The Coppermind

Greater Good

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Greater Good
The Greater Good.jpg
by Nabetse Zitro
Type Council
World of Origin Canticle
Universe Cosmere

The Greater Good is the ruling council of Beacon on Canticle.[1] The group comprises three members who are appointed gerontocratically in the months before they are converted into sunhearts.[2] 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.[1][3]

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.[4][5] 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.[3] Also under their leadership are a field commander or special ops planner and a lead engineer.[3][6] The Greater Good also has the power to discipline specific members of the community for disobeying their directives.[4]

The Greater Good wear common black dresses, gloves, and and hats even while indoors.[1] When disagreeing or offering a countervailing opinion to another member, the Greater Good speak formally and deferentially.[1]

HistoryEdit

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.[5] 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.[2] 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.[4][3][7] After the Cinder King's fall, the Greater Good attempts to cede power to Rebeke Salvage but ultimately retain their authority.[8]

RelationshipsEdit

ElegyEdit

The Greater Good votes to name Elegy as Beacon's new Lodestar.[5] 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.[5] 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.[2]

Jeffrey JeffreyEdit

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.[3][9]

Solemnity DivineEdit

Solemnity Divine is the lead engineer on Beacon and works closely with the Greater Good.[6][9]

ZealEdit

Zeal serves as Beacon's field commander or special ops planner and works directly under the orders of the Greater Good.[3][9]

Known MembersEdit

TriviaEdit

Nomad was disappointed upon first meeting the Greater Good and hoped that one of them was secretly a dragon[1]

NotesEdit

  1. ↑ a b c d e The Sunlit Man chapter 8#
  2. ↑ a b c The Sunlit Man chapter 15#
  3. ↑ a b c d e f The Sunlit Man chapter 19#
  4. ↑ a b c The Sunlit Man chapter 11#
  5. ↑ a b c d The Sunlit Man chapter 20#
  6. ↑ a b The Sunlit Man chapter 23#
  7. ↑ The Sunlit Man chapter 45#
  8. ↑ The Sunlit Man epilogue#
  9. ↑ a b c The Sunlit Man chapter 32#
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