Grimoire Meeting
Grimoire Meeting
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THREADID
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Setting out his references, Luke gets to work, trying to find any occult references or symbolism hidden among the book's chapters. The work would probably name drop a few well know supernatural theories, but with luck, there would be an a single hypothesis hidden between the lines.
research checks
Divide and Conquer was a maxim devised for generals and soldiers on the battlefield. It allowed them to smash the defense and offense of their enemies, break their resistances, and squash the opposition. The Ordo Dracul and the group David led, in particular, weren't soldiers. But, the Ordo Dracul did seem to take a similar stance towards the book in question.
In a way, the Mortician was in his element. As a Slave, he researched those things that did not need Johan's direct attention and David's knowledge of the Occult and Death in particular, was bolstered by the tangible tide that came and went with the Geomantic Nexus of the Library. Paired with the formidable talents of two others, it was only a matter of time, perhaps, that the book yielded its secrets.
Over three days the three of them worked and from the outside looking in, it was a surprisingly polite war. With multiple languages interrogating the literature, drawing conclusions, striking those conclusions, and forming new ones. Books were enlisted, cross-referenced, and returned and other allies were brought into the fray.
When the three day skirmish was complete, David considered what he, Hildegarde and Luke had come to find.
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2nd Round - killing myself here >.< :P
1) Background Checks and Investigation: I've PM'd Bigpaw with more results - I'll leave it up to Aileen to discuss her findings
2) Textual Analysis and Interpretation: The intrepid trio of translators, researchers and academic archaeologists have hit the mother lode!
In a whirl of work, the trio discover the sections of the book that are not related to role playing games are in fact large tracts from occult texts that have been long thought lost: large portions of a cycle of Orphic hymns and incantations relating to travel in the Underworld and an vision of one such journey - down the Acheron to the Sunless Sea - and chapters from a lost necromantic grimoire focussing on summoning and binding (these chapters are not only complete but have marginalia and commentary ranging from the childish to the deeply insightful).
The Orphic Hymns are in Greek (Hildegarde takes the lead) while the grimoire-within-a-grimoire is in 16th century English but laced with idioms that give the text a Scottish origin. Working outward from the work and with a due diligence combining the hard perception of David Regan, supported by Luke Caldon's ability to track down obscure sources of information online, the intrepid archivists discover that the Scottish text belongs to the Blue Book of Thomas Crabbe: they may not have a full copy, but this is the first to be uncovered in nearly four centuries!
Thats the short version - the analysis and significance of these incredibly rare documents could take months or years. Thomas Crabbe's text outlines his own unique conjuring system. The hymn cycle not only covers protective charms but also provides a guide to various lands of the dead through which the Acheron flows, naming their chthonic flora and fauna - a detail that is almost unique. David picks up on a number of unique preparations - potions to assist the lucid dead, those who are bound, and blood drinkers - on their very physical journeys to the Sunless Sea.
3) Physical Examination with Disciplines: With Michael Redfill's assistance, tiny Martha unlocks the auric halo of the book... and gets a big headache!
Martha stares. And stares. And stares. Till that hideous moment when she is sucked down into the pages and swept along as if carried along a churning stream, laced with snagging rocks and cascading falls. History weighs heavy in the aura - a lead weight pulling everything backward toward the moment of creation: a small cabal of youths - post-punk, goth and grunge working together while an army of shrouded dead press down around them; the leading spectre looks up at Martha... and smiles.
Giggling and sobbing, a woman (she might be one of the participants in the creation rite) fumbles about on a dirty floor with a dead man, drawing symbols and working from an open book. "Please. Just bring him back. Just bring him back!"
An old man with a beard hides the book in a room filled to bursting with books and manuscripts. Envy bleeds from him as he shuts the door and turns the lock.
Fire burns! A yacht screams its death cry. Two women, maddened, fight tooth and nail over the book as the waters come rushing in...
