Lex Magica of Adelaide CofD

The Spirit Of The Law

The Lex Magica of the Adelaide Consilium serves as its body of Laws. Awakened Mages that agree to become members of the Consilium agree to be held to the decisions of the Ruling Council, as reflected in the Consilium's Lex Magica. The joining Mages understand that their Great Rights are inviolate, regardless of the Ruling Council's decisions, and that they otherwise expect fair treatment within the presented Lex Magica.

The Lex Magica of the Adelaide Consilium recognises that no Lex Magica is a perfect presentation of the Law, but is intended to convey the spirit of the Law, like all Lex Magica before it. While held to as close as possible, magical Law is not a set of immovable absolutes, and does not function like the Laws of Sleepers. The biggest distinction is that the Wise are not limited to debating what is 'legal', rather, our Consilium strives for judgements that are wise, just, and moral, and intends for its written Law to represent this. Such ideals are subjective facets of the Fallen World, of course, and actively refuse simple and accurate summary. Lacking strict, unchanging rules, due in whole to our nature as willworkers and rulebenders, magical Law is based on precedent.

The Lex Magica is built on a foundation of understanding and recreating the past, a society and culture we strive not to simply emulate, but to regain in some form, and eventually grow beyond. By tradition, and second only to the objective nature of Supernal Truth, the closest measure the Wise have of whether an act is right or wrong can be found by comparing it against examples of the past, both judgement, and result.

Magical Law is not a set of carefully worded instructions shared by all Consilia everywhere. Nor is magical Law a list of rules that can be deconstructed and semantically debated. The Law is a series of judgments handed down by a city’s Ruling Council, the Consilium, based what has happened before. The Law is as much a social framework as a legal document. There is no massive, singular, moldering tome containing a set of pronouncements that can be obeyed to the letter - in fact, the halls of a single Consilium's Lex archive can rival the largest Sleeper libraries in existence. The Law is more like a language, a dialogue of every transgression that has been acknowledged and punished.

Precedence and Record

Silver and lesser Laws may be nullified in a number of ways; Gold Laws are immutable. Of paramount importance is the need to recognise why the Law in question was nullified in all relevant places. If a Law is recorded to specifically nullify others, and is recognised, both the Laws nullified, and the Law responsible for the nullification, should clarify the reasoning of the judgements in question. Laws that fall into nullification for natural or reasons beyond the Council's judgement, such as the disbanding of a cabal, should also feature the reason for their depreciation.

Not all archived and nullified Laws require presenting in this active document of the Lex Magica; they should nonetheless be archived safely in Silver Ladder records until requested or required.

In addition to the reasoning behind its passing, all Silver and lesser Laws should include relevant information, such as the Council-members that voted, as well as their votes; the final tally. In the case of Bronze Law, the Councilor that enacted the Law. In the case of Iron Laws, the participants, witnesses, and confirmation of liberty, among any other relevant information to the oath.

Gold Law

Supernal dictate, remnants of the Time Before, or unassailable and uncontested common sense among all Wise, the Gold Laws are true foundation of the Diamond, and are appropriately few and far-between.

The Great Rights

The Great Rights are a set of Laws that revolve around the personal rights of the individual Wise, and have appeared in many records of Consilia old and new around the world. They are considered an integral part of any Consilium of the Diamond Orders, and are granted by default to any recognised Mage of any Consilium. The most known, modern version of the Great Rights are as follows:

• Right of Crossing: Let no borders stop an Awakened with a clear heart.
  
• Right of Emeritus: Those who have earned respect must be treated with respect.
  
• Right of Hospitality: Those who request hospitality must be granted it.
  
• Right of Nemesis: When vengeance is declared, let none stand in its way.
  
• Right of Sanctuary: Protect your home, and let no action cause it harm.
  

Clarifications on each of the Great Rights will be made available upon request.

The Duel Arcane

The Duel Arcane is an ability that only Awakened souls may engage in, and is seen as the most raw and direct form of conflict resolution available to the Awakened. It has existed as long as souls have been Awakened, allowing Mages to weaponise their most integral element against each other, in a soul-to-soul duel that reflects and repreesnts their raw, total mastery of the Arcane arts. The Gold Law of the Duel Arcane ensures the right of Mages to challenge one another to legally binding duels on neutral ground. Specifics of the ceremony and requirements behind a Consilium's Arcane Dueling practices are stipulated in that Consilium's local Laws.

