Conclave vault
No, Grandmaster. It is not 'yours'.
It is ours.
Overview
Similar to the Imperial Senate, the Conclave has control of a source of wealth that it can use to pursue its goals. Unlike the Treasury, the Conclave Font is composed of crystal mana gathered from a number of sources. The Conclave also receives an amount of ilium each season. The mana and ilium are distributed among the Conclave orders each season.
In addition, each order has a vault - a rather grandiose terms that refers to a small collection of bequests collected by the Civil Service and delivered to the grandmaster of each order each season.
The Font
- The Font is a cache of mana available for distribution by Declaration of Endowment at each summit
- Any mana which is not distributed by Endowment is divided up between the grandmasters according to the Principle of Precedence after the summit is over
- Any mana collected during those Conclave sessions is then put in the cache to make the new Font for the next summit
The Font refers to the large pool of crystal mana available to the Conclave at each summit. During each summit, the conclave can use a Declaration of Endowment to disburse an amount of this crystal mana to a named individual.
Anything that is left over once the summit has ended is then distributed between the various orders (via the grandmaster) based on the Principle of Precedence. Civil servants divide the mana between the orders based on all the magicians counted in total as belonging to that order. This calculation is based on the number of characters with the correct Arcane Mark who were alive and present at the end of the previous summit. An order which is twice the size of another receives twice as much mana, for example. Divisions are rounded down and any resources that are not allocated as a result remain part of the Font.
Any mana that has been collected during Conclave sessions under the Principle of Proportions is then placed into the supply to form the Font for the next summit. On occasion mana may also be added to the Font due to ongoing events in the Empire.
Crystal mana can also be added to an order's share by the grandmaster's power to fund their order; from mana expended during the election of a grandmaster, and from bequests.
| Precedence Order | Ilium |
| First | 3 rings |
| Second | 3 rings |
| Third | 2 rings |
| Fourth | 2 rings |
| Fifth | 2 rings |
| Sixth | 1 ring |
| Seventh | 1 ring |
Ilium
The Imperial Conclave has control of small reserves of ilium, which are distributed to the orders. The ilium is not distributed pro rata. Rather, it is divided into seven "pots" which are distributed to the orders based on their precedence (the first pot goes to the largest order at the previous summit, and so on down to the smallest order). Ties are resolved in favour of the oldest order.
Bequests
Any Imperial citizen, any eternal with whom the Conclave has declared amity, and magicians of foreign nations can approach the Civil Service and donate materials or objects to the order of their choice. When this happens, the gifts are distributed to the grandmaster at the start of the next summit (or next Conclave session if sooner). In some cases this has been used to set up regular ongoing bequests to a specific order. Each order receives a trickle of ingots and measures of special materials, primarily delivered as gifts or bequests from Imperial citizens. Unlike crystal mana, the raw materials are bequeathed to a specific order and distributed directly to the grandmaster.
On rare occasions individuals may donate materials to the Conclave as a whole. When this happens, the Prefect of the Conclave announces the bequest to the Conclave and a Declaration of Endowment can be raised to suggest that the bequest be assigned to an order, or assigned to a specific individual. Until a bequest is assigned, it is kept in trust by the Civil Service, generally at the Castle of Thorns in Astolat. Once assigned, that assignment is permanent; the Conclave have no ability to take the bequest back again or reassign it once their decision has been made.
Bequests are a common way for eternals to support either the Conclave or the specific orders for which they have an affinity.
"Vault" is such a grandiose term, conjuring up an image of great fortified chambers with foot-think iron doors and humourless guards. The reality is a good deal less impressive, and perhaps it would be more honest if in future we refer to them as the "Order cupboards"?
Callus StrategosFurther Reading
Core Brief
Additional Information
- Conclave vault
- Key Appointments to the Imperial Conclave