The Magistrates of the Order
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Quaesitoris are the magistrates of the Order of Hermes, with a dash of Inquisitor thrown in for good measure. They represent the authority of the Tribunal, and is their duty to hold court, investigate complaints, and pass judgement on those who commit crimes against the Order.
Becoming a Quaesitor: Getting Accepted
The only official restriction on becoming a Quaesitor is that one must be a Magus, for few wizards would allow themselves to be judged by mere mundanes. Beyond that, however, any magus in the Order can apply to take the black robes. In practice, political favourtism plays a large part in who is actually accepted. In virtually all Tribunals, the ranks of Quaesitoris are dominated by magi of Latin lineages, particularly Tremere and Jerbiton.
In order to become a Quaesitor, a magus must find a Senior Quaesitor who is willing to take him on as a novitiate. In some Tribunals there are more magi who want to be Quaesitoris than there are Senior Quaesitoris to teach them, and some Quaesitoris are suspected of bribing their way into their position. Exotic wizards, magi from disreputable covenants, and those on the wrong side of the political fence are rarely accepted.
Becoming a Quaesitor: The Life of a Novitiate
A novitiate to a Senior Quaesitor has a less than glamourous job. Much like apprenticeship as a magus, he is given all of the grunt work while he learns the ropes. He makes copies of important records, locates witnesses, helps with minor interrogations, and generally does anything else the Senior Quaesitor is unable or unwilling to do. During this time the Senior Quaesitor teaches him how to interpret the Code (which varies from Tribunal to Tribunal), as well as the more important spells Quaesitoris use to get to the truth. Most importantly, the novitiate will be exposed to the important issues facing it the Tribunal, and all the political nuances that must be kept in mind when passing judgement.
Over time a novitiate will be given more and more responsibility, and will be allowed to handle minor complaints at the Senior Quaesitor's own covenant without supervision. It is usually five years before a novitiate is made a full Quaesitor, but the needs of the Tribunal take precedence; it is not uncommon for novitiates to become Quaesitoris after only two years, or to serve for a decade or more while waiting for an opening.
Becoming a Quaesitor: The Real Thing
A full Quaesitor is given the black robes and swears to serve the Tribunal without bias. He is then assigned to a certain number of covenants (the exact number depends on need and the size of the Tribunal). He is required to travel to these covenants and hold court at least once every two years, though once a year is encouraged. Some covenants (especially larger ones) will be watched over by more than one Quaesitor, each of which will visit every few seasons.
Quaesitoris are not expected to spend their entire lives as judges; they are magi too, after all. Quaesitoris are always allowed a season to themselves each year, usually the winter season when it is too difficult to travel anyway. Most Quaesitoris will therefore have a home covenant, where they live and study while not travelling. This is often the Domus Magnus of the Tribunal, though many Quaesitoris return to their former covenants. A few Quaesitoris simply choose to spend a season at whatever covenant they happen to be holding court at. While many covenants dislike the intrusion, it is considered an honour to provide hospitality to a Quaesitor, since there are potential benefits to making a favourable impression on one of the black robes.
Becoming a Quaesitor: As a Senior Quaesitoris
Some covenants become so large and well-established that they cannot be adequately served by a Quaesitor arriving every few seasons. When this happens, a Quaesitor will be chosen by the Head Quaesitor to live at the covenant full time, holding court three seasons out of every four. Quaesitoris in charge of a single covenant are called Senior Quaesitoris, and are usually older magi who have served as black robes for many years.
A covenant can refuse residence to a Senior Quaesitor, but having one at the covenant is considered a great political advantage (since a Quaesitor is more likely to rule in favour of his home in any conflict). The Domus Magnus of the Tribunal always has at least one Senior Quaesitor, who may also be the Head Quaesitor of the Tribunal.
Duties and Responsibilities: Travelling to Covenants
Although there is no official number of covenants a Quaesitoris will be responsible for, any more than four is considered undesirable. Consideration is given to the distance between each covenant, and their proximity to the Quaesitor's permanent residence. It is the Head Quaesitor of the Tribunal who assigns responsibility for each covenant, and he may assign more than one Quaesitor to a single covenant if he feels it needs special attention. Obviously the Head Quaesitor will not assign anyone to a covenant he knows nothing about, and so new covenants must petition the Tribunal to be added to a Quaesitor's route.
Quaesitoris usually travel with a retinue of three; a shield grog, a mundane scribe, and a Redcap. The black robes and their retainers are entitled to shelter at any covenant, and any that refuse them will certainly be in hot water at the next Tribunal meeting. This is not to say that a covenant must allow a Quaesitor to hold court; if they do not wish to put forth complaints, and no one has made complaints about them, then a Quaesitor really has little to do. It is not his responsibility to look for crimes unless there is reason to be suspicious.
