Editing Judgements

{{Major spoiler}}
{{Character|image1 = Sunsetgaz.png|caption1 = The Earth's Judgement - the Sun. Art from Sunless Sea.|location = [[The High Wilderness]]|allegiance = The Conjunctions|alias = The Stars|notable_members = The Sun<br>
[[The Halved]]<br>
[[The Sapphir'd King]]<br>
The Garden King|music = [https://failbettergames.bandcamp.com/track/the-surface The Surface]}}
''"Look ahead, to the light of the Judgement. All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Prevaricate_2|Prevaricate 2|Fallen London|}}</ref>

'''Judgements''' are the ultimate power (or so they claim) in the universe.__forcetoc__

==Look to the Stars==
As powerful celestial entities, the Judgements oversee the lesser beings that exist beneath them. They are the ultimate lawmakers of the universe, and all under their eternal light adhere to their rules.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Ambition:_the_Stars_are_Dying|Further the Didact's research into the politics of suns|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Every star in [[High Wilderness|the night sky]], even our own [[Sun]], is a god to their respective planets and subjects. Only a few exist outside their influence, such as those who reside in [[Parabola]], and those who do resent their complete dominance of the universe.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Dramatis_Personae#I._A_Prologue|''The revolutionaries made camp''|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> For those who live outside of a Judgement's gaze (as is the case for most Neath denizens) the laws may become... er, strong recommendations rather than mandatory rules.

[[File:Bottledsoulwhite.png|thumb|A Judgement's Egg.]] Like all beings, Judgements have souls, known as '''Judgements' Eggs'''; these apparently function as their spores.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Judgements%27_Egg|Judgements%27 Egg|Fallen London|}}</ref> If such souls manage to escape being used in dark rituals and other quests for power, they may hatch into stars of their own.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/The_Alarming_Scholar|Judgement's Egg|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>

Intriguingly, Judgements are also multicellular, and their insides are composed of flesh and bone; in fact, they appear to be vertebrates, as they possess skulls/ribs.<ref>{{Citation |https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Baroness%27_Investigation|The Baroness' Investigation|Sunless Skies}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Autopsy|The Autopsy|Sunless Skies}}</ref>

Judgements communicate via [[the Correspondence]], a particularly incendiary form of language.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Breath_of_the_Void|Breath of the Void|Fallen London|}}</ref> They often use Couriers such as [[the Echo Bazaar]] and [[the House of Rods and Chains]] to send messages to each other.<ref name = "seventh">''[[The Seventh Letter]]''</ref> Furthermore, Judgements adhere to an immensely strict hierarchy, called '''the Great Chain of Being''', which is similar to a caste system. All entities are set to a certain rank, and contact is strictly professional (in most cases).<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Mr_Sacks!_Take_this_dream_of_skies_untainted!|Mr Sacks! Take this dream of skies untainted!|Fallen London|}}</ref> The Judgements do not take kindly to the breaking of this rule,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/You_have_rejected_wine_and_song|You have rejected wine and song|Fallen London|}} ''"To ascend is not possible, save by the Science (and the Science does not exist). "''</ref> and it is part of the reason why the [[The Echo Bazaar|Bazaar]] is here in the first place (and to a lesser extent, us).<ref name = "seventh"/>

To those of a more... [[Revolutionaries|revolutionary]] bent, the Judgements are not unstoppable; quite the opposite in fact. Through arcane research and dedication bordering (and often well past) the bounds of insanity, the [[Revolutionaries: the Calendar Council|anarchists]] are slowly devising methods to make the lights go out, as part of their quest to achieve [[the Liberation of Night]].<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_lights_are_out|The lights are out|Fallen London|}}</ref>

By 1906 in the ''Sunless Skies'' timeline, it became apparent the the Judgements were dying off, with someone or something killing them one by one. The British Empire has taken advantage of their deaths, abandoning London and colonizing the Judgements' empty domains.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Sunless_Skies|Overview|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> There are still a couple alive, like [[the Sapphir'd King]], who lives in the Blue Kingdom and rules it with impunity.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Blue_Kingdom|The Blue Kingdom|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

==Known Judgements==
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===[[File:Sunset (1).png|40px]] The Sun===
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''"Parabola-linen crumbles in sunlight. The mushroom wines of the Neath are not kindly received in the wine-shops of Italy and France. [[Prisoner's Honey|Prisoner's honey]] loses all its virtue."''<ref name = "linen">{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Naples|Buy a train ticket to Vienna|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>

