Provincial Members Club

Founding Era (1061 MH - 1074 MH)

The Provincial Members Club was founded in 1061 MH. Its name derived from the nickname of the rural upper classes prior the Revolution, those who could afford large areas of land and employed others to work it, or ‘Provincers’. The founder was Cristin Fortun, a Floralist and the great-great-grandson of the famous revolutionary general Elder Fortun. His aim was to court other Provincers and Floralists, two groups not short of wealth, with the revival of a patriotic fervour he felt the country had been lacking. To this end, he sold his farm, and used the proceeds to purchase a property on Ancaster High Street which he named the Provincial Members Club.

Fortun’s name and credentials served him well, and the Provincial Club was a modest success during Fortun’s life and made him a decent amount of coin to retire with, but it had not achieved the greatness he had hoped for. At this time, the Club numbered just under thirty members and the close relations that Fortun had with them allowed him to engineer profit by anticipating the needs of his guests. While the Club served as a proof of concept, in the aftermath of the war Rusager did not have the ability to provide him with the luxuries a wider clientele would desire. As such, in 1074 MH, he sold the Club to a fellow Floralist, a Wood Elf named James Seardon.

Seardon’s Consolidation (1074 MH - 1077 MH)

Seardon had seen the issues with the Club under Fortun, but unlike his Human friend, was still in the prime of his life and prepared to begin fixing them. The Wood Elf community in Rusager had always been rural, and while they had lost much under the House of Olus, Seardon had been fortunate enough to inherit a plot of land fairly close to the city. The land had been used as a perfumery and although not producing the most premium of perfumes, (simple almond and rose water), the export of this product gave him connections in foreign markets and an income with which to exploit them.

Heading north over the border to Palingvyre, Seardon searched for products that would set the Club apart back in Rusager. He needed something both eye catching, but also affordable, although his budget was considerably larger than the average Palish entrepreneur. He would find what he was looking for in the forested west of the country, furs. In return for regular payments, Seardon partnered with some of minor noble houses, purchasing a cart of furs to return to Rusager with him. He paid in raw gold, reportedly melting down old Olusian coinage to do so, and his haul included bear and lion furs.

Once he had made the long journey back, he now put his furs to use, spending the remaining of his savings by having them tailored into decorative cloaks and outfits. He began spreading the word of a grand reopening of the club, using his contacts to try to bend the ear of some prominent individuals. The Club’s current patrons were good, but Seardon knew that wasting this opportunity on minor aristocratic families may well have the opposite effect, and alienate the truly wealthy.

During the process, he was approached by one such individual, the Arcarius Giles Aegidius, who bargained with Seardon. Aegidius was prepared to arrange that the Magnus himself would attend the gathering, asking in return that Seardon grant himself and a few of his close advisors free membership. Aegidius had a high opinion of himself and rightly saw the opportunity to play a expert move in power politics. Put simply, by boosting the acclaim of the Club while securing himself a place at it, he too hoped that it would reach the attention of those higher up. Unlike Seardon however, who only had eyes for money, Aegidius wanted influence, and the biggest stumbling block here was meeting people.

The pair worked together up until opening night, Aegidius giving tips on how Seardon should present himself, the decor, the drink, and every aspect that could go wrong. Whispers of grand attendance had grown into a buzzing excitement, and Aegidius personally saw to the security of the opening night. When the day finally came it was a roaring success.

The guards had all been dressed in wolf furs, (still the uniform of the Provincial Guards to this day), a particularly unusual form of dress for Rusager and eye catching in the extreme and the turnout was vast. The Club comprised of a three story building on the main street in Atcaster, and each was full to the brim. The Magnus gave a speech, talking of the Club’s great history, the bravery of its founding member and its dedication to the Rusagan state. At the end of his speech, Seardon personally presented him with a bear fur robe, decorated with Rusagan blooms, and trimmed with gold and silver. In accepting the gift, the Magnus also tacitly accepted what had become an overnight synonymity with the Club.

