Conclave order
The orders are political bodies with clear philosophies about how magic should be used. They are made up of like-minded individuals and exist to bring together mages who share a common vision for how magic should be used to strengthen the Empire. Any member of the Conclave may elect to join an order. It is considered inappropriate to try and be a member of more than one order, but this does sometimes happen. There is no requirement for a magician to join an order, and many magicians involve themselves in the discussions of multiple orders.
Existing Orders
In the modern era, the following Orders are formally recognised as part of the Conclave:
- The Celestial Arch: The Celestial Arch maintain that the skill and knowledge required to master magic mean that magicians are naturally better leaders and statesmen. They champion the cause of magicians and magic in choosing the Empire's course.
- The Golden Pyramid: The manifesto of the Golden Pyramid centres on the role of magic in generating wealth across the Empire. This Order also champions the causes of artisans, and the right of all magicians not to be treated as servants or slaves.
- The Rod and Shield: The most martial of the orders, the manifesto of the Rod and Shield centres on the role of magic in defending the Empire and expending its borders. The Rod and Shield is a popular order with battlemages and healers.
- The Sevenfold Path: The Sevenfold Path manifesto centres on the belief that magic serves the Empire best when it is used virtuously, and that the virtuous should not fear magic. It often serves as a bridge between the Conclave and the Imperial Synod.
- The Shuttered Lantern: The Shuttered Lantern focuses on the protection of the Empire and the accumulation of knowledge about allies and enemies alike. They are known to favour scrying, espionage and other subtle uses of magic.
- The Unfettered Mind: The Order of the Unfettered Mind believe that the study and use of magic are ends in their own right. They work to expand the Empire's arcane knowledge and power, and oppose measures to curtail or constrain Imperial magic.
Creation and Dissolution of an Order
New Orders can be created, but the process is not simple. It requires a clearly defined manifesto, or mission statement, about how the magic of the Conclave would be best used for the benefit of the Empire. It also requires the approval of the Senate, which, for these purposes, must meet the requirements of a constitutional change.
An Order can be officially disbanded by a vote of the Senate in the same way that it was created, i.e. through constitutional change. To do this without the express request of the Conclave would be a serious assault on the independence of the Conclave.
Grandmasters of the Orders
Each order is represented to the Conclave by a single grandmaster. Grandmaster is an Imperial title which prevents the holder having any other Imperial title. The grandmasters vote on behalf of their order, and choose a single gambit to submit for consideration by the archmagi.
Grandmasters encourage members of their order to participate in conclave affairs, and to contribute crystal mana for use in votes. Most grandmasters also work to maintain cohesion within their order and to encourage members to pursue and advance the manifesto of the order. A strong grandmaster can organise the magicians that are part of their order and help them wield political and magical power throughout the Empire. A weak or self-serving grandmaster often ends up representing a fractious, divided order incapable of wielding power in the Conclave.
A grandmaster serves until the start of the next election, or until a declaration of the balance is made. A grandmaster cannot be revoked by any chamber of the Imperial Synod.
Election of a grandmaster
On the Friday night of each Imperial Summit the civil service convenes the Conclave specifically to form the Orders and appoint the Grandmasters. The precise details depend on the arrangement of The Hall of Worlds, but the appointment of the Grandmaster generally follows the following process:
- A Conclave functionary calls all members of an order together in an antechamber of the Conclave Hall and seals it.
- Every magician in that hall is considered to be a member of that order.
- If there is a sitting grandmaster, and they are present, the order can choose for them to continue in their role with a general aye that includes at least 60% of the order members present.
- Each candidate who wishes to be considered as grandmaster of the order identifies themselves. They must be Imperial citizens. There may be a short debate.
- The magicians declare their support for the candidates, usually using the Navarr technique of simply standing beside the candidate of their choice.
- If one candidate has received at least 60% of the available votes, the candidate with the most votes is declared grandmaster.
- If one candidate has not received at least 60% of the available votes, the candidate or candidates with the least votes are asked to reallocate their support among the other candidates.
- This continues until there is a clear victor. That magician is declared grandmaster until the next election is held.
Voting Strength
The voting strength of an order is determined when the order chamber is sealed. A grandmaster cannot contribute more crystal mana for votes during a vote than the recorded voting strength of their order. The grandmaster still needs to have the actual physical mana with which to place votes on behalf of their order, of course.
The voting strength of an order is only reassessed at the point a new grandmaster is elected. If a grandmaster dies or resigns, then the civil service arrange an emergency re-election. It is possible under these circumstances for voting strength to be manipulated adversely, but the civil service do their best to support the order in ensuring everyone voting is actually a legitimate member of the order.
The other way that voting strength may change is when a declaration of the balance is made; in this case all grandmasters are re-elected and voting strength recalculated.
Efforts to allow the adjustment of an order's voting strength due to the deaths of magicians, lack of confidence in the grandmaster or personal whim have been unsuccessful. The civil service generally point out that the most effective way to actually alter the ability of a grandmaster to vote in the Conclave is to refrain from supporting them with crystal mana, and instead use the crystal mana to support the grandmaster of a different order.
Reappointment
In the event that a Grandmaster has died or disappeared the civil service will attempt to arrange a re-election. The voting strength of the Order may change during an Imperial summit as a result.
Have been circumstances where voting strength has been manipulated, possibly mention those. (me and four mates got the election, but now we have a grandmaster with 5 votes)