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Fall rolls into Winter and Ariadne is once again sitting at home in green fleece pants and a rust red sweater. With Pixel curled up next to her Ariadne watches Sacramento through a closed window. A glass of wine in one hand while the other serves as Pixel's blanket.
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Bishop liked the winter. Well, he liked the snow. It covered up all the dirt and corruption of the world outside and left it clean and gave the illusion of an unsullied world. A dead world. Which was fine, because the Moros in him could appreciate it all the better. Winter was also the one season, where some of his rather joyful memories resided. Christmas had been nice, both with Mom and Dad back then and also in the four years he had spent his "happily sleeping ignorance" with Samantha. And Oregon had always delivered a white christmas.
Now, here, Bishop wore his worn-down jeans, which had seen better days but were still massively comfortable and a pair of sneakers (with inlays, because his knees were killing him when it got colder). But usually people did not notice the jeans, because the lovely grimace of Eddie the Head glared at everyone from his wash-lighted Iron Maiden T-shirt with his usual charming smile. He passed through the library and went into the living room.
<Hm...this is informal. So not Epopt.>
It was hard to overcome old habits. Bishop had problems adapting to informal gatherings and their very own brand of etiquette.
He gave a nod.
"Good evening, Lady Sigil-Holder." he greeted Ariadne, while making himself a generous pitcher full of ice-tea.
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Shifting to look at the older Guardian, Ariadne smiles warmly. "Evening Bishop." Her free hand's fingers play on Pixel's back gently. If she could Ariadne would be near a fire right now instead of a window.
She waits for Bishop to finish making his ice-tea before asking her question.
"What do you think of the last Consilium?"
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"It certainly marks the opening of a political stage." Bishop replied, choosing his words carefully. He poured himself a generous amount of drink, before making himself comfortable on a couch.
With a sigh he leaned back and took a sip of the tea, before adding "It also marked two very dangerous incidents with regards to my...and probably our...work along order agendas."
He thought back to both his meeting with Pepper and the Path meeting with Mace.
"The issue regarding the right to a private trial will be addressed most likely. Which is good, because I would hate to divulge information about my assets in front of a consilium full of over-eager mages willing to mess with them." he continued, while wondering what the Epopt herself had made of his little publicity stunt.
"I am concerned, why councilor Nous did not see that particular threat, but then again, I don't really know, what her game with politics is. It may come to a conflict of interest with her, but I can handle that most likely. I am more worried about the treatment of the Talon Striker, who I think would not have been on trial, had he not spoken on behalf of my concerns. Don't get me wrong, a reprimand for casting vulgar in public is well deserved. But at this stage, law enforcement has the potential to sensitize people. Even though it should be pretty obvious, that vulgar magic would require the direst of needs, I think most mages do not really grasp the concept of this particular Precept. The public part of Strikers affair could become a problem."
Bishop studied the view through the window, ordering his train of thoughts and recalling what else was said that evening.
"I also yanked Aquinas chain, because I want him to get out of his comfort zone. Just because he made it pretty obvious, that challenging him would be futile does not mean, that he can simply lean back. I guess, time will tell, what his agenda is. But I don't trust him. Yet. Which is most likely an occupational hazard."
He smiled mirthlessly.
"Speaking of hazards, you yourself had a run in with some of the more unpleasant members of awakened populace. How exactly did you get those soul jars?"
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The Hearthmaster joins his two Cabalmates with a small pot filled with mulled wine and thick, heavy glasses some time during Bishop's speech. He pours the wine for everyone silently and listens moving near Ariadne to pat Pixel before dragging a chair near to the window and the Epopt and sitting down.
The view is relaxing and perfect for quiet contemplation and strategy:
"Ah, I've missed actually relaxing. The Factotum preparation nearly killed me", - he frowns when reminded with the last Consillium, - "Frankly the Lex in Sacramento is a mess. Telos and Aquinas can act as righteous as they like but we have no decent precedent here and I don't think there has been a proper trial in ages. Proceeding very carefully and making as few public spectacles as possible is the best this Council can do right now".
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Silence holds as Ariadne forms her thoughts. "There remains the possibility that even a private trial may not be enough." She takes a sip of her wine.
"I would hope that most are aware that what we do we do for a reason, it may be necessary to hide certain assets." Like the little red phone.
"I agree that the proceedings had the potential to be too much for the gathering. Most of our fellows don't Understand why. That is why our own numbers are so small and the trials high." Ariadne gives a small nod. "The Heirarch does appear to have his house in order but that's no reason to not make sure. Just in case." She says with a small smile.
"Evening Ermon." He gets a warm smile as well. "Ooo." Leaning forward Ariadne places her glass of wine on the table before taking a glass of the mulled wine. "Thank you."
"I don't recall an actual trial occurring since I have come to Sacramento. There was at least one instance of order being maintained by Will." Taking a sip Ariadne sighs, warm wine, delicious.
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Bishop nodded. "Ultimately, we must strive to prevent any trial at all. If any of our order are up in front of a council with charges on vulgar magic, it means we have utterly failed in our endeavours." he added. "And I also think, that while I may be perceived as a loathsome troublemaker, it still served its purpose, because the council retreated to a more private session. We'll see where it goes from here."
Bishop turned to the new arrival and gave Ermon a half-hearted salute.
"Good evening, Mr. Ermon. So, have you passed that factotum exam, or will there be more examinations?"
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"I disagree, when we Sin we Sin with a purpose. We Sin so that others do not have too." Taking a sip of mulled wine leaves a pause. "That does not however save face if others do not appreciate what that means." She continues with a small frown before turning her attention to Ermon, curious as well about the exam.
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Ermon shakes his head with a dark laugh as he sips the hot, spicy wine. There is nothing quite as good as being warmed from the inside while the cold rages outside. Or whatever passes for the cold raging here in California. He went on a trip to Canada once. In January. Now that was cold.
"Frankly, I think I screwed up the theoretical part", - he holds up a finger for emphasis, - "Politics. But not too badly: the Lictor invited me to the practical exam so there is still a chance. Anyway, now I at least have an idea what the other Ladders are going on about when they discuss the Lex".
The Warlock frowns at all the talk about Sinning and other Things That Start With Uppercase Letters:
"Well, to be honest, Striker was just plain stupid. I saw one of the castings, there was no reason. At all", - he pauses, hesitating before confessing something not too pleasant to his two Guardian Cabalmates, - "Frankly, there was a time when I didn't understand what the big deal was with Vulgar stuff. And even Paradoxes. I mean, it's not really proven they make some lasting bad cosmic impact. But after that house... You weren't there, Bishop. The Scelesti... What they did to themselves and others, it was beyond horrible. So now I get why the Wise should stay away as far as possible from all that".
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"Yes, I haven't been there." Bishop nodded. "But I didn't get into this order without witnessing some of the massive crap, which scelesti pull for their own twisted agendas."
Bishop gently caressed his belly, where the scars crossed his skin.
<How long has that been now?> he wondered.
"But if you came to the conclusion, that the Wise should stay away from all these horrible things, then I'd say you have learned your lessons from the mistakes of others. And that is a good thing."
Bishop scratched his chin.
"I am a little concerned about the soul jars. The teddy-bear seems like the obvious threat, but the souls...I would try to get rid of them as fast and as clean as possible. Nothing good would ever come of them, if Scelesti have tampered with them."
He raised a hand to ward of protests.
"I know it is cold and I probably wouldn't talk like that, had I known the persons behind the souls, but from my rather cold and detached...and far away...point of view, they seem dangerous leftovers."
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