'''The Sun''' is the Judgement of the Earth and of Mankind, at least for those dwelling on [[the Surface]]. For many, it is a benevolent force, even one worthy of worship, but for more... informed individuals, the Sun's virtue is questionable at best. It is ''brutally'' effective at enforcing its laws; denizens of the Neath who have lived too long often drop dead or even disintegrate upon reaching the Surface, and most of the Neath's fantastic delights are reduced to their normal variety under sunlight. [[Parabola]]n entities are cooked almost immediately, as they too Are-Not. And stories about the Neath are simply not believed because of all this.<ref name = "linen"/>

The Sun does have a view of the Neath, in [[Aestival]], where there's a gap in the roof. Despite its deadly effects, sunlight is highly addictive to denizens of the Neath (who doesn't love a warm summer day?) and many of them go out with a smile.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Aestival|Gather supplies|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> Denizens of the Neath who are severely starved of sunlight may enter a trance of sorts when exposed to sunlight in small quantities, such as through a '''Sunlight-Filled Mirrorcatch Box''', causing them to chant an infamous mantra: '''"THE SUN! THE SUN!"'''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/THE_SUN!_THE_SUN!|The light's delights|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>

The Sun's story is that of fleeting desires and the horrors of love. Before even [[the First City]], the Sun fathered [[the Mountain of Light]] with [[the Bazaar]]. Naturally, such a union was scandalous even for the stars, so the Sun stored Stone in the Neath to avoid execution. Then the Sun, being the cad that he is, fell in love with a different star, and had the Bazaar deliver a love letter to her. The Bazaar delivered it, and the other star rejected the Sun, so the Bazaar now bides its time to prevent the Sun from drowning in its own tears.<ref>''[[The Seventh Letter]]''</ref>

It's not clear what became of it by the 1900s; contrary to popular belief, Albion's star is ''not'' the Sun.
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===[[File:Mountainglowsmall.png|40px]] [[The Mountain of Light]]===
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''"It's very far away; but perhaps it's watching you."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/The_Gods_of_the_Zee:_Stone%27s_Attention|The Gods of the Zee: Stone's Attention|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>

'''The Mountain of Light''' is the daughter of the Sun and the Bazaar, making her a half-Judgement. Zailors know her as '''Stone'''. Her daughter, a quarter-Judgement, is [[Mt. Nomad]].
:''Main Article: [[The Mountain of Light]]''
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===[[File:Dawnmachinesmall.png|40px]] [[The Dawn Machine]]===
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''"-UN. THE SUN. THE SUN. THE SUN. THE S-"''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/Dawn_Machine|Dawn Machine|Sunless Sea|}}</ref>

'''The Dawn Machine''' is an ambitious and dangerous artificial Judgement built by the [[Admiralty]].
:''Main Article: [[The Dawn Machine]]''
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===[[File:Clockworksunsquare.png|40px]] [[Clockwork Sun|The Clockwork Sun]]===
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''"The light of the Clockwork Sun oozes into your cabin like rancid honey."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Clockwork_Sun|Log Entries|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

'''The Clockwork Sun''' is the second, more successful artificial Judgement that lords over [[Albion]].
:''Main Article: [[Clockwork Sun|The Clockwork Sun]]''
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===[[File:Sunlesssmall.png|40px]] [[Salt]]===
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''"Old soul. Where are you going, old soul?"''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Sun_beneath_the_Sea%3F|The Sun beneath the Sea?|Fallen London|}}</ref>

'''Salt''' is a quasi-Judgement of sorts, also called '''the Sun-Beneath-the-Sea'''. He lurks to the East, where new winds blow.
:''Main Article: [[Salt]]''
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===[[File:Pawn.png|40px]] The White===
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''"The White comes to fulfil the frozen law."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Attend_a_service_at_the_Chapel_(no._6)|Attend a service at the Chapel (no. 6)|Fallen London|}}</ref>

'''The White''' is the spymaster of [[The High Wilderness|the heavens]]. It was the entity responsible for sending [[Salt]] to the Neath, but unfortunately Salt got distracted and things became complicated.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlesssea.gamepedia.com/The_Name-Which-Burns|The fifth letter: the White|Sunless Sea|}}</ref> The White's grand plan is mysterious, but it may have something to do with holding back [[the Liberation of Night]].
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===[[File:Reach_square_icon.png|40px]] The Garden-King===
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''"They rage against the sun's death at the hands of a half-sun, a midnight murderer. The killer sent false messengers bearing a well-seed. They planted the seed in the sun's heart, and it bloomed! Bloomed and ravened. A lawless killing! A shameful death, enacted without due ceremony!"''<ref name = "old tom">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Bones_of_the_Sun|Strive to hear the death-cry of a fallen sun|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

