Chapter 7bis: The Charter (End of Autumn 1013)

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica: Wake of the Schism
34

Censure strips him of his rights as a full member.* Seems more severe than what I had in mind.

Making the wrong decisions or being incompetent as a representative of the covenant doesn't make you a bad member, just one unsuited for the role of praetor.

*I'm not sure the hierarchy of full member / probationary member / protected guest is really sauitable for the covenant. We already have members vs visitors.

Why not simply allow a visitor to petition to become a member and let the council decide on a case-by-case basis? After all, we will only vote once a year about new members. If the council decide it, the visitor may be asked to repetition the following year.

35

Praetorship: I like the cyclic rotation or a vote. Both give opportunity for politics, storytelling, roleplaying, and chaos.

I think the term is likely too long. Maybe 3 years?

I also think adding in that a "Praetor may be removed from office or replaced by a Unanimous Vote of the Council" or something like that.

36

I kind of like having the probationary member category because it could grant "some" membership rights and indicates an intention to become a member. It's a vetting period. It also creates a nice place for rp, storytelling, politics, etc. Also, in game terms, if we expanded the group of players, this also lets someone ease into joining the story and troupe.

37

I don't disagree, but the visiting magus status can easily fill that role. I've always seen the probationary member status as a way of getting a magus to fulfill all of the obligations of a member while not having all of the rights.

Since the saga is taking place at such an earlier point in the history of the Order, it seems like a more rudimentary approach, with just as much potential for storytelling and politics. It also gives the covenant the option of just saying "you're not making the cut yet, keep working" to a visitor who has expressed interest in joining, but who hasn't proved himself yet because the troupe/SG decided to let some time pass without any stories.

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38

Added in cover in the Praetors absence and their removal. I will wait on more options re selection and length of service

39

"I will help," says Thomas quietly.

"I spent time studying the covenant charter that my parens brought with her when we went into hiding. I think we should make sure we add a few things to your list:

"Outline the covenants rights on resources including common vis sources, unclaimed and undisputed as well as claimed. A stance on books, magical items, money, chattel, buildings, and inhabitants that we might get when working on covenant business.

"We should probably write out something on censure and and expulsion. I hope it never comes to that, but one doesn't know.

"I also wonder if we need to define roles a bit more. Do we have a protected person status for someone who joins us for a time be they magus or mundane? Do we grant a voting or non-voting position on the council to a mundane who leads our mundanes? Do we create a probationary status to those who might wish to join us in the future?

"Janus is right about the responsibility of carrying out work for the covenant. Do we compensate for that work with a vis stipend depending on the risk as Janus outlines?

"Many things to think about, but I am happy to help get the charter going."

40

  1. not really sure about this point. If you attend from me to fight, you make a terrible mistake. i never will hurt anyone in a conscious way. I heal, without distinction. "I don't ask you who you are, who you pray, where do you come from or if you have wealth. If you suffer, i will take your pain. If you are wounded i will heal you. if you are sick, i will give you back your health."
    I will never fight, hurt or kill, with magic or mundane mean. That will be against all my belief and against the philosophy of my lineage.

  2. salary but no possession ? so if i use my own vis to enchant an item, acquire an enchanted item to a Verditius or some very specific summae about the ability owned by my lineage or -worst- by a mystery, that belongs to the covenant ? My reasearch notes are public ? I'm not a Bonisagus. my lab and what i'm doing inside are fully mine. what I pay with my personal income is mine.

  3. Could we have an emergency stock of assets who can be used without a meeting of the council ? I'm sure that you will be happy if I can tap on a corpus vis stock after a battle...

  4. a permanent gard could be considered as a service task ? If I become the healer of the covenant, I will be on permanent stand by, ready to stop my own activities to take the time useful to heal, including time to harvest herbs, make potions and balms. Some seasons, I won't have anything to do, but another I could lost a season two months after start it... I need to be sure that is covered as service and that the covenant won't ask me an additional task on a calm year.

praetor : annually, vote on the big meeting.