Silver Law

Often referred to as 'Concords', Silver Laws are local Consilia Laws, agreed upon by a majority of the Ruling Council. They are typically too mercurial, relative, or localised in scope to last the time uncontested to become Gold Law. Nonetheless, they are maintained as standing Law, like all other levels.

The Precepts

The Precepts aren't Gold Law; despite their seeming simplicity, they are ideals that resist easy and stable stipulation, often requiring adaptation to changing times and circumstances. As overarching concepts, however, they have persisted over generations, and are thus considered both Prime Silver Law, and apart from it - no Ruling Council needs to come to a Concord on any given Precept, but each ruling adjusts the local version of the Precepts, and how their Consilium treats and respects each Precept in day to day life.

The Precept of Secrecy

"The Veil; Our unfortunate compromise with the Exarchs against the Abyss. We don't engage Sleepers in the Supernal, for their Lie-swaddled souls cry out to the dark with each magical act."

"It is a serious offense to the Consilium to speak of magic to the Unenlightened, or openly practice magic in front of Sleepers."

The Veil is undoubtedly our greatest line of defense against a world poisoned against the very knowledge of our existence. The Veil isn't about protecting Mages; it is strictly about protecting Sleepers from the dangers of the Supernal, and the dangers of our greatest mistake: The Abyss. It is an unfortunate confluence with the will of the Exarchs, but thankfully our only one; our greatest enemy, beyond even the false Lords, is the darkness beyond our existence, and the Veil is the line we place between the Sleepers and ourselves, to protect everyone from it.

Examples of Violations and Penance:

• Casting obvious magic before Sleeper witnesses (Major Reprimand)
• Casting obvious magic before Sleeper witnesses who tell others (Major Penance)
• Leaving evidence that magic has been performed (Minor/Major Penance)
• Speaking of the Mysteries before Sleepers (Incarceration)
• Teaching Sleepers the Mysteries (Incarceration/Banishment/Spiritual Scouring)

Regarding Other Supernaturals

Note that, unlike older incarnations of the Precept of Secrecy, the Adelaide Consilium's Lex Magica has removed the clause regarding other Supernatural beings, and refocused the Veil on its true purpose; the Abyss. Since other Supernatural beings, for reasons yet unknown to us, are not subject to the Lie, they do not cause the Abyss to spill into our world in the same way Sleepers unwittingly do. Given that other Supernatural groups appear to maintain a similar Veil to ours, whether for their own safety, and/or that of the Sleepers, we can only concur with their efforts, and strive to strengthen the Veil against our mutual discovery. Doom for one group spells cascading doom for all, and relying on a cure is never as wise as seeking prevention.

The Precept of Recognition

"Ah, yes, the Precept of Bureaucracy. Often left by the wayside, Recognition is second only in importance to the Veil, as it forms the requirement of record, and only by that record may we have accountability; only through accountability, may we find justice."

"It is only official if it is recognised; it is only recognised if it is recorded."

The Precept of Recognition is an oft forgotten Precept, despite forming the entire foundational function and key stipulation of the Lex Magica: the recording and recognition of Laws, crimes, and judgements, and thus the establishment of precedence. As Wise, we are able to speak symbol and word to power, and much like a ritual, the official declaring of a concept, idea, or even a simple word, can add profound weight and Supernal power to its implementation; such it is with the Lex Magica.

A Recognised Mage

A Mage wishing to join a Consilium must declare that they agree to abide by, and be judged by, the Laws of that Consilium's Lex Magica, and in return be extended its numerous protections and assurances. A Mage that is considered Recognised is bound by all Laws and rulings of the Council. Mages that are not Recognised are not strictly bound by the Lex Magica's Laws of the Consilium they exist in, but if they are a recognised Mage in another Consilium, they may generally rest assured that they will be extended the Great Rights common to all Consilium. If a Mage is recognised as a Seer, Banisher, Scelesti or as Mad, in the eyes of the Adelaide Consilium, they automatically renege on their Gold Law recognition, and any of its protections.

