(1706) Sanctuary 8

Jun 13th, 2017 12:19 AM

A glance to Oculus. "Time wears everything down, if you let it. Vibrations from cars, temperature extremes, moisture and fog ..." Vigil's eyes unfocus, as he seems momentarily lost in memory. "I was never one for complicated design, but I knew my craft. There's always something to repair, and precious few of us willing to leave the safety of the walkways to reach it. I'm an ironworker by trade. Danger was always part of the job."

A sweep of the others present, taking in words, mood. Focus shifts to Campanella. "I want to help. I'd like to be that extra set of hands. But I need to know what I'm walking into. Especially if there are few of us. Where do we go from here?"

**Campanella** · Jun 13th, 2017 03:56 AM

Campanella scratched at his chin.

"Well, Vigil. You find yourself in a Consilium at war. The Seers have developed a means to attack us through time." He paused, not so much for effect but to wrinkle his mouth in distaste. "I don't know the specifics. None here do. The Servant's of the Lie have been attempting to nudge things at key points in history, and one supposes their aim is to ensure a Consilium never forms here."

He sighed heavily, recounting yet again the litany of woe.

"There was once a much stronger Pentacle presence but that fell... or vanished... or never was... when the Seer's first attacked. We are the remnants and those who arrived later. We are not without allies - this Sanctuary was built or put here and it has a Mechanism that allows us to... attempt... counter operations against the Seers."

He gestured to the floor and what was buried under their feet.

"So far we have had three... I don't know... raids... counter operations... something of that sort. A trip on the Titanic. The Bastille on the day it fell. Hunting down Versace's killer who turned out to be a mage allied with the Abyss. A fourth is being prepared to an event that fashioned an earlier incarnation of the Consilium, or so I understand."

Now he paused.

"If you are willing to stay and lend a hand, I'll acknowledge you right now. As you can see - eh - we need all the assistance we can find."

Jun 13th, 2017 04:42 PM

Oculus listens as Campanella unfolds the same story before Vigil as was unfolded before him not that long ago. So, he is an ironworker? By the way he describes it, he is much more than that, or he just knows his craft very well.

"True, Time takes away a lot of things. But it also adds new layers to them. Like a house that was enriched by every generation that lived inside. If you fight time, and reverse it to how it was before, you lose something irrevocably." That philosophy might seem like crap to others, but it was true to him.

"There's a lot of things to repair, all right. But like she said" A quick nod to Faye. "It will be alright. It always is, in the end."

Jun 15th, 2017 12:00 PM

"Time ..." For the briefest instant, thoughts grind to a halt. What did it mean to have an enemy that could rewrite the past? And if your own past changed?

Memories of a story. The Arrow's fall in San Francisco, the oaths broken for a false hope. Could that, too, be rewritten? Or is that the sort of thinking that caused their fall?

A moment's decision. "The stakes are high. Higher than I could have imagined. But I left behind a conflict that had already been decided. Here, I can help. As long as there is something worth preserving, I will fight whatever the stakes."

A flicker to Oculus, still visibly shaken. "Of course. To battle decay is not hold on to what was. Construction materials have changed, as our understanding grows. You are not who you were ten years ago. We replace pieces that have worn out with something new, while honoring the whole. I just ... never thought I'd have cause to apply those ideas to time itself."

**Tuesday** · Jun 15th, 2017 01:27 PM

Reality War bomb boom'd and not a freak out. Well. Not a big one. Huh. Cool. Points to the new-old-guy. Anyone who didn't blink was batshit cray-cray, and should be checked out.

"Cool beans. You're already leagues ahead of the last person we told that Time was getting mauled by Seers. Sooooo you're a Moros right? Got any skills in Death?" with the Mori that headed here tended to Matter over Death it was a legit question. "Since uh...Welp. On the Titanic there was a Death mage, we killed her, but there were zombies. That got sunk, and then this up coming trip* there's gonna be more zombies to make paste....soooo. Yeah. I'm sensing a trend. With Death. Which we lack. So. Death? You Death?"

*

**Aurora** · Jun 15th, 2017 04:47 PM

So the new guy was philosophical, or at least sounded it.

Where his focus seems to focus on Campy, she looks to him to fill the guy in.

