(2410) October Consilium

[Phoenyx]

Witch is given a small smile. "About two months ago. I hope my absence has not negatively affected the Concillium." It was good to see the Moros - she was calm and reliable.

Joyeuse similarly is given an inclination of the head respectfully. She steps from the door to join her and Winter to discuss the position of Councillor.

Then, things began to collapse all too soon. She knew Corn's announcement was coming, but she had hoped his time in solitude would allow him to be calm. Clearly it had been too much to hope for, and Phoenyx quietly made a note not to trust Corn's reactions any further than she could throw the entire Circle of Creation.

She takes a breath before adding to the throng, looking to address the many questions in turn, starting with Winter. "I will be brief. The meeting Corn asked for was called yesterday - this information is as new as realistically possible. So far no evidence has been gathered - magically or otherwise - that is conclusive or useful to identify the sorce of the kidnappers. From the meeting had with Corn previously, he was not able to garner information from the scene of the crime due to his distress. I can cionfirm that as Asclepius has stated the Arrows were not called as an order, only individuals Corn sought help from. The Adamantine Arrow has not thrown itself behind this cause - we are committed to the protection of the Concillium as we always have, which at this time is potentially threatened by these events - but we are individuals and I trust my Ordermates to make their own choices. Similarly the annoucement was made here as the most reliable way of contacting all members of the Concillium at once, not to cause delays. Since ythat meeting Corn has been within the Circle, protected by it's wards. We have insufficient information and it is prudent to both identify ther facts," She gestures to Winter and Phillip, "and to cooperate among all groups until the details are known," she gestures to Joyeuse.

She looks around, particualryto Auroa and Guru both seemed to be the opposite ends of the reaction - one angry about saving a life, the other angry about the potential threat brought down on the Circle. Fortunately, she has already had this arguement with Corn. Level minds had to prevail. "Regardless of our personal feelings about this circumstance or what is right and wrong, there are two key actions that must be pursued to help us protect ourselves. Firstly everyone should be on a heightened level of caution, especially those that interact with the Fallen world and Sleepers on a regular basis. Talon Joyeuse and myself live here in the Circle and the other Arrows are often here - our contacts are readily available for your protection. Second, a group with suitable skills need to examine the scene and gather evidence on what has actually happened, that allow us to act. I recommend one of our Guardians, as well as a Disciple or higher in the Space and Death arcana (if those are not the same person) to help identify who attacked, how, and possibly identify them. I recommend anyone interested in the investigstion form a group of their own to prepare these paths and question Corn accordinglyand inform the Circle as a whole." She looks at Corn himself, gesturing to take anyone interested aside. Was it cold? Perhaps, but a plan needed to be made and Concillia were usually bad at doing so. Somtimes peoiple had to act, Phoenyx didn't want another hour of speeches arguing how much of an idiot Corn had been before someone suggested an action.

She inclines her head briefly to Aurora. "I can speak for Councillor Aurora's skill."

[Eidolon]

"Right, so the nipper's gone walkabout, and we've got a room full of mages with more opinions than a bloody pub crawl," Eidolon drawled, scratching his chin with a sardonic grin. "Skepticism's all well and good, lads, keeps the mind sharp and the bullshit filter working, but let's not get bogged down in the 'he said, she said' when there's a kid missing, eh?"

He took a drag from his cigarette, the ember glowing ominously in the dim light. "Guru's got the right idea, though. We're not exactly a knitting circle here, are we? We've got enough firepower in this room to give the bloody Lords of Hell a migraine. Sitting on our arses while one of our own gets shafted? Not exactly the Consilium's finest hour, wouldn't you say?"

Eidolon blew a plume of smoke towards the ceiling, his eyes narrowed. "So, here's the deal. I'm in. Crime scene's got my name on it, magical residue, whatever. If it leads to the little bugger and whoever nicked him, I'm your man. Just point me in the right direction."

He turned to Corn, a flicker of genuine sympathy in his eyes. "Look, mate, I can't pretend to know what you're going through. Losing a kid...that's a whole different level of hell. But you're not alone in this, alright? We'll find the wee lad, and we'll make sure whoever did this regrets the day they were bloody born."

Eidolon's voice hardened, a steely edge replacing the sarcasm. "So, let's cut the crap and get down to business. We're the Sacramento Consilium, not a bunch of pansies. We don't back down, and we don't let our own get taken. We find the kid. We make things right. That's the way we do things around here."

He fixed Corn with a determined stare. "We'll find your son, Corn. And when we do, well...let's just say they'll be wishing they'd never messed with the Consilium."

[Chambers]

In this moment he is genuinely grateful that his mind is partitioned to different tasks for as his primary focus is caught off guard by Corn's interruption. The other task, that of scribing goes on uninterrupted as he has assigned it to do. The Moros takes his time to compose his lien of thinking, to not react emotionally and publicly berate Corn for his flagrant disregard for secrecy and that he had warned him such thing would likely occur.

No instead he begins to listen instead of talk, to see the sides forming, the common threads and the reactions to this revelation. And the gaps. Corn's story was falling apart even without his input. Weeks ago or yesterday, bit of a gap in that timeline. And even one false detail made the entire story suspect. And he was not the only one to think so it would seem as Aurora voices just as much. And he has to agree. Calmly, composed he final adds his voice. "Corn. You don't walk around with spells in your pattern that I can tell." That was true and thus undermines the supernatural claim. "So. That leads me to ask. What have you done that would lead you to think you've been identified and targeted by a supernatural foe?" That was vital information, it might give a location, a person, a lead. Cold fear begins rising as he recalls that fraught conversation months past and Corns stated views on education. But no need to add fuel to the fire of speculation.

The deaths, unfortunate but nothing they could do anything about now. The bodies would tell us things for sure but that would require getting access to evidence involved in a homicide case. Now would it be safer to scrub his sympathy or use it? "But yes we do need to know more." Knowledge was the key as it so often was. He was not in the habit of revealing what he was capable of to the gathered collective more then eh could help it, and he showed them plenty already.

Because at the end of the day despite what Corn claimed and Guru assured the room he knew. They did not know, they did not know if this was banishers, hunters, seers, tremere or the act of a deranged sleeper, something else entirely. And walking into any one of those prepared for something else would be disastrous. This is why we need a council, a hierarch would be better but a council would have been enough to cut through a lot of the nonsense and reach a decision faster.

However he is saved from trying to direct the flow of this disaster as another does so. "Phoenyx has the right of it." We are a volunteer force at the moment. "I am of limited use in field work." Loathe as he was to admit both that and to the pressure on his time. "And will be traveling soon to get my accreditation as a factotum squared away." He had a date for the exam set a taking a week away mid investigation would only slow things down. "However." Turning to Corn. "When next we meet I will provide you with something to help find those responsible so we can conclude this matter swiftly." It was not something for all the eyes of the circle to see, but it would help in whatever steps came next.

[Witch]

”I’m just glad to see you back,” Witch said with a genuine smile. Further talk would have to wait though as official business got started.

And for the first few moments it was not bad. Granted this wasn’t her first official consilium meeting in Sacramento. But the first had been THE first, and she knew that was never a good baseline. So she was expecting this one to be more representative of what more of these would entail.

And then Corn.

And everyone else right along with him. Wow. That was … a 90 degree turn that wasn’t fully unexpected but one always hoped.

She remained quiet for longer than most. And for a portion of it, there were considerations on what words to say about Corn’s problem. But in the end she waited for a pause and spoke simply.

”Perhaps we should complete the set up of Councilors. I believe that given everything we have heard they can then look to put together a task team.”

[Corn]