The ladder of mysteries

[Chambers]

A spread of his hands and a gentle shake of his head. "No there is nothing that stops you pursuing specific fields of study, only the advise to not let to consume your focus to such a degree you let other opportunities pass you by." Mages with wider focuses then those she spoke had done that very thing and done to all to often. "I think someone had mentioned grubs or bees. Something in a tank anyway." He had no first hand experience of the creatures in question but they did sound truly unique. "Indeed these creatures often challenge much of assumed supernal history by not fitting into the theories of the cosmos often out forward. I do know enough to say they are works of the abyss, forces from outside of universe of elements of the shadow, astral or other elements that we simply do not understand in full." Or something else. "So. I wish you luck." Studying intelligent and dangerous beings had inherent risks.

A quiet moment as he mused on that point. "Usually the Mysterium sees it as a required show of commitment and loyalty, but I have no doubt the order the mage left would see it as treacherous. Given how much we detest our secrets being shared there is a degree of hypocrisy to it." But common practice none the less.

He respected Aurora to much to think she was trying to drum up sympathy for her path mate, if she was none was forth coming. "Which of us have not had difficult time since we awakened?" Leaving all you know and love, constant danger, and paranoia were common standards along with your fair share of experiences that live up to the ideal.

A small shake of his head. "You said seekers." Otherwise he listens impassively to her tale. "There are mystagogue that would condem you for that alone. Not publicly but in the halls of the Mysterium you would find yourself unable to advance. Whoever would aid you in the quest to advance in the mysteries would be inevitably tied to you and to that choice as you would the choices they have made." Martial victory, conquest and destruction might be something the arrows or guardians lord and celebrate but such where marks of shame among mystagogues of those having knowledge and thus power they were not ready for. And now that falls on me to decide.

A nod to indicate he had heard her thanks.

She started well and then got more general. "That first part. I have proven my knowledge. That is what we have over any other pentacle order. Knowledge and it is the job of the curator to determine what we trade our secrets for. Guanxi with other mages generates good will and serves as a reminder that we the Mysterium have what all want in abundance, occult lore. The lex is public knowledge and all pentacle mages are expected to know the basics and adhere to it. Teaching others these basic lessons serves the order well." He manages a wry grin. "Even if it can be frustrating at times." It also served as a good way to screen for potential recruits.

Nodding in affirmation here. "Yes good. Corn was showing the utmost disrespect to our traditions and the knowledge he brazenly banded about." Given his habitual lying a lot of it had been taken with increasing scepticism. "I have heard that the Guardians and Mysterium of San Fran operate as single entwined order, if it is so it is possible his education was intentional flawed." The guardians id that kind of thing. And being introduced to the order in such an environment would surely lead to some serious problems.

The Moros has been trying to remain fairly impassive, and detached during the conversation this was serious business after all not a study session but here he stiffens becoming icy. "You know things you should not know yet. Nor can you know without having experienced." Eyes close a breath is taken. Calm restored. "You can say the words. You can grasp at the idea but to know it, to truly comprehend what you say can't be done just by studying the imago of a spell." That was secret, sacred, protected and fundamental and this mage Campanella had told her as part of the recruitment interview. "Be very careful which mystotuge you utter those words in front of until the time is right." It was heresy to spread that secret, one he was now a part of but it was heresy that could be smoothed away with time. We just have to keep it to ourselves and hope no one asks.

Now to fill a very important gap. "To study an Imago as part of the Mysterium Exemplum is common but not to tell you that." Not yet. "The purpose is to understand that magic is truth." That came first. "Take for example darkness." An easy enough thing. "It is the absence of light, shadow, night time, conclamant a word in high speech and every other symbol or metaphor all at once." Not any one of them but all. "Each symbol has filtered down from the supernal truth that is darkness and been twisted an broken apart by the lie. When a mage fully grasps all that is darkness there soul spans the abyss into the supernal where every possibility of darkness is all at once to find the image, the truth of darkness and when image and symbol are one the spell manifests. Its Imago is a description of reality transformed that you need to find by knowing what you look for." And. "It is an act of will to order all these symbols into the description you are seeking in the supernal. We call truth down, we don't make it ourselves." That was the first lesson a mystotuge should have. "The Abyss, the lie are a pervasive force every time these things cause paradox, every time they twist a soul knowledge is lost and with it our access to the truth diminishes." This was the second lesson a mystagogue should have. Position and posturing could wait until this was sorted. "So yes we collect, protect, preserve and study or else magic will be wiped from this fallen world completely." It wasn't a hobby it was a duty, it was a war and this was how the Mysterium planned to win.

