Peripheral Code

From Project: Redcap

The Peripheral Code is the case law of the Order of Hermes: the collection of Tribunal rulings that apply and interpret the Code of Hermes and provide guidance on exactly what it means and how to enforce it.

Many, but by no means all, of the Peripheral Code precedents in Ars Magica Fifth Edition may be found in the House Guernicus chapter of Houses of Hermes: True Lineages.

Jurisdiction of the Peripheral Code

The Peripheral Code may arise from the proceedings of one of the Regional Tribunals, in which case it has force only within that Tribunal, or from the Grand Tribunal. Peripheral Code rulings from the Grand Tribunal apply throughout the Order of Hermes. Thus, all Tribunals share a common Peripheral Code that devolves from the Grand Tribunal, and each extends that body of case law with additional precedents from its local jurisdiction.

The Grand Tribunal has authority to review and either affirm or refute a ruling from a lower Tribunal. If it affirms the ruling, that ruling then applies throughout the Order. If it refutes the ruling, the ruling ceases to apply even in the Tribunal where it originated

Authority of the Peripheral Code

The Peripheral Code cannot contradict the Code of Hermes, and a regional Tribunal cannot pass a ruling in contradiction to the Code or to relevant Grand Tribunal decisions (it can, however, reverse its own Peripheral Code). The Presiding Quaesitor should counsel the Tribunal against any decisions that contradict the Code or Grand Tribunal, and may, if necessary, veto any such resolution.

Peripheral Code in Fifth Edition

The ArM5 rule book has a brief section on the Peripheral Code[1]. A lengthier and more detailed treatment occurs in Houses of Hermes: True Lineages[2]. In addition, each Fifth Edition Tribunal Book explains some particulars of the local Peripheral Code of that Tribunal.

In The Lion and the Lily, pages 19-25, the Perthean Compact, an important part of the Normandy Tribunal's Peripheral Code which establishes rules for the distribution of Vis in that Tribunal, is described at some length.

Peripheral Code by Topic

Magical Power

These rulings relate to depriving a magus of his magical power, which by extension includes depriving him of magical resources[3].

Rulings on Magical Power in Fifth Edition

Slaying Magi

These rulings pertain to slaying magi or using potentially lethal force against them. See also Forfeit Immunity.

Rulings on Slaying Magi in Fifth Edition

Wizard War

See also Wizard War.

Without giving any specific rulings, Houses of Hermes: Societates discusses what happens if a magus is not present to receive a declaration of war or ignores the message[8]

Rulings on Wizard War in Fifth Edition

Abiding by Decisions of the Tribunal

Rulings on Abiding by Decisions in Fifth Edition

Voting

Without giving any specific rulings, Houses of Hermes: True Lineages explains:

Endangering the Order

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Interfering with Mundanes

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Houses of Hermes: True Lineages describes the sorts of interactions with mundanes that are legal in all Tribunals.[14]

Lords of Men has a chapter on wizard-mundane interactions that describes some ways magi can comply with -- or subvert -- this aspect of the Code.[15]

Without giving a specific ruling, the Fifth Edition rule book states that:

The Lion and the Lily describes the particularly lax interpretation of mundane interference that applies in the Normandy Tribunal.[18]

Rulings on Interfering with Mundanes in Fifth Edition

  • A.D. 1208, Stonehenge Tribunal: limits on the creation and circulation of Magical Silver[19]
  • A.D. 1081 (no Tribunal specified, perhaps the Grand Tribunal): Limitations on the sale of enchanted items, restrictions on who may sell and what may be sold[20]. In response to this ruling, House Verditius placed additional limits on how many items its members may sell per year[21]

Dealing with Demons

The law against dealing with demons is enforced very rigorously[22] in Fifth Edition canon.

Rulings on Dealing with Demons in Fifth Edition

  • A.D. 1151, Rhine Tribunal: magus held responsible for collateral damage inflicted by a demon with which he had feuded[23]

Molesting Faeries

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Scrying

Rulings on Scrying in Fifth Edition

The Fifth Edition rule book says that the law against scrying, or "using magic to pry into [another magus's] affairs", is applied very broadly[24], and even walking around invisible can be construed as a violation of the Code.

Magi can use Forceless Casting to avoid inadvertently affecting magi with Intellego spells[25] (or other spells, for that matter) and so avoid violating the law.

Regional Customs

Each Tribunal has its own customs, some of which are written into its Peripheral Code.

Regional Customs in Fifth Edition

Rhine Tribunal
A.D. 1100, Rhine Tribunal: All covenants in the Rhine Tribunal must offer hospitality to visiting magi[26], though they have latitude to set their own terms of hospitality.

References

  1. Ars Magica Fifth Edition, pages 13-14, "The Peripheral Code
  2. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, pages 45-56
  3. Ars Magica Fifth Edition, page 14, "Depriving of Magical Power"
  4. 4.0 4.1 Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 90, "Risky Business" inset
  5. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 71, "Sanctum Law" inset
  6. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 47
  7. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 47
  8. Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 23, "Declaration of War" inset
  9. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 48, third paragraph
  10. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, pages 47, "Wizard War"
  11. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 49, "Voting Rights"
  12. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 48, "Proxy Voting" inset
  13. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 49, "Vagrancy" inset
  14. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, p. 51, "Mundane Interference"
  15. Lords of Men, pp. 37-43, "Interference"
  16. Ars Magica Fifth Edition, page 14, "Interfering with Mundanes"
  17. Ars Magica Fifth Edition, page 57, "Oath of Fealty
  18. The Lion and the Lily, p. 25, "Mundane Interference"
  19. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 87, "Magical Silver" inset
  20. Ars Magica Fifth Edition, page 16, "Magical Items"
  21. Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 111, "Crises in the Order"
  22. Ars Magica Fifth Edition, page 14, "Dealing with Demons"
  23. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 51, "Deals with Devils"
  24. Ars Magica Fifth Edition, page 14, "Scrying"
  25. Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 72, "Forceless Casting" inset
  26. Guardians of the Forests, page 20, "Laws of Hospitality and the Peregrinatores" (inset)

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