Stonehenge Tribunal of 1201
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As is the custom in the Stonehenge Tribunal, the conclave of 1201 was held at Stonehenge itself, meeting for several nights right after the autumnal equinox.
Pre-Tribunal Festivities
Magi gather for a few days before the Tribunal to socialize, barter vis, lab materials, and enchanted items, discuss magic, and intrigue. They pitch their pavilions on Salisbury Plain and set up a field where magi engage in an informal tournament and show entertainments for one another (Flambeau fireworks, Jerbiton art exhibits, and the like). Grogs compete in athletic events and drinking contests. Overall there is a festival atmosphere.
James shopped for enchanted items. He ended up offering to buy an enchanted helmet from Marcellus of Aquae Sulis.
Sandre and Merewen bartered with other magi for books. During these discussions, Sandre came across Tacita and learned that House Criamon was concerned about strange happenings in the Magic Realm. Sandre told her of his strange encounter while investigating the Eye of Andrion. Tacita told him:
- Ungulus' magic aura has decreased in strength recently. She didn't actually say this, but she implied it.
- No magus of House Criamon above the third "station" has emerged from Wizard's Twilight in the past three years. They have all been in Twilight considerably longer than expected. She didn't say how many magi that was.
- Some magi in the history of House Criamon have apparently been able to send messages from within Wizards' Twilight. The most famous of these was the maga Iamitu'krielle. Tacita provided no details.
Agnes had her first teenage romance with an apprentice from Oswald's Haven, Ealdred.
Call to Order
First, all magi of the Tribunal attending announce:
- Their names and Houses
- Whether they have moved their sancta to or within the Stonehenge Tribunal
- The names, Houses, and Tribunal of residence of any magi whose proxy sigils they carry
Attendees
The magi were:
- Amici Britanniae - 8 votes
- Justina, carrying three provy votes; Valerius, carrying one proxy vote; Garvonn, carrying one proxy vote
- Aquae Sulis - 8 votes
- All seven members in attendance, plus the newest member, Ignis
- Blackthorn - 7 votes
- Marcus with the proxy votes of Thorn and Loudevine (Thorn's was later ruled invalid); Otho; Mother Emma with 2 proxy votes; Gillian
- Burnham - 4 votes
- Caitlin Ex Miscellanea with 3 proxy votes, Sachiko of Criamon, Morfeo of Guernicus (non-voting)
- Cad Gadu - 5 votes
- Immanola (Praeco, non-voting), Cullwch, Calixtus, Madoc of the Swynwyr with 2 proxy votes
- Caveam Khokhan - 4 votes
- Aldiva of Jerbiton, carrying 3 proxy votes
- Cercle Cassée - 3 votes
- All three members present
- The Crimson Brotherhood - 4 votes
- All four members present
- Llanberis Pass - 2 votes
- Both known members present
- Oswald's Haven - 4 votes
- Aiken Oswaldsson with 2 proxy votes, Henrik ex Bjornaer
- Schola Pythagoranis - 5 votes
- Edward of Milton with 4 proxy votes, Fredegisa (Quaesitor, non-voting)
- Stormwatch - 3 votes
- Gallmau with 2 proxy votes
- Stranggore - 5 votes
- All magi were present, but Sandre's sigil was held by Garvonn of Amici Britanniae
- Ungulus - 5 votes
- William Fireheart with 3 proxy votes, Tacita of House Criamon
- Voluntas - 5 votes
- Julia of House Jerbiton with 2 proxy votes, Gweirfyl of House Bjornear, Desiderius of Verditius
- Eremites - 23 attending
- Known magi include Albert Geary, Robert of the Evil Eye, Orn the Silent of House Criamon, Mericas
Arrivals and Departures
Ignis filius Magnus of Aquae Sulis had become a magus. He established his sanctum at Aquae Sulis and was allowed to vote in this Tribunal.
Patrick of House Bjornear moved into the Tribunal (from where?) and established a sanctum as an eremite in Sussex. He was allowed to vote.
Ozerk of Stranggore was pronounced dead.
New Apprentices
Priscus of Cercle Cassée announced his apprentice, Philip.
Session 1: External Affairs
There were two major orders of business here.
