505-04-16 Third Necromancy Council Meeting

From Crossroads Wiki

Third Necromancy Council Meeting
RL Date	May 5, 2008
Players	Empress Mena, Brody, Helena, Phoenix, Azurios, Jenoch, Arianell, Nick, Serath, Viola
Location	Imperial Audience, Gateway Isle
Crossroads Time and Weather
IC Date	April 16, 505 A.G.
Season	Spring

Audience Chamber - Imperial Tower - Gateway Castle
The audience chamber has an air of formality to it, despite its comfort. The large room is done in soft blues and golds, and a marble fireplace occupies a prominent spot between two tall glass windows overlooking Gateway. The windows are reinforced with wrought iron worked into elegant whorls of leaves, tendrils, and flowers.
A table to one side has four tall, wing-backed chairs framing it, with one of the chairs slightly larger than the rest. A grouping of velvet couches and chairs for less formal conversations is placed closer to the fireplace.
The standard of Gateway at one wall is framed by the crests of each of the four duches, and another wall holds an elegant tapestry of Gateway castle itself. A sidebar oft holds a variety of refreshments.

Mena is here! And the servants are setting up the room for the meeting, getting the larger table in and such.

Brody saunters in, buttoning up his jacket. Of course. He glances around with a cool gaze for the preparations. He looks as if he's already bored just thinking about it. "Empress."

Mena looks up from where she is setting up the magical note-taking quill as you enter, giving a slight tip of her head. "Sir Brody. Did you draw the shortest straw for this evening?" she asks with a quirk of her lips. "This will be the second to last meeting of its kind, and then it will be done, if it is any consolation."

"I didn't want to not be on duty with so many crazy people all in the room with you, Empress," Brody says with distinct pronunciation as he moves to take a position near you. "Have you the same difficulties with concentrating on what is said that I do?"

"Yes," Mena admits, setting the last piece of parchment out in preparation for the writing quill. "It is the same thing over and over again. A clash of old ego versus young passion. It gives me a headache sometimes just thinking about it. But.. it was the right thing to do, and will be done soon. Which I am grateful for."

"How soon is soon? When do you intend to hold the last meeting?" Brody glances over the others who are preparing the room, each one getting a slow study. "And are you certain that you would be angry if I lost my temper and just cut them all down?"

"Yes, Brody," Mena says with some amused patience. "I would be angry. As for the last meeting... I will give them two weeks to decide on the final restrictions to present to me. Then, you should see Drusilla's vigil scheduled and a public council will be held."

"I should? It should be the night before the council, Empress. Tell me when the council will be, and I'll handle the scheduling," Brody says confidently.

Mena nods to Brody as she takes her seat at the head of the table, awaiting the arrivals for the meeting.

Helena is one of the first to arrive, it seems. With her trust satchel over her shoulder she is shown into the chamber. The empress is approached and the Soranus lady offers a deep curtsey. "Providence protect you, Empress," Helena offers as she rises and then moves to take her usual spot near the middle of the table.

Brody grows silent as he takes a vigilant spot behind Mena's chair and gives a cold, assessing look over every arrival.

A few moments after the door has closed behind Helena, Phoenix makes his way into the chamber. He dips his chin to Mena in greeting, pausing briefly before her before moving on. His pale grey gaze flicks over Brody, but he otherwise ignores the knight as one would ignore a piece of furniture in the room. Instead of taking his usual seat, this time he sets nearer to the door, back still towards the wall. He acknowledges Helena with a glance but says nothing.

Mena watches the people start to arrive, inclining her head to each one. "Lady Helena. Lord Phoenix. I believe we shall be waiting a few minutes for the arrival of some others. Do you have any concerns before the rest get here?"

Helena has her satchel in her lap and is removing paper and pen from within as the Forester lord enters. She glances up briefly at him, but there's no nod or smile, the look is somewhat wary. Thankfully the Empress' words offer the lady a distraction. Helena shakes her head. "Nothing is coming to mind, Your Majesty," she offers, polite as you please.

In breezes Azurios with his usual insouciant air, only a moment behind Jenoch (even if the player is slow). He tips a lazy look about and glides to a chair next to the Empress with a flowing bow to her.

