Meeting with the Councillor

[Phoenyx]

As promised, Phoneyx is in the Arrow Tower at 7pm for several days, re-arranging her schedule so that her studies took place at this time.

Tonight was Prime. The Arrow was musing over how to improve her illusions, and how to integrate meta-magic into her ritual casting. It was actually going rather well.

If tonight happened to be the night Winter was free, so much the better.

Vincent

[Winter]

He's too busy to mind what the Arrow is currently doing. As he emerges from the shadows, closing the distance between the Guardians' Wing and the Arrows' training ground, his mind is occupied with other thoughts.
For starters, which kind of emergency had prompted the Talon to leave him such a message?
He clears his throat "Good time?", he asks. His shoulders wide open and both his hands in his pockets.
There's a cold breeze tonight.

  failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2020-03-26 16:41:41		Winter rolls 6 to Perception (wits + comp) (10 Again)		7, 4, 7, 3, 7, 6		failure

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx closes the book she is reading and turns to face Winter. "Councillor," she says with a respectful nod. "Would you like to sit, or prefer to stand?"

Once chosen, she continues, though remains standing. "I hope my letter was adequate, since I had to leave it in a public space." The Arrow adopts a casual at-ease posture, as if reporting to him. "A short time ago I assisted Magus Shodan and Magus Kaze to approach a contact that Magus Shodan had made, looking to confirm suspected Seer activity operating out of Oakland. Apparently Magus Campenella and Magus Alastor had also been working on following the trail." Obviously long ago, before the former First Talon left.

"The location was [the name of the nightclub]. As Obromi, employed covert Forces magics to stay in contact, that were disrupted once we were inside. We were separated, and each began to encounter assorted magical effects that attempted to constrain and trap us." Phoenyx pauses, trying to phrase her words. "We were.... assisted..." the word is said disdainfully, "in out escape by person or persons unknown that entered our communication link and proceeded to direct us in ways that allowed us to overcome our assorted obstructions. They were also familiar with Awakened magic - from this we deduce that there were Awakened themselves, though to what branch and why they assisted us remains unknown. We have only one alias - Icarus - the individual that guided me out of a basement being filled by whay appeared to be an Abyssal entity."

The Arrow pauses again, taking a slow breath. This next part was the hard part. "Not only did we walk into a trap and fail to locate the source we were looking for, several items were lost. My duster, one of my knives and my Bayonetta pistol; and one USB drive that was known to have a sympathetic tie to Magus Campenella."

To her credit, she keeps watching Winter throughout the debrief. "As none of us were skilled in Space, we could not tell if there are still significant sympathetic ties to the objects. As only members of the Order of the Golden Key were present, I am relaying this to you as Councillor. We have also arranged to speak with Magus Campenella, to inform him of the device now in hands unknown. As far as I am currently aware, despite the vulgarity of much of the magic, there was no alert or alarm raise by Sleepers of any kind, leading me to believe the veil remains intact - though I would yield towards your more experienced status on such matters."

The Arrow stops, waiting for Winter's assessment.

[Winter]

The snap of his fingers in his pocket is barely audible. Time folds in a bubble of mana.
"What are you reading?", he tries to keep the book of his reactions shut. But one who knows what to look for could find the telltale signs here and there.Worry? Perhaps? Anger? Likely.

  3 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2020-03-26 17:44:06		Winter rolls 8 to Perfect Timing Rote (10 Again)		9, 3, 8, 1, 2, 2, 7, 9		3 successes

  1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2020-03-26 17:46:04		Winter rolls 7 to Subterfuge + pt (10 Again)		4, 4, 9, 4, 7, 4, 5		1 success

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx looks at the Guardian, a little confused. She doesn't relax her stance.

"House of Leaves. It is a literary lesson on self-awareness of perspectives I am using as an insight into the field of Prime and the nature of Arcana as a whole... Do you have any questions about the recent excursion?" She clearly found it strange that he did not. "Or actions to be undertaken?"

