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Conclave session

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<quote by="Iñes i Guerra">We do not need to like each other to meet as a Conclave, but we must respect each other if we hope to be effective. My principle of proportions ensures respect for other magicians is accorded in the most sublime way. Each of us will weigh the balance of our business against the Conclave's precious time using the scales of magic itself. If the price seems too high, then perhaps what you have to say is not to us as important as it is to you... </quote>


Traditionally, the Conclave has one formal session each evening during the Imperial summit. The first session is usually dedicated to the appointment of the [[Conclave order#Grandmasters of the orders|grandmasters]] of the [[Conclave order|orders]], which generally takes place on Friday night. Sometimes this is immediately followed by a full session, but more often full sessions take place on Saturday and Sunday evenings, to allow sufficient time to prepare the agenda.
==Overview==
Like the [[Imperial Senate|Senate]] and the [[Imperial Military Council|Military Council]], the Conclave conducts its official business at formal sessions, where matters are discussed and votes are cast. Although Conclave members meet to discuss business throughout the day (the rules of the Conclave positively encourage magicians to pursue their goals outside the sessions), the sessions are the best chance to address the entire Conclave and the only time that declarations and gambits can be passed.


During these sessions, the magicians of the Conclave vote on subjects related to the good conduct of their fellows and the use of their resources.
Traditionally, the Conclave has one formal session each evening during the Imperial summit.


==The Agenda==
==Conclave Principles==
The agenda for each formal session of the Conclave is determined in advance. Any [[Spell list#Magician|magician]] can add an item to the agenda. The process for doing so is reasonably simple; the magician approaches a Conclave functionary and raises an agenda item. This costs one crystal mana. The civil servant adds the item to the agenda. At the next Conclave session, each item on the agenda is raised and resolved by the meeting, generally in the order in which they were raised.
Rather than have a civil servant chair a session, as effectively happens in the Senate, the Conclave employs three ancient principles to ensure the smooth running of their meetings. The [[Principle of Precedence]], uses a count of members of the Conclave orders present for the session to determine in what order individuals are eligible to speak, as well as how much of the Conclave's resources each order receives.


Each [[archmage]] has the power to add a single agenda item for each session at no cost, and may elect to do so under ''the veil of night'', in which case the agenda item is described as being raised by them but no further details need be given.
The [[Principle of Proportions]] demands payment from any individual who wishes to speak, one mana crystal per minute that the speaker wishes to employ. All mana collected is added to the [[Conclave vaults|Conclave vault]]. Official appointments by the Conclave receive limited opportunities to speak without paying this cost, but no other exemptions are allowed. Eternals, foreign dignitaries, even the Empress herself had to pay. Formally the mana is considered a bequest, but no-one is under any illusion that what is demanded is payment - payment to all the assembled magicians to recompense them for the time.


Any Magician can ask to review the agenda for the next Conclave session. The agenda is normally closed half an hour before the session is scheduled to begin.
The [[Principle of Presence]] prevents a magician from authorizing a proxy to speak on their behalf to the Conclave. The individual who lodges an agenda item with the civil service is the individual who must present that item to the Conclave, they cannot pass the opportunity to do so to another individual. In practice this principle is rarely restrictive to anyone but archmagi and individuals who are unable to reach the Hall of Worlds.


The two most common agenda items are ''address'' and ''declaration".
==Speaking before the Conclave==
Following the [[Principle of Proportions]], speaking before the Conclave costs the speaker one crystal mana for every minute they wish to talk. Every agenda item costs a mana crystal to raise - but automatically entitles the party who lodges the item to a minute to present their case. If they wish to speak for longer than this, they must pay for additional time.


===Address===
After the presentation is complete, the grandmasters of the orders may nominate volunteers to speak on the topic being discussed, in order determined by the [[Principle of Precedence]]. For a declaration only, the first individual chosen by each order receives a single free minute to speak, additional minutes must be paid for with mana.
The magician, or one named individual to whom they defer who must be present, can address the Conclave for up to five minutes on whatever topic they desire.  


