Minutes of the Winter Council Session
Location: Rawley Point Chapter House, Lecture Hall
Date: 12/11/2025
Presiding: Alistar Corvus, Presiding Emeritus and Keeper
Recorder: Klara Nilsen, Archivist
I. Call to Order
The Winter Council Session was convened in the late afternoon under the authority of Presiding Keeper Alistar Corvus. Lake conditions were recorded as overcast, wind from the northeast, and intermittent shore ice forming along the shallows. A quorum was present, though several members participated with the understanding of imminent seasonal travel.
II. Matters of Public Notice and Press Activity
Klara Nilsen noted a measurable increase in external inquiries since the publication dates, though none rose to the level of operational disruption.
a. Fresh Coast Magazine Article
Members reviewed the recent Fresh Coast article documenting winter field activity near Rawley Point.
Several members expressed concern that the tone of the article, while respectful, increased public visibility beyond the Order’s preferred threshold.
Particular unease was noted regarding the portrayal of ritual-adjacent practices without sufficient technical framing.
Others countered that the article demonstrated restraint, avoided sensationalism, and accurately conveyed the Order’s method as observational rather than performative.
It was observed that public curiosity had increased modestly but had not resulted in interference with field operations.
b. Review of The Concord
The recent review of The Concord research launch was discussed.
Some members objected to the personalization of the vessel and its crew, noting that vessels are instruments, not symbols.
Others argued that the review reinforced the Order’s credibility as a working body rather than a purely archival one.
No formal action was proposed regarding future media engagement.
Outcome:
The Council acknowledged the press activity without resolution. The matter remains open for future guidance, should public attention intensify.
III. Annual Winter Solstice Potluck and Shore Walk
Presiding Keeper Corvus reminded the Council that the Solstice gathering remains one of continuity rather than spectacle.
Plans for the upcoming Annual Winter Solstice Potluck and Shore Walk were reviewed.
The Potluck will proceed as scheduled, with members reminded that shared food remains informal and unthemed.
The Shore Walk will follow the traditional south-to-north route, contingent on ice stability and wind exposure.
Members were advised to prepare for low visibility and variable footing.
No ceremonial additions or alterations were proposed for this year.
Outcome:
The event will proceed under standing custom.
IV. Internal Personnel Matter (Closed Discussion)
The Council briefly addressed the recent defection of an individual formerly associated with the Great Lakes Research Consortium and noted their personal connection to Senior Keeper Gerald “Charts” Whitcomb.
Eleanor Price cautioned against speculation, noting that personal proximity does not equate to institutional intent.
Captain Rowan Thorne emphasized that the lake has a way of exposing what matters without intervention.
Basil Hawthorne requested that the matter not follow members into winter quarters, citing the need for distance and temperature alike.
It was agreed that no conclusions should be drawn at this time. The Council emphasized restraint, privacy, and professional conduct.
Outcome:
No decision was reached. Discussion was formally deferred.
V. Seasonal Travel Notices
It was formally noted that Eleanor Price, Captain Rowan Thorne, and Basil Hawthorne will depart for the United Kingdom for the duration of winter field conditions.
Basil Hawthorne stated plainly that prolonged exposure to the lakeshore cold remains inadvisable and counterproductive.
No objections were raised.
VI. Adjournment
The session was adjourned without further motions. Members dispersed quietly under Presiding Keeper Corvus’s direction. Klara Nilsen recorded final lake observations prior to closure.
VII. Comments of Discourse (Informal, Not Entered into Record)
In the moments following adjournment, several members engaged in customary informal exchange.
Mild disagreement persisted regarding the appropriate threshold for public visibility, with opinions expressed firmly but without escalation.
A brief debate arose over whether the term “review” applied to The Concord was technically accurate or merely journalistic shorthand.
One member questioned whether increased attention was a liability or an overdue correction. No consensus was reached.
The matter of cold tolerance was revisited in jest and then dropped.
The exchange was consistent with established Council temperament and did not impede departure or preparations for the Solstice gathering.
Entered into the Aligned Ledger without amendment.