From the desk of his Lordship, the Marquis-Elector of Ulmaanisla I preface this in that my statements made are not malicious, but necessary. As a servant of the Crown I view it as my duty to see the operation and management of the Empire to be done so dutifully and diligently in all offices. It is in my eyes that the Occult Minister has grown soft in their appointment. That their mission statement to manage, mitigate, control, and otherwise regulate the Occult has fallen in deaf ears the longer their administration continues. I do not make these statements lightly, rather from the basis of recent legislation and the implications it creates. The dismissal of the Consortium project as well as the rejection of the Court Mage system is gross negligence on their part. While the nobility hold some fault in it, be that through dogmatic beliefs of separating from the arcane or an inability to create an atmosphere to meet the desires and expectations to show the world that the occult can be controlled I do not know. But the brunt of it is carried by the Occult Ministry. If the Consortiums failed to meet expectations then what punishments were there for them? Perhaps it is bias in the Occult Minister being part of one such Consortium themself, but if there is no consequence for failing to meet expectations then what was the Occult Ministry doing in that time? This is not managing nor controlling the Occult, not even when they allow the Hexenblood Circle to enter foreign borders for a project in the Farah’deen desert. I say this carefully that the widespread use of the occult is not conducive to allowing it to exist freely in public spaces, nor that the Court Mage system is no longer needed. Not all occult is created equal. There are mages who can move mountains, create typhoons, those who can raise hordes of the undead or manifest nature that blocks out the sunlight. If the only regulation to this is the Metropolitan who happens upon it or the nobility who pass by then I ask how is this regulation? And furthermore what basis of punishment is there for those who persist? This decision is made without consideration for the greater implications it creates, at least with the restriction to indoor spaces it was contained within clear borders. If this decision is to be made, then it is the duty of the Occult Minister to outline what restrictions there are rather than a carte blanche with the intent of addressing problems as they arise. Moving on, I would remind the Occult Minister that the subject of Sihndar and Manathar exist within their own stipulation of the Legal Code for Citizenship. If the Occult Minister has the clearance to touch this then I rescind this point. The last point I will touch on is the loose nature to which the Occult Minister refers to the summoning of Demons and the associated punishments for doing so. I find this entirely unique in my position as one touched by the Arken, whose existence furthermore is touched by the hand of what the common Regalian would consider to be demons. If the goal is to make the occult approachable to the common man then I would remind the Occult Minister the dangers of converging with demons. Demons cannot be controlled. Not all of them, and with no distinction of what a demon is or which demon is more deadly than another I would reason that the Occult Minister is operating by a standard of address when it comes up. I have seen the Cataclysm shake this world to its core, what the demons are capable of, even the smallest ones, I would caution against how casual this approach to demonic interaction is taken. It is my opinion in the end that with each piece of legislation taken down and adjusted by the Occult Minister that they are unsure how to moderate or enforce their appointment to manage and control the occult within the borders of this Empire. If they feel they are no longer equipped I would encourage them to resign with no post haste so that we can advance as the Emperor deems necessary. You have a duty to bring about order and stability for the usage of the occult and to make it acceptable for modern society. I will end on a closing notation from the Imperial Decree of the Magi, that I have taken heavy consideration on for my own existence in this Empire, despite being of the nobility and an Elector furthermore. “Our conclusion in this regard, is that the best among us, should prove to the lesser among us, that Magic is not something to be feared. It is something that we bravely take the sword to, force to kneel, and submit to our will. We do not accept Magic as part of us, but as the berated slave that is submitted to the will of its all-powerful master, so that they may not necessarily thrive, but at least exist in such a manner that we may use them as our tools, instead of as our own power.” Control the Occult, your Lirhship or it will control you and the failure of the Allorn Empire will be inherited by you in Regalia. Glory be the Empire, His Lordship the Marquis-Elector of Ulmaanisla Reynaud Vuhnreniirn @Bellarmina