41
  1. not really sure about this point. If you attend from me to fight, you make a terrible mistake. i never will hurt anyone in a conscious way. I heal, without distinction. "I don't ask you who you are, who you pray, where do you come from or if you have wealth. If you suffer, i will take your pain. If you are wounded i will heal you. if you are sick, i will give you back your health."
    I will never fight, hurt or kill, with magic or mundane mean. That will be against all my belief and against the philosophy of my lineage.
    "Protecting .... to the best of their abilities" was put in for just such a case. You are not asked to fight but rather use your abilities (healing in your case) against Diedne. It would preclude you healing Diedne unless the council wanted to question them post battle and asked you specifically for instance.
  2. salary but no possession ? so if i use my own vis to enchant an item, acquire an enchanted item to a Verditius or some very specific summae about the ability owned by my lineage or -worst- by a mystery, that belongs to the covenant ? My reasearch notes are public ? I'm not a Bonisagus. my lab and what i'm doing inside are fully mine. what I pay with my personal income is mine.
    Agreed. This needs more thought on wording. the intent was that dowry brought and vis harvested etc to the Covenant could not be removed if the magi left to settle elsewhere. It should not cover vis salary earned, items made with that salary, lab notes, Personal Vis Source etc. More work needed
  3. Could we have an emergency stock of assets who can be used without a meeting of the council ? I'm sure that you will be happy if I can tap on a corpus vis stock after a battle...
    Good point - I will add in vis use for healing can be authorised by any magus
  4. a permanent gard could be considered as a service task ? If I become the healer of the covenant, I will be on permanent stand by, ready to stop my own activities to take the time useful to heal, including time to harvest herbs, make potions and balms. Some seasons, I won't have anything to do, but another I could lost a season two months after start it... I need to be sure that is covered as service and that the covenant won't ask me an additional task on a calm year.
    We need a conversation on what is Covenant service and what is not. The more comprehensive the list the less we have to agree the particular thing done is service or not

praetor : annually, vote on the big meeting.
Your preference is noted. I will await further opinions to be posted

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42

Tessa, not Tacitus.

I would keep Ungulus.

I would suggest just giving them 1 pawn from the initial harvest, no more. Searching for vis sources should be about strenghtening the covenant, not enriching oneself. We can always revise it upward later if needed.

IMHO it does not preclude healing a Diedne, provided they are not an immediate threat.

But the covenant might object if you use the covenant's raw vis for that.

Protection does not mean killing.

Not even in self-defense, or to protect someone else who is hurt and defenseless? In this saga this is not a rhetorical question.

Also note that some of the Diedne allies aren't humans. Does your character's prohibition against hurting or killing include animals? Man-eating giants? Elementals?

(Note that I ask this out of character. This is about what your character might face, and how you as a player will react. If this makes your character unplayable in this saga it would be sad. But that could happen, and that would force your character to leave or redefine her relationship with the covenant. For example remaining a long-term visitor instead of becoming a member.)

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The Oath of Covenant of Ungulus (?)

Being the charter of the Covenant of Ungulus in the 1013th Year of the Common Era.

I pledge my lifelong support and loyalty to the Covenant of Ungulus and declare that the trials and fortunes of this covenant are now my own.

Just as I am pledged to the Oath of Hermes, so do I pledge the covenant to the Order of Hermes and the authority of the Tribunal of Stonehenge.

I swear to uphold and protect this covenant regardless of the personal price. Over all the years of my life and throughout my studies and travels, I will neither betray the covenant nor give aid to its enemies. In times of need, I will aid the covenant in whatever way I am able, and I will devote myself to its service if the need is clear.

I will abide by the decisions of the ruling council of this covenant, and I will treat these decisions as if they were my own.

I will treat my fellows with respect and fairness, and I will not attempt to harm them in any way. Their blood is my blood. Where the covenant stands, there do I stand; how the covenant grows, so do I grow; should the covenant fall, then do I fall.

This I swear, upon my honor, the honor of my house and its Founder.

Given under our hand,

The Council

Praetor

Cyclical term/until next election, rotating in sequence of Hermetic seniority, defined as date of gauntlet/by election, among the full members.
Term: seven/three/one years to align to start one year following Tribunal (first term to include time until the tribunal after 1013)

Duties include:
Attend regular Council meetings
Keep order at Council meetings
Break tied votes with a discretionary vote
Determine the yearly surplus of provision and stores
Act as spokesperson of the Council
Ensure that rulings of the Council are enacted

If the Praetor is away from the Covenant his duties will be carried out by the next most senior magi who will hold his full powers until his returns.

The Praetor may be removed from the office by a unanimous vote of the other members of the council

Quorum shall be defined as "more than half" of the Council Members.