[Aurora]

“I see, well, I don’t foresee that being an issue with me. I understand where the concern is coming from. But I never want to let any chance to learn and expand my knowledge pass me by, that would be doing myself a huge disservice, and the Mysterium one as well.” Not her style. “But I will make sure to grab each chance I get.” If a new learning opportunity presented itself, she would be a fool to turn it down. Smiling, “Yes! Those are the ones. We had found them in a shed, though if memory serves me right, they were not too fond of us, so I made them a little sleepy and we brought them back to this room. Wish I knew who took them.” Frowning. “I am anxious to start those studies, from something small at first and go from there, so thank you.” She wasn’t stupid enough to jump right into something massive, caution was key. “I’m hoping to be able to reach out to others who have studies the same and learn from them, how they approach it safely.” If they would share of course.

“Is this something that we are going to dance around? Or something that you are going to come out and ask me to do?” just coming out and saying it. Campanella had not asked if of her when he had accepted her into the Mysterium. And she thought the topic dead and buried. And yet here they were, going around the topic.

“Fair point, I was just stating what my experience with him has been over the years. Nothing more, nothing less. You decision is respected and I will not go against it.” She had just tried to help her fellow Shaman work through his demons. And now she knew there would be some paths she could not help him down.

Another frown, “I don’t know why I did, could be from a few things I suppose. But if you wanted to check my honest memory of the event, that it was at a Seer Sanctum that we entered, I would welcome it. I have nothing to hide on it.” Damn, they were pretty set on that whole thing huh. “And where do you stand, now that you have heard the story? I don’t tell the story with pride, I went with the others to gain entry, and obtain an artifact, which I did. No one can judge me more harshly than I have judged myself. But please, feel free.” If this was where her career ended, so be it. She did what she felt was best that day. No one was perfect, not even anyone in the Mysterium.

“And yet, we find ourselves surrounded by mages who lack even the basics of the Lex. Makes you wonder if no one is taking the time to even teach that anymore. A true shame.” It was difficult.

“Really? The Mysterium and the Guardians operating as a single entwined order?” a look of surprised mixed with curiosity, “I wonder how that works, and why such a thing would be in place. Very interesting indeed. Especially if one then moves to a city where there isn’t much a practice, how do you then go about separating what you’ve learned? How do you adapt? Just seems like a very convoluted way to conduct orders.” But, if it worked for them.

Now she was confused, “Then what was it Campanella had me experience and discuss with him?” she asked, seeking clarification. “I will of course, heed your words, but I would just like to know for my own peace of mind.” Because Campy had never led her astray.

From the look on the Shamans face, she was listening intently, her mind piecing words together.

“Would it be safe to say then, that the mage uses their soul as a bridge of sorts between the Supernal reality and the Fallen one, allowing it to overwrite the reality of the Lie for just a moment? It sounded like that’s what you were saying, but I just wanted to clarify.” Sometimes she needed to repeat things out loud, in a different way, to make it work.

[Chambers]

Nodding there was no issue her and he had imparted what was needed the choice was no hers. That she seemed to understand the heart of the Sophiad was also very good. "Those opportunities can lead us to unexpected places open doors or possibilities that previously had seemed unlikely or not even occurred to us." He had never even entertained the idea that he would be hierarch of the city when he first arrived and his studies had certainty played a significant role in getting him to where he was. Knowledge is power manifest. "I am curious which theory of cosmology you find yourself drawn to." The many supernatural creatures certainly challenged a good number of them.

A pause, this was something he had been thinking about to. "Now on that." The matter of things being taken. "If I said I might have a way to find what was taken would you be interested?" In truth such a method was available the entire time but trust had taken longer to build up.

