Order Meeting VIII

[Aurora]

Eyes look down, “Making the decision to kill is not one to be made lightly. I have to wonder if anything is worth killing a Sleeper over, with so many options available to us.” A thoughtful look then a defeated shrug. She had killed before, but they had been Seer’s, and it had been in defense of not only herself, but those around her.

“To cast those spells on your wife Corn, those are trackable. Because I’m going out on a limb and guessing you didn’t Cloak them, meaning, she was a nice shiny target. Walking around wherever she was, able to be followed,” pausing, “right back to you.” Sure, she was guilty of not Cloaking her own spells, but they were on herself and not some random ass sleeper. “Common sense, it wouldn’t even need to be a high-level Banisher or Seer.”

A shake of her head, “You are not going to turn this around on me and the choices I made. I acted in accordance with the Lex and walked away, and I thought the problem was resolved. Turns out, the problems run deeper, much deeper.” She says, her voice calm. “I have my reasons for why I did and did not do things, I am not perfect, do not try and manipulate my words and my decisions to justify your predicament. I did not say I, personally, planned to pursue charges against you for what happened.” A deep sigh, “And while there was no breach of the Lex, you were willing to bribe another mage, a Life Master, with anything and everything you could, to enter a hospital, filled with Sleepers and who knows who and what else, and cast vulgar magic on not one, but two Sleepers. It’s playing God, messing with a Sleepers soul and their destiny that has already been determined. That, in its self, is a problem, and you still seem to fail to see that. And I cannot put into words how deeply concerning that is to me.” The calm replaced with disappointment.

“You can sit here and attempt to justify it, your actions, your thoughts, your words, or you can own them, own the mistakes, and attempt to move beyond them. Making excuses will not win you any favors or any pity, but showing you understand the gravity of your mistakes, understand the dangers you placed yourself and this community in, that will go a long way to showing you are remorseful and are willing to learn, a willingness to be better than you were.” That is how they become wise, they learn from their mistakes, they own them.

[Corn]

The spell ends over a careless word and Corn's eyes go wide.
"But... but that was a mistaken word! You have asked me to answer questions, and I did. Same for the questions the others asked me. Then, while it was not part of the original deal, you asked me to explain, and I did. I confessed things that got me in very hot water in order to get your help to save my kid. And you stop all that, because after several rounds of questioning, I said "park" instead of "zoo" ?! " he says incredulously. "I have answered, honestly, all of your questions. And I have given you, Aurora and Guru honest explanations when I was asked. The mistake on the zoo came after I have answered everything. I have fulfilled my part of the deal. "


Aurora says some things, Chambers says some things. "I don't mind if those things go to the Council. Feel free to prosecute me for anything I have done or asked others to do. I don't care what happens to me. What I care about, is for Cloud to be safe. I have done my part of the deal, you got a trove of info to use against me so the least I can ask is that you help me with that spell. Please! "

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-11-09 10:36:39	Corn rolls 3 to Pre+pers (10 Again)	2, 5, 10, 5	1 success

Once he can breath again, he turns to Aurora and says "I didn't mean to turn this of you. Yes, I asked that of you, and it was selfish. And yes, your decision to be wise there, hurt a lot. A lot. The timing of bringing it up could have been better, but that's not on you. You are not the one that painted a target on my family. I did that myself."

Presence + Persuasion to convince Chambers to help.

[Chambers]

Auroras is listened to. Given how highly she was thought of how could her words be discarded by any present and she was trying , trying very hard to reach some grain of sensibility, to make the man understand and accepted he had years of poor choices coming due all at once. But gently and with advise for the long and difficult road forward. He will need to be broken down completely and educated from the ground up.