When this item is raised, the civil servant will ask if any of the [[Conclave order#Grandmasters of the orders|grandmasters]] wish to silence the speaker; if one chooses to do so, a vote is called. If the vote passes, the agenda item is removed from the agenda and the address does not take place. As is usual with conclave votes, the mana crystal paid to place the item on the agenda counts as a vote in favour of the address.
The nominated speaker, need not be a member of the grandmaster's order but must be an Imperial citizen. Independent magicians and other beings present in the hall can speak, if they receive the nomination of a grandmaster to do so. It is also possible for a grandmaster to nominate a magician from another order, if they wish to do so.


===Propose a Declaration===
Minutes are timed using a set of minute glasses provided by the civil service, who are also responsible for ensuring that individuals obey the time limits. The civil servants have the legal power to remove a magician once their allotted time has expired, but this is rarely needed, Conclave magicians are positively encouraged to police themselves - by barracking any magician who attempts to carry on speaking until they pay the mana or relinquish the floor.  
The magician proposes that the Conclave votes on an issue, generally the use of one of its legal powers in the form of a Declaration. The crystal of mana always counts as a single vote in favour of the declaration.


The Conclave has a number of powers to enable them to fulfil their constitutional role of protecting the Empire from the abuses of magic. These powers are grouped together as the Declarations of the Conclave.
Since the speaker has paid for their time, those assembled are required to let the speaker use their minute freely. It is most common to speak for the duration, but some magicians invite questions from the floor to answer. Shouts of support or rejection from the floor are acceptable - but shouting a speaker down or trying to talk over them will result in censure by the civil service. When important matters are being discussed there are often scores of whispered conversations taking place between members of the Conclave.


====Declaration of Candidacy====
The mana must be provided before the nominated individual begins talking; when someone plans to talk for more than a minute it is common to provide the civil service with a pile of mana to use as they speak.
The Conclave can declare someone to hold a specific position controlled by the Conclave. This is most commonly used to propose someone for the post of [[archmage]] or [[Dean of the Lyceum]]. If there is someone already holding the position, they obviously lose it when the vote passes. Occasionally, this same declaration has been used to simply remove someone from their position, by declaring that their post should be filled with ''nobody''.


It is typical for the civil service to group all declarations of candidacy that effect the same position together at the point on the agenda where the first one is announced and for the position to be claimed only when the last vote for that position has taken place.
==Setting the Agenda==
Any Imperial citizen can add an item to the agenda by approaching a civil servant associated with the Conclave and raising the agenda item. To do so they must bequeath a single mana crystal to the Conclave. At the next Conclave session, each item on the agenda is raised and resolved by the meeting in the order in which they were raised.  


====Declaration of Sorcery====
Any member of the Conclave can ask to review the agenda for the next session. The agenda is closed an hour before the session is scheduled to begin, so that copies can be made. Copies are generally placed at the Civil service hub and in the Hall of Worlds, and one copy typically furnished for each [[grandmaster]] and [[archmage]].
The Conclave may declare a magician to be a sorcerer. The most common reason for this declaration is as a result of an abuse of 'legal curses' against citizens or allies of the Empire. If this Declaration is made:
* the sorcerer is prohibited from contributing to rituals.
* the sorcerer is prohibited from carrying or using crystal mana.
* the sorcerer is not permitted to run a mana site. Such a resource is confiscated by the Conclave, and its production added to the [[Archmage#Vault of the Archmagi|vault]].
A sorcerer who violates these prohibitions will be subject to arrest and trial before a [[Imperial Law|magistrate]].


====Declaration of Reconciliation====
An item raised to the agenda can be either an [[address]], a [[declaration]], or a [[gambit]]. Except in the case of a grandmaster invoking the veil of their order, the specifics of the address or declaration must be recorded on the agenda. A character who places an item on the agenda is automatically guaranteed a single minute to speak on the subject without further cost, but it must be that character that speaks. The rules of the Conclave forbid any individual from using a proxy to speak in their place.
The Conclave may reconcile a sorcerer with the Empire. If this declaration is made, all rights that were taken from them are returned. They regain possession of any confiscated mana site, but not of any crystal mana it may have produced while they were sorcerers.
The person who raised the agenda item may withdraw it at any time, but they do not get their crystal mana back.


