Back to the Library(this page written by Mark Shirley)
This be the charter of the Covenant of Malinbois, founded in the One Thousandth, Three Hundredth and Thirty Sixth year of Pisces; in the Val de Seraque, County of Roussillon, Provencal Tribunal. This Charter was written and signed under the auspices of the Honoured Maga Francesca, filia of Theadore, House Guernicus, famed for her Wisdom. This Charter was last updated on the First day of Autumn of the One Thousandth, Three Hundredth and Seventy Fifth year of Pisces, by the Honoured Maga Francesca, filia of Theadore, House Guernicus.
The Council may impose a probationary period of not more than four seasons, where the Candidate must perform services for the covenant. After this period, the Magus is granted the status of a Magus in Good Standing, and becomes a Socius Conciliorum. Magi with an Appointed Position on the Council of Malinbois are granted the rank of Magus Praetor. Magi attaining the rank of Disceptator, Admonitor or Praefectus are granted the rank of Magus Princeps.
Membership to the Ranks of Magus Praetor and Magus Princeps is granted only by a majority vote of the present Magi Praetores, Magi Princepes and Magi Conditores. It is not possible to be promoted to the Rank of Magus Conditor. As of this most recent Charter, the Magi Conditores are:
A Magus is allowed access to all other equipment and supplies of the Covenant which they find necessary to requisition for the functioning of their laboratory or for the purpose of an expedition, except that which is denied by Council vote.
A Magus is entitled to withdraw a portion of the Covenants coffers for expeditions, not to exceed 1 coin out of every 20 present in any given season, except when denied by Council vote.
A Magus is entitled to access the talents, skills and knowledges of any and all of those who live and work at the Covenant and who owe time and service to the Covenant, except when denied by Council vote.
A Magus is entitled to access the full library of the Covenant, both Arcane and Mundane, including any and all tomes which may temporarily be in the hands of a wizard. Each Magus is allowed to keep a book for no longer than one season if a Magus has announced at Council his desire for the volume. Access to books can be denied by Council vote. The wishes of Magi Conditores have priority over those of other Magi in the matter of library resources. Likewise, the wishes of Magi Princepes have priority over the Magi Praetores, which in turn have priority over those of Socii Conciliorum.
A Magus is entitled to attend each and every Council meeting.
A Magus in Good Standing is entitled not only to attend each and every Council meeting, but also call one if he deems fit; and to vote in the issues there presented. It is the duty of the Disceptator to inform all members of the Covenant about unscheduled meetings, with sufficient notice so that he is able to attend, should he so desire.
A Magus in Good Standing is entitled to claim a portion of the Covenant's vis, once each year at the Winter Council. A season of work for the Covenant earns a Socius Concilii Six Pawns of Vis, a Magus Praetor Eight Pawns of Vis, a Magus Princeps a Rook of Vis and a Magus Conditor One Rook and Two Pawns of Vis; with the proviso that no more than half of the total Vis stores is allocated at this time. In emergency situations, at the decision of the Praefectus, payment can be deferred to a time when it is again possible to allocate what is due.
Servants with Responsibility over finances, equipment, the turb or the library are entitled to delay the provisioning of their resource if it is in perilously short supply, until a Council meeting can be called.
Half of the vis found by members of Malinbois belongs to the finder or finders, and the remaining half is donated to the Covenant stores, divided in favour of the Covenant. If a regular source of renewable vis is discovered then all of this vis belongs to the covenant, except for the first harvest, which all belongs to the finder or finders.
Raw vis may only be extracted from the Covenants locality once per year, with the approval of the Praefectus. The Praefectus may set a limit on the number of Pawns to be extracted, so as not to strain the Covenant's Aura. Vis so extracted belongs to the Magus operant except for one pawn in five, which belongs to the Covenant. As work for the Covenant, one pawn in five belongs to the operant Magus. If two or more Magi should wish to harvest vis in this way in the same season, then the Magus who has harvested most recently in the last two years will give way. If this is not applicable then the matter should be solved by Creo Vim certamen. Extraction for the Covenant always takes precedence over personal extraction, unless the Council decides otherwise.
