House Guernicus, Restricted

Ars Magica Primer
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Mythic Europe
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Introduction

Symbol: The scales of justice balanced on a sword.
Motto: Lex super voluntate (The law above the will.)

Without Guernicus and his wisdom, the Order would have floundered within the lifetime of the Founders. Without the firm hand of his descendants, magi would be living under the yoke of tyranny; lower in dignity and circumstance than before even the Founding. So say the Quaesitores, and who could doubt them?

Through adversity and injustice, men of quality forge societies of security and justice from the ruins of another's fall. Yet later generations, who know nothing of hardship, trade their inheritance for petty gain; thus its ideals fall to corruption. Once lost, the society slides towards lawlessness and chaos until once again the people cry out for salvation. A new order then arises to restore virtue. This fate is inevitable.

House Guernicus believes it stands against the wheel of fate, slowing it as best it can. By the efforts of its magi the basic structures of Hermetic society have remained intact for over four hundred years.

The majority of Guernicus magi hold the office of Quaesitor, named after the magistrates of the Roman Republic. The Quaesitores are the official judges and investigators of the Order. They oversee Tribunals and ensure they uphold the Code. If a magus is to be punished, it is a Quaesitor who sets the penalty. They investigate individuals and covenants suspected of breaking the Code of Hermes.

To aid their task, they have uncovered the roots of Hermetic magic in Rome, Greece and ancient Egypt. This gives them strength of tradition and access to powerful, secret rituals, which they guard in their domus magna.

History

The following history is written from the perspective of Guernicus scholars. It reflects their particular point of view and ideology. Scholars of other Houses would doubtless take issue with many points of interpretation expressed here.

Before the Order

When the Cult of Mercury disbanded most Mercurians fell into destitution. With their Gift and limited magical repertoire, securing an honest living often proved impossible. Many used what powers they had for theft, robbery and extortion; no more than bandits with magic. With its knowledge so fragmented, most Mercurians had developed less than a dozen usable spells. After these were perfected, the easiest road to more power lay in acquiring the spells of others. Usually they sought these by the methods they knew best; theft and violence.

There were exceptions though. On the Cult's fall a single Mercurian priest retained spells relating to earth and metal. From him a small earth wizard lineage, the Terrae-magi, adapted and developed this knowledge for use in their reduced circumstances. They retained knowledge of huge rituals that could generate earthquakes and volcanoes, but lacked the numbers and resources to cast them. In any case, such spells had little practical application for impoverished men and women in the failing Roman Empire.

However, from this knowledge they created smaller spells that a single wizard could cast. They had spells that would cause the earth to swallow up their enemies or smash them with a boulder. They developed spells to increase the fertility of earth, giving them a service they could trade for food and shelter. One spell however was both their blessing and their curse, a spell that conjured precious metals from thin air.

Generous coin could buy even a Gifted man food and a warm bed, and in time, perhaps even acceptance within a community. However, rumours of the Terrae-magi's metal conjuring grew legendary amongst the remnants of the Mercurian tradition. Greed for metal conjuring gave even more incentive to hunt for their spells. The Terrae-magi took to living in secret and burying their grimoires in underground chambers, only accessible with their own magic. Still, predatory Mercurians regularly discovered them. Terrae-magi could put up a fight though and no aggressor ever managed to steal their grimoires, although attrition took its toll.

By 756 AD only one Terrae-magus was left alive, Guernicus. As a young man he had returned home from Mass to find two Mercurian wizards torturing his beloved master. Intent as they were on their task, Guernicus managed to slay one without warning; the other panicked and ran. Despite Guernicus's care, his master died a long, painful death. Guernicus spent the next seven years hunting down the remaining wizard.

During this time Guernicus became both feared and respected. Tracking down a Mercurian wizard was a dangerous business, as all were secretive and on guard. He would approach any Mercurian he came across and demand to know if they had seen his quarry. Despite his Gentle Gift, Guernicus was often attacked, but by a mixture of luck and cunning he managed to survive battle after battle. Even if he defeated a wizard, he was not interested in their magical secrets; he was only interested in his quarry.

