Consilium of the Rose
| Location: | Portland, Oregon, USA |
| Hierarch: | Hypatia, the Rose Seat |
| Council: | Gutenberg, the Hemlock Seat Simon, the Ash Seat |
| Sentinel: | Nimue, the Petal Sentinel
Shield, the Thorn Sentinel |
| Herald: | Drummer, the Petal Herald
Cicero, the Thorn Herald |
| Other Titles: | Unknown, Interfector |
| Council Chambers: | XXX |
Portland houses a singularly relaxed Consilium. For the most part, Portland consists of an eclectic mixture of Mysterium, Silver Ladder and Free Council mages with only the barest handful of Adamantine Arrows and Guardians of the Veil. The Hierarch is a Mysterium magus by the name of Agrippa who takes a very hands-off approach to the Awakened of the City. In general, he prefers to stay distant from city politics, stepping in only to mediate resource or territory disputes.
Portland has a reputation as a city where the Wise can get away with just about anything, so long as they don’t harm the Sleepers or each other. Even public uses of Vulgar magic are not harshly punished, so long as they did not create too big of a stir or make the news. When asked why they let such things happen, local mages tend to shrug and quip “Keep Portland Weird”.
Relations between Portland and Seattle are close, with Mages frequently traveling between the two cities. Portland Free councilors are strongly encouraged to involve themselves in the Seattle Assembly, so long as they did not make waves in Portland. Salem's Consilium, on the other hand, is actively antagonistic towards the Consilium of the Rose, though that's not surprising - until Agrippa, Portland's Hierarchs were usually Guardians, and the Salem Consilium and Oregon's Guardians in general consider the change-over a slap in the face.
In December of 2007, all of this changed. The Seers of the Throne attacked Seattle, killing or capturing many of the Seattle Assembly and then stopping as if temporarily delayed. When the Portland Mages rushed North to help they ran into a second set of ambushes that were waiting for their arrival. In short order both the Portland Consilium and the Seattle Assembly were forced to retreat down to Portland.
The Rose Seat: Hierarch of Portland
Since its inception, Portland has been ruled by a Guaridan of the Veil Hierarch, who held the city's secret societies and fraternal organizations in the palm of their hands. Some thirty years ago, however, all that changed - Agrippa seized the Hierarchship of the Consilium of the Rose, to the acclaim of most of Portland's cabals. By Tradition, the position of the Hierarch is also called the Rose Seat.
- The Rose Seat: Agrippa, of the Seekers of the Sublime Truth.
The Keepers of Roses: Councilors of Portland
The Council Seats of Portland are geographical. By Consilium tradition, the Councilors are supposed to govern the lines of power that run through the city, tending to the magical landscape that feeds (and is fed by) those ley lines. The Councilors are also known as the Keepers of Roses, thanks to the tradition of planting roses along the ley lines of Portland.
- The Hemlock Seat: Gutenberg, of the X. (West Hills Ley Line, through Forest Park; North Portland)
- The Ash Seat: Simon, of Radio Free Portland. (Ross Fork Ley Line; South Portland)
- Provost: Dr. John Dee of Emerald Dream
- The Hawthorne Seat: Rutilus, of Reclamation House. (Hawthorne Ley Line, from Mt. Tabor to Pittock Mansion; Northeast Portland)
- Provost: Rhodes, of Reclamation House.
- The Oak Seat: Kusanagi (Clackamas Ley Line; Southeast Portland)
- Provost: Sara Stainless, of X.
- The Elm Seat: Hera, of the Olympians. (Beaverton Crescent Ley Line; Beaverton/Hillsboro)
- Provost: Alvin, of the People of the Book.
Petal and Thorn: Heralds and Sentinels
The other two primary titles within the Consilium of the Rose are the Herald and Sentinels. Since the early 1900s, there have always been two of each in the Consilium, popularly differentiated as the Petal and the Thorn. The Petal Herald is responsible for acting as ambassador and host to mages from other cities, welcoming them and in general treating them with respect and dignity (and ensuring others do as well). The Thorn Herald is the "hard line" Herald, who records diligently the identities and doings of all the Awakened, and serves the Consilium's lawmakers and judges.
Likewise, the Petal Sentinel and Thorn Sentinel (sometimes called "Good Cop" and "Bad Cop" by younger or snarkier magi) defend the Consilium with their own talents. The Petal Sentinel uses negotiation, empathy and a talent from bringing the best out of people to do the job, while the Thorn Sentinel is the one who resorts to violence and quick antagonism to defend the Consilium of the Rose. Traditionally, under the Guardians, the Petal Sentinel was the Hierarch's bodyguard, while the Thorn Sentinel was his assassin, but Agrippa has shown a disinterest in these roles, particularly the latter.
- Petal Herald: Drummer, of Radio Free Portland.
- Thorn Herald: Cicero, of Vox Populi.
- Petal Sentinel: Nimue, of River Wardens.
- Thorn Sentinel: Shield, of Vox Populi.
Charter Declaration of the Rose Consilium
XXX
Cabals of the Consilium
Traditionally, the cabals of the Rose Consilium are divided geographically, based on where their cabal territory is located (although individuals may of course maintain Sancta in other locations). These cabals are represented by the Councilor who holds the Seat associated with their area, and are expected to go to that Councilor with their difficulties and issues intended to be brought before the Rose Seat.