Nodding as Campy spoke, “It started with the dreams. Dreams of what could be, both good and bad. Like in one we didn’t Awaken, the other, the Seers win. And then the battle started.” The dream of the Seer’s winning still gave her chills, it was horrible.

“Well, I’ve been here the longest, before anyone here arrived. I remember how things were before, how we had the numbers and thrived. Not to say we aren’t thriving now, but it’s a challenge. Always on our toes for the next jump through Time.” How she wished they still had the numbers when she first arrived.

Looking to Oculus, “It’s the Butterfly Effect. Things you change in the past and future effect the present. It’s why you need to be careful when messing with it.” She knew all too well how things could change.

The nod was returned, “So long as we keep fighting against them and the Lie.” They might have small numbers, but they were close. Well, as close as could be expected.

Blue eyes move back to Vigil, “There is something worth fighting for, there is us and the future of this Circle. To me, I’m willing to do everything in my power to defend everyone in this room. Good to hear you are also willing to fight.” They needed it.

There was a halfhearted chuckle, “I’m definatly not who I was six months ago.” There was some bitterness to her tone. But deep down she knew she was better now than she was then.

Grinning to Tuesday, “Still say we need to Resident Evil game night to get up to date on our zombie killing skills.” She jokes with a wink.

Jun 17th, 2017 01:57 PM

A moment's hesitation. "Death came more easily to me than anything else. Enough to command ghosts, or open a path to their realm. Forgive me, I never spared much time for theory."

He shakes his head. "Zombies are ... distasteful. A mockery of the life that was. If the Seers employ them, it's simply one more reason to fight. But I will fight because this community deserves to thrive, and because maybe we can be better ..." eyes go unfocused, seeming to stare through the walls of the sanctuary "better than San Francisco."

A sigh, as he seems to pull himself together. Still too much to do. "So, then. The Circle is safe, relatively speaking. Are certain parts of the city especially dangerous? And what about protecting each other? Who are the Cabals?"

**Campanella** · Jun 17th, 2017 07:31 PM

"That is good," Campanella said. "As my interests lie in the Matter Arcanum." He inclined his head slightly.

"I don't know of any specific places where we cannot or dare not go. South Sacramento would be a spot to watch your step. We found a Gate to a strange... dimension of spiders. Lost some people. We have not had the numbers to investigate further. But it is worth mentioning."

He shifted on his feet.

"The Consilium has two Cabals. Foxes Den - uhm - has a Sanctum in West Sacramento. And the Exchange... The Exchange has a Sanctum in the woods north of Rancho Cordova. Another Cabal, no longer with us?" He flashed a look at Tuesday. "Had a run in of a sort with the Seers, I believe. Other than that they are very secretive. and don't strike at us directly."

Jun 18th, 2017 07:05 AM

Oculus listens as the three veterans outline how the Reality War was and might be. It's like he's having a deja vu with his own arrival, and... wait, spiders? Nobody told him about no spiders! Of course, asking about it now could turn this briefing sour real fast, so the young mystagogue holds his tongue.

"Well, South Sacramento is best avoided for a lot of other, mundane reasons." He added, recalling recent reports of shootings and gang violence. "Other than that, I think we're good."

The Butterfly Effect, huh? Like the movie? "Or not mess with it at all. Let things evolve on their own. Build rails, not swivel axles." He wonders if either of the Moros will appreciate the technical metaphor.

Turning to Vigil again. "We all have our reasons to fight, and it's good to have another soldier among us. Just out of curiosity: you're a Talon, you can probably end people with a teaspoon, but if we ever find ourselves storming the castle together: you prefer going in guns blazing, or striking from behind?"

**Thrope** · Jun 18th, 2017 09:45 PM

Thrope shifts and looks a Campanella. A dimension full of spiders? Nope. Vigil's definitely seen some sort of shit.

"I'm worried on some level that the Seers are going to hit us in this time." Reading science fiction has gotten less... awe inspiring recently. "If we keep stifling them in the past then they may decide to bring the fight to us now." There's fires everywhere and a looking sword.

"We should probably figure that out for everyone Oculus, good thought."

(1706) Sanctuary 8

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