If he found a wizard suffering unjust persecution he would aid them. His honor, charity and determination earned him the respect and trust of many he encountered, although for his part Guernicus remained suspicious of all wizards.

With these allies he eventually he tracked his man down. The murderer was trapped in an underground chamber with the grimoires he had wished to steal. With no food, no water and only a single candle, learning the earth magic needed to escape was an impossible task.

The Order Forms

As Trianoma sought out wizards to join the Order, she heard of Guernicus. His reputation for defending other wizards was extraordinary at that time. A number of Mercurians considered him a friend, ascribing his moral character to his Christian faith. Bonisagus needed knowledge of earth magic for his universal magic theory and Guernicus's excellent reputation was equally valuable to Trianoma. In 762 AD, the two met and Trianoma's legendary diplomatic skills were tested against Guernicus's suspicion and cynicism.

Although Guernicus was happy to live in peace, he could not believe other wizards could. Although he acknowledged exceptions, he thought immorality intrinsic to the Gifted nature. He would swear an oath and keep it, but had no faith others would. Given that Trianoma was promising to teach Parma Magica to any who join her Order, Guernicus accepted, so he would not be disadvantaged when it inevitably fell. He agreed to share his knowledge with Bonisagus, again so he would not be disadvantaged in the ensuing chaos. When the form of the Hermetic Oath was debated, Guernicus argued that all members should have the same voting weight at Tribunals; that not even the Founders should be given precedence in voting. The Founders could rule their followers, but not the tribunals. This was agreed and the system of Houses and Primi was settled.

Even after Bonisagus had taught them Hermetic magic, Guernicus and Trianoma argued constantly over the viability of the Order. Guernicus contended that only though a strictly enforced Code could the Order survive. In the early years he was constantly looking for examples of magi breaking the spirit of the Oath, challenging magi to settle ambiguities in its interpretation. He also looked for offences not covered by the Oath that might lead to discord. Diedne was Guernicus's staunchest ally in this and other matters.

Magi of House Diedne held their ritual sites sacred to their religion. Diedne complained that other magi were desecrating her members' sacred places with intrusions. Criamon also found the privacy of his Mystery threatened. In response Guernicus, Criamon and Diedne demanded that the privacy of sanctums was protected. This and other proposals were agreed and soon a body of Tribunal rulings were formed, clarifying, expanding and embellishing the Code the Peripheral Code. Satisfied with the result, Guernicus revised his estimate on the lifespan of the Order to, "Three score years and ten or perhaps few more thanks to longevity potions."

Exasperated, Trianoma asked what more was needed. Guernicus replied that the Order needed a magus dedicated to the task of keeping the peace, exposing transgression and ensuring the law was kept, yet it had none. Trianoma challenged Guernicus to be that magus and he accepted.

The Quaestitores

As the years progressed Guernicus's apprentices shared their parens' responsibilities. These magi began to be known collectively as the Quaesitores.

Magi of other Houses began to complain that they had no say in the application of the law. Guernicus met with the other Primi and agreed to allow magi of other Houses to become Quaesitors. Traditionally at least one member of every House must be given the Quaesitor title. These magi represent their House within the Quaesitores. However, the Guernicus Primus is careful only to grant the title to magi who are objective rather than partisan, on an individual basis at least. In fact, many even rule harshly against members of their Houses to ensure that they are not seen as showing favour. It is said that the last person one wants as a Quaesitor, is a Quaesitor From one's own House.

The Life of Guernicus

Guernicus spent most of his years trying to guide the growing Peripheral Code as he thought best. He was often unsuccessful. He had wished the Order to be purely voluntary, but found little support. He managed to convince the First Tribunal to rule that magi should offer membership to peaceful wizards rather than simply kill them. This became the 'Join or Die' ruling, but in was quickly apparent that there was no will to enforce it. Tribunals were willing to accept any pretext for a killing. Flambeau, Tytalus and others used their Hermetic magic and Parma to embark on a purge of traditions they disliked. Guernicus and his filii set out and recruited as many as possible (sending them to others for House sponsorship), but many were still slain.