====Declaration of Enmity====
==Session Order==
The Conclave may declare a specific [[Eternals|Eternal]] to be an enemy of the Empire. If this declaration is made, it becomes illegal for anyone to consort with the Eternal named in this declaration, or with their Heralds. Such an act can result in the alleged offender being arrested on charges of sorcery or treason, and the case taken before the magistrates.
Each Conclave session follows a strict order; [[Principle of Precedence#Establishing Precedence|precedence]] is established, [[address|addresses]] are made, [[declaration|declarations]] resolved, and finally [[gambit|gambits]] are presented and resourced.


Performance of rituals that deal with, or appear to deal with, an Eternal subject to the declaration of enmity (such as [[Ephisis' Scales]], [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]], [[Missive for Sadogua]] and the like) may be treated as sorcery; the magistrates will often seek the assistance of the [[archmage|archmagi]] to clarify this, unless there is a separate [[Conclave session#Declaration of Interdiction|declaration of interdiction]] against specific rituals.
The first business of any Conclave session is to establish precedence. Once this is complete the items on the agenda are debated in strict order, starting with the addresses, then any declarations, and finally the gambits.


As of 374 YE, the only well-known Eternal subject to declaration of enmity is [[Wendigo]], a Winter Eternal that promotes unspeakable acts and cannibalistic feasts. He was made subject to this declaration in the 306 YE Winter Solstice session of the Conclave following exposure of his involvement in no less than three cannibalistic cults dedicated to blasphemy, idolatory and heresy.
Addresses are dealt with in the order they were raised to the agenda. The same is true for declarations and gambits with the exception that declarations with similar outcomes are resolved at the same time as the last agenda item was raised. For example, if more than one individual has challenged for a title, they will all be resolved in together, at the point determined by the last challenge registered.


====Declaration of Amity====
Each agenda item is announced by the civil service and then the person that raised the item with the civil servant is allowed to make a presentation on it, up to a minute in length. If they wish to speak for longer than a minute, then they must pay to do so.
The Conclave may declare a specific Eternal to be an ally of the Empire. Imperial citizens are encouraged to demonstrate courtesy and even aid these Eternals, or their Heralds, where it is possible for them to do so. The Heralds of that Eternal receive the same status and protection under Imperial Law accorded to any mortal foreigner.


This declaration is also used to rescind a [[Conclave session#Declaration of Enmity|declaration of enmity]].
Once an address or declaration is complete, magicians from the orders may [[#Speaking before the Conclave|speak]].Once magicians from the orders have spoken, then any other individuals present may speak, in order determined by the civil servants.


====Declaration of Interdiction====
==Concluding the Agenda==
The Conclave may censor material that could pose a supernatural risk to the citizens of the Empire. They can use this to declare the use of a specific ritual or enchanted item to be an act of sorcery, meaning that anyone found guilty of using that magic is arrested and brought before a magistrate.
Once all agenda items are dealt with and the gambits have been heard, the conclave session ends. If a session ends prematurely for any reason, remaining agenda items are added to the start of the next Conclave agenda.
 
Specific items that have been declared under interdiction are usually given to the civil service for secure disposal; scrolls or tomes containing rituals that are placed under interdiction are generally destroyed. However the Conclave can also declare something interdicted without the supervision of the Conclave - generally meaning without the specific intercession of one of the [[archmage|archmagi]]. In this case interdicted items or tomes are handed over to the Conclave for appropriate disposition.
 
====Declaration of Acceptance====
This declaration will remove or modify a ban placed by the [[Conclave session#Declaration of Interdiction|declaration of interdiction]].
 
This declaration can also be used to suggest that a specific ritual be added to the body of Imperial Lore, allowing magicians all over the Empire to receive training in the ritual. This process can be quite costly, and requires [[Imperial Senate]] approval - it is the senate that meets costs involved, although the Conclave may offer additional support to the Senate if an appropriate [[#Hearing the Gambits|gambit]] is raised. If this declaration is made, the civil service functionaries will add it to the [[Imperial Senate]] agenda. Adding a ritual to Imperial lore also requires that a ritual focus detailing the ritual is handed over - this is a specific item created when a ritual is researched to the point where it may be mastered. The cost to the Senate to add a ritual to Imperial lore is ten Thrones. The Senate cannot add a ritual to Imperial lore without the approval of the Conclave, and vice versa.
 
