficiently hemmed in.
• Foundation has advanced technology compared to its neighbours, and deploys this in various sidelong ways rather than frontally.
  • Establishing a religion where they train neighbouring worlds in the instrumental use of technology, without providing an understanding of the function (eg nuclear medicine is “holy food”), and install priests; in this way they can keep those worlds in line.
  • As religion fades in effectiveness, shifting to trade in order to create peaceful codependence with other worlds.
  • Consistent theme around mastery through understanding how the technology works, not merely having access to the relics.