Towards Brontion Salma gives the look of a disappointed mother, “I find it quite disappointing that while you argue for bowing to precedent you know so little of the history of the order to forget the filia of Tytalus who founded the thirteenth house. My lineage is no more exotic than Iapetus’.”

Then speaking more to the group as a whole, “On the point of the council, I have expressly used the Theban terms Archon and Archai but is seems none of you have the slightest idea what that means. The Archon is not merely a chairperson, neither is a Praeco but that is besides the point, they are an executive who has certain powers during their tenure, for instance to call an emergency meeting should one be deemed necessary. The Archai, who help perform these executive functions, are all chosen by lot then amongst themselves they choose the Archon. Perhaps this correction in my mistake of clarity will alter some of your thinking.”

“I see no issue with the tribunal being held at the Mercere house, it is a central location or looks to be on this map. Buildings and arrangements will need to be made to house the meeting and the magi there however, we might help support them in the costs of this should we be able.”
This message was last edited by the player at 17:01, Mon 15 Mar 2021.

There are three seconded motions and I have called for a vote. Do we need to re-debate everything, or can we vote?
This message was last updated by the player at 17:10, Mon 15 Mar 2021.

"My good Merinita, now you choose to hold parliamentary procedure sacrosanct? You are not the chair of the meeting so you do not have authority to call an immediate vote. However my votes were indeed cast, unlike yours."

In reply to Brontion ex Guernicus (msg # 125):

I vote for the Mercere House as the location, that the next tribunal meet in Winter of 1221, and that the committee suggested call the Tribunal to order.
This message was last updated by the player at 17:49, Mon 15 Mar 2021.

In reply to Salma ex Miscellanea (msg # 123):

The door bangs open to admit a somewhat disheveled young man carrying an armful of parchment, followed by some very irritated and disapproving Mercere. If the quick eyed magi among those gathered were to perform a count of heads they would see that NOW the full compliment of 21 magi are assembled in the hall.

Klaudios clears a space on the table with a sweeping left arm and scatters his papers across the open - and by pure luck only, dry - space.

"The prospective tribunal area in question is massive." he begins, without introduction or pause. [In Latin]

"The distances involved are in tension with our need to weather the Fames Magna, not to mention whatever hardy magicians eking out a living in its grip. We obviously need to cooperate and somehow manage to coordinate to the common success of the Tribunal, but will not be able to depend on coherent proximal collective decision-making or central administration to achieve that: We'll have to be smarter than that."

The papers appear to primarily bear sketches and plans for various types of building suited to surviving in torrid climes, or for concealing hermetic structures in established settlements. He gestures at them and - finally -  looks up at the magi whose discussion he just interrupted.

"There! Let him chair the next meeting! What he lacks in punctuality he clearly makes up for in basic good sense!" Brontius is clearly frustrated now, it was assumed that someone had extended parma to him but his growing irritation seems to run counter to that assertion.

In reply to Brontion ex Guernicus (msg # 128):

Appolonius sighs and shakes his head at the state of the discussion. He then walks up to Brontion and places a hand on his shoulder. "Sodalis Brontion I grant you the protection of my Parma, should you need it and accept it."


Once this is done, he continues to say "How about we call for a vote on who should be our Praeco? The earlier suggestion of naming the Eldest Redcap seemed fine by me, as would a member of Bonisagus' house. As for the strange suggestion of a council by lot, well if Salma can have the Tribunal's support for the position of Praeco, then she can make her strange council. And if not, then we'll have a proper Praeco. Does this seem like a fair course of action to you?"

He turns to the rest of his Sodales "And does this seem like a fair course of action to the rest of our future Tribunal?"

In reply to Appolonius of Flambeau (msg # 129):

"Naming anyone Praeco with no other considerations would be foolish. Even if the distinction was made clear in this room, they would then have no particular reason to relinquish the prestige the name affords to the rest of the Order. We may spend decades clawing back the ground given immediately to a poor decision among unknown sodales."

He looks from one end of the table to the other.

"By lot also won't work, I just said that: Even IF we all remain near the Sea, the distances involved are vast. What if, by pure chance, all of the chosen councilors resided in the East? Immediate discord."

"Why not split the difference: The redcaps should nominate one who will be empowered to convene a council for the new Tribunal's founding. Call this person the Praeco if you really must. Let us agree that they shall also be the single person who shall for now be our representative contact with the body of the Order."

"Treat then each founding covenant as a phyle of its own, who has one councilor.  Charge the council with the tasks of locating and enumerating each covenant, an easy task , as the council shall have a member from each already; of arranging for communication amongst the Tribunal via redcaps or other means; of ensuring that the Tribunal shall have a place to meet for its first time after the covenants begin; and of overseeing the process of devising a more durable governance that fits the needs of our wide ranging Tribunal and its wide ranging opinions. And nothing else."



