I don't know how to create polls either, but I agree one might be a good idea at some point during these discussions - I'm not sure it's needed yet though. We can get a lot further with sharing ideas, brainstorming and making spinoffs of the ideas of others.
I for one could see a combination of two of marlawfords ideas:
- A source book of four completely NEW Houses - Just pretend we had four brand new Houses to play with, what would they look like?
- A source book for the fourteenth century - how mundane politics, institutions, and philosophical understanding develops
Idea Outline
Imagine the Order rethinking their role in a future Mythic Europe (maybe 1320). Maybe kings, nobles and other rulers have changed their options and altered the scales of power or maybe magical havens and resources are scarcer than ever. Or what if the church is growing ever stronger and some consider direct retaliation the only option while others vote for conversion to Christianity, and still others call for decades of total isolation. Initiating this decision (whatever the Order chooses) - or directly following this choice - the Order gets reconstructed. A Grand Tribunal is held, where some Houses are left weakened as a result of their actions during the conflict and some might even be destroyed completely. If open conflict was the climax, maybe the Tremere, Tytali and/or Flambeau failed to play the part expected of them against the True Faithed, divine adversaries... or maybe the Jerbiton sided with the mundane or the Church. Or if isolation was the chosen action, maybe one House couldn't keep a low profile or refused to be cowed and thus endangered the Order through exposure.
Consequences
However dire the outlook, some event saved the Order from total destruction in the 12th hour, and many political positions, alliances and privileges are questioned or outright broken as a result. More than one Primus died or disappeared during the conflict, or chose to retire because of pressure, lost beliefs or for reasons more intimate or mystical reasons. Death, twilight, coups and disappearings effectively halves the average age of the Magi in the Order – making some naming it a rejuvenation. A few of the new strong Magi that performed well during the conflict, call for a rebirth of the Order. They claim that through prosperity and peace the Order has grown fat, lacy and overconfident placing their faith in self-centered Archmagi and twisted Winter Covenants. Through near-worshipping of the beliefs of Founders that have been dead for centuries, the Order has become out of date and alienated. Instead they request a new founding to take place immediately, starting with a total nullification of all grants, with individual Magi claiming to represent and lead the new Houses of the future Order of Hermes.
The ReFounding
At this so-called ReFounding many of the earlier Archmagi and Prima will defend the actions of their respective Houses and attempt to make arguments for their future role in the Order. Thus, most of the original Houses will remain, but maybe slightly altered in scope or ambition - maybe with newly gained respect or alternately with diminished power. A few new Houses will be formed, however, by ambitious Magi seeking power, prestige or with more lofty goals such as the growth of the Order on a grand scale. Also the Magi might agree that new measures should be taken into account, and new tools need to be forged to meet the requirements of the future, and thus an entirely new House with a very specific purpose might be created as a result of a request made through common vote. Perhaps some events showed that an Order of secretive, stealthy sorcerer assassins are more usefull in this ‘modern’ context than battleforged conjurers of lightning and fire. Or maybe a House is created with some of the renounced elderly Magi, swearing oaths of pacifism acting as Lorekeepers of the Order with the role to observe, record, analyze and give counsel. The design of such new Houses would depend highly on the nature of ‘The Conflict’ and how it is absolved.
In terms of writing tasks and division of workflow, some might describe ‘The Conflict’ in greater detail prior to the actual launching month as a kind of ‘setting’. Then during the 30 days, some will create material explaining what effect this has on the existing Houses, and the major changes in Mythic Europe. Maybe one of the Houses are completely destroyed or abandoned – or maybe the Diedne finally return from their hiding saving the Order at large. Others will help create some of the choicest small pieces of an imagined greater work similar to HoH: Houses ReFounded (insert cool name here) – where 4 new Houses are detailed, ready to meet future challenges. This includes design and descriptions of Houses, important Magi, history and story hooks, spells and devices etc. Lots of room for many author’s and a wide enough scope to include many different themes and to fit almost any writing style.