As soon as Jenoch walks into the room, he lets out a frustrated sigh and walks back of the room. A few moments latter, a slightly embarrass Jenoch returns to room, mumbling, "You would think it was the hardest thing in the world to enter with left foot and bow. Jenoch bows gracefully, "Good afternoon, Empress Mena."

Duchess Arianell is late. And she doesn't look very good. She's pale all over, except where her cheeks are flushed, her eyes a little bloodshot. When she enters, she sketches a clumsy curtsey before hurrying to a chair, her gaze mostly fixed on the table surface.

Oblivious to Helena's wary gaze, Phoenix shakes his head slightly to the Empress' question. For the most part, his attention seems elsewhere while he waits for the meeting to begin.

Brody grants each arrival that same impassive look of judgment, maintaining his cold vigil by the Empress.

Nick steps in and takes his position on the other side of the Empress. Hands clasped together in front of him, staring out to the people here for the meeting. Not a word is heard. He's on duty and doing his job. He makes for a good background prop after all.

"Good evening to all of you," Mena says with another incline of her head. "It seems this is all we will have for this evening. Do you have any last questions for Master Erastothenes before we start getting the list of final restrictions together."

As he sinks into his chair, Azurios lets his look linger upon Arianell. His long fingers smooth across the table's surface before linking precisely before himself.

Nell keeps her eyes on the table, then on her hands in her lap, fidgeting with her nails. She shakes her head slightly to the Empress' question, going a little paler as she swallows.

Helena gives her head another shake but her attention is mostly distracted by the quiet Duchess. There's actually a look of concern on the Soranus' face as she watches Arianell. Her pen twists in her fingers a couple of times as she looks as if she'd like to say something, but now is not the time.

As he walks over to the sidebar and begins to arrange the refreshments by color, he calls over his shoulder. "I do not have a question for Master Azurios, but I would like to make a statement." Jenoch continues, "After speaking with High Mages of the Isle of Mists, it seem to me that only two of three actual had any real apprehensions to necromancy; in fact, most of the restriction they desired to see placed about necromancy are probably the same restrictions that face every form of magic. They did not desire to see necromancy to be used against anyone without their permission."

Mena nods slowly. "I.. guess that is comforting to know," she says in response to Jenoch's statement. "Did the High Council have any sort of wisdom to pass along that might be relevant? And did all of you attend this meeting?"

The necromancer's eyes slip from Arianell to Jenoch with a fierce and satisfied light searing in the depths of his gaze. He slowly tips his head to the man.

"There was a woman who approached us later," Nell says quietly. "From a group against necromancy. I suggested she send us the list of restrictions as she would see them for us to use as guidelines." She still doesn't look up from her hands, picking at a hangnail. "Did anyone ever receive those?"

Azurios flicks a glance back to Arianell, this one far more unfathomable than the one given to Jenoch.

Concern turns to a frown on Helena's features and she shakes her head. "I've heard nothing more from her since we left the isle," she admits, glancing towards the Empress.

Phoenix offers a slight shake of his head to indicate that he has heard or received nothing as well. Any other response is unnecessary; there are plenty of other more reliable sources for the Mistian woman to have contacted than the ranger.

"That is because I had her murdered and she is now my animated servant and love slave," Azurios says slyly.

Azurios's lips curl in a wry and knowing smile as he glances away from the table.

Mena blows out a breath. "Well, that doesn't serve us as very useful without having it here. Did she say anything else?"

Nell shakes her head, quiet. "Nothing that hasn't been said by everyone else who's against necromancy," she says dully. "Unnatural, dangerous, against the will of Providence...Nothing new."

Azurios shows all his perfect pearly teeth in his smile. "All magic can be called that, Duchess. The battle of legalization has already been fought." And lost. "Have you any input upon the specifics of the laws to be enacted?"

Nell takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I think the law should be open to amendment after the fact, in case we miss something," she offers with a half-hearted shrug. "Along with the things we've already discussed about consent, registration, and obligation to assist in taking care of any who don't follow the laws."

