<strong>Ryan</strong> <strong>Bailey</strong> (<strong>order</strong> <strong>#2639004</strong>) 1THE SOLAR DELIBERATIVEthey lack Dragon-Blooded underlings of their own and hopethat their vocal support of the Terrestrial cause will drawsuch Dragon-Bloods to their service (a s<strong>usp</strong>icion that’s notwithout its merits). Regardless, there is little likelihood thatthe current state of affairs will ever change as long as theeldest Solars live, and <strong>if</strong> the history of the free Gentes is anyindication, will likely be rendered moot by their deaths.NECROMANCYA concern of the Deliberative since its secrets werewrested from the tombs of the Neverborn by the Black NadirConcordat, necromancy is considered by some Lawgiversto be a trap lain by the fallen Primordials with which toensnare those who would wield it. They point out how itsenergies are the inverse of those of living Creation, whilethe walking dead monstrosities spawned by its dark powerburn at the touch of the holy Zenith Caste. Advocatesof the practice ask how this is any d<strong>if</strong>ferent from the waydemons summoned by the accepted art of sorcery react tothe glory of the Unconquered Sun reflected by his priests.They also point out how sorcery is capable of devastatingwhole cities or freeing the mightiest souls of the imprisonedYozis from the depths of Malfeas when wielded by the rashand unwise. They argue that neither art is intrinsicallydangerous, only the intent with which either is employedis dangerous.This issue is effectively deadlocked unless evidence ofa definitive corrupting influence can be <strong>br</strong>ought to light.Its mastery offers too great a temptation for jaded Exaltswho thought they’d reached a dead end in their masteryof magic.SOUL RESEARCH RESTRICTIONSIt has always been against Deliberative law to haphazardlyalter or imprison human souls, as the moral just<strong>if</strong>icationfor Celestial callousness with mortal lives rests on the processof reincarnation. The use of souls in experiments hasnever been explicitly banned outright, however, as thereare a number of Golden Hero Vassals who wish to do so.The practice is tightly regulated, however, and accordingto current law, only the souls of terrible criminals may beused in experiments or to power devices that require soulsto operate. (Tributary Princes are the deciding factor as towhat constitutes an offense that allows for such to occur,though.) There has recently been a push in the Deliberativeto lighten these prohibitions, coinciding with the rise inpopularity of the new discipline of necromancy.FREE DEMON OBJECTIONSDemons are alien and <strong>br</strong>oken, but not all of them seemhostile to Creation. The Yozis are not altogether changedfrom what they were, and many possess souls expressingaspects of themselves unrelated to their hatred of the gods,the Exalted and the world.The more eccentric of the Exalted sometimes desirethe companionship of a demon, but don’t wish to see thedemon’s psyche placed under the strain of sorcerous binding.Sometimes an Exalt <strong>br</strong>eaks a demon out of Malfeas and <strong>br</strong>ingsit under his protection. Thereafter, the demon’s freedom iscurtailed only by its patron’s strength and will.In Year 2730, the Deliberative rat<strong>if</strong>ied the Treaty ofLimbs, which grants these “free” demons certain protectionsunder Creation-wide law. If a Solar patron registersa demon’s identity with the Ministry of Malfean Liaison,and a rival sorcerer subsequently summons and enslavesthat demon, the patron may make limited war against thesorcerer without violating the Accord of Broken Ribbons.This protection becomes null and void <strong>if</strong> the patron issubsequently judged guilty of infernalism, in which casethe demon is usually hunted down and put to death byGhost-Eating (at best).Second Circle Demons make up the largest ranks ofthe freed demons. First Circle Demons are barely abovemortals and elementals in the eyes of the Exalted, whileThird Circle Demons are considered too close to the Yozis.There have been notable exceptions, however.The Treaty of Limbs is still opposed by most of theFaithful, especially its Golden Hero Vassals, and nearlyall of the Militants, both of whom believe that those whoinvite the spawn of the Yozis to share their beds are <strong>br</strong>ingingspies into the heart of the Realm. A recent increase inthis practice among the newly Exalted coinciding with