Consilium V

[Premsyl]

Chief's smile widens at Rosh's enthusiastic greeting, shaking his hand. He chuckles "They don't have me yet. It's like I told you when I stopped off at the Hostel to sign those papers - I still need to apply for the job."

"I really thought you'd be a bit more burned about me leaving the Free Council. I know I'd have been a huge dick to you about it if the shoe was on the other foot. Thanks for being so cool about it. Good to know I have friends." He nods sincerely as he says this, a solemn smile on his face. He gives Rosh a friendly clap on the shoulder.

Having done that Chief looks around the room again, frowning at what he sees - or doesn't see "I was really hoping there'd be a buffet or something. I haven't eaten tonight." His stomach growls a little as if on cue.

[Dark Passenger]

Mike follows right after the other last arrivals. Just as nervous. He didn't know what this Consilium thought to be proper etiquette, but he didn't even own a normal black suit, so he put on some other relatively formal clothes. One deep breath and he walks in the Circle.

Say hello to the newest guy in town... He looks around, standing close to the door, to see what's inside before talking to it.

What he's wearing

Complete with the gloves

[Animus]

In the end, Animus had chosen to dress up despite feeling uncomfortable. Because he was Hierarch, no matter how much he might like to downplay it. At the door to the Circle, spells fall away like a heavy cloak. Almost immediately, the Thyrsus glances around nervously, clutching a bit tighter at Triquetra's arm as the vibrant patterns suffusing everything fade away, leaving the church drab-looking, seemingly lifeless.

For a moment, the Hierarch considers reviving a spell or two, like a security blanket to ward away the darkness, but the idea is quickly quashed. It just didn't seem right to ignore the rules the rest of the Consilium was asked to abide by. Instead, trying to fight back his own skittishness, he leads his lover into the sanctuary.

[West]

Well... shit.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out he was the only one that had read the summons like that.

"Fuck me running."

He didn't care if he looked out of place, he just could have spent the morning doing something else instead of ironing his robe. Like see what Emily was doing.

At Ariadne's approach, he gave a bow.

"No, it's my fault. I'll, uh, go change."

The first thing you learned in the Army is that CO and XO were never wrong. If they showed up for D&C wearing chickens on their heads, then you'd best start looking for a goddamned chicken and some string.

There were always his practice sweats and a couple of extra t-shirts he kept here at the Circle.

[Lesingnon]

Triquetra isn't exactly happy about having to drop all her spells. She still remembered the last time she'd been out and about without them...when a mage was killed under mysterious circumstances. The abundance of other mages present doesn't really do much to ease her mind, either. Because any one of them could theoretically decide to attack with magic...or be someone else disguised with magic...and there'd been a lot of mages present that night too.

So she's not all that comfortable walking through those doors either. And her eyes dart carefully around the place as though increased vigilance could somehow make up for the lack of mystic enhancement. It didn't, of course.

Paranoia just came part and parcel with being a Guardian.

Henry would probably be proud...in some strange way or another...

[Rosh]

Rosh' admiration turns to sour at the look he receives back from Ariadne.
Way to reciprocate.
Fine bitch.

But today is a different day. Today Rosh leaves Ariadne's glare behind and turns instead for the Heirarch. "Master Animus. I understand it was you who sent little Magpie my way." Rosh smiles at how great that was and how much he appreciats the Heirarch for stooping to act as a phone book.

[Dark Passenger]

Mike was trying to get an idea of which positions the mages inside might have. One feels important enough to come in a robe, but the lovely lady has the power to make him go, interesting.

Then that lovely lady comes his way. The herald.

'A true pleasure to meet you Herald,' Mike bows in his own kind of elegance, as he looks up there is some obvious nervousness to see in his eyes, 'My name is Mike Tamwood, and I was trying to figure out if I was following the right etiquette.' A slight smile as his eyes shift to West for just a flash of a second.

[Jack Falley]

Jack O. Falley
Mysterium •

Jack walks up to the entrance of the Circle dressed in a simple, darkish-red button-down with a plain black tie and black slacks. Wow, lots of new faces... he mentally remarks, brushing a hand over his recently buzzed hair and closely trimmed beard and mustache.

The mystagogue waves a quick hello to Ariadne, Rosh, Chief, and lastly the Hierarch, although he seems a bit more tentative with this last one knowing how the abyssal intrusions from over a year ago affected him, to some extent.

Hearing another car door shut, the Acanthus turns around and, upon recognizing the person, says, "Hello, Dr. Primoria! Nice to see you."

Dr. Tyria Primoria
Consilium ••••; Mysterium •••••

"Hello, Mr. Falley," comes the collected voice of the Curator as she walks elegantly to the Circle entrance. She seems to have decided to dress up a bit for this Consilium, wearing a comfortable red dress to keep cool in the summer heat, as well as a small pair of matching red gloves. Not wanting to bother her, Jack squirms his way through the crowd to find an empty seat away from too many people.

