(2109) Sanctuary

[Phoenyx]

The Arrow watches Corn levelly. "I never suggested you did. You brought that up of your own volition." She nodded. "We are allies. I just find your directness of referring your partner - while using a shadow name for yourself - confusing. I am not asking for your real name. You just seem very... candid, about the whole relationship when keeping your wife as somehting privatemay have been a better choice." She shrugs. they were only her thoughts. It was on Corn what he chose to do.

'Religion aside I am religious'? Corn seemed to speak in paradoxes, talking and expressing before thinking.

"I do not see why we need such a person. It is possible to consider ethics without a religious facet. Doing so removed the dogmatic factors that can blind to reason. I study such things myself - it is a core part of Arrow training. Considering options before acting." She looks around. "I thought the other orders would conside rtheir own philosophies similarly."

[Belle]

Belle accepts Kaze's handshake. My, my, what strong hands you...actually that's a pretty good grip. Holy crap! Is this guy super-strong? She maintains her bright smile though. "You are correct...with a catch, Mr. Kaze. I'm a bit of an adventurer-archeologist; most of my history with the Mysterium back home was object research and recovery. But I'm not against losing myself in a good book." She'd read enough 'bad' books to know the difference.

The conversation between Corn, Aurora, and Phoenyx, goes mostly unnoticed. Though Belle's hackles had briefly gone up when the idea of using Magic on an unborn child was mentioned. Kaze was a good distraction though...a very handsome, so-not-single-yet-friendly-enough-for-eyecandy distraction.

She looks briefly between Kaze and Puck. "So, ummmm. Not to rush anything, but is there anything besides the meet and greet before I'm official here? This is amazing..." She gestures to the Circle in all its majestic glory. "...and you're all wonderful..." Some just a bit too wonderful. "But I don't want to accidentally trigger any latent magical defenses designed to keep out the uninitiated." She'd heard of some Mage communities that used those to keep freeloaders away. Not that she thought these Mages would willingly set that up, but maybe something inherent to the Circle's defenses would need a sigil of proof of her loyalties?

[Aurora]

There was a deep breath as she refocused her mind.

“I get that you and your wife just want a healthy baby, so I’m not trying to tell you how to live your lives. Just,” a pause, “be careful with that.” Concern in her voice. “I’m always willing to talk about it more if you like, but in a private setting. Hubris is a dangerous thing for us.” And at the end of the day, she didn’t want to see any of them hurt. Or their loved ones.

“I don’t think we need a priest, we have each other to show us different points of view. Sometimes it just takes a friend to hear what you are saying and shine new light on it. Priests don’t own the market on listening and offering advice. We’re all here for each other.” At the end of the day, they had to be.

A nod after Phoenyx speaks, wording it better then the Shaman did. “Ethics can be taught by life experiences.” It didn’t have to be religion.

Looking to Belle, “So long as you’ve met with your Councilor and got squared away with them, you’re set. We’re not as formal as other places.”

[Kaze]

Kaze nods at Corn's mentioning that he wished there was an Awakened priest he could talk to. He listens to Phoenyx and Aurora pushing back on the whole religion thing, not commenting.

He gives Corn a nods to show he gets it though. Not everyone has to look to a religion to help figure things out, but if you do, it would be really great to be able to be open about everything you're struggling with to someone you respect and look up to in your religion.

"Oh wow, that's great! So are we talking 'Indiana Jones' or 'Scooby Gang' type exploring?" Kaze asks Belle , looking really interested in what she has to say.

[Phoenyx]

"The Circle has several passive defences. The main active defence is now aware of you," The Arrow said calmly.

"There isn't a Mastigos Councillor at present," she says thoughtfully, "but the Mysterium is aware of her and at least two councillors are as well. I am sure this will suffice. That does reinforce the lack of formality somewhat." She offers Aurora her trademark small smile before looking back to Belle. "What sort of objects did you recover?"

Kaze is.... well, Kaze.

He talks so easily.

[Winter]

There isn't much to add. The Mystagogue, willingly or not, has breached a touchy topic, but Aurora seems to have dealt with it diplomatically.
He shrugs.

[Corn]

Corn nodded to Aurora with a smile.
"Thank you, I may take you up on that offer at a different time."

Then, he turned to Belle and the questioning.
"What all those slightly over-zealous friends of ours understand is that you can choose to not share what you have recovered. This is not an interrogation. But personally, and I think the others here too, would be interested to know, if you choose to share the info."

[Puck]

Man, look at your phone for a minute and you miss the supernal eugenics conversation. Oh well, Puck wasn't going to kick the dead horse and turned his attention to the other conversations as they formed.

"Yeah, the paths and orders offer plenty of different perspectives."

Also the individuals. Though some were definitely more thorny then others. Belle wasn't one of them though.

"Welcome to Sacramento."

New girl is official. They grow up so fast. Also did someone mention Indiana Jones? Puck's attention is piqued.

[Belle]

Belle meets Kaze's smile with a proud one of her own. "More like Duck Tales to be honest. Though a little less rewriting history and more finding mysteries. It's how I found this..." And she shows Kaze her onyx-tipped ring. "It's a Supernal Artifact; found it in Alaska of all places, buried in ice. There were all these crazy carvings around it, I wrote all of them down in case they were important. But I found out they were Atlantean, like old Atlantean. So until I've gotten more skill in High Speech, I probably won't be able to read it." She's a little surprised at how easy this is all coming out. Not that she didn't trust the Mages here, it was just she didn't go into such detail with Crystal. Kaze just seemed a bit more approachable. Must be a Mastigos thing; playing close to the chest.

Between Aurora, Corn, and Phoenyx's encouragement, Belle's expression shifts to relief, then excitement.
"Oh thank God, as long as I don't get set on fire on the way out, I think I'll be happy!" Crystal was right; the lack of rigidity in Sacramento was turning out to be a good thing. The mention of no active Councilor was odd. I guess Crystal just didn't step up to the plate just yet? Maybe he wasn't comfortable taking the spot by default since he's running the Mastigos boat solo? ​She could admire that.

She looks over to Puck, noting his interest. "Thanks! It's nice to have someplace to call home again." A chance for a fresh start with a new crew and nobody to worry over. At least not yet.

[Phoenyx]

Hackles rose dramatically.

Dark eyes focus on Corn intently. "'Over-zealous'? I was unaware that asking questions was sufficient to be considered zealotry." There is a slight edge to her tone. "If we asked about your Alchemical research, would you consider that also to be zealous? The topic of arcane artifacts, I am sure, is interesting to many here."

The Arrow looked to Belle. "Only if you make them particularly unhappy." If it was a joke, it had a delivery as dry as the Sahara.