The Celate reads and reads sitting there mouth a gape in shock. “My…my Almar who is this these words sound Dogmatic but the name is unfamiliar. The violent connotations of the quote are perhaps inflammatory but this is perfect. Though, I shall confess it seems no consortium has done anything save the Hexenblood and the Sihndar. These points are valid apart from the desire to preserve the empty position of court mage. Which only select nobles truly used. Perhaps its time begin investigating the reasons the Hexenblood seems to have gobbled every last occultist into themselves, and if allowing them to do so has benefited the Empire. Or if perhaps some measures should be taken to ensure they are given oversight. I should meet this Marquis-Elector, one touched by demonic blood whom treats the occult as it should be with oversight and proper care. Perhaps his lordship shall prove like Hero Gregory and may provide a secondary hand to support the arguments Dogmatics have made since the beginning.” “But I am best giving partial correction to his lordship’s point of the Arkens.” A note is penned A most interesting and necessary paper in response to the recent legislation. Though I do agree with the Occult Minister that Court Mage has proven a antiquated position (given much of the nobility doesn’t desire to have one or hired the exact opposite like House Morathes). I also agree with a great many points his Lordship has made but respectfully Marquis Vuhnreniirn it’s not merely the common man whom see the Arkens for what they are. There are Celates, educated nobles, and people of all stations who view the Arkens as they are. Beings born from the unnatural, beings separate from the Everwatcher’s creation which corrupt and taint the world. If your lordship or any reading these words would desire to hear how I believe this effects persons such as Silvens. I am always a letter or a visit to the temples away. May Hero Gregory bless your vigilance in the service your response has served Marquis-Elector May he watch over all, Lord Atum Morathes Celate of the Divine College of Bastadon
To the Marquis-Elector of Ulmaanisla, The phrasing of "With each piece of legislation" implies that I have made multiple revisions to existing legislation when this is factually incorrect. The Court mage system was implemented by the Imperial decree on the Magi 3 years ago in a far different social environment than now. Consortiums were implemented by the previous Occult Minister and Hexenblood has been the only consortium registered until my tenure.Consortiums were a failure before I took the position of Occult Minister, but I made the attempt to salvage my predecessor’s work out of respect. Too often are slates wiped clean without consideration of what came before. The Court Mage system cannot function if so few members of the peerage are interested in engaging with it. Members of the peerage hire occult persons without consulting the ministry all the time, there is no reason to create a specialized role for occult persons when the ones who wish to engage with the peerage have integrated into normal jobs Within the 3 years of this legislation, there has not been a single sanctioned Court Mage duel hosted. Sihndar and Manathar need permits from the Occult Ministry. They are aberrants and required to have permission to create more of themselves. The legal code for Occult Ministers covers the right of the Occult Minister(s) to grant additional reprieve for use of powers, abilities, artifacts, occult or aberrant or otherwise non-mundane, in public areas or on individuals. The Occult Minister must ascertain whether any of these things poses a risk to bystanders or the common sanctity and peace of the empire, and then set specific circumstances or broad application for where they may be used, and where they may not be used. This permit is valid for as long as the Occult Minister is in office, with all permits expiring when an Occult Minister is either fired, relieved, or resigns. Applications for a specialized permit must be forwarded to the Occult Minister, which will always require a face to face meeting. The punishment for summoning demons is to be harshly dealt with, the phrasing used is the same as the Regalian High Law section of the Lawbook. I did not write down immediate execution because that would mean the Lord Commissioner’s actions during the Vampire Crisis would warrant his execution. The wording of the law is clear, summoning demons is expressly illegal. Marquis, with full due respect, your status as a silven does not make you uniquely knowledgeable on the dangers of demons Regarding the use of Occult Powers in public, there exist rules in place for appropriate use and conduct when using such powers. Informed consent is important for those who wish to purchase the services or wares of an Occult person. Attempting to create individual circumstances where it is or isn’t legal to cast only causes more confusion for the person and something about the Metropolitan. If one is told to stop casting in public and refuses, they are breaking the law. If one does not fully inform someone of the effects of their powers, they are breaking the law. . Though I would like to hear your concerns out further, I will be in touch via letter to discuss meeting availability. Ashenvarya Sylfina Minister for the Occult Countirh of Villajoyosa Doctor of Natural Sciences
