(2204) The Councillors

[Corn]

Woops. Corn thought when Winter told Corn that he can issue a challenge. There is an ooold saying in mage circles, 'you find out who your friends are when a much powerful than you mage mentions Duel Arcane'. Better try to sidestep that one.
"Sentinel Winter, claiming that I don't respect our golden laws by cherry-picking my words, out of context and away of the actual argument, is similar to calling me a traitor. I am a member of this consilium in good standing and thus, I invite you to recant that accusation as it is not true. A duel arcane between us trying to extract an apology out of you for that insult will be quite one-sided in your favor and I don't think anyone here believes otherwise. But while your greater magical prowess affords you respect, it shouldn't simply allow you to disrespect others because they are less powerful. The reasons I believe the Precept of Secrecy doesn't apply here were made clear, I think, and it is not because I want the Abyss to become stronger. "

And then Moira spoke up and very eloquently hit hard. When the Apostate delivers such a speech, you know you are getting pounded.

Then Puck again said his piece but at least he gave Corn an opening.
First, he gave a respectful nod towards Moira as she frankly has been more effective in her delivery than her councilor.

"Councilor Puck, a Sleeper that is unconscious does not increase the risk of Paradox backlash or the causes disbelief. The sleeping soul should be able to witness the magic and to do that, the sleeper's mind should be in control. I will set aside the erroneous remarks the councilor made about the danger of my words and such. While the councilor is correct that the soul of a sleeper is sleeping and that mere possession would not alter that state... it is not relevant here.
If the sleeper cannot witness the magic, then disbelief or quiescence or the threat of paradox backlash do not happen. The spells that keep the Circle of Creation are vulgar, Councilor. And yet, because the Sleeping souls around us cannot perceive them, the spells aren't subjected to disbelief.

Can the Councilor prove or strongly support that the Sleepers under control of the ghost were able to perceive the magic? Is there any strong evidence, enough to accuse Councilor Phoenyx for, that those people were aware of what was happening? Or were they simply unconscious as their bodies were being puppets?
If the people in question were indeed able to witness the magic as sleepers, even as unwitting spectators in their own bodies, then yes, the Veil of Secrecy applies and you are correct, Councilor Phoenyx broke the law.
But in my opinion, from what I have heard so far, there is no strong evidence the people involved were aware of what was happening.

Furthermore, councilor, what facts am 'I willfully ignoring', if I may ask?

Last but not least, Councilor Phoenyx admitted she used that spell in that situation. She didn't confess to a crime that has not even been proven to have happened. Councilor Puck's mind seems to be made that Councilor Phoenyx broke the Precept of Secrecy. Councilor Phoenyx disagrees. I remain unconvinced. Thus, guilt still remains to be proven, councilor Puck. Your opinion may be reflected by the majority of councilors, but we won't know that unless they speak. "

[Aeolus]

This scene closes at the end of Saturday - no extensions but if people wanted to skip those not posting more actively that'd be okay.

[Winter]

It was a truly pathetic show. To think they were supposed to advance Campanella's research, oh boy.
"I'm still waiting for your challenge, or perhaps you'd like to relent and admit your mistakes?"

[Corn]

Corn rolled his eyes and gave a sigh.
"Sentinel Winter , as I said, I don't believe a duel arcane between us will end in my favor. So no, I won't challenge you to a duel arcane. I still believe you twisted the meaning of my words to present me as a traitor but I am not going to fight you over it.
Furthermore, as I asked Councilor Puck, I also ask you: what are those 'mistakes' you are talking about?
I said several times already that I do abide by the Precept of Secrecy and that efforts to pick my words to present them as if I don't follow the golden laws are both false and insulting. "

He then addressed the rest of the consilium.
"The time is growing late. The situation is the following so far: Councilor Phoenyx admitted she casted a vulgar spell in front of mind-controlled people. She did not confess guilt over breaching the golden laws as so far, there's no consensus whether mind-controlled people are witnesses. As such, the council should decide whether there is guilt.
Were the controlled people conscious and aware to actually count as sleeper witnesses? Or they were the equivalent of unconscious sleeping minds?
Councilor Puck believes Phoenyx is guilty of breaching the Precept of secrecy and he has explained his reasoning. I disagree because I don't think they were aware.

So far we have heard from Councilor Aurora that mentioned she believes Phoenyx broke the law. But so far there has not been a vote and I believe a vote should be taken.

A lot of our peers, mentioned that in the case of guilt the punishment should be similar to what has been given in other cases - and honestly some made a good argument for it. However, I disagree and councilor Crystal seemed to also share this view. I believe that if Phoenyx is found guilty, the situation the councilor found herself at when she breached should be taken into consideration when meting out punishment.

