Editing Greater Good

|image=The Greater Good.jpg

The '''Greater Good''' is the ruling council of [[Beacon]] on [[Canticle]].{{book ref|tsm|8}} The group comprises three members who are appointed gerontocratically in the months before they are converted into [[Sunheart|sunhearts]].{{book ref|tsm|15}} Each member is given a title which becomes the member's de facto name and a specific duty or calling that they are to represent within the council.{{book ref|tsm|8}}{{book ref|tsm|19}}

The Greater Good acts as a decision-making body for the city of Beacon but can delegate authority to other people or positions such as appointing a [[Lodestar]] or putting a difficult decision to a vote of the whole population.{{book ref|tsm|11}}{{book ref|tsm|20}} Due to the short tenures and ever changing membership of the Greater Good, a steward or city administrator serves under the greater good to provide continuity of leadership.{{book ref|tsm|19}} Also under their leadership are a field commander or special ops planner and a lead engineer.{{book ref|tsm|19}}{{book ref|tsm|23}} The Greater Good also has the power to discipline specific members of the community for disobeying their directives.{{book ref|tsm|11}}

The Greater Good wear common black dresses, gloves, and and hats even while indoors.{{book ref|tsm|8}} When disagreeing or offering a countervailing opinion to another member, the Greater Good speak formally and deferentially.{{book ref|tsm|8}}

==History==

In the years leading up to the fall of the [[Cinder King]], [[Compassion]], [[Confidence]], and [[Contemplation]] are named to the Greater Good and vote to name [[Elegy Salvage]] as Beacon's new Lodestar.{{book ref|tsm|20}} Following Elegy's plan, a decision is made to end the practice of converting people into sun sunhearts and instead to search for the mythical [[Refuge of Stone]].{{book ref|tsm|15}} Following Elegy's capture and conversion into a [[Charred]], the Greater Good decides to continue with the plan to find the Refuge, ultimately at the expense of most of the ships comprising Beacon and several Beaconite lives.{{book ref|tsm|11}}{{book ref|tsm|19}}{{book ref|tsm|45}} After the Cinder King's fall, the Greater Good attempts to cede power to [[Rebeke Salvage]] but ultimately retain their authority.{{book ref|tsm|epilogue}}

==Relationships==

===Elegy===

The Greater Good votes to name Elegy as Beacon's new Lodestar.{{book ref|tsm|20}} As Lodestar, Elegy's main purpose is to be Beacon's chief navigator but she is also a leader in charge of the long term vision of the city.{{book ref|tsm|20}} Following Elegy's plan and ending the practice of converting people into sunhearts has allowed the members of the Greater Good to live and rule for longer than they otherwise would have, a fact that at least Contemplation feels guilty about.{{book ref|tsm|15}}

===Jeffrey Jeffrey===

[[Jeffrey Jeffrey]] serves under the Greater Good as a steward or city administrator. This position provides a continuity of leadership for a council whose membership is constantly changing.{{book ref|tsm|19}}{{book ref|tsm|32}}

===Solemnity Divine===

[[Solemnity Divine]] is the lead engineer on Beacon and works closely with the Greater Good.{{book ref|tsm|23}}{{book ref|tsm|32}}

===Zeal===

[[Zeal]] serves as Beacon's field commander or special ops planner and works directly under the orders of the Greater Good.{{book ref|tsm|19}}{{book ref|tsm|32}}

==Known Members==

*[[Compassion]]

*[[Confidence]]

*[[Contemplation]]

==Trivia==

[[Nomad]] was disappointed upon first meeting the Greater Good and hoped that one of them was secretly a [[Dragon (cosmere)|dragon]]{{book ref|tsm|8}}

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