His last victory was in helping the Tytalus Prima Hariste prevent a war on Pralix's 'Order of Miscellany'. Trianoma negotiated the creation of House Ex Miscellanea and the Grand Tribunal agreed to it after a narrow vote.

Guernicus's last public appearance was at the Grand Tribunal of 817 AD. Against his strident objection the meeting passed the ruling instituting certamen as 'decisive in all disputes'. Guernicus retreated to his Magvillus fortress, claiming the ruin of the Order was at hand.

Rumour has it that Guernicus later foreswore his Arts and undertook a pilgrimage to Rome. When his Longevity Ritual failed, he refused all offers to enact another. Without Parma and with senility setting in, he shunned all contact with magi without the Gentle Gift. He claimed Parma hid magi's true character from each other. These tales may have been a ruse; all that is publicly known is that Guernicus spent his final years in seclusion at Magvillus, communicating only through his favoured filius Fenicil.

Fenicil became Primus in 832 AD, but the fate of Guernicus was never revealed. Wild rumours suggested that Guernicus found a way to cheat both age and Twilight. They claim that he sleeps beneath the earth, waiting for the day the Order falls; just to witness his prediction with grim satisfaction.

Fenicil

The early years of Fenicil's leadership were defined by Tremere`s bid for domination. Hamstrung by the 817 AD ruling, the Quaesitores were spectators to its consequence, but Fenicil was not idle. In close partnership with the Diedne leadership, Fenicil continued Guernicus's secret preparations for war. As Guernicus magi prepared to assassinate Tremere, and Diedne magi stood ready for a general conflict, the Sundering occurred. Relieved, the Guernicus and Diedne leaderships kept their aborted plans secret.

Fenicil blamed the Order's troubles on a lack of unifying tradition. The religious roots of the Mercurian and Druidic traditions had been dissolved in the secular universal magic theory. With the advent of House Ex Miscellanea, large numbers of wizards were joining the Order with even greater diversity. Fenicil and others feared that without a proper foundation the Order was not worthy of a wizard's respect. Beginning before becoming Primus, Fenicil launched a fifty-year campaign. He searched for knowledge of the most ancient magical groups, to find a deeper foundation for the Order. This search led him back to the Egyptian Cult of Thoth and the writings of Hermes Trismegistus.

His researches and those of his followers were fruitful. On the basis of this research, Fenicil declared the Order of Hermes to be a temporary manifestation of an eternal organisation. This organisation was fated to unify all wizards, and so they should submit to it. The Code of Hermes was similarly a manifestation of the ancient Codes that had governed earlier incarnations, not merely Guernicus's pragmatism. Strict observance of the letter of the law was Fenicil's mandate to his House and the Order. Although many magi raised their eyebrows at Fenicil's announcements and commented wryly on his scholarship, no one opposed him. As time passed, more and more magi simply accepted Fenicil's views as fact.

Besides discovering evidence of previous magical orders, Fenicil gathered together as many Mercurian texts as he could find or have copied. In addition, he found texts of ancient Egyptian, Greek and Babylonian rituals. Most of these rituals depended on a large and devoted following, not on the power of individuals. Working in secret his followers translated these rituals into a form they could learn and cast. Thanks to this work, the Quaesitores have powerful, secret magic (see Fenicil's Rituals for details).

In addition to the ancient writings, Fenicil and his supporters brought a great many ancient magical artefacts to Magvillus. The powers of these objects were thoroughly investigated. Like the ritual magic Fenicil discovered and adapted, the Order as a whole has no idea what any of these items did or still do. It is rumoured that one item has the power to scry on any magus in the Order without fear of detection. This was born of a gossip's overactive imagination. However, it might be true; only the inner council of Magvillus knows for sure. The Fenicil collection may now be the most extensive source on ancient magics within the Order. However, the extent of the collection is known only to the inner council. All solicitations by Hermetic scholars to study or take copies of any text have been politely rejected.

