(2405) Sanctuary

[Winter]

He had convinced himself that stopping by the circle was fulfilling his own patriotic duty, and even thought last time he had left abruptly - other things were on his mind - this time would be different.
He stops by the cathedral, noticing immediately the atmosphere of merriment - that he doesn't seem to mind - then he proceeds toward the center in ample strides.
For the occasion, he's dressing a bit better than usual, some would say casual elegant, as for himself, he'd just frown.
"Hello", he says, brows arched at the display of food. Aurora and Witch are afforded the luxury of a more colloquial greeting.

[Salem]

Salem had decided that he wanted to get out and be social for a bit. He found his way to the Circle in hopes that someone would be around. If not, he could always leave and head somewhere else. He's dressed semi-casually today in a pair of khaki shorts and a light blue polo shirt with a pair of white and black sneakers completing the outfit.

He walks into the cathedral, one hand holding a bottle of water as he looks around at the grandness of the place. It doesn't take him too long to hear voices and he follows them, approaching slowly and with caution. He might have names for some of these people but he doesn't have a face for any of the names except for Philip. "Hello," he says, flashing what he hopes is a disarming smile.

[Witch]

"Welcome back. I hope everything went well with what pulled you away?" As she recalled, there was a baby involved. But despite the fact that he seemed just as open as before, she didn't want to make a bad assumption with calling it out directly.

A look of surprise, good things? About her? And had the acknowledgment process been a group effort? She knew she certainly wasn't looking for the credit there. "Well, I shouldn't have any issues following it then, should I?" she said with an easy grin.

Witch suppressed a chuckle and her knee jerk response to his question and was saved from having to answer by Philip and Chamber's questions coming on the heels of Corn's.

"You as well. She glanced between the two of them to ensure that the statement was clear to be applied to both. "I've been well. An opportunity at work opened unexpectedly and pulled me out of town for a bit. It was great if temporary. So, sticking around," she said with a small nod to Chambers and a quick glance toward Corn .

"A lot changed though you say?" This to Philip, "I'll see about getting my acknowledgement completed quick in order to get the scoop."

If it weren't Philip and Chambers she would question if an Acanthus had been mucking around as another familiar-but-not face walked in. Smiling she lifted a hand, "Thanks, you as well. Seems Sacramento has a siren call to see you and Corn back."

And then there was Winter. Witch returned his greeting easily, glad to see the taciturn man. Just behind him though, the first face she didn't recognize. Which was maybe good- despite what Philip said she was starting to wonder. Her mental jest about an Acanthus becoming a bit less funny and all that.

She offered the man a smile but didn't say anything. After all, as noted, she wasn't officially here yet.

[Corn]

"Hello, Aurora. Winter , welcome. Is everything OK? We missed your opinions in the previous official gathering. But we now have official records so you can see what was decided. " Then he turns to Chambers , Philip and Aurora . "Those should be available to acknowledged people only, right? So, technically, Witch can't see them yet... for a few minutes till I deal with this.
I always wanted to do one of those new Acknowledgements. " He said with a smile. "Give me a moment to check the official questions before..."
Then a new face walks in. Corn stops his happy blabbering. "Oh, greetings. I am Corn, Moros and Mystagogue. Welcome to Sacramento. We have not met, I think. " He says in a moral formal tone.

With much less casual tones he returns to the topic at hand, witch's re-acknowledgement. "I have been fine, witch. " he says in lower tones "I will be glad to catch up after we deal with your acknowledgement. I like seeing familiar faces return. When I returned it was much more empty. Anyway..."

He stands up straighter and takes an official tone, respectful, not arrogant. This was serious process and he would treat it as such. His smile vanishes but not because he is angry or hostile; he just goes business-like.
"Magus Witch, I welcome you to the Circle again. Please answer these pre-approved questions truthfully and in good faith.
What is your order?
What is your path?
Do you bring or know of anything that comes with or follows you, is associated to you and so on, that could endanger the circle, its members or secrecy?
In the event it becomes necessary are you willing to fight to defend the circle, Consilium, and its members?"


After Witch gives her answer (whatever it is) he addresses witch, Philip and Chambers. "Actually, about the endanger part I think we should ask 'anything that could endanger yourself, the circle, its members or secrecy.' A mage may well seek refuge and sanctuary here from things that don't endanger the circle but themselves. I think we had a fugitive mage in the past, trying to avoid law enforcement. We may want or not want to help such a mage but we should know. "

[Philip Crosen]

Chambers gets a smirk, although he could tell part of Chambers wasn`t too thrilled by Philip saying his rice crispies would have to do.
"Guilty as charged, doc. Though I doubt I could come up with anything half as good as what you got, I guess I can try."
Giving Aurora and Winter curt nods of introduction and courtesy, he greeted them as they came with:
"Hi, nice to see you."
And then in came who from the profile picture he could only assume had to be Salem, the new guy he texted with. So he gave him a curt nod of introduction too, before adressing him and the others present.
"Ah, Salem, was it? Anyway, is the Free Council- internal Acknowledgement meeting in a couple of days still on, here?"
he asked curtly. After all, from his text he knew he was most likely a Libertine as well. Well, assuming this was the right guy. And so he believed it fell to him to acknowledge him, per the new rules, regardless of the other willworkers currently present. On top of that, he had been the one to reach out and contact him. So he would discuss this with him at a time and place of his own choosing, the ones they`d already agreed to. Again, assuming it was actually Salem, as he wasn`t exactly easy to recognise from his profile photo, having never met the guy.
Answering Witch, he nods to her as well.
"Well, we became more and we discussed some interesting things last Consilium. That about sums it up. And as you heard, the new acknowledgement procedures have mostly become standard now. Sort of."
And it seemed Corn was content to do the acknowledgement of Witch, being the first member of her Path to make contact with her this time around. His seriousness was a side of him he hadn`t really seen before, but one he could acknowledge and agree with, given the circumstances. Except the way he was asking was exactly the type of questionnaire-thing he`d hoped to avoid. Something best avoided., he thought, taking notes on how Corn did things. But he knew it couldn`t be helped if questions were mostly pre-arranged. Inwardly he was thrilled though to officially get more info about Witch`s Order affiliation, if she answered truthfully.
He didn`t mind the added question for her, the more free info the better. But he also felt it was a matter best discussed at the next Consilium and that would be a while yet. But, answering Corn, he nodded gravely when the question turned to access for acknowledged and un-acknowledged willworkers.
"Yes, that was agreed I believe. Acknowledged access only to internal records."

