(Private)When Paths Shift

[Aurora]

“If you don’t mind the question, humbling in what way? I believe all mages can benefit from humbling experiences, myself being one of them. I’m just curious how you came to that conclusion, if you wish to share of course.” What did he see that led him to that? “That’s quite an offer, I’ve never used the spell, and wouldn’t know exactly what I was seeing, if anything.” Then a chuckle, “I hope you would know if your Path had been changed, or maybe you wouldn’t want to know, it really messes with your head.” Trust her on that one. “But I do want to look at my soul, see what it shows. You said to use yours as a baseline, so yours should show nothing?” she’d never looked at a soul before.

“Oh, I’m all for throwing darts and seeing what sticks. It’s how we learn things, a good way to connect things down the road.” It was just going to take time.

A quiet snort, “Oh, I’m not close to Mastering anything else yet, it’s going to take quite a bit of time. But I have been looking into mentors, and have some in mind for when the time comes. Right now, I have Mysterium things to focus on first and foremost. The other Masteries will come when the time is right. But,” a sly smile, “they will come.” She wanted them, but she also wanted to prove herself and be successful in the Mysterium as well. And both required a lot of time and energy.

Smiling, “I do recall.” And she had good reasons for be optimistic. “Really? Interesting. I just see the others as wanting stability and security. But, we’ll see.” How things unfolded would be curious to watch.

The confusion was unexpected, “I’ve just never really heard him speak at meetings. Usually it’s Thirteen. I knew he was a Ladder, but if said his Path, it just must have been missed in conversation of Consilium.” It happens.

Nod of understanding, though they didn’t need anymore puzzles. But, that was the world they lived in. Thinking for a moment on what he has said, wondering if she can use this, in a way, to further her studies, “Based off this, if there is any trace of what the Bismark used to be, we’re going to have work to find it, peel away the layers so to speak to get to it. Which is fine by me, I don’t mind the work. Now, this leads to me to wonder, if this work, this digging and peeling could in turn be a form of occult topic? In a way, this will be examining a supernatural phenomena, it’s certainly historical, if I can prove the event happened of course. The Spirits that reside there could make fascinating subjects to study. Or am I off base with those thoughts?” was she thinking of her study of Esotology? She was, but why not? It was tied to the Occult in a way.

[Chambers]

A soft smile, not a grin creeps onto the Moros' face. "I don't want to spoil it if you haven't done this before but something to bare in mind." A pause as he looks for the words. "When we awaken our minds have new knowledge but are the same, they process the same remain the same likewise for our bodies we don't get stronger or faster. The personality shifts a little to generally become more resilient in some way to stress or provocation because our experiences but the thing that really changes is the soul." A total and complete change. "The shape of our soul is not the same as a when we slept, it is the soul that makes us magic." And if stripped away what causes us to go back top sleep. "If you have no point of comparison you might not realise anything about your soul, is different then it should be." But it did raise another issue. "My soul is well As you know I have member in a legacy thus my soul is more refined then some you might see. And connected to another from whom I learnt." Soul forgoing was not an easy process but it has results. "But yes to my knowledge my path has never changed so in that regard mine should serve as a point of compassion if what you have experienced has had any effect we can see." Ideally a mage with no legacy would be better but mages were very protective of their souls for good reason.

On that they were agreed. "Add or rule out pieces of the puzzle as best we are able. And in time with a little luck things will start to add up." And the time Arcanum was a good a place to start as any, better even given its relevance.

Once more the shock of how discussing mastery seemed comparatively normal compared to the conversation as a whole was a little shocking, uncomforting even. He knew what masters were capable of, today he come to understand in no uncertain terms master was far from the limit. "When the time comes I wish you luck with it, I have no plans to peruse mastery any time soon myself." Not with all that needed doing and besides his studies went broader.

He liked those things, anted those things had worked hard to bring both stability and security to the Consilium as best, better even then he thought he ever could. "Wanting those things has not lead anyone to try and fix what we have fixed or form a cabal in the time since I have been in the city." Not that the Moros was aware of anyway. "And now they are in the best position they have likely ever been in without having to do anything much." It was not alot of incentive for behaviours to change. "But I would gladly be wrong." Very gladly.

