"To detect the infernal we ask those with the skill to discern our inhabitants. And to be involved widely. Father Augustus and my familiar both have the ability to detect good and evil. Then where evidence or suspicion is found we investigate directly, using all means. Magically we could query an individual for this and may find enough to"
"It's a far point, though it begs the question, why include a provision about it at all? Consorting with Demons is already against the Code, so it feels redundant. If we found practicing Infernalists, it would be our duty to stamp them out. Besides, as some have so astutely noted, it's all too easy to paint others with the brush of Infernalism, when none actually exists. Why go down that road if we don't need to?"
"Ah, but magically we unfortunately run into the Limit of the Infernal," Magnus replies. "As we all know, Intellego magic is almost completely useless against the Infernal."
Atolycus inclines his hand to Magnus in a gesture of concession. "I can't say I know much about magic my friend, so I'll trust you on that point. However I simply think that the Code covers Infernalism well enough, there's little reason for us to add provisions condemning it."
"For the devils themselves yes, but often not their worshipers and willing servants. And this is even more why having a mix of skills is valuable. Magic may not be able to reach through the illusions of the infernal; the divine can."
"Code only covers magi. This is for the covenfolk we have on the island. While it might be hard to discern the infernal when its present, without the infernal its almost impossible to frame someone well enough to stand up to the inspection of Hermetic Magi. Maybe some peasants can screw up and accuse Cathars, but we're not going to mistake a Dominion Aura for an Infernal one. I doubt the Church could even flub that one. What if we made it clear the Council of Magisters would need to confirm the existence of infernalism before any action is taken? We don't want some uneducated fool taking matters into his own hands. This isn't to say the Infernal isn't to be taken lightly, but that falsely accusing someone of infernalism isn't exactly easy."
Artemis is unaware that the Church probably doesn't even officially recognize auras.
Magnus shrugs. "It may be redundant, Atolycus, but I say we put it into the Maxima Carta because it does no harm and it's important to Artemis. Diabolism is forbidden whether we say so or not; we might as well say so. And I have every confidence that Meliai will be able to provide some safeguards to the rules so that non-infernals won't be swept up with too broad a brush."
"First, the rules must involve the knowing use of infernal powers or worship of infernal entities, meaning that the worshiper must know they are infernal. Dupes should not be prosecuted, but once the nature of the infernal is revealed it must be rejected, any further actions are certainly done with knowledge. Second the existence of the infernal, with regards to human activity, must be verifiable. No offense to Father Agustus, I have encountered him enough to trust him on this issue, but having members of a religious sect who claim to know the devil on sight may be worthy of investigation, but not condemnation. On the other hand I think it should be the right of any magus of any stripe to cast Demons Eternal Oblivion on anyone or anything at whim. After all, if it injures someone, that someone is a demon, and not a human, and therefore has no rights."
Atolycus shrugs, seemingly uncaring. "It hardly seems an issue to me, but if others are so passionate about it, fine, let us include a provision." Glancing around at the assembled Magi, he asks "Is there anything else that we wish to discuss?"
"Actually, while we are on the topic of worship, I think we should specify that we are able to regulate the location of any religious center which generate a divine aura, and wonder about a provision against the preaching of... I'm not sure how to phrase this. Hostility towards other religions? Advocating force in conversion? Perhaps enforced with banning access to sites of worship? I know that there are places where nobles have power over the local church, and I'm trying to not step on tolerance issues, but I also want to enforce tolerance as best we can."
"It should be relatively simple to put in a rule that says that it requires the permission of the local magister to create a place of worship for any non-infernal religion," Magnus replies. "Which permission will not be unreasonably withheld. The location of the place of worship can be regulated, but a reasonable space must be provided. I know we're concerned with Divine Auras, but I don't think the people will understand that significance. It's probably best if we just make it a blanket limitation on all places of worship. That way the rules are fair and no one will be bent out of shape."
"What that means, of course, is that any canton might have a center of pagan worship, and any canton might have a church."
"I can support a ban on any hostility in religious preaching and hostility against other religions. There's enough of that on the continent. We want to make this a place of peace. But I don't want to outlaw preaching altogether. I'd prefer that the island be a place where ideas are shared freely, and peaceful debate - about magic, philosophy, and even religion - is encouraged."
"I'm not sure what you mean by banning access to sites of worship. Do you mean that if someone is convicted of hostility against another religion that they be banned from their own place of worship as a punishment? Wouldn't that just drive worship underground? I would imagine that fines or imprisonment would be much better punishments."
"I bring it up only because of stories I have heard on the continent where nobles could lock priests out of their church. Honestly it was more of a source of amusement for me at the time than a consideration of governance. I'm not certain how it would work, or if it would."
Artemis is fairly happy with this outcome. "Banning people from their place of worship seems like a poor punishment for a lot of reasons. I agree at the very least we don't want bogus accusations of infernalism. Good way to cause a panic. Similarly preaching violence isn't acceptable, and using religion is a poor excuse. Or at least the Divine doesn't want violence. Suspicion of infernalism should be brought to us."
"I'm glad that we've seemingly resolved this to everyone's satisfaction. Are there any other outstanding issues with Magnus' proposal, or are we all satisfied?"
Meliai starts to reread the proposal, but quickly shifts to scanning it briefly "Sure, this looks good, I think."
"Point of order on Meliai's suggestion. We should have authority and agreement on any aura, not just divine. Magical, Fae, etc all matter and should be tested the same. Just as we don't want Divine auras to propagate through the island we also do not want the same of Fae. Both bring risks and impacts.
"Good point," Magnus replies. "We'll want to have authority over any Auras on the island. Of course, I'm not sure if any faeries will submit to our authority. But to the extent that people are involved in raising Faerie Auras, you're right, we should be the controlling authority over those."
"I would propose that regulations of auras be local to the cantons." Meliai offers, "We don't need that to become a point of contention between us as we would be intervening in each others space."
OOC: in other words we keep the management of auras local to cantons? Hmm I'm not convinced. It seems like the spread of auras might be a problem issue. If an unwanted aura spreads into a new canton hoe do you propose we manage that?
What are the thoughts of others? Is this saying that Meliai gets to restrict dominion in her canton?
Constantine won't welcome fae auras from their presence, especially if encouraged by fae. Magical sure, especially so!
"I believe the question of auras is one that concerns us all," Magnus replies. "And I'd prefer that there be a uniform rule throughout the island. That way we know that everyone on the island will be treated with the same degree of fairness."
"There's also the fact that we have two faerie auras and two regios, one magical and one faerie, on the island. By chance the faerie auras are in Danusylvania and Elysium and the regios are in Danusylvania and Ragnarok. But I feel that those auras and regios are potential resources for the entire island. While they're located in individual cantons, I believe that the regulation of such auras and regios is a matter of interest to us all. I, for one, would like to guarantee access to the regios at the very least to members of the Council, and their representatives, so that they can be adequately explored."
"I'm also concerned that a local approach to auras could make for an uneven treatment of residents of the island. Activities relating to an aura in one part of the island might be different than in in another. That could, in the most extreme case, prevent a church from being founded in a canton if a Magister decided that he didn't want a Dominion aura in his canton. I'd like to avoid that possibility."