Once, cabals were rigorously screened by the Guardians in power before they were permitted into the Consilium of the Rose. These days, however, Agrippa tends to be a bit more informal than that, simply inviting new cabals to remain in the area for a probationary year, and then presenting their petition for membership before the Consilium itself, who chooses to permit them membership or not.
The Hemlock Cabals (North Portland)
- Seekers of the Sublime Truth: Mysterium. The Seekers are hands-down the dominant cabal in Portland, counting both the Hierarch of Portland and Hypatia, the Curator of the Powell Chrestomathy as members. Most of its original membership are no longer alive, or in retreat - the majority of its membership are aides and apprentices to Agrippa and Hypatia.
- The People of the Book: Inter-Order. The People of the Book are focused on religious institutions throughout Portland, and work diligently to foster understanding and cooperation between various faith based organizations.
- Lamplighters: Inter-Order. A cabal organized by Agrippa for the purpose of examining and identifying new and unknown mages to Portland, ascertaining their identity and reporting Seers, Banishers and other Pentacle mages, or taking in newly Awakened mages for initial training.
The Ash Cabals (South Portland)
- Radio Free Portland: Free Council/Mysterium. A cabal of Free Council and younger Mysterium Magi based largely out of Portland State University. Among other factors, they maintain a great deal of influence with KPSU.
- Seattle Liberation Front: Free Council. This Cabal consists of the remnants of several former Seattle cabals. The membership of this Cabal is determined to gain revenge against the Seers of the Throne and are considered to be the most “hawkish” of the free Council. They are seen as somewhat impetuous and incompetent by the rest of the Consilium.
The Hawthorne Cabals (Northeast Portland)
- Reclamation House: Inter-Order. The Magi of reclamation house specialize in the recovery of strange and interesting objects.
- River Wardens: Adamantine Arrow/Guardians of the Veil. A cabal formed of two cabals - one from Seattle, one from Portland - who were largely decimated during the Siege of Seattle. Having fought together, they formed a new cabal upon their return to Portland, one intended to prepare Portland for the inevitable invasion by the Seers.
- Vox Populi: Silver Ladder. The Vox Populi is a Cabal that is largely focused on improving the lives of the average Portlander and supporting various grass roots political movements.
The Oak Cabals (Southeast Portland)
- Adamant Security: Adamantine Arrow. This purely Adamantine Arrow Cabal is focused on providing physical defenses for both the Consilium and Cabals of Portland. The Cabal as a whole owns a local Security firm.
- Emerald Dream: Free Council. Another of the catch-all Seattle cabals, Emerald Dream was founded by the Seattlites who believed that the territory of Seattle has no meaning, and that the only importance is the survival of the Emerald Parliament members.
- The Exiles: Free Council. A cabal of refugees from Seattle, they have banded together for mutual protection and to help each other rebuild their lives. Unlike other Seattle cabals, they are not particularly cohesive.
The Elm Cabals (Beaverton/Hillsboro)
- The Olympians: Silver Ladder. The Olypians consider themselves the Loyal Opposition to the stranglehold the Mysterium has over the Consilium of Roses, often playing Devil's Advocates to Agrippa's policies, but ultimately supporting him.
- The Puget Sound Research Institute: Free Council. Formerly from Seattle, this cabal was responsible for maintaining the primary Seattle Lore house in addition to conducting a wide variety of magical research. Currently the Cabal is focused on the recovery of the Lorehouse, and the preservation of what knowledge they still have in their possession.
- Diamond Rose: Inter-Order Diamond Rose was founded to help foster cooperation between all four orders. They have developed something of a bad reputation due to conflicts with other Cabals in the Consilium.
Others
- Independent Magi of Portland: These are the mages of Portland who belong to no cabal.
Consilium Orders
Adamantine Arrow
The Adamantine Arrows of the Consilium of the Rose are part of the Empyrean Salle Caucus.
Free Council
The Free Council of the Consilium of the Rose were originally split between members of the Emerald Parliament and the Redwood Forum. With the destruction of the Emerald Parliament, however, many of the Free Council have either shifted allegiance to the Forum, or have joined the newly-formed Emerald Parliament based out of Portland. Noteworthy positions in that Assembly in service to the Consilium include:
- Emissary to the Rose Consilium: X
- Emissary to the Rose Consilium: X
Guardians of the Veil
The Guardians of the Consilium of the Rose were once part of the Limeri Agkeros Caucus. In recent days, however, a new caucus - a Portland local one - has formed, the Hidden Thorn. Noteworthy positions in that Caucus in service to the Consilium include:
- Interfector: Mathers, of the People of the Book.
Mysterium
The Mysterium of the Consilium of the Rose are part of the Powell Chrestomathy Caucus. Noteworthy positions in that Caucus in service to the Consilium include:
- Curator of the Powell Chrestomathy: Hypatia, of the Seekers of the Sublime Truth
Silver Ladder
The Silver Ladder of the Consilium of the Rose are part of the Cascade Signet Caucus. Noteworthy positions in that Caucus in service to the Consilium include:
- Deacon of the Cascade Signet: Hera, of the Olympians
- Claviger to the Rose Consilium: Dionysios, of the Olympians
The Honored Dead
- Freeman , of Radio Free Portland.
- Octavia: King's Provost, and the Lorekeeper for Diamond Security. Adamantine Arrow Obrimos Transhuman Engineer.
- Howard: Howard serves as the cabal's Doorwarden. Adamantine Arrow Thyrs