theincrease in Malfean tourism has <strong>br</strong>ought this issue to thefloor of the Deliberative once again.MILITARY SPENDINGMilitary spending has been a hot-button topic sinceOperation Wyldhand, with the Militants pushing for a hugeincrease in the budget for the Realm’s air, sea and landforces as well as the development of more powerful weaponsto be wielded against the enemies at Creation’s doorstep.The moderate Faithful put up the main opposition to thisincrease in spending. They argue that it’s been less thana century since Oasis upon the Edge of Eternity, the last ofthe prohibitively expensive Titan-class aerial citadels, wascompleted and only one of the four massive craft has seenany combat—and that in an engineered war game. Morethan two thousand years have passed since the Realm’senemies have dared to strike against it in a full-blown war.Given the fact that the Exalted defeated the Primordialswithout the Titans, thousand-forged dragons or the Sword ofCreation, the Faithful argue, any major increase in spendingat this time would serve no purpose. Unable to garner thevotes they need to win the day, the Militants bide their timewhile key members work to uncover (or fa<strong>br</strong>icate) the proofof a threat needed to convince a majority of Lawgivers tosupport an increase in spending.OTHER ISSUESThe preceding agendas are just a few of the most importantones currently concerning the Deliberative. Thereare also hundreds of minor issues being debated on the45
<strong>Ryan</strong> <strong>Bailey</strong> (<strong>order</strong> <strong>#2639004</strong>) 1CHAPTER ONE: LIFE IN THE HIGH FIRST AGE46floor during any given session—issues of public works, artsendowment, prefect oversight, et cetera. Although theyare of less immediate gravity, any one of these issues couldbecome the cause of the day or the rider that changes thefate of a bill concerning one of the more important agendas.The savviest Lawgivers, especially the ones lacking thepolitical clout to push through their own major issues, learnto use this system to its best advantage. They spread theirschemes across seemingly mundane bills that, when theyare all passed, reveal hidden linkages that move things inthe direction a young Solar wants but could never have soldto the Deliberative at face value. The sorceress Salina hadher great Working approved in just such a fashion.BEHIND THE SCENESBehind the obvious party divisions and public agendaslie dozens of circles, cabals, societies and alliances vyingfor influence over the affairs of Creation. What separatesthe societies of the Deliberative from the movements andagendas is that once an issue comes to the Deliberative’sattention, it becomes a tool for manipulation by everyDeliberator. A Solar who doesn’t care for the Cauldronistagenda might speak up in its favor to covertly advance anentirely d<strong>if</strong>ferent agenda, perhaps one as simple as curryingfavor. Movements, issues and agendas are disembodiedabstracts, used by the Exalted of the Deliberative to fulfilltheir own ends. While most agendas have honest supporters(and almost all began with such), every agenda is exploitedby those with orthogonal desires.In contrast, the societies of the Deliberative are concrete.Not every society within the Deliberative is openly known,but they all have collections of faces and names, real peoplewith real motives behind them. Smart and experiencedDeliberators know the public issues facing the Deliberativeare only the curtains behind which the true politics of theworld hide.THE FAULTLESS PANOPLY OF THE SUNOne of the most influential visible power blocs in theDeliberative since the dawn of the Second Deliberative Era,the circle of the Most Supreme Hierophant consists of theDeliberative’s effective leader and three survivors of thePrimordial War, plus their much younger cohort, ContentiousSword. Even more so than Solar Queen Merela, theFaultless Panoply of the Sun is the visible symbol of Solarpower in Creation.INDIVIDUAL EXALTEDNot every influential voice in the Deliberative is backedby a clique, however. Some, such as Solar Queen Merela,are powers in their own right. These ancient Lawgiverstrade favors or even simple acknowledgement as currencywith younger Deliberators, occasionally upsetting whatseem to be the easy rat<strong>if</strong>ication of a bill and thwarting it,and sometimes pushing through a bill that none thoughtcould pass.
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