I think it might be good to go. Whole server host died permanently. Migration required upgrades and code changes.
This proud Victorian-style manor stands in the city's residential area. No one knows it's exact location as the manor seems to find those it deems worthy of entry rather than the other way around. Past the wrought metal gates a stone path threads its way up to the wooden porch and the house's main door. A sign reads "Infinity Club: Members Only". On the gate itself, a "Wet Paint" sign "coincidentally" turns aside those with only casual interest in the structure. Stepping inside brings one into the mansion's entry hall, which has been converted into a small club. A scattering of tables, chairs and couches offer places to relax and talk, while a well-stocked bar, a jukebox and a dartboard offer other distractions. Beyond them all a number of warded doorways and staircases lead deeper into the manor proper. (Tradition Magi and Allies only)There are 0 people here The most recent statement was made about 663 hours ago.
Raymond 'Zuddhantya' Bowie bani Flambeau (OoH Infinity Council Rep) : *sighs* For easiest comparison, within the Order of Hermes happens to be how many Covenants treat the House Ex Miscellaneae members, as technically speaking there is no House yet there are members.
Drake Mercurius bani Flambeau (Consor Apprentice): He goes slightly stiff in surprise as he blurts out, "But there are so many of members to that House, that is why they have a seat... "Drake then questions, "Isn't it?"
Raymond : *chuckles some* Appearance is not everything, Drake. As House Ex Miscellaneae has enough members to be a player at the table, but if sub-divided into the minor houses thereof and that is not including the technical houses that only exists with one master and maybe one or two students thereof, that would make a Hermetic vote to do anything go from having nine votes to sixteen or more at an Order's Chantry. *thinks for a moment* To put that into how that would mess up things here at Infinity, at one time we had four houses with a Masters and apprentices, that would made the ten seats into thirteen, if they allowed each house a seat at the Council table. *Chuckles again* Even though the Hermetic Order is a microcosm of the Traditions in ways as each House focus on a sphere, House Ex Miscellaneae is the proxy for how the Traditions as a whole treat the other Awaken Crafts and Orphans. In a way, one can think of it as a mono vote version of the US Senate, each recognized State gets one Vote with special a caveat for all of the territories of get only one Vote as well on matters.
Drake Mercurius bani Flambeau (Consor Apprentice): He frowns some before saying, "That is not really a democratic system there."
Raymond : *grins some* You're right, it is not. Hence, that is why it's called a 'Representative' Council, and not a Council of Equals or Peers. *sighing some* Though, honestly even the strongest of the Hermetic Houses on its own might be a near peer to one of the other traditions, but that is where the Order felt they were made to be marginalized. *sets down the bottle and raises both hands* For instead of getting a vote per House, the Hermetic Order as a whole get only one. *as the left-hand closes and leaves the index finger pointing up* Much like the Hollow Ones and other Awaken Crafts that align with the Traditions get only one and feel... well... *as the right-hand closes leaving the middle finger up* (OOC: Have no clue what happened)
Drake Mercurius bani Flambeau (Consor Apprentice): He holds in a bark-laugh with a faux cough at that before saying, "Yeah, I can now see why that is a perception issue, but it doesn't fully solve the problem. And what was their originally idea for the new Chantry's Council then?"
Raymond : *Shrugs* Originally it was how many of the more hard-core Hermetic Covenants are, and that would be the other Traditions collectively would have the same Representation as House Ex Miscellaneae, as in only one vote. *light bark laugh* They could understood that that would not work when I pointed out the obvious with the history here. *shakes head* The thought though of that having all of the Traditions and Houses sit at the same table would undermine Hermetic control, as I pointed out if the Infinity Council would had let each Hermetic House have an equal seat as the majority would likely be the other traditions. So to make it 'fair,' each House would get two votes for each of the other Traditions getting one. I partly shot down that argument with the evidence that some Hermetic influences might be within other Traditions and could be argued that they should be seen at least as peers in the House-cast structure.
Drake Mercurius bani Flambeau (Consor Apprentice): He looks puzzled before asking, "What do you mean? Because this is news to me, Ray."
Raymond : *shrugs some* There are weaker cases, though one that is not overtly so is that for the Verbena and I don't say that just because Anne is my wife. *chuckles* Though the reason is after House Bjornaer was demoted and placed into the then newly formed House Ex Miscellaneae, most records have what was left of that House went over to join the Verbena due to similar paradigms to each other. Though that did not lessen the distain some have for that Tradition and tried with failure to rebuke my research on.
Drake Mercurius bani Flambeau (Consor Apprentice): He nods some thinking before saying, "I assume there is another Tradition with a stronger case for this?"
Raymond : *grins with a nod* Yeah there is but it also hits hard with the traditionalists, as it is the Society of Ether. *shrugs some* House Golo did not last even a score, though many of the Orders scholarly structure was contributed by, then House Golo aligned with the Order of Reason. As the Order of Reason then evolved into the Technocracy, the Ethereal Engineers that seemed to follow Golo's methods did not the like the paradigm shifts of and broke away and became the Society of Ether. Later, due mostly to hard times during the Great Depression, the first American Hermetic House, Luxor, was subsumed into that Tradition as well.
Drake Mercurius bani Flambeau (Consor Apprentice): He ponders some and rubs his chin before saying, "So if I am getting this right, two Houses in an unorthodox way had added into the current structure of the Society of Ether and one if not more may have gone to the Verbena after the Great Convocation?"
Raymond : *nods* Yeah, that is the short of it and many of the elders did not like it. Though others of the higher seats seemed interested in the history and information and would like me to continue on the research. *shakes head* I had exhausted almost all resources I have access to within the Order to compile that report, so I don't see what more that could be added.
Drake Mercurius bani Flambeau (Consor Apprentice): He chuckles some before stating, "It is as you said, politics. If you continue researching, as it should stifle a rise in your possible political power due to time away from speaking to others about. Then there is if you made it known to the wider Order, they could see that as a threat to the status quo, and lastly it could either enhance or sour the relationships between other traditions and the Order if not handled carefully."
Raymond : *grumbles* I had not thought of it that way, for facts are just that, though unpleasant as the semantics of an individual's beliefs can cause issues because of rejection with due to only feelings on the matter. *sighs* Hence why I don’t see myself as a problem solver, because I know someone will always end up butthurt in the end because of nothing else except pride. *chuckles a bit* As how this place was a founding Chantry for a House of Hermes? It was originally of House Luxor, and in theory then should also allow an equal claim by the Society as well, if any would realize and accept factual mutual history.
Drake Mercurius bani Flambeau (Consor Apprentice): He nods with a sympathetic grin before saying, "How about you take a break and go home to Anne? I'll finish up my duties here and such."
Raymond : *nods with a sigh* Yeah, I could use a break. *chuckles as he grabs the bottle of Dew again* I'll have to remember to get you that raise. *as he heads towards the doors out*
Drake Mercurius bani Flambeau (Consor Apprentice): "I know you will, and take care, Ray," as he resumes his cleanup of the bar area.
Raymond : You too, Drake. *leaves by Front door* (OOC: And is out of here!)
Drake Mercurius bani Flambeau (Consor Apprentice): He finishes his work and re-enters the kitchen before leaving by the side door. ([OOC: END OF SCENE. This is also a reproduction of a scene that is on the oWoD: Necropolis server at discord.gg/xT9fRu3VzC that an associate & I thought of placing here to show that the chats are not dead! Also, only part would repost here.])