A chat with the newest councillor

[Chambers]

This Scene was Rp'd on discord during site down time

Thirteen Would find a thick envelope left against the door to the free council quarters, containing a hand written invite to Gold lined stationary to Chambers personal Sanctum a slip number at Sacramento Marina, for a chat.


The Marina itself has a notable feeling of orderly peace.


Docked at the location is a wooden house boat, rather at odds with its carbon fiber and plastic hull cousins. the lower baloney has been boarded up to make an additional front room, Chambers himself sits on the upper balcony, wrapped up against the cold. cup of tea steaming on the table, and a gentle stream of smoke coming from his pipe.


Where you might expected to see the name of the boat or ship is written XXXVXCVXCVC a series of letters that repeats on the front door.

[Thirteen]

The invitation came as a surprise, to be certain. Thirteen had come to the Free Council section of the Consilium to do some cleaning and upkeep when she found the fancy notice. Despite her initial instinct that this was somehow bad, she silently talked herself into acknowledging that this was probably a friendly invitation, and not some sort of omen of doom.


The Acanthus had never been to the marina before, but she kind of liked it. After double checking to be certain she had the right slip, she approached the houseboat. Not what she had been expecting, really. Much more humble looking. The redhead didn't give the boat's name a second look. She'd never been good with Roman numerals so it was all gibberish to her.


Spying Chambers, the Scottish girl gave a little wave. "Hey."

[Chambers]

Seeing the Enchantress arrive and walk down to the slip, the Moros answers the greeting. "Hello, give me a moment I'll get the door." And proceeds to descend through the trap door, a few moments and the sounds of some scrambling later the front door the house boat opens. "Please come on in." The first room, the boarded lower balcony is a clearly a workshop, a central table dominates the room, a raised edge preventing a large flat stone falling off should the current swell suddenly. Various hammers and chisels hang from hooks on the wall in sets, precisely distanced from each other or from the wall ladder leading up. A heavy leather apron hangs from a second door which Chambers will lead them through releasing the scents of caramel, rosemary and something lightly spiced as it opens.


The room is much lighter thanks to wall size window letting in the weaker winter light, a armchair sits beside this window an two person sofa is pushed against the wall separating the living space from the workshop and directly across from that a fully stock galley and cramped kitchenette area, pots and pans hang suspended from the ceiling, including a comically sized stone spatula shaped like an eastern style dragon breathing a jet of flame, and the rest of the floor space is given over to a coffee table and and various cabinets maximizing surface area and storage space. A short corridor leading to the back door indicates two other rooms on the ship.


Maneuvering his way over to the galley Chambers gestures to the sofa. "Grab a seat can I get you anything to eat, or drink?" Under the new charter his was after all a solitaire claiming territory, even if he was not usually trying to be well mannered, a certain degree of hospitality was expected

[Thirteen]

Being invited into another Mage's home was not small thing, she knew. That Aurora, and now Chambers, were showing her this amount of trust, was important. So, here she was being polite and respectful... at least as much as she could manage.


Thirteen had come dressed for winter: Jeans, moto boots, a green sweater underneath her black leather jacket, matching green scarf draped over her shoulders. "Thank you," she responded as she sat upon the sofa. "Um, just some water, if that's alright."

[Chambers]

A cupboard is open a glass removed and filled with water which Chambers leaves on the coffee table table for when Thirteen wants it "One water." An easy enoguh request. For himself he clips a kettle to the grill of the oven and sets it to heat. While waiting for it to come ot the boil he turns and addresses his guest. "I thought it was a good time to check in, see how your doing. And Give you a chance to offer views an advise on our current circumstances as a consilium." Even in his short time as leading the mages of Sacramento the Councillors seemed to respond better when given the time and space to bring things up rather then waiting on them to do.

[Thirteen]

Red eyebrows raised a little. The Hierarch wanted her insights? Thirteen picked up the glass of water. "Thank you."


After a sip, the glass was set back down. "Well, I'm not shy about my opinions. I think you know how I feel about this whole slaister with San Francisco. I hate it. But we got no better options, and I'm not about to bend my knee without a fight." A very Libertine attitude, but she'd be like that regardless of her Order. "Or was there another issue you were referrin' to?"

[Chambers]

A inclination of the his head indicates agreement about being far from fond of the situation. "None of us like it but unforutnely the pentacle has its fair sdhare of infighting and spying on each other." The ywouldnt need all the measures of resolution if everyone was able to live in relative harmony. "It gauls that much more that we are having to clean up situations set in motion by others long since passed." The city it would seem had been without any kind of proper guidance or enforcement for a quite a while. "But I don't think any of us here have any intention to just roll over." But as for a deeper conversation it would seem more direct questions would be needed. "But I am fairly new to this level of responsibility and far from omniscient." Do you think starting with the duel arcane is the right move or is there an angle I am missing?" Everyone had thoughts, from assassination, to more aggressive action, to just ignoring the problem entirely.