Motions:
Must be introduced by a member of the Council
Should be debated fully with allowance for all to speak
Proposal to vote must be made and seconded by another member of the Council
Passed by Simple Majority with exceptions of Changes to the Charter, Expulsion of a Member, and acceptance of a Probationary Member which require a unanimous vote.
Members not attending council meetings may appoint a proxy in writing or lose their voting rights for that meeting.

Membership Types

Full Member of the Council
Swears Oath of Covenant
Full voting and rights as outlined in the Charter

Probationary Member of the Council
May be extended to any magus in good standing in the Order with no fealty or allegiance to another covenant
Requires Unanimous approval of the Council
Duration: 7 seasons

Protected Guest
May be extended to any person by the formal invitation of a single member of the Council
No voice or vote. May attend Council meetings at the pleasure of the Council.
Status may be revoked by the inviting member of by majority vote of the Council

Determined at the Winter meeting of the Council of Members.

Resources necessary for the continued existence of the covenant and the protection of its members’ rights are accounted for first; this includes payment for seasons of work performed on behalf of the covenant, and a stipend of vis for the casting of the Aegis of the Hearth and any Longevity rituals for the magi members

Contributions to all debts owed to the covenant are decided by the Custos Arcani are set aside.

The remaining resources are deemed surplus and shall be allocated to the magi members who have performed Covenant service, defined as a season of non dangerous work, 10 days of medium dangerous work or 1 day of dangerous work, in the previous year as a vis salary.

Censure and Discipline:

If a member should contravene the decisions of the council, by vote or by charter, then the member may be censured or expelled by a vote of the Council of Members.

Censure requires the passing of a motion at a meeting of the Council of Members.

The censure of a full member revokes the rights of that status, returning him to probationary status; whereupon he assumes all the duties and rights of that status.

Expulsion is enacted by a unanimous vote of the remaining Council of Members.

Expulsion is the only means through which a member of the covenant shall lose his basic rights; and requires that the former member ceases to draw upon those basic rights subsequent to the first full moon after expulsion was enacted.

Should a magus be cast out from the Order, it is the duty and obligation of this covenant that he shall also and without delay be expelled from this covenant.

Other items

The Covenant will provide the age based vis requirements for members longevity rituals. Any additional vis used must be provided by the member.
In all things the order of priority for resources will be Member, Members Apprentice, Members Familiar, Probationary Magus, Protected guest Magus, Covenant Companion, Covenant Grog/Turb, anyone else.
Use of library resources are on a first come basis, by writing the use on the activity table posted in the council chamber, with any conflict being resolved by the Praetor based on explained need of the two parties.
The Covenant Autocrat will maintain a full list of Covenant assets, buildings, library, magic items, vis sources etc.
No communal assets may be remove on leaving the Covenant without permission of the Council
All discovered vis and vis sources belong to the Covenant. The reward for discovery is 1 pawn of the first harvest of that vis
Vis for healing may be authorised by any magus without reference to the council. They will report the use at the next council meeting to ensure good bookkeeping
If maga Tessa of Tytalus returns to the Covenant she will be granted immediate full membership and her laboratory

Outstanding issues

  1. Do we need to define Companions, Custos, Grogs and Allies and if so how?
  2. How should we select the Praetor and how long should they serve?
  3. Should we register our vis sources with the Redcaps?
  4. Should we have an automatic vis salary and the a separate vis reward for service?
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I don't think we have a choice in the matter. To do otherwise is to expose the covenant and its members to being sued for deprivation of power and/or for having taken over the covenant illegally. Until we have evidence she is dead or sufficient time has passed to believe she is in Final Twilight, her assets need to go untouched, and her membership unchallenged.

What is a request, exactly? And how does that fit in with the salary? What if I want vis for a personal project which I don't care to disclose?

I agree in principle that we should try to attend covenant meetings, however I certainly don't want the council to weigh in on whether my personal travel is approved covenant business or not. My time is my time. If I need to leave for whatever reason and I want to delegate my vote, that's my business.

I prefer secrecy to maintain our assets, not systematic disclosure.

The notion of service makes all of us monks, and I'm not sure I fully agree with the term. Nomenclature notwithstanding, does this necessarily involve spending a season?

