Old World Order: The White Council
The White Council
The White Council is a signatory of the Unseelie Accords and serves as the “supernatural nation” for all mortal wizardkind. It is composed of wizards from all nations, and the Senior Council (its governing body) ensures that most wizards in the world respect the Laws of Magic and disposes of the ones who don’t (via its Wardens; see below).
It maintains alliances with other occult groups like the Venatori Umbrorum, the Fellowship of St. Giles, and a few monasteries in Tibet and India.
Most wizards worthy of the name have come up through the traditional system: being apprenticed to a White Council member and joining the Council themselves as full members when they pass the trials of wizardry.
A White Council member gets a vote in deliberations and agrees to abide by its rules (including the Laws of Magic). A member is obliged to represent the White Council if necessary.
The language used in White Council conclaves is Latin. All members attending a full meeting of the Council wear a robe with a stole that denotes their rank (no stole for apprentices, blue for junior wizards, red for senior ones, purple for Senior Council members).
The White Council is governed by the Senior Council: seven wizards of age, skill, power, and knowledge. The leader of the Senior Council (and thus the entire White Council) is called “the Merlin.” They set policy by majority vote (usually of the entire membership of the White Council, but a Senior Council member can restrict matters to a closed vote of just the Senior Council).
The Laws Of Magic
The Laws of Magic are not the quasi-physics of how magic works; they are the practical regulations on mortal spell-slingers imposed by the White Council.
Simply stated, the Seven Laws are:
- One: No killing mortals with magic.
- Two: No transforming others.
- Three: No mind-reading.
- Four: No mind-controlling.
- Five: No necromancy.
- Six: No time travel.
- Seven: No seeking knowledge and/or power from Outsiders.
The Blackstaff
There are rumors that there is a secret White Council agent (authorized by the Senior Council) who is licensed to break any of the Seven Laws of Magic in those cases where the Seven Laws prevent the White Council from acting in a critical situation.
These are surely just rumors.
HARRY: Don’t be snotty, Billy. You already know more than most mortals.
Wardens
The Wardens are the guardians (and often executioners) of the White Council. They are responsible for policing both the White Council and the magical community outside it. A Warden is expected to protect mortals in his area, to be vigilant against supernatural threats in his region, to represent the Council in matters of diplomacy, to aid and assist other wizards who require aid and protection, and—when required—to strike out at the enemies of the Council. Think of them as “magic cops.”
All Wardens are battle-capable wizards of high skill and power. Warden security protocols are some of the best magical countermeasures in the world. They are trained in the use of wardhounds in this work, and they also have access to voluminous (if sometimes incomplete and out-of-date) dossiers on various supernatural players.
Their tokens of office are a plain grey cloak and a special sword—both serve as a sign of their authority, and the Warden’s sword is a puissant and useful enchanted weapon.
Subject to the Senior Council, they have their own Captain and are structured under regional Commanders. Regional commanders are in charge of security and operation for a large area (like, up to half a continent—though these current vast demesnes are certainly due to the current Vampire War; before this, four regional commanders normally handled North America alone).
So that’s the White Council. But what of their allies? In two weeks, find out.
The teasing is driving me insane! I must own this book!!
It might be good to note that the swords of the wardens are made by a wizard who may, or may not, be capable of making them. Due to this, there may be wardens without their spiffy swords. I’m not sure if this is within the books that will be covered.
@Steven, Yep! We do cover that, just not here.
I’m with ya, Brad! The more I read about this game, the more I read over SotC and Starblazers, the more I want to break the Laws of Magic, perform some time travel, and greedily get the tome into my hands!! I am sure my players are appreciative of Evil Hat their taking time, however, I don’t think many want me to just “drop” the game I am currently running to get them hooked on Dresdenverse…but that does not stop my wanting it! Concerning the White Council, though…Fred…will there be “Organization Creation” rules, not unlike the organization rules in Starblazers or is it going to be more of a home-brewed thing? I know you guys are “stating” cities, (sort of), so I was just wondering if there will be an easy, natural extension to creating magical organizations.
@Sean, no we’re not doing the organization creation stuff. I think that sort of thing could be grafted on pretty easily, but the Dresdenverse seems to be a lot about the action of individuals, with organizations as an extension of them. So I’d be inclined to say, for DF, give the organization a “face”, and stat whoever that is.
Excellent thought and direction on that, Fred. I was thinking, essentially, that it’d just be a “character” by another name.
Looking at the summary of the Laws of Magic up above, I seem to recall from Storm Front that controlling a non-human being via its true name was a violation (Morgan accused Harry of doing so to Toot, and he refused to bind Sells’ demon in the same way). Which law does that fall under? Mind control, maybe?
Also, at least two laws (the first and fifth) only seem to apply when used on humans. Do any others have similar exceptions?
@CLAVDIVS, discussion with Jim has revealed that that’s a gray area. I think it falls under binding another against its will, but many faeries don’t have anything like free will, so I think this is a case of the enforcement of the Laws being broader than the “spiritual reality” of them. Morgan was looking for an excuse to scare Harry, and Wardens are all too happy to split hairs (with their swords) when they don’t think someone’s liable to reform.
Holy moly, time travel is just illegal? That implies it’s at least technically possible… so, so sweet.
@Roger — And you could read it as travel backwards is illegal. Going forward in time faster than normal seems to be an edge case, since that’s not (as the actual wording goes) “swimming against the flow of time”.
For the purposes of Rule Seven, does “God” count as an Outsider?
@Roger, I have no idea, but I doubt it.
Just wondering if Mike Carpenter and his ilk had anything to worry about. Thanks.
@Roger – Ah, yes. I see. They’re definitely safe.
Outsiders are from outside of all creation — including the Nevernever. I have the distinct understanding that angels and their ilk are inside it.