Higher Education

[Guru]

Guru let out a sigh of relief knowing it was safe. "Still, an idea." His lips pulling up into a smile as he couldn't help but laugh. He saw the shift in the Moros, the silence was there for thought he knew that. Guru wobbled his head back and forth unable to makeup his mind. "One to start from at least. Need to build a foundation of knowledge to work from, yea?"


Guru hadn't seen the man smile this much the entire time he'd known him. It was a sign that this was going better than he had hoped. Guru was almost always smiling. "Doesn't have to be right away, I uh, did some soul searching and made a breakthrough. I'm not likely to become a Master anytime soon. But I will need help to get to that level." And you are in an unfortunately unique position.

[Campanella]

"That is a fair point. Sometimes focus requires a narrow path in order to learn the most. I am the first to admit how easy it can be to loose oneself in the study of the Art; to spread one's time so thinly one can never satisfactorily complete anything of worth or note. It is much easier to focus on a narrow field programme than it is to begin wide and then have to successively cut projects from your plan due to lake of time and resources."

A slight grin tugged at the corner of Campenella's mouth.

"If or when you reach that threshold, come and seek me out."

The Moros replied with little fanfare.

[Guru]

Guru couldn't help but nod and gesture excitedly when Campanella spoke about getting lost in the work. "Yes, exactly. These are all ideas, good or not remains to be seen, and could be explored but if I explore them all at once I might not end up with any results let alone any meaningful one. Shit." He sighed and that excitement seemed reigned in by the thought. "Question one, step one, phase one...can it be done safely." He nodded firmly, yea, he wasn't about to risk his life or strengthening the abyss if he could avoid it.


Though Campanella agreeing to that tutelage made him smile again and he raised his hand up for a high five. "Hell yea, thanks! I will! It's a longer road for me to walk, took me awhile just to figure out the complexities to become a Disciple. Add on the teachings of Prime I'll need. It's going to be a long road but if it was easy it'd be a path already tread."

[Campanella]

Campanella only watched younger man's exuberant display. He gave a soft chuckle.

"Save that for when you get there,"

The older Moros said simply.

"Sanctum and Hallow."

Campanella responded to Guru's earlier question after a further pause, eyes vacant and distant as he thought.

"Sanctum and Hallow. Preferably in a place where you know all the other variables as well; and a place suited to the activity you want. I'd suggest a space aspected toward death or otherworldly visitation at the very least. The ethereal can be reached anywhere but you'll be wanting the right kind of Resonance to assist your work. The correct Resonance can... nudge things in your favour... And what you seek is a rare and rarified feat. Plus, seeking out and gaining control of such a site for your working can help hone your thought and ground you, the Awakened, in preparation for your work."

[Guru]

He gave a long, frustrated sigh as he leaned back in his chair as Campanella added yet another complications to his studies. He could feel the pain forming behind his eyes as his mind began being overwhelmed by all the things he needed to do. He rubbed at the space between his eyes even as Campanella explained.


"Fuck. I don't know if I can do this alone. A hallow like that is bound to be claimed or guarded, I know a couple people I can call for that but that'll mean it won't be wholly mine" He gave a lighter sigh as he stood up and began pacing around the space, needing to move or let the frustration fester. "Death and its resonance will help me with the traditional usage, which is a good basis to start from. But one of my ideas would be to send it through the realm of Spirits to see how it changes. Astral if that's even possible as well. Any realms if there are any higher ones, it's not really a focus of my studies unfortunately."


He understood Campanella's last point though and he stopped pacing at that but didn't sit back down yet, just looking out into the distance as he took a deep breath, then another trying to find his center again. "Sorry. It just feels like such a Sisyphean task. But if it were easy anyone could do it. 'Follow your path to the end, Accept difficulty as an opportunity, This is the sure way to end up with no difficulties at all.'”