Duties and Responsibilities: Holding Court
Although Quaesitoris generally travel their route on a regular basis, a covenant can never be entirely sure when the local Quaesitor will visit next. It may be two seasons or it may be two years. It is customary for the Quaesitor to send a messenger a few days ahead of his arrival so that the covenant can be prepared, but occasionally Quaesitoris enjoy the element of surprise, especially when they prefer to keep their visit short (at decrepit or unfriendly covenants, for example).
How long a Quaesitor remains at a covenant, and how quickly he gets down to business, depends a great deal on his attitude towards the covenant in question. Generally, the more favourably he views the covenant, the more time he will put into resolving conflicts, and the longer he will stay after his work is complete. At a covenant with poor hospitality and few complaints, a Quaesitor may leave after only a single day.
The law court begins with the Quaesitor taking a seat at the head of the hall (or wherever the court is being held), with his scribe and shield-grog on either side. He silences the hall and then formally gives his name and the name of the Praeco who has invested him with the power to uphold Hermetic law. He then calls on those present to bring forward any matters which warrant his attention.
Any member of a covenant, both magus and mundane, can make a complaint, though covenants are encouraged to handle their mundane squabbles themselves. Each claim is recorded by the scribe, and the Quaesitor attempts to determine the truth of each case.
Typical complaints include arguments over the covenant charter, squabbles over books or vis, complaints from apprentices against their masters, and personal disputes between two magi. These the Quaesitor can usually handle on the spot, through lengthy discussion and the questioning of witnesses, who speak not only of the events but of the integrity and character of those involved. More serious matters, such as the destruction of magical property, an accusation of diabolism, or a dispute that involves another covenant, will require a more thorough investigation lasting for days or even months, involving both mundane and magical interrogations. In these situations a Quaesitor will dispatch a messenger to the Head Quaesitor, who may in turn provide additional Quaesitoris to help in the investigation.
It may take less than a day to resolve the disputes of a covenant, but it may take several, and the Quaesitor must hold court every day until he has heard each case. In situations where a lengthy investigation is required, the Quaesitor will usually set the issue aside until other cases are heard, since he rarely has the authority to dispense justice for such crimes.
After all the legal disputes have been dealt with, the wizards of the covenant often question the Quaesitor for advice, like how to deal with nearby mundanes, how to establish their right to nearby vis sources, and other legal or political matters. Masters may present newly-graduated magi at this point, and wizards who know they will not be attending the next Tribunal may show their voting sigil to the Quaesitor and name their proxy.
Duties and Responsibilities: Privileges of the Black Robes
Because Quaesitoris have significant political power in a Tribunal, they are always treated with a measure of respect, even by those who resent their authority. Their service to the Tribunal allows them other Privleges as well. As mentioned earlier, a Quaesitor may demand hospitality from any covenant he comes across in his travels. Additionally, though he may live at a single covenant, he is never required to serve it as a magus. In fact, Quaesitoris may not swear to any covenant charter, to avoid conflicts of interest.
Quaesitoris have special authority regarding Tribunal gatherings. First of all, the Head Quaesitor is the only magus other than the Praeco who may call an official Tribunal gathering. The Head Quaesitor will generally use this authority when an immediate decision is needed--to decide whether a magus should be Marched, for example--or when an entire covenant is accused of breaking the Code.
At regular Tribunals, Quaesitoris are invited to speak on almost every issue. They are the only magi who travel the Tribunal regularly, and thus are the most knowledgable about issues that affect all covenants. They also have records of their dealings with each covenant, and these are highly prized at Tribunal gatherings, and are often used to settle disputes, such as whether or not a magus has the right to vote by proxy.
At each Tribunal, the Quaesitoris will inform those gathered about important rulings that have been made since the last meeting. They may also report that certain covenants or individual magi are under suspicion and are to be watched, a quite damning political tool which can undermine the credibility of an entire covenant.
In addition to these privileges, a Quaesitor has the same rights at Tribunal as any other magus, including the right to vote on all issues.
While some magi feel that Quaesitoris have too much power, it is argued that their responsibilities to the Tribunal place great limits on their ability to study and improve their magical skills. Quaesitoris sacrifice a great deal in order to serve the Tribunal, the argument goes, and political power is a fair return for their efforts. No one denies that a corrupt Quaesitor could do significant harm, however, and a Quaesitor caught misusing his authority can expect harsh penalties. No one is really surprised (for several different reasons) that very few Quaesitoris are found to misuse their authority.