Cerebral Paladin
First Post
Prolegomena
Salvete, sodales. I am Polybius of House Mercere of the Order of Hermes. In the pages to come, I will record the history of a new covenant in our Order's history. Though our covenant has not yet been founded, its history begins today, on the Spring Solstice of A.D. 1221.* At the Tribunal of the Greater Alps this past winter, the Tribunal voted narrowly to alter its policy forbidding new covenants. Under the new policy, new covenants may be founded provided that one of the current covenants sponsors it as a vassal.
Marie of House Bonisagus, Prima of Lemannus, has called together a group of young magi who are interested in forming a new covenant. Many of us were recognized as magi at this last Tribunal. Several were apprenticed to magi of Lemannus. Marie has gathered us in the Council chamber of Lemannus. The Council chamber is a long room, with fine woodwork on the walls and a set of high windows allowing in light. Marie, as is her right as Prima, sits in a great chair at the head of the table. The group of young magi who have gathered sit at either side of the great table.
Marie rises. She is a stately woman. Were she mortal, I would guess that she has lived nearly a half century. In reality, she is probably closer to a full century in vulgar age. Marie has a round, modestly attractive face and a clear, commanding voice. Her graying black hair is cropped short, presumably so that it will not interfere in laboratory work. Her robes are simple and unornamented; within her covenant, all that see her know her status already.
"Salvete, sodales. I am heartened for the Order that there are so many young magi eager to join this Tribunal's search for knowledge. I offer you the opportunity to found a strong new covenant.
"First, allow me to tell you what we offer. After that, you should introduce yourselves to your sodales, who will soon by your socii [fellow covenant members]. I will then leave you to council in private, for you will wish to discuss the details of your covenant, including the details of your charter.
"Lemannus will grant you a charter with whatever terms you wish, provided that you agree to a few terms.
"First, while we will not generally compel your votes at Tribunal meetings, nor demand the use of your sigils for Grand Tribunals, we require that you not oppose us in any motions that we make. You may abstain, however, and you may vote for motions we oppose, although not for motions that threaten Lemannus or its socii directly. You will also permit us to direct one vote for each of your members, once per Tribunal.
"Second, we will supply you with five rooks of vis. You may specify what Arts you wish, although we will not supply you with more than five pawns of any one Art. Every seven years, before the Tribunal, you will be expected to render one rook to us. Every twenty-eight years, you will render an additional rook to us. The Arts offered to us must match the Arts you initially received. If you wish to receive additional vis, we can negotiate that.
"Third, we will supply you with sufficient vulgar funds to establish your covenant, including building your laboratories, erecting basic other buildings, and provisioning yourselves and any grogs you may recruit until you have had the opportunity to develop your own resources. We will expect you to repay these funds as well in seven years, and then the same amount again seven years after that. Unlike the vis obligation, we will not expect vulgar payments beyond that point.
"Fourth, we will cede a territory with a strong magical aura to the use of your covenant. There is a valley near the small village of Monthey, some short distance down the Rhone River from the monastery of San Moritz. The valley extends to the west of Monthey and is largely unsettled by mortals. Throughout the valley, the magical aura is strong, and there may be specific locations within the valley that have even stronger auras. [The entire valley has a Magic aura of 3.] We will renounce our claim on the valley in favor of your covenant, although you will need to take responsibility for defending your claim to the area. Although we have not located any, there are likely additional vis sources within the valley that you may tap.
"While we will not give you any books or spell manuscripts, we are willing to negotiate reasonable terms for you to copy a few works with which to begin your library, to be paid for in vis or in promised payments of manuscripts. Similarly, we have two unused laboratories that we will allow you to use until you have established your own laboratories. We simply ask for a payment of one pawn of vis per season per laboratory used.
"We believe these terms are fair. After you have introduced yourselves, I will allow you to discuss your plans in private. You may then present your charter to me and discuss any other deals you wish to make with us."
With that, Marie sat to listen as each of my future socii introduced themselves.
* Polybius, following the Hermetic norm, writes dates as years within the age of Aries. However, for clarity, these dates will be replaced with conventional medieval reckoning.
