This is the third edition of the Charter, amended Summer 1223. The first version was agreed in Spring 1220, and the second in Autumn 1221.
This Charter will take effect from this day, the Spring Equinox in the year 1220. Amended Autumn 1221 and Summer 1223 with approval of Council.
The Covenant of Saxum Caribetum in Gallia Transalpina ad Sancta Brieuc is dedicated to the advancement of the knowledge of magic and the increase of the strength of the Order of Hermes.
Each Member of this Covenant shall also be a Member in good standing of the Order of Hermes. Senior Members of Saxum Caribetum include all continuously-resident founding members and such other Members as may be elevated to Senior Membership by unanimous vote of all current Senior Members. No Member may be accepted into Senior Membership who has not served at least three years as an Ordinary Member of this Covenant. The number of Senior Members will not exceed five. Any other Magi joining the Covenant will have the rank of Ordinary Member. A Register of Members will be held by the Librarius. If ever a Member of the Covenant is cast out from the Order, they shall be cast out of this Covenant.
Senior Members of Saxum Caribetum are
Joach filius Dergorus scholæ Verditii, Speranda filia Laurentii scholæ Bonisagi, Iuris Perita filia Pratus Viridis scholæ Guernici, Speculor filius Jovinus scholæ Bonisagi.
A Member may call for the expulsion of any other Member only if it is found by the Council, a Tribunal, or a Grand Tribunal that the Member has broken any of the terms of this Charter or the Hermetic Code. The expulsion will only be enacted if a majority of over two thirds of the total Membership of the Council agree that it be so unless the transgressor be cast out of the Order, in which case expulsion from Saxum Caribetum is immediate and without right of appeal.
Any Magus expelled from the Covenant loses all rights and privileges immediately and must vacate the Covenant within one day, returning all items of Covenant property in their keeping. Any personal belongings remaining at the Covenant beyond that time are forfeit.
Any Member may leave the Covenant at any time provided they have performed all service to the Covenant due from them for that year, have fulfilled any and all outstanding personal obligations, and provided they return any Vis, books and other items belonging to the Covenant before departure.
Any former Member of the Covenant who wishes to return to the Covenant and who has been absent from the Covenant for a continuous period of one year or more may be readmitted under the rules pertaining to Incomers. This shall be without regard to any position they hold or may have held. Persons wishing to return within the year shall be readmitted immediately as an Ordinary Member following a unanimous vote of all the current Members. Former Members who wish to return must first make good any debt of service, Vis or other goods owed to Saxum Caribetum to the satisfaction of Council. Any dispute in Council over what is owed and when the debt is paid will be resolved by majority vote of all Members.
Under normal circumstance, Council meetings will be held four times each year, at the Equinoxes and Solstices.
Decisions may only be made at a Council meetings if two thirds of the total Membership is present in person, by magic or through an appointed proxy, except when there is an Emergency.
The business of the meetings will include in particular:
In most matters, a simple majority of all Members or unanimous vote of all Senior Members will suffice, with the Princeps having a casting vote if necessary. However, the following must be passed unanimously by all Senior Members:
Any Member, the Vilicus and the Centurion may call an emergency meeting if there is need.
No spells or other magical activity are allowed within council meetings without the consent of all Members present.
A Princeps is chosen from among the Senior Members to be the head of Covenant and to take the lead in Council. The Princeps acts for and on behalf of the Council and shall defer to the orders of the Council.
The Princeps is elected by a vote of all Members present at the Winter Solstice Council meeting and serves for a year. Any Member may put forward the name of any other Senior Member in this election though the nominated Magus may decline the honour. Speeches may be made for and against any and all nominees before the vote. A simple majority will decide the election.
If the Princeps should be expelled from the Covenant or enter Twilight or otherwise leave the Covenant whilst in office, a replacement may be selected at the next Council meeting.
The Princeps has sole right to order the proceedings in Council, deciding who will speak and when, and when to call for a vote, while ensuring that all who wish have their chance to speak and vote on all issues before the Council. Where a simple majority is all that is required, the Princeps may cast a deciding vote. If the Princeps is absent when it is necessary to call an emergency meeting of the Council, the meeting will be lead by the Member calling the meeting.
The Princeps is responsible for representation of Saxum Caribetum at appropriate Tribunals, either by attending in person or sending a deputy. Other Members may also attend if they desire.
The Defensor is elected from amongst the Members to take responsibility for the defence of the Covenant, working closely with the Centurion. The Defensor shall defer to the orders of the Council. The Defensor must be made aware of anything that might pose a danger to the Covenant.
Procedures for election etc. are as for the Princeps.
The Librarius is elected from amongst the Members to take responsibility for all books and magical items belonging to the Covenant. The Librarius must be informed whenever a book, scroll or other item is borrowed or otherwise removed from the library or store room. The Librarius supervises the work of any scribes, illuminators and book binders working within the Covenant. The Librarius shall defer to the orders of the Council.
Procedures for election etc. are as for the Princeps.