Expansion (1077 MH - 1141 MH)

The Club expanded greatly after that, taking on new members from Seardon’s preferred class of client. It became a tradition that after a year of membership, one would be presented with their furs, these becoming ever more exotic as time went on and more could be imported. Membership, of course, had its fee and was designed to weed out the unwanted, but there was plenty of wealth to go around, or more accurately, into Seardon’s pocket.

As the club grew geographically, taking on bigger locations in Atcaster, as well as setting up branches in Recester and Dester, it also took on more services to offer its clients, becoming a fixer of sorts for all manner of requests. The ever growing network was pleasing, not just to Seardon, but also to the Senate, who saw the Club as a key method to gaining influence and entreating favour with others.

Official Licence (1141 MH)

In 1141 MH, legislation introduced by the Magnatate Senate saw a requirement that certain organisations over a certain size require a licence in order to operate lawfully. This in of itself was not surprising, as the legal system in Rusager had become increasingly dense. The passing of the Fraternities, Lodges, and Associations Act 1141 provisioned that all associations which were subject taxation in one of fifteen tax codes, would have to be formally licenced.

The passing of the legislation was mainly deemed a response to several scandalous incidents of debauchery in associations across the country that had lead to a few high profile resignations from the Senate. Ironically, while the Provincial Members Club was most likely guilty as well, they managed to escape any repudiation as their meetings and activities were a closely guarded secret among members.

It became apparent too, that the Club was given considerable freedoms under the new legislation, with a licence being granted and only imposing tax obligations, whereas other associations required codes of conduct, particulars of the activities, and information regarding the cross border transport of goods and people. Furthermore, the Club was one of three that were privileged with a licence in advance of the Act, being fully constituted as a lodge two months before its passing.

The legislation also forced a leadership structure upon such organisations to ensure they would had some accountability. The prior scandals being pinned on rogue members, while accurate in some cases, was unsatisfactory from a public perspective, it seeming that these groups were above the law. In practice, they still would be, but the Act paid lip service to the idea that an organisation’s actions should be attributable to an individual. For the Provincial Club, this merely meant a retitling of already held positions, the chairman, became a ‘Grandmaster of the Lodge’, and the other individuals, known then as commissioners, became ‘Masters’. It was a point of controversy in the Senate that the statute appeared to be designed around the Club and benefited it with special treatment.

Seardon’s Retirement (1178 MH)

After being at the Club’s helm for over a century, and on the one hundred and thirty-seventh anniversary of its founding, James Seardon announced he would be retiring as Grandmaster of the Lodge to spend time with his family. While this would signal an end to the Club being controlled overall by the Seardon family, they would still own a significant portion on the Clubs land, including their iconic Atcaster street front, leasing it to the Club on a renewing contract to this day and is still very influential within its circles. Such was his notoriety, following his death in 1198 MH the High Street was renamed to Seardon Street in his honour.

The question than arose as to who would take over from Seardon, a man who had lead the Club from strength to strength and to the political powerhouse it now was. Their were various bidders for the position, a term that was apt as money certainly changed hands when selecting the successor, and it was no big surprise therefore, when ownership was taken by the Office of the Dispensary for an undisclosed sum.

The position of Grandmaster that was formerly occupied by Seardon, would now be taken by the Acarius. It would be a big shift, as it signalled an end for the Club’s consistent leadership. While apprehensive however, the membership was reassured that the Acarius had been a long standing member of the Cub and changes were not expected. Indeed, there were also opportunities with being so connected.

The Official Era Begins (1178 MH - 1191 MH)

After the takeover by the Dispensary, the average member of the Club saw little difference. True, the membership may have expanded a little faster than normal, but even with the reassurances, many had anticipated the Club to lose some of its appeal as regulations were inevitably introduced. As it was, in contrast to the belief that the Acarius’ position of Grandmaster meaning the Club would become beholden to law, it meant quite the opposite, as it became incredibly difficult to scrutinise.

