Consilia
From Gothpoodle
There have been seven consilia in the history of San Francisco, the first six called to address specific issues and grievences and the last a perpetual gathering which threatens to settle into an actual government.
See also: Mage History
Contents |
The Barbary Compact
This is the name for the laws which established Awakened government in San Francisco:
- A consilium shall consist of all Masters residing upon the San Francisco Peninsula.
- All members of the consilium will be known only by their Shadow Name.
- A consilium can be called by any Master with the support of any other Master.
- A quorum of two-thirds is required for any decision to be made.
- All decisions shall be rendered by a majority vote.
- The eldest Master shall act as Hierarch to enforce the rules and call for votes.
In addition to the Compact are a number of traditions, called the Barbary Protocols, which have been enforced by the area cabals and which there is precedent for the Consilium supporting:
- Only Masters can accept students.
- Only Masters can establish cabals and claim hallows.
- Practitioners of left-handed magic shall be driven from the city or killed.
First Consilium
Members: Mary Pleasant, Chosen, Sin-Eater, Thomas Bell
The first gathering of Awakened was called in 1863 by the winners of the mystical conflict which came to be known as the Barbary Wars to address the influx of new mages into the growing city and agree on rules for settling disputes between them. These laws became the Barbary Protocols and established the format for future Consilia.
Second Consilium
Members: Three Chosen (Stone Scribe, Uncrowned King, Perfected Adept), Children (Liberatore), Saturday (Bokor), Sin-Eater (Clavicularius)
This consilium was called in 1907 by the head of the Children of Bondye to settle the issue of the seizure of their hallow by the Chosen of Ti-Tsang during the rebuilding after the earthquake, supported by the head of the Sin-Eaters. In the course of the politics that followed, it was revealed that the Sin-Eaters were practicing left-handed magic. Its members were subsequently killed or driven off, except for two who made a deal with the Children to trade their hallow for protection.
Third Consilium
Members: Japanese (Perfected Adept), Two Chosen (Stone Scribe, Uncrowned King), Two Children (Liberatore, Clavicularius), Saturday (Bokor), Cerberus
The third gathering was called in 1941 by the master of the Priests of Amaterasu with the support of the Bokor master to plead for aid against the growing movement to force them away from the coast and into internment camps. Their pleas fell on mostly deaf ears. The Chosen of Ti-Tsang were still bitter over their defection and the Children of Bondye still blamed them for the seizure of their hallow.
Fourth Consilium
Members: Japanese (Perfected Adept), Two Chosen (Stone Scribe, Uncrowned King), Two Children (Scion, Clavicularis), Saturday (Bokor), Two Street Prophets (Fallen Pillar, House of Ariadne)
The fourth council was gathered in 1959 by the returned master of the Priests of Amaterasu to reclaim his cabal's old hallow from the Zeitmare squatting there. He and his student, Kami, had driven them off and he called the consilium obstensibly to validate his claim to the hallow, but really to rub in the faces of its members that a left-handed cabal had been operating in the city under their noses. His request was supported by the members of the Street Prophets.
Fifth Consilium
Members: Di, Hou, Kami, Scorpio, Shango, Two Street Prophet (Fallen Pillar, House of Ariadne), Brigitte
The next consilium in 1973 was requested by Kami and Scorpio to discuss the possibility of a permanent gathering and to address the possible gathering of Scelsti under the cover of the Church of Satan. Both issues didn't go anywhere, though a dabbler with potential to go left-handed was shown the error of his ways and sent out of the city.
Sixth Consilium
Members: Di (Hierarch), Hou, Kami, Scorpio, Shango, Benandanti, Brigitte
The sixth gathering was called in 1989 by the head of the Ember Knights with the support of Scorpio to address the recent earthquake and its effect on the local dragon lines. It also dealt with the issue of the Ember Knights's authority to persue its self-appointed task of protecting Sleepers from magic. The latter issue wasn't adequately settled but the cabal was given a mandate to cooperate with the Uratha to deal with problems originating in the Shadow, such as the earthquake and the spread of AIDS.
Seventh Consilium
Members: Di (Hierarch), Hou, Kami, Scorpio, Shango, Tron, Benandanti, Brigitte
The most recent consilium began in 1995 and was again called by the Ember Knights, this time with the support of Tron, to again request the formation of a permanent council. It presented the incidences it had dealt with so far as well as evidence, provided by the Spiritual Switchboard Collective, that the ley lines in the city were being influenced by the Rosicrucian Society. The case they made as well as the concerns many had about the authority of the cabal led to the approval of their proposition. The permanent consilium kept to the Barbary Protocols for the most part with Di as Hierarch to coordinate the members and work on their expanded duties.