Duresca Scrolls

In the 10th century, documents were discovered at the covenant of Duresca in Iberia. These documents appeared to be a set of letters written between Guernicus and his filii. Within this correspondence the secret agenda of House Guernicus was described; to dominate first the Order and then the world. These letters became known as the Duresca scrolls and they caused quite a stir in the Order.

The Duresca scrolls were presented at the next Iberian Tribunal, but they were officially declared fraudulent and destroyed. As the ruling was based primarily on evidence given by the Presiding Quaesitor, this ruling did not satisfy everyone in the Order. Later in the l0th century, the purging of House Tytalus distracted the Order's interest from the Duresca scrolls.

A number of secret copies of the documents remain and occasionally a magus circulates new copies. The Quaesitores have little patience with such magi and charge them with endangering the Order by spreading known lies.

Schism War

As the conflict between House Tremere and Diedne slid towards open war, House Guernicus was in disarray. As skirmishes between Tremere and Diedne magi grew into outright battles, the Quaesitores knew they had lost control of the situation. Marry Quaesitors thought that the two sides should be left to it, but the Guernicus Primus Antonius could not allow the complete breakdown in the rule of law to continue.

The full council of Magvillus was summoned, including the Diedne representative. It was determined that there would be an emergency Grand Tribunal to resolve the crisis. All the Primi apart from those of Tremere and Diedne were to attend, as well as many high ranking magi from each Tribunal that could be found, with as many proxy sigils as could be gathered. House Tremere and Diedne would be represented solely by their Quaesitorial House representatives. Antonius had consistently made public his desire for a peaceful settlement of the crisis. He was trusted by the leaders of House Diedne and so they accepted the call.

Word went out via the Presiding Quaesitors, the House representatives, and the Mercere. Members of the outer council used their enchanted devices to bring groups to the reception house outside Magvillus. Each group was greeted by a heavy guard of experienced Hoplites and escorted to the meeting chamber. None were given casting tokens. Others arrived by their own means. Unfortunately the Ex Miscellanea Primus decided to travel mundanely. He set out with a great number of proxy sigils. These votes could have dramatically altered the cause of Order history, but he never arrived.

At this meeting the war between Tremere and Diedne was debated. The Diedne and Tremere representatives stated their cases. The vote was close, but a majority voted to renounce House Diedne. The Diedne representative was restrained, but not killed by order of the Guernicus Primus; he had been given oaths guaranteeing his safety. He was to be kept prisoner at Magvillus indefinitely.

Magi from many other Houses joined the battle, which became the Order against House Diedne. Even with this, the war hung in the balance. At times it seemed as if the Order would be defeated by House Diedne. Considering this possibility the inner Magvillus Council made a fateful decision. A ritual Fenicil had discovered offered a chance to deal House Diedne a crippling blow. However, the requirements of the ritual were abhorrent, a human sacrifice.

House Tremere's principle accusation against House Diedne was human sacrifice. The irony of House Guernicus performing that act in support of the war against Diedne was not lost on the council. Neither was the betrayal of the trust Diedne and Guernicus had shared. Still, the situation was dire and the decision was made. Antonius led the ritual and wielded the knife, murdering the Diedne representative. Shortly after there was a turn in House Diedne's fortunes and most participants were convinced it was their doing. All the participants were sworn to utter secrecy.

House Diedne fell, but House Guernicus rose stronger than ever. The Order had seen a general war between Hermetic magi and the destruction shocked everyone. The Quaesitores claimed that they could have prevented or ended the war earlier if they had had more authority and the traumatised Order gave them more; extending investigation immunity and the requirements for cooperation.

Traditionalists/Transitionalists

Under Guernicus's influence the Code was framed to ensure the peace and the freedoms of individual magi. Guernicus constantly argued against any proposal that would unnecessarily restrict their freedoms or impose burdens. Therefore, traditionally there is great resistance to any proposal that would do so.

