Summer 1222 Tribunal: Policy and Protocol

((Woohoo! My first Certamen! Arya, do you want us to dice it out or do you want to?))

Uff...he would pick Terram, she thinks, as she studies him and tries to recall what his strong and weak Arts are. If I veto Terram, though, I don't think he's fool enough to try me at Mentem. And he may well be sandbagging, hoping I'll veto so he can throw his strongest Form at me. Dear Lord, guide me in this endeavor. She finally nods. [color=red]"Creo and Terram it is. Good luck, sodalis."

Her Scores are:

  • Initiative: 2 + stress die.
  • Attack: 6 + stress die (Creo) or 0 + stress die (Terram).
  • Defence: 6 + stress die (Creo) or 0 + stress die (Terram).
  • Weakening Total: 5 + Attack Advantage.
  • Resistance Total: 1.

((Also, did Iapetus state his stakes in the contest, or did I just miss it?))

((Would you have preferred Ignem?))

You guys roll your own dice for this.

((She actually would be better off with Ignem, I think...I don't think Deficient Form applies to Certamen, but I'm not sure. I was just afraid that if I vetoed Terram, he'd slap me down with his Auram.))

Cygna's Initiative is 2 + die roll of 4 = 6.

[u]Round One[/u]

Attack with Creo, Defend with Terram.

Attack roll: 6 + die roll of 8 = 14

Defence roll: 0 + die roll of 6 = 6.

Attack with Creo, defend with Terram.
Initiative +3 : 1d10+3=10
Attack Creo +8 : 1d10+8=12
Defend Terram +6 : 1d10+6=11

Cygna goes first; she has 3 advantage for a total of 8 weakening against Iapetus' resistance of 6. This knocks Iapetus down one fatigue.
Iapetus has an attack of 12 against a defense of 6 for 6 advantage; this is a total of 12 weakening against a resistance of 1. Cygna is now down three Fatigue.

Iapetus is Winded (no penalty to actions). Cygna is Weary (-3 penalty to all actions).

[u]Cygna's Round Two[/u]
Cygna is going to try to attack with Terram and defend with Creo this round.
Attack Roll: 0 + die roll of 6 – 3 Fatigue = 3
Defence Roll: 6 + die roll of 6 – 3 Fatigue = 9.

((Just realized that I forgot to put my Weakening Total, 5 + Attack Advantage, on my Certamen Totals post. Fixed.))

Sorry raccoon, trying to get things moving. I rolled for you.
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3528033/

Defense: 5+6=11. This defends against Cygna's attack of 3.
Attack: 2+8=10. Against Cygna's defense of 9, this is 1 advantage, which is 7 weakening. Against resistance of 1, this is 6 points, which is two fatigue levels-- enough to knock Cygna unconscious.

If Cygna chooses to spend a point of Confidence on her defense roll, she would successfully defend this round, and not get knocked out.

So at this point, we have the magi of Gallus Florensis convened to decide how they're going to vote on the first day of proceedings. We've got an unconscious Cygna (or not).

Please figure out how your characters are going to vote with the sigils you have available to you.
Aside from your own sigils, you've also collected Aequi and Rhodri's sigils before you departed for Blackthorn.

Yeah, I'd better spend that Confidence Point, and she will yield before she gets hurt. ((Never did see what she put up for her part in the Certamen, or was it simply "If I win, I vote how I choose"?))

[color=red]"Iapetus, we desperately need all our vis sources, uncontested. I believe that supporting the reform measures that Iulia discussed is our best option, not only for Gallus Florensis but for the Tribunal. Sodales, this is the first quorate Tribunal that we've had in my lifetime! I traveled all the way from Phoenix seven years ago, in hopes of getting some closure with the casting out of Adorjan Megidézó, only to be told that there weren't enough magi and that I had wasted my time.

"If removing some of the power from the covenant of Blackthorn is how we make sure that Stonehenge is no longer a laughingstock in the rest of the Order, than I say it's about time! And I fully intend to support her measures, even if it costs every pawn of vis we have."

((As for Aequi's and Rhodri's, Cygna proposes that they go with the majority of the covenant. If the covenant is tied, than one vote goes to each side to keep it a tie.))

Note that Iulia made it clear she would only drop their claims in exchange for all the votes Gallus Florensis controls.

Since neither of you specified exactly what, it defaults to the general statement Iapetus made, that he would vote how Cygna wanted if she convinced him or beat him into it.

