[color=gray]Arachne, dear child, Cipiro will try to strongarm you. I am not making an attempt to unlawfully seize power. To hold a Convocation is to hand the decision over to the rank nd file, to listen to their voices. My calling upon ancient tradition was a ploy to snare Garus into Certamen and force him to call for lawful democratic vote.
And I am not motivated by ambition for power nor animosity towards Garus. It is Cipiro I am opposed to, and I will throw my support behind any other worthy and viable canidate if that becomes the best option to defeat Cipiro.
Right now, what I have done is force him to play his hand early and denied him an essential resource.
As I said, Garus is older tht I, and is expected to pass or retire any year now. He is also the Grand Commander of the Milites, but in recent years he has assigned many of these duties over to his High Marshal.
Which would be Cipiro.
Who is also, as of 1239, the Chief Deputy of the Primus. The man is positioning himself for a takeover by smooth transition.
I admire his accomplishments. He is magus of good chracter, political savvy, and martial experience. All good qualities. But he lacks an understanding of higher strategy. Especilly Logistics.
And, like Garus, he lacks vision for House Flambeau's roll in the Order beyond the Summer Tribunals.
And in the Dragon Wars, there were several Flambeau champions. Not all made it through alive or intact. The response from Castra Solis was negligable. Mobilization protocols utterly failed, and vis contributions were a fraction of what it cost to heal the magi and grogs of Flambeau that did participate.
This is not entirely the fault of Garus, other than the fact that he has nominal authority at Castra Solis. The Mithrites that do control it have turned inward and are at odds with the Milites. And two or thee other factions.
Cipiro knows his weaknesses as a leader, and seeks to compensate by establishing a new Domus. He may have been considering Val-Negra, for Abaddon told me he has been receiving lavish gifts of vis. But you see, all Archmagi know each other and talk.
So we came up with a plan. And I will tell you a secret truth. Three of our members are false duplicants. There are layers of laws and rules and traditions of the charter. And the rule that there must be seven. We had four, which is normally enough for new covenant, but the goal was continuity. After last night we have over a dozen live magi as members and held a quarate council meeting. So now we can control membership and block Cipiro.
And so can you.
There are others, but you are one of the few that have what he needs. There re Seven Eternal Flames of Magic Power. Four are located in the west. Val-Negra, Castra Solis, Doisettep, and you. Andorra.
There is one at Lycanedon, another in Thebes and one in Levant.
So you see, if he wants to keep his power base, options are limited.
And therefore in truth, it does not matter so much if you accept my offers or support my cuse. What is paramout is that you refuse whtever Cipro offers and oppose his cause.
Forgive me for constantly dropping the letter "a". Phone keyboard is wearing out.
In all fairness though, it’s probably not too unexpected. At the end of the day, Pietro is a Flambeau and probably not very interested, or skilled, at political maneuvering. Solomon on the other hand, whether he likes it or not, has a pretty fair amount of political acumen and working these sorts of things due to his background as a quaesitor.