Four sit at a table in a darkened room lit by a single lamp. A man in a beret; the woman in the scarf; a bearded wanderer; and a man with a televangelist's smile, rings on his fingers and detailed scrollwork on his shirtsleeves. "You mean to use it, then?" asks the bearded wanderer. "Its the only way to bring her here. To have home ground advantage," says the woman in the scarf. "We have no choice," the man in the beret is resigned. He looks at the man with the smile. "Will you help?" "Happy to oblige," is the reply. The man fumbles for a pack of cigarettes and eases one into his mouth. "Question is, are you and your people willing to pay the price?"
A vague, insubstantial form. A woman. Kitchen sounds - smell of baking. "Hey! Don't touch that! You'll ruin my cookies!"
4) Physical Examination and Restoration: Anabella Prieto Princess has been done (see above)
Chrisie liked this post
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"The materials are remarkably unremarkable, aside from, the paste," Ana surmises. "It got very wet at some point, obviously, but I'm rather surprised the pages are still intact given there, ah, lack of quality? We could replace these materials almost anywhere."
"But the paste," she rubs her fingers together in the air as though attempting to convey the concept of adhesion, or perhaps just to keep her hands busy. "It's an unusual combination. Quite specific, actually. Looking into that further might perhaps find it unique to a particular source."
As the the Kindred worked, the monk seemed to become lost in himself. His gaze alternating between watching the work and closed doors. His hand moves through prayer beads taht had been tucked up his sleeve. Perhaps it is the effort to sustain whatever effect they felt when the first entered.
When Anabella spoke, the monk seemed to come back to himself, as from a day dream or a very deep contemplation. "Supplicant Redfill, do you have any access to..chemical analyzing equipment at the university? Sample could possibly be analized for root components?"
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Michael thinks for a moment before replying:
"Yes, I've got the access. I have only passing knowledge of chemistry and none - of craftsmanship, though. So I would like Miss Pierto to accompany me and anyone who can operate the chem analysis equipment better than me is welcome to join. I should be able to reserve a place in the lab's timetable for tomorrow and order visitor IDs so that you can get on the campus".
The doctor waits for anyone with scientific expertise to volunteer.
Luke looked up from his laptop and raised his hand. "I minored in chemistry back in my college days. I was at the least passable, so I can take care of the chemical analysis if no one else feels more qualified."
Closing his notes, David volunteers himself, “I have some scientific knowledge that might assist, if you need an extra set of hands sir”
On the fourth night after the initial convocation, three Dragons reconvened to discuss their findings with the others. “Important is a poor word to describe what is hidden in the pages,” David says as his opening remarks while looking to his notes. “Two different grimoires are hidden in plain sight in the text: a book of Orphic Hymns and an incomplete, but annotated, Blue Book by Thomas Crabbe. I'll talk about them separately.”
“The book of Orphic Hymns are in Greek and thanks to Supplicant Bingen, has been translated.” A nod of thanks in her direction, “In it, the Cycle serves as a guide to the Cartography of an Underworld; naming the Acheron river specifically. Along with the flora and fauna in the guide, it also covers protective charms.”
David is reminded of the Roman belief that the Underworld is accessible through a cave.
It is something he notes down in a strange language at the corner of his moleskine book.
“Thomas Crabbe's book,” David continues on in his mild-mannered way, “is incredibly rare and hasn't been seen in approximately four-centuries. Thankfully, it isn't written in a style like the Voynich Manuscript. While it isn't a full-copy, it does outline Mr. Crabbe's own conjuring system. In a way, it reminds of John Dee's writings.”
OOC
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Thats probably a good idea, given the spread of activities. It would certainly help make each line of enquiry clearer. Is that what people would prefer: continuing their research and/or other activities in their own threads over on the Requiem Board before we set up another Grimoire Meeting thread to discuss the results? Any threads would need to me marked as [Grimoire] so we can track them. Thanking you for your interest in this plot
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(Grimoire) Lab Work
(Grimoire) Words of Power
(Grimoire) Archaeology in Words
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