Memorial Service

[Truce]

Gathered at the Circle of Creation, those who wish to attend the memorial service for Crowley and the Consilium's fallen will find Truce at the central altar. The dais, on which the Consilium's meeting had been held is now clear of the Council chairs and the side table now sits at its center with a handful of unlit pillar candles. A pack of matches sits besides it.

Crowley's body was taken by family members, to be buried as they saw fit. There is no need for a funeral, for Truce knows that Crowley was more than the flesh he left behind. This service would instead be for the living to say their goodbyes, and to remember those who have passed beyond.

He waits for the gathered to appear. Wayland and Faye, he hopes, will say a few words. He had already invited others to speak. For now at least he should share his own words. He speaks from the side podium.

"I counted Crowley as a friend, at least on my part. Though we shared different views and beliefs, we supported each other. Since I first arrived to this city, Crowley has been there for this community. He was selfless in many things and would never turn down a request for help. I admired him."

Truce pauses, forcing his voice not to break with emotion. He instead clears his throat before continuing.

"A talented and resourceful Magus, taken too soon from this, our Fallen World. May his soul find solace in the hereafter and may we each learn from his sacrifice."

Truce walks from the podium to the table and he takes out a match to light the candle, a small light in the vast cathedral space. He then returns to the podium.

"Those who knew Crowley may come forward and say a few words."

Truce leaves the podium and dais and takes a seat at the front of the rows of chairs, his eyes lingering on the candle flame.

[Star]

A Misfits t-shirt, a black leather jacket with far too many buckles, jeans with the mandatory small chain linked to a (empty) wallet, and combat boots from the surplus store.

And a skateboard.

Sometimes, remembering someone is remembering that everyone reflects. Their reflection on everyone else. To embrace that reflection? That's how you remember. Because a person isn't just who they are, or what they did, but the peception, the mask, of those things.

He slapped the skateboard down on the table, rocking the candles.

"Crowley was a blowhard! A manic, passionate man who joined the Free Council after a run-in with the Mysterium." A warble boomed out, and fists pumped, Rollins style. "A man who didn't fear the Abyss, or take umbrage at violations of Secrecy."

He paced.

"But that passion could find beauty! In the obvious, in the discordant! Lightning in a bottle, and even if it burned bright but momentary, was willing to set blaze to anything. Councilor, Consilium, he didn't care! He may have been a man that would abandon you, but he'd volunteer in the first place. And in the end? We learned he was a man torn between two towers, a man who Reality itself divided. Or was he a man that was fit to walk two Paths?"

He stopped. And, like an Enchanter become Mighty, the Angel's passion dimmed and flickered out.

"To honor someone is to remember them. Good and bad. To bless them as they ascend, or pray for them as they spin again on the Wheel. And whichever it is, to honor them is to learn from them. Triumphs and mistakes. Wisdom and folly. I knew of Crowley for over a year, but only began to know him in his final months. So I don't judge. I only See him."

And Speak for the Dead.

[Fisher]

Fisher listened to the new Hierarch and then Star speak their piece. He sounded like an interesting person to know, and she missed her chance. She found it odd that he was talked about as a passionate and energetic person, because her experience with him was quite different.

I guess something was troubling him, she thought to herself.

There was a small gap in the speeches and she looked around. Others new him better, but she felt that she should at least acknowledge him. She would have liked for something to be said for her if she had fallen in 1914 so she felt that he might have appreciated it too.

"I didn't know Crowley well. I only just met him at Consilium briefly and he seemed to have stuff on his mind considering the events that were revealed before they were announced. He seemed to take this community seriously and the fact that it was troubled, troubled him in turn. I can think of far worse things to be said of someone than that they cared. As we all face these continuing threats I can think of no better way to remember him than to likewise care, that and maybe drink the occasional beer," she said with a grin.

"I only wish that I had the opportunity to get to know him a little better. I think we might have been able to get along," Fisher trailed off and just stood there a moment before sitting back down.

She may have misunderstood him completely, but from what the others said she didn't think she was too far off.

[Strix]

Strix was sitting in the dais and waited for the memorial to start, the gifts lying carefully next to him.

It was a pretty somber atmosphere, nothing really surprising about that considering the reason why those that stayed behind did so. To honor one of their own who no longer was alive, dying during investigations.

He hoped that whoever or whatever was responsible would get their just deserts (if they hadn't already) for doing so — but he stopped himself from this train of thought. It really wasn't the right place or time to think about revenge in any form, regardless the reasons.

When it started, Strix remained silent and listened to first Truce talking, and then Star. Latter making him wince in surprise when he slammed his skateboard down onto the table.

There was really little to say on his side, he didn't know Crowley and only really had gotten to see him around during the first meeting he attended where he suggested to form an Assembly within the Consilium after they realized that many people vanished, among them the previous Hierarch.

