Charter of Old Bynnewalle

With the destruction of the covenant's library in the attack, no copy of Bynnewalle's charter remains. However, Nicholas has been able to recall most of the major points. Recall that this charter is a remnant of older Bynnewalle in all its power, with membership of upwards of 20 magi.

Membership and Council

- Magi may be Greater or Lesser Members. Others may be Residents.
- The Full Council consists of Greater and Lesser Members. Greater Members get two votes, Lesser Members get one.
- The Greater Council consists of Greater Members only, each member having one vote.
- Councils are run by the most senior member present, typically the Rector.
- Certamen cannot be used to sway votes (but see new member applications). There were a lot of politics behind getting this amendment through, especially since those best at certamen tried to prevent it by using certamen! This was passed while two key magi were on travel; when they returned (furious) they were unable to repeal it, but also passed an amendment that future amendments to the charter must be passed by all votes but 1 (making it all the more difficult to appeal the original amendment).
- Guests and Residents can be expelled by a Full Council majority vote.
- Lower Membership may be revoked by a majority vote of the Greater Council.
- Higher Membership may only be revoked by the unanimous vote of all other magi of the covenant.

New Members

- Applicants must agree to questioning with magical verification.
- There must be no objections to the applicant at Council, although one objection may be met with certamen.
- If accepted, the new member is a Lesser Member. He or she must swear allegiance to the covenant above all others save the Tribunal and the Order, and must turn over an arcane connection to him- or herself.

Promotion to Greater Member

- The applicant must be a Lesser Member, pay 10 pawns of vis to the covenant, serve 8 seasons of service above and beyond those already required, and have no other debts to the covenant.

Responsibilities

- Each member must serve two seasons of service per year (or one season plus a role, described below)
- Members must always act in the best interest of the covenant.
- Members are responsible for defense of the covenant when it is attacked. Covenant resources may be used in defense, but prudently!
- Members must report any vis or other resource useful to the covenant found within two miles
- Members must abide by the Code of Hermes, rulings of the Stonehenge Tribunal, and decisions of the covenant. They must expel those who do not.

Rights

- Members have the right to vote in Council. Greater members receive two votes in the Full Council.
- Each member has a right to sanctum space and basic laboratory materials
- Membership grants library access.
- Each member has a right to use of mundane assistance.
- Members may keep 50% of findings on covenant business and 75% of findings on personal travel.
- Members may travel away from the covenant, but must inform the Autocrat. If they are travelling for more than a season, the right to vote is lost until they return.
- Members have the right to protection, including inclusion in the Aegis.

Roles

- Rector - Covenant "leader"; most senior covenant member.
- Magister Libertas - Constable; in charge of simple judgments & investigations
- Magister Libri - Management of Artefacts and Libraries
- Magister Vires - Management of Vis Stocks
- Magister Lucri - Management of Monetary Wealth and Provisioning
- Magister Fratrum - Covenant Relations
- Magister Valetudinis - Management of Covenfolk and the Turb
- Magister Tutis - Management of Covenant Defense
- Magister Pietatum - Makes sure all of the other jobs are completed; often thought of as the covenant second.

Mundane Roles

These are filled not by magi, but by Residents.
- Autocrat - Tracks day to day affairs of magi, and brings mundane issues to Council, where he or she may raise matters for voting and cast the tie-breaking vote. Is guaranteed a longevity potion.
- Libertas Minor - Handles disagreements among covenfolk and other mundane Residents.
- Libri Minor - Librarian and Scribe
- Lucri Minor - In charge of trade with mundanes
- Fratrum Minor - Deals with general mundane relations
- Tutis Minor - Captain of the Guard

Settling Conflicts

When a conflict occurs over who gets which resources or roles, Greater Members are given priority over Lesser Members. Within a category, disputes are settled based on seniority. If two members have equal seniority, whoever has been a magus longer has priority.

Other disagreements among covenant members first go through the Magister Libertas for arbitration. Either party may escalate the disagreement to the Full Council, but with the understanding that if the council finds the complaint frivolous, they will impose a fine.

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