The first rulings clarifying the Hermetic Oath were made before the formation of the regional and Grand Tribunals. The original Tribunal that made these clarifications is now referred to as the First Tribunal Traditionalist Quaesitors consider the Hermetic Oath and the clarifying rulings of the First Tribunal to be the foundation stones of the Order.

Traditionally a Tribunal has authority to contradict its own rulings with new rulings (thereby amending o~ revoking old rulings), but not those of a higher Tribunal Thus a regional Tribunal should not make rulings that conflict with Grand Tribunal or First Tribunal rulings Traditionalists maintain that the Grand Tribunal should not make rulings that conflict with First Tribunal rulings, this was the final ruling of the First Tribunal. Traditionally it is the duty of the Presiding Quaesitor and the Guernicus Primus to ensure this with their veto.

In 1148 a well-respected Quaesitor, Simprim, began openly advocating that the Code be revised. To Simprim and his followers a law incapable of adaptation doomed the Order rather than helped preserve it. In a number of Tribunals the loss of vis sources and magic auras due to mundane encroachment was becoming an acute issue. In these Tribunals many magi felt the strict prohibition against mundane interference should be relaxed to allow the defence of magic resources. Simprim argued that if the Code demanded that magi sit idle as their magic resources were destroyed, they would be forced to defy it lawlessness would follow. '

In addition, he claimed that the Order had outgrown Guernicus's vision of a loose society of freemen. Simprim maintained that corruption had beset many local Tribunals and action against them was too difficult under the existing system. The traditional rights of magi hindered investigations and trials too much. In times of general conflict, a Tribunal meeting every seven years was simply inadequate to keep the peace; a new schism was inevitable.

Simprim suggested more powers be given to the Quaesitores and Tribunals. He called for the Grand Tribunal to have the authority to amend the First Tribunal rulings as it desired and that local Tribunals be given reasonable scope to set policies on mundane interference.

Once instituted he suggested the following powers be given to the Quaesitores:

• That Quaesitors be given the right to arrest and interrogate suspects by Mentem magic.
• That Quaesitors and their agents to be given to right to enter sanctums without suffering forfeit immunity.
• A revised system For trials, which would allow crimes to be heard outside of a full Tribunal meeting.

Some Quaesitors, mostly younger ones, came to agree with Simprim, at least partially. With this split of opinion, the Traditionalists and the Transitionalists were formed.

Traditionalists held that such changes undermine the founding principles of the Order. To them the Order existed to allow magi the freedom to study in peace and security, not to impose its will on magi. Traditionalists claimed that once the Pandora's box of the Code was opened, the Order would slide, into chaos and tyranny. Transitionalists dismissed such concerns as scare mongering. For the first time in the history of House Guernicus, there was a noticeable division within the House.

When the last Primus, Arliandus, passed into Final Twilight, the Traditionalists lost a good deal of power. He had led the Traditionalist faction, a role now filled by his filius Jart.

With the appointment of Bilera to Prima, much of the heat has been taken from the debate. Bilera is tolerant to both views and has encouraged both sides to step back from open abuse of the other side. In an early speech to the council, Bilera pointed out that the debate between Traditionalists and Transitionalists will be won or lost in the Order at large, not within House Guernicus. She urged Quaesitors not to forget that they only have one vote, as all other magi do. While the majority of the Order still holds the First Tribunal rulings inviolate, the Transitionalists will never see their vision a reality, and if the majority want change all the Traditionalists can do is delay it.

Traditionalists and Transitionalists now take their arguments to the rest of the Order.

Organisation

Although dedicated to the law, House Guernicus imposes no rigid control on its members. In general Guernicus magi are never ordered to do anything; any directive is in the form of a request.

Population

There are just under 100 Guernicus magi in the Order and about fifteen apprentices. Tribunals have, on average, seven Guernicus magi and one Guernicus apprentice in training at any one time. Of this number, perhaps ninety are Quaesitors in good standing (see below).

