Consilium Draco Cruentis

The Court of the Draco Cruentis

The Consilium of the Vermilion Dragon has ruled London's Awakened since the time of Richard the Lion-Hearted. It is one of the oldest standing Consilii in the world, rivaled only by those which stand in Rome, Kiev and Cairo. The closest ally of Consilium Draco Cruentus is Consilium Draco Niveus, the Alabaster Dragon Consilium of Wales.

Hierarch (Status •••••)

Draco Cruentis XIV Obrimos • Silver Ladder • No Cabal The Hierarch, who always takes the Shadow Name of Draco Cruentus, sits the Solium Draconis, the Dragon-Chair of the London Consilium. This position is very much a kingship in the eyes of the London Consilium, and that of much of much of England's Awakened, as well. The Consilium is clear, however, that this kingship is not over the temporal body of England (that is the king's dominion), nor the spiritual body of England (that is the Archbishop of Canterbury's dominion). Rather, the Draco Cruentus holds kingship over the magical body of England; though the Hierarchs of other British Consilii have not always regarded the magi of the Dragon-Seat as such, it has been more than a century since any Consilium failed to send a representative to the Consilium Draco Cruentus to bear his wisdom back to their home courts. The Hierarch bears artifact crown and scepter to reflect this. Upon being made Hierarch, a magus must remove himself from membership in his cabal, but generally appoints someone of his old cabal to the Council seat he is leaving. The hierarch of the Consilium acts as its monarch, the Body Magical of England. The precise nature of these benefits in their entirety are unknown, but it is known that being hierarch grants access to the Solium Draconis, to an armory of artifacts and a library of grimoires. It is also said that the Hierarch is initiated into some unknown, draconic Atlantean Mystery, though this may simply be one of the many rumors told about the holder of the Dragon Seat.

Councilors (Status ••••)

Those who sit the Four Council Seats (one for each Order of the Diamond Orders) have access to the resources of the consilium, answering only to the hierarch. They have open access to all London Hallows, as well as a rumored powerful High Hallow that is given over only to the hierarch and councilors. Each also bears a powerful Atlantean artifact that is the token of their title, a rod of office. The four Seats of the Consilium Draco Cruentus are: the Solium Ungula (Seat of the Talon), Solium Visus (Seat of the Eye), the Solium Alae (Seat of the Wing) and the Solium Vox (Seat of the Voice). Each position bears an Atlantean artifact representative of their station.

• Solium Ungula: Areia. Adamantine Arrow, Acanthus, Lions of Charing Cross. Solium Ungula bears the Rod of Talons, which can call upon powerful battle magics.
• Solium Visus: Valens. Guardians of the Veil, Obrimos, Sublime Lodge. Solium Visus bears the Rod of Eyes, which can call upon potent divinatory and prophetic powers.
• Solium Alae: Thoth. Mysterium, Thyrsus, Seekers of the Cenacle. Solium Alae bears the Rod of Wings, which can call upon powerful transportational and environment-manipulating sorcery.
• Solium Vox: Lady Nox. Silver Ladder, Moros, Order of Brigantia. Solium Vox bears the Rod of Voices, which can call upon powerful manipulative and inspirational powers.

The Dragon-Knight (Status ••••)

The Dragon-Knight is the head of the Knights of the Vermilion Oath, the Knight-General acting as defender of the hierarch personally. He swears a unique oath, the Oath of the Vermilion Dragon, said to impart tremendous power to the one who holds to it, his for the drawing upon in defense of the hierarch and the city of London's magical resources. He also has access to the High Hallow and other London Hallows. Though he is an equal of the Councilors, wise is the Dragon-Knight who does not flaunt that power.

• Knight-General, the Dragon Knight: Michael. The Dragon-Knight is said to swear another version of the Oath Vermilion that links him to the ancient magical power beneath London, the Vermilion Dragon and that, in a time where the sanctity of the Consilium is in danger, he may call upon it to defend the city, at the cost of his life and the lives of his Master Knights. Michael is part of the Order of Brigantia.