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  1. Agreed, added to charter
  2. reworded to vis salary
  3. The point I am trying to cover is that non-attendance can not stop important votes. Hence only those that take an interest, via attendance or proxy voting get a say (hopefully everyone, but as you say it is not intended to restrict people’s movements)
  4. I don’t agree. I will add to the outstanding items
  5. No not necessarily a season, it depends on risk as below
    A season of no risk (copying, translating, lab work), 10 days of medium risk (contested vis retrieval, embassy to potentially hostile group) or 1 day of high risk (Fighting)
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Any comment from Nauvi and Betula?

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IMHO it does not preclude healing a Diedne, provided they are not an immediate threat.

But the covenant might object if you use the covenant's raw vis for that.

Protection does not mean killing.

I'm ok with that. In my way, I will use the vis of the covenant to heal the magi of the covenant. For other uses, I'm agree to need the approbation of at least one another member.
I don't need vis to heal and lower pain.

Not even in self-defense, or to protect someone else who is hurt and defenseless? In this saga this is not a rhetorical question.

Also note that some of the Diedne allies aren't humans. Does your character's prohibition against hurting or killing include animals? Man-eating giants? Elementals?

Non combattant flaw. Sionag doesn't want fight. She has no martial ability, no penetration and no attack spells... :slight_smile: and she won't have in middle or long term.
Yes, she is a total pacifist.

2 Likes
48

Here's some thoughts/possible clarification for Rights of Members including a proposal on Vis Salary:

Rights of Members:

All rights and benefits accorded by the Code of Hermes
Benefit of Sanctum
Supply of Materials
Access to Covenant Library
Victuals appropriate to status
Full access to the services and skills of covenfolk and servants
Equal Right to all surplus provision and store necessary to conduct studies, travel demanded by the studies. Such rights include, but not limited to, vis, monies, and diverse magical and mundane resources claimed by the Covenant.

The Yearly Surplus of Provision and Store:

The Yearly Surplus is defined as "that which is in excess" of the operational needs of the Covenant including any needs required to protect and assure the future survival of the covenant.

Where a conflict over the allotment of surplus resource arises, distribution is determined by vote of the Council, taking into account covenant priorities and the advice of the Praetor.

The Yearly Surplus of Provision and Store is determined by the Praetor after reviewing the general ledger and balances of the Covenant in consultation with the Autocrat and the Turb Captain.

The summary count of the Yearly Surplus is open to review by the Council and proposals can be made by the Council to amend the Yearly Surplus, requiring a Majority Vote.

Vis Salary: From the Yearly Surplus, a "vis salary" will be allocated for all Full Members and Probationary Members as proposed by the Praetor. Allocation of the vis salary shall be equal among Full members. It shall be a smaller portion but also equal among Probationary Members.

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Equal Right to all surplus provision and store necessary to conduct studies, travel demanded by the studies. Such rights include, but not limited to, vis, monies, and diverse magical and mundane resources claimed by the Covenant.

Seems to contradict

Also I don’t think probationers should get the vis allocation

We also need to decide if the vis is allocated as a “an amount for being a member” only or also “an amount for service to the Covenant” to encourage such service.

In my mind it is the latter, with service being about double the “free” vis allocation. E.g. 1+2 or 2+4 etc.

50

The Oath of Covenant of Ungulus (?)

Being the charter of the Covenant of Ungulus in the 1013th Year of the Common Era.

I pledge my lifelong support and loyalty to the Covenant of Ungulus and declare that the trials and fortunes of this covenant are now my own.

Just as I am pledged to the Oath of Hermes, so do I pledge the covenant to the Order of Hermes and the authority of the Tribunal of Stonehenge.

I swear to uphold and protect this covenant regardless of the personal price. Over all the years of my life and throughout my studies and travels, I will neither betray the covenant nor give aid to its enemies. In times of need, I will aid the covenant in whatever way I am able, and I will devote myself to its service if the need is clear.

I will abide by the decisions of the ruling council of this covenant, and I will treat these decisions as if they were my own.

I will treat my fellows with respect and fairness, and I will not attempt to harm them in any way. Their blood is my blood. Where the covenant stands, there do I stand; how the covenant grows, so do I grow; should the covenant fall, then do I fall.

This I swear, upon my honor, the honor of my house and its Founder.

Given under our hand,

The Council

Praetor

Elected by vote among the full members.
Term: until they stand down or are voted out by a majority vote of the Council

Duties include:
Attend regular Council meetings
Keep order at Council meetings
Break tied votes with a discretionary vote
Determine the yearly surplus of provision and stores
Act as spokesperson of the Council
Ensure that rulings of the Council are enacted

If the Praetor is away from the Covenant his duties will be carried out by the next most senior magi who will hold his full powers until his returns.

