Sovereign Council of the Eleven

It was a time that would eventually be called 180 BC (or BCE), and change was upon the Eleven. The members gathered in Italy, at the mountain home of Azza, nestled in the foothills of what would in later eras be known as the Italian Alps. At this gathering it was decided to establish a permanent home for the Sovereign Council.

Over the centuries, as the Eleven had established themselves in the different regions of the world, they had many First Born children — and those children, in turn, had many Offspring. As the family lines grew ever more complex and distant from the original Eleven, squabbles, territorial disputes and outright violations of the Covenant required the Eleven meet more regularly than in simpler times. No longer would the Eleven call a gathering of the Sovereign Council only when absolutely necessary. The complexity of the world of supernatural beings they had created was starting to require more systematic attention.

It was decided that a High Chamber would be commissioned (see an image here). And the place would be the new city of Byzantium (which would later become known as Constantinople and even later as Istanbul). The city of Byzantium was at the crossroads of much of the developing world, and the Eleven (correctly) reasoned its geography would make it important in world affairs.

In the beginning, the city of Byzantium was nothing more than a regional trading hub and waypoint for travelers. The building of the High Chamber of the Sovereign Council was nothing more than a modest structure that blended in with its surroundings. It wasn’t until 498 AD, under the rule of the Eastern Roman Emperor, Anastasius, that the much larger compound (which still exists today) was built and would blend in with the growing metropolis and seat of Rome’s Eastern Capitol.

For the first nearly 700 years, the High Chamber had only a handful of Scribes assigned to live and maintain the modest structure, and to help facilitate and record the gathering of the Sovereign Council. Originally, the council planned to meet once each decade — but by the time the larger, stone compound was complete in 498 AD, the council was meeting every two years and sometimes more frequently.

It was also in 498 AD that the Sovereign Council required that the Keeper of the Lines (see an image here) move into the compound of the High Chamber. It was the wisdom of the council, and many of the powerful Scribes, that the Keeper of the Lines must both be protected and watched. By requiring that the Keeper of the Lines move into the High Chamber, both goals could be accomplished.

The inevitable downside of the creation of a High Chamber, especially in later times, was that it became a focal point for many trying to curry favor or influence the governing of the hidden supernatural world. Eventually, it was necessary to establish a special division of Scribes, known as the Crimson Scribes (see images here and here), to serve the Sovereign Council rather than any single family line.