To Become a Circle

[Cameron]

"Excellent!" remarks the cheerful Haunt, soon following Chris and the others inside. He takes one of the offered seats, using the moment it took to get comfortable to calm the Beast within. It wanted to lash out at his fellow Acolytes - to exert its dominance. But that was a stupid plan outside, and remained a stupid idea inside. A look of confusion passed over his face as Bastian introduced himself, and subsequently left the room. The Haunt glanced around to see if anyone knew why, before deciding it wasn't really his business.

"A pleasure to meet you, Ms Harding; Mr Tremblay. I'm Julian Durand...but please, call me Julian" offering a smile to the two new faces, albeit one twisted and tainted by his curse. It was toothy in all the wrong ways, and carried with it a sense of atavistic dread.

[Chris Wooding]

After Julian starts on a first name basis, Chris nods to agree, 'Indeed, let's keep it friendly while we're here on the farm. It's a quiet and usually safe place. Just Hierophant, or Chris, is fine here for me.'

'You're all new to this Circle, just to give you an idea of how glad I am that you're all here. Another Acolyte recently left. And it's been a while since I heard from Skaald Edwin Bridges, but I'll try to contact him soon.' It's just a casual way to start the conversation.

Since Cormac seems a bit shy, Chris decides to let him calm down a bit. Instead he turns to Julian, 'Katya and I were just discussing the Second Descent, she is already within the faction. Now I can hardly call that a coincidence.'

[Cameron]

Julian listened quietly as the Hierophant set the context of the meeting. Turning up tonight had been a matter good timing, or so it appeared. One of the few constants that the Haunt had clung to, both while living and after his Embrace had been a firm belief in fate. These things happened for a reason. Not only was it a comforting sentiment; it went a long way towards explaining the strange series of coincidences that plagued his existence.

"Is that so?" Julian asks, turning to face the Gangrel. "Fortuitous indeed, then. I met with Chris not long ago, and we discussed the philosophies of the Second Descent. I'm quite intrigued, to say the least - I rather like the notion of trying to become something more; of treating our existence as a blessing to be cherished." A lazy smile crossed his lips, before continuing "I was part of the Chorus, back in Philadelphia. Things have been more than a little chaotic since then, and I'm looking forward to resuming my worship here." Context, added mainly for the benefit of Kayta and Cormac.

[Chris Wooding]

While the Hierophant listens to the city's newest Acolytes, he also casts another glance at the silent Cormac Tremblay , wondering if he has any thoughts about the Second Descent. It would be understandable if not everyone agreed with their philosophies.

'I feel a great connection to Persephone. Although she was abducted to the Underworld, we too, are often unwillingly Embraced. Through her, I can express my diversity and adaptability as Hierophant. She suffered great tribulation, but then became stronger in it.' It might not be an original Goddess - if such a thing exists - and some could argue that it expresses doubt, but Chris brings it with confidence. Clearly he has already thought about this.

'A key element of the Second Descent for me is that we learn from all mythologies, for there is wisdom in every one of them. As the daughter of Demeter, with the pomegranate symbolizing the seasons, I seek to find ways of creation that Persephone has power over. Creation unique to us, unlike the more 'common' creation as valued by most Acolytes.' It seems like his talk with Julian earlier brought some concrete ideas to his mind. In this way, Chris can also be neutral to those who wish to stay outside the faction. But the practical side just happens to mix with the spiritual.

[Cameron]

The Haunt listens attentively, a smile on his lips. He wasn't familiar with Inanna, and made a mental note to do a quick search when he got home for context. The Greek myths, however, were quite familiar. "I find the Roman myths quite fascinating - the descent of Aeneas and the knowledge he found in the underworld; and the divide there between the knowledge of the living and the dead. I've been reading into Numen, a concept which the Romans held to be something like a 'divine spark' of sorts. It was characteristic of the gods, and the source of their magic and power in the world. They could bestow it, into humans and land and material things, but only the gods could give and take it." It was something he'd been mulling over quite a bit recently, something about it all just felt right.

"I can't help but wonder if we perhaps feed off the Numen bestowed upon mortals; the essence of life in the form of blood. If the source of our powers - our abilities which defy the laws and theories governing the modern understanding of the world - stemmed from this divine spark." A moments pause, as though considering whether to say anymore "Perhaps the hunger we feel is not our own, but rather the 'small god' growing within us demanding nourishment?" It was a thought he'd stumbled into during his readings - he'd always thought that the Beast wasn't anything foreign, just the dark parts of his personality in some sort of gestalt. But if he was willing to buy into the concept of Numen, then it all started to make sense... The Beast; if you saw it in such a light, then seemed to be divinity in its most nascent, primal form.

"Most of that is just speculation on my part, of course" he added hastily, vaguely regretting having mentioned it at all.

[West]

Everyone quietly goes their separate ways.

Over a week without a post, Scene Ends.