"And a pontifex unreasonably fixated on having an inferior tool for a simple job-- one which is not in demand. There is nothing a flying carpet would provide that cannot be accomplished more elegantly elsewise. We are Andorran magi and Flambeau, not children playing Arabian Nights. Your Artifex is an armorer; if you would prefer a charlatan that caters to childish whims without regard for practicality, then you are an apple that has fallen disappointingly far from the tree. Good day, miss."
Carmen scowls as she is chastised, then the fuse blows.
How? You tell me how and what. A flying ship? Stupid freakin' idea! We are a landlocked nation. And ships are difficult to hide and even more difficult to carry around with you when unused. There are many good reasons why the carpet motif is classic. You can carry a roomful of stuff upon it, it can be stored innocuously or used as a simple carpet that no one suspects. You can carry it in your baggage. We are travelling on a ship. "Oh, the ship is sinking? Well, my grogs and I will simply escape using the handy flying carpet". You can quickly transport your entourage with no difficulty. How can you be so stubborn and stupid and so blinded by pride? This is a good freakin' idea flabnabbergasket!
But fine. If it is outside the range of your ability, you can hide behind excuses of calling the idea inefficient and unseemly. If you can't do it, I'll find someone that can. Maybe I'll do it myself. In fact, you know what? I'm going to sponsor a magic item contest. I'm gonna go find that third chest hidden in the ice cavern, use the vis to sponsor a contest, fund every master as needed to craft one magic item that is of the most benefit and usefulness to the covenant.
It will be of benefit to the covenant, ten new items placed on our equipment list. We will hold a ballot to determine the winner, the prize merely an honorific and the knowledge that they know how to best provide for the needs of the team.
It would just kill you if my flying carpet beats you.
"Absolutely not. Not without some oversight on projects. It is beyond irresponsible to squander covenant resources in such a manner-- do you know Vocis can't even manage a single rook?! To even consider squandering such resources because you're having a temper tantrum, though... You dishonor yourself, your father's name, this covenant, and our entire House. Now, can you collect yourself and behave like an adult and our Pontifex, or do I need to turn you over my knee and spank you?"
Get out. Now.
Vulcanus will ask the resident Redcaps to help him in writing a document, possibly to append to the charter, or otherwise just to post in the Vault as a general notice. (His face is scarlet red when he asks Fedora... actually, no, he'd just go to Tiana and pray to all the gods that the foolish woman doesn't make a marriage proposal.) Once the document is written, he'll ask Solomon to look over it, and then present it to the council to get their feedback.
COVENANT ASSETS
The purpose of this document is to outline the costs and usage of effects belonging to the Covenant of Andorra.
COMMUNAL PROPERTY: Items designated as communal property may, at any time, be utilized by a Master, or put to use by custos at the direction of a Master.
An item of communal property may be designated for exclusive use to an Andorran Master, consors, or custos at the Artifex's discretion. Such items strictly remain property of Andorra, and will be subject to the following strictures:
- Annual inspection by the Artifex to ensure prudent use. Items abused or recklessly applied will revert to communal property, and individuals will be held liable for damage inflicted to covenant property due to negligence or willful misuse.
- Designated-Use items may be temporarily re-issued for other use by the Artifex or a Pontifex, when deemed beneficial for furthering the covenant's interests.
- In the event of an emergency, any Master may utilize any item belonging to the covenant of Andorra, regardless of whether it is designated for any specific use.
- Any master found damaging covenant property due to negligence may not use any covenant property for a probationary period no less than one year. (Vulc tries to get the Librarian in solidarity with him on including our texts as "covenant property" here. You sneeze on a book and get snot all over one of our summae, you don't get to use any covenant magic items; you drop a magic cloak in the mud and let your horse trample it, you don't get to read any books.)
- Designated Use items revert to communal property upon the magus' death or passage into Final Twilight. Should a magus leave the covenant, voluntarily or involuntarily, all covenant property must be returned to the covenant immediately [strike]ON PAIN OF DEATH AND/OR DISMEMBERMENT[/strike]. ("No," Tiana explains, "You can't-- it doesn't-- the Code-- oh, nevermind, I'm just going to cross that out.")
