(2606) Sanctuary

[Mateus]

People mention names his not really familiar with. He has seen a few things in the corkboard but he is indeed not familiar. Thirteen mentioned that the Seer has met a bunch of Pentacle mages. And that Janculus fellow has seen a few. And Councilor Thirteen also knows by face at least one Seer.
Both sides are too active for their own good - bodies dropping prove so - but there is only one side that wants me dead so I will stick with my allies here, he thought.
He nods along the idea that the Seers could have coerced Cartwright to work for them using the center. "That sounds quite like what Hierarch Chambers said they very often do." Would he stoop so low, personally, to use as collateral a center that helped kids? He hoped not. But it was not out of the realm of things he would have done in the past.

To @Chamber 's question about his ack he answered "The Councilor asked me something in the line of if I was bringing danger to this consilium. My answer was that not that I know of and I have had no reason to suspect I could have. Is that what you mean, Hierarch? " Since then, of course, he has met with a woman that Seers know by face and another woman that had killed - singlehandedly - what could amount to a Pylon of Seers. It was not impossible that he COULD have been spotted since. A dreadful thought.
The Hierarch's hypothetical about 'would you do it?' shook him out of his thoughts. Suddenly, it felt quite real. He gave the rhetorical - he hoped it was rhetorical - question a thought. It deserved a thought. He answered in slow, thoughtful tone.
"I am not that powerful individually, to pierce a decent ward. After all, if they use this place often they would have a ward made by rituals. " They have the same powers we do, with more intention to kill, he thought.
"But more importantly... if there is a master of mind at the other side of the scrying window, I would be in great trouble. My defenses are not on par. I have little chances against a master. "
He got another breath. Don't say it. Don't be haughty. Take the advice of the Hierarch, don't...
" However. We are at war. That master of mind may target me tomorrow, when I don't have sight up to see the window. I have also promised to help this consilium and it seems, from the little I can understand, that bodies are dropping from both sides. I am not so precious to keep my tail out of it, Hierarch. If there is need, yes I would risk it. I would first grant mind sight to someone not close to me that he could scrutinize me afterwards. Or someone with the ability to check, could see if I am possessed / influenced / carry a trace afterwards. I could attempt to cast through the circle and hope the defenses apply on Seers striking back through scrying windows. I could try and cast at 3 am when they are probably not around. If someone can grant me cloaked sight, I could drive around the place to check for cloaked magic.
But... we know the Seers control it. We could always choose to do mundane things; have sleepers vandalize it or turn off the power and see how the Seers react.
As I said, we are at war. We must fight or the fight will come to us. I don't mean to fight recklessly, of course and I will obviously respect secrecy and the leadership of this Consilium - don't assume I am a madman ready to jump in the fight blindfolded. But we need to fight and I promised to fight. "
Why? Why did I just offered to fight a Pylon of Seers in a city I haven't even learned the route from my job to my sanctum!? He wondered. He didn't have the answer to his own question.
Aurora mentions Hospitals and spirits. The Hospital... he works at a hospital. And the Seers influence them.

[Thirteen]

"Asclepius works as an EMT or something, so he has connections there. If the Seers pulled strings to get Cartwright into Corn's former room, maybe he can dig into some files and find out what happened?" She shrugged, "Just a thought."

Thirteen nodded to Chambers, "I have a body sample from Corn, too. With that and his real name, I can postcog that night at the house relatively easy."

"Oh, joy, another evening of watching you space out for several hours..." Jinx snarked.

The Acanthus ignored her familiar's gripe and looked at Mateus, "Aye, I put nothing past the Seers. There's no depths they won't sink to. Fascists will do anything to maintain and grow their power. I respect your stance on fightin' the bastards."

"Harringwood is probably warded, true. Another reason I won't go proddin' the place. Those wards get poked, the caster will likely know it." It was clear that, as much as she despised the Iron Pyramid, Thirteen also was very cautious in dealing with them.

She looked to Aurora then, "You think the hag summoned that spirit from the hospital?"

[Chambers]

Aurora raised some very good points. "If it could be summoned I have no doubt they have a connection for some kind to it." Pausing as he thought on that matter. Then he speaks more generally to those present. "Do we know if it was teleported in from somewhere or was just waiting in the shadow for a road to open when needed?" If it had been a proper spirit guardian it would have been fettered on this side surely. So maybe it was a one time deal? The problems with imperfect knowledge, the inability to form concrete conclusions and plan there own moves.

Mateus adds some proof to his potential vetting process. "We don't turn away mages that are in trouble, law breakers, seers and so are different conversations entirely." And separate ones. "But a mage who is excuse the term here but simply in need, is no reason to send them packing, not when we can offer the shelter of the circle to thawt out foes efforts." It wouldn't be a glamorous existence but they could survive.

What followed was unexpected without a doubt. "Yes we are at war." That was a given, if more complicated then what might first be assumed. "But there is no call to fight it recklessly." Given the difficulty and danger mages had demonstrated in recent years the idea of raiding or attacking a seers base was not a prospect that sat all to well with him. "And we are better then them, we won't endanger the sleepers unnecessarily." Sometimes sleepers got caught up in the cross fire and that was unfortunate but there was no need to start emulating Seer tactics. "We don't know if a master of mind is at work, and given no glyph was seen by Thirteen I am inclined to think maybe not." It was only speculation after all. "And there are plenty of things we can do ourselves before jumping into a battle we might not win." The consilium counted less the often after all. "There is information we gather, magical abilities to hone. Being able to cloak your own spells would be a book to you no doubt." It was a highly useful thing to be able to do. "Force of arms is not our greatest strength just by virtue of low numbers, so we have fight a little differently for now." There was no desire to throw lives away on suicidal attacks.

Thirteen continue to show her practice personality, which he is grateful for in times like this. "We could ask him, yes but I don't want Asclsipus to compromise himself either." If the hospital was contested ground then that carried risk. "If I could be so bold as to put the burden on you the night at the house, and a few minutes before Corn died would both be very useful things to have more information on." Particular who the other body was in the room, that fascinated him a great deal.