Over the next decade or so, various meetings would take place among the membership and the Arcarius to determine the new direction the club should pursue. In all likelihood, there was little truly ‘needed’ by the Club, but its membership always desired more. As such, plans were drawn up to further expand the beyond the borders of Rusager with a long term aim to securing a more reliable supply of foreign commodities.

This presented a problem in of itself, private enterprise was notoriously difficult to establish in foreign nations, not least because relations needed to be good enough at first instance to broker an agreement with to own property abroad. Then came the issue of travel. While diplomatically there were plenty of suitable candidates, many of these nations were separated by one or more more hostile entities. While diplomats may have been able to travel through these, it was inappropriate and dangerous for the wealthy aristocrats of the Club to do this, should they want to travel abroad. Finally, there was the issue of stability, it was all very well owning land in a foreign nation, but if the next ruler that came along would seize it, there was little point in investing.

Ultimately, it left the candidates for foreign expansion very thin, so thin, in fact it numbered one, Palingvyre. It was a country with decent adherence to law, was relatively stable and, most importantly, was suitable for recruiting new members and by extension, more influence in the region. One question remained therefore, as Palingvyre had many cities that could home such a venue, but which would it be?

The First Palish Club Opens (1191 MH)

While there were several cities actively vying for the location, in the end, a natural choice was the nearby, (and closest), city of East Gromborough. While it wasn’t the foreign paradise the Rusagan membership may have hoped for, it served as a suitable hub for both diplomatic and social functions and turned a modest profit with the accession of a few minor nobles from the area into the Club. Despite this, however, it was considered a failure by the Dispensary, who quickly began searching for their next opportunity.

While the Club has allowed foreign membership in the past, (although this was rare), scandals have lead to many countries banning their nobility or aristocracy from joining. As such, while there is no official rule on this, one would need to be Rusagan to become a member. Also unwritten is the rule of wealth, as there was a high buy in for a membership equal to two hundred Rusagan checks. This effectively priced out many poorer members who may otherwise be influential enough to join, as well as foreigners who could not obtain enough of the currency itself. In 1148 MH, the buy in was increased to five hundred checks, only exacerbating this.

When it comes to official rules, members must be Cathirian, (although there is no discrimination between Churches), speak, (or learn), fluent Resalan, and agree to abide by the rules of the Club and the laws of Rusager. Exceptions for adherence to the final point are made frequently due to the influence of the Club meaning its members can often find themselves comfortably out of reach of the law, but also make good excuses should someone need to be dismissed. Another unusual rule is that the Club excludes magically awakened individuals from membership, despite happily employing them.

Uniform and Pins

Each member of the Club is required to purchase a uniform which is to be worn once entering an the premises. It is an iconic style to the establishment that its members adorn themselves with the fur of exotic animals, and great importance and prestige is put upon the fur that one wears. That being said, rank also determines which furs one is allowed to wear too and furs must be purchased on ascendancy to the next rank. The lowest ranking prvincers are not entitled to wear furs, and as such have a formal dresscode instead.

Members are also given pins, the style of which changes based on rank. Pins are given as a gratuity, but are maintained to be property of the Club, not the wearer. In order to ensure their furs are not damaged, the pins are attached to a strip of cloth worn over the right shoulder, (sometimes called a half-stole), the colour of which can also distinguish rank. Servants of the Church often embroid their stoles with crescents.

Ranks of Membership

The ranks of the Provincial Members Club are linear, meaning one cannot ascend to a higher ranks without previously holding the prior rank.

Provincer

The lowest rank is that of ‘Provincer’. This refers to anyone who has been accepted by the Club as a member. Of no particular distinction, a provincer’s pin is purely silver, worn on a grey, white bordered half-stole.

Sanctioned Member

A sanctioned member of the Club is someone who has obtained seniority through a year of membership or being elevated by a higher ranking member. More often than not, this can be expedited by coin in the correct hands so generally hold little weight or influence beyond a provincer. The furs available to a sanctioned member are typically those of smaller mammals, minks, otters, and martens. A sanctioned members pin is silver with the central tuft being red enamelled, and worn on a pure white half-stole.

