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[[Category:Conclave]]
[[Category:Conclave]]
{{CaptionedImage|file=:Medea_Ruth.jpg|align=right|caption=''Concord'' can have far-reaching implications.|width=250}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Medea_Ruth.jpg|align=right|caption=''Concord'' can have far-reaching implications.|width=250}}
==Overview==
==Overview==
A declaration of concord allows the [[Imperial Conclave]] to agree a statement of belief, intent or support. It can also be used to extend an invitation, accept an offer or reject an approach by an eternal. The declaration has no binding legal consequences but it does clearly expresses the intent of the Conclave, so it is often used when the Conclave wish to demonstrate their collective will to another political house such as the [[Imperial Senate|Senate]].
A Declaration of Concord allows the [[Imperial Conclave]] to agree a statement of belief, intent or support. It communicates the will of the Conclave as a body not only to the magicians of the Empire, but to eternals and mortal factions alike. The wording of any successful Declaration of Concord is communicated across the Empire by the Civil Service once the summit has ended.


==Declaration==
The Declaration has no binding legal consequences in itself, but it clearly expresses the intent of the Conclave, so it is often used when the Conclave wish to demonstrate their collective will to another Imperial political house such as the [[Imperial Senate|Senate]]. It can also be used to accept, or reject, offers and proposals from outside sources such as eternals, factions within the Empire, and foreign nations. Indeed, such offers often come with the requirement that a suitably worded Declaration of Concord be passed to indicate that the Conclave is in favour of the proposal.
The only effect of a declaration of concord is to demonstrate the agreed will of the Conclave. To do that effectively the declaration must clearly state what it is that the Conclave agrees on. It is common to have wording such as "the Conclave believes..." or "The magicians of the Empire support...". The declaration should be a clear simple expression of what it is the Conclave wishes or are doing (or that they reject).  


In general, more is less - the longer and the more complex the wording, the less clear the resulting declaration will be. The wording of a declaration of concord cannot be amended after it is submitted, and will be recorded verbatim if the declaration passes.  
The [[Imperial Magus]] is empowered to raise a Declaration of Concord, once each summit. This declaration, takes [[Imperial_Magus#The_Magus.27_Precedence|precedence]] over most other declarations. It is deliberated first during a conclave session, or second if [[the Throne]] has [[The_Throne#The_First_and_the_Last|nominated a prime declaration]].


The conclave can only vote either to agree with the declaration, or to disagree with it.
==Necessary Details==
* '''The wording of a Declaration of Concord must explicitly state the assertion that the Conclave is upholding'''
 
The Declaration must clearly state what it is that the Conclave agrees on in the wording of the text. It is common to have wording such as "the Conclave believes..." or "The magicians of the Empire support...". The declaration should be a clear simple expression of what it is the Conclave wishes or are doing (or that they reject). In general, more is less - the longer and the more complex the wording, the less clear the resulting declaration will be. Civil Service guidelines suggest that a few concise sentences are the best way for the Conclave to communicate their intentions to others.
__TOC__
It is important to remember that the wording of a Declaration of Concord cannot be amended after it is submitted, and is recorded verbatim. If the declaration passes, it is the wording on the original declaration that is distributed to the magicians of the Empire regardless of what was said during the debate.
 
Examples
* This Conclave requests that the Senate not construct a fane without a suitably worded declaration passing in Conclave.
* The Conclave accepts Lashonar's gracious boon
* The magicians of the Empire should guard against the machinations of Agramant, working with the magistrates to expose and destroy cults dedicated to that wicked eternal.
 
===Guiding an Order===
* '''An order can be directed to support a situation by using one of that order's declaration of concord
* '''An order can only support a single situation each season
* '''It is currently only possible to direct an order as part of an opportunity
* '''Sending an order costs 20 mana crystals from the Conclave font
One of the potential uses of a declaration of concord is to direct one of the [[Conclave order|Conclave orders]] to support or investigate an ongoing situation. It is only possible to direct an order using one of that order's declarations; it is not possible for any other declaration to call an order to action. A declaration guiding an order in this way must clearly state which ongoing situation the order is to support. If the declaration is passed then at the end of the Conclave session twenty [[Game_items#Mana_Crystals|mana crystals]] are removed from the font to fund the members of the order in supporting whichever situation they have been called to action over.


