The D'ni Council was the executive, legislative, and judicial body of D'ni, and after the abdication of King Kerath, the governing body. It held power, with the ability to write and enforce legislation as well as carry out hearings.
The Council consisted of the Five Great Lords of D'ni (the Five) and the 18 Grand Masters (the Eighteen) who decided what was important and their word was law.[1] Some Guild Masters from the Guilds were elected to the Council.[2]
The high council was the Five Great Lords and the 18 Grand Masters.
There also existed a smaller Emergency Council which ruled when the safety of D'ni itself was threatened.
History and decisions[]
Concerning a decision to break the seal of the Tomb of the Great King, it was decided against it; Grand Master Namis feared about the infected books buried with him.[3]
King Naygen constructed a new Council Chamber over the Tomb beginning in 2502. The Chamber contained a secret vault, protected by puzzles, where Naygen had stashed his royal wealth.[4]
In 3523 the Council debated whether or not to allow women into the Major Guilds, ruling out against it.[5]
Around 3961, King Lemashal wished to establish the new Guild of Illusionists as a cover for a new body, the Relyimah. Although he did not need Council approval to order the new Guild, he purposely wanted the debates to take place as a distraction and gave a speech to the Council arguing for the establishment of the Guild, illusion being a valid form of entertainment, until the Council gave their approval.
The Council also decided that the King of D'ni had to be of pure D'ni blood. This was signed into law by Lemashal in 4031.[6]
In the first years of Demath's rule, the Council carried out emergency meetings, concerning their stance on the outsiders, concluding that relations would continue with much stricter guidelines. Demath signed them into law.[7]
In an effort to to further please the Guilds, King Kerath recommended new renovations and additions to the Council Chamber and construction of a new Guild Hall. Upon his abdication, Kerath appointed the first Five Lords of the D'ni, thenceforth holding the authority of the former Kings.[8]
Some years before the Fall of D'ni, the Council gave its approval for the journey to the surface.[9] About 2.4 years after the expedition started, some of the older members had a change of heart about making contact with the surface dwellers, and the expedition was in stake. They sent 4 Observers (including Master Kedri of the Guild of Legislators and Ja'ir of the Guild of Writers) to witness the process. A month later they convened to decide the future of the expedition.[1]