For the first time he looks actually disappointed. "Aurora when have you known me to play games?" The accusation felt rather unfair. "I am not asking you to do anything." The time for that had come and gone in the hands of someone who should have asked it. "What I want is not to sell you on an ideal that won't hold up the more you learn of the Mysterium." He would rather she knows what the party line was so should she encounter it it is not a surprise. "These are not fun or comfortable points I am well aware but I am being upfront with you about the group you wish to rise in." Truth, not always a pleasant thing.

But the signs remained positive as she understood the need for Guru to grow some first. "That is not to say he will never be ready. And not to say I won't work to help him past this point in his thinking." No one came to the Mysterium fully formed and ready to climb the ladder in a matter of months or even years. Some took longer and that's what it was. "I have kept my word to him and you. My studies of time have reached a point I can perform the necessary divinations when they are needed." The order had severely needed a disciple of time regardless but it had been a focus for a reason. He had said he would commit to it. And he had done so.

And continuing to be honest about his degree of power. "I can't read minds Aurora. Not yet." Besides that. "Not that I have a reason to if I could. You have been upfront and honest about the situation." She wasn't smiling or lording her victory there was humility to it. "I stand where I have that has not changed. Your experience was then, this is now you have learnt and grown since." And she wouldn't be the first to join with a body count or the first mystagogue to take a life, it was the severity of thing that needed to be understood. "I have promised to help you advance. My word means something." All awakened words should. Even if it meant he would be judged alongside her in years to come.

And Aurora was right on the money about the Lex. "To many thinking that because they have and can attain power it gives them the right to use it as they see fit." As for education. "I'm sure the ladder does what it can but they compete against other ideologies and the ever changing zeitgeist." To would be foolish to think mages did not carry preconceptions, ethics and ideals over from when they were asleep shedding them all was a monumental task.

The answer was simple. "It does not work our goals are polar opposites. We preserve protect and recover knowledge. They destroy, lie and obfuscate it." The two orders got in each others way more often then not out in the fallen world. "When they infiltrate us, the times we've caught it at least the damage that has been found by the subtle misdirection's, thefts and amendments has been substantial." And those were just the ones he knew about.

The Moros looks contemplative for a moment. "To study a glyph is done to help a prospective recruit understand magic is truth to see the when the object and the symbol are one and the same, then magic, any version of reality you can imagine and all the rest, is possible." What had this Campanella been doing? It almost seemed like he had been trying vault Aurora forward faster then the traditional route of accessing the mysteries would take. "Why he did what he did and told you what he told you I do not know with any certainty." Regardless here I am having to course correct. The end result was after today Aurora would be able to say with certainty she has learned the lessons of the Mysterium Exemplum. "Aurora when you finished that conversation with Campanella did he show you and hand signals or teach you any pass phrases?" This might hold a few answers for me. He really wants to light up his pipe and have a good solid think.

But. Back to the moment. This was promising. "Yes precisely. And in the Supernal we find the imago, the version of reality we are looking to bring down waiting for us." The effort of will was finding it by making Object and symbols into one and from such understanding the truth.

[Aurora]

“Once it makes itself known to me, I would be open to discussing it with you if like.” It was just a path she knew felt right.

Eyes narrow slightly, “I would be interested, yes. One doesn’t steal from the Mysterium.” That just wasn’t ok.

Sighing, “No, I haven’t known you to play games, but to be fair, we’ve gone back and forth with the topic here. I’m not one to beat around the bush when I have my suspensions and tend to just come out and say them. Campanella had not asked that of me, and I hoped you were not either.” But she had to come out and ask. “I hold no ideals about anything, nothing in our world is what it seems, nothing is sunshine and roses. I thank you for being upfront with me, and I assure you, I would rather you were.” It made things easier.

Nodding as he spoke of Guru, “I think he will someday.” He had the determination, he just needed to work on himself.

There was no smile, “I thank you for that, I can only say that I do not intend to let you down. And yes, I have learned and grown, I lost a part of myself that day, a part of myself I don’t think I will ever get back.” And she has never taken a life since.