As she watches Jack continue in, the other Acanthus begins taking a head count of her little ducklings as she files in behind the others entering, all while taking extra care to not accidentally bump into anyone.

The red dress

[Animus]

Animus finally slips his hand free of Triquetra's as he glances sadly around the room. So many new faces. And so many old ones simply ... gone. Is it something I've done? Something I could have, but didn't?

In the midst of his thoughts, the Hierarch misses Rosh's approach, as evidenced by the sudden start at the Obrimos' words. Finally he shrugs. "It was the least I could do, to help her get her foot in the door. How are things going?"

Rosh steps to the side, unconsiouly turning himself to see the exit. "Yeah. She is adjusting to life here. I thought she would come today." His shrug seems to explain the result. Rosh watches Animus carefully. How was the man doing? It seemed a lot had happened since their conversation back in the winter.

His observation is broken as Tryia enters. The emotion that roils over the Libertine's face is almost palpable. Some say if looks could kill...
It passes, buried under the control Rosh exerted over himself. Rage replaced with utter lack of concern.

That was a year ago. It had taken Rosh that long to figure it out.
All he had was suspicion and assumption.
And what what could he do about it, anyway?

That thought burns him more. But he better rides his temper. He turns back to his work of monitoring the Heirarch. "Many have left Master Heirarch. Do you intend to fill the seats left open?" Rosh wants to take the question back the moment it's signed with a period.
A quick look around the Room hints torward a horrible fact, unless one of the Arrows running around was rather Mighty...

Rosh suddenly wonders if it is too late to leave.

"On second thought. I'm sure I have Ruby's number somewhere (he did, the call never connected). I'm sure she'll be back soon and...." What? The Obrimos left a stove on? She was hung up in traffic? Ruby was dead, or ought to be. Prolly strung out like Falx was. Maybe half aware as her soul was torn apart.
Rosh hoped that was it. Because the evidence suggested otherwise and left only deeper questions.

Rosh's voice drops to a whisper. His mood growing cold and sad.
"What's happening sir? Why can't we keep anything pinned down?" He sounds angry and uncertain. the Strong Libertine Who Hardly Cares dropped to reveal an angry young mage lost on his path and carrying much authority.
Rosh looks to the Heirarch for answers he knows the other young mage will not have.

"How can I find you that answer Sir?"

Animus seems to shrink inward, each word pounding against him. A hand slips into Triquetra's, as if the contact could somehow ward away the pain, or make everything seem less dead. The Thyrsus' eyes flash in a way that puts Rosh in mind of a wounded animal, and a hint of a growl edges into his speech. "You think it doesn't haunt me every time one of us disappears? That I wouldn't throw heart and soul into fixing it if I had the slightest inkling how?"

There's a moment of awkward silence, the Hierarch trying to catch his breath and rein in the flood of emotion. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't take things out on you. I just ..." He sighs, finally forcing a sad smile. "Stress never really goes away, these days. The Paths will choose among themselves, as always."

"They leave because they are scared, or weak, or whatever. It really does not matter why. They do not matter now. Tech does." Rosh seems to find his strength again, his tone is firm. "You are a strong and wise Heirarch. You are an example for them and for me." Rosh shuts his mouth before he says something he might regret.

A wounded animal. When would he heal? Rosh wanted to mend that hurt himself.
Animus was relying too much on others to lend him strength already. He had to stand alone if was to stand at the head of the Consilium. And he had to stop crying about it. Animus cared too much about looking incapable. Every mistake is a disaster and every success only stems the tide.

Animus is depressed.
Rosh wished he could snap the man out of it. Maybe then he would find the path to his Soul.

Maybe the lady standing at his side was the key. "Master, I have yet to meet your lady-friend. They call me Rosh." He extends a hand in greeting, a sunny smile wishing everything would be peaceful and kind.

"Or they leave because...people do that?" They'd all left somewhere to come to Sacramento after all hadn't they? Or at least most of them. It was hardly as though moving was that unusual in today's day and age. Especially those who didn't have to worry about being tied down in one place by a job...like Mages. Really, it didn't seem too strange to her that some came and went.

"Oh, and I'm Triquetra." She accepts the offered handshake, "Nice to meet you."

"A pleasure. I'm glad your here, and it would be a shame to see you leave. If I can persuade you otherwise. Let me know. We are dour lot, but I think that is changing as time moves on. New perspectives have a way of.., uplifting old ones." Rosh's eyes dart to Animus. The guy had a gift in Triquetra. Rosh hoped he saw that.

Merge back into main thread