(2309) Sanctuary

[Chambers]

Much as a gust of wind blows itself out, Chambers seemed to have talked himself into inertia. The conversation while short had given him a reasonable amount to mull over. He looks like he’s taking it onboard at least but to what effect?

Witch’s comments of calling for help when needed received the mod of ascent, it was after all part of why you join a Consilium. That’s the closest she’s come to telling us anything about her awakened life, was it trust, or something else that brought it out?

The sound of heels on stone catches the ear, stirring chambers from languor, and Philip moves to postpone the topic. Huh and he was willing to try and throw me right into it when I arrived. Casting his eyes to the new arrival, Philip’s best foot forward behaviour makes a little more sense. she wouldn’t seem out of place on a film set. ‘Not at all, it’s an open conversation.’ More than a little de ja vu from when Witch joined. Then Philip offers his hand. Oh, I hope I haven’t taught him that.

And not far behind Winter, whose greeting is met with an acknowledging smile, and a spark of recall, the last thing Winter had said last they met. Still more important things in the here and now.

[October]

Looking towards the voice, a warm smile appears, “If memory serves me right, it's Winter, right?” it was hard to forget such a stoic presence.

The smile was then turned to the only other female present, “That’s good to hear, I only like interrupting if it’s something important. Or funny, whichever.” Not a talkative bunch so far.

Seeing the offer hand, she offers her own. The shake a firm, but gentle professional one, one of someone used to shaking hands. After all, she did it all day.

“Hey Philip, I’m October, a pleasure.”

Then the other guy spoke, “Open works quite well for me.”

Addressing everyone this time, “So yeah, I’m October, I was here briefly a couple years ago but got called away for work. Anyways, I’m an Acanthus and hoping to establish myself a bit more this time.”

[Winter]

"It's been a while", he says, remembering the brief encounter with the Doctor but unwilling to disclose her profession out of respect for her privacy, "what brings you back?", he then looks over to Witch, greeting her before the others.

[Philip Crosen]

Philip was a bit confused. So, October was an old member of the consilium who`s now a newcomer again? And Winter and October are acquainted somehow. Nevertheless, it could still be nice to know something more about her than that. So, he started his by now pretty usual routine of bombarding newcomers with a truckload of questions, turning to October to start his barrage. Old new arrivals that were also beautiful women were just no exception.

"I have so many questions. Call it professional curiosity. First of all, to get this straight, you are looking to be acknowledged again and stay long enough for that to make sense? And, yeah, what Winter said, what drove you to come back? It just sounds out of the blue. Although, as long as there`s no trouble for us, it`s none of my business, really, I guess. I`m an Acanthus too, by the way. And Free Council. What about you?"

[Chambers]

October certainly made a better introduction than he had. Here a couple of years ago, another chance for a history lesson hopefully. I wonder if she knows more about Winter than we do? Her easy confidence helped break the mood in the aftermath of the conversation minutes prior. He felt himself loosen up and his grin slip into place.

Grabbing a moment when Philip has to stop for breath ‘Allow me to be a little less bull at the gate., and actually welcome you, well welcome you back, to Sacramento.’ Seriously a few manners never went amiss, and serve as an easy way to sneak Mysterium secret greetings into a sentence to boot. ‘Welcome, I’m Chambers, path of doom.’ Right exchange and all.

[October]

To Winter, “It has. What is it? Three, maybe four years?” as an Acanthus she should know time better, but years tend to blend together after a while for her. “East coast got boring and work offered me another position out here and I figured, hell, why not. How about you? How have you been? Staying out of trouble?” not that he’d tell her if he wasn’t. Private people are, well, private. And she respected that.

An eyebrow arches at Philip, “Do you? Then please, by all means.” There were always those with questions, something that could never be escaped. “Professional curiosity? Now that has my own curiosity piqued.” Though she doubted they shared a profession, some people were noisy. “As I’ve recently moved back to Sacramento for work, the logical next step was to make myself known and touch base. I believe the Laws haven’t changed that much that I don’t owe the locals a hello.” There were rules, come to a new city, let the local mages know you were there. “Like I said earlier, work has brought me back. And it’s not out the blue, my job allows me the luxury to travel and take up residence in different cities. Plus, there was something about Sacramento that just felt like it slowed life down a bit, a more laid-back atmosphere if you will, and it’s quite needed.” Eyes study him a moment, “You’ve never done something out of the blue? Wanted a change of scenery or pace?” cause if so, she was going to call bullshit.

“As far as trouble? I don’t have time for trouble, tend to mind my own business and help when asked. So we share a Path, excellent! Was hoping I would get to meet the Councilor, are we a large Path?” that would be great. But judging by the number in the room, doubtful. “I don’t get involved in Orders, I respect them and what they do, but too much drama and bullshit for my liking.” And that was that in her mind. She’d done Orders in the past, but it never felt right.

“Nice to meet you Chambers, and thank you.” Those two were like night and day, which was quite entertaining.

[Witch]

There was the faintest flicker of a smile from Witch, there and then gone.

She hadn't truly worked with Chambers or Phillip yet. But even with their limited interactions she was starting to get a feel for who they were as people. No doubt the reverse was true about them and her as well of course.

"Nice to meet you October," another grin flashed and lingered, humor filled with what was to come. "I'm Witch."

"Ahh..." the breathed exclamation came, even as she glanced to Phillip, allowing him to speak actual words for their shared path. The answer of course was no, they weren't a large path. Well ... unless you looked at percentage of the also small consilium. And in that regard the whole two of them made up what ... 40%? Nearly half.

And Councilor. Well. She supposed it hadn't even been a full year since the existing path Councilors let go of the titles. Someone who was last here 4 plus years ago ... maybe then they had actually had a need.

She wondered how Philip was going to answer.

[Winter]

The Orders were part of the Dragon and their only anchor to the Atlantean Dream, a sliver of Truth in a world of Lies.
So he's not particularly fond of their business being labeled "bullshit", but for the sake of civility, he keeps it shut. "Welcome back then, he says. Looks like our numbers are slowly growing"

[Philip Crosen]

"Well" he started, "I'm a consultant of sorts, and I'm also kinda new to this gathering, so I'd started by preempting some of the questions I got when I joined, if that's ok. And we are Awakened colleagues, so I guess this is official business, I dunno? And yeah, I try new things in town but I don't usually travel." Winter got him thinking: Good point. When I joined we were three, now its five in just a few months.
He decided to leave October's mislabeling of his Trust work as "bullshit" unanswered, although the presumptuousness did get an eyebrow raise and a passive- agressive refusal to talk any more about his job for the time being. "And on that subject, it might be time to travel to my next client. See you guys later." He politely smiles at everyone and leaves.

[Chambers]

Help when asked, no sense of duty? No curiosity? The Mysterium had given him direction for the former and fuelled the latter, brought him in from the life of apostasy and calling that bullshit definitely weighed in poorly on his guanxi.

The meeting had given him plenty to think about. ‘Yeah, gonna head out myself.’ Gathering his odds and ends about his person. ‘See you all soon, keep well.’ With a wave he also departs.

If anyone is awake and wants to get a last post in I’m going to close this one in about 2 hours than start the new one �� thank you for the scene