I have no idea if I will be able to keep this up for thirty days, but hey, I'll try. Let's have a simple case today.
Case 4: The Case of the Reluctant Redcaps
In the Loch Leglean Tribunal, three members of House Mercere, all Redcaps in good standing (Andrew, Cathal and Daud) stand accused of refusing to deliver mail from the covenant of High Crag to the covenant of Salmon's Leap. Interestingly, the three Redcaps do not deny the charge, but claim that if they had done so they would have been guilty of being accessories to a violation of the Code, and therefore preferred to face the Tribunal than proceed.
They were reluctant to say, but as requested by Tribunal: Their defence is simple: all members of High Crag had declared war on all members of Salmon's Leap. Believing this to be an unlawful declaration, the Redcaps instead despatched a message to Harco, and refused to deliver any such declarations before the matter can be raised at Tribunal or Harco issues orders. Their concern is: are such plural declarations of Wizard's War legal, and can a Redcap be held accountable of they do deliver a message in good faith that subsequently leads to a breach of the Code? As such they claim they are innocent of any wrong doing. However by this defence they have revealed the "legal affairs" of High Crag to Salmon's leap, who are also present: Salmon's Leap will now of course prepare for the inevitable Wizard's War. The absence of a Quaesitor they could consult (Loch Leglean currently only has one who was away on business) led them to decide to refuse and refer the matter here.
A Magical Mercere, Damiano, from the Roman Tribunal steps forward. "Point of Order, Praeco, the only mail a Redcap is required to deliver is the notice of the tribunal. Redcaps deliver mail in enlightened self-interest, as that is how they earn a living. I ask that these charges be dismissed. And I offer a warning to them to improve their understanding of these Redcaps, review your history, especially that of the Schism, and the general understanding of Lex Hermetica."
Ecelo ex Miscellanea, an itinerant Seeker, nods at the words of Marciano.
"Indeed, other than delivering the Call to Tribunal -- and respecting the Oath -- Redcaps have no obligation whatsoever. That they help us all by delivering messages and by performing innumerable other services is a gift to us all, for which we are ever grateful. In the case of a Wizard War, nothing prevents a magus to declare it by carrying the message himself, or by having it delivered by a trusted servant or by magic.
And the Redcaps were correct to err on the side of caution. Assisting another magus in declaring an unlawful Wizard War could be construed as a violation of the Code, and in particular of all proscriptions that are temporarily suspended in the case of a Wizard War.
That said, I am not aware of any provisions in the Code forbidding an arbitrarily large number of magi from declaring a lawful war onto an arbitrarily large number of other magi. A whole House may declare War onto a whole other without the code being violated. I would ask the Tribunal to reaffirm this. Of course, conflicts of such magnitude are best avoided if possible."
"Oh, coordinated wizards wars are quite legal - or at least our good friends down south seem to so." Edgar ex Misc smiles at the memory of burnt out Horsingas. His smile fades, "Damiano, the confidence and reliability of Redcap mail may not be a matter of law but is the bedrock of your house's reputation. I would not presume to instruct you on matters of internal discipline but I am sure that many in this Tribunal would be reassured if such discipline were seen to be done."
"Talidus, how many other messages come with the instruction for delivery on the new moon?"
The Redcaps quote "I understand that a Wizard War is as an open conflict between two magi, who may slay each other without breaking this Oath, and that should I be slain in a Wizard War no retribution shall fall on the magus who slays me." This was what led them to doubt the legitimacy of all against all Wizard's Wars - they are not by definition between two magi. Is there a GT Peripheral ruling on this?
Secondly they were asked to deliver an oral message (hence they know the content). This concerned them, because if anything went wrong, well they would have no real evidence of the wording of the message they were asked to deliver.
Thirdly, they point out that a Redcap is not needed to declare Wizard's War anyway: it is traditional, but not stipulated by the Code. The insistence and increasing amounts of silver on offer worried them, and they refused the fee, and were then threatened with Wizard's War themselves by the magi of High Crag.
There is something else that seems to worry them; several magi at Tribunal suspect they are holding something back...
