Working on the Clock

[Campanella]

Campanella, Moros Councillor of the Sacramento Consilium, works well into the night.

The Circle of Creation is bathed in the gentle, warm, glow of candlelight. For the most part, this does not banish the darkness. However, the Moros Mystagogue has been working around the great clock which is embedded into the floor; here, candles and candelabra form a ring of light that challenges the shadows for dominance. Next to the mage is a small table with a ewer, a bowl, and a towel. In keeping with his Atlantean tradition, Campanella has set up a brazier and incense burning censors that add a cloying, sultry, smoke to the air. He is in his ceremonial robes too, hair damp and face slick with sweat. If anyone really chose to look, they might see his hands faintly trembling from fatigue.

Campanella has been studying the Clock with all the artifice at his disposal. It is a feat he has not attempted before but now that he is a Master there is no excuse.

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-12-03 07:07:28		[05] Campanella to Scrutinise (Extended built of Analyse Spell) rolls 8 to Intelligence + Occult (10 Again, WillPower)		5, 6, 6, 10, 4, 8, 1, 6, 1		2 successes
2018-12-03 07:07:28		[04] Campanella to Scrutinise (Extended built of Analyse Spell) rolls 8 to Intelligence + Occult (10 Again, WillPower)		8, 6, 2, 5, 4, 4, 7, 4		1 success
2018-12-03 07:07:28		[03] Campanella to Scrutinise (Extended built of Analyse Spell) rolls 8 to Intelligence + Occult (10 Again, WillPower)		1, 9, 8, 6, 8, 2, 6, 7		3 successes
2018-12-03 07:07:28		[02] Campanella to Scrutinise (Extended built of Analyse Spell) rolls 8 to Intelligence + Occult (10 Again, WillPower)		9, 8, 7, 5, 9, 6, 2, 6		3 successes
2018-12-03 07:07:28		[01] Campanella to Scrutinise (Extended built of Analyse Spell) rolls 8 to Intelligence + Occult (10 Again, WillPower)		6, 1, 6, 1, 4, 10, 7, 7, 5		1 success
2018-12-03 07:03:38		Campanella to cast Analyse Artefact rote rolls 8 to Intelligence + Occult + Order Spec + Prime + HS - 2 ST (10 Again)		9, 2, 1, 2, 9, 3, 4, 4		2 successes
2018-12-03 06:59:10		Campanella to cast Dark Matter Rote rolls 12 to Intelligence + Occult + Order Spec + Matter + HS + DM bonus - 2 ST and Subject density (10 Again)		5, 7, 8, 10, 9, 6, 9, 6, 7, 1, 7, 5, 2		4 successes
2018-12-03 06:55:43		Campanella to cast One Mind Two Thoughts rote rolls 7 to Wits + Investigation + Mind (10 Again, WillPower)		5, 2, 1, 1, 10, 9, 4, 7		2 successes

He pauses to take stock of what he has learned and lays down the book he had been using for a magical tool. He washes his hands in the ceramic bowl with prepared water, wipes his face with stylised movements with the specially prepared towel. Licking his parched lips, he pours himself a cup of purified water from the ewer close at hand.

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-12-03 07:24:30		Campanella to note some pertinent permutations rolls 5 to Wits + Occult + Speciality (10 Again)		7, 1, 7, 9, 2		1 success
2018-12-03 07:23:15		Campanella to put things together rolls 5 to Intelligence + Occult (10 Again)		1, 2, 3, 1, 5		failure

I know some of you are still interested in the Clock storyline. This is for you.

[Campanella]

Book Keeping.

[Campanella]

And other missed notes

[Winter]

"You've been here for a while", he said. The man emerges from the darkness of the cloister. Leaning against the wall and with both arms folded firmly over his chest, he observes the Moros.
Clad in his ceremonial garbs and surrounded by the sickly sweet smell of incense, the man reminded the Guardian of the dusty old monks that had brought him up.
He's been working hard, he thinks.
"Did I ever tell you what the definition of insanity is?" Who'd know, if not a Guardian.

  1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-12-03 19:41:14		Winter rolls 6 to perception (Wits + Composure) (10 Again)		10, 3, 6, 5, 2, 7, 2		1 success

[Campanella]

Campanella appears to not notice at first. His gaze is still transported as he scrutinises the Clock. Once he has finished wiping his face and eagerly drinking his fell, the Moros seems much more connected to present.

Enough to acknowledge Winter's presence.

"I believe that would be if you try the same thing, time and time again, and expect a different result." Campanella replied with a wry grin.

The Guardian could easily note that while the Mystagogue looked physically drained, his voice did not. He spared the Clock one last glance before turning more fully to the Guardian.

"I've never taken the time to take a good look at the Clock till now. If only to satisfy curiosity."

A pause. An invitation.

"What brings you here today?"

It was not one of the days assigned to their monthly gatherings, that was for sure.

[Kaze]

Kaze comes in quietly, dressed in casual clothes appropriate for going out. He has on his leather jacket, a solid gray shirt under that, black trousers and shoes.

"Hello." he says. "I came to see it. Check on it, I guess." he says. "I can leave if I'm interrupting." he offers.

[Winter]

"Curiosity", he said laconic, sticking both his hands in his pockets.
"Here we are, both ready for the madhouse. Expecting something other than the mere swinging of its arms", he joked. The old man pulled away from the wall, and bought himself closer to the mechanism.

"Seems we got company", he said without lifting his face from the ground.

[Campanella]

"Yes." Campanella replied to Winter

"Campanella. Moros of the Mysterium." This he added for the two unfamiliar mages Kasterborous JonReeves and Shodan Woland . After a moment of thought, he will take Shodan's offered hand (and after extricating himself from his ritual working now that he has finished).

"Well. It is still here. Still operating. I know it appeared to have sustained some damage, but that must have been a false alarm. I have sensed no damage to its function or its structure. So that was either a part of its function or a failed attack. Of course, I cannot rule out that it has some self repairing qualities but I would have thought if it did, I would have spotted some... sign... or scarring to the mechanism."

Campanella spoke to Kaze directly but his voice was loud enough to include Winter and the new mages in his talk.

"I can tell you that it is most definitely a powerful Artefact. One of the strongest I have ever seen. And that the heart of the movement would appear to be Soulstones. A lot of them. Assuming my assessment is correct, it would follow that the Stone's power is directed toward the function of the mechanism rather than supporting a Demesne. Anything more than that, I cannot say for it defeats my knowledge. It would appear to be the heart of the Circle of Creation, however. Part of the fabric of the very building. It is a marvel. One achieved through great sacrifice."

He gestured about them.

"As to what it does? One conjectures that it acts as a great temporal and spatial ward, blocking any attempt to erase us from the time stream. The Seers of the Throne attempt to erase the Consilium - not just now, but in the past and in the future. I would be putting it mildly to say we were unable to defeat the Seers in their temporal campaign against us - but thanks to the Clock, they were unable to claim total victory themselves."