A meeting in the circle

[Aeolus]

Quick reminder to be mindful of other players' attributes or active spells in your interactions.
In this case, Rails has cast Incognito Presence as a monthly ritual and while it might be not the easiest one to roleplay around, it was a conscious choice of the player.

That is all, I like what I'm seeing here otherwise

[Rails]

Rails looks between Corn and Phoenyx as the latter Mage makes her appearance. So this is the Obrimos Councilor mentioned earlier.

Spot Corn's Subterfuge, 1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-04-01 07:33:13	Rails rolls 7 to Wits + Subterfuge (10 Again)	6, 5, 8, 7, 4, 6, 2	1 success

"Rails. Like he said," he greets the Arrow.

"Corn here was just about to let me know where he encountered this dude," a sly glance at the Moros. "So I could check out the site first-hand." If Corn's going to withhold that information, Rails is keen to make him say so. Out loud.

[Belle]

Phoenyx's entrance is a surprise to Belle, but a welcome one "Hey, Phoenyx! Glad to see you. We're working on some possible bad guy stuff." If they were bringing an Arrow into the mix, that Banisher...or whatever he was...doesn't stand a chance. "Rails here is helping us out as well." Did Corn mention something about examining where they found the Choker? Pretty sure Corn just said something about keeping Mysterium business in the Mysterium. "Shouldn't we be more focused on where he is now?" She looks over to Corn to gauge his reaction. Belle's not known for having a measured tongue. "But yeah, if there's any secure location where we can do some Scrying, it would help. I've got some ingrained protections against counter-Scrying..." Her Occultation was an investment that had brought her no end of grief; might as well get some use out of it. ​"But better safe than sorry."

[Phoenyx]

The intense look moves from Rails to Corn. Hopefully, for his sake, he was not implying the Arrow was slacking in her duties. "I recall. By the time I arrived I could see evidence of neither this individual nor yourself. Since there had been no mention of him since and no suspicious individuals have been seen in the vicinity of the Circle, I was not aware there was still an investigation into him."

She glances back to Rails. Validated or not, he was still new and that usually meant her guard would be back up. Regardless of how bland or unassuming the person may be. "I know there are powerful wards that prevent scrying into the Circle from outside. I do not know if anyone has successfully scryed outwards from within - it is not a skill I possess. The Concillium does not own any other sites. With the Circle being a place of such magical potential and the numbers of magi being in flux as they are, holding one place was challenging enough. If you are looking to imprison someone, there are some cells here but they will need to be overseen," It was peculiar - Corn himself had sought to find ways of group financing things for the concilllium, but he did not know what the current status was? Was it simply his nature to leap without knowledge? Or was he simply asking her as one who had remained for several years? Impossible for the Arrow to tell.

There is a small shrug to Belle's question. "That depends on if we have sufficient information to locate him. If not the last known whereabouts may hold the key." She looks back to Corn. "More important, perhaps, is our intent. Corn, you called him a 'potential' Banisher. Is it possible he is a recently awakened mage? If it were possible to bring him into the Pentacle, we could avoid conflict altogether." People called for Arrows when they wanted muscle - it didn't make them unthinking weapons.

Phoneyx looks back to Rails. "As First Talon of the Adamantine Arrow, I consider it our duty to oversee the protection of the magi of this Concillium. Should you have need of us, call. If one of you would be so kind as to share my number? This outfit is particularly lacking in pockets." She asks the Mysterium members, gesturing to herself. It was a desert-dry joke, but a joke nonetheless.

Not bothering with a roll - measuring reactions isn't the kind of thing Phoenyx looks out for.

[Corn]

Corn replied to Phoenyx when she mentioned the 'Banisher' not showing up.
"I am happy to report that yes, the potential banisher has not shown his face since. Still, since he walked away from the area and all the way up to my car without me able to see him... he may have shown up and we wouldn't know. And since he has seen my face and I was there when he left, I would prefer if he didn't show up behind me one day. I prefer if we can show up BEFORE he does....

The investigation on him ... hasn't started yet. I was planning to come to you directly once we knew more about him and I was hoping that either you or Viggo would be willing to give us a hand. Kaze has suggested once that I should not head to a potential confrontation without someone that knows how to fight by our side. And you have suggested that too. So... I wasn't planning to confront that guy before I got hold of either you or Viggo. We don't know enough yet to call for back-up though.
As for the cells here, this man is an outsider. If we hold a mage here, then he learns about this place and becomes a liability. I would be against keeping the man here for interrogation unless there's no other option. Perhaps Winter has something better. "

Then, he addresses the other parts she inquired about. "We have hair from him and his dedicated tool. We have fought with him so we have a better connection. I was planning to drive Rails to the place soon. I could take you too or we could visit the location at a different time if your schedule doesn't align with Rails.
Or we could go with Belle's suggestion and scry on him.

I call him a 'potential' Banisher because frankly, he saw three mages, sensed the magic, and didn't attack us immediately. When the fight broke out he started saying that he wants to cleanse our kind and some crap about a Higher Power protecting him and him being a tool of "Him" whether that is God, an Exarch or some other Higher Power, real or imaginary. Belle reminded me that his nimbus was bells and such. He used decent matter magic to break free when I buried him in the ground - and to be clear, I left his mouth out so he wouldn't suffocate.