Cavendish was an off topic point of the conversation at best and labouring the point was in itself a pointless endeavour so no more is said about the mage.

Oh that was most certain. "A great deal of work yes and the changes of advanced time travel would be sufficient to fill many tomes of a variety of occult topics." And likely still only scratch the surface. "How it has effected spirts would most certainly be a very interesting topic of Teratology." Alot of study, observation and likely magic would be needed but that's the kind of thing that the Mysterium would eat up and then keep under very close guard. Advanced time travel if knowledge of that does get out then every mage and their sleepwalkers will be after the knowledge of how to do it. The damage that could do.

[Aurora]

Her nods softly here and there as she listens, his words making sense. “I have to be honest, I had never really given much thought to how the soul changes. At our core, our very being, is our soul, its sacred, it’s who we are.” Ah, another point, “So becoming part of a Legacy refines your soul?” pausing, “Fascinating. I haven’t looked into Legacies too much, but are an intriguing part of our world.” She had always wondered if feel a higher calling someday. “Is there anything to be mindful of when viewing another soul? Yours for example, is there anything you would want to not leave this room?” she thought it only fair to ask.

“I have a feeling this is going to be a very complicated puzzle with more pieces then realized. But I do enjoy a challenge.” Kept things interesting.

A single nod of her head, “Thank you. I believe we should all have long term goals we can focus on, something we can slowly chip away at while focusing on more important things.” More Masteries would come with time, but were on the back-burner for now.

“No, they haven’t. But it takes time for people to work together and learn to trust each other. Cabals don’t pop up overnight. You need to learn who you mesh well with, who you want to live in close quarters with, and who you trust to have your back. Each of those bonds takes time, and lets face it, we are not known for trusting easily. It can also be a iffy subject to approach, not knowing how someone feels about the topic. But with the Charter being introduced, and everything laid out, I expect there to be more conversations had.” Again, that was just her opinions.

“Then I think I’d like to focus some of my energy from trying to uncover why the Bismark has no trace of the change, and how the Spirits have been effected, to preserving the findings for the Mysterium. I’ve never done anything like that, I only hope I can do a Tome, and the Mysterium proud on that front.” Was she stretching herself too thin? Should she only focus on why there was no memories of the previous version of the Bismark?

[Chambers]

It wasn't the most common parlance but it was used. "The process of following a legacy is sometimes referred to as the process of soul refinement or soul shaping and its well named. Your soul does change." Not wanting to spoil to much. "Through practice you reach points known as attainments you become more then you were, your connection to the supernal becomes stronger." His own soul capable of holding more spells then others was often a silent advantage. "Oh I thought it went unspoken that unless my soul causes need for immediate action, which I see no reason it would. Nothing you learn of me leaves this room." No he did not want stories of his soul going around the circle.

A light chuckle. "And that I think it putting it mildly." Time travel, changes and watchtowers nothing simple or easy there.

Every Consilium handled cabals that little bit differently in places they were mandatory they really did pop up over night, but more traditionally no she was right. "It is a matter we shall have to wait and see on." Within a year well that would be interesting. Mulling over the members of the Consilium all current ten of them. The Active, the silent, the problem children and the traditionalists. "At this time I don't think it will be me making that move." Besides concurrent plans if they went well would never be public knowledge.

As starting points go it was a good one. "The place you know has changed, that makes sense. You know the change has occurred its not a question of if so the task becomes a matter of finding the proof of it." Like holding a puzzle box you know the answer will open it you just need to find the answer.

[Aurora]

“Soul refinement? Quite an intriguing term right there.” Looking thoughtful for a moment, thinking about what that must change about a person. “Maybe I’ll hear the call of a Legacy someday and get to experience such a thing myself.” Maybe. Her life was becoming busy enough as it was, she could only imagine what a Legacy would add to that. “Of course, but sometimes when something hadn’t been discussed earlier, I like to ask. This conversation had begun about the excitement of changing Watchtowers and how we are discussing looking at souls. I like to cover all my bases in case. Not that I planned on sharing anything anyways, I tend to be a very private person. Even about what I talk about with friends.” It was just courtesy.