'''The Garden-King''' was the Regent of [[the Reach]]; by the 1900s, in the ''Skies'' timeline, he has long since died. Without his regulating influence, the Reach overgrew and became the wild and chaotic realm that it is now known as today. Luckily, however, the Garden-King prepared light-emitting plants that keep the region somewhat well-lit, so the Reach isn't completely dark by any means. The Garden-King is responsible for the conception of the [[Scrive-Spinster]]s at [[the Forge of Souls]]<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Forge,_Awoken|Craft a Scrive-Spinster|Sunless Skies|}}''""As was taught by the Regent of the Reach to the Binary," says the Venturer reverently."''</ref>

The Garden-King was murdered when false messengers, who were likely sent by [[the Halved]], planted a well-seed in its heart. This created [[Old Tom's Well]], and the corpse of the Regent now lies deep within.<ref name = "old tom"/> It is said that you can still hear the Garden-King's spirit throughout the Reach, manifesting as '''the Peacock Wind''', as he rages at his own unlawful murder.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Autopsy|Investigate a mysterious noise from the back of the laboratory|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
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===[[File:Clocksquare.png|40px]] The King of Hours===
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''"The body of the sun is still cooling. A few embers continue to glow at its core, a low and sullen red."''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Most_Serene_Mausoleum|Contemplate the dead sun|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

'''The King of Hours''', also known as '''the Martyr-King''', was the Regent of [[Albion]], or at least the space that would become it.<ref name = "hours death">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Autopsy|Investigate what killed the sun of Albion|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> During his reign, he used his power as the king of all time to hold his realm in a state of eternal daylight, a '''Golden Day'''.<ref name = "golden day">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Ambition:_the_Portrait_of_the_Unseen_Queen|Ask about the Golden Day|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> [[The Sapphir'd King]], a Judgement who adhered to the Amaranthine Conjunction (the resolution that everything must end), didn't like that very much, so he had the King of Hours murdered<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Sun%27s_Daughter|Hand over the Dignity of Albion Bill|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> using poisoned words.<ref name = "hours death"/> A long, (long, long,) long time after his death, the [[Clockwork Sun]] took over his domain, and Albion took the credit for his death.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Most_Serene_Mausoleum|Contemplate the dead sun|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

The King had a daughter, a being by the name of '''the Unseen Queen''', who resides in the underworld of [[New London]].<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/A_Royal_Presence|The Queen joins your crew|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> The Queen is a flirtatious spirit who manifests as a painting of a noblewoman with her face scratched out.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Portrait_of_the_Unseen_Queen|Description|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> In his last moments, the King used his last remnants of the Golden Day to create '''the Martyr-King's Cup''', an artifact that can grant the imbiber immortality.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Ambition:_the_Portrait_of_the_Unseen_Queen|Ask her about the Cup|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Using it, he stole the moment of his daughter's birth to evade death and transform into [[the Storm that Speaks]].<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Ambition:_the_Portrait_of_the_Unseen_Queen|Ask about the King of Hours|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> The Unseen Queen ''heavily'' resents her father for creating the endless day where she never shone, as well as for using her as a contingency to escape his death. One day, she may take her revenge.<ref name = "golden day"/> One of the erstwhile questers for the Cup, and one of the most successful of them, says that the Queen "is nothing; she is less than nothing. She never existed."<ref name="conformer">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Piranesi#The_Chaplains|Ambition: Ask the Conformer for the location of the Martyr-King's Cups|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
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===[[File:Halved_square.png|40px]] [[The Halved]]===
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''"The Halved! The sun turned to night!"''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Spectacles#Eleutheria|Domain of the Halved|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

'''The Halved''' is the Sable-Sun of [[Eleutheria]], formerly known as '''the King who Wars'''.
:''Main Article: [[The Halved]]''
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===[[File:Secretsquare.png|40px]] The King who Speaks===
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''"INT: An ancient throne room, built and bathed in the light of Law. On a throne of fire sits the KING WHO SPEAKS. On a throne of obsidian sits the KING WHO WARS. They are the TWIN KINGS OF ELEUTHERIA, united in ruling."''<ref name = "palace">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Dramatis_Personae#III._Palace_of_the_Twin_Kings|III. Palace of the Twin Kings|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