"A council."

In reply to Klaudios Bonisagi (msg # 130):

Having a leader based on seniority alone, isn't that something we are trying to get away from? Perhaps having someone whose job it is to preside over the Tribunal, but during the Tribunal electing someone to take that role the next time?

In any case, once we have chosen the location and date for the first tribunal the real work can begin.

Malik speaks up in his gravelly voice.  "He didn't say seniority, he said the redcaps will nominate.  This discussion may never end, and we don't have to decide anything today except who our sodales will be and when we shall meet again.

I don't know if Klaudios was making a formal motion, and I don't know if we're even under strict rules of order, but I think we should vote now, yea or nay, on his proposal, with some previous ideas included, to wit: our first tribunal meeting will be at the redcap covenant; a redcap nominated by the redcaps as a group shall organize the meeting and act as chair of it, and before each and every magus or maga leaves here today, they shall be part of a covenant group, even if only a group of one, with a representative chosen and made known to all the redcaps present."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:49, Mon 15 Mar 2021.

"We clearly cannot be under true rules of order. But accepting that as a motion, I Second. Enough discussion has been had. We can all understand that everything said here is temporary and thus not truly worth the time it has already taken. I vote Aye."

In reply to Malik ex Verditius (msg # 132):

I vote aye.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 00:14, Tue 16 Mar 2021.

Marcinus votes "Aye."

In reply to Malik ex Verditius (msg # 132):

"Because some tire of discussion this is the proposal that gets voted on and multiple proposals get lumped into one? Nay."

Vespera seems shocked at the suggestion that she be part of a presiding council, or at least pretends enough shock to not speak up again immediately.  As she began to visibly prepare herself for another thoughtful speech, the trailing Bonisagus bursts in and she falls silent again, watching him with a mixture of surprise and a bit of despair - her gaze falling to the scattered parchments and drawings he has.  Almost without thinking, she steps away from Malik and automatically begins organizing and sorting the scattered parchments, sliding them away from the water- and wine-spilled table surfaces to keep them clean and dry.



After her little distraction is completed, she looks back up, a flush on her cheeks again as she picks up the nearest bottle of wine and returns to her goblet to refill it, at Malik's side again.  "Well," she says, a little distracted at mentally catching up to the fierce conversation.  "Formal decisions for our Tribunal will not be properly codified until the first Tribunal, and I am confident that our Peripheral Code will begin building up immediately. We can debate proper leadership tactics over the next two years with the assistance of our Mercere sodales."

"As for these declarations,  I thank you all for allowing my vote, though I know why you must.  I vote in support of the first Tribunal meeting at the Mercere House covenant, support of the Mercere selecting amongst themselves for the first chair, and against forcing everyone to choose a 'covenant' by the time they leave."  She glances up towards the large forms of Leander and Andre. "Though would vote in support of the covenants being decided. I see no issues, however, with allowing our militant adventurers some time to enjoy their freedom."

Jaegar walks back to a table that doesn't have drawings all over it, finds a bottle of wine, and waits for someone else to call a vote.

Arnoldo, Macrinus, please join me with this wine while we wait for further developments.

In reply to Malik ex Verditius (msg # 132):

Appolonius nods to Malik "That all sounds good. I vote Aye."

"In a roundabout way it seems we are back at my earlier proposal of letting the Redcaps take charge of our first tribunal. And if I'm not mistaking one of the first items on that tribunals agenda will be to elect someone else for that role."

He looks over at the redcaps and raises his goblet.

"For the redcaps to choose among themselves a chair for the tribunal, Aye.
For the tribunal to be held in 1221, Aye.
For the tribunal to be held at the Mercere House, Aye."

In reply to Jaegar of Merinita (msg # 138):

Arnaldo will simply say Aye, before he goes off to Jaeger's side.

From the back, Baqir heard anyone who spoke.

Baqir nods at ther others I vote Aye

And then Baqir sits down again.

Yawning theatrically Longinus speaks up.

"Thus far I have truly enjoyed the trading of these blows of words, but I fear todays act is starting to overstay its welcome. A compromise will do for now. Someone can always challenge this ruilings with endless motions next time, if it proves unfit. Aye from me."

From his quiet place in the corner, Andre smirked within his beard.
Watching the Order conduct business was always a ... pleasure.
And this herd of youth were as entertaining as they got.
He wondered when the first duel would be called.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:18, Tue 16 Mar 2021.

In reply to Andre ex Miscellanea (msg # 144):


Aye, to all three.

Almost without thinking, Marius stepped forward to help the Lady do so.

Malik looks over at the redcaps, one of whom he assumes (quite possibly incorrectly) is taking minutes.

"I vote Aye, also."