The Princeps, with agreement of Council, appoints an-Ungifted inhabitant of the Covenant to be in charge of all the mundane and day to day affairs of the Covenant, including hiring of staff, upkeep of the Covenant resources (supplies, treasury, libraries, Vis supply, etc.), and record keeping for the Covenant, including the recording of the proceedings of all Covenant meetings.
The Vilicus has authority over all non-military Grogs other than those in the personal retinue of a Member, and has full control over all non-magical Covenant resources which may only be overridden by a majority vote of the Council.
If at any time this position is vacant, the responsibilities of the Vilicus are carried by the Princeps until a new Vilicus is appointed.
The Vilicus will attend all Covenant meetings.
The Defensor, with the agreement of Council, appoints an-Ungifted inhabitant of the Covenant as Centurion, to be in charge of Grogs working for the security and defence of the Covenant. The Centurion is responsible for training, morale, disposition, and discipline of the military Grogs. The Centurion has seniority over all non-members and reports to the Defensor. The Centurion may be invited to attend Covenant meetings.
If at any time the post of Centurion is vacant, the responsibilities of the Centurion will be carried by the Defensor until a replacement Centurion is appointed.
The Council may appoint other Officers from amongst the Grogs as it sees fit.
Ordinary Membership of the Covenant may be granted to a Magus in good standing with the Order of Hermes whose petition to join Saxum Caribetum is accepted by all of the current Members. If accepted in the vote, candidates for Membership of Saxum Caribetum must swear to abide by the Charter of Saxum Caribetum.
Candidates for Membership must live in and work for the Covenant during the period during which their request for admittance is under consideration, which should not exceed one year, unless the Princeps rules that circumstances are exceptional.
Candidates for Membership have the Right to Sustenance and Company. They may attend Council meetings but may not vote. They may utilise the Resources of the Covenant only when performing such service as is assigned by the Council. They may access the Regio only with the approval of the Council. Candidates also have the Right to Healing provided that any Vis debt incurred is paid off.
New Members will donate any books, Vis or magical items they own to the Covenant immediately on admittance to Membership.
Ungifted visitors are the responsibility of the Vilicus unless invited by a Member, in which instance the inviting Member is responsible.
Visitors from the Order of Hermes are the responsibility of the Member inviting them or, if uninvited, of the Princeps.
No visitor has the right of access to any Sanctum, the Library, the Menhir or any resources of the Covenant. Visitors may be admitted to a Council session at the invitation of a Senior Member provided no other Senior Member raises an objection. Such visitors may not be present during voting. Visitors may be invited to enter the Regio provided that a Member of the Covenant is present at all times. Visitors are also required to observe the provisions of this Charter.
By agreement of the Princeps and Librarius, a Gifted Visitor may be allowed access to the library to read, but not to copy or borrow, books or scrolls. Council may agree special permission for a visitor to copy a specific book or scroll. The Visitor will be supervised at all times when in the Library.
By agreement of all Members, a Gifted Visitor may be permitted access to the Menhir, under supervision by at least one Member.
All Members have these rights, which cannot be denied
Each Member may have a Sanctum clearly marked by their Sigil. No-one may enter this Sanctum without permission of the Member. The Covenant will provide a room, which may be the same as the Member's laboratory, but it is for the Member to improve, embellish and supply that room at their own expense. Each Senior Member may have a Sanctum adjacent to the Menhir. Permission to build within the walls of the Covenant must be granted by the Council.
Each Member will be provided with room to construct their own Laboratory which may be inside their Sanctum. No other may enter or use this Laboratory without the Member's permission. The Covenant will supply a basic level of equipment for the Laboratory; any improvement must be at the Member's own expense.
Every Senior Member with a Laboratory adjacent to the Menhir may have access to the Menhir at any time, with the following exception. If their studies require individual access to the Menhir, a Member needing a whole season must apply to the Council for sole access; if a short period of sole access is required, this must be agreed with all a majority of Members present but does not require a Council meeting.
Any Member who is not a Senior Member must apply first to the Librarius, to ensure that no other Member currently has sole access, before being permitted access to the Menhir.
Every Member is entitled to receive from the Covenant the food and lodging required for good health. The Covenant will provide food and drink, of at least peasants' quality, to sustain the Member.
Each Member will receive for their own use an equal share of any surplus that the Covenant has of money and Vis. This will be distributed at the seasonal meetings. Members may keep for themselves any money they obtain unless it is obtained when on Covenant business. A Member may keep for their own use any Vis they obtain as a result of laboratory work or from outside the area within one day's mundane travel of the Covenant when collected in their own time. They may keep any books, scrolls, magic items and the like that are made by themselves in their own time or given to them as personal gifts, except that books and spells that are not already in the library must be made available as soon as possible for a library copy to be made.
Every Member has the right to attend, speak and vote at meetings of the Council.
Every Member is entitled to make use of mundane resources required for their studies, including use of the time, skills and talents of mundane Covenant folk. If there is need, Council will decide on the priority of tasks for specialists.