Finishes arranging the refreshments and steps away from the sidebar, "Perfect." Jenoch turns around and says, "Well, if she is like Citizen Serath, then she probably had strong beliefs against necromancy." Jenoch clasps his hands around his back and continues, "You would think that would cause some concern among the High Mages with their being more than few people voicing their opinions against necromancy, but they seem a bit disinterested. I asked them about problems the necromancy might cause on the Isle of Mists, and I believe the answer. Jenoch makes quotation marks in the air, "I cannot see the future. Either they do not see necromancy as a real threat, or they are a bunch of" Jenoch chuckles, "I will stop there."

"Perhaps that is for the best, my lord," Mena says to Jenoch with a quirk of her lips. "So. Registration for those who study. Approval for those who wish to start to study. Informed consent on any being involved on the subject side of it. Strong repercussions for those who break these rules. Anything else?"

"I presume you do not speak of registration beyond that which the council maintains of any mage?" Azurios asks blandly. "Who has the right to approve those that wish to study?"

Helena looks to Azurios and poses a question. "What is the current conditions under which mages are currently registered?"

Phoenix's pale grey eyes shift towards Jenoch while he speaks. Expression neutral, his attention flicks casually over the man. When the rooms silences again for a pause, he turns back towards the Empress, "Restrictions on numbers were also discussed durin' the last meetin'." He says, his thick Fielder accent a velvet drawl. "With concerns to raisin' an army of men, or animals."

Her gaze still fixed on her hands, Nell falls silent again, letting the others fight out the details.

As with every other meeting, that magical quill on the smaller table takes down every word spoken.

Mena nods her agreement. "Yes, a restriction on the number of bodies raised."

Azurios speaks answer to Helena with a nod. "At the initial visitation to the Breath, each student is logged in the annals of the Council. Those who continue training in any public venue have their specialty updated as they advance. If someone takes private tutoring it is something that falls to the mentor to register, and it is not always enforced. Mages disappear from the logs occasionally. I would anticipate that those who study necromancy would not disappear."

Helena frowns a little but nods at the answer given. "Thank you," she says and then glances briefly about the room before her gaze settles back on the Empress.

"The mage council did state that could monitor large amounts of bodies or animals being raised, but they did not specify how they would do it." Jenoch says, "Without permission from someone or being ordered by someone with the power to order such things, I do not believe a body should be raised. "

Brody shoots a look at Viola in rapid assessment as she arrives.

Duchess Arianell picks at a hangnail again, sniffling absently before wiping at her face with the back of one hand. "The present necromancers should come forward, seeing as how there probably aren't any names on the book with 'necromancer' next to them."

Mena nods to all of the statements being thrown out there, another nod in greeting given to Viola as she joins. Then her focus moves to Jenoch. "So, it is your opinion that even if a person consents, knowing full well the repercussions of such consent, their body should not be raised after their soul departs it?"

Azurios nods to Jenoch's statement, and again to Arianell. "If they 'come forward', it should only be to the mage council, so that there is no immediate persecution started. I would not wish to see zealous resisters persecuting, nor any fabrication of circumstance to make one who practices the Art appear guilty of wrongdoing."

Nell shrugs to Azurios, apparently not up to actually holding an argument.

Jenoch paces towards the windows and starts to count the whorls of leaves, tendrils, and flowers.

"If the limit has been reached in how many can be raised," Helena says, speaking up again, "then I do not see why another should still be raised, simply because consent was given. Or, are we saying that each mage shall have his or her own limit?" She glances to Jenoch and then back to the head of the table. "I am unclear as to what this limit would be."

Mena looks to Azurios to answer these questions, though adds one herself. "And if one Necromancer raises a body, can another control it?"

"The Emperor has full access to the list at need, as does the Mogur," Azurios answers Viola. He slides a look at Mena and shakes his head. "Not without great skill and sacrifice. It would be nigh unto impossible to claim many that another had raised."

Helena frowns a little and her forehead furrows as a thought suddenly comes to her. "Master Azurios, Your Majesty, a question, if I might?"

Azurios unlinks his hands and drums the soft fingertips against the table. "Any question you would ask I will strive to answer, Lady Helena. I live to serve." He says this with a straight face.

Mena inclines her head to Helena, waiting for the question.

Brody shifts his weight from one foot to another.

Kreshnik mimics Brody's actions, shifting from one foot to another. It gets tiring to just stand there though this knight would never show that.