[Chambers]

Aurora's confident arrival was meet with a warm smile. The Thyrsus had so far shown the most awareness and respect for the history and laws of awakened society, something he appreciated. ''Aurora. Hi, how are you?'' Leaving it at a polite response to her greeting, not wanting to barge into the reunion between her and Witch.

Winter not far behind her received the same warm smile. His sudden exit was odd, but out of character from what I can tell so the benefit of the doubt for now. ''Winter. Good to see you? Everything alright I trust?'' A well meaning greeting or an opportunity to offer reason for that departure intentional left unclear, giving the man himself the opportunity to define the subject of the question in how he chose to respond.

The new face he goes to greet until Philip gets a word in that gives a moment of thought. Internal acknowledgement, so we've graduated to handling that business outside of this chance meeting. That's a good sign. Turning then to the new comer. Chambers smiles gently. ''Welcome to Sacramento.'' Casting an eye to Philip to catch the name before looking back. ''Salem was it?'' Witch returns as Salem arrives Hm? Does that feel portentous to anyone else I wonder? ''It sounds like you'll be join us.'' He gestures to the offerings for today. ''Please help yourself.'' It never hurts to be civil after all.

A return nod to Witch to show he had heard. ''That sounds wonderful.'' Best case scenario then. Given Philip and Corn seemed to have business both official and other wise covered he does not feel the need to add unnecessarily. If a little curious for her answer to order question. While I know it after our talk in the circle, she has never been public about her affiliation in the time I've knew her.

As for the records. ''Well not records per se this time. I was not taking them for that meeting as it had not been agreed yet. I've put a summary up of the main points please feel free to give it a look over, make sure I covered everything.'' I think I got it all, but it never hurts to have others check your work. The lie creeps into everything of this fallen world after all. Which is why he was eager to advance his studies and learn supernal script.

He pauses. ''Corn I think that's covered by threat to the Consilium. Anything that pursues the individual could be lead to the immediate area easily enough endearing the greater whole.'' Failure to make us aware of a risk by association would definitely count as acting in bad faith to me. ''But if you feel we need it.'' I thought we had these sorted. ''We can add to to the agenda for July.'' The next time official changes can be made.

Philip gets raised eyebrows but not in judgement, in anticipation. ''You certainly could try. I would be very curious to see what you come up with.'' Doing things yourself rather then relying on mass production was something he would always support. ''Get some practice in for the Cookout perhaps?'' He and Aurora already had their friendly competition after all, why not widen the field. Then nodding. ''Yes quite so. The records when they begin in earnest will be for acknowledged members only.'' It was no one else's business.

[Aurora]

Winters greeting was returned, “Hi Winter, hope you’re doing well.” While she was curious about how his ideas were going, she decides to not ask. They were said in a private talk and she’d keep her questions for another private talk.

Grey eyes take in the new face as he walks in before offering a nod, “Hi.”

Chuckling to Witch, “It’s always seemed to have that power.” It had called her back numerous times over the years.

And then Corn does, well, something. The struggle to not roll her eyes was real, but she manages to not do it.

A nod to Philip at his greeting, having nothing to add to what he said.

To Chambers, “Doing pretty good, how about you?” they still needed to setup a time to sit down and talk.

[Winter]

"I'm fine thank you. Just some urgent business that came up abruptly. Looked like an emergency but luckily it wasn't. Sorry for having left you to hang out dry", he liquidates the question with a straight answer.
His next action may seem out of character, but listening to Corn play detective with another mage and especially a fellow Guardian, prompts his sudden reaction. "Pre-approved by whom? I'm telling you again, don't ask questions when you aren't in a position to answer them yourself"
The implication was clear, Corn didn't exactly shy away from sharing details about his private life.

[Salem]

Salem returns the smile to Witch, but doesn't say anything at the moment to her. She seems a bit busy as is.

He gives a nod over to Corn as the Moros identifies himself, "Hey, I'm Salem, Mastigos and Libertine." He shakes his head in agreement to the fact that they hadn't met yet.

Ah! Someone who recognized him! Must be the Philip guy he was chatting with. "Yeah, that's me and yes, I'll be there." he says. He curls his hands back behind his back, in a bit of a self-conscious gesture.

He turns next to Chambers and returns the smile, "Thank you." He nods, "Yes, I'm known as Salem. That is the plan, yes.." he says, glancing to the offered fare and smiling. "Thank you."

He gives a smile and a nod over to the Shaman before taking a piece of the rice crispy cake and nibbling at it. He steps to the side as he tries not to glance at Winter at the man's obvious upset at Corn. Nope. Just eating a sweet.

[Eidolon]

Eidolon walked up to the Circle of Creation. He was impressed with the 'clubhouse' as Philip called it. And at that thought Eidolon shot Philip a text, "I am outside, should I just walk in?" And at that he walked up to the entrance and waited for confirmation.