Crimes and Judgements

Crimes, punishments and judgements made by the Ruling Council must be recorded and recognised within the Lex to have any weight. Even if a crime is not punished, merely recognising it creates a magical 'criminal record' for a Mage, and can affect later judgement passed on that Mage. Similarly, criminal records can be nullified, so long as it is recognised.

Recognised Sanctums

Sanctums may only benefit from the protections of the Lex Magica if they are formally declared to the Council, and their locations are recorded. A sanctum is only officially declared when a Council records the declaration by the owner of the sanctum. In this declaration, a Mage may declare the protocol for approach, if they do not wish for others to approach their sanctum without prior official notice. Any incidents or crimes committed prior to the official declaration and recognition of a sanctum are not held under the jurisdiction of the Council.

The Precept of Protectorate

"Civility is one of the hallmarks of advanced civlisation, same as it is for the Sleepers; it's typically polite to call before showing up to party."

"One cabal cannot trespass, spy or in any way attack another cabal’s formally declared sanctum."

Seen as an extension of the Great Rights, the Precept of the Protectorate expands the simultaneously narrow and vague scope of the Great Rights regarding the sanctums of the Wise, offering additional protections to the sanctums of Mages. Any act performed without the owner's consent, upon that Mage's declared sanctum, is in some way a violation of their personal space, and thus their personal being. Sanctums are declared as places Mages call home, whether used as arcane spaces or otherwise.

Examples of Violations and Penance:

• Approaching the sanctum of another Mage unannounced (if such Protocols are set: Minor Reprimand)
• Causing a Sleeper investigation near another Mage’s sanctum (Major Reprimand/Minor Penance)
• Testing the wards or limits of another Mage’s sanctum (Minor Penance)
• Entering another Mage’s sanctum without formally granted permission (Incarceration)
• Any magical attack against a sanctum (Incarceration, or Worse, if not under the Precept of War)

The Precept of Hubris

"Mages sort their Supernal wheat and chaff through tests of magical might, such is their world. To do so against Sleepers, on the other hand, is a contemptible act of the highest order."

"It is frowned upon to use magic to manipulate or harm another without good reason."

The Precept of Hubris is as much a declaration of the perils and pitfalls of Hubris, as it is a moral baseline for Mages to attempt to adhere to. It has little to nothing to do with protecting Mages from any instance of harm, pain or suffering. Hubris, among Mages, is intimately tied to Wisdom, and related heavily to the consequences of our actions, less so to the actions themselves. This is why many of the listed violations of the Precept of Hubris differ in level of punishment for Sleepers, compared to Mages. Without extreme effort in the inflicting act, most Mages can overcome and undo the damage of Awakened magic, to the extent that it may never have happened at all. When considering the Precept of Hubris, its crimes and judgements, as with all matters of Hubris, lean to the long-term consequences of the action, and whether or not they are desirable for the Consilium at large.

Examples of Violations and Penance

• Casting a curse (Mage: Minor Reprimand, Sleeper: Major Punishment)
• Forcing an unwilling transformation (Mage: Minor Reprimand, Sleeper: Major Punishment)
• Binding another’s soul (Mage: Minor Reprimand, Sleeper: Major Punishment)
• Magical attacks on others (unless performed within the Duel Arcane/Under the Precept of War) (Mage: Minor Reprimand, Sleeper: Major Punishment)
• Aiding spiritual possession (Mage: Minor Reprimand, Sleeper: Major Punishment)
• Exiling others to the Shadow Realm (Including all non Material realms) (Mage: Minor/Major Reprimand, Sleeper: Major Punishment)
• Using magic for murder (Mage: Major Punishment, Sleeper: Major Punishment)
• Soul theft (Mage: Major Punishment, Sleeper: Major Punishment)

The Precept of War

"Each Mage is a sovereign nation, replete with armies and nuclear capability, and there exists no higher power that will reliably judge our sins; Let the battlefield decide right and wrong, lest they crack the world asunder for their petty disputes."