If agreeable to the Council, a Magus may withdraw vis from the stores with an arrangement to pay it back within a predetermined length of time. It is also possible, with Council authorisation, to exchange personal vis of one Technique or Form with that from the stores, on a one-for-one basis. Technique vis can only be exchanged for Technique, and likewise with Form.
Monies and items of financial value found whilst on expeditions are treated in the same way as raw vis. Renewable sources of mundane income are held in common in the Covenant stores. Financial support for personal projects can be provided by the Covenant as agreed by Council, as long as this does not interfere with the regular expenses of the Covenant.
Each full member must spend an amount of time demanded by the Council to govern the Covenant as well as to guide covenfolk in its maintenance. Each Magus has a separate and independent responsibility to ensure that the covenant functions smoothly. Members are obliged to do work on behalf of the Council of Malinbois if requested, if they have not performed such work within the last 8 seasons.
The Council has the right to request the use of any Invested Item other than Personal Property that is used habitually by any Member, for a pre-specified duration and purpose. The following classes of Invested Items are defined as Personal Property: Items made personally, bought personally or gifted or earned personally by a Magus. All Invested Items other than Personal Property not habitually used by an individual Magus are to be held by the Covenant as a whole. A list of Invested Items deemed to be Personal Property belonging to each Member is to be kept by the Admonitor, and to be amended only by the signature of the Admonitor and a Magus Princeps.
Only the Council has the right to sell Invested Items owned by the Covenant. Exempt from this are items deemed Personal Property.
The Council will set projects that will be to the benefit of the Covenant as a whole. Magi may volunteer for these or be appointed according to ability. Vis from the Covenant stores may be used in these projects, with the approval of the Praefectus. For each season spent on a project the Magus is excused from further projects for 8 seasons.
Laboratory work books, when not in use, must be kept in the library for the perusal of others.
A Magus on Expedition is responsible for the actions of the Covenfolk that he chooses to accompany him. The chain of Command is hereby set as: Magi Conditores; Magi Princepes; Magi Praetores; Socii Conciliorum; Consors with Rank; Custos; Other Consors; Milites. The most Senior Magus is also responsible for the Discipline of those that accompany him; when at the Covenant, this duty falls to the Disceptator.
If possible, appointed members must be present at meetings where the matters under their jurisdiction are to be discussed - in these matters they have the casting vote. That is to say that, if after all votes have been cast the result is a tie, the relevant officer is granted an additional vote to determine the outcome. The Disceptator of the Council must be present at all Council Meetings, or must nominate a temporary replacement if he is to be absent. In emergency situations, the Council may nominate the most senior member present to oversee a Council Meeting.
An agenda for each Quarterly meeting will be decided upon seven days in advance. All Magi should inform the Disceptator of business to be discussed prior to this period if possible, although non-scheduled business may be discussed with the approval of the Disceptator. Magi will take turns to record the matters discussed and the decisions made, if magical means are unavailable. These records are to be transcribed into the Library.
Non-Quarterly meetings are announced by the striking of the bell in the Council Chamber. A single strike indicates that a meeting will begin in one hour, whereas three strikes indicates an emergency meeting, beginning immediately.
Decisions are made by voting. The Magi Conditores and the Magi Princepes each have three votes, the Magi Praetores two, and the Socii Conciliorum only one. Under most situations a majority vote is required to pass a motion.
The Council has Authority over:
A Quorum consists of 3/4 of the full Magi of Malinbois, excluding the Magi Conditores. (Note that quorum is not met by having 3/4 of the votes present). Matters requiring a quorum rather than a simple majority are:
In this we pledge our highest aspirations and beliefs. By the word of everything we hold Sacred, True and Just, we swear to obey the Stipulations of this Charter of the Covenant of Malinbois till Death do betray us to this oath. And if we fail, may the most rigorous of all Masters, the Arts themselves, betray us and lead us into Pain, Failure, and Dismal Eternal Solitude.