Plasmatoris watches Tastheus, listens to him speak, with an odd expression on his face. He gives his head a shake, and lets out a loud sigh. "It is easy to consider that I was not there; Because I was not there. But I can see this discussion is getting nowhere. It seems everyone except for me is content to accept the mantle of their predecessors. If you have not -" Then he shakes his head, hair bouncing around his head. "No. It is not worth it, you all will just bully my beliefs with your opinions. Nevermind."
"No, please, speak up, Plasmatoris. No one in this covenant should have to suppress what they think. Least of all for fear that those of others might oppress them." Tastheus did not intend for any of his Sodales to feel as if they could not express themselves freely.
"And no, the mantle is not easy to accept. But I was chief quaestor and I know that I will have to give an account, sooner or later, of what I have become. I have children too. I just can't afford to say "it was someone else". "
Plasmatoris sighs and squirms uncomfortably into his chair, finally finding an odd angle he seems happy with. His body relaxes and then he finally speaks. "I do not believe you will oppress me for my beliefs, but I have time and time again stated my interpretations of the situation, philosophically and spiritually. And you have not understood, have not taken the time to look at it." With a frown, his mind turns inwards briefly. He is part of the problem, he understands. They ignored his thoughts and tried to replace it with their own, so he defensively built up his position. But he won't give it up now. "It feels pointless, like explaining color to a blind man. Instead of trying to understand the concept I have presented, you assume your stance is proper and my belief is from lack of knowledge, a strange mood, or misunderstanding." To be honest, it was originally from a strange mood, he thought.
"I have stated my moods and opinions, and beliefs, and have been met with the poignant debating counterattack of 'you are wrong and get over it'."
Silas aims a glare at Plasmatoris but then suddenly seem at ease and gives a little shrug.
âPlasmatoris is right, philosophy has it place but really what we need is to finish this addendum. It was my fault we got side-tracked, its not like me to lose my usual composure â and it wonât happened again.â
He continues after a brief pause.
âSo regarding the addendum⌠On that I suppose we are already finished for today. Come tomorrow those who wishes will appear outside Argentiusâ sanctum â who will serve as our host. Anything else?â
"I don't think. We will meet tomorrow, Sodales."
In the early evening of the next day, when sun has set and the cooler evening comes to Al Kufra, Argentius arranges one more pillow atop a broad stretch of carpet that he has had his servant Nicole arrange in one of the stylized archways of the breezeway that extends out to the sides from the front of his sanctum. A low table holds refreshments.
Seemingly satisfied with the arrangement, Argentius lowers himself to a stool at the foot of the arch and awaits to see which of his sodales come to speak of the Charter.
Zarkut arrives, unexpectedly, as he has not been present at the previous discussions. The dark-haired magus seats himself near the table, lowering himself to the ground a little clumsily.
"Good evening, Argentius. I heard there are meetings on an addendum to the charter, I was curious what matters you all have discussed for proposed changes, I thought I might come sit in, if you don't mind."
Argentius looks up as Zarkut walks over and sits down.
"Greetings, Zarkut. Welcome!" The handsome artificer gestures at the well-appointed, tile adorned arched breezeway with a hand. "It isn't much but I enjoy sitting out here in the cooler evening breezes. Help yourself to refreshment," he adds with a nod to the dates, drink, and other snacks arranged on the table.
"I suppose you could characterize the discussion so far along two lines. On one hand we have a simple re-affirmation of the existing Oath of Charter with very little change to its existing language. This was my initial suggestion and seems the easiest way forward. On the other hand, Silas thoughtfully put together a more extensive set of recommendations. Those recommendations are more complex and reach a bit further, possibly too far."
Argentius sits back and shrugs. "I think our hope now is that we can find consensus on an approach that can at least carry us forward for the next decade as we get ourselves back to a position of strength."
Zarkut nods. "It is quite nice here."
He looks around, at the quiet evening in the covenant. "I have to say, I was disturbed that anyone perceived the need for addenda. I feel we are being asked to swear an oath to do things which are common sense, and common decency. Though I confess I don't remember all the proposals. But I suppose I should save my reasoning until others arrive, if they are going to. I'm not sure, though, if anyone is ever really convinced of anything, or if opinions are more like statues, formed from stone and immutable except by magic."
Tastheus arrives not long time after Zarkut.
"Salve Sodales."
He takes the time to look the decoration and the difference between the Argentius' sanctum and his own.
"You made your sanctum very confortable for the meeting, Argentius. Maybe we would move the official meeting room here."
The Tytalus has a clear smile on this remark.
Argentius smiles a Tastheus before gesturing back toward the door into the building that is his sanctum, living quarters, and lab.
"I take no credit for that veritable palatial quality of the sanctum my forgotten self established," says the artificer. "But I do enjoy this area out front with its shadow and occasional breeze. The desert isn't all bad, at least when the sun sets."
