Oath of the Covenant

"I, [Hermetic full name] pledge my lifelong support and loyalty to the covenant. I swear to uphold and protect this covenant regardless of the personal price. Over all the years of my life and through my studies and travels, I will neither betray the covenant nor give aid to its enemies. In times of need I will aid the covenant in whatever way I am able, and I will devote myself to its service when the need is clear. I will abide by the decisions of the covenant council, and I will treat those decisions as if they were my own. I will treat my fellows with respect and fairness, and I will not try to harm them in any way. Their blood is my blood. This I so swear, upon the honor of my house and its founder."

Charter of the Aerie of the Spirit's Breath Covenant

Dedication

This covenant is forthwith dedicated to the pursuit and exchange of knowledge, to the advancement and mastery of the magical arts and to peace among magi of the Order of Hermes. This dedication is not made in name only, but shall be the guiding principle of the lives of this covenant. May the Order of Hermes be preserved and may our small efforts contribute to its continuing growth and strength.

As a body we swear to protect those under the shadow of our covenant from threats magical, both those that arise from within and those from without. Let none of our members raise what they cannot put down. This we swear on the code and our very Gift.

Requirements of Membership

Each member of this covenant will be a member in good standing of the Order of Hermes. In the event a magus is cast out of the Order, they shall be considered cast from this covenant as well, without any delay. A magus who wishes membership in the covenant must be unanimously selected by a full council of the covenant. If the council wishes to ask for a service or fee as a precursor to membership, then that must be decided by a majority vote of the full council of the covenant. All member magi must speak the oath of the covenant, and understand the spirit of the oath and this charter.

Rights and Privileges

The members of the covenant are granted the following rights and privileges for so long as they are members in good standing of the covenant:

• All members of the covenant are entitled to the basic rights of mundane resources required to maintain themselves and their studies. This right cannot be taken from any member of the covenant for any reason.
• All members of the covenant are entitled to requisition before the council of any mundane, magical or personnel resources necessary for laboratory functions or expeditions. Only a majority vote can deny a member these resources.
• A member of the covenant may freely access the library of the covenant. Each magus is allowed to keep a book for no more than one season before they must allow another magus to read from it. A majority vote of the council may extend this period, and may deny access to any book to any magus.
• One half of the total continuous vis sources of the covenant, excluding Vim vis, will be divided equally among the magi of the covenant, subject to the restriction of the council.
• All members in good standing are entitled to attend all council meetings. Any magus of the covenant may call a council meeting and all magi must be given adequate notice of such a meeting.

Duties and Responsibilities

The members of the covenant are pledged to respect the following responsibilities:

• Each magus must spend four seasons with a four year period dedicated to the covenant in tasks deemed appropriate by the council.
• Each magus must surrender to the covenant one half of any vis acquired. Vis distilled from the aura of the covenant is included in this stipulation. All vis generated by the nature of the covenant itself belongs to the covenant. Each magus must surrender to the covenant one half of all mundane resources acquired.
• Each magus must donate what they cannot use to the covenant. No magus may keep for themselves that which they cannot use but is needed by another. No magus shall sell goods or services for personal profit.
• A copy of all texts written or acquired by a member of the covenant must be placed within the covenant's library within a year of its being acquired.
• No member of the covenant shall call Wizard's War upon another member of the covenant for any reason at any time. Certamen shall be the means of deciding issues that cannot be settled by means more peaceful.
• No member of the covenant shall engage in Wizard's War with another magus of the Order of Hermes without permission of the council.
• It is the duty of all members of the covenant to take up Wizard's March against any former member of the covenant renounced by the Order.

Council Meetings

Once per year upon the winter solstice a council meeting will be held at the covenant. A council meeting can be called by any member in good standing of the covenant. A council meeting can be called at any time. All council meetings must take place in the Council Chambers of the covenant, except in cases of extreme emergency when all members agree.

A council shall be considered a high council only if every member of the covenant is in attendance or has been given sufficient notice but has chosen not to attend. No meeting shall be considered a council meeting without the attendance of three quarters of the living members of the covenant. Without such a quorum no ruling decisions can be made.

Authority of the Council

The Council holds authority over all resources of the covenant and is charged with the responsibility of dividing those resources to promote the covenant. The council has the authority to command those of the covenant to perform any task. The council recognizes the rights of independence and free will of the covenfolk when making decisions concerning the covenfolk.

Only a high council has authority over the membership, rights, privileges and responsibilities of all magi of the covenant. A high council may vote to change the oath or charter of the covenant. A high council may vote to reduce the privileges of a magus in good standing. Any magus so reduced in rights and privileges is no longer considered a magus in good standing and loses privileges granted to those in good standing.

The high council has the right to declare a State of Tyranny. When this state is called, no vis may be taken from covenant stores without the vote of Council, even to satisfy other parts of the Charter. In addition, all magi must have their season activities approved by the Council. A State of Tyranny is to be only called in the direst of emergencies for the Covenant and may only last until the next Winter Solstice, where it is necessary to vote again if the state is still dire enough.