[Campanella]

"The solitary path is always the most difficult. It is the price of freedom. And it is why Cabals have such a prominent place in our little society. The River City is different: low numbers and transience, rather than a stable population. Few have stayed around long enough to build bonds of fellowship or shared interest to warrant their creation."

He tilted his head, pondering while Guru vented and paced.

"Of course there are alternatives. Securing a place for a Sanctum will be a must for you; maybe even securing a Hallow. But maybe you don't necessarily need to secure or control a place aspected to the ethereal or the spirit worlds... Not exactly. If all you are doing are a few ... small ... experiments - then all you need to know are places where the Resonance suits your purposes. Streamline your experiment first, go to the location and conduct your experiment, then return home. It isn't satisfactory but it is an alternative."

He placed his hands together.

"And if nothing else can be done, a Disciple can always open gateways to the other Realms. Even if the Resonance doesn't fit, or can't be adjusted to your purposes, always remember that you can carve your own path - if you are willing to add to your work schedule by learning the Arcana."

[Guru]

"Cabals or Orders I suppose. I don't think most folks who'd want to team up with me have much an interest in the Art." Though the last bit made sense, he was normally transient and hadn't been close to anyone until he got here now he'd say he had friends here and a good reason to stay. "It's definitely a roadblock in long term teamwork, you're not wrong. Advantage to usually being solo I guess." A wide shrug as he threw up his arms, still calm for the moment.


"I have a Hallow it's just, more like a puddle than an ocean and the resonance is much more suited to Life than Death. I think a place aspected like that would be harder for me to live in. It's not in my nature." It wasn't quite the antithesis of his soul, that would be something more aligned with the Astral Realms and emotion than the raw energies of Life and Death. "Finding places like that would require study in Prime though, would it not?" He'd have to learn it sooner or later but he was getting ahead of himself and he knew it.


"If you limited the Gateway not for travel but to act as a filter do you think an Apprentice could pull it off since it's a narrower scope?" He gave another frustrated grunt and start shifting again weight shifting and shuffling from foot to foot. "I'm getting ahead of myself, I need to start simple. I should start with something tried and true, once I can make Thaumium I can work on experiments. Does that seem a reasonable place to start?"


He asked honestly, he could drown in the ocean of ideas floating through his mind and every knew idea brought another two with it. It was easy to be overwhelmed by it and the Moros was steady. stable, and wise so he was the best person to ask.

[Campanella]

Campanella listened attentively.

"Yes. Prime has the best - well... not the best, but the most useful - Sight for detecting the nuance of Resonance."

He paused for a moment.

"Yes. Apprentice practices in Death would allow you to push objects into the Ethereal. The ability to pull them back into the Fallen World proper should fit within their remit."

"Any Hallow is better than none. My suggestions are just that - suggestions. If you go it alone with only the resources available to you, just remember that. If you can, take your time and prepare as much as possible. Preparation is the key; though I think you already know this."

[Guru]

"That was my thought as well, should make finding assistance easier. Pass it through the Shadow as well and see how its properties change. It'll be interesting assuming it doesn't all blow up in my face. But as you said, study, prepare, study again, prepare again, double check, then try." He said with a laugh, he'd known someone who had their meth lab explode, saw what they looked like after. Guru didn't fuck around when it came to safety, he liked his face in one piece.


"I appreciate the suggestions." He nodded finally taking a seat once more, dipping his fork into the brownies as well before pausing. "Are you trying to give me the hard sell or soft sell?" Guru didn't feel like he was being played but he felt like there was something else happening. All the answers seemed to involve needing others for help and while it may not be the conclusion it was something to be tested at least.

[Campanella]

Campanella chuckled softly.

"Maybe I'm offering the soft sell. I've spent many years as a lone alchemist and while it has had its benefits I do believe having help - or at least some allies interested in the Art - would have helped move things along immensely. If you plan to carry out potentially dangerous experiments shunting metals back and forth, it would be wise to either have a secure Sanctum or else finding some assistance for your work."