The Precept of War is the hardest of the Precepts to define in any one sentence. It declares the steps by which a Mage can willfully step away from the Laws of Awakened Society, and seek vengeance, as is their Great Right. The Precept allows Mages to set the rules of engagement for Mages and cabals to engage in mystical warfare. For disputes that cannot be resolved peacefully by the Consilium, the Lex Magica strongly encourages the use of the Duel Arcane, but this Precept primarily exists for Mages that will not, or cannot, choose to resolve their disputes in these still-peaceful ways.

On The Path To War

The Precept of War is petitioned as follows:

• A cabal (or representative) formally appears before the Consilium, petitioning the Council to accept their temporary withdrawal from their system of Law, under the Precept of War.
• By tradition, they testify to the actions that their rivals have taken against them.
• The Council renders an initial verdict on the request (not a judgmeent on the rivals' actions)
• * If the Council, as a majority, concurs, they may then formally proceed by Invoking the Lex, and war is officially declared.
• * If the Council, as a majority, disagrees, the request of war is denied, and it serves as a warning to the warmonger, that no matter what they claim or do, they'll be judged under Consilium Law for it.
• If the Consilium has a precedent for magical war, the warseeking cabal would be wise to announce their limits of aggression. In Feudal Japan, warlords differentiated high war from low war, being careful to distinguish when they were honourably engaging in war on the battlefield, to when they sent the assassins in the night. In the same way, a cabal can declare their rules of engagement' when it temporarily withdraws from the Consilium. This is primarily to limit the potential collateral daMage of the war.
• The rival party must them be informed of the declaration of war and the proposed rules of engagement as soon as physically possible, and war may not begin until then. By either agreeing to the given rules of engagement, or setting their own, the rival party accepts the declaration.
• If the rival party doesn't accept the declaration, or otherwise doesn't wish to go to war, their options are few and far between if the Council has agreed to the declaration. They may attempt to appeal the declaration in an immediate meeting with the Council, but must effectively and concretely prove their innocence in the matter to the Council, for them to rescind the Invoking of the Lex. If they wish, they may attempt to appeal to the warseeking cabal themselves, with all the entailed dangers. They may also surrender themselves to the Council, such that the Council may negotiate with the warseeking cabal for a Lex-based punishment, over a war.

Recognised Rules of Engagement

The Council recognises that rules for engagement are optional, but highly desired and recommended if the Council is to consent to a declaration. The Council recognises the following common rules of engagement for the Precept of War:

• The Duel Arcane: The cabal wants to send a champion against their rivals’ champion to conduct single combat, so that greater bloodshed can be prevented.
• Street Warfare: The cabal announces that it will attack their targets on sight, but will not violate the sanctity of their rivals’ declared sanctum.
• Spiritual Warfare: The cabal announces that they intend to use open magic in the Shadow Realm, or other non-Material realms; this is an invitation to “take the fight outside,” so Sleepers aren't subject to it.
• Sanctum Warfare: The cabal confides in the Consilium that they intend to strike back at their rivals’ sanctum. The cabal-members do not expect any re-dress or compensation for the retaliation that will inevitably follow from their rivals.
• Shadow Warfare: The cabal chooses to confide that they are striking against another supernatural society. They acknowledge that they alone are responsible, and they must personally bear responsibility for the backlash that follows.

All involved parties can still expect the Consilium to step in if the fight escalates beyond the rules of engagement, so long as all parties have agreed. If parties cannot agree on the rules of engagement, then if the Council has approved the declaration, it is considered open warfare.

VIOLATING THE PRECEPT OF SECRECY REMAINS A SERIOUS OFFENSE, EVEN UNDER THE PRECEPT OF WAR.

Prime Concords

Prime Concords are an inner, upper tier of Silver Laws, Laws specifically constructed to take precedence over others, aiding in wrangling complex Concord precedence and manage otherwise unruly reams of Bronze Laws. The Precepts are considered Prime Concords by default.

Active Prime Concords

• N/A

Proposed Prime Concords

• N/A

Nullified Prime Concords

• N/A

Silver Concords

The bulk contents of the Silver Laws of Adelaide, superseded by the Prime Concords and Gold Laws, but overruling Bronze and Iron Laws at large.