Salvete, sodales. I am Polybius of House Mercere of the Order of Hermes. In the pages to come, I will record the history of a new covenant in our Order's history. Though our covenant has not yet been founded, its history begins today, on the Spring Solstice of A.D. 1221.* At the Tribunal of the Greater Alps this past winter, the Tribunal voted narrowly to alter its policy forbidding new covenants. Under the new policy, new covenants may be founded provided that one of the current covenants sponsors it as a vassal.
Marie of House Bonisagus, Prima of Lemannus, has called together a group of young magi who are interested in forming a new covenant. Many of us were recognized as magi at this last Tribunal. Several were apprenticed to magi of Lemannus. Marie has gathered us in the Council chamber of Lemannus. The Council chamber is a long room, with fine woodwork on the walls and a set of high windows allowing in light. Marie, as is her right as Prima, sits in a great chair at the head of the table. The group of young magi who have gathered sit at either side of the great table.
Marie rises. She is a stately woman. Were she mortal, I would guess that she has lived nearly a half century. In reality, she is probably closer to a full century in vulgar age. Marie has a round, modestly attractive face and a clear, commanding voice. Her graying black hair is cropped short, presumably so that it will not interfere in laboratory work. Her robes are simple and unornamented; within her covenant, all that see her know her status already.
"Salvete, sodales. I am heartened for the Order that there are so many young magi eager to join this Tribunal's search for knowledge. I offer you the opportunity to found a strong new covenant.
"First, allow me to tell you what we offer. After that, you should introduce yourselves to your sodales, who will soon by your socii [fellow covenant members]. I will then leave you to council in private, for you will wish to discuss the details of your covenant, including the details of your charter.
"Lemannus will grant you a charter with whatever terms you wish, provided that you agree to a few terms.
"First, while we will not generally compel your votes at Tribunal meetings, nor demand the use of your sigils for Grand Tribunals, we require that you not oppose us in any motions that we make. You may abstain, however, and you may vote for motions we oppose, although not for motions that threaten Lemannus or its socii directly. You will also permit us to direct one vote for each of your members, once per Tribunal.
"Second, we will supply you with five rooks of vis. You may specify what Arts you wish, although we will not supply you with more than five pawns of any one Art. Every seven years, before the Tribunal, you will be expected to render one rook to us. Every twenty-eight years, you will render an additional rook to us. The Arts offered to us must match the Arts you initially received. If you wish to receive additional vis, we can negotiate that.
"Third, we will supply you with sufficient vulgar funds to establish your covenant, including building your laboratories, erecting basic other buildings, and provisioning yourselves and any grogs you may recruit until you have had the opportunity to develop your own resources. We will expect you to repay these funds as well in seven years, and then the same amount again seven years after that. Unlike the vis obligation, we will not expect vulgar payments beyond that point.
"Fourth, we will cede a territory with a strong magical aura to the use of your covenant. There is a valley near the small village of Monthey, some short distance down the Rhone River from the monastery of San Moritz. The valley extends to the west of Monthey and is largely unsettled by mortals. Throughout the valley, the magical aura is strong, and there may be specific locations within the valley that have even stronger auras. [The entire valley has a Magic aura of 3.] We will renounce our claim on the valley in favor of your covenant, although you will need to take responsibility for defending your claim to the area. Although we have not located any, there are likely additional vis sources within the valley that you may tap.
"While we will not give you any books or spell manuscripts, we are willing to negotiate reasonable terms for you to copy a few works with which to begin your library, to be paid for in vis or in promised payments of manuscripts. Similarly, we have two unused laboratories that we will allow you to use until you have established your own laboratories. We simply ask for a payment of one pawn of vis per season per laboratory used.
"We believe these terms are fair. After you have introduced yourselves, I will allow you to discuss your plans in private. You may then present your charter to me and discuss any other deals you wish to make with us."
With that, Marie sat to listen as each of my future socii introduced themselves.
* Polybius, following the Hermetic norm, writes dates as years within the age of Aries. However, for clarity, these dates will be replaced with conventional medieval reckoning.
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