“And that thinking is how we find ourselves in dangerous situations with mages causing paradoxes like it’s nothing. And lets not forget the hubris and downward spiral.” A shake of her head.

“Then what the hell is the point of what San Fran is doing? Other than destroying what the Mysterium finds? I’ve seen artifacts destroyed, it was heartbreaking, and I vowed to never let it happen again.” Not while it was within her power to protect it.

A shake of her head, “No, no hand signals or pass phrases, he only said welcome Neokoros Superior to the Alae Draconis.” And something tells her something was left out. Again. “I wasn’t let in on something huh?” whelp.

Back to what else was being said, nodding, “Ok, that makes sense. And each Path as a different imago, fascinating.”

[Chambers]

That was something that got a rather animated response from the Moros eyes bright. It's not often I get to converse on such. "That would be something I look forward to. I favour the Exourgic models myself." A source of endless debate with theory and conjecture abounding in every direction all trying to pull the truth from the lie.

Regaining his composure he he settles once again now gesturing to the slab that held Corn's final name. "We are connected to everyone and everything we have been close to no matter how faintly." Looking back to the Sharman. "Corn would have been, you still are. Now without a way to filter through these connections they can become overwhelming, but filter them is something I can do. And once we know we can use them to find what was taken. Guide us straight to it." This hinged on one key thing of course. "If you are willing to let me perform those spells on you." She had seen him do this to learn about Corns connections before.

Patience is a virtue. And sometime being direct had its disadvantages. "I do what I must to make sure what is needed to be covered is done so thoroughly. If I did anything else the situation could repeat again in a number of years." And he had no intention of leading Aurora astray with false pretences about how the order operated.

As for Guru. "It might be worth bringing him on board for any retrieval mission we do enact it would be a good way to observe him in action so any guidance can be better tailored." And fingers crossed more effective.

The topic had run its course he feels. "To overcome without resorting to killing requires us to be smarter, craftier and more prepared." Not that arrows weren't prepared or the guardians crafty but it too ka special blend to succeed with that option not an immediate one. "Seeing how you overcome the challenges that await you will be something I look forward to." And their would be challenges, there were for them all. It was the price of the mysteries.

Nothing to add there she had the sum of it. "That it does." Humility was certainly in short supply in the awakened community. While Hubris was abundant.

Here he sighs deeply. "I do not know Aurora, I have no personal experience with that Consilium so the extent of the problem could have been over sold, it could be old news or we could have a serious problem on our hands." This golden Consilium needed a real sorting out one way or another it would seem. But that was something for way down the line, once their own house was in order.

Stopping short, not the answer he had been expecting clearly. "Right." What did happen then? "A mystagogue who passes the Mysterium exemplum is known within the order as a Neokoros inferior, a mystagogue who passes the Mysterium Arche is a Neokoros Superior." That was about as basic as it gets. "Other words or titles get substituted in sometimes but that's the most common." There was no excuse for teaching her that wrong. "There are things you should know that you don't yes." So how to do this. "Archetypically after a conversation about the orders tenants and practices." Rather like they had been having. "The theonom or guide will demonstrate some factor of magic much like you were asked to study he glyph." Albeit for the wrong outcome. "Then once that is done the signs and phrases are taught and a divination performed by a recognised member of the order capable of doing so." He pauses thinking. What can I demonstrate to her then? "To give you the full experience you should have had I will love through each step." He just had o think or something.

Nodding slowly as he thinks nothing to correct there he can see.

[Aurora]

“It’ll be something to look forward to. Perhaps hearing you speak on that topic will help open my eyes to that possibility.” It was something she hadn’t been drawn to, but maybe hearing his thoughts would help.

Eyes look from the slab and back to Chambers, remembering the spells. “I would, of course, have questions, in regards to the spells. There are things I am not willing to give up that he was. What is the catch and what is in it for you? Sorry Chambers, I get a bit uneasy when it comes to magic being cast on myself.” Any mage would.

“I know I have been eager for retrieval missions. And seeing how he performs would be a good measure.” She had retrieved items in the past, so she knows she can. But this time, no outside Order was taking them from her.

