The Council
Heralds:
Setinels:
Other Masters of City
State of the Consilium
The Consilium as a whole is shaken and depleted. The mages tend to their own concerns and rivalries, coming to gether only when a problem arises that requires a group effort. Most day to day actions come through favors traded between individuals and cabals. The rest are comprised of actions by the various orders. Only a few occasions a year require the council's actions. The status of the orders are listed below:
The Adamantine Arrow is rebuilding. With improved leadership and a voice on the council, things are beginning to look up. There was a great deal of friction between the idealistic leadership of the Monastery and the ruthless strategists of the Iron Hand, until their leader Black Dog was Banished for murder and his successor Lealtad was ousted.
The Free Council is aggravatingly close to their goal of remaking the consilium in the model of the Assembly. Years of politicking have placed their Stategos as Heirarch. But progress has been slow. They look forward to the coming election for Councilor.
The Guardians of the Veil are secretive as always. They are spread out around the city, organized in a cell structure. Following years of successful battles with the Seers of Throne, they are focused on building up their labyrinths to compete with the Silver Ladder's cryptologies and to deal with the upsurge in Banishers.
The Mysterium is based around the museums and universities of Chicago. Some use Chicago as a staging area for their studies of lost relics and strange phenomena. Others still dream of finding the lost Celestial Flange, an artifact of incredible power. The order is rigidly organized with advancement being determined by academic accomplishements. The order is also still battling the Seers of the Throne for portions of the Chicago's academia. Now their leader has been banished and they are suspected of collaborating with the Seers of the Throne.
The Silver Ladder helped rebuild the city after the war. The Deacon Decima was the new Concilium's first Heirarch and the order is responsible for much of the concilium's recovery. Their influence has wained some but is still strong, especially in the affluent northend of the city. Their cryptologies have brought many new mages into the fold and several of the most powerful mages in the city belong to the order. Recently they have been spreading their influence into the crime ridden slums of southend.
History of the Consilium
26 years ago a war broke out among the Mages of the city over an supposed artifact of immense power. After 3 years of fighting and betrayal, 80% of the Mages had left or died. A peace was brokered, aided by Mages from other powerful Consilii such as New York and St. Louis. A new charter was drawn up. Fledging Mages were found and other Mages moved in (or in some cases returned). Some turnover has occurred in the Council as Mages retired or died, so few still have a direct hand in its actions.
A decade ago the relations with the Seers of the Throne reached all out war. An entire generation of mages were almost exterminated, or worse converted. Only when the Free Council mage Ezekiel organized the Concilium was the battle turned. Due to this he was catapulted to the position of Heirarch.
Currently the Council, led by Heirarch Ezekiel, Master of the Arcanum of Force and Member of the Free Council, meets irregularly. Disagreements on how the Consilium should be run means that little has been accomplished as of late. The cabals of the city are restless and internal divisions are rife.
Mages of the Concilium are evenly spread among the 5 orders. The more influential mages are those who have something others need and trade it for favors. Often this is greater magical skill in some area. Adepts have more influence than Disciples. Masters have more than either. The ten masters of the city guide the Consilium even if half do not sit on the Council.