- MAGI WHOSE MEMBERSHIP IN ANDORRA HAS BEEN TERMINATED: If such a magus has enjoyed the designated use of any covenant property for a period of ten years, they must reimburse the covenant the cost, in vis, of that item, unless the cost was paid originally by the Master who enjoyed its use. A Master leaving Andorra who has enjoyed Designated Use of covenant property for less than ten years shall reimburse Andorra a prorated amount, rounded up.
- Masters who have enjoyed the designated use of Andorra's communal property must leave no less than half of their personal effects (determined by value in vis) to the covenant vaults upon the Master's death or passage into Final Twilight. *** Vulc expects this to be pretty controversial but he will be quite adamant about trying to pass this.
ITEMS SPECIFICALLY CRAFTED FOR DESIGNATED USE
Should a Master require an item to assist them in better serving Andorra, a Designated Use item may be made to their specifications at the Artifex's discretion, subject to the following:
- The covenant budget will provide for the item.
- The item is the de jure property of Andorra, and is subject to all the aforementioned strictures.
- Any vis invested by the item's de facto owner in adding further enchantments are considered a donation. If the item reverts back into Communal Property or is re-assigned to another person, for any reason, Andorra will not, under any circumstances, reimburse for added value.
ADDED VALUE
- Should any Andorran property have vis capacity that any Master should wish to fill, the cost of the enchantment may be paid for out of the Artifex's budget at the Artifex's discretion.
- No magus may enchant an item of Andorran property without Artifex approval of the enchantment.
- Should any magus enchanting an item of Andorran property damage or destroy such an item due to magical mishap, that individual may be required to reimburse Andorra for the damage [strike]and/or lose a hand[/strike], at the Artifex's discretion.
Do you mean on the Council chamber door?
[color=red]"What makes an item 'Communal Property' as opposed to an item that was created as a collaborative effort between two magi, or for one magus on behalf of another?"
[color=red]"Makes sense. If you're going to break something, you shouldn't be given more changes to break anything for a while."
[color=red]"If we can have magic items and texts as separate categories, yes. I don't think we can deprive someone of the ability to study just because they're a klutz."
((Being hanged, drawn, and quartered was actually the Wikipedia Featured Article a couple of weeks ago.))
[color=red]"What if the vis cost wasn't paid by the Covenant, but wasn't paid by Designated User, either? Say, for example, Carmen makes an...I don't know, a magical helm for Estaban as a gift and uses her own vis? Does Estaban still have to pay the covenant the vis cost for it?"
[color=red]"Wait...what? Why should I be forced to leave all my worldly possessions, magical and otherwise, to the covenant instead of, say, my husband and children? Or whoever else I chose?
Do we even have a Librarian?
"Communal property is owned by the covenant. An item one magus makes for another is made with personal funds, not covenant budget."
"A klutz is a klutz, no matter what their ineptitude destroys. But if others agree that we should be more tolerant of gross negligence than I would be, I will concede and keep separate the punishments for damaging different types of resources."
"If Carmen makes a helm using her own vis and her own steel, it's hers to do with as she pleases. If she gives it to the covenant, it becomes covenant property. If she gives it to Esteban, it's Esteban's to do with as he pleases."
Vulcanus frowns. "You should WANT to leave some of your possessions to the covenant after your passing. Your husband and children will not be contributing significantly to your magical development; your covenant does. Your family will already benefit from Andorra's investment in you. Surely you would not be so ungracious as to neglect to return half of that investment upon your passing, to benefit those who will succeed you?"
[color=red]"So, if, and I know the odds of this happening are astronomical, but just for the sake of argument, if somehow a breastplate you were enchanting for the covenant should shatter, you believe that you shouldn't be allowed access to the covenant library for seven years?"
[color=red]"I think I should be allowed to bequeath my valuables to whomever I want. If my husband is a magus, I'd imagine he would get most of my magical items. If he's Flambeau eyebat [color=red]then he'd definitely get my arms. Any other magical items, I should be able to either leave him or leave the covenant without being forced to give so much to one or the other. And how, pray tell, shall we determine the vis value of my dresses?"
"Seven seems excessive. But it says, right here, 'No less than one year.'"
"If your dresses are mundane items, then their vis value is zero. Given how frequently you seem to lose your clothes, though, enchanting your dresses seems ill-advised. And if you intend to marry some outsider and leave bequeath your magical legacy to... to some man you're sleeping with, instead of to your sodales who fight beside you and bleed beside you..." he looks disgusted, "...I don't even know you." (Go, go, Judged Unfairly! 