"It is quite popular in my house, since you ask. Now, the oral element cover that.
As for the matter at hand, to the best of my knowledge, no part of the code forbid that a magus is involved in multiple Wizards' Wars at the same time, and presumably each member of High Crag has declared war on each member of Salmon's Leap, which is legal enough.
I see no fault on either side, though obviously the redcaps have to inform the magi of High Crag that their message is not corrrectly delivered."
But come, you did not need the advice of Loch Legan in Tribunal for that one point of law, the situation is hardly unique and there are plenty within your own house nods at Damiano whom you could have consulted. There is more so out with it!
But come, you did not need the advice of Loch Legan in Tribunal for that one point of law, the situation is hardly unique and there are plenty within your own house nods at Damiano whom you could have consulted. There is more so out with it!
The Redcaps shuffle uncomfortably. Finally Daud speaks.
"Well, as well as the matter of the declaration, they offered us three pawns of vis to place two small stones in the vicinity of Salmon's leap, and to drop a third within the pool of the covenant itself. We guess they are Arcane Connections: nothing more - but that was why we refused!"
Donald of High Crag bellows in outrage, and denies such an offer was ever made
"Again, as Talidus said, no fault on either side, whether the request to carry the stones was made or not. The Mercere Prima may choose to question the decision of these Redcaps, but it's her responsibility, not this Tribunal's. And, personally, I think the Redcaps' choice to refuse upfront was wise."
*Demmnon Nious ex Miscellanea, famous for having been charged with interference on a number of occasions raises. *
Sodales, if I may.
It has been already pointed out that according to the letter of the law the redcaps sseem to be in the clear. I will also support such an statement and acquit them. However, it is also true that we consider the redcap network valuable precisely because they go beyond their responsibilities and also deliver other messages and perform other services for the wizardly community. I am certainly grateful of them (and among them, several of the accused redcaps) for delivering messages to me wherever I may be, be it at my sanctum or by the side of the king of Alba. This is what make the redcaps my worthy sodales instread of plain mundane messengers. >this is what give them their worthiness and special status, unique among mundanes. I for one would be very careful to approach them as sodales if they were not performing these extra services, and may make a move to have the tribunal consider them as companions, not magi in the future, and ehce not protected by the code anymore.
As such, I would say that a redcap that does not abide by the common role of delivering any message might not expect to be treated as a magus.
The declaration of Wizards War seems to have been legal. Each magus of High Crag had written and sent a letter to each magus of Salmon's Leap. Where is the problem? The redcap would have been a witness of the declaration, that is the reason of why they had been chosen to deliver the message, since they are Magi of the Order.
The stone thing is more complicated, and I would say that the redcaps are on the clear no matter what here, even if I like that approach to sneaky wizard wars myself (ah the memories of burning London...). Those are not messages and the redcaps are less bound by tradition to devilver such things, specially since they are NOT delivered to magi but locations, something that is less traditional.
To resume my position, a redcap that is not a messenger for the Order is just a mundane with a fancy hat. Not delivering stones to locations is perfectly fine, but messages of magi TO magi should be delivered. Otherwise they are not useful to our community and we should considered striking them from our Magi rosters.
Demnon Nious ex Miscellanea, famous for having been charged with interference on a number of occasions, and having a sulfurous personality raises.
Sodales, if I may.
It has been already pointed out that according to the letter of the law the redcaps seem to be in the clear. I will also support such an statement and acquit them. However, I am not so sure about the intent of the law. It is also true that we consider the redcap network valuable precisely because they go beyond their responsibilities and also deliver other messages and perform other services for the wizardly community. I am certainly grateful of them (and among them, several of the accused redcaps) for delivering messages to me wherever I may be, be it at my sanctum or by the side of the king of Alba. This is what make the redcaps my worthy sodales instead of plain mundane messengers. >this is what give them their worthiness and special status, unique among mundanes. I for one would be very careful to approach them as sodales if they were not performing these extra services, and may make a move to have the tribunal consider them as companions, not magi in the future, and hence not protected by the code anymore.