Ruling on Whether Magi who Become Faeries Remain in the Order
Godwyn brought Thorn to Tribunal for trial for his part in the capture of Ozerk and the destruction of Ozerk's Gift. The first order of business was to determine whether Thorn was still a member of the Order.
Complicating matter, an emissary from the faerie court of King Albion came to demand that Thorn be released to his custody. The Tribunal told him to wait until it had ruled on whether Thorn was still a magus.
After considerable discussion, both on the Tribunal floor and during recesses, the Tribunal ruled that a magus who becomes a faerie ceases to be a member of the Order of Hermes. This was decided by a vote as follows:
| Covenant | Aye | Nay | Abstain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amici Britanniae | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Aquae Sulis | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Blackthorn | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Burnham | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Cad Gadu | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Caveam Khokhan | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Cercle Cassée | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Crimson Brotherhood | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Llanberis Pass | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Oswald's Haven | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Schola Pythagoranis | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Stranggore | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Stormwatch | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Ungulus | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Voluntas | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Eremites | 6 | 2 | 15 |
| Total | 22 | 40 | 32 |
Marcus of Blackthorn argued that Thorn was a magus because he had once sworn the Oath, and that the ability to use the Arts was not a requirement for membership in the Order.
The strongest arguments against the proposition were:
- two other mystery Houses have members become magical beings at the culmination of their Mysteries (Bjornear become Great Beasts and Criamon become ghosts) and neither of them claims the protection of the Code
- you can't have it both ways, to be protected by the Code but free to swear allegiance to a faerie court as Thorn had done. Jerbiton magi can't swear allegiance to mundanes so Merinita magi can't swear allegiance to faeries.
- Edward of Milton made the case that as a faerie, Thorn does not have free will and so he cannot necessarily obey the Code even if he wants to, if his faerie nature demands otherwise
The actual vote was swayed by these arguments and also by a popularity contest for Blackthorn, in which Blackthorn made a poor showing.
There was a brief ceremony, almost identical to a formal Wizard's March, in which Thorn was cast out of the Order. The Praeco broke his sigil in two in front of the whole assembly. But, unlike a Wizard's March, no one immediately attacked Thorn.
Then Godwyn offered to surrender Thorn to King Albion if Albion would pay wergild for the slaying of Ozerk. Albion's emissary offered a bowl of twenty rubies, each containing a pawn of Rego vis. Godwyn was ready to accept that.
But Iudicium interrupted, bringing up the point that since Thorn was no longer a magus, but knew the secret of Parma Magica, the safety of the Order demanded Thorn be put to death immediately. Godwyn offered a compromise: that Thorn make a mystically binding faerie oath to never reveal any of the Order's secrets. This could only be made binding if Godwyn offered something in return. He agreed to forswear all vengeance by members of Stranggore against Thorn for all of Thorn's past crimes and offenses against Ozerk. There were enough high-ranking Merinita magi that they could ritually seal the pact beyond reasonable possibility of Thorn wiggling out of it. So Godwyn and Thorn sealed their pact in blood.
Godwyn collected his 20 pawns of vis. He gave half to his political allies in the debate, and one pawn each to his sodales, keeping five for himself.
Inflation
Magi from the younger covenants were very upset over the rise in mundane prices over the past several years. (This will later prove to be inflation caused by the circulation of magical silver). Edward of Milton bored everyone by explaining the basics of how prices can fluctuate.
The Tribunal agreed to appoint a panel of three Jerbiton magi to investigate the reason for the strange rise in prices and to report back at next Tribunal. Each of these magi was to be paid five pawns of vim vis for his aid to the Tribunal.
Other External Affairs
- Cercle Cassée will certainly have an update on diabolic activity
- The matter of the demon abbot will probably be announced
- Hearing on whether Thorn should be tried as a magus. Possibly followed by trial in Session 2.
Session 2: Internal Affairs
- Announcement of the Wizard's March of Jonas of Wells and Caballus's role in meting out justice.
- Argument between Gregory of House Jerbiton and Caecus Ex Miscellanea
Trial Procedure
- Private hearing to determine the facts. Settlement is possible if both parties agree.
- Public hearing to debate merits of law
- Penalties or restitution