The Jedi Council

From the ranks of the Jedi Masters (and on rare occasion from the Jedi Knights) are selected a Council which dictates the policies necessary to function on a daily basis. The Council serve the Brotherhood and its best interests through their wisdom and utmost dedication and resolve. The actions of the Jedi Council should be considered as being undertaken truly by the Will of the Force, and therefore it is in poor taste to question them openly. This is not to say that the Jedi Council cannot err, however, one must put faith in the Force, in the Code, and in the Council that each and every action is the right one, rather than challenging their course of action at every turn.

The Jedi Council must consist of the following:

* One Jedi Master of the Honorable House of Jedi Guardians - serves for life / retirement
* One Jedi Master of the Noble House of Jedi Consulars - serves for life / retirement

Additionally, the Jedi Council may determine the need for an additional member, and add the following:

* One Jedi Master or Jedi Knight appointed by the Council from either House - serves for life / retirement

Additionlly, the Jedi Council and the Masters of each House may determine the need for two additional members:

* One Jedi Master or Jedi Knight elected by the Honorable House of the Jedi Guardians - serves for 4 months / no successive term limitations
* One Jedi Master or Jedi Knight elected by the Noble House of the Jedi Consulars - serves for 4 months / no successive term limitations

The Jedi Council may thus never rise beyond the number 5.

The Jedi Grand Master
In older times, there served one Jedi of truly sage-like wisdom and such mastery of the Force and knowledge of its will, that s/he was looked to by all Jedi far and wide for advice. This one Jedi was seen as the perfect Jedi, true master of saber and Force, master and servant of the Code, and master and servant of the Brotherhood. This perfect Jedi would be bestowed the highest of all noble titles: Grand Master of the Jedi Order.

The last Jedi Grand Master was Master Yoda. Since the Great Jedi Purge, no other has been granted such an honorable distinction, not even Master Luke Skywalker. This is due to the fact that since the Purge, the remnants of the Jedi Order have been scattered. Many of our brothers are not in the complete fullness of the Code, considering themselves "grey Jedi" who wander the Universe alone and brother-less. Others have fallen to the temptations of the Dark side, and allowed the chaotic elements of the Force to master them, rather than gaining mastery over themselves to find balance and harmony and succumb to the true Will of the Force. Others deem themselves Jedi Masters and form academies and Jedi Orders throughout the Galaxy who fight within and among each other, sharing no true sense of Brotherhood.

Until such a time in which the whole of the Jedi Order is once again united in brotherhood, as true Brothers of the Code, there can be no Grand Master. For this reason, one seat upon the Jedi Council is always left vacant. This empty chair, symbolic of our lost brothers, in a hopeful longing that they may return, may only be filled by the true Grand Master of the Jedi Order who we believe will one day come again and unite us. Until that time, the seat is not filled, the chair remains empty -- the Siege Perilous (or Perilous Seat). It is only with the re-institution of a true Grand Master of the Jedi Order that the Council number may rise to the truly balanced number of six.