Just take my roll of 11 above. That is what I was aiming for. Otherwise I'll roll again at some point.
With this info,in the morning Clement will inform Procella that he will travel to Durenmar and Coeris to confer and be back within a week. Ignore the part about seeing the Inner Council.
He will then head to the portal and make the hops to Lycaneon and then Leap of Homecoming to Coeris to confer with Poena first.
You can guess that the least bad alternative is to have a properly appointed Quaesitor of senior status would be the best course of action for a Grand Tribunal. However, the present situation results in a choice between a Traditionalist and a Transitionalist. Prima Bilera has kept the sides off balance, but this could well be the point that one side will gain supremacy over the other side.
Clement arrives at Coeris and the first maga to greet him is Angiola, her belly plump with a child. "Clement, welcome to Coeris. I was asked to provide you a token while Poena finishes her meeting and ascertain if you needed any additional assistance on behalf of Janus."
Clement clasps her hand as he takes the token. You look radiant today Angiola. I hope you are feeling well.
He then walks beside her up to the gates of the oppidum. We will have a political matter to deal with. Prima Guernicus is caught in twilight. Not a final one according to their expert but still it changes our tack in the matter.
Angiola glares at Clement, "Don't be ridiculous. No one glows when they waddle everywhere." At the news, "Yes, you need to see Janus immediately," and she takes Clement to Janus's office, knocks and says to the door, "Clement has returned, there are some complicating factors."
Almost before she's finished saying the word factors, the door opens and Janus looks at the pair seriously, "Complications? Out with it, what are they? What's the proposed solution?"
Clement explains the situation at Magvillus and about the two letters he has written but not delivered.
As far solutions, there are not any easy ones. If I were to follow through on my order it would set a bad precedence for the future. The Traditionalist and the Traditionalist factions might bring the House to a civil war. I was going to try and convince the Inner Council to appoint me Tribunal Quaesitor and the fall back was the letters. Tria does not know about this development yet. I am open to new ideas.
Janus scratches his chin. Angiola excuses herself, and to use her term, waddles away. Janus invites Clement to have a seat in front of the fire where two chairs are arranged for conversation. "Diplomacy between two opposing factions requires each party gets something that they both want in exchange for giving up something that they can live without. So, what do the opposing sides want? And what can they live without? Bilera has been keeping them off balance for decades. Following her lead would be best, but she's unavailable, so you must arrive at your own method. I will say that Poena's and Tria's proposal is decidedly in the realm of the transitionalist. Evolving Hermetic law as the conditions and environment dictate. Does that provide enough guidance?"
If I am to arbitrate between the two sides, I'll need to know what the Traditionalist will be opposed to at the meeting as the Transitionalist will align with me. I can not go into the Inner Council saying that the Prima Tremere and Prima Bonisagus want to change the code. Even the Transitionalist will balk at an open ended statement. How much change will be critical to what I can do without using the stick.
"Ahh, well, it is Poena's place to detail the purpose of this Grand Tribunal, not mine. I'm surprised you align yourself with the transitionalists. Poena wil lfinish her meeting shortly, you can remain here and chat until she arrives, and then she can reveal the plan more completely."
((Clement doesn't know any of the details of the Grand Tribunal, so saying he's for something that the Grand Tribunal wants is a bit premature.))
((He dropped the info about the proposal being in the realm of Transitionalist which means the Code needs to adapt. The Tremere are aligned with the Transitionalist as they want to have the Code change to favor their way of doing things. Hence Clement is a Transitionalist. And being a Tremere, if Poena is making this proposal and was ready to use a big stick on Prima Guernicus to show importance, then Clement, being a good soldier, is for it.))
Of course I'm aligned with the Transitionalist. The Code must move forward as the world changes.
"You say that as if it were fait accompli, of course, that's not true. As a House we do tend to be transitionalists, but many of those who are named Quaesitores adopt some very strict interpretations of the Code. Going native, if you will. You stand apart from your fellow Tremere Quaesitores. Perhaps you are unsuited for the task Poena has for you." Janus muses.
They adopt strict matters so as to not show favoritism to their House which is foolish as we are all required to spend time in Transylvania so as to prevent us from going native. All of the Guernicus view us as Transitionalist in any case. Most of my time is doing investigations. I am not one to argue the case in Tribunals. Not that I have not done it but I am not an advocate. But were I to be appointed Quaesitor to the Grand Tribunal I would have to consider all sides. Radical changes to the Code would cause me to use my veto power. Even proposals by my own Prima. Clement pauses. I understand the Tradionalist and I understand that if Tria and Poena were to run roughshod over them and their concerns at the Grand Tribunal there would be trouble for the Order and House Guernicus.
