Sorcery

Sorcerers abuse magic, misuse curses, and engage in all manner of suspect behaviour.

Overview

The Imperial Conclave is charged by the Constitution to "identify those arcane practitioners whose arts work against the Empire, so that they may be condemned." One of the primary tools they use to do this is the Declaration of Sorcery. Naming an Imperial magician to be a sorcerer prohibits them from performing ritual magic, and engaging with eternals.

The most common reason for this declaration is an abuse of magic by misuse of curses against citizens or allies of the Empire, or against those who insist on dealing with malign entities that may threaten the Empire (such as eternals under enmity). The magistrates maintain a list of those who are declared sorcerers, carefully monitoring them and prosecuting them severely if they are found to have broken the restrictions on their behaviour.

The Declaration of Sorcery can also be used to declare that someone is Reconciled with the Conclave - that they are no longer considered a threat to the Empire.

The Imperial Senate has twice amended the restrictions placed on a sorcerer since the death of Empress Britta. During the Spring Equinox 378YE, the Imperial Senate voted to add a prohibition against interaction with eternals and their heralds to the declaration. During the Summer Solstice 380YE, the definition was further expanded to preclude possession of certain items that allowed ritual magic to be performed. However it is not possible for a declared sorcerer to be prohibited from carrying mana, nor from full participation in the Conclave, or holding any Imperial title.

The Witness of Conclave is empowered to raise a Declaration of Sorcery once each summit.

Necessary Details

• The Declaration must explicitly name one or more inhabitants of the Empire

The Declaration must name each specific inhabitant of the Empire who will be covered. Where possible it should include any appellation that might help to identify them - for example Apulian of the Torn Rope, Mazarin of Tamar's Hold, Elayne - Butcher of Astolat - de Hubert. It must clearly state whether all the named citizens are condemned as sorcerers, or whether they are all to be reconciled with the Conclave. Where possible, it is usually helpful to include a short one or two sentence explanation of why these individuals are condemned, or reconciled, so that that may be recorded for posterity alongside the outcome of the Declaration.

If there are multiple names on the Declaration, then members of the Conclave must either vote for or against the entire list - they may not split their votes. Given the severity of the sanctions placed on sorcerers, it is considered incumbent on the Conclave to be certain everyone named on a Declaration are guilty, lest an innocent magician be persecuted for reasons of convenience.

It is not possible to name a group, such as a coven or sodality, and declare all of them to be sorcerers. Often, investigation is required to determine the names of the magicians involved specifically so a Declaration of Sorcery can be raised against them.

Resolution

Sorcery

• All the named individuals are declared to be sorcerers at the end of that Conclave session
• A sorcerer is prohibited from casting any rituals
• They cannot carry or use magical items and materials whose primary purpose is to aid the performance of rituals
• They cannot interact with eternals or heralds

If this declaration is made, the resolution comes into effect at the end of the Conclave session. The sorcerer is subject to three prohibitions:

• They are prohibited from performing or contributing to rituals.
• They are prohibited from carrying or using ritual staves, foci, coven stones, vis, potions whose primary purpose is to aid or enhance the performance of rituals, and other items that exist that substantially improve the ability to perform rituals. The regalia of an archmage are not covered by this restriction. This prohibition was added by the Imperial Senate in 378YE. The initial amendment stipulated that all such items would be given over to control of the Conclave, which was based on an earlier interpretation of sorcery. What happens to any illegal items is a matter for the magistrates.
• They are prohibited from knowingly interacting with eternals or their heralds. This prohibition was added by the Imperial Senate in Summer 380YE.

There are many things a Declaration of Sorcery does not prohibit, including all of the following:

• Casting spells
• Owning mana crystals or using them for any reason other than to perform rituals
• Being the target of a ritual
• Holding an Imperial title
• Voting and speaking in Conclave if nominated

The magistrates maintain a public list of sorcerers, and keep a careful eye on them and their behaviour. A sorcerer who violates one of the prohibitions placed on them is subject to arrest and trial, with the most likely punishment for someone found guilty of breaking one of these provisions is execution.

Reconciliation

• All the named individuals cease to be sorcerers at the end of that Conclave session

If this Declaration passes, the named individuals are no longer sorcerers. All prohibitions on their behaviour are removed - it is not possible to remove some of the prohibitions. The magistrates are informed, and adjust their records accordingly. As with the declaration that someone is a sorcerer, the reconciliation comes into effect at the end of the Conclave session.

Prominent Sorcerers

Active Sorcerers

These individuals are believed to be active at Anvil. Any evidence that they have broken the prohibitions placed on sorcerers should be brought before the magistrates as soon as possible.

