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Foundation Charter of the Covenant of the White Stag

This year, the year of Our Lord 1097, being the foundation of the Covenant of the White Stag, which does claim membership of the Order of Hermes, and possession of the lands once claimed by the Covenant of Incerta Spes, by gift of King Renaux, first of his name. Being an agreement of foundation between the Magi undersigned:

Privileges of the Magi

All members of the Covenant are considered equal and full Magi in good standing, unless they be newly accepted or under censure. All full members are afforded all protections and privileges afforded by the Laws of the Order of Hermes. No member may declare a Wizard's March on another member.

All members in good standing shall be entitled to use of the Covenant's General lab (disputes to be adjudicated by the Covenant's Proctor), to one pawn of Vis of renewable forms per season (the list of renewable pawns to be stated seasonally by the Covenant's Dicetes), and to access to the books of the Covenant library (disputes to be adjudicated by the Covenant's Proctor). All members (including those under censure) may participate in the casting of the Covenant's Aegis of the Hearth.

All members in good standing are eligible for election to the posts of the council of the Magi, which shall be the body with the power to alter this Charter. Election to a position on the council requires a nomination by any Magi and a seconding by any other Magi. A Magi may nominate or second himself. Once proposed elections are resolved by simple majority of Magi. Positions shall be awarded on an annual basis, at the meeting ordinary of the Council. Once elected a Magi shall hold his position for his full term, unless in censure, where a position may be contested by Certarmen.

The positions of the Council of Magi are:

New Magi may be accepted to the Covenant by vote of the Council. A newly accepted Magi has the status of Appellant. An Appellant Magi has no access to the Covenant's resources and must spend two seasons in Covenant Service. An Appellant Magi who is censured is removed from the Covenant. After one year an Appellant is raised to the status of full Magi.

Council of the Magi

The Council of the Magi is a body consisting of all Magi of full standing in the Covenant, and one member of the Commons who does not vote. Each member of the Council other than the observer from the Commons shall have one vote.

The Council of the Magi shall hold a meeting Ordinary once per year at the Autumn Equinox. Reports shall be expected of each post holder. Matters for discussion and votes shall be presented and ordered by the Princeps. All Magi may participate in votes, unless under the 3rd level of Censure. Each Magi may vote, yay, nay or abstain on each matter, there are no casting votes. Ties are undecided.

The Council shall have governance over all matters of the Magi. The council shall not have governance of the Covenfolk except for questions of membership and extraordinary punishment.

Sanctions of the Magi

By decision of Council, or by the appointed Quaesitor in prosecution of a crime against this Charter or the Code of Hermes, a Magi may be declared Censured. A Magi who is censured in the first degree has no access to the resources of the Covenant for one season, and is not in good standing. A Magi who is censured to the second degree (or to the first degree whilst censured to the first degree) is denied access to the resources of the Covenant for one year. A Magi who is censured to the third degree (or to the first degree whilst censured to the second degree, or to the second degree whilst censured to the first degree) shall be returned to appellant status.

A Magi censured while under appellant status shall be expelled from the Covenant.

A Magi censured may undertake additional Covenant Service, over and above that required by the Charter, to remove one level of Censure for each additional season of Service.

Covenant Service

It shall be a requirement of each Magi of the Covenant that they spend at least one season a year in Covenant Service. A Season of Covenant Service is one in which the Magi works for the betterment of the Covenant as a whole, rather than for themselves. A Magi may take their season of Service in any Season of the year, but must take at least one Season before the next meeting Ordinary of the Council.

When a Magi declares that they are taking their Season of service it is that Magi's responsibility to decide what activities they wish to take to better the Covenant. They must make other Magi aware of the actions they intent to do, so that there is no duplication of effort. If one or more other Magi do not agree that the planned activity counts as valid Service they may demand a meeting Extraordinary of the Council to debate the fact. The Council may order the Magi in question to choose a different Service, until it is satisfied with the choice, saving that no matters of the Charter or Code are violated. If the Magi in question does not like any of the options, and at least one more Season remains in which to take Service, they may decline the suggestions and take Service in another Season.

Gathering of Vis

It shall be the responsibility of the Dicetes that each recurring Vis resource be gathered on schedule. Any member of the Covenant may gather Vis for the Dicetes. In this case that member, Magi or Commons, shall be credited with 1/4 the value of the Vis they have gathered, over and above their annual entitlement (if any) to be drawn from the stores at a later date, either for their own use (if Magi) or to purchase service from the Magi (if non-Magi). Values of less than 1 pawn shall remain on account until at least 1 pawn be accumulated. The Dicetes claims a 1/4 share of all resources not gathered by other persons.

Council of the Commons

There shall exist a Council of the Commons, whose duty is to administrate, arbitrate and punish those members of the covenfolk who are not Magi, including animals (but not familiars). The Council of the Commons shall handle all day to day matters of the Covenant not related to magic or the conduct of the Magi, without interference from the Council of Magi.

The Council of the Commons shall be made up of five members. Three of these members are to be drawn from the Commons, and two from the Magi, who shall have a role as advisers. The Commons members are to be elected by popular vote amongst all non-Magi, with choices ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd by each person, those votes to award 3, 2 and 1 marks accordingly, the highest three choices ranked by marks to be appointed. The two Magi members will be drawn from those Magi taking Covenant Service in that season. Should there be less than two such Magi the excess posts may be left empty, or filled by Magi at their choice.

Votes in Commons Council must be decided by majority. Each member may vote yay or nay, there shall be no abstentions. Any member may propose a matter for voting. The Council of the Commons shall meet as often as deemed by the members as necessary, but no less often than once per month.

Responsibilities of the Commons

It shall be the responsibility of the Commons to provide food sufficient for all covenfolk to eat and survive. Once the supply of food is met they must ensure the infrastructure of the Covenant, the provision of housing, the stockpiling of resources, operation of the Covenant's ships, maintenance of the Covenant's fields, and defense of the Covenant against mundane danger. When all such responsibilities are accounted for any member of the Commons is free to work for themselves, each other and the Magi in the provision of any extraordinary service, such as the hunting of rare items, or the construction of luxury goods. Such work will be paid for at a rate agreed between the parties concerned.

Access to Mundane Resources

Each member of the Covenant shall have equal access to the Mundane resources of the Covenant, in the form of food, shelter, clothing, supplies and transport. Only when the basic needs of all current members have been met may excess be laid down in stores against the future. Only when the Commons Council deems that adequate stores have been laid down for one Season may any additional amounts be retained by those that produce them. Any member of the Covenant that cannot feed themselves must provide service of equal value to claim the food produced by others. For the Magi this service is deemed covered by their Season of Service.

Any member of the Covenant who desires more than their equal share, for example to obtain a house of their own, additional land, beasts, clothing, or goods, must provide it for themselves, or apply to the Commons Council with an explanation of their need. The Commons Council will regulate access to scare resources based on need, as adjudicated by itself. When the Commons Council decides that the need is justified it may require the help or labor of other covenfolk to provide it, specifically in matters of building. Providing your own materials towards such needs can speed your access.

Whatever goods a member of the Covenant accumulates in excess of that required by their responsibilities (viz. excess produced after the stores are filled, payment for extraordinary services, portions of vis gathered, tools of the trade, gifts, resources provided by the Commons Council, and the labor of the Magi in seasons other than those of Service) shall be the sole property of the person who owns them, to dispose of as they wish.