==Resolution==
==Resolution==
It is not possible for the Empire to pass any declaration secretly. If the declaration is passed, the civil service take reasonable steps to ensure that magicians throughout the Empire are aware of it. Some of those informed will be inclined to follow the lead of the Conclave and will act accordingly. This often means that non-Imperial parties will become aware of the declaration - usually that is to the advantage of the Empire.
* '''The wording of any successful Declaration of Concord is disseminated to magicians across the Empire by the Civil Service'''
 
Any Declaration of Concord that passes is noted by the Civil Service, and the text of the declaration is disseminated to every Imperial magician. In practice, this means that the wording of a Declaration of Concord will generally reach the ears of interested outsiders as well - representatives of eternals, Imperial factions, or foreign interests - with a specific interest in the matter of the declaration.
''For example, if a declaration calls for increased magical trade with Jarm - then many Imperial magicians will make contact with their Jarmish counterparts looking to trade with them. Naturally therefore the Jarmish will soon become aware of the declaration the Conclave has passed - they may (or may not) then choose to send a representative to Anvil to discuss the matter.''


However, if a declaration calls for Imperial ritual teams to take every advantage of an offer provided by Basileus Flint of the City of Locks to allow them to curse the Thule territories, then Imperial magicians will be aware that that declaration has passed... but the Thule will '''not'''. No Imperial magician is going to get in touch with the Thule to discuss the matter with them unless a player-characters chooses to do that.
A declaration that fails is noted in the official Conclave records, but no effort is made to distribute the details. The assumption is that there are many reasons to reject a proposed Declaration of Concord and it is folly to read too much into that decision.


Occasionally the declaration of concord is used in advance to declare that a specific magical act will not be considered sorcery. Such a declaration is not legally binding on the Conclave but it can be very influential.
Note that the Conclave can only vote to uphold, or reject, a Declaration of Concord. They cannot vote to change the wording, for example. As such it is very important to ensure the wording is as concise and clear as possible.


''For example, in 326YE a number of [[Curse|curses]] were placed on individuals who had been identified by the [[Shuttered Lantern]] as supporters of the [[Briar|briars]] involved in the [[Freedom Heresy|Freedom heresy]]. Given the personal power of several of these individuals, the covens involved sought this declaration immediately before placing the curses and used it (successfully) as a defence when magicians associated with the [[Imperial Senate]] and [[Imperial Synod]] tried to have them declared sorcerers in the aftermath.''
If the Declaration of Concord addresses an offer by an outside force, a successful Declaration of Concord indicates the Conclave's decision with regard to that proposal.


The declaration of concord has also been used to initiate the [[Conclave_order#Creation_and_Dissolution_of_an_Order|creation of a Conclave order]] or a [[new Imperial titles|new Imperial title]]. The [[Imperial Senate]] will often take a relevant declaration into account when voting on a motion that impact magicians, or magical matters. The [[Scrutiny#Constitutional Court|Constitutional Court]] also look at these declarations as evidence that the constitutional role of the Conclave is not being undermined.
==OOC Design==
* '''NPCs that are looking for the Conclave to take a stance on an issue will respond to a successful Declaration of Concord'''
* '''Profound Decisions will note any response by NPCs on the history page for that Conclave Session'''
* '''A Declaration of Concord ''may'' lead to further campaign developments if it provokes a strong response in the NPC magicians who hear it'''
The precise wording of a Declaration of Concord that passes is disseminated to Imperial magicians. First and foremost, this means that it is recorded on the wiki for any player character to read. Like the [[Statement of Principle]] [[judgement]] used by the [[Imperial Synod]], however, a Declaration of Concord may lead to a response from plot. Unlike a Statement of Principle there is no hard-and-fast measure for whether a declaration will provoke a response from the magicians of the Empire. ''Any'' successful Declaration of Concord could influence an ongoing situation, or even prompt a Wind of Fortune.  