On average a Tribunal will have three non-Guernicus Quaesitors. Therefore an average Tribunal will have eleven or twelve Quaesitors available to share the work of investigations, arbitrations etc. Of course, no Tribunal is average and the Magvillus Council assigns new Quaesitors to Tribunals based on perceived need.

Domus Magna

The domus magna of House Guernicus is Magvillus, in the Roman Tribunal. It lies on the southern portion of the Apennine mountain range in the Kingdom of Sicily. Magvillus is located on a peak around nine miles north of the town of Potenza.

This highly secretive covenant has nothing to do with local Hermetic politics, except through normal legal channels. Unless invited, only Quaesitors and Recaps are allowed in. Magi turning up at the gate will be given shelter in the reception house outside the walls while their request is considered. The inner buildings are strictly for Guernicus magi only.

Born from the pessimism of Guernicus, the defences of Magvillus are extreme. Its remote mountain location and defensible position alone would make it virtually invulnerable to mundane attack. However, the fortress was conjured from bedrock of solid granite; its tall seamless construction is clearly not the work of human hands. Even if Magvillus was located on level ground, it would challenge the best siege engines of the day. Magvillus's water is supplied magically and has enough magically preserved food to last years.

It boasts three defensive walls; the three wards. The outer ward houses the buildings in which guests are quartered and meetings of the Full council held, with the law library at hand. The middle ward houses the covenfolk. The inner ward encircles the main keep, into which only Guernicus magi are ever permitted and then only by invitation of the inner council. This keep gives access to the inner council chamber, the library of Fenicil and the chambers on which his rituals depend.

The presence of such a fortress has of course been noted by the local nobility. However, as its masters have taken no part in local politics since the structure's miraculous appearance four hundred years ago, they now pay it no mind. In the past, messengers were sent to the site with demands of suzerainty. All received the same reply; come and take it if you can. From Charlemagne on, no noble has yet been ill-advised enough to try.

The power of Magvillus's Aegis of the Hearth ritual is a secret, but it is commonly thought to be around the tenth magnitude. In times of conflict it is rumoured that an Aegis of fifteenth magnitude is available. The towers of the Magvillus fortress are thought to contain a number of ancient artefacts found by Fenicil; what these do is unknown to all but the inner council.

In addition to the structures above ground, the keep ; gives access to many vast underground chambers; also covered by the Aegis of the Hearth. Even if the fortress was breached, the defenders can retreat into these highly defensible structures.

During the four centuries of its existence, Magvillus has acquired many items of Hermetic enchantment. The turb of Magvillus has access to many enchanted weapons and suits of armour. The elite guard carries potent enchanted devices, capable of penetrating the Parma of many magi. Perhaps the most impressive Hermetic enchantments are the automata, provided by Verditius Quaesitors. Beyond this, the entire mountain on which it is perched is thought to be the home to many powerful earth elementals; allies of Guernicus and still loyal to his heirs.

Even during the Schism War, Magvillus was never assaulted and so the actual efficacy of its defences remains untested.

Within the fortress there is a small chapel to serve the spiritual needs of the magi and grogs. It is dedicated to Nicholas of Myra, known for generosity to the poor, protector of the innocent and wronged. He raised to life three young boys who had been murdered and pickled in a barrel of brine to hide the crime. The altar of the chapel houses a shard of this barrel. Within the chapel a strong Divine aura overcomes the site's magical aura. However, this does not extend outside (normally at least).

Prima

The current Primus is the Archmage Bilera. She was chosen for both her record and her apparent neutrality in the Traditionalist/Transitionalist debate.

In many ways Bilera is the archetypical Guernicus Primus. Before taking office her life was one of quiet service to the Order. Bilera's magical interest lies in horticulture and the architecture of gardens. By careful cultivation and arrangement in a magical aura, Bilera has managed to create gardens of surpassing beauty that also yield a regular (if usually modest) harvest of vis. Before becoming Primus, Bilera would travel throughout the Order looking for suitable sites for her gardens. If a covenant agreed, she would both plant a garden and tutor a magus in its maintenance. To Bilera, the pleasure of creating a new garden was its own reward, but she also takes tithes from each that produces vis. Many of her investigations began while working on these gardens.