====Declaration of the Balance====
The Conclave may require the civil service to arrange the election of the [[Conclave order#Grandmasters of the orders|grandmasters]] again. This declaration rarely passes unless more than one [[Conclave order|order]] (and thus grandmaster) wishes to re-evaluate the voting strength of the orders as a whole. The civil service will attempt to arrange the re-election after the current session, and before the next session, ensuring sufficient time is allowed for all magicians to be aware of the re-election.
 
===Voting on declarations===
A declaration is always considered to have a single vote in favour. If nobody opposes it, it passes automatically. If any [[Conclave order#Grandmasters of the orders|grandmaster]] chooses to oppose the declaration, a vote is called
 
During a vote each grandmaster may commit an amount of crystal mana to either support or oppose the declaration. Crystals are placed secretly, then counted by the civil service. A grandmaster cannot commit more crystals than the voting strength of their order, as recorded during their election.
 
Declarations pass or are defeated after a single pass. In the case of a tie, the declaration is considered to have passed.
 
Any crystal mana used during a vote is transferred to the Conclave's reserves.
 
===Concluding the Agenda===
Once all agenda items are dealt with, or (in some very rare circumstances) once the time allocated to the agenda expires, the Conclave session either concludes or moves on to the consideration of the [[#Hearing the Gambits|gambits]]. Any remaining agenda items are added to the start of the next conclave session.
 
==Hearing the Gambits==
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Curved rustic staff by [http://www.skianmhor.co.uk Skian Mhor]|align=right|width=360|height=540}}
After all agenda items have been raised and resolved, the Conclave proceeds to resolve the gambits put forward by the [[Conclave order#Grandmasters of the orders|Grandmasters of the orders]]. Gambits are usually proposed and decided twice during an Imperial summit, assuming time allows.
 
The Conclave has a store of resources, usually referred to as the Conclave Vault. This exists predominantly in the form of crystal mana and [[Materials#Ilium|ilium]], but some other [[materials]] also end up in Conclave coffers. These reserves are built up from a range of sources including Conclave politics; seizures from sorcerers and barbarians; and the production of some resources controlled on the Conclave's behalf by the civil service. The Conclave is responsible for ensuring that these magical reserves are put to the use of the Empire. This is achieved through gambits and through the decision of the [[archmage|archmagi]].
 
===Proposing a Gambit===
A gambit is a proposal that formally requests the use of the Empire's magical resources. It usually takes the form of a statement with three components.
* The name of the [[Conclave order|conclave order]] that proposes the gambit, and the name of the specific magician who requests the use of, and takes responsibility for, the resources
* The exact resources needed, clearly identified by type and amount
* The specific use to which this magical resource will be put is clearly stated; it is common to include a deadline after which any excess materials will be returned to the Conclave.
 
Examples of past gambits have included:
* ''The Rod and Shield requires thirty-five crystals of mana for Amelia Larkwood de Rousillon so that she may enchant the armies of the Earl de Rousillon with the Shining Panoply of War before they face the Druj in battle tomorrow morning.''
* ''The Unfettered Mind require magician Serval i Riqueza receive forty crystals of mana to engage in an investigation of the mechanisms whereby the ritual Tribute to the Thrice-Bound Court functions; he will deliver a report to the Conclave on his findings in one year.''
* ''The Shuttered Lantern require ten crystals of mana for Garrett of Osterly so that he may scry the dispositions of the Thule armies near Skarsind and deliver a report to the Warmage by tomorrow evening.''
* ''The Celestial Arch require that the Icewalker Felendahnk of the Rod and Shield order receive twenty crystals of mana so that he may help the forces defending Mahnraking Hall in Hahnark by raising the Standard of War on their armies.''
* ''The magician Heldregard requests that she be given thirty-five crystals of mana so that her coven may perform the Devastating Scythe of Anguish and Loss during the battle tomorrow morning against the Jotun.''
 
