lthough Tribunal Grandis is discussed briefly (AM5, 14), very little detail regarding its conduct is given. For the Bohemian Rhapsody Saga, the following detail will govern the conduct of Tribunal Grandis.

As stated, Praeco Tribunalis Grandis is Primus Bonisagi, and Quaesitor Praesidens is Primus Guernici. Primus Merceris serves as Antistes Senior, assisted by numerous Caduceatores. Delegates, known as Legati, are accompanied by Quaesitores Praesidentes and Antistites from all Tribunalia.

Opening ceremonies take up most of the first night. Praeco opens Tribunal just after sunset (allowing time for all to renew their Parmae), recognizes Quaesitor Praesidens and Antistes Senior, and calls for Legati to present themselves, typically in the following sequence:

Each Legatus or Legata presents himself or herself to the assembled magi, giving his or her full Hermetic name and lineage, Tribunal represented, and number of sigilla brought. After each Legatio, Praeco calls upon Quaesitor Praesidens from that Tribunal to validate the counts of sigilla; assuming that is done, each Antistes then presents a ratified document to Antistes Senior attesting to the counts and listing each of the magi who have proxied their sigilla to each Legatus or Legata.

It is traditional for each Antistes to read aloud the lists of names and descriptions of sigilla, and for the physical sigilla to be presented to the assembled Legati. Various Tribunalia have differing traditions as to how sigilla are presented; most transport the Sigilla of each Legatus in a separate locked coffer or chest, carried by Caduceatores, but some Legati simply carry large sacks full of sigilla. After each reading, Praeco calls for any who dispute any sigilla to come forward. This process is very time-consuming, but tends to forestall disputes over sigilla voted later in Tribunal.

After all Legati have presented themselves, and all sigilla have been presented, Praeco calls for Quaesitor Praesidens to declare the Tribunal quorate. Assuming this is done, Praeco then calls for each Legatus to concisely announce res they will bring before Tribunal. Speech-making is strongly discouraged, and Praeco may choose to silence a Legatus who talks too long.

Once all res have been announced, which often occurs in the early morning hours, Praeco will dismiss everyone for the day. More than one Legatus or Primus is likely to have nodded off by this point, which may be cause for some humor as the assembly disperses.

During the following day, Praeco will decide the sequence of consideration for various res, often consulting with Quaesitor Praesidens and Antistes Senior, and sometimes with various Primi. Once a sequence has been decided, Praeco notifies Antistes Senior, who will publish a formal list on two volumena, posted inside the entrance to Forum Hermei. The list is typically posted in the late afternoon, two or three hours before sunset.

Following sunset on the second evening, Praeco once again calls Tribunal to session, and calls for the first Legata in sequence to present her res. At this time, extensive oration is permitted, sometimes including subsequent orations by supporting Legati. In cases involving Lex Hermei, witnesses or other evidence may be presented, and accused magi, if present, may also make orations, or may call upon an advocatus to present a defence. Witnesses or other evidence in favor of the accused may be presented, and so on.

After the initial presentations, Legati and Primi may ask questions of the presenting Legatus, or may make supporting or opposing orations. Each issue can thus potentially take several hours before a vote is called. Once Praeco has determined that sufficient debate has ocurred, he calls for a vote. Each Legatus announces how many sigilla are voted for, and how many against, the res. Although in theory a Legatus may choose to split his votes, in practice this rarely happens, and typically only in cases where a specific instruction was given by the owner of the sigillum.

Once a Praeco has called for a vote, Quaesitor Praesidens may veto a proposal (HoH:TL 64). If this occurs, Primi must concur with the veto, which means that at least five of the nine voting Primi must concur (Primi Bonisagi, Guernici, and Merceris do not vote). If a veto is upheld, voting ceases, the veto is recorded, and the Praeco calls for the next Legatus, or dismisses the session.

Following each vote, or suffragium, Caduceatores compile formal lists of how each sigillum was voted, Pro or Contra, often by noting "cunctus" for each Legatus, meaning that all sigilla held by that Legatus were voted. In cases of split votes, specific sigilla voted contrary to the majority for each Legata are listed individually, and the remainder noted as "et caetera." These lists are published on long volumena on the day following, and are entered into the formal records of Tribunal Grandis.

Legati present their res far into the early morning. Depending on the sequence of res, the number of Legati who present during a given session can vary greatly. A complex or contentious res may require an entire session to resolve, while others may require less than an hour. For some res, voting and recording of votes requires more time than presentation and debate. However, Tribunal Grandis has no provision for "passed by acclaim" and thus all votes are formal, and sometimes tedious. Legati often take breaks during votes, and gather in groups on the upper tiers of the Forum, which is typically tolerated so long as their discussions do not interfere with the formal vote.

Praeco may elect to dismiss a session at any time, but always does so prior to sunrise, and weary delegates retire to their beds, rising again the following day to repeat the process. Depending on the number of complex or contentious res, Tribunal Grandis can last anywhere from a few nights to twenty-four (as happened in 1162 AD). Most often it lasts about a week, enabling thirty-nine Legati (three from each of thirteen regional Tribunalia) to present. Traditionally, whenever the last Legatus has presented, and all votes have been taken, Praeco dismisses the assembly and calls for a final session on the following evening.

The final session, which is typically brief, consists of Quaesitor Praesidens recalling any expelled magi, making an oration regarding the events of the Tribunal, and calling for a vote to validate the Tribunal (requiring a two-thirds majority of Legati and Primi, HoH:TL 64). Once validated, Quaesitor Praesidens sets punishments for any convictions that did not necessitate a Wizard's March. Praeco then traditionally thanks assembled Legati for their service to Ordo Hermei, announces the year when the next Tribunal Grandis will meet, and closes Tribunal Grandis.

Before, during, and sometimes after Tribunal Grandis, various other activities take place, including social gatherings, Certamina, and trade in vis, texts, and other items of interest to attending magi. Two gatherings are particularly noteworthy.

Several days prior to the opening of Tribunal Grandis, Senatus Archimagorum gathers, either at Durenmar or at some location nearby, or connected to Durenmar via Mercere Portal. Assembled Archimagi discuss issues among themselves, often including known issues that will be presented at Tribunal Grandis, but also other issues that are worthy of their consideration. Although no formal pronouncements are ever made by Senatus Archimagorum, and no-one outside of Senatus Archimagorum ever knows what, exactly, is discussed, it is widely assumed that Archimagi discussions have an impact on decisions made by Tribunal Grandis.

Primi assemble at Durenmar for a similar meeting on the day immediately before Tribunal Grandis. Again, only Primi know for certain what transpires during their meeting, but most assume that they discuss important issues and consider those issues that will be raised at Tribunal Grandis. Primi sometimes meet during Tribunal Grandis as well, to discuss issues in light of presentations or information not available to them before Tribunal.