The Vampyre High Council, also known as the High Council and the Vamp High Council, is the council in charge of all vampyres. The High Council has seven members, all of them females. The High Council is comprised of seven of the wisest, most ancient High Priestesses alive today. The High Priestess of the High Council is the High Priestess of all vampyres. The High Council does not get involved in human affairs. They do not behave inhumanly nor are they rash. The Council members are elected by the body of vampyres for their position and their term lasts fifty years before they a new member is elected. No member can hold the office consecutively. The Council members are from all over the world and are known for their wisdom. The High Council elects a new High Priestess every three to four hundred years and they reign for their entire life as stated by Damien in Hunted.
History[]
The High Council was created by the late High Priestess, Lilith, by calling all of the High Priestesses along with their warriors and consorts from every major vampyre coven to form the High Council during the eighth century. The first High Council was placed on the Isle of Capri, but moved and first settled in Florence during the explosion of Mount Vesuvius. In 639 A.D., they finally moved to San Clemente Island. The most decorated, powerful and experienced Warriors are always chosen to protect the Vampyre High Council and the San Clemente Island House of Night.
Hippolyte petitioned the Vampyre High Council to let her and the Amazons isolate themselves from Vampyre society. The High Council granted her request and helped them establish their home, Thermodon. Before the Amazons disappeared into the wilderness of Asia Minor, Hippolyte sent an Amazon rider to tell them their story.
In 200 A.D., the vampyre Polemy approached the Vampyre High Council on his hypothesis that if humans can be affected by their astrological sign, then vampyres can be affected by the sign under when they completed the Change. They were so intrigued by his theory and charged him with creating a new system of classification for vampyres, based more heavily on the elements than the astrological sun signs. In 300 A.D., after a century of research and observation, he presented them Nightkind Elementology.
The Vampyre High Council held the Gathering which they led a discussion on the direction vampyre society should take in the new century wherein inventions, science and technology would advance at an unheard-of rate. The Gathering consisted of High Priestesses and their warriors. In the past, the High Priestess would go to the port at New Orleans, along with many other High Priestesses for the Atlantic Crossing.
Known Members[]
- Unnamed first members
Known Vampyre High Priestesses[]
Lilith[]
Lilith was the first High Priestess on the High Council, making her High Priestess of all vampyres. She is mentioned in The Fledgling Handbook 101 and created the High Council in the ninth century. It is unknown how and when she died.
Shekinah[]
Shekinah was the High Priestess on the High Council, making her High Priestess of all vampyres. She is introduced in Untamed, the fourth House of Night Series novel, but it is assumed that she was the High Priestess in the three books previous also. Shekinah was killed by Neferet, Queen Tsi Sgili, at the end of Untamed.
Duantia[]
Duantia is the vampyre High Priestess who takes the position of High Priestess on the High Council after Shekinah's death. She is introduced in Tempted.
Building description[]
The San Clemente Palace is really old and made of stone. The palace has an arched breezeway, unbelievably high ceilings and chandeliers. There is also huge wooden doors and huge hallways. The hall leads to a side parlor with a chaise and a coffee table near it. There are also well-upholstered chairs in the room. Down in the basement, there is a bunch of worn wooden tables, hard benches, bare white stone walls, and tons of shelves filled with so many books of different sizes, shapes, and styles. The San Clemente Museum of Vampyre History is located below the rooms of the High Council in the San Clemente Palace.
The High Council's temple is a cathedral next to the palace. They gutted out the cathedral except for enormous light fixtures that hang on thick bronze chains from the ceiling. There is also circular seating in tiers and carved seven marble chairs that sit side by side on the granite floor. There are also stained-glass windows with a representative of Nyx, arms upraised holding a crescent moon between her hands and a pentagram close to her and the four class emblems. There is also one of Kalona, his wings fully extended and his naked body, muscular, bronzed and powerful. There is also stone stairs and an amphitheater-like space with seats near the floor.
The palace on Capri is an old, stone castle with candlelit bedchambers and a castle courtyard. The dungeon was carved centuries ago from the rocky earth that makes up the Isle of Capri. The dungeon is located at the bottommost level of the castle and has torch-lit hallways. The castle also has stone steps. The castle rooftop has an ornately carved marble bench that rests near the edge of the castle's rooftop. The rooftop has a truly magnificent view of the glistening Mediterranean Sea.