(SP) - St Patrick and Santa Claus

[Miach]

True to his word, the Steel Phoenix's Hearthmaster had come in early to prepare their Sanctum for the evening. While Miach was no great cook, he could still throw in a little extra-effort now and then, and beside, he needed the distraction. When you were watching out the cooking of a chocolate and banana cake, you weren't thinking (yet) of the widespread net of influence the Banishers had on your city's youth...

And so it was that Miach was searching for some room for his sangria in a fridge already full of bottles of Guinness, all the while checking his oven from which a smell of vanilla was coming. Several cakes were laying on the living room's table, surrounded by whiskey and candies. A strange mix to be sure, but one that kept a man busy, and it was all that mattered for now.

[Wayland]

Walking into the room, Wayland folds away a pocket knife and shoves it back in his pocket, having just fixed a minor issue with a sticky door handle. As he walks in and notices the food, his eyes light up a bit, "Nice", then his vision moves and notices the whiskey on the table, "Even better yo!"

Turning to the others in the room he nods to his fellow cabal mates. "Miach, Pelican. How they hangin' gents?"

[Varyx]

Varyx wandered in, her nose raised slightly as if following the delicious wafting smells of fresh baked goods. "Oh, wow, Miach!" she exclaimed once her gaze lit on the table of cakes. "I had no idea you were so talented in the kitchen!"

Apologies for the lack of formatting. I'm writing on my phone.

[Miach]

And with the last of his herd safely home in their Sanctum, the Hearthmaster rejoiced. At least for now.

"Welcome, welcome. Please have a bite, or a drink, whatever suits you ! I'm no chef, but I can make a couple of good meals now and then. Especially if it's sweet." he greeted them with a broad smile. Going to each of them with an empty glass - the better to fill it soon - Miach invited them "please be seated. Make yourself at home. After all, that's the case, isn't it ?"

The doctor then made rounds between the bottles, the glasses, the oven, and the table, trying to fill everyone with their food of choice for the evening.

Once everyone had been seen to, though, he got more serious. Alas that they couldn't gather merely for the pleasure of it. It didn't have to be for the more worrisome parts just yet, though.

"So, it is now my pleasure to give the field to others who have toiled for us..." he said with a soft nod toward Wayland and Pelican.

[Wayland]

Wayland stands up and faces the others, "Yeah ahh, thanks Miach. Well, Pelican and I had been working for a couple days to make something personal for our cabal. We ahh..." the Moros reaches into his hoodie pocket, rummages around for a bit, before pulling out 5 wearable fashion pins. "We made these pins, cabal pins, like, as a symbol of our unity."

He gives half of the to Pelican to hand out and between them they give one to each cabal member. The pin is hard, made from a shiny metal. It's been formed into what looks like a Phoenix rising in glory from the ashes of the earth.

"Its like, quite literally a Steel Phoenix. A symbol of who we are. But beyond these pins, there is something else I choose to give.". Wayland stands up straight, almost as attention, and speaks with confidence and purpose. "I, Troy Mathers, as named by the Exarchs, known in the Awakened world as Wayland, swear to honor and defend the sorcerers of the Steel Phoenix, and their sanctum against our enemies, as the cabal’s Doorwarden. I vow to perform any task required by my cabal mates, should they be of one mind in what they ask, in-so-far as it does not violate my personal Oaths. I vow to act as Champion for any Duels that members of Steel Phoenix may be challenged to, should they accept.
In exchange for this service, I expect nothing more than shelter in our common sanctum, food of a simple and un-complicated nature and access to an equal share of Mana for the defence of the sanctum and its members.
Should I fail in my duty and void my oath, let my name become known among the Awakened as Traitor and be shunned forever in the eyes of the Oracles.
So swear I, Wayland, who was once named by the Exarchs as Troy Mathers, on this day and forever more."

Sometimes it's good for people to know your True name. For the Sympathy as such. At least, people you trust. And it was high time he trusted these people. Having said his piece, he pinned his cabal pin to his hoodie, and sat down.

[Varyx]

Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit shit. Of course they'd bring this up now. At the worst possible time.

Varyx stood, her face uncharacteristically flushed and looking faintly upset. "Wait." Once all eyes found her, she forced herself to lift her gaze from the floor. She had hoped to have time to think about this discussion before actually having it, but she had also hoped not to have the oath sprung on her while she wasn't expecting it. She would have to do her best with the situation she'd been tossed into. "I'm sorry, I wish I'd been given a chance to speak with you all about this before now, but I suppose this will have to do. I have received an invitation to join VT from Avis, and I gave her my word that I would consider it. I haven't yet made the decision, but I can't bring myself to make an oath like this to you when there's even the slightest chance I'll accept her offer."

Silence. There wasn't anything else to say, and she waited, fidgeting anxiously, for the others to response. Her gaze was trained on Wayland. She knew his Name. Fuck. What was she going to do about that?

[Wayland]

Surprise showed on his face with Varyx's confession, though he tried to hide it. He was actually a little surprised that she might be looking elsewhere, but then, they were still only a new cabal and yet to forge any deep bonds.

"I ahh, didn't realise. I don't usually rock around lettin' loose with my birth name very often yo, so I would have your Oath that you will keep that name to yourself if you do choose to join a different cabal, ya know?"