'''The King who Speaks''' was [[the Halved]]'s other half, the brother of the King who Wars. In a time when [[Eleutheria]] was still bright, the King who Speaks ruled alongside the King who Wars as a duumvirate, and were known collectively as '''the Binary'''.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Dramatis_Personae#V._A_Night_Of_Transfiguration|The Messenger returned!|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> The Binary was petitioned by the nascent Solonacean Conjunction to adopt an ideology similar to [[the Liberation of Night]];<ref name = "palace"/> the King who Speaks expressed interest, but his brother shot it down.<ref name = "speak change">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Dramatis_Personae#III._Palace_of_the_Twin_Kings|The Prophet began to speak|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> Later on, the King who Speaks lowered his guard and submitted to the Conjunction as their disciple, but he was brutally assassinated by the vengeful members.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Dramatis_Personae#V._A_Night_Of_Transfiguration|V. A Night Of Transfiguration|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> The betrayal and death of the King who Speaks led his brother to slaughter the Solonacean Conjunction, and their leader was condemned to [[the Well of Wonders]].<ref name = "mourn">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Dramatis_Personae#VI._The_King_In_Mourning|VI. The King In Mourning|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

Based on information from the Prophet Exile's play, the King who Speaks can be characterized as a ruler who valued change, as opposed to his brother, who preferred stagnation and preservation.<ref name = "speak change"/> He also claimed that he and his brother were growing dim, so he resolved to "let the old Order fall" to allow the Binary to become greater than what they already were.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Dramatis_Personae#IV._The_Aftermath|Enter the King Who Speaks|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
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===[[File:Visionoftheheavens_square_icon.png|40px]] [[The Sapphir'd King]]===
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''"The Sapphir'd King suffuses the entirety of the Blue Kingdom, but he emanates from its heart"''<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Sapphir%27d_King|The Sapphir'd King|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

'''The Sapphir'd King''', also called '''the Azure''' and '''the Westernmost King''', is the Sun of [[the Blue Kingdom]], where he rules as the king of the [[death|dead]].

The Azure has a daughter, known by the name of '''the Arbiter of Fates'''.
:''Main Article: [[The Sapphir'd King]]''
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Other Judgements, such as '''the Red''' and '''the Gold,''' are known to exist.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/You_have_given_up_your_intrigues|You have given up your intrigues|Fallen London|}}</ref>

==Interstellar Politics==
''"All st-study of the suns is difficult. The Judgements are vast. Ancient. Beings of incomprehensible complexity. Any investigation is also an act of t-translation, rendering their concerns and structures into analogies we can comprehend."''<ref name = "didact find">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Ambition:_the_Stars_are_Dying#Trigger_conditions|Deliver your findings to the Bedevilled Didact|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
[[File:HeirloomDyingStar.png|thumb|300px|They exchanged war for murder. Art from Sunless Skies]]
Thanks to [[the Royal Society]]'s magnificent telescope, the behavior of Judgements among themselves has finally come to light (ha!).

It turns out that Judgements can form groups. Minor ones, called '''constellations''', consist of three to four stars, and are often formed by neighboring stars, resembling clans. '''Conjunctions''', on the other hand, are much, much bigger,<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Ambition:_the_Stars_are_Dying#Trigger_conditions|Further the Didact's research into the politics of suns|Sunless Skies|}}</ref> and are founded on the principles of an ideology or philosophy. So far, three conjunctions are known to exist:<ref name = "didact find"/>
*The '''Chrysanthemum Conjunction''' is concerned with new beginnings.
*The '''Amaranthine Conjunction''' believes in endings and conclusions.
*The '''Nepenthine Conjunction''' advocates separation and isolation.
A group led by [[The Well of Wonders|the Prophet Exile]] tried to form the '''Solonacean Conjunction''' by petitioning the Binary to join them; it would have followed an ideology not unlike the modern [[Revolutionaries#Liberation of Night|Liberation of Night]].<ref name = "speak change"/> Following the assassination of the King who Speaks, however, the other half of the Binary slaughtered the proto-Conjunction and condemned the Fingerking to the [[Well of Wonders]].<ref name = "mourn"/>

===The Courtesy===
''"Once, the stars went to war with themselves. The Courtesy was the agreement that ended it: thereafter, the stars were permitted to kill each other so long as they adhered to the formalities and procedures set out in the Courtesy."''<ref name = "courtesy">{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/The_Brazen_Brigade#The_Adamant_Idol|Ambition: Ask "What is the Courtesy?"|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

What is killing the stars? Well, they're killing each other. Some massive insult has provoked a cosmic war among them, with '''the Courtesy''', the Judgemental "rules of war," being constantly invoked.<ref name = "courtesy"/> That the suns are prone to just as much lethal politics as mortals is something they do not want ''anyone'' lower on the Great Chain to know, so they specifically assigned a [[Logoi|Logos]] to hunt down anyone who learns of it, called '''the Fire that Follows''',<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/Speaking_to_your_Second_Mouth|Pursuit|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>, which manifests as an electric-blue flame that relentlessly pursues and punishes the intended target until they draw their very last breath.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/And_the_Lamps_Burned_Blue|Snuff out the lanterns and fly in the dark|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>

==References==
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