“It sounds to me like it’s something worth keeping an eye on at best. Not a branch we really want to work with as they do not sound like they can be trusted. But, I don’t know them nor have I really spoken with them, this is just my opinion between you and I.” take it for what it was worth.

A hand was run through her hair, “Seems nothing can be easy.” Sounding both frustrated and disappointed. “So what direction do I go? What do I need to do or correct to be on the right direction?” she appeared ready and willing to do what needed to be done.

[Chambers]

As he was interested in her views sharing his was a fair exchange. "Not to get to into it today but the view I lean towards attributes all the things that don't neatly fit into the Atlantean cosmology to events in the shadow and the Astral realms. Not that I know particular much of either I will confess but they are realms in their own rights and moves in them have wide effects we can see that from study of resonance." Something much more familiar. A small example of a wider, larger theory.

A warm smile flickers across his face, a rarity in this more serious setting. "I wouldn't expect any less. You can ask. I can't grantee answers. My legacy is less tight lipped then the Mysterium with its secrets but still not things given lightly." And he was still a mystagogue after all. "What I can say is if you learn to read them there is no need for me to do so what's on it would remain known only to you." A pause. "It's been some time since I look at mine, it is a humbling experience." I wonder how it has changed since.

The smile persists. "Then I think this would be a good thing for the order to pursue." A genuine vault into the unknown to chase relics and mysteries retrieving them from those unworthy of the knowledge.

Finally his smile falters. "Avoided, undermined, exposed to the order at large if needed the Mysterium has ways to deal with such problems but they are beyond you or I." Interdiction was all he knew of and that didn't seem like it would be enough if the guardians had infiltrated so successfully. "But watched above all else yes." If the rumblings were true and given there source it may well not be. Caution and paranoia, two old friends.

A inclination of the head. "Nothing worth doing is or ever should be easy." And it comes to him what there is he can show this mage so vastly stronger then himself. A variation of the common lesson, something a bit more trickery. Lapsing into deep thought clearly concentrating on something as the seconds roll past. No ping of unseen sense put that doesn't mean nothing happened Chambers uses supernal script a spell that is the same level of proficiency as cloaking. "I would like you to try and place a covert spell in my pattern you can use high speech if you wish and there are no limits to which Arcana or how much you wish to exert yourself in the moment, only no rituals." That wasn't the point of the lesson.

Cloaked Improvised magic shield (Potency 5) 4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2025-03-21 02:59:15	Chambers rolls 8 to cloaked magic shield improv prime 2 gnosis 3 + wp -2(+1 potency) QF mitegates 2 penalty dice (10 Again, WillPower)	9, 9, 7, 10, 8, 6, 5, 3, 3	4 successes

A reflexive wits+occult-5(potency) roll can be made to detect the cloaked spell.

[Aurora]

“You have my curiosity piqued, and I look forward to sitting down and discussing it more with you. I will admit, I don’t know a whole lot on the topic, but I look forward to hearing and learning more.” She was always open to learning more, and this had the potential for great depth.

“I would never want you to, nor ask you to, give away anything secret. Your Legacy has its secrets and those are to be expected. Corn provided you with his True Name, that is not something I am willing to do. While I would like to regain what was lost, there are some prices that I am not willing to pay. Is that a price that is on the table?” or was Corn just willing to offer that up cause he was Corn and didn’t care? "There is always a price."

A single nod, “I wish to see our collection grow to be one that rivals others. I know it will take time, but I feel it is something we can do.” A hint of determination in her voice.

His request took her by surprise, it had been some time since she had cast on someone.

“Ok.” Life would of course be her choice; it was always her Arcana of choice. It came as second nature to her to cast, the spell going off without a hitch so to speak. Fun thing with being a Master, is she didn’t need to touch her intended targets anymore if she was casting on someone else. So the Glyph slips from her fingers and easily finds its intended target, Chambers.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2025-03-21 15:19:31	Aurora rolls 10 to Visions of the Living World(Chambers)(Life5+Gnosis5) (10 Again)	9, 4, 10, 1, 8, 5, 3, 1, 5, 1, 4	3 successes

[Chambers]

Well that made both of them. "My knowledge on it is surface level and lacking experience unfortunely but yes it will be a good conversation." Not many chances to go into such sublime matter a arose and in fields where much was theory and little was proven one of the frontiers of knowledge.