"There is a distinct difference between a regional Tribunal and a Grand Tribunal. All of the other Primi and Primae will be in attendance. What happens when a veto is used in Grand Tribunal? How would it be enforced? If the Grand Tribunal wishes to modify the First Tribunal, what is to prevent them? A veto? The presiding Quaesitor is presumed to be the final authority on the Code for any Trinunal, including the Grand Tribunal. Is that you? Can you judge whatever issue is at hand against previous Grand Tribunal and First Tribunal rulings? Traditionalists will say that any change made in Grand Tribunal should not contradict the Oath. Are they correct?"
"Lest we forget, the majority of the Primi can overrule the veto at Grand Tribunal."
Well then Poena and Tria have their work cut out for them.
Grand Tribunals can over rule other Grand Tribunals. The bases for the disagreement with Tradionalist and Transitionalist is the First Tribunal if the Code can be changed. By their beliefs we could no more add to the Oath than modify it. But the Transitionalist view the Oath as larger tenets that other rulings and modify without changing. It has happened before that the Oath still stands but the rulings on it's meaning have changed. A ruling that contradicts the Oath without changing it would be a very hard argument to make. I do not see any Quaesitor that would allow it at any Tribunal.
As they are discussing the door to Janus's office opens and Poena enters, allowing the two to discuss quietly.
"Clement, Angiola related your difficulty. This changes things, but only a bit. You need to assist House Gernicus in picking a representative to act in the Prima's stead at Grand Tribunal. We cannot have a valid Tribunal without a Presiding Quaesitor, but we can instate one if it is necessary. I was prepared to use that as a club to convince Bilera to attend, but that threat serves no purpose now. Appointing you as Presiding Quaestior only made sense to get Bilera to act. So, I need you to take a different tack."
Clment stands and bows to Poena.
Prima. Can you tell me what the Grand Tribunal will be discussing or would that sour the milk?
"A Bonisagus maga has discovered how to teach more than one person the Hermetic Arts at one time. We wish to secure the right of Bonisagus for any teacher that teaches at this school, and also adjust the Code that requires teaching an apprentice one on one, at this school. We will combine Laterala's discovery of an Aegis that ameliorates the effects of the Gift on those without magic resistance and house the school here in Transylvania. However, this is a revolutionary change in the Order, and we need the foll force of a Grand Tribunal behind us, otherwise we risk issues at a later Grand Tribunal."
Clement begins pacing back and forth. He slows for a bit and begins talking
The Traditionalist will fight tooth and nail against this. This goes right to the heart of what Janus and I were discussing. There are three parts of the Oath that would have to have special consideration. First the part of apprentices, which I think is the easier one. It already says apprentices so the Oath would not have to change but a ruling on it would suffice. But the second part of the Oath on apprentices, "Should any of them turn against the Order and my Sodales I will be the first to strike them." That refers to a single person. Does this mean that all the teachers at this... he waves a hand about at a loss to what to call it... are responsible to hunt down any rogues that come out of their classes? By the Oath I would say yes. So that would need to change which even Bilera would balk. Not to mention giving Bonisagus rights to apprentices to non-Bonisagus. Those two go beyond a ruling.
Clement paces for a moment longer. But that is nether here not there at the moment. I'm sure you have thought of this as well. It may be impossible to have Guericius send a single representative. They are still split on this. I will have to think of a carrot to help them out.
"No one expects a master to go after a renounced apprentice, but they are expected to lend aid. But your point is apt, and hosting the school here in Transylvania will be a huge message that the House will see to the graduates of the school how go astray. Am I willing to put the full force of the House to catch a renounced magus from the school? Yes. Am I willing to enshrine that in the Peripheral Code of a Grand Tribunal? Yes. The important thing to be considered, regarding apprentices is that no magus poaches from the school. My belief is that the only way to ensure it happens is to give the school the rights of Bonisagus. Tria agrees. Do you see another way? The Order is awash in apprentices. We can't hope to teach all of the Gifted children we fins. The last two Theban Tribunals have left a half dozen or more unclaimed apprentices."
Clement paces while muttering to himself. It is not the rulings of the Tribunal that will throw the Traditionalist into a fit. It is that you must change the Oath which means you must change the First Tribunal. If you could just add to the Oath it would lessen the impact. The Traditionalist would still be against it but properly worded, the Transitionalist could support it. Perhaps if the school were considered Bonisagus but that opens up other problems. He paces some more. No. I think that would have to be the way. The School must be considered a Bonisagus. Or the Bonisagus Prima must be considered to be in charge so that all of the students come under their prevue. It would be much easier for Prima Tria to change the Charter for her House than to change the Oath.
Clement stops pacing. I think the key will be to have the votes to override a Quaesitor veto. Even the most liberal of the Transitionalist might shy away from these changes. I hope this does not tear down Guericius with the outcome.