Name	Nation	Declaration By	Date
Bella Flowerfields	The Marches	Linley Weaver on behalf of the Celestial Arch	385YE Winter
Robyn of Bassingham	The Marches	Linley Weaver on behalf of the Celestial Arch	385YE Winter
Saura Penny	The Marches	Linley Weaver on behalf of the Celestial Arch	385YE Winter
Eli Scrump	The Marches	Linley Weaver on behalf of the Celestial Arch	385YE Winter
Anthemius Netherwatch	Urizen	Bryn Netherwatch	385YE Autumn
Ephrael of Zephaniah's Lament	Highguard	Solomon	383YE Autumn
Kerioth of Zephaniah's Lament	Highguard	Solomon	383YE Autumn
Jaylus of Zephaniah's Lament	Highguard	Solomon	383YE Summer

Other Sorcerers

A number of citizens who are not believed to attend Anvil regularly have also been declared Sorcerers in recent years. Many of them are believed deceased, but listed for completeness and in case rumours of their demise prove to be incorrect.

Name	Nation	Raised By	Date	Status
Brother Harvest	The Marches	Linley Weaver, Celestial Arch	385YE Winter	known deceased
Arthur Payne	The Marches	Linley Weaver, Celestial Arch	385YE Winter	known deceased
Renee du Loire	Dawn	Eudaemon of Halcyon Spire	380YE Winter	known deceased
Levi of Zephaniah's Lament	Highguard	Solomon	383YE Summer	known deceased
Benedict Pacelli von Holberg	The League	Benedict Pacelli von Holberg	382YE Winter	--
Medea Ruth	Urizen	Medea Ruth	382YE Winter	known deceased
Armand i Erigo	Brass Coast	Bakar i Riqueza	382YE Winter	known deceased
Eudaemon of Halcyon Spire	Urizen	Kyra of Halcyon Spire	381YE WInter	--
Aurelia of Halcyon Spire	Urizen	Kyra of Halcyon Spire	381YE Winter	believed deceased
Deidre of Overton	The Marches	Nicholas Reaper	380YE Summer	--
Guillermo, formerly di Tassato	Unknown	Zephaniah	380YE Summer	--
Gui de Lusignan	Dawn	Unknown	380YE Spring	known deceased
Ursul de Lusignan	Dawn	Unknown	380YE Spring	known deceased
Tremaine de Lusignan	Dawn	Unknown	380YE Spring	known deceased
Iluna de Lusignan	Dawn	Unknown	380YE Spring	known deceased
Claude de Lusignan	Dawn	Unknown	380YE Spring	known deceased
Domel Whispering Dray	Unknown	Isca	380YE Spring	--
Elvin Whispering Dray	Unknown	Isca	380YE Spring	--
Aervan Whispering Dray	Unknown	Isca	380YE Spring	--
Gareth Whispering Dray	Unknown	Isca	380YE Spring	--
Laxaina Whispering Dray	Unknown	Isca	380YE Spring	--
Leedy Whispering Dray	Unknown	Isca	380YE Spring	--
Tinuvie Whispering Dray	Unknown	Isca	380YE Spring	--
Arla Whispering Dray	Unknown	Isca	380YE Spring	--
Aedan of Olwen's Stand	Navarr	Wyll of Olwen's Stand	379YE Winter	known deceased
Farran Duskbourne	Navarr	Ieuan Linkforge	379YE Autumn	--
Myfanway Whispering Dray	Unknown	Mari Linkforge	379YE Spring	believed deceased
Alex Lansdale of Bregasland	The Marches	Bron Holdfast	378YE Summer	--
Saul of Vashti's Penitents	Highguard	Unknown	378YE Spring	believed deceased
Jael of Vashti's Penitents	Highguard	Unknown	378YE Spring	believed deceased
Cnaeus	Urizen	Sejanus Shatterspire	377YE Spring	known deceased

This list is not exhaustive, but contains the names of everyone declared a sorcerer since the death of Empress Britta.

Constitutional Note

The power of the Conclave to declare a citizen to be a sorcerer and thereby strip them of the rights to perform ritual magic is considered deeply significant by the Constitutional Court - comparable to the power of the Imperial Synod to excommunicate a citizen. At the start of 381YE, the Constitutional Court issued a clarification on the matter of sorcery, stating that it was unconstitutional to prohibit a citizen from carrying mana - since this would undermine their constitutionally protected rights to prosperity and dignity. The Constitution grants the Conclave the ability to put limits on the ability of citizens to perform significant magic - not what wealth they may carry on their person. All Imperial magicians are able to take part in the Conclave; sorcerers may raise declarations (if they are able to), pay mana to speak (if recognised by a grandmaster), or even hold an Imperial title if they can persuade their peers to support them. The previous rulings were errors associated with the reign of Emperor Nicovar and have been corrected.

Further Reading

Core Brief

• Conclave Overview
• Arcane Colloquium
• Conclave order
• Conclave session
• Declarations
  • Alignment
  • Candidacy
  • Concord
  • Dissemination
  • Endorsement
  • Endowment
  • Imperial lore
  • Interdiction
  • Sorcery

Additional Information

• Conclave vault
• Key Appointments to the Imperial Conclave
  • Archmage
  • Grandmaster
  • Prefect of the Conclave