Her ability to unravel the most complex intrigues was not widely noted at first. Her small frame and soft-spoken manner led many to underestimate her. In actuality she was shrewd and sharp-eyed with an intuitive acumen second to none. With her keen insight, Bilera seldom had any need to resort to magical methods. Even after exposure, Bilera would lead the effort for a swift and discreet private settlement. Thus many of her most successful cases passed unnoted. Bilera never did anything to advertise her accomplishments and her itinerant lifestyle led many to think she was not even an active Quaesitor. Age only added to her disarming appearance. Even her Archmagus status was obtained in a quiet fashion; having been invited to take the challenge. However; Bilera came to public attention for uncovering a number of diabolists, both in Rome, Iberia and Transylvania. Once her name became common currency, tales of her many previous notable deeds propagated. When the Magvillus Council ordered the settlement records of each Tribunal checked, the extent of her contribution to the Order became evident.

At the time of Arliandus's Final Twilight, the candidate successors were all strongly aligned to either the Traditionalist or Transitionalist factions. She was persuaded to stand to help heal the rift.

In 1220 AD her main concern is to manage any change in her House towards the best possible outcome. This focuses on the internal split between Traditionalists and the Transitionalists. If anyone can achieve this, Bilera has a good chance. At Magvillus she has begun her most challenging project yet. Her mountain garden of shrubs and flowers is not yet complete, but in a few years it may rival the best in the Order.

The Magvillus Council

House Guernicus is ruled by the consensus of the Magvillus Council. There are two tiers to the Magvillus Council, the inner and outer. The inner tier consists of six Guernicus magi, plus the Primus. The outer tier consists of a non-Guernicus Quaesitor from each of the other Houses and the Presiding Quaesitor from each regional Tribunal. A member of the inner council is usually the Presiding Quaesitor of the Rome Tribunal; the Primus only presides at the Grand Tribunal. Thus the outer tier consists of twenty-four magi. It should be noted that a number of the Presiding Quaesitors may well be non-Guernicus magi, but specific House representatives must still be nominated by the inner Council.

The inner tier resides at Magvillus with the Primus. Members of the outer tier are not residents, but are provided with invested devices capable of transporting them and companions, to a reception house outside the Magvillus fortress. This device includes a signal effect to inform the member of a meeting and another that destroys the device, both can be remotely activated by the Guernicus Primus. These devices are used as casting tokens for Magvillus's Aegis of the Hearth ritual.

The full council thus consists of thirty-one magi, including the Primus. The inner tier only governs the internal business of House Guernicus. For all other matters the full council sits in judgement. An attendance of twenty-one is considered quorum. The Primus chairs the meeting and sets the order of business. If the Primus is unavailable, the eldest member of the inner tier chairs the meeting. Any member can propose a topic of discussion and decisions are made by a simple majority. The Primus is then charged with implementing the will of the council.

Membership of the inner council is by invitation of existing members. The inner tier is appointed for life. The new Primus is chosen by the full council and can be dismissed by the full council, although this has never happened.

Assignments

Newly gauntlet Guernicus magi are voluntarily assigned to Tribunals based on need. The Primus writes to prospective covenants on the new Quaesitor's behalf, requesting membership. Although it is within their rights to refuse, few covenants do so lightly. New Quaesitors accepting this assignment are looked on favourably by other Quaesitors, but they are Free to seek covenants for themselves if they wish.

Having a Quaesitor in a covenant is a mixed blessing. In conflicts with mundanes and other magi, a Quaesitor will seldom condone actions that step outside the law. However, they will pursue investigations against illegal activities against their own covenant with particular vigour. Young Quaesitors are often placed with spring covenants in areas where older covenants are known to be hostile.