Once Fisher was done, however, he did get up as well, taking the podium. "First time I met him was at the Circle, he seemed a little out of it at the time and I honestly was wondering what he was on at the time. He seemed a little more coherent later," later, when he suggested the Assembly to the 'new' Consilium, "and I hoped to speak to him, but our paths never did cross. I didn't know him, though, maybe I should have, given our shared Order. He sounded a good man, a good mage — flawed, maybe," as Star had pointed out, "but who isn't? He sounds like a man who would do what needs to be done, and someone I would have liked to know better. As a man, as a mage, as fellow Libertine, and Crowley himself."

Done speaking himself, he stood only a moment longer there before moving to sit down again.

[Campanella]

There was one more person at the ceremony. A figure dressed smartly in black, seated at the back. His head was bowed in respectful contemplation.

He did not know Crowley. He had no place to speak. He could only witness.

Campanella gave what respect he could to the dead. The only gift he could offer was to lend whatever assistance he could to the investigation that had, by all accounts, claimed the Libertine's life.

And to perhaps learn to follow in his example.

[Aurora]

The robe had been removed, and now the green dress seemed inappropriate for a memorial service.

She waited and listened quietly as Truce and Star said their words, one more calm and demure than the other. But they were vastly different people.

Faye takes the spot behind the podium, taking a deep breath before saying her peace.

“I don’t think I knew Crowley as well as others may have, but every time I needed someone to talk to or someone to be brutally honest with me, he was always there. He gave great advice, and some might have been a little harsh at times, but if it needed to be said and he would say it.” Her eyes move to focus on the candles,

“I can only say that he was taken too soon and had much more to give our world. No one can deny the passion he lived his life with each day. And it was infectious, you just couldn’t be around him and not feel life as he did.” There was a little shake to her voice, but she held it together.

“I only hope we can remember him the way he would want to be remembered and all take a little something, something to make us better, from knowing him.”

That was it, that was what she had.

[Star]

And there it is.

People have said their bits and all that's left is the huge awkward silence.

Someone's gotta be the first to leave. To let everyone know it's okay.

And so he left.

Been 48 hours of us staring at one another and not really sure what else to do ~

[Truce]

Truce winces at Star's words, even flinching at the sound of the skateboard slamming against the table. It seems a bit much, even for Star, to badmouth the man, but after listening a few moments Truce understands. Everyone has their flaws, and overlooking those would be misrepresenting the dead. Had Star known him even better than his own Cabalmates, he wonders? Just how deep does Star see past the facades they each put up to each other?


Crowley might have laughed over it, were he here.


Once the others had said their piece, Truce returns to the podium.

"Crowley's death, while sudden, pales to the mark he left on each of us in life. So as Councillor Star wisely says, let us learn from this so that we become better prepared." For an inevitable end, but not one without meaning.

"Magus Wayland ( Cerberus ) had requested to say a few words regarding others that had departed from this world in service to the Consilium, but I see he has not arrived yet. Instead, should anyone else wish to speak on those who have made such a great sacrifice, let us hear them now. If not, I will light a candle for those missing in action, Magus Arthur and Magus July." Presumed dead, or annihilated from existence. Though if they are remembered here then perhaps some shred of their existence might live on.

[Strix]

Strix watched as Star got up and left, considering to do so himself after a moment before Truce spoke up once again. Considering he was on the same journey as those that were lost, he decided to wait a little longer before doing so himself.

As was the case with Crowley, however, he did not truly know the mages all that well.

Strix raised his hand for a moment, not getting up though. "I didn't know any of them for all too long, but maybe you could also light a candle for Runner? I'm not sure how long he's been around compared to Arthur or July," he figured not too longer, considering he didn't have any cabal, "but he still disappeared while doing his part during our trip to the Titanic. I believe this earns him to be remembered, regardless how long he's been around. As for them all — and excuse me if I'm not getting up again — but I am grateful for having known them, short as it may have been, and thank them for the part they took in helping sink the Titanic."

Even if Runner was mostly just their food runner, in the end — a job he didn't seem to have minded all that much.

His fate was just as mysterious as Arthur's. In July's case, they had at least known what had happened to him. Not that it made losing any of them any better for the Consilium.

Also, if he had known there would be more people to talk about, he'd have mentioned them before. While he might still have attended the memorial (though he might have remained silent), he had mostly come to honor a fellow Libertine. He just couldn't say all that much more for them, except what he just had.

Strix might have had more contact with them due to the Titanic, but they had still seemed very absent as a whole. Didn't make for much getting to know them better.

[West]

It's been long enough that it's clear Wayland isn't coming.

Second time in a week this is hitting 48H without a post. Gonna close it on the third time. If you don't have anything to say, you might as well exit. If you do have something to say, you might as well post :P