Chambers for his part steels himself as Corn tries to stir his heart and tug on his emotions. And Corn must be desperate to try and invoke such things in one who had walked the realm of death and knew the truth of Stygia. Chambers remains utterly unmoved. As calm and resolute as the stones he carves.

resist Coercion 5 successes (E-Suxx)

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-11-09 12:14:08	Chambers rolls 8 to resist coercion 5 + wp (10 Again, WillPower)	8, 9, 3, 8, 9, 2, 3, 9	5 successes

A slow shake of the head. "Corn. Recently you have belittled my efforts and achievements calling me arrogant to the members of this order and the path we both walk." Why Corn had felt the need to include him in those he spoke to privately was a bizarre choice. "Do you recall when you called me a radical for pushing for a charter and respecting the iron laws?" It had been the same conversation that had come up as a point of contention today. "You said you didn't count your words. You should start. Awakened words mean more, have more weight then those of sleepers." Stating something they should all know. "It was careless. Your carelessness time and again from which no one pulled you up so you have not learnt, that has lead you to where you are now." That had ultimately brought every action back to haunt him, the collective consequences at last having caught up when they could do the most to him, karmic in away. "But inspite of all of that I did say I would give you something." If I have to model behaviour like I would for a child then so be it. "And I value my words. So until Magus Corn tells a lie, his name in this moment shall be scribed." Palms pressed together open as if on a hinge or spine. High speech flows from his lips once more.

Scribe Corn's final name 7 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-11-09 12:38:07	Chambers rolls 12 to Scribe final name (int 3, occult 3 (+1 order specality), fate 3, HS 2,) (10 Again)	3, 2, 7, 1, 9, 4, 10, 10, 10, 3, 5, 7, 5, 8, 10, 8	7 successes

The artistic and complex rote glyph blazes gold back into being. Corn's momentary name reappears on the jacket the full intricacies of the sprawling and perplexing numbers and equations. Feeling the spell in his tolerance more powerful then even some of his rituals can manage. A sign if there ever was one that what he did was right even if he had to trust to fate that it was so. This if it was not apparent already was no work of Corn's plea the Moros councillor had not cared for it. This is a teacher offering a student a lesson. Showing them the right way. An attempt to guide a fool back to wisdom.

[Aurora]

A soft sigh, “Words have weight Corn, words have consequences. A park is not a zoo, two different things entirely. But it should serve to drive the point home that has been said over and over today, that words have consequences, words have importance, the ones you choose to use, or not use, can have repercussions, even if you never intended them.” How has that not sunk in? “Isn’t this how you found yourself in this situation? Have you not been listening? Should we make flashcards?” how many times had it been said?!

“Playing Devil’s Advocate here, is he ever safe? If you’ve cast on your wife, have you cast on him? He is known, how and who do you expect to keep him safe? Do you think he will ever be safe?” her tone flat. Truth be told, it wasn’t her problem. Corn made the decision to mix Sleeper and Awakened life, this was his mess, any blood would be on him.

“I think you did, because that’s how you’ve handled difficulties, you’ve tried to put it on someone else. Hope the attention shifts to someone else and then you can slip under the radar again, not get called on your bullshit and your mistakes. And that’s fine, I can handle it, throw what you want at me, but just know it all comes back, everything comes full circle.” Her soul was clear, but she wouldn’t let him walk away from it this time. “You’ve hidden behind your words, hoping no one paid too closely to what you said or called you on it, that they would feel empathy for you and you would just keep skating through life without consequences. The timing was perfect in my opinion, because it allowed me to test the spell, not that I don’t trust Chambers and his Arcana, but it allowed me to see how you lied. Everyone has a tell, this allowed me to see yours.” Think she did it for show? No, she had a reason.

A bitter laugh, “Radical for pushing a Chater? Then I am happy to be radical as well. And just what is wrong with the Iron Laws? Our word as Awakened to each other means everything, breaching an Oath is not taken lightly, and should be punished accordingly. Seems to me someone who calls it radical to want a Charter and respecting the Iron Laws is a bit of hypocrite now begging someone to keep their word.” She knew Chambers would keep his word, because he was wise and he knew the weight of his words. Plus, he wasn’t a dick.

Then came the spell, not one she was familiar with, so she says nothing, but listens and watches. This felt like a time when her wiseass words and attitude wasn’t needed. Chambers had this, and as such, she keeps quiet and respects what he was doing. Even if she wasn’t sure what it was.