“But hey, it will be all the more satisfying once it’s put together though.” So maybe there is that.
A shrug was offered as an answer.

“But something tells me finding the proof is not going to be an easy task. I don’t believe whoever made the change wanted it to be found, and maybe went to great lengths to make sure it wasn’t. So we hope for a slip up or that I am more determined and find something. I’m betting on me.” Was it a bit arrogant? Yeah. But she wanted answers, and if she had a place to focus on, then she was going to focus on it.

[Chambers]

It was indeed. "Much like cabals it is quite the commitment all be it a highly personal one." And while some mages didn't peruse the process. "It is something I would recommend for most." But given her situation with the changing towers. "Although I have no idea what it would mean for you to refine your soul and strength its connection to the primal wilds." He would go on to say the process was irreversible but so had which tower you awoke to until this conversation. "I appreciate the care taken in asking." Not sharing was a good baseline. "With that established, ready when you are." Time to throw the first dart, or set the dart board up in this case?

That gets a moment of full laughter. "If this puzzle is solved satisfying wont even begin to cover it." The level of the task was unlike anything he ha dared contemplate before. And that's saying something.

Another understatement. "I don't think you change the timeline with intention of changing it back, unless they didn't have full control over the changes and things spiralled out of their control." Making every change matter all the more. "If the meddling caused unforeseen changes then those could be weaker links in the chain." But to even know what to look for. "Better to start with what is known to have changed and see what can be learned there." Slow steady and small steps putting cracks into the face of a mountain, but enough of them will break it.

[Aurora]

A bitter chuckle, “I have no idea what it would mean either. I have no idea if my soul would even take to such a process, given what it’s already gone through. But, it would certainly make for an interesting study at some point, should I hear that call.” But would her soul be able to be shaped in such a way? “Usually when I cast Death it’s to make sure there are no traces of me being there, so this will be different.” It wasn’t an Arcana she used often, but it was one she had a great interest in, it was, after all, the opposite of Life. And so, having his permission, she casts the spell, seeking Death to allow her to see his soul.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2025-04-30 17:19:27	Aurora rolls 7 to Soul Marks(Chambers)(Death 2+Gnosis 5) (10 Again)	9, 2, 8, 4, 10, 3, 7, 5	3 successes

“Ah, but the Tomes we could write will be.” And why wouldn’t they write Tome about it?

“A lot of unknowns and possibilities. So like you said, we start with what we know and work from there. I remember someone saying they, quote, fucked the butterfly, unquote. It was never elaborated on, so I’m not sure if someone who went back did something they weren’t supposed and screwed the timeline up. Leading to the large changes, or what. But, start small and go from there.”

[Chambers]

narration: As the spell settles in her pattern the ability to see past flesh and perceive the soul greys out the Moros before her the soul a faint and fragile thing not giving off light but not entirely devoid of a inner radiance.

This particular soul however had a fluidity about it, something more dynamic then the standard soul or a sleeper or even a mage the specks of luminescence ever shifting in colour between previous metals, stone, wood and metal hues is this normal of is this the touch of Stygia the realm in which change of state form and substance rule? It shows no signs of damage chambers is not nor has ever been deranged, the soul is whole he has not torn any aware to make a soul stone.

For anything more Aurora would need to make the extended roll in the spell

The spell goes off with his sight back on he can see the glyph form and cant help but stiffen a little, yes he had volunteered he owed Aurora a great deal of help but baring the soul, something utterly his and completely private to anyone bar his legacy tutor felt very very unusual and more then a little dangerous. He does not speak not wishing to break her concentration.

The quote about the butterfly could only be referring to the popular trope about the effect named after such so if someone had meddle sufficiently to use the turn of phrase then well that was a pretty solid indication. I'll ask about that in a few moments.