As such, I would say that a redcap that does not abide by the common role of delivering any message might not expect to be treated as a magus.
The declaration of Wizards War seems to have been legal. Each magus of High Crag had written and sent a letter to each magus of Salmon's Leap. Where is the problem? The redcap would have been a witness of the declaration, that is the reason of why they had been chosen to deliver the message, since they are Magi of the Order.
The stone thing is more complicated, and I would say that the redcaps are on the clear no matter what here, even if I like that approach to sneaky wizard wars myself (ah the memories of burning London...). Those are not messages and the redcaps are less bound by tradition to devilver such things, specially since they are NOT delivered to magi but locations, something that is less traditional.
To resume my position, a redcap that is not a messenger for the Order is just a mundane with a fancy hat. Not delivering stones to locations is perfectly fine, but messages of magi TO magi should be delivered. Otherwise they are not useful to our community and we should considered striking them from our Magi rosters.
Talidus, a Tytalus just entering his midle years nods sagely.
"But in this case there were no letters as I understand, merely oral messages.
I can see how our sodales of mercere could see cause to fear for their lives if our sodales of Salmon's Leap were sufficiently discomfited to kill the messagers. And indeed, while this is against the code, had they not come bearing a challenge of War?
Indeed, while I can see the problems with sending a written challenge, I would strongly recommend our sodalis at High Crag to issue a written challenge. If nothing else, then to ease the legalities afterwards.
As for the positioning of items unknown, but suspected of being bound as arcane connections, is it possible to examine these?
To me it sounds more likely they are charged devices designed to be weapons. Either way, placing them could make our sodales of mercere complicit in killings that are legal, but not for them."
Demnon Nious rises again to speak. His sulphurous smell makes the clerks nearby uncomfortable, as does the large explicit male reproducer organ painted in his cloak
Agreed on the later. Items are certainly out of the common dueties of a redcap, and they can certainly refuse the trade if they think it might not be in their benefit. However, failing to deliver the messages is not so clear cut. killing the messenger would place the magi of salmon's leap out of the code automatically, since they would have slain members of the Order of Hermes in good standing outside a wizard's war. As such, the Code would have protected our appreciated members of House Mercere.
Failing to deliver a message that is not a sumons to tribunal is legal, but not desirable. I would advise in the future that House Mercere takes care to keep their position as worthy members of the order. While legal I find this case extremely undesirable as a precedent, and would expect the senior redcap in the tribunal to discipline her fellow redcaps. Otherwise we might be searching for messengers somewhere else instead, making House Mercere an unneeded feature of the Order that we can cope without rather easily. They are far from irreplaceable after all.
So, I advise against Tribunal sanctions, but would put a friendly ear to rumors about the redcaps having been disciplined internally.
Demnon seats again. The penis in his cloak flutters and salutes all in a flowery movement while doing so
Demnon Nious rises again to speak. His sulphurous smell makes the clerks nearby uncomfortable, as does the large explicit male reproducer organ painted in his cloak
Agreed on the later. Items are certainly out of the common dueties of a redcap, and they can certainly refuse the trade if they think it might not be in their benefit. However, failing to deliver the messages is not so clear cut. killing the messenger would place the magi of salmon's leap out of the code automatically, since they would have slain members of the Order of Hermes in good standing outside a wizard's war. As such, the Code would have protected our appreciated members of House Mercere.
Failing to deliver a message that is not a sumons to tribunal is legal, but not desirable. I would advise in the future that House Mercere takes care to keep their position as worthy members of the order. While legal I find this case extremely undesirable as a precedent, and would expect the senior redcap in the tribunal to discipline her fellow redcaps. Otherwise we might be searching for messengers somewhere else instead, making House Mercere an unneeded feature of the Order that we can cope without rather easily. They are far from irreplaceable after all.
So, I advise against Tribunal sanctions, but would put a friendly ear to rumors about the redcaps having been disciplined internally.
Demnon seats again. The penis in his cloak flutters and salutes all in a flowery movement while doing so