"I do not know quite how to phrase this as to the law, but a concern came to me," Helena says as the furrow fades. "When these people are raised, will they be required to remain in the care of the mage who raised them? Can they survive on their own, without a mage's guiding hand? How long might one remain in this state? I am curious as to what might happen should a mage die or disappear, leaving those he has raised behind. What is to become of them?" She glances towards the Empress. "What is their standing in society to be? Will they no longer be seen as human and disposed of?"

Azurios pauses a moment or three, allowing anyone to speak before him if they should wish. When none do so, he answers at least part of Helena's query in his typical silken, sensual tones. "If a body is raised, it contains nothing of the prior essence or memory. It is a shell, as if it were made of wood, only accomplishing the tasks that it is put to. It remains until it is released by the mage, decomposes beyond capacity of action, or the mage himself dies. It is tradition if a necromancer dies that the others of his order see to releasing those that were animated by him before."

"Releasing how?" Mena then asks of Azurios. "How do you release a zombie exactly?"

"Release them from any binding of necromancy and return them to a state of rest. Burial is our prefered fate, as that allows the body to sustain other life, plants." Azurios slips a hand into his garments to retain his bejeweled wand, then taps it against his thigh.

Helena gives a nod and quickly poses another question after waiting for the Empress to receive and answer to hers. "If it is nothing but a shell with no real essence of life to it, does a mage consider it his property? Will we need to craft laws regarding compensation should someone dismember or 'kill' his raised ... person." Helena fumbles over that last word, unsure just what to call such a creature. But her tone lacks a great deal of the anger and accusation that might have been found from her in earlier meetings. Now she is simply seeking clarification.

Serath enters in a most quiet fashion before finding himself a seat, his gaze moving eventually among everyone in the audience chamber in measured observation.

Nell is still looking down at her hands, sighing softly as the discussion continues.

Azurios speaks as if this is a question he had already thought obvious, but it is not condescension in his tone, just factual dissemination. "It is considered property, as any other citizen who crafts something of raw materials will consider the crafted their property. I anticipate the deliberate damage or destruction by another would be illegal."

"Even if that property is used to cause harm?" Helena quickly asks.

Mena looks between the two, though she does pause to incline her head to Serath as he arrives to the meeting.

After he finishes counting the different whorls, Jenoch realizes that he never answered Empress Mena's question to him. He turns around and bows, "I humbly apologize. I got distracted by something. To answer your previous quesiton: I believe only the living should be able to give permission on raising of the dead." Jenoch looks at Azurios, "I do believe that I need a clarification on something you said previous. I thought you state that was nigh to impossible for another mage to take possession of something that was by a mage. Does the nigh impossible become very possible, once the mage dies."

"If an animated shell or a sword or any other means is used to cause harm, the person who did so is culpable under the law, and I would expect any citizen of this empire to defend himself or herself." Azurios taps the wand against the table's surface in a very quiet tattoo. He then turns attention to Jenoch. "When a necromancer dies, the hold is gone. They are no longer animated. It would require reanimation at that point."

Helena nods again and even offers the mage a tiny smile of her own. How sincere it is, well that is another matter. "Again, I thank you for clarifying this for me, Master Erastothenes," she tells him and then takes up her pen to make some more notes. Mena looks to Serath, then. "Have you anything to add, Master Serath? We were discussing the final list of regulations for the legalization."

Azurios gives a slow nod to Helena and returns her smile with a sly one of his own. When the Empress addresses Serath, he too looks toward the mage.

Serath bows his head in response to Mena, "I have some items that I would like to bring forth to the committee, and if it has already been mentioned then I apologize." His gaze moves to the others for a few moments, "In light of this sphere being legalized, it has been brought forth the issue of necromancers being registered. I would like to draw upon this. For the time being I feel there should be interviews made with those who would study necromancy, as a show of good faith to the people -- by either high ranking members in the Mist heiarchy, or even the high council themself. I suggest this for a peaceful transition into an uncertain situation." He bows his head once more in deference to those gathered.

Serath adds quickly, "For instance, if one were to study necromancy, or wish to study it.. they would undergo an evaluation by a council to make sure that they were of sound mind to study this sphere in a way that would be viewed as constructive and healthy for our society."

