(1910) Quiet Consilium

[Spark]

"...Yes that was why I wanted to see them..." Not just cause magic robots are super cool and his inner child was smirking like a kid on Christmas no sir. "Don't know how their made but maybe we can reverse engineer them? Make our own assuming it's not something that involves child sacrifice or soul binding or something like that."

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx turns to Spark and Shodan, and takes a slow breath before replying. "I didn't punch them with a sledgehammer. I shot them." Was that a joke? It's hard to tell, stoic face like hers. "It was possibly to deactivate them through an arcane device. Alastor achieved this, though I am not sure how. I was tasked with distracting the three golems until this could be achieved. There are no "parts" of them that could be recovered. The only things that broke in that incursion were my arm, my ribs and my hand." There is a notably frosty tone in her voice. Their excitement at things that very nearly crushed the life out of her was not exactly thrilling. "Without Aurora I would be dead on the floor of that Sanctum from those constructs. We did not stop to collect samples, save that artifact which would stop them from following us."

She looks at Shodan. "This was the first Seer sanctum I had seen, and was like a fortress. I do not know if such defenses are standard or unusual. But we did know that the location was not in Sacramento, perhaps not even in the United States." The First Talon pauses, thinking. "This was the time you and the others travelled through time, yes? Returning to the Sanctum at this moment would also be at the whim of the Circle of Creation. We might be able to unlock a method by analysing the artifact, perhaps. Alastor believed he had severed the sympathetic ties from the artifact to the Sanctum so the Seers could not follow us, but study may reveal another method that could lead to the Seer Sanctum."

She looks back to Spark. "Going back to there would be the only way to look at those constructs, going into a likely dangerous and hostile environment and this time without a Master of Life and Adept of Space. This was some time ago. I doubt the Seers were idle in either leaving entirely or adjusting their defenses accordingly."

Sorry for the delay everyone. I'm hoping to be more up to speed now.

[Campanella]

Campanella schools his face, yet still a small sigh escapes his lips.

"Well. That is disappointing. I'd have been very interested in lending my expertise if you had managed to bring capture even a fragment of an automata... Still. Can't be helped. It must have been quite a struggle."

Credit where credit was due, he nodded to the Arrow encouragingly.

To the Guardian: "Winter, I know it is probably redundant, but you may bring the objects here to the Circle and we can schedule a date for their examination if you wish."

To Kaze: "I will let you organise among yourselves if you wish to make a targeted sweep of any neighbourhoods in particular."

With no cabals to speak of, organising interest groups at an individual was all they had; and that the Awakened could do themselves.

[Winter]

"It can be arranged", is his curt reply. Shodan's weak comeback is seemingly ignored but then... "Phoenyx and Cosmo were already of the game. Your presence will be welcome alongside that of your fellow Mystagogue. Magus October is welcome to join as well", thus cutting out the local contingent of Libertines from the investigation. A shame that Shodan had to blow that little godwill he had just gained.
"And that's it"

[Winter]

Leave it to Shodan to get a chuckle out of the Guardian. The Obrimos looks at the Hierarch, then at the man again, "This isn't a negotiation. The item was recovered and belongs to the Guardians who will grant and deny access on our own terms. Do you think you can challenge the Hierarch to a duel and get access to the Athenaum's archives? No, you can't. So stop wasting my time"

[Cosmo]

"So," Cosmo eyed the Sentinel and the Libertine, half curious why Winter insisted on shitting on their order and half to fed up to care. "The duel arcane is a respected tradition within the Diamond and a valid means to resolve ongoing conflicts according to the charter. One could in fact demand a duel for the contents of the Athenaum if the Mysterium had caused such a surplus of ill will to merit it, and this is in fact how the Supernal meritocracy of the Diamond affects us. Only those closest to the Truth are deserving of the mantle of Wise, and Shodan has challenged the Wisdom of our Sentinel."

His attention shifted to the Heirarch.

"How does the only standing member of our shattered council feel about this challenge? Is the blatant discrimination of an order or possession of items of power deserving of the Council's approval for a duel? And are mages compulsed to participate if it is approved and the challenger is not appeased with alternative resolutions?"

His eyes then float to those assembled, making eye contact with each as he does.

"Whether the population of the city waxes or wanes, we need to make the decision if we will continue to acknowledge the laws of the Awakened. The Lex Magica, the Tetragramaton, and our Concilium Charter. A duel is a valid way of resolving conflict, and we need to decide if someone who wants to be a Sentinel can ignore the history and traditions those laws are based in."

Also Cosmo was hoping Winter would get trounced. A lesson in humility seemed long overdue.

[October]

She nods to Winter, “Thank you, I would like to join in.” a warm smile on her face. The level head Winter was showing was comforting, he was well suited to his role.

But then Shodan takes issue with not being invited. And she wasn’t sure how she felt. On one hand, she had no issues with everyone being able to help. But on the other, this seemed to be Winters call to make and she respected that.

The next words surprised her. The challenge to a Duel. Here. Against Winter. She liked Shodan, he was a nice guy, but this was against Winter. Who wasn’t made Sentinel because he could bake the best cookies.

And then Cosmo talks. And talks.

“I don’t see any discrimination, or what the big deal is. If the Guardians found and secured the artifact, then I don’t believe anyone has a right to make demands. What right does someone not of that Order have to demand access? The Guardians don’t appear to be hiding it, we all know they have it, they are simply keeping it safe and have their reasons for not sharing with all.” A shrug, “And given his position within our society, I’m comfortable supporting the call he makes on the matter.”

[Mobius]

And just like that, things were getting heated on the floor of the consilium again. Something about churches must make mages edgy. Mobius does her best to speak up following October's train of thought, a slight shake of nervousness in her voice.

"And the Duel Arcane is for working out a beef, yes." her remarks directed to Cosmo and Shodan, but she doesn't meet their gazes. "But it's not an excuse to make bets over magical knowledge or artifacts." Not to mention it wasn't even a fair bet. Shodan didn't stand to lose anything - other than face, of course - and stood to gain plenty. But even by her admittedly limited understanding, things worked tit-for-tat. Make your contribution, and then you can request knowledge.