Concord can also be used by the Conclave to accept an offer or a deal, often from an eternal or foreign nation.
Wherever possible, Profound Decisions will note the general response to a Declaration of Concord. Often this will simply be polite interest, or a note that the magicians of a certain nation or archetype are discussing the implications. Other times, it may prompt a strong response from NPC magicians that leads to a full Wind of Fortune in its own right. Most things do not lead to a strong response - for example a Declaration of Concord urging magicians to support efforts to repel the Druj in Tassato is unlikely to have a significant impact, because most people are already doing what they can to help the Imperial war effort. But a Declaration of Concord asking magicians to root out traitors and Druj sympathisers in the city is more likely to provoke a significant response.


''For example in Autumn 381YE the Conclave used a declaration of concord to accept [[[[Queens_and_kings#The_Talented_Koboldi|the offer]] of the eternal [[Adamant]] to send his ''koboldi'' to support the miners of the Empire.''
The Declaration of Concord is primarily aimed at Imperial magicians, and is no substitute for a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] or [[Ambassador|ambassadorial communique]]. A Declaration of Concord intended to address outside faction is much less likely to prompt any kind of response, except where that outside faction is already paying attention to Conclave politics. For example, the decision to allow the ''Zauberer'' of the [[Commonwealth]] unfettered access to Imperial Lore, and the subsequent establishment of the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The_Lyceum_Schloss|Lyceum Schloss]] means that many magicians of that nation are following Imperial Conclave declarations with interest. A Declaration of Concord dealing with relations between Imperial magicians and the Commonwealth Zauberer is more likely to produce a response than if the Commonwealth were not involved in Conclave politics.


If a concord does ''not'' pass, it is not considered to be the same as the Conclave saying they do ''not'' believe something - it is generally accepted by Imperial citizens, eternals, and foreigners alike that there are a number of reasons why the precise wording of a concord may not be upheld.
If a Declaration of Concord does ''not'' pass, it is not considered to be the same as the Conclave saying they do ''not'' believe something - it is generally accepted by Imperial citizens, eternals, and foreigners alike that there are a number of reasons why the precise wording of a concord may not be upheld.
{{Conclave further reading}}
{{Conclave further reading}}

Latest revision as of 16:25, 3 June 2024


Medea Ruth.jpg
Concord can have far-reaching implications.

Overview

A Declaration of Concord allows the Imperial Conclave to agree a statement of belief, intent or support. It communicates the will of the Conclave as a body not only to the magicians of the Empire, but to eternals and mortal factions alike. The wording of any successful Declaration of Concord is communicated across the Empire by the Civil Service once the summit has ended.

The Declaration has no binding legal consequences in itself, but it clearly expresses the intent of the Conclave, so it is often used when the Conclave wish to demonstrate their collective will to another Imperial political house such as the Senate. It can also be used to accept, or reject, offers and proposals from outside sources such as eternals, factions within the Empire, and foreign nations. Indeed, such offers often come with the requirement that a suitably worded Declaration of Concord be passed to indicate that the Conclave is in favour of the proposal.

The Imperial Magus is empowered to raise a Declaration of Concord, once each summit. This declaration, takes precedence over most other declarations. It is deliberated first during a conclave session, or second if the Throne has nominated a prime declaration.

Necessary Details

  • The wording of a Declaration of Concord must explicitly state the assertion that the Conclave is upholding

The Declaration must clearly state what it is that the Conclave agrees on in the wording of the text. It is common to have wording such as "the Conclave believes..." or "The magicians of the Empire support...". The declaration should be a clear simple expression of what it is the Conclave wishes or are doing (or that they reject). In general, more is less - the longer and the more complex the wording, the less clear the resulting declaration will be. Civil Service guidelines suggest that a few concise sentences are the best way for the Conclave to communicate their intentions to others.

It is important to remember that the wording of a Declaration of Concord cannot be amended after it is submitted, and is recorded verbatim. If the declaration passes, it is the wording on the original declaration that is distributed to the magicians of the Empire regardless of what was said during the debate.