[Corn]

Corn shakes his head, but counts his words.
"About me calling your views radical for Sacramento consilium, based on what I have seen the previous times the Charter discussion came up, can you please give the full context, Chambers , instead of picking parts of the discussion? By the end of the discussion, was I convinced we need it, or not?
As for that house, we have no indication there was a sanctum there.

At this point chambers conditional spell ends again. Corns very next sentence explains they did have more then no indication it could be a sanctum, Not granted but more then no possibility of it.

It was house that looked suspicious to our supernatural sight, some of us picked some strangeness or another about its resonance; it is all in the report. " Most of us would have done the same and investigate.
"As for that person there, that used supernal magic, who may or may not come to the consilium with grieviances, I have never seen him in the meetings; I don't think he is acknowledged. Now, about the cabal years ago, that I think it was called Sancta Trinitas, we faced one of them but they didn't push the issue with the consilium. " He turns to Aurora "I think, not sure, that we smoothed things over with them. Didn't we?"
Why do I have to explain and apologize about doing my job, of reclaiming artifacts and investigating supernatural phenomena?

[Chambers]

Aurora laid it out plain and simple. To start with anyway. The bitter laugh the second in recent conversation. A critical reminder to remain calm and on task himself. Noting that Corn had stopped answering certain questions entirely. How did this become our meeting? How was ever allowed to reach a point this was necessary? It was order business teaching, educating if this could even be called that. Making sure members of the order both knew and in tern were taught and held to account. There is just a serious back log of issues compounding the difficulty of this. Take it one step at a time. The council are needed we know that much, this is not about passing judgement here and now. This about exposing hubris so he can start again, so he can learn. Damage control at worst.

What Corn did choose to answer he kept short sure. But it beggars belief, it was like butting heads against a brick wall. "That was not me ending the spell." They had no indication that a place with wards that used a numina that mimic supernal magic could be a sanctum? It was no surprise the glyph winked out of existence this time. Is it pathological? It has to be at this point. There is just no way someone puts so little care into their words. Or is just saying what he thinks we want to hear and hoping for the best? trying to dodge consequences as best he can? Regardless keep breaking it apart. Leave no place to hide so the truth comes out. Only then can things start again.

And well the man was proving less and less trustworthy, less and less competent by the moment. His fate might have come due all at once, at a horrid time for him but the situation was entirely of his own making and the sooner he stopped squirming and accepted that. The better. "Context is important no doubt, more so when it changes what is being said. Which is this case it does not. Charters and the Iron laws are universal parts of the lex, of all consilium's and pentacle mages. To consider it radical that they should be restored and respected is the radical opinion." But Corn had missed the point entirely. "I brought it up not to further add to your woes, it is a view, you may hold it." Consider me radical if you will or learn. The stone like calm total, each word measured and held in perfect balance. "I brought it up to stress some points to you. You speak poorly of me, spread word of my arrogance and view my efforts as radical. But look to the Consilium. See what has been achieved because I and others have pushed and fought for the things our society values. Because the wisdom others have laid out for us is held to. Because we do not suppose we know better then the thousands of years of tradition that has held our foes at bay." Because I humble myself before the magnitude of the tasks I face and show them the respect they are due. "Behold why we value them, what can be achieved when we put ourselves aside and take the time to both learn and to understand our society, our struggle, our traditions." Knowledge is power but we must never lose sight of wisdom. What better show could there be then the clear progress the Consilium was making vs the hubris of Corn's actions and the situation he was in personally.

And yet still. He had offered to help. Even as Corn made it difficult. "This is third time I am having to cast this. Please keep in mind I am trying to use it for your benefit." A moment to focus to enact his will once more. "Until Magus Corn tells a lie, his name in this moment shall be scribed." And as the high speech once more is spoken forth the mudra of his hands forming the opening of a book is performed. The intricate and artistic rote glyph blazing forth once more. The truth of Stygia laying Corns name in the mess and amalgam of formula and numbers. Still strong, still true. The edifying rush of calm that came with the connection to the tower of lead coin.