All Members have the right to borrow magical resources provided they have not been borrowed by another member that season and provided that the Member informs the Librarius.
All commonly-held Covenant resources must be returned or replenished, unless lost in the process of defending the Covenant or performing Covenant business.
If a Member is injured or otherwise hurt when on Covenant business, healing will be provided by the Covenant, including provision of any Vis required.
A Member may appoint up to three Grogs as their Personal Retinue who will be exempt from service under the Centurion or Vilicus except where a State of Emergency has been declared.
Each Member must donate one full season per year in service to the Covenant. The nature of this service is agreed by vote of the Council. It may be considered that service as Princeps, Defensor or Librarius is sufficient, but additional service will normally be required, depending on circumstances. Suitable forms of service are things that increase the defence, income, status or resources of the Covenant.
Trivial services, requiring no more than a hour per day, do not count towards the requirement to give a season of service. Service that occupies a Member's attention for the equivalent of 10 full days or more in one season may count as their service for that season.
A Member must surrender to the Covenant all Vis, money, books and magic items acquired when on Covenant service outside the Covenant.
Every Member of the Covenant must assist as necessary in the defence of the Covenant.
A Member should attend all Council meetings if at all possible.
A Member must replace any item of Covenant property lost or damaged while in their keeping, or make satisfactory alternative repayment, unless the accident took place while on Covenant business.
The Covenant claims all sources of Vis within one day's travel by mundane means of La Roche Caribet, and all such sources of Vis are common property and may not be sold, bartered or otherwise reassigned without the unanimous approval of the Council.
Each Member will receive an equal share of any surplus that the Covenant has of money and Vis. Any left that cannot be fairly divided is returned to store. The distribution takes place at the seasonal meetings. Lots are cast by all Members present to determine the order in which they make their selection from the types of Vis available for distribution.
Any Member may apply to the Librarius to borrow a book or scroll or item for a season. If any member wishes to retain an item for a subsequent season, they must so inform the Librarius. The Librarius may, at the end of each season, request to see any retained item.
Skilled craft workers will be paid out of Covenant funds for work done for the Covenant. Payment for private work carried out for an individual must be arranged by the employer. Council will decided from season to season how the time of such craft workers will be spent, allowing each one free season or its equivalent per year. If there is disgreement over how the time should be allocated, the matter will be settled by a simple majority vote of Council.
It is unacceptable for any Member or other inhabitant of the Covenant or any Visitor to damage or recklessly endanger the Magical Aura of the Covenant, the Menhir or its Regio.
Any Ungifted inhabitant behaving thus will be subject to discipline by the Vilicus or Centurion, as appropriate. Any Visitor behaving thus will be immediately ejected from the Covenant. Any Member behaving thus will be called before Council and risks expulsion from the Covenant.
The Covenant will keep a supply for emergency use of five pawns of every art of Vis.
Surplus is distributed equally amongst the Members. The store is in the charge of the Librarius. The store may be made up by trading one form for another if necessary.
Vis may be drawn from the store only by vote of Council.
All magical items will be owned by the Covenant in common, under the care of the Librarius, unless made or obtained by a Magus in their own time and with their own resources. Any Member may borrow an item owned in common for investigation or to use it, but must return or replace it if it is damaged or lost in activity not directly part of Covenant business.
It is permissible for other Covenant folk to borrow items for Covenant business if appropriate.
Money, precious stones and other treasures must be handed over to the Covenant if obtained whilst on Covenant business.
All books and scrolls that are unique within the Covenant of Saxum Caribetum are held by the Librarius, as common property of the Covenant, unless prepared or obtained by a Magus in their own time and with their own resources. It is the responsibility of the Librarius to ensure that books and scrolls held as common property of the Covenant are kept in suitable conditions and in a good state of preservation. The Librarius will arrange for a copy to be made of any book or scroll that is showing signs of age, and of any book or scroll of worth owned by a Member if the Library does not already hold a copy.
All requests for loans of commonly-owned books and scrolls to copy, translate or study must be made to the Librarius.
Copies made by or for a Member or other of the Covenant folk, of books and scrolls held in the library may be kept as personal property by the person they were made for. However, should their copy become the only one in the Covenant, it must be made available for a copy to be made as soon as possible.
Books or scrolls that are the only copy within the Covenant, even if personal property, may not be sold except by unanimous agreement of the Council.
Certamen is forbidden during Council meetings. It may take place elsewhere in the Covenant but the Princeps and one Member not directly involved must be informed before the Certamen commences and witness the proceedings.
The Council has the right to call a State of Emergency by a majority vote of Magi present at that meeting. During a State of Emergency, all Covenant inhabitants may be called upon by any Officer to set aside their own activities in order to serve the Covenant as required to meet the Emergency.
Until it is the belief of a majority of the Senior Magi of the Covenant of Saxum Caribetum that the foundation is established and secure, all our vis debt is paid off and we have at least 5 pawns of each Art of vis is store, each Member is required to give two Seasons of service per year to the Covenant.
smt 19.8.01
Comments, feedback or problems
