Announcement

**TempleBuilder** · 01-23-2023, 08:55 PM

It’s up! I’m voting staggered, kinda. Elpis is nervous and will probably arrive in the general location well ahead of schedule, doing their best to try and chill out before the meeting. If Qaf also arrives early, then they will probably see each other.

**TempleBuilder** · 01-23-2023, 09:07 PM

Cauthon does the the Connsilium have any particular rules about entering another Mage’s territory, especially with a spell up? I kinda want to try a dice roller app with a trivial spell, that being an impromptu spell to be able to listen to calming music from Elpis’ phone without earbuds. When we write up our in character thing, I’m assuming we don’t include stuff like the dice-rolls?

**Cauthon** · 01-23-2023, 09:20 PM

Right of Crossing is generally observed - you've been invited, so it doesn't quite apply here. Most will handle spells on a case-by-case basis - Cloudchaser and Santiago forbid Prime-based sensory enhancements within the walls of their home, but otherwise don't really mind as long as what you cast isn't destructive or going to attract a lot of non-Consilium attention.

**TempleBuilder** · 01-23-2023, 09:33 PM

Then let’s see, the spell should be Forces Unveiling, and since Elpis has Forces 2, has two reach which will be assigned to Instant and Advanced duration. I can’t imagine paradox applies, and Forces is ruling, so there should be nothing else to worry about. Gnosis 1 + Forces 2 means a dice pool of 3 dice. Got [6 5 8], so 1 success.
Wow, 3 dice is not a lot. Does that casual format work for you, or should I do it a little more formal?

**Cauthon** · 01-23-2023, 09:40 PM

Casual format is fine.

Yeah, Yantras and Arcana/Gnosis are your friends. Even boosts like Praxi and As Above So Below only help you succeed better, as opposed to succeeding at all.

**TempleBuilder** · 01-23-2023, 10:41 PM

I skimmed a few other threads, and it looks like many had a brief character introduction and background, so I’m going to write that up. I know we covered that a bit already, but I think a bit more detail will be helpful for getting a better grasp on our characters. Can’t guarantee it will be out tonight, since I’ve got class in the morning, and I need to sleep, but I’ll get it out by tomorrow once class is over. I’ll also start the on in character stuff.

**KaiserAfini** · 01-24-2023, 01:46 PM

That is a great idea, should anyone else start following the chronicle, it gives them a nice jumping in point. I think we could write a basic intro for the characters and Consilia (its also highly convenient for players to reference).

I vote for staggered as well, Qaf will probably arrive a couple of minutes early, having stopped to pick up some freshly baked bagels to bring to the group.

**Cauthon** · 01-24-2023, 09:38 PM

Hierarch- Santiago, Guardian, Thyrsus Benthic Walker

Councilors -
Dantes, of the Adamant Arrow
Chevalier, of the Silver Ladder
Nighthawk, of the Free Council
Mother Thunder, of the Mysterium

Hierophant - Cloudchaser, Acanthus Storm Keeper
Deacon - Chevalier, Obrimos Keeper of the Covenant
Epopt - shhhhh, we ain't telling
Syndic/Chairman - Nighthawk, Mastigos Bokor
Adamant Sage - Dantes, Subtle One Mastigos

Orders - Guardians are ascendant politically, followed by the Mysteriums and the Ladder. The Arrow has historically lagged behind the other Diamond Orders in terms of membership, but the Free Council currently only has two permenant members. The Free Council Councilor is thus simultaneously the most and least powerful member of the Hierarch's peers - she has few constituents, but still has clout. Transient Mages occasionally pass through, but are encouraged to either settle long-term or leave quickly. Dawdlers are not looked kindly upon.

Cabals -
Iron Star: All members of the Hedgemarshal Mystery Cult, and the primary communication apparatus with the local Changeling Court. About half are involved in law enforcement in some way, and all of the current Sentinels are members. Mixture of Guardians and Arrows, with a Silver Ladder Claviger. The majority also belong to the Hedgemarshal Legacy.

Shadowwalkers: Shadow specialists, largely historians or students in their Fallen lives. They tend to seek out old spirits to quiz, and are experts on the local Choirs. Are the terse points of contact for local Werewolves - the Shadