Council of Elders
Structure
Consists of nine councilors elected by the general population of aignaoithe over the age of 200. Councilors serve for life. Since 1158, one of these councilors is required by law to be a shapeshifter.
Public Agenda
The Council's main goal is to destroy the naered once and for all. They view the naered as evil, greedy, and blasphemous (as they call themselves gods). Believing the killing of all naered to be their divine calling, they have been pursing this goal for over two thousand years now.
Otherwise, they protect the interests of the aignaoithe, settle any disputes, and answer for the aignaoithe to all foreign powers.
Assets
The Council's primary asset is the shapeshifters themselves, the most powerful warriors in the world. Under the threat of shapeshifter attack, most human nations must bow to the Council's will. Crathlia is the only human country that has ever defeated the Council's armies in war, and Queen Aveline's Treaty binds their modern relations.
They also hold vast knowledge, both sacred and historical, in the Library of Stone, and have access to all the natural resources of Inis Baile Mor.
History
The Council of Elders has existed before written history. It originally had five members, who were the oldest of the aignaoithe. The Council was extended to nine members during the Shattering War.
The Council became an elected body in 177 SA, and aignaoithe began to compete for Council seats when former councilors pass away. They were generally older than 300 years old.
In 1148, the Crathlian ambassador to the aignaoithe petitioned for a law requiring one of the councilors to be a shapeshifter, citing that the shapeshifters being protected at Everdon Academy had no ability to influence their deployments. This was considered a significant contributing factor to the Colonization's unethical weaponization of both humans and shapeshifters. Shapeshifters argued that the Sacred Writings of the Cavern say that shapeshifters are to be the bridge between humanity and the aignaoithe, and a representative on their behalf would add to the Council's wisdom. The law passed ten years later.
Written by Cordelia Colbreak Evenbrook
Type
Government, Leadership
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
Related Ethnicities
Comments