Scribe Corn's final name 6 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-11-10 11:49:45	Chambers rolls 12 to Scribe final name (int 3, occult 3 (+1 order specality), fate 3, HS 2,) (10 Again)	1, 8, 9, 9, 7, 10, 8, 10, 1, 6, 1, 4, 6, 2	6 successes

[Aurora]

Another shake of her head, “But why should you have to be convinced in the first place?” it just…blew her mind.

A shrug, “I’m not even sure what you are talking about to be honest. I remember there was talk of some rogue Cabal some years ago, but I don’t remember being brought in on who they were or what was going with them. So I can’t offer an opinion or insight on it.” And that was the truth. A Cabal kicking around was familiar, but that was it.

“I have nothing else to really add to this, I feel like we are talking in circles, repeating the same things and nothing is sinking in. On that point, I’m not repeating myself.” This was her way of saying she was done with Corn and this whole thing at this point. “Until some headway is made, and excuses cease, I will only be adding things if asked.” She hated to repeat things, especially when she felt her words were ignored because someone thought they knew better, when clearly, they did not. She wasn't upset, there was no anger, just...disappointment.

Let Corn flounder, let him fall and see the error in his ways the painful way.

[Corn]

Corn figured Aurora was disappointed in him. He also understood that his excuses were doing him more harm than good... but giving explanations of his reasoning, excuses, was not an unreasonable reaction...
then he says the wrong thing again, after very carefully trying to avoid mistakes. His jaw drops. His eyes go wide. His mind races to figure what was the lie... he doesn't find what figure of speech was wrong, not at first. Then, it clicks and he brings both hands to his head...
Why? Why the heck did he even talk about something that: 1) he has written a report of that he had told them about 2) nobody asked him about 3) chose to embelish his words with figures of speech that were clearly untrue.
No indication I said... as if any of us went there and said 'nooo, a sanctum here?! Nope, we thought it as probable as a sanctum in a random apartment.

Can I not get through a ####ing conversation without MAGIC to keep me on track? My boy's life, my boy's soul is on the line. They didn't ASK ME for that house. Why the heck...

"Considering the situation, I will avoid saying more, unless asked. Chambers , if you want to discuss your ideas or my stupidity to greater length, we can do so at a later time. For all its worth, thank you for this chance. " And your patience, Corn thought.
The only useful idea I had in this entire meeting, was to suggest conditional duration. And that mostly helped me realize the amount of misinformation I throw out.
The teaching of the order comes to his mind - how Sleepers are supposedly the ones to twist and pervert knowledge, so, so precious knowledge. If the Pentacle had mages like him to keep back the Lie, to preserve Knowledge, the Abyss didn't have a lot of work to do.
How many things had he misrepresented? The poor Sphinxes for start.
Aurora is right. Would Cloud, would Maria, would Jenny, Vincent, my parents ever be safe after all I have done in the past 11 years?
Cloud first. We can deal with me after this, I can wallow in self-pity or go to a suicidal mission afterwards. If I actually die there would be less reason to target them...
...and nobody to protect them, another voice said in his mind.
Decisions for the future.
Cloud First.

[Chambers]

And like that things seemed to be winding down. A bit of persistence it seems can go along way. But there was nothing more to say on the matter for the moment. The can of worms that can come to light had been so much more then expected but he knew now. And knowing meant the could act to begin trying to get as much as possible back on track.

"I hope you both have something to work on, because this could take me a couple of hours to sort through. I am only going to look for the kidnapper of your son. No other connection. Certain other information about you will inevitably become known to me but I will not share it." Indicating the lines of numbers on the back oh his jacket. Usually it would take dozens of rituals to understand a name in any capacity, weeks of work to begin piecing it all together. But I am only looking for one connection, I know what I need to find.

The chalk had to be scrubbed off and the pentacle redrawn of course. The candles had to be re lit, naturally. His ritual beginning from scratch.

The bones threaded together are placed on top of the candle to let hours of fire burn through the thread and weaken the bones themselves. Centring himself. Trusting the conditional duration would hold, if Corn kept quite that was.