The Arrow was clearly not trying to read him. In her mind, she had fulfilled the report and alerted the Guardian and the council to potential threats. Now there was the next action. Whatever that was.

Phoenyx doesn't read people. It would be strange to try and start now - on her single die.

[Winter]

His gaze doesn't leave the girl. "I'm not the Sentinel anymore, Talon", that they came to him now could only mean they needed a problem solver.
He's not stupid, he knows that her colleagues (?), friends maybe, sent her to take the fall. Perhaps they believed he'd go easy on her. But they all shared the same path, if they couldn't stand with her, then they weren't even worthy of being called men.
Murder and destruction at behest of others are all too easy. He sent many young men to die, they call it duty. Little more than sanctioned Kamikazes.
But he's a zealot.
"Any worthy insight on the nature of Prime that you'd be willing to share, then?" as for the Seers, the Guardian has his methods.

[Phoenyx]

The Arrow's gaze is similarly unwavering. "No, sir. But you are the Councillor of the Path of the Mighty. In the absence of a Sentinel and Hierarch, the circumstances we find ourselves, you are one of the ranking members of the Concillium; does it not fall to the Councillors to be informed of the notable actions of their path? That they might make wise decisions with as many facts to hand as are possible? In taking that position you have assumed that responsibility. And lastly, if there was a risk to the veil, no matter what is is, should the Guardians not be made aware?" These things seemed very simple to her.

Dark eyes blink. "I am a soldier, Councillor. I do not pretend to be anything else. I guard the Circle. When the mages of this Concillium need a sword or shield I will be there. Should there be consequences to the events I have described, I will be there. For the moment, I can take actions to minimise the fallout from this excursion, and I am doing so by inviting you here, by explaining the situation, because that is the correct thing to do." The edges of her lips tug slightly. "You are the Councillor of the Mighty, and I am requesting Counsel. How, if at all, might we proceed?"

On the nature of her study, the lips finally turn into a smile. "Not yet, Councillor. But I am studying several disciplines alongside. That is simply today's work."

[Winter]

He shrugs, "If you treasured my opinion as much as you claim, you would asked for it beforehand. Do tell, what do you think we Guardians do? It's a honest question, it demands a honest answer", misconception in this Consilium and elsewhere abounded.

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx arches an eyebrow. "You may chose to believe that if you wish, Councillor. We considered ourselves to be simply meeting a contact as a part of an investigation. But neither your belief on my opinion nor our beliefs on what we believed we were heading into change the nature of the present."

Demands? The brow furrows, just perceptibly. "It was my understanding that the Guardians helped protect the Awakened by preserving the Veil of secrecy that surrounds our society. Preaching then enlightenment of Wisdom by avoiding paradox and moving us closer to the Abyss. My understanding of you personally, from others, is that you were skilled at assessing such things for their dangers."

Simple, perhaps, but honest. Phoenyx didn't know much of the Guardians.

[Winter]

"I'm not believing anything, Talon. I'm weighing your words against your actions. You choose to pursue a lead and in the process you lost something that could potentially allow an hostile to establish a sympathetic connection with the former Hierarch. And for what? Did the gamble pay off?", yes, he's great at finding flaws,
"This meeting occurs after a potential Abyssal outbreak. What do you expect me to do? Assess the damage and potentially deal with the collateral?", as in, wipe the smears of shit they left all around?
"You're confusing cause and effect. Paradox is not the ailment, Paradox is the symptom. It's your moral flaws given form, wise is the one who openly confronts them", his chin juts toward the paper, "a lesson you can't learn from books"
"So you want to learn about the Mistress herself", a snap of fingers and his pattern is awash in a river of crimson glyphs, "All that remains is that you know yourself"

  5 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2020-03-27 15:02:51		Winter rolls 5 to Zeal Rote (Manip + Exp + Mind) as per sheet (10 Again)		8, 10, 9, 8, 10, 2, 2		5 successes

Spells: Zeal [Pot 5]