Each [[Conclave order#Grandmasters of the orders|grandmaster]] may place a single gambit for consideration prior to each session, at the cost of one crystal of mana.  
 
A magician who is not a grandmaster may also place a gambit for consideration, but this requires five crystals of mana, and all gambits from individual magicians are heard after the gambits presented by the grandmasters.
 
===Presenting a Gambit===
Prior to the Conclave session, tokens are drawn at random to determine the order in which the gambits will be heard by the [[archmage|archmagi]]. These tokens may be swapped with other token holders as part of a negotiated arrangement. Gambits raised by [[Conclave order#Grandmasters of the orders|grandmasters]] on behalf of their [[Conclave order|orders]] are always heard before gambits raised by individual magicians on their own behalf.
 
The named magician has five minutes to present their case for the gambit. The [[archmage|archmagi]] then take a short time to discuss the gambit with each other and the magician who has presented it, before deciding if they will resource the gambit.
 
===Resourcing the Gambit===
The materials available to resourcing all gambits in a session is determined before the first gambit is presented.
 
* One-sixth of all mana crystals and materials belonging to the Conclave is assigned to each archmage, which they can apportion as they wish to resource a gambit.
* Archmagi can agree to co-operatively pool their allocations to resource a gambit, and may discuss their intentions as they wish.
* After deliberation, each archmage writes down the amount they will contribute to the gambit and passes to the civil servant who announces the numbers and whether it has been resourced or not.
** If the gambit has been resourced, all materials assigned to that gambit are removed from the archmage's reserves. If the gambit has been over-resourced, excess materials are returned to the archmage's supply after the gambits are heard, after the materials have been assigned proportionally by the civil service. This engcourages the archmagi to be sensible with their pledges.
** If the gambit has not been resourced in full, no materials are assigned, and all materials remain in the supply of the archmagi. The gambit is said to have failed..
* There is no requirement for archmagi to utilise all, or even any, of their allocation of materials. The tally of unused materials allocated to each archmage accumulates from season to season, but is the property of the position, not the individual magician.
 
If the Gambit received sufficient material, it is resourced; the mana is given to the designated magician at the end of the session.
 
===Concluding the Gambits===
Once all gambits placed by [[Conclave order#Grandmasters of the orders|grandmasters]] are heard, remaining gambits are presented in a random order, At any point after the six [[Conclave order|order]] gambits are heard, an [[archmage]] may withdraw from the proceedings.


[[Category:Conclave]]
[[Category:Conclave]]
[[Category:The Empire]]

Revision as of 19:54, 4 April 2014

We do not need to like each other to meet as a Conclave, but we must respect each other if we hope to be effective. My principle of proportions ensures respect for other magicians is accorded in the most sublime way. Each of us will weigh the balance of our business against the Conclave's precious time using the scales of magic itself. If the price seems too high, then perhaps what you have to say is not to us as important as it is to you...

Iñes i Guerra

Overview

Like the Senate and the Military Council, the Conclave conducts its official business at formal sessions, where matters are discussed and votes are cast. Although Conclave members meet to discuss business throughout the day (the rules of the Conclave positively encourage magicians to pursue their goals outside the sessions), the sessions are the best chance to address the entire Conclave and the only time that declarations and gambits can be passed.

Traditionally, the Conclave has one formal session each evening during the Imperial summit.

Conclave Principles

Rather than have a civil servant chair a session, as effectively happens in the Senate, the Conclave employs three ancient principles to ensure the smooth running of their meetings. The Principle of Precedence, uses a count of members of the Conclave orders present for the session to determine in what order individuals are eligible to speak, as well as how much of the Conclave's resources each order receives.

The Principle of Proportions demands payment from any individual who wishes to speak, one mana crystal per minute that the speaker wishes to employ. All mana collected is added to the Conclave vault. Official appointments by the Conclave receive limited opportunities to speak without paying this cost, but no other exemptions are allowed. Eternals, foreign dignitaries, even the Empress herself had to pay. Formally the mana is considered a bequest, but no-one is under any illusion that what is demanded is payment - payment to all the assembled magicians to recompense them for the time.