The Verditius gestures at the table of refreshments. "Help yourself, Tastheus. I think we're waiting on a few others before we start in on the task at hand." Argentius smiles again.
"And no, my humble abode wouldn't be at all suited for our meetings. The forge is far too hot."
Silas approaches Argentius building with care. He slows in his approach and internally debates just turning back. He gets there a bit late. He sees the others and fidgets some with his protective amulet before taking the final steps. His worst fears are washed away when the location doesnât look much like a studio after all, indeed he hasnât seen any damned rings yet.
âAh sodales. Sorry for my lateness. I had a few things I had to pick up.â
From the little package he has carried with him he pulls up fine parchment and a collection of some of the finest ink he could get his hands on. Silas was rather busy after the meeting yesterday running from automata to automata.
âA few tools for the occasion. Produced by yours truly, by proxy.â
He smiles and puts down the materials on the carpets and sits down himself.
(I think that's everyone likely to attend - Lares wouldn't participate to avoid having a nervous breakdown :P)
Plasmatoris will meander and stumble his way into the meeting at apparently the very last moment. The artist's demeanor is half-asleep, and he looks like he just crawled out of a bed. Wordless noises of greeting escape him, as he slumps into a chair and sets his satchel before him. Even apparently half-asleep, he moves with a very specific care when pulling his art supplies out of his satchel, and begins to use charcoal to create a rough sketch of Tastheus, as if barely paying attention.
Argentius greets Silas and Lares, inviting them to cushions and refreshment.
"If I'm not mistaken, we had two draft proposals in front of us. Both proposals were set forth as an addendum to the existing covenant charter." He sets out the two proposals in draft form for others to review.
"Silas's more extensive addendum to the Charter (The Addendum to the Charter - Google Docs ) and my less extensive re-affirmation of the core oaths of the Charter: Investigations - #151 by Bartomeus ."
The handsome artificer takes a bite from a plump date.
"It seems the question still pivots around the question of how extensively we need to amend the existing charter. It still strikes me as wise to amend as little as possible so that we can maintain to the Tribunal that despite the event we experienced, we remain the same magi, same covenant, and same charter that was ratified at our founding." He finishes the date.
"Sodales? What thoughts do you have? Tastheus? You are a quesitor, are you not?"
Argentius takes another date from the platter, turning it over in his hands before sitting back again in the silence.
"There are a few salient points I think need to be addressed," the Jerbiton says, though his head is down, and the mess of his hair is fallen across his face. His attention seems focused on the charcoal sketch he is making on a scrap of parchment, but his words are still clear, if thoughtful in tone. "As our lovely Argentius mentioned, we need to decide how extensively we will amend the charter for our new situation. More important in my mind, we need to review the existing charter, and decide if we want to continue to uphold the current charter, what clauses we support and disapprove of, and how it applies to all of us as new-but-old members of the Covenant. I will be honest that the chaos of our awakening here has kept me from giving the old charter a proper review."
Plasmatoris lifts his head, studying Tastheus appraisingly, before adding a few more gentle lines to his sketch of the magus. Then he adds, "Oh, did anyone actually bring a copy of the old charter?"
Argentius moves a scroll over toward the talented, disheveled artist.
"I've got a copy here."
Covenants Layout.indd (atlas-games.com)
(OOC: I believe we had assumed a basic charter based on the Arae Flaviae charter that is in the appendix of the Covenants book.)
"I agree with you, Plasmatoris, in principle, but I am concerned that if we make too many changes we may invite either investigation or judgement from the Quesitori. We're in for a deep cavity search as it is once they learn what has happened here. I'm not sure we should dig the hole deeper."
Mostly, with this additional notes:
Zarkut puts down the cup of wine he has been sipping, as he broods over the copy of the addendum.
"I wanted to come along because I have a fundamental objection. I thought perhaps it might be helpful to discuss it. I don't understand the need for an addendum at all. My opinion is... well, it's impossible to make a set of rules without a loophole for someone to take advantage of. And if someone truly wants to act against the covenant, they may even ignore the rules, and rely on any number of methods to get away with it. I think a charter is a symbol, that the magi are committed to being a community; the form is important only in that it doesn't infringe on anyone's rights unfairly, and provides a form of agreement that is basically standardized with the rest of the Order. So I don't really understand the reason for addenda. Honestly, I feel we are still bound by the original charter; our souls are still the souls of those who signed. I don't particularly object to any of Silas' clauses, but I feel they are implicit in what it means to be sodales, in this covenant, existing cooperatively in the current situation; and it disturbs me that anyone feels that we all must be sworn to such things. I suppose we are strangers, but we are also all in the same predicament. And frankly, if one of us wanted to violate those terms, there's little that could be done about it, in particular I don't understand how we could enforce the terms around secrecy and outsiders."