Editing Seal of Solomon (section)

== History ==
[[Suleiman bin Daoud]] created the Seal, bargaining with and challenging powerful Others and having them impose the Seal on other Others in turn.<ref name="book" /> (This may be the same great gathering of "all the forces of the world... Gods, incarnations, and other powers" that established the current rules of magic referenced in [[Black Lamb's Blood]].)<ref>At some point in history, all the forces of the world gathered, 
recognizing that there could only be chaos if they continued fighting amongst themselves.  Gods, incarnations, and other powers realized that with the power they could each bring to bear, certain actions couldn’t be permitted.  Trust was impossible to maintain.<br><br>Laws were set in place.  Those same laws are the ones that a practitioner agrees to abide by, in order to broker access to what lies beyond the curtain. - [https://pactwebserial.wordpress.com/2014/04/05 Excerpt] from [[Black Lamb's Blood]], quoted in [[Interlude 4]]</ref> Many Others viewed the Seal as a way to stabilize their relationship with burgeoning humanity,<ref name="5.de1">“To try to formalize deals.  To hitch their wagons to that of humanity, by striking deals that would establish them as Patrons.  They teach their secret knowledge and ways of manipulating the world, in exchange for servitude… until mankind begins sharing that knowledge in ways few Others can stay ahead of, on paper and in tomes.  Knowledge, instead of being taught from patron Other to Practitioner, becomes something kept in families.  Others try to formalize a kind of equality, such as the familiar bond, and to make firm agreements about oaths, lies, and declarations, out of fear of being tricked again.  But these things become their own weapon that humans wield.  Humans sprawl, they work with concerted effort, and they establish and mutate patterns.  [...] The Seal of Solomon, as it exists now, was essentially intended as one last concession.  Or it was meant to be the last.  A binding that would not be mutated further, that would be universal enough that it could be trusted by the Other, instead of having hooks and more traps attached to it.  And as part of it, there was a deal that practitioners would manage the affairs of Others but select, powerful Others would have some say over the movements and dealings of Practitioners.  Lords and judges.  Roles above all other things.” - [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2020/10/24 Excerpt] from [[Back Away 5.d]]</ref> and it served to formalize relations between human and Other somewhat.<ref name=Duro>“Alexander,” Mrs. Durocher said.  “You <em>do</em> know where they come from?  I’m not the only one who’s put it together?”<br><br>[...]<br><br>“They’re wild practitioners.”<br><br>“Hm.”<br><br>“What’s that?” Zed asked.<br><br>“Practitioners of old ways, Zed.  Patron Others and practitioners who are tied to them.  The way things were done before Solomon, when they were formalized.  Which leads to questions about who and what spearheaded the organization of this little triad of practitioners.”<br><br>[...]<br><br>Alexander smiled.  “Knowing that you’re wild practitioners with multiple patrons helps me to make sense of you.  It tells me you’re probably strong, with a wide base of power.  It means I can expect you to be… interesting students.”<br><br>“Unruly and interesting,” Mrs. Durocher amended. - [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2020/08/29
 Excerpt] from [[Leaving a Mark 4.4]]</ref> According to [[Miss]], many Others viewed the Seal as a final concession to humanity, establishing immutable rules following a long series of deals that had slowly mutated and been twisted to give humanity more power.<ref name="5.de1" />

The Seal and associated bargains Solomon created formed the basis of the modern system of [[Awakening]] (many Awakening rituals still use [[Suleiman bin Daoud|Suleiman]]'s original language),<ref>“Suleiman Bin Daoud took the first steps to establishing a new relationship between human and Other,” Miss said.  “A lasting compact between human and Other.  There are forms of this ritual where we recite old words in your language and in Suleiman’s.  There are forms where we conduct old traditions.  At the heart of it, however, lies an invitation.  For you to join our world, and for us to cooperate with you in interacting with the world of man.  Would you invite us in, Verona, Avery, and Lucy?”  - [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2020/05/12 Excerpt] from [[Lost for Words 1.2]]</ref> the modern system of [[Innocence]]<ref name=":1">“I did.  The trick is to realize your strengths.  We’re newcomers.  The Solomon whatsit doesn’t apply.  We have access to anyone we want to go after, innocent or otherwise, see?”<br><br>“It’s a little more complicated than that.”<br><br>“Far more,” he said.  “Far, far more.  Usual protections might not apply, but the universe will protect innocents in a roundabout way.<br><br>
“Something like that,” I said. <br>[...]<br>Innocents have some protections, the universe will contrive to shield them, but if you can leave a lasting ''mark'', that’s worth a fair bit.” - [https://pactwebserial.wordpress.com/2014/08/19 Excerpt] from [[Mala Fide 10.2]]</ref> and the role of [[Judge]]s and [[Lords]].<ref name="5.de1"/>

The workings of Solomon let humanity defend itself, bringing about the modern age where humans are more than mere prey.<ref name="book" /><ref>“You’re an Other,” Maggie said.  “That place is like an Other’s amusement park.  There, it’s like the old days, before the Seal of Solomon.  Before humans were really able to fend for themselves.” - [https://pactwebserial.wordpress.com/2014/01/21 Excerpt] from[[Damages 2.2]]</ref> The protections of Innocence have become a part of universal [[karma]], although they are still much stronger against those Others that have accepted the Seal.<ref name="book" /><ref name=":1" /> With the new relationship established, the once-standard [[Wild Practitioner]]s serving Other patrons became rare and increasingly little-known.<ref name=Duro/><ref>Mr. Belanger said you’re wild 
practitioners.  And I had to go look that up. - [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2020/11/03 Excerpt] from [[Cutting Class 6.3]]</ref>

The Seal does not seem to have been widespread in [[North America]] prior to the Columbian exchange,<ref>He was wrong about what the crow was, but he still managed to capture and bind it.<br><br>He sent it back at the ones who had created it, with a touch of added power, hostility, outrage, given freely, and the compact of the Invader’s ways of dealing with spirits.  A seal, which made the crow both less of what it had been and more a part of things.  A different manner of things. - [https://pactwebserial.wordpress.com/2014/10/07 Excerpt] from [[Interlude 11]]</ref> although it is possible this referred to another seal.

It was described for new practitioners in chapter one of the modern book "[[List of Books#Others|Others Vol 1]]".<ref name="Barbie" /> [[Rose Thorburn Junior]] and [[Alister Behaim]] later used it in warding against some demonic [[Imp]]s.<ref name="madness" /><ref name=":0">Alister added his blood to the mix. <br>
Replacing the sigil of solomon with the power of a Lord.  Even a small, temporary Lord. - [https://pactwebserial.wordpress.com/2015/01/22 Excerpt] from [[Possesion 15.7]]</ref>