The Principle of Presence prevents a magician from authorizing a proxy to speak on their behalf to the Conclave. The individual who lodges an agenda item with the civil service is the individual who must present that item to the Conclave, they cannot pass the opportunity to do so to another individual. In practice this principle is rarely restrictive to anyone but archmagi and individuals who are unable to reach the Hall of Worlds.

Speaking before the Conclave

Following the Principle of Proportions, speaking before the Conclave costs the speaker one crystal mana for every minute they wish to talk. Every agenda item costs a mana crystal to raise - but automatically entitles the party who lodges the item to a minute to present their case. If they wish to speak for longer than this, they must pay for additional time.

After the presentation is complete, the grandmasters of the orders may nominate volunteers to speak on the topic being discussed, in order determined by the Principle of Precedence. For a declaration only, the first individual chosen by each order receives a single free minute to speak, additional minutes must be paid for with mana.

The nominated speaker, need not be a member of the grandmaster's order but must be an Imperial citizen. Independent magicians and other beings present in the hall can speak, if they receive the nomination of a grandmaster to do so. It is also possible for a grandmaster to nominate a magician from another order, if they wish to do so.

Minutes are timed using a set of minute glasses provided by the civil service, who are also responsible for ensuring that individuals obey the time limits. The civil servants have the legal power to remove a magician once their allotted time has expired, but this is rarely needed, Conclave magicians are positively encouraged to police themselves - by barracking any magician who attempts to carry on speaking until they pay the mana or relinquish the floor.

Since the speaker has paid for their time, those assembled are required to let the speaker use their minute freely. It is most common to speak for the duration, but some magicians invite questions from the floor to answer. Shouts of support or rejection from the floor are acceptable - but shouting a speaker down or trying to talk over them will result in censure by the civil service. When important matters are being discussed there are often scores of whispered conversations taking place between members of the Conclave.

The mana must be provided before the nominated individual begins talking; when someone plans to talk for more than a minute it is common to provide the civil service with a pile of mana to use as they speak.

Setting the Agenda

Any Imperial citizen can add an item to the agenda by approaching a civil servant associated with the Conclave and raising the agenda item. To do so they must bequeath a single mana crystal to the Conclave. At the next Conclave session, each item on the agenda is raised and resolved by the meeting in the order in which they were raised.

Any member of the Conclave can ask to review the agenda for the next session. The agenda is closed an hour before the session is scheduled to begin, so that copies can be made. Copies are generally placed at the Civil service hub and in the Hall of Worlds, and one copy typically furnished for each grandmaster and archmage.

An item raised to the agenda can be either an address, a declaration, or a gambit. Except in the case of a grandmaster invoking the veil of their order, the specifics of the address or declaration must be recorded on the agenda. A character who places an item on the agenda is automatically guaranteed a single minute to speak on the subject without further cost, but it must be that character that speaks. The rules of the Conclave forbid any individual from using a proxy to speak in their place.

The person who raised the agenda item may withdraw it at any time, but they do not get their crystal mana back.

Session Order

Each Conclave session follows a strict order; precedence is established, addresses are made, declarations resolved, and finally gambits are presented and resourced.

The first business of any Conclave session is to establish precedence. Once this is complete the items on the agenda are debated in strict order, starting with the addresses, then any declarations, and finally the gambits.

Addresses are dealt with in the order they were raised to the agenda. The same is true for declarations and gambits with the exception that declarations with similar outcomes are resolved at the same time as the last agenda item was raised. For example, if more than one individual has challenged for a title, they will all be resolved in together, at the point determined by the last challenge registered.

Each agenda item is announced by the civil service and then the person that raised the item with the civil servant is allowed to make a presentation on it, up to a minute in length. If they wish to speak for longer than a minute, then they must pay to do so.

Once an address or declaration is complete, magicians from the orders may speak.Once magicians from the orders have spoken, then any other individuals present may speak, in order determined by the civil servants.

Concluding the Agenda

Once all agenda items are dealt with and the gambits have been heard, the conclave session ends. If a session ends prematurely for any reason, remaining agenda items are added to the start of the next Conclave agenda.

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