The Praetor may be removed from the office by a unanimous vote of the other members of the council

Quorum shall be defined as "more than half" of the Council Members.

Motions:
Must be introduced by a member of the Council
Should be debated fully with allowance for all to speak
Proposal to vote must be made and seconded by another member of the Council
Passed by Simple Majority with exceptions of Changes to the Charter, Expulsion of a Member, and acceptance of a Probationary Member which require a unanimous vote.
Members not attending council meetings may appoint a proxy in writing or lose their voting rights for that meeting.

Membership Types

Full Member of the Council
Swears Oath of Covenant
Full voting and rights as outlined in the Charter

Probationary Member of the Council
May be extended to any magus in good standing in the Order with no fealty or allegiance to another covenant
Requires Unanimous approval of the Council
Duration: 7 seasons

Protected Guest
May be extended to any person by the formal invitation of a single member of the Council
No voice or vote. May attend Council meetings at the pleasure of the Council.
Status may be revoked by the inviting member of by majority vote of the Council

Determined at the Winter meeting of the Council of Members.

Resources necessary for the continued existence of the covenant and the protection of its members’ rights are accounted for first; this includes payment for seasons of work performed on behalf of the covenant, and a stipend of vis for the casting of the Aegis of the Hearth and any Longevity rituals for the magi members

Contributions to all debts owed to the covenant are decided by the Praetor are set aside.

The remaining resources are deemed surplus and shall be allocated to the magi members.

Censure and Discipline:

If a member should contravene the decisions of the council, by vote or by charter, then the member may be censured or expelled by a vote of the Council of Members.

Censure requires the passing of a motion at a meeting of the Council of Members.

The censure of a full member revokes the rights of that status, returning him to probationary status; whereupon he assumes all the duties and rights of that status.

Expulsion is enacted by a unanimous vote of the remaining Council of Members.

Expulsion is the only means through which a member of the covenant shall lose his basic rights; and requires that the former member ceases to draw upon those basic rights subsequent to the first full moon after expulsion was enacted.

Should a magus be cast out from the Order, it is the duty and obligation of this covenant that he shall also and without delay be expelled from this covenant.

Other items

The Covenant will provide the age based vis requirements for members longevity rituals. Any additional vis used must be provided by the member.
In all things the order of priority for resources will be Member, Members Apprentice, Members Familiar, Probationary Magus, Protected guest Magus, Covenant Companion, Covenant Grog/Turb, anyone else.
Use of library resources are on a first come basis, by writing the use on the activity table posted in the council chamber, with any conflict being resolved by the Praetor based on explained need of the two parties.
The Covenant Autocrat will maintain a full list of Covenant assets, buildings, library, magic items, vis sources etc.
No communal assets may be remove on leaving the Covenant without permission of the Council
All discovered vis and vis sources belong to the Covenant. The reward for discovery is 1 pawn of the first harvest of that vis
Vis for healing may be authorised by any magus without reference to the council. They will report the use at the next council meeting to ensure good bookkeeping
If maga Tessa of Tytalus returns to the Covenant she will be granted immediate full membership and her laboratory

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This is as far as I can get it with due consideration of the comments made so far. If anyone wants to edit/amend further please feel free to do so.

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52

The idea is that as a Member, you have a right to an equal portion of the surplus. But that we're not defining how much that is. It's defined each year after the calculus of Covenant Income - Coveneant Expenses = Covenant Surplus Provision is determined.

So the Right of the Member is to be part of the division of that Surplus out to the members.

I think it could make sense that "service to the covenant" is included in the annual Operating Expenses. So if you're out on Covenant business, you are compensated out of the Operating Budget on a wage scale we determine (based on risk as you've outlined before).

The Surplus division then is independent of that.

So if Janus does a service in a season, he gets his pay-for-service at 2p (for example) before he also gets his 2p (for example) more if the Surplus is ample that year.

I think in practice, you're probably right given the vis economy. Perhaps their way to vis is through the pay-for-service method.

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53

The Charter looks reasonable. Do we definitely have enough useful work to do long-term that we'll be needed to do a season of labwork per year when it's peace time and there are no hazardous duties?