Examples

  • This Conclave requests that the Senate not construct a fane without a suitably worded declaration passing in Conclave.
  • The Conclave accepts Lashonar's gracious boon
  • The magicians of the Empire should guard against the machinations of Agramant, working with the magistrates to expose and destroy cults dedicated to that wicked eternal.

Guiding an Order

  • An order can be directed to support a situation by using one of that order's declaration of concord
  • An order can only support a single situation each season
  • It is currently only possible to direct an order as part of an opportunity
  • Sending an order costs 20 mana crystals from the Conclave font

One of the potential uses of a declaration of concord is to direct one of the Conclave orders to support or investigate an ongoing situation. It is only possible to direct an order using one of that order's declarations; it is not possible for any other declaration to call an order to action. A declaration guiding an order in this way must clearly state which ongoing situation the order is to support. If the declaration is passed then at the end of the Conclave session twenty mana crystals are removed from the font to fund the members of the order in supporting whichever situation they have been called to action over.

Resolution

  • The wording of any successful Declaration of Concord is disseminated to magicians across the Empire by the Civil Service

Any Declaration of Concord that passes is noted by the Civil Service, and the text of the declaration is disseminated to every Imperial magician. In practice, this means that the wording of a Declaration of Concord will generally reach the ears of interested outsiders as well - representatives of eternals, Imperial factions, or foreign interests - with a specific interest in the matter of the declaration.

A declaration that fails is noted in the official Conclave records, but no effort is made to distribute the details. The assumption is that there are many reasons to reject a proposed Declaration of Concord and it is folly to read too much into that decision.

Note that the Conclave can only vote to uphold, or reject, a Declaration of Concord. They cannot vote to change the wording, for example. As such it is very important to ensure the wording is as concise and clear as possible.

If the Declaration of Concord addresses an offer by an outside force, a successful Declaration of Concord indicates the Conclave's decision with regard to that proposal.

OOC Design

  • NPCs that are looking for the Conclave to take a stance on an issue will respond to a successful Declaration of Concord
  • Profound Decisions will note any response by NPCs on the history page for that Conclave Session
  • A Declaration of Concord may lead to further campaign developments if it provokes a strong response in the NPC magicians who hear it

The precise wording of a Declaration of Concord that passes is disseminated to Imperial magicians. First and foremost, this means that it is recorded on the wiki for any player character to read. Like the Statement of Principle judgement used by the Imperial Synod, however, a Declaration of Concord may lead to a response from plot. Unlike a Statement of Principle there is no hard-and-fast measure for whether a declaration will provoke a response from the magicians of the Empire. Any successful Declaration of Concord could influence an ongoing situation, or even prompt a Wind of Fortune.

Wherever possible, Profound Decisions will note the general response to a Declaration of Concord. Often this will simply be polite interest, or a note that the magicians of a certain nation or archetype are discussing the implications. Other times, it may prompt a strong response from NPC magicians that leads to a full Wind of Fortune in its own right. Most things do not lead to a strong response - for example a Declaration of Concord urging magicians to support efforts to repel the Druj in Tassato is unlikely to have a significant impact, because most people are already doing what they can to help the Imperial war effort. But a Declaration of Concord asking magicians to root out traitors and Druj sympathisers in the city is more likely to provoke a significant response.

The Declaration of Concord is primarily aimed at Imperial magicians, and is no substitute for a plenipotentiary or ambassadorial communique. A Declaration of Concord intended to address outside faction is much less likely to prompt any kind of response, except where that outside faction is already paying attention to Conclave politics. For example, the decision to allow the Zauberer of the Commonwealth unfettered access to Imperial Lore, and the subsequent establishment of the Lyceum Schloss means that many magicians of that nation are following Imperial Conclave declarations with interest. A Declaration of Concord dealing with relations between Imperial magicians and the Commonwealth Zauberer is more likely to produce a response than if the Commonwealth were not involved in Conclave politics.

If a Declaration of Concord does not pass, it is not considered to be the same as the Conclave saying they do not believe something - it is generally accepted by Imperial citizens, eternals, and foreigners alike that there are a number of reasons why the precise wording of a concord may not be upheld.

Further Reading

Core Brief

Additional Information