Active Silver Concords

• Concord of Awakened Death: No Consilium Mage is permitted to murder another Consilium Mage outside of the Precept of War. Any suspected shall be placed on trial, involving a defense for the accused.

Silver Concord Proposals

• N/A

Nullified Silver Concords

• N/A

Bronze Law

"Bronze Law - the bane of every bookworm and Lawmonger in Awakened society, and a perfect example of why it exists: accountability, for both the Consilium, and its Councilors."

Bronze Law, often referred to as Common Law, essentially serves as a record of individual, but nonetheless official Councilor and Hierarch rulings on matters in the Consilium. It doubles as both an archive of past precedence, active or otherwise, and rapid foothold into functional Law, as well as a record of accountability and fairness for those that choose to live within a Consilium. Bronze Law is considered canon Law when the judgements of each individual Councilor are recorded, and remain standing unless nullified or rescinded otherwise. Bronze Laws that contradict greater Laws are not valid, but must remain if already recorded.

Active Common Law

• In the case that a Mad is discovered, they are to be detained, and rehabilitation attempted. If they are too powerful to be detained, and are deemed a danger to the City and all its people, their swift and painless death is encouraged. If they have been detained and rehabilitation is unsuccessful, they are to be incarcerated.

• As Mysteries are discovered, they are to be brought to the Council to decide the Order it concerns. There shall be no 'claiming Mysteries'.

• The Duel Arcane is sacrosanct; no magic is to be released or cast during the Duel, on the Duel itself or anyone involved, unless it is a form of Counterspell to prevent the casting of forbidden magic when defending one's self or standing as a Second, or to prevent a dueling Mage from cheating by casting a spell of their own.

Nullified Common Law

• N/A

Iron Law

"Our Word is our bond, and for the Wise, whole worlds blossom into life and die in flames with each Word their shining souls speak. So too, our bonds do glow."

Iron Laws, also called Oathbound Laws (in spite of being a longer nomenclature), are sworn oaths the Wise have made before their peers, under certain factors and/or applied supernatural reinforcement. These form the base level of Awakened societal glue and trust. Higher Laws restrict the kinds of oaths that can be made under Iron Laws quite heavily, with even Bronze ranking above Iron. Iron Laws don't reflect just any old promise, however; they're not necessarily Fate-bound agreements, though they can be, but they must possess all of The Three Voices, in addition to adherence to the Precept of Recognition, to be considered valid and active Iron Law:

• Vox Contractus: UNANIMOUS MUTUAL CONSENT: All parties agree on the specifics of the oath, and its status as an active Iron Law. They don’t have to use the Silver Ladder term, but all must make it clear that they expect support from the Consilium, should any party renege in any way. Any oath where some call it Iron Law at the time of declaration and others don’t doesn’t qualify.
• Vox Publicus: NOTED BY AWAKENED WITNESSES (3 PER 2 OATHTAKERS): The oathtakers swear the oath before Awakened witnesses, who agree to give testimony of the oaths if called by the Council to do so. Classic traditions mandate three witnesses per two oathtakers: one for each Mage and a third neutral party. This isn’t set in stone; most Consilia accept oaths made before the Hierarch.
• Vox Libertas: SWORN UNDER FREEDOM, UNFORCED (INCLUDING CONTRADICTING OTHER LAWS): The oathtakers swear it from a position of liberty. Iron Laws can’t be forced; any excessive duress during the oathtaking invalidates the Law. 'Excessive duress' is defined by the Consilium and its Ruling Council, and it is best to gain Supernal confirmation of the free nature of the oathtakers during the declarations of The Three Voices. This requirement also bans Mages from swearing an Iron Law to do anything that would be illegal under a higher Law, or that would break a previous Iron Law oath.

Nullified Iron Law

• Generations cabal: The cabal of the Generations swear an Oath to the City to find the Seer Killer of Rose and hearby Bring them to Justice. - Contentious: none of The Three Voices have been recorded here, and an oath to the 'city' is invalid; an oath to the Hierarch would suffice, but require separate witnesses to the Hierarch to validate it. If additional Voices are recorded, it may return to Active Iron Law.

Last Update: May 30th 2018