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Other formal cabals have been the Brothers of Iron, which were active among the Guild of Vulcanus to gain influence over the mining and refining of iron and lumber, the Societas Ultima Thule, which was involved in exploration and Ordo Ascleipos, which sought to heal and cure the sleepers. Today none of them remains, although they could theoretically be formally reinstated if there were any interest.
Informal cabals are however very active, and many mages are
members of several. The main groups are:
The Conservatives
This group is dominated by the Magister and the Forcemaster. The
members are loyal to the old rules, and wants to make the others
adhere to them. They generally regard the Alderman and the
Politicians with distaste, and grumble about how the Convivo was
better organised in the good old days of Prahler. They regard the
addition of the Guild of Bacchus as a mistake, and are very
suspicious of the Virtual Adepts.
The Politicians
This group consists of the mages involved in political manoeuvrings,
both inside the chantry and outside. The main members are the
Alderman, Söderberg and Kurt (i.e. most of the ruling mages). They
run the chantry, and make sure it is safe, often using technomantic
methods. They feel that the chantry has to be protected at any cost,
and that this protection must be subtle and efficient, not locked in
old traditions or rules. One way to ensure safety is to minimise
conflicts with the Technocracy, so the Politicians tend to stop too
dramatic attacks.
The Anti-Technomancers
This cabal, led by Maud Juthling and consisting mainly of members
of the Guild of Vulcanus, fights the Technocracy in various ways. Its
members usually work alone, sometimes coordinating their
schemes more or less. Their methods and goals vary, but they are
always non-violent and often quite subtle. Juthling is spreading
alternative medicine and mistrust against normal medical care. Nils
tries to divine the latest evil schemes of the enemy. Lars-Erik
spreads weird science to the School of Polhem. The Politicians
usually let them do what they want as long as it doesn't threaten
the chantry or make the Technocracy too upset, while the
Conservatives ignore them.
The Philosophers
This group consists almost exclusively of members of the Guild of
Mercury, and is led by Tiberius and the Forcemaster. They gather
together over a few bottles of wine and discuss matters of
metaphysics, philosophy and magick, usually at a very high level.
Everybody is welcome to join the discussions, but the cabal tend to
talk over the heads of newcomers until the newcomers learn the
complex jargon. This cabal is completely uninterested in matters of
politics, and is content as long as there is interesting problems to
discuss.
The Individualists
Many mages doesn't care about the other cabals goals. They form
an ill-defined group of individual mages who work on their own
more or less odd goals, or just try to avoid trouble. It overlaps
somewhat with the philosophers. Some, like Peter Svec, try to cause
trouble or make the chantry change, but the others discreetly
avoid them.
Back to the Convivo Holmiensis PageAnders Sandberg / nv91-asa@nada.kth.se