I completely agree that we need to talk to that guy first, although I would leave it to you and Winter to 'set the parameters' of the discussion. For all I know that guy may simply be batshit crazy without being a Banisher - or he may be suffering from a really bad bedlam - he was pretty vulgar during our altercation; the Abyss probably put a few blows in there.

Just so we are on the same page, Phoenyx, let me re-iterate what I told Rails about this guy..." Corn recaps his earlier words to Phoenyx, about the meeting with the Banisher.

Finally, Corn gave Rails Phoenyx's contact information. And didn't give anyone the address of the house aside of the promise to take them there himself.

Here is the link for the post where Corn tells Rails about the Banisher.
As before, if Belle tries to mention the artifact, Dina, Crypto etc, Corn would wave her to change the subject.

[Rails]

A glance at Bell. "Where he was could tell us a lot about where he is. Or where he's going. More importantly: why." Come on. This is the easy shit.

"But whatever," he shrugs. Letting it drop.

Phoenyx seems...imperious. The whole phone number thing. Arrows, man.

But she backs up his play re: examining the guy's last known whereabouts. "My point exactly," he adds.

That seems to do the trick as Corn's just offered to drive them all over. "Cool," he says. Looking vaguely pleased.

"Anyway," back to Belle, "I'm game for trying to pin him down together when the time is right. I'm also a bit difficult to come back on in that regard." No shit. "Maybe we can find a spot that isn't tied to either one of us and act from there?" Rent a motel room. Something by the hour. Rails knows all about those.

[Belle]

All this double-talk and concealing information makes Belle's stomach squirm. She'd prefer to work openly, but the Mysterium does have a responsibility to protect its interests. And its Artifacts. "I'm not so sure he was new; if he was, he was really up on a high horse. But if there's a slight chance he'll come around without jumping over us or getting too nosey then I'll entertain it." Truth be told she was hoping to watch Phoenyx go full Red Arrow on the guy, but that was just Belle holding a grudge.

Seeing Corn meet Rails and Phoenyx halfway was a relief for Belle. She likes Corn and trusts his judgements as head Mystagogue, but Phoenyx was a friend as well. Rails...is a work in progress. "I can poke around for someplace secure and out of the way. We'd be looking for no eyes or ears, so even a well insulated closet would work as long as it's not someplace with strong Sympathetic ties." Or she could mitigate those ties with magic, though that would take time. "Here's my number, so that we can coordinate." She gives Rails her number. No reason they can't work together on this. After all, shady as the guy seems, Crystal vetted him.

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx tries to keep focus on all the parts Corn covers, trying to separate the wheat from the chaff. "Unless he can cloak his spells with Prime, one can still see the sigil of an invisibility spell. I have not seen anyone like that in the locality." It was a helpful trick. Also, from the descriptions he was using, he certainly had the traits she knew about Banishers. The nimbus was irrelevant "So.... let me clarify. You said Belle severed your sympathy? Or you still have sympathy to this man? From a single encounter, I am not sure that is a connection that can be relied upon. Also... you buried him?" She frowns. It sounds as if the man was not the only one employing vulgar magic. As far as she knew there was nowhere else, to keep such a person, and rendering him unconscious would keep him from knowing the location of the Circle... but arguing that point with Corn was not a hill she wished to die on. It could be decided in the field where she could make the choices.

"It sounds as if the next steps are already set - scry for the man and track him down," she said thoughtfully. "If you wish us to be there at that time, we can be, or we can focus on this place you encountered him." It sounded simple enough to her.

[Corn]

Corn nodded. " Belle 's suggestion to work with Rails in a dark cellar or web-covered attic to scry this fellow seems appropriate. Belle, do you want me there too? To go for snack runs or water?" or because mage or not, you may feel uncomfortable being stuck in a dark cellar for hours with a man you don't know.

To Phoenyx , he answered " Belle severed my sympathy at the time, but then the guy walked up to my window. In both cases it was dark, but in the second case, I didn't cast any spells on him. So his connection from watching me for a few moments should be small.
As for burying him, yes. We needed him out of the fray, without being able to see us, or move. At the time, I didn't think of any better way to do that, aside of burying him in the rock, leaving his mouth out so he wouldn't suffocate.
I should have left his nose out instead, since he was talking a lot. "

Looking at all of them "Do you want me to drive you there? I could do that soon, I guess. "

If nothing much needs to be added here, we can close this scene so it enters continuity.

[Rails]

"Thanks," he says when Belle offers her number. "I'll text you mine later."

Gives Corn a look when he offers to tag along for their joint-scrying.

Read Between the Lines of Corn's Offer, 3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-04-09 14:28:32	Rails rolls 6 to Wits + Empathy (10 Again)	1, 10, 2, 8, 1, 7, 10, 4	3 successes

"I'm sure we can get on fine," he says to the Moros. "No need to put yourself out." He's not sure he likes this guy. Or what he's implying. Besides, he wants a chance to talk to his fellow Warlock one-on-one.

"I'd be down to take a ride soon," looking from Corn to Phoenyx and back again. "The more information, the better."

I'm good to close whenever!