Knights of the Oath Vermilion (Status •••)

The Knights of the Consilium Draco Cruentus are its Sentinels, men and women sworn to protect the Dragon-Throne and the Consilium as a whole. The Knights take something called the Oath Vermilion, the precise details of which are unknown, save that it grants them some measure of strange power; though, in all fairness, this may very well simply be legend.

There are five Knights of the Oath Vermilion at any given time: the Knight-General of the Order, and the four Master Knights. Each of the Knights of the Vermilion of Oath has the authority, in times of duress, to appoint a Knight-Sergeant, a Sentinel under his command. The Knights of the Oath Vermilion are expected to keep four candidates in mind and trained. Traditionally, each of the Master Knights comes from one of the Orders, and are charged with overseeing the defenses of the city's Consilium as appropriate to his Order.

The Vermilion Knights are given first access to the London Hallows, and in times of strife may be granted access to the High Hallow.

• The Knight of Talons: Tulis. The Knight of Talons oversees the actual martial readiness and is generally the first one into a physical or magical confrontation. The Knight of Talons' traditional area of influence is the military. He bears an artifact sword as his regalia. Tulis is part of the Knights of Hyde.
• The Knight of Eyes: Goodman Dull. The Knight of Eyes oversees the internal security of the Consilium and is considered the Hierarch's spymaster. The Knight of Eyes' traditional area of influence is the constabulary. He bears an artifact mask as his regalia. Goodman Dull is part of the Roseacrux Sodality.
• The Knight of Wings: Aubregard. The Knight of Wings oversees the defense of magical artifacts and storehouses of knowledge and power, including the city's Hallows. The Knight of Wings' traditional area of influence is academia. He bears an artifact mantle as his regalia. Aubregard is part of the Snakemen.
• The Knight of Roars: Alexander. The Knight of Roars oversees the defense of the city's power structures and Sleepwalker resources. The Knight of Roars' traditional area of influence is bureaucracy. He bears an artifact circlet as his regalia. Alexander is part of the Magic Circle.

Pages (Status •••)

There are five Provosts of the Court of the Draco Cruentus, one for each of the Councilors, and a fifth for the Vermilion Dragon himself. They are referred to as the Pages, and they are assumed to speak with the voices of those they serve when they bear their noteworthy signet rings in Awakened company. They are paid a monthly tithe of tass by their patrons as part of their duty of service, and may request more should their duties require it.

• Page of the Draco Cruentis: Njordr. Silver Ladder, Moros, Grail Society.
• Page of the Solium Ungula: Fermin. Adamantine Arrow, Thyrsus, Taurean Brotherhood.
• Page of the Solium Visus: Basilisk. Guardians of the Veil, Mastigos, Brothers of Colton.
• Page of the Solium Alae: Bene Moriendi. Mysterium, Moros, Monks of Highgate.
• Page of the Solium Vox: Nehushtan. Silver Ladder, Thyrsus, Grail Society.

Other Positions (Status •• to •••)

The London Consilium maintains another handful of positions within its ranks, for awarding to loyal and valuable magi of the Lesser Cabals. These positions include:

• Herald: Amergin of the Magic Circle. The Herald is the Master of Cabals, keeping track of the various dominions, fealties and resources of the cabals of the Consilium. He also keeps the List of Elder Cabals. The Herald is traditionally chosen from among the Silver Ladder, and changes hands every five years. Benefits of the Herald include:
  • Heralds gain a +3 bonus when dealing with titled Consilium members, or a +4 with those without titles.
  • Heralds are given preferential access to the Open Hallows, with the right to bump anyone of equal or lower Status from their place in the lists.
  • Heralds have access to the Herald's Archives, a library that contains recorded lore of consilium cabals from centuries past, as well as the magical rotes previous Heralds have recorded.
  • Heralds keep the Lists of Elder Cabals, which contains the sympathetic names of all Elder cabal members, as well as depictions of them for the purpose of using sympathetic magic.
  • Heralds oversee the traditions of soulstone exchanges in the consilium. When a mage has given over his soulstone, it is the Herald who records the exchange, the reason for it, and the subsequent tasks performed for its holder. The Herald may adjudge some tasks to be worth multiple favors. It is to the Herald a soulstone holder must surrender the soulstone when the tasks are completed, and the Herald who returns the soulstone. It is in a Herald's authority to order another consilium mage to surrender the soulstone of a consilium member, but he must account for his doing so to the hierarch.
  • Heralds have access to the Herald's Sanctum, a potent Demesne and Hallow.
• Guardian: Tauromach of the Taurean Brotherhood. The de facto bodyguard of the Hierarch, the Guardian is expected to lay down his life in the defense of the Hierarch. He must be skilled in countermagic techniques and other protective magics. The Guardian is traditionally chosen from the Adamantine Arrows, and changes hands every five years (after which point the Hierarch grants a suitable reward for that time of service). Traditionally, there have been conflicts between the Guardian and the Dragon-Knight, such that the laws of consilium have been amended to note the difference in their roles: where the Dragon-Knight is the hierarch's sword, sent to accomplish violence on his behalf, the Guardian is his shield, and remains at his side at most gatherings.
  • Guardians gain a +3 bonus when dealing with titled Consilium members, or a +4 with those without titles.
  • Guardians are given preferential access to the Open Hallows, with the right to bump anyone of equal or lower Status from their place in the lists.
  • Guardians are given the Defender's Gorget, a piece of medieval style armor that is an Artifact which boosts the battle prowess of its wearer.
  • Guardians have free access, in the form of a Key, to the Tower Cruentus, the domicile and sanctum of the Hierarch.
• Interfector: Unknown. The torturer and executioner of the London Consilium, the Interfector is provided by the Guardians of the Veil from among one of their own. They remain masked and cloaked, and none touch their shadow. It is not known who the Interfector is.
• Archivist: Brother Cassiodorus, of the Monks of Highgate. The archivist records the doings of the Consilium Draco Cruentus in the Codex Cruentus, the Vermilion Codex, a powerful tome that has recorded the history of the Consilium since its inception. The role of Archivist changes hands every five years.
  • Archivists gain a +3 bonus when dealing with titled Consilium members, or a +4 with those without titles.
  • Archivists are given preferential access to the Open Hallows, with the right to bump anyone of equal or lower Status from their place in the lists.
  • Archivists have access to the Herald's Archives, a library that contains recorded lore of consilium cabals from centuries past, as well as the magical rotes previous Heralds have recorded.
  • Archivists maintain the Codex Cruentus, a potent Artifact tome that not only records history, but whose pages also act as temporal sympathy links to the events they discuss. It is thought that the Codex is also a daimonikon, though the Legacy it contains is unknown.
  • Archivists have access to the Herald's Sanctum, a potent Demesne and Hallow. The Codex Cruentus is usually stored here when not in use.

Consilium Members (Status • to •••)

The rest of the consilium is made up of the members of the Elder and Vassal Cabals that do not hold one of the above positions. The majority of those in this role have a Status ••, reflected by faithful membership in the consilium for a number of years. Only those new to the consilium or in shame have a Status •. A handful of senior consilium members may have a Status •••, but those who reach this degree of esteem are almost always recruited to serve in some other capacity in the hierarch's court. Benefits of membership accorded to Status are:

• Senior Consilium Member (•••): Gain a +3 bonus to Social checks when dealing with Consilium members.
  • Senior Consilium members are granted the right to oblate once a week at the Open Hallows of Hyde Park.
  • They may also request a salon with the hierarch once a season, or with a councilor once a month. They can usually gain time with other titled Consilium officials anytime they may need it.
• Consilium Member (••): Gain a +2 bonus to Social checks when dealing with Consilium members.
  • Consilium members are granted the right to oblate once every two weeks at the Open Hallows of Hyde Park.
  • Most Consilium members may request a salon with the hierarch once a year, or with a council once a season, and with one of the other title-holders once a month.
• New or Shamed Consilium Member (•): Gain a +1 bonus to Social checks when dealing with Consilium members.
  • New or shamed Consilium members are granted the right to oblate once a month at the Open Hallows of Hyde Park.
  • New or shamed Consilium members may request an audience with the hierarch, but it is almost never granted, usually forcing them to ask someone senior to ask for a salon that includes them.
  • Councilors guarantee new or shamed members a salon once a year at most, unless they are of the same Order, in which case they can usually get one once a season. Other title-holders will agree to entertain these consilium members once a season or so.