)
Vibria raises a brow. [color=red]"Well, notwithstanding the fact that marriage is more than just sleeping together, I would be very surprised, and disappointed, if my husband wasn't in residence here, if not a member of the Council, and would fight and bleed beside me."
She looks at him curiously, trying to determine if he might be jealous of her "theoretical future husband." ((Per 0 + Folk Ken 0 + die roll of 4 = 4.))
(Against Guile 0 - 3 Com + 4 = 1.) Vulcanus has absolutely no idea Vibria was trying to flirt with him just then, but he's pissed at the idea that she would place her mundane family above her Hermetic sodales. He didn't show any signs of jealousy about the idea of Vibria having a husband, but he did twitch, badly, at her casual suggestion of "I should be able to leave him..."
"If you intend to marry a magus and bring him to Andorra, then you should have no qualms about bequeathing your magic items to the covenant, where he will still benefit from them."
Vulc's dismal Guile is bad enough that anyone who can beat an EF 1 will get that he really doesn't expect anyone to agree to that bit, but it's important enough to him that he's trying to sell it anyway.
[color=red]"Hmmph!"
Vibria's voting to strike that particular clause. ((Per 0 + Folk Ken 0 + (die roll of 1, followed by a die roll of 3) 6 = 6.))
Carmen's considers the points of the proposal and responds.
Understood. Perhaps you need to clarify the meaning of "Communal Property" though, Items owned by the covenant, having been purchased, made for, or gifted to the council for the express use of the covenant. Or simply say "Covenant Property" instead.
I would rather you said "at the council's discretion as advised by the Artifex". You may also wish to extend this to say items may be designed or allocated for the express, restricted, and/or sole use of another member. Perhaps based upon the duties and expectations of that member. For example, Vibria's armor. I believe the council approved that expense? Our members need to be equipped to defend themselves, and Vibria has the potential to be one of our heavy hitters one day. And it would be nice if her close didn't fall off or get destroyed during and adventure for a changesize=1[/size]).
But when it comes to the idea of "Structures", I am extremely reticent to consider anything that may inhibit the rights and privileges of our members. Especially Masters. Strictures should be held for a Journeyman member.
I can abide with this. However, you should make a distinction by saying "gross negligence", we are not worried about accidents or trivial mistakes.
Give this power to the council, under the advisement of the Artifex or a Pontifex.
Naturally.
I motion to strike this clause. If a member is found guilty of willful misuse or gross negligence, as defined by this proposal, the council already has the right to fine them or assign other penalties as due for a Low Crime. Which this would be at most. Suspension of rights and privileges such as this is only for High Crimes.
You do need to word this better, but I can see your point if it is, after all, covenant property to begin with. However, the council can choose to gift said item to the legitimate heirs of the departed.
Which we shall get to in a moment...
No need for this, and no way to enforce it. Just have them return the covenant their lawful property and go.
No. Absolutely not. The heirs of a magus are who he wills them to be or as determined by natural law. Those of his lineage have a claim, as does his family. Mundane or not, family claims are natural law and take precedence of many magnitude before simple familiarity. Family first, then lineage, then covenant mates. That's the way it goes. Items of covenant property in his possession at the time, we keep those, but may choose to gift them to the departed other heirs.
I can agree to all of this.
Change this to "Council's Decision under advisement of the Artifex", and we're fine. Except for this (what's this about a hand?) part that you already struck out.
"I'd like to avoid holding a council meeting every time a matter of item usage comes up. Hence 'Artifex discretion.' If the Council finds the Artifex's discretion lacking, a new Artifex should be appointed."
How about saying "At the discretion of the Artifex with consent of the council" ?
"As long as consent doesn't require a damn meeting," he grunts.
It would simply mean that the council can also allocate or reallocate resources as needed.
"So you're going to change the charter's definition of the Artifex's role?" He clears his throat, and recites, "'Pertaining to enchanted items of communal property, the Artifex has the discretion of what shall be distributed or available.' Now you're not only complaining about the pre-existing term 'communal property' but also arguing that the council should oversee every step of the Artifex's role and may overrule every decision he makes? There's no point in HAVING an Artifex, then. Sodales, can you excuse the two of us for a moment?"
(Snipped, as Mark decided none of this never happened.)
Make sure you wipe all that irony off your boots before tracking it into the council chamber. 