Lastly, I know the council is the deciding body, but I believe the councilors should ask for and take into consideration the opinions of every mage in good standing before they make their votes. Moira has already given her opinion but many others didn't. I don't know who agrees or disagrees with my views but in my opinion it has been one of the strengths of Sacramento consilium that individual mages can be heard, something that is much more difficult in larger consilia. "

[Winter]

Apparently this Mystagogue was as thick as a steel wall. But Laws were Laws, no matter how unjust you thought they were.
The Guardian snaps his finger, ready to conjure a wave of protective energy. Capricious as it may be however, his imago fizzles in the air.
He sees things much more clearly now.

"Apparently the nature of the Laws is still unclear to you. This is your last warning, Daduchos"

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-04-27 04:38:13	Winter rolls 6 to Combined Spells -2 (10 Again)	2, 4, 1, 8, 2, 4	1 success

Combined spell, scrut for detail. ST has been given the exact spells

[Aurora]

Sometimes, you need to know when to just not say anything. Bite your tongue and let the moment pass. Words could be used as a weapon against you. Sometimes it was best to know when to cut your losses and fight another day.

But Corn does not seem to understand this, and it was spiraling out of control.

“I stand by my vote that the Law was broken.” That had not changed, but it hurt. Damn, did it hurt. She didn’t want to see her friend get punished, but she had to put her personal feelings aside.

“That being said, I think you should stand down Corn.” Her voice strained; he couldn’t win a Duel against Winter. It would probably be quick, maybe even painful. But maybe he needed that Duel, needed to feel that loss. This meeting went down hill so fast. Breaking Laws, and now the issue of a Duel. She was tired.

[Crystal]

The only good thing about this was that it was almost over. And while he didn't do anything to stop this (and he certainly wasn't proud of that), he hoped that the situation between Corn and Winter would deescalate. He talked a lot and had some strange ideas and theories, but at least Crystal knew where he was at with the Mystagogue. The Guardian? Crystal didn't know him too well and that was reason enough to make him feel uneasy.

And the thing with Phoenyx? While Kaze, Eulogy, Guru, and him had lofty ideas about giving everyone a fair trial and the possibility to look at each case individually those ideas were knocked out of the Warlock when everyone else bailed. Seemed like the mentorships of everyone else here did their work and the age-old tradition of honoring the letter of the Lex was still going strong here, despite all the other structural differences. He didn't like it - at all - but he also realized that he couldn't change shit.

So Crystal did what he did well: pick his battles and get out of here in one piece. "While I still hold the opinion that a less strict verdict is appropriate, I will vote with the other Councilors for the cohesion of this Consilium." Now wasn't that a fucking joke?

[Corn]

Corn frowned when Winter ... practically threatened him and started casting inside the consilium.
"My last warning or what, sentinel? Would you attack me inside the consilium for not challenging you to a duel?" Corn could understand what Winter was ... adamantly against, but a 'recant or I will challenge you to a duel arcane' was much more logical than 'recant or challenge me to a duel arcane'.

He turned to Puck
"Is this how the consilium should be acting according to your view, Councilor? Mages threatened to silence when they say things more powerful mages disagree with? I had a different opinion of the Free Council. I understand why the Sentinel strongly disagrees with my view; he is a Guardian of the Veil and the Veil was breached according to most views. Regardless, I have said what I had to say. "

And then Aurora and Crystal quickly gave their votes.
Yeap. It was over. He nodded to Aurora when he told him to shut up and stop digging stand down.
"I will do as the Sentinel and councilor Aurora request and of course, I respect the verdict of the council.
I also would like to apologize to Councilor Puck, to Moira and to Sentinel Winter for any offense my clearly misguided attempts may have caused. Every councilor seems to agree that I am wrong. Especially to Sentinel Winter I have this to say... I admit the error of my ways. The law is the law. "
A bitter pill to shallow.

What a complete and utter shitshow. It was not just humiliation. It was that since Moira spoke Corn has, if he was to be honest with himself, been actually doubting his own words. Since when the council was deliberating justice? They were not a secular, sleeper court. They were not even a court. They were ... a mage council. Had winter been less combative he would have bowed down already.

And what did not admitting that Winter was right earned you? Humiliation.

The only silver lining here, could be that he knew to shut up and let others defend Guru .

[Winter]

At least Shodan had the excuse of being a Libertine.
The Guardian shrugs, accepting the apology as far as he's concerned. The law was safe, the Precept of Secrecy finally recognized by all.
"Good", he says, "this Council has still much to do"

[Moira]

Moira nodded to Corn's address to her, and for her part, she looked a bit tense. She wouldn't back down on what she had said, or believed to be true and correct. Of course Puck was the only person who knew her former mentor had been a Ladder. Despite them not really getting along and butting heads all of the time, she had a firm and healthy grasp of the Lex. There were a lot of stereotypes about Apostates not following the rules or being laws unto themselves, but you couldn't prove that aspect by Moira entirely. In the past she had made some mistakes, and had been held accountable for the ones she got caught for. She expected no less now, here. She had been better for it, and so would this Consillium. Wisdom was not something to compromise on.