First he chants for half an hour the high speech powerful unable to be missed or confused for anything else. And hour passes as he focuses will kneeling by the alter never taking his eyes off the numbers, slipping over them to look for the meaning he sought, to fish the connection between to form words in front of his eyes, to gauge distance. Thousands upon tens of thousands of connections entwined and defined by only that which his supernal will and knowledge could determine.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-11-11 15:40:43	Chambes rolls 12 to Study final name Ritual Int 3 Fate 3 Occult 3 (+1 Order speciality) + HS Target 5 Suxx (Potency 5) (Searching for kidnapper of son) (10 Again)	6, 8, 6, 7, 2, 1, 4, 6, 7, 1, 9, 1	2 successes

Nothing yet, not knowing how frail the connection might be he aims for a spell strong enough to make it all known.

Another thirty minutes of chanting followed by a second hour of silence as he builds his willpower into a imago powerful enough to make known to him what he seeks. Taking half of the bones in hand long burned free of their free he snaps them at the fire weakened sections and places the broken pieces on the candles to continue to blacken.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-11-11 15:41:00	Chambers rolls 12 to Study final name Ritual Int 3 Fate 3 Occult 3 (+1 Order speciality) + HS Target 5 Suxx (Potency 5) (Searching for kidnapper of son) (10 Again)	9, 3, 9, 3, 1, 7, 7, 2, 1, 7, 6, 9	3 successes

Close nearly there, close enough that if needed he could reshape the spell to search all but the faintest connection. But he knows more can push further still. Reach for that complete picture. A further thirty minutes of chanting and another hour of silent focus determines all. The other half of the bones now meet the same outcome, broken at the weakened section and placed back to the fire to crack and decay.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-11-11 15:48:25	Chambers rolls 12 to Study final name Ritual Int 3 Fate 3 Occult 3 (+1 Order speciality) + HS Target 5 Suxx (Potency 5) (Searching for kidnapper of son) (10 Again)	5, 9, 1, 7, 2, 1, 6, 1, 8, 5, 10, 2, 5	3 successes

Study final name

The golden glyph, complex and artistic blazes into being. An intake of breath as the imago takes hold in the fallen world a brief transitionary moment a mere three seconds for the grand total of 4 hours and 30 minutes of work. But it is all he needs. To his eyes numbers fade and connections darken the way they interact and relate, what influences them made known to him as the single path of numbers he seeks form letters knowing how to read Corns name giving them meaning and from meaning giving him knowledge.

Chambers learns the following of Corn:
Corn's vice and virtue
If Corn has ever broke an magical oath or Geas
If Corn has the occultation or destiny merit
The nature and Ban of his destiny merit if he has it
If Corn has suffered supernatural mind control, possession or magical alterations to his destiny
If the target is a sleeper, if they have ever had a spell cast on them

The hours of focus not close to his limit but today had been tiring none the less. "You have met the kidnapper of your son. It is unlikely you have ever spoken or interacted directly but you and they have been briefly present in the same place at the same time. You might have seen them without knowing who they were in relation to you, you might not have been aware of their presence." Other magic would be needed to know more. "I think we can safely rule out any of your blood relations or friends." Which did create a significant hole in the published story. Chambers stands and begins packing away his ritual.

[Aurora]

True to what she had said, she just listens and observes. Nothing had been asked of her, so she says nothing.

When Chambers speaks, she nods, “I have some books I’ve been working on translating with me, I’ll be happy to be work on that. Please feel free to take your time.” A hefty book was taken out of her bag along with a tattered notebook and she opens each to a bookmarked page and seems quite content to set to work. If one was looking and had an understanding of ancient languages, they would know the book was written in Aramaic.

The thing with her, was that when she got into her work, she didn’t notice the time, she just became so focused on the task at hand.

Hearing Chambers speak broke her out of her the trance like state she had been in. Looking up from her notebook, now filled with pages of translations, she was surprised by his words. Though she shouldn’t be, magic was a powerful tool, and Chambers had just done Corn a tremendous favor. One she wasn’t sure he even deserved at this point.

“Is there anything you need Chambers?” she asks with concern.