Pausing as he mulls over how to go about this. "No that is not the price I ask of you." Fingers entwining as he contemplates. "My spell scribes your momentary name, who you are in the moment as defined by your connections to everyone and everything that has ever had the slightest impact in your life, sometimes without you even being aware. It lays bare the soul of a person but I don't learn their true name." An indication to the tablet. "When Corn died the spell became lasting recording his final name the connections he had at the moment of death." A handy feature of the spell. "I, my legacy can use the names for great deal utilising those connections, where connections are concerned knowing true names helps." That was basic. "Corn wanted me to find his so and was not supposed to leave the circle himself." That hadn't lasted obviously. "Now you. If I were to scribe your momentary name but you learn to read it I wouldn't know what's on it or what your true name is. and You of course do know your true name so could better use the connections." This was only scratching the surface of what could be done with these records but it was all that was needed now. "So I can provide you a useful tool but you would ned to learn how to read it." The connections they needed existed it was just a matter of identifying them. "The price is this. If this was a functioning and stocked Athenaeum there should have been a book, a book that only those who have completed the Arche or beyond are permitted to read. That is the price you hand any books you find over to me without reading them so I can check them first and if a copy is there I shall keep hold of it until you or others are ready to read it." Persevering tradition mattered a great deal that was his price.

A nod. "It will take time, and effort and sacrifice but it will get there." It didn't help there membership was and apparently always had been rather low.

She doesn't chant, so he doesn't counterspell in addition to the shield he had discreetly put up, trusting instead to that.

And her glyph is met with a rush of white flame, of raw mana burning and breaking it down before it could full form in his pattern. This was getting taxing for a lesson. "Normally the lesson is getting counterspelled to show that there are stronger mages out around or some make you cast until you risk a paradox to show the dangers of that. Neither would work for you, you know these things." So no point teaching them. "You are more powerful then me Aurora, that is the truth of it, so why did my shield stop your spell?" The lesson was in ways the inverse of the stereotype rather then beware stronger mages, beware the tricks and knowledge of weaker ones to. "And when did I put it up before or after the meeting started?" It being a ritual would explain how it could beat an improvised spell but was that the answer?

[Aurora]

She listens, taking in what he says, weighing the words and what could be gained. “It is still something I would prefer to think on. Laying my soul bare sounds like quite the undertaking, like something I would need to weigh the implications of. Like I mentioned earlier, my soul took a beating from the taking of the lives of the Seer’s, I don’t know the state of it. I also don’t know if I’m ready to know the state of it if I’m being honest. Though maybe it is something I should know and face.” When she was ready. Or was she content to keep running from it. “Maybe there are things I’m not ready for you to see.” Would it show her Path change? “What happens with the stone? With his name?” Corn had passed, so was there really any risk to it?

“Well, even if I’m not ready for what you offer at this moment, I do not see anything wrong with what you seek in return. If you have deemed me not ready to read a book, then so be it, I will not question it and will hand it over to you. You have not led me astray yet, and I have no reason not to trust you. I want us to build an Athenaeum, and I want to earn the right to read the books we have in it.”

At the counterspell, there was a smirk, “Fair play.” But she was curious what the point was, and seemed she didn’t have to wait long. Sounded like it was for her to figure out. So a lesson.

She knew she was more powerful, but this wasn’t about her strength as a mage. Power came from more than her Mastery. “The simple fact of it is your shield equaled or exceeded my spell.” Not to mention the color of the dispel told it was Prime, but that didn’t seem to the lesson.

“Now that’s a bit more complicated for me. As I wasn’t looking for spell, I’m going to have make some deductions about it. One should never walk around without sight and shield up for security reasons, and so one should also not be aware of what another mage is walking around with. So one could safely say you already had it up when this meeting began, after all, I know I always have my Rituals up and in place. No reason not to believe a man as intelligent as yourself doesn’t have your own in place at all times as well.”