Council of Elders

The Council of Elders was the government of Masada until 1903 PD, when the Endicott System became a Manticoran protectorate.
== History ==
The title of Elder originated from the organization of the original Church of Humanity Unchained; the Reverend Austin Grayson was supported by his First Elders. ()
== Organization ==
The Council of Elders was comprised of Elders, Senior Elders and their head, the Chief Elder.
Meetings of the council were called "Conclaves of Elders". These Conclaves gathered in the Conclave Hall of the Hall of the Just. During Conclaves, any form of electronic communication was forbidden.
The position of Elder was elective; the informal authority of the Elders within the Council was connected with their level of orthodoxy.Ephraim Templeton, who coped with technology as a ship enterprise owner, was less technophobic than others. Elders were also privileged with some form of political immunity.The rights of Elders were so firmly established that any domestic air traffic enforcement would waste valuable time before interfering with a vessel belonging to Templeton. () The most prominent Elders headed by the Chief Elder were described as the inner circle, which acted as the de-facto executive.Together with invited high level officials, like military and intelligence leaders. () ()
== Operation Jericho affairs ==
In 1903 PD, the People's Republic of Haven Navy pressed the council to go ahead with Operation Jericho; the Elders, however, waited for confirmation of the Star Kingdom of Manticore's support of Grayson. The Council was afraid of the Royal Manticoran Navy escort, and decided to wait until they left Yeltsin's Star.
After the disastrous Battle of Blackbird, the Council was very nervous about Manticore's retaliation, and decided to stay quiet and not communicate with the Thunder of God and Captain Yu. ()
== Under ocupation ==
A quarter of the Elders were murdered by their parishioners before Manticoran occupation authorities put the others into protective custody around 1903 PD. ()
The Council of Elders remained as the command level of the Masadan resistance movement. In 1915 PD, it organized a partly successful assassination attempt on members of Manticoran and Grayson governments. ()
== Known councilmembers ==
* Chief Elder Thomas Simonds
* Senior Elder Huggins (Elder in 1890 PD)
* Elder O'Donnal
* Elder Ephraim Templeton
== References ==
Category:Society
Category:Masada
Category:Executive Bodies
Category:Legislative Bodies