((Right...which, I think, Cygna said. Right now, she's trying to convince the one possible nay that supporting the reforms is the right way to go.

The GF list I have looks like this:

  • Cygna: Yes
  • Hiems: Yes (almost certainly)
  • Sinmore: Yes
  • Tabanus: ? (is at Tribunal, but player hasn't posted in going on three weeks)
  • Iapetus: (currently in discussion)
  • Attravere: (cannot vote – Mercere)
  • Sophronia: (cannot vote – does not hold her own sigil)
  • Aequi: not at Tribunal (in Twilight)
  • Aislinn: not at tribunal (missing)
  • Justinius: not at tribunal (missing)
  • Leona: not at Tribunal (presumed in final twilight)
  • Liliana: Not at Tribunal (running errands)

I think that's all the magi from Gallus Florensis.))

The page doesn't get to Cygna until after her meeting with Fredegisa and Trutina, and scoots off before she has a chance to read the parchment in the dim light. Once back in her chamber, she reads it, frowning with confusion.

She then leaves and flags down the first page she finds to ask where she can find Tektonius.

She then tracks him down and knocks on his door.

"Huh, what? Who the blazes is calling at this ghastly hour?" he calls out. ((Tektonius is an Early Riser))

He does come to the door eventually and opens it, he's dressed in night clothes, including a cap. He appears rather tired and cross, "Yes, well, who is it, out with it?" his eyes have a bit of trouble focusing.

((For timeline clarity when does the trial happen, after the Desiderius episode or before it?))

((Adorjan's trial was the first day of Tribunal. I believe Arya said that all the Quaesitores were busy after sundown dealing with Cygna's infernal markings when Tektonius found Desiderius's body.))

((That's kind of what I was thinking, that the trial was the same day, but I wasn't 100% certain, I'm willing to roll with it.))

"Ahh, Cygna, come in. I apologize, I'm used to getting up early and getting to bed early. What can I do for you?" Tektonius is yawning almost continuously and looks a bit ridiculous in his bed clothes.

[color=red]"No, that's quite all right, I didn't realize how late it had gotten." Cygna doubtless looks just as ridiculous, if not more so, in her mustard-yellow robes.

[color=red]"I simply wanted to thank you for paying the fine I was levied. If there's anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask. I will let you get back to bed, now. Thank you again."

She then turns to leave, to head back to her own chamber.

((I realize he doesn't have blue hair..))
"You're quite welcome, no reason to rush off. Could you tell me a bit about those robes?"

At some point -very- late in the evening (and possibly early morning), Attravere calls on each of the Magi from Gallus Florensis to come to his chambers for a meeting.

Presuming most/all show up,

"Greetings friends. I'm glad you all could make it. We have a few important votes coming tomorrow and while I won't be voting, I'd like everyone to be on the same page regarding covenant matters, if possible."
Attravere pulls out Rhodri's and Aequi's voting sigils and places them on the table before them.
"Here are Rhodri's and Aequi's sigils. I'd like that they be used in conjunction with what we all decide. At current we have two, possibly more, sides wanting to curry our favor, so we look to have a bit of leverage. On the other hand we seek to retain control of our vis sources. It seems that Voluntas and Blackthorn both desire our votes in their favor regarding the tribunal's mechanics. Both are offering to ensure our vis sources will remain our's."

"I have spoken with Aulus of Bonisagus, from Cygna's former covenant of Duos Flumen. He tells me that if we offer a declaration of loyalty and vote in favor of Blackthorn, against Voluntas' proposals, they will use their political base to see that we keep our vis sources. I owe Aulus a favor and he would see our covenant voting in that direction as that favor repaid. I would be much obliged to each of you if that is how our covenant decides, but may be able to find another way to repay him even if we decide to side with Phessalia."

Hiems answers

I'll put it bluntly.

As a matter of fact, I don't trust blackthorn, and am in the opinion that, what they give today, they may take tomorrow. Their control of the tribunal is so great, they can do anything they want. This is bad for us.
But even if they were our allies, this is not a good thing. For too much power encourages abuse. I don't think it is good for any covenant, Gallus included, to rule over a tribunal of peers. Even if it wasn't in our short-term interest, voting against blackthorn on this would be the best choice for the tribunal, and also for our far future: today's ally may, after all, quite become tomorrow's ennemy.

As a side note, we have only Aulus's word that he'll try to convince blackthorn to convince us. I don't doubt him. But blackthorn is in no way bound to follow his advice.