Mena inclines her head to Serath. "The issue of registration and approval for those who wish to study has already been agreed upon, yes."

Azurios has the oddest of expressions as he looks at Serath. He gives the younger mage a careful visual examination with a vague smile and speculative glance.

"I believe that all necromancy that are presently practicing their craft should be registered only." Jenoch adds, "I think it would be a bit pointless to try to approve a group of people that have practice magic without approval. I think the approval should be for all new necromancers, but it should be on the same guidelines that all mages face. I think it is not a strange concept to believe that all magic in the wrongs hands can be detrimental and hazardous to society.

The only necromancer in the room looks content with the measures being discussed, although the gemmed wand in his grip is rifled restlessly through his hand, sending small sparks of light in every direction.

Serath nods his head, "That is the most important point I wanted to go over. My concern is for the well being of the people, there will be much confusion and even with proper education there is bound to be unrest in the population and my focus is to relieve that tension. It is with that that I make one final recommendation... that the council be allowed to oversee the research and developement of the registered mages as they see fit for a period of one year. The purpose of this should be self explanatory, but the people need to be shown that this is not a sphere that is to be feared, correct? Education and open minds need to be the forefront of our focus here in the committee, with nothing left to be hidden."

Nell glances up at one of those sparks of light, he expression still rather dead. She doesn't comment on the source, or on the laws, but does pause to press the back of one hand to her mouth uncomfortably.

"Do you mean this council?" Mena asks of Serath. "Or the mage's council?"

Jenoch walks over to Nell and whisper something to Nell.

A small smile forms on Serath's lips at Mena's question, "It would be the mage's council, Empress. If they are unwilling to take up this responsibility then I would suggest another council be formed of seasoned mages for the sole purpose of keeping track of these mages and verifying that their research is to be in accordance with the laws that we have provided. I would remind you all that the balance of power will soon shift and necromancy as a sphere will become much more prominent. We do not yet know the effects this is going to have on our world or society."

Azurios glances at the wand and stills the motion of it. Then, his attention lifts toward Serath. "I do beg your pardon, but did you just imply that someone will be watching over the shoulder to examine the research of necromancers? That is not anything that has been discussed by anyone at any point. If there are problems, they should be taken care of, but nobody has suggested any sort of verification of research."

Helena continues to take notes, her gaze going back and forth between Azurios and Serath.

Viola's gaze also bounces from man to man, just listening to the conversation now.

Empress Mena glances in Arianell's direction before her focus returns to the conversation, especially Azurios's change in demeanor. "I highly doubt the High Council of Mists has time to oversee every detail of research for just one sphere of magic. Or to have mages of any sort be their only duty for one year. Would any mage take that time off to do so?" Really, she doesn't know.

Duchess Arianell pauses at Jenoch's whispered words, looking up at the man with a perplexed blink. Blink. Blink. After a moment, she just sort of nods to him. When Azurios gets huffy again, she sighs, looking almost as though she might speak before others do.

"Your own mage council seem disinterested in what would happen when necromancy became more prominent." Jenoch says, "We have an organization with numbers that we do not know, which has been practicing their craft in the darkness. Jenoch says, "Why would they come forward to be treated as children, or worse criminals for a year? I do not know what will happen on your Island, but on the others I think that will prefer knowing how mages are practicing necromancy among them than allowing any excuse to hide in the shadows."

Serath's gaze rests on Azurios, his eyes unreadable, "A man of your power should know the dangers associated with magic. With this sphere unleashed so to speak, with the evolution of magic as it were, do we really know the potential of it.. we are in a position to control that evolution and channel it in a way that is constructive for the empire. It suprises me that this hasn't been mentioned before, but this is a raw power that is being introduced to our world. Do we really want this transition beginning with ignorance of what is going on with our practicing necromancers when they start evolving beyond shadow?"

"I'm not a mage," Viola piles up as she looks to Serath, "But it was my understanding that this sphere has been practiced for a long time. Just not legally. It was at one point in the past legal though, so it's not exactly a new thing to our world."

"Indeed," is all that Azurios says, either to Mena or to Jenoch, or even to Viola. His only answer to Serath is, "You are incorrect about raw power being introduced. It is already present, and if the mage council themselves do not see fit to bother with it, no other should have call to do so."