Hands make an open gesture. "I was referring generally, anything that's on your mind." And there could be alot. "The San Fran situation is one, the rouge mage you found another, the duties of a councilor a third, thoughts on how we deal with the hunters when they surface again." Which they surely would once hunters got the scent it was bad news. "What will happen to Ediolon should he show up again." Leaning back into the counter using his hands to support himself. "There's a lot going on and I am trying to make good use of this lull, we might not have time for lengthy consultations and one to one meeting later." Quite did not mean the work stopped

[Thirteen]

"I don't know," Thirteen heaved a sigh, "This whole duel deal came up before I even knew we were facing a takeover by this other city. I feel like I don't know anything about them. Maybe if we had some recon - or intel, or whatever you want to call it - then maybe we could figure out another solution. One that doesn't hinge on one person's ability to wave their Arcana around better than another person. As it is, I know nothin' about San Francisco aside from that big fancy bridge they got."


The Acanthus shook her head, "Anyway, we do got a lot of irons in the fire, eh? I've not seen hide nor hair of the Hunters. If they still think we were tourists, then maybe they'll assume we've long since went home. But they know my face, so I'm always on alert. The mad scientist from the inn... haven't thought about him much. If he's smart, he's gone."


Eidolon. Her mood was pleasant enough so far, but that name brought a scowl to her face. "He's missing? Did his bookstore close?"

[Chambers]

An short sigh and grim look meets the statements. "I would very muck like to be better informed on the situation myself." A gentle half shrug, making do with a bad hand. "But lack of records and the turnover nature of the city leaves us with very little." Not that he hadn't tried. "I have a circumstantial anecdote about one claim, and a witness present to another but who is two traumatised to recall anything." And lacking the skill with mind to access what he needed that was less then useful. "Cavendish and I summarised the duel was the way to avoid the most loss of life and if we can pull it off bind them in long standing precedent." Outcomes of duels were respected, by just about any one and everyone. "I also hear that some of the orders have merged into single units over in San Fran, but that came from Corn so." Leaving the rest unsaid, Corn's reputation was well known. "I would love to get someone into the house Skye and the rest found to do some proper investigating but again we need to be careful, invasion of a sanctum could provoke a war we are very unlikely to win." And that would be the worst outcome of them all.

Turning only so he can add a tea bag to a cup and ad the now boiling after. A light aroma of freshly cut flowers is added to the room as he does. "Don't we just." Plenty of problems fortunately few enough new ones though. "You Said You and Eidolon met them, and this was shortly before Eidolon's paradox event, something I would wager hunter or sleeper paranormal investigators could catch wind of." Turning back, cup now between his hands he walks over to the chair by the window to sit. "Even if they think your tourists its far from impossible they linked him and by association you to something." Just because the hunters hadn't been seen in a while that didn't mean they had moved on. "If they gravitate towards the unusual then it seems likely they will cross paths with us again." Given the links to two dead mages that didn't bode well. "So, how do you think we should handle them if that happens?" Who better to ask then the mage who had sat down with them and walked away.

Now the scientist, or whatever he had been. "Regarding the Inn's long term resident, I think I am very close to being able to use the skull you gave me to learn a bit more about him." It was taking a while yes, but if the secrets of the arcana came easy then well everyone would third of fourth degree masters. "Would you be interested in a joint ritual, to best extend the length of time that could be witnessed?" The might have very different ideologies when it came to well a lot, but the squabbling of orders was not something a Consilium with less the n ten mages could afford to indulge if they didn't absolutely have to.

An eyebrow arches but only momentarily. "Well he has not been seen since he walked out of the circle after you reported what had happened. So missing, moved on or now acting independently of the pentacle." None of them great outcomes given the careless nature the warlock had shown. "I don't actually know where his book shop is, but yes someone should be sent to check." Best to eliminate the possibility.

[Thirteen]

"So, all we got are unreliable witnesses and second-hand information from dead people? Fookin' wonderful," she said wryly. "And we have to pin all our hopes on Asclepius? No shame on him, he did beat me in a practice duel. But barely, and that was my first time." Yeah, Thirteen was pretty pessimistic about this whole thing. "I'd feel better if we had a back-up plan, but I don't even know what that would be." The Acanthus thought a moment, "Unless the mage from the Inn would count as San Francisco violating our territory and we could..." she waved a hand aimlessly as she searched for an endgame to the idea, "I don't know. Shame them into leaving us alone? Catch them in some Lex loophole? If we could prove it, and if we could even find him again." She sighed and shook her head, red curls bouncing. Thirteen felt like she was grasping at straws.

The recounting of Eidolon's public breach only worsened her mood. The chances the Hunters took note of the incident was something she'd already considered and did not like. Brown eyes squared on Chambers. Her reply was simple. "We put 'em in the ground."

After a moment, she elaborated, "They already killed two of us. Hunters are supporters of the Lie, whether they know it or not. They need to be put down."

The idea of finding the Inn Mage interested her, though. "I've been workin' on my Time magics."

The Libertine frowned (well, frowned more than she had been already), "I've been there. Dropped by on openin' day. So did Skye, I think." Going back there and possibly having to interact with the Warlock was not something she relished. So, she was trying to pass the job to the Arrow. Wasn't the blonde Eidolon's girlfriend or something?