Votive Lodger

Votive lodgers have a minor say in the running of the Club with an entitlement to vote on proposals from the Masters Council. Becoming a votive lodger requires an additional buy in, but gives the opportunity to become sanctioned and benefit financially from the Club. Votive members wear a solid gold pin on a red, white bordered half-stole with fox furs.

Sanctioned Lodger

Sanctioned lodgers have a greater say in the running of the Club, being able to lobby the Masters Council directly. They are ‘sanctioned’ by a vote in the Council and are entitled to a small stipend including having their furs given gratuitously, this typically being wolf furs. Their pins are gold, with red enamel on the centre tuft, these are worn on a pure red half stole.

Master

Masters are the select few who make up the Masters Council who make the decisions and can put decisions to the membership. Master are either voted in or appointed by the Grandmaster. The power of a master is limited, as they are at the whim of the Grandmaster, but they tend to be very influential and are generously remunerated. Their pin is a lower tuft of mother of pearl, a middle tuft of gold, and an upper tuft of silver worn on a red half-stole bordered in gold. They wear bear furs, or furs linked specifically to their positions.

Grandmaster

The Grandmaster is always the Acarius, who has ultimate say over almost all aspects of running of the Club. As a government official, they often delegate to the Masters Council to oversee matters while they are unavailable. The Grandmaster’s pin is mother of pearl and gold, with the central tuft being purple enamelled. Their half-stole is purple with gold trim and worn over a the fur of a forest lion. Lion furs are common within the Club for decoration, but only the Acarius can wear them, it often being that the most revered and ancient furs being kept for very special occasions.

Functionary Positions

Alongside the normal ranks, there also a few roles that hold distinction from the typical membership. Most of these are held by Masters, but there are some that can be dispersed among the membership.

Lodge Keeper

Lodge keepers are appointed to oversee the security of each lodge. The involves internal operations, within their branch, and external operations ensuring the travel of members between sites is safe. Such is the level of trust given to a lodge keeper that, at least for the travel of the Acarius, they have subverted the place of the escort assigned to government officials for interior journeys. Seardon Street Lodge has the lodge keepers due to its size, each of which oversee a portion of the premises each, with the Recester and Dester branches having one each. Lodge keepers is also the title given to the heads of security at the foreign Rusagan embassies, although for legal reasons, these are not part of the Provincial Club, instead merely borrowing the name.

Master of Ceremonies

Each branch also has its own Master of Ceremonies, who is granted a budget to stage festivities on one of the various public holidays held in Rusager. While the budget is considered modest by Club standards, it often exceeds most official events, certainly those within Atcaster, as such the Master of Ceremonies is a desirable position. After a string of embezzlements of Club funding, it was decided that the Master of Ceremonies would also be furnished with a generous salary in addition to their normal pay as well as a strict duty to disclose all financial expenditures to the Masters Council.

Censors and the High Censor

Censors function as arbitrators of Club rules. This does not mean they aim to prevent wrongdoing, so much as ensuring the wrongdoing does not become public knowledge. Censors can apply penalties and even expel members up to votive lodgers, but otherwise need to petition the Masters Council. The exception to this is the High Censor, who can expel any member that is not a master, including other censors, (if they rank lower than master).

Penalties typically applied include fines, revocation of access to certain services, temporary suspension of membership, and the aforementioned permanent expulsion. Due to the powers held the appointment of censors requires unanimous approval by the Council, a tedious process that can see it taking months for one to be approved. The censors also are granted the rarest of furs, that of pards, to wear.

Acarii Minor

The acarii minor are the treasurers of the Club and while they do not touch the money directly, they work alongside all other roles as scrutineers of expenses. Acarii often are more mistrusted than censors, as a simple mistake can lead to accusations of misdeeds. As such, acarii are often engaged with professional treasurers and financiers that are hired by the Club.