Serath bows his head, his gaze moving to Viola, "Practiced in shadow is different. You would think necromancy were evolved but this would be only half correct. In our lands, mages are allowed to practice their spheres openly and with great number. This has allowed them to grow much more powerful than previous generations. Now, necromancy is going to have this luxury as well, and this is where you will see the balance of power shift. As one of the few mages in this committee, take my word for it -- mages that can share notes and research openly become powerful much more quickly than those who must hide. This new power needs a council to make sure that it is channeled accordingly."

"We already agreed that the laws about necromancy would be amendable," Nell notes quietly, tracing idle patterns on the table with one finger. After a moment, she goes a little green, pausing to cover her mouth again.

"And that is what the mage council is," Azurios says in a bored tone while watching Serath. "They will oversee it as they feel is needed. Or do you debate their wisdom about in this matter, they with decades more experience than you?"

Mena just remains silent while this part of the discussion is going on. She glances at the two knights in the room briefly before looking back between Azurios and Serath.

Viola rolls her eyes up to the ceiling and just shakes her head a little, slouching down in her chair a bit.

"Again, as stated previously, when I asked your Mage Council did they see the necromancy becoming an issue in the Isle of Mister, they replied that they could not see the future." Jenoch shrugs his shoulders, "I could be wrong, but that is not the answer you would expect someone that viewed necromancy as threat, unless you are claiming greater wisdom than the mage council, or perhaps you are claiming you can see the future."

Serath's dark eyes rest on Azurios, "If they are not willing to overlook this new power then I would indeed say they were fools, Master Erastothenes." He leans back in his chair and he takes a soft breath, before his gaze turns to the others, "The high council cannot see into the future... interesting you should say that. Is that what you are going to say to the people? We can't see into the future... but we're going to go ahead and let these mages practice this raw power with nobody to look over their shoulders? I love the way this committee thinks." He bows his head with a smile that doesn't quite reach his lips, "I have made my recommendations known, make of it what you shall and we may carry on."

Mena takes a breath and looks around the room. "I think that it is wise at this time to call an end to this meeting. It seems we are all mostly in agreement. So, I will draw up a list of restrictions that have been discussed and present it at the next meeting, which will be the last. Thank you all for your patience in this matter, and your assistance. Do have a good evening."

Azurios's head shakes slowly after Serath's words and he rises to walk toward the sideboard with the dismissal of the Empress.

Jenoch bows his head, "Thank you for allowing me to share my ideas with you."

Helena finishes her notes and spares a quick glance in Serath's direction, but she says nothing. The look lasts only a moment or two and it offers little. At the Empress' words she looks back to the head of the table and nods. "Thank you, your Majesty," she says as she rises from her chair and begins putting her things away. The Soranus lady doesn't waste too much time. There's a departing curtsey and then she's sliding her satchel onto her shoulder so that she can make her departure.

Quiet throughout the meeting, Phoenix now rises with the Empress' dismissal. He dips his chin to her, but does not linger, making his way towards the door.

Nell moves to stand at Mena dismisses the meeting, bobbing another distracted cutsey to the empress.

Mena does incline her head to each departing member of the committee as they take their leave.

Serath rises from his seat, his eyes resting on Mena he eases into a cordial bow for her before he turns to make his way out from the audience chamber.

Azurios fills a snifter of brandy and peers into the depths of the glass. He inhales the scent of it with slow savour before devouring it with a flicker of his wrist. Only then does he return to a position near the Empress. He mutters to Empress Mena, "What... is... of." He gives a slight bow to her before he turns and glides toward the door, smooth as can be.

You sense Azurios fills a snifter of brandy and peers into the depths of the glass. He inhales the scent of it with slow savour before devouring it with a flicker of his wrist. Only then does he return to a position near the Empress. "What we discussed, it is being taken care of." He gives a slight bow to her before he turns and glides toward the door, smooth as can be.

Viola gets to her feet after a few moments of watching the others go and turns to the Empress. She bows to the woman respectfully, offers a small smile and starts for the door.

Mena's gaze follows Azurios at his quiet words, then goes back to bidding the others a good evening as they leave.