Agreed on this one. I think we likely need to define more than full member, probationary member, and protected guest.
Perhaps we define Companions, Custos, Grogs, and Allies?
The Council
Praetor
Cyclical term, rotating in sequence of Hermetic seniority, defined as date of gauntlet, among the full members.
Term: seven 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
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.
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 settlement of requests from each member of the covenant.
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.
- All members must attend seasonal Covenant meeting or lose their vote for that meeting. If away on approved Covenant business a proxy may be appointed, in writing, for that meeting only
- A vis salary of ?? will be given to each member at the Winter Solstice if they have performed their Covent service in the previous four seasons
- 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, Visiting 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 leader based on explained need of the two parties.
- All those at the Covenant will defend the Covenant and its assets to the best of their abilities.
- All those at the Covenant will pursue the destruction of house Diedne and their allies to the best of their abilities.
- The Covenant Autocrat will maintain a full list of Covenant assets, buildings, library, magic items, vis sources etc.
- All vis sources will be registered with the Redcaps to support any dispute on ownership
- All assets, except Talismen, Familiars, Apprentices, belong to the Covenant. No other assets may be remove on leaving the Covenant without permission of the Council**
- No asset belonging to the Covenant can be removed or spent without the majority approval of the council.
- All discovered vis and vis sources belong to the Covenant. The reward for discovery is covered by the vis salary.
- The Autocrat and the Turb Captain will have a seat on the council with full voting rights. They will not have the vis salary of the magi members
- Each Member shall carry out one season of work for the Covenant per year. Acceptable service is a full season of no risk activity (copying, adding own spells to the library, creating spells or items), upto 10 days of moderate risk (collecting contested vis sources, undertaking an embassy) or upto three days of high risk activity (Fighting a Magus). All are examples only.
Outstanding issues
- Do we need to define Companions, Custos, Grogs and Allies and if so how?
- How do we deal with magi not attending council when votes are important?
- Do we include a clause that if Tacitus returns they get immediate membership status and their old lab back?
- Do we rename Ungulus to make clear it is a new regime?
- Should 1st harvest of a new vis source go to the finder (who already gets his vis salary for that action)?
I wonder if we should amend this slightly;
"The right of first harvest of a new vis source belongs to the finder or finders."
That might incent the hunting for vis sources.
My thinking was that you get your vis salary for doing it and we are short of vis. I add it to the “issues” list for wider discussion.
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I wasn't set on a specific wording, and this one works for me.
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The Oath of Covenant of Ungulus (?)
Being the charter of the Covenant of <> in the 1013th Year of the Common Era.
I pledge my lifelong support and loyalty to the Covenant of <> 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,
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Perhaps a slightly less severe wording might be more amenable to the less violent magi in the troupe. Thadeus wouldn't mind, but I think at least a few are less militant in their position.
What about: The covenant and its members are dedicated to protecting the Order of Hermes against house Diedne and their allies to the best of their abilities.
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The Oath of Covenant of Ungulus (?)
Being the charter of the Covenant of <> in the 1013th Year of the Common Era.
I pledge my lifelong support and loyalty to the Covenant of <> 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, rotating in sequence of Hermetic seniority, defined as date of gauntlet, among the full members.
Term: seven 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.
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 settlement of requests from each member of the covenant.
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.
- All members must attend seasonal Covenant meeting or lose their vote for that meeting. If away on approved Covenant business a proxy may be appointed, in writing, for that meeting only
- A vis salary of ?? will be given to each member at the Winter Solstice if they have performed their Covenant service in the previous four seasons
- 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, Visiting 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 leader based on explained need of the two parties.
- All those at the Covenant will defend the Covenant and its assets to the best of their abilities.
- The covenant and its members are dedicated to protecting the Order of Hermes against house Diedne and their allies to the best of their abilities.
- The Covenant Autocrat will maintain a full list of Covenant assets, buildings, library, magic items, vis sources etc.
- All vis sources will be registered with the Redcaps to support any dispute on ownership
- All assets, except Talismen, Familiars, Apprentices, belong to the Covenant. No other assets may be remove on leaving the Covenant without permission of the Council**
- No asset belonging to the Covenant can be removed or spent without the majority approval of the council.
- All discovered vis and vis sources belong to the Covenant. The reward for discovery is covered by the vis salary.
- The Autocrat and the Turb Captain will have a seat on the council with full voting rights. They will not have the vis salary of the magi members
- Each Member shall carry out one season of work for the Covenant per year. Acceptable service is a full season of no risk activity (copying, adding own spells to the library, creating spells or items), upto 10 days of moderate risk (collecting contested vis sources, undertaking an embassy) or upto three days of high risk activity (Fighting a Magus). All are examples only.
Outstanding issues
- Do we need to define Companions, Custos, Grogs and Allies and if so how?
- How do we deal with magi not attending council when votes are important?
- Do we include a clause that if Tessa returns they get immediate membership status and their old lab back?
- Do we rename Ungulus to make clear it is a new regime?
- Should 1st harvest of a new vis source go to the finder (who already gets his vis salary for that action)?
- How should we select the Praetor and how long should they serve?
Are we sure we want such long terms of praetorship?
Do we want to use a set criteria for rotation? Would a different way of selecting the praetor be better to promote good leadership?
Added to the outstanding issues log.
Also, can a council meeting take place if the praetor isn't present?
Would that mean the praetor cannot leave the covenant?
EDIT: Can a bad praetor be unseated? Or step down?
You could get rid of him via the CENTURE section above. Probably do need a clause to allow him to give his duties to a deputy if he is to be absent.
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.
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.
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.
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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Added in cover in the Praetors absence and their removal. I will wait on more options re selection and length of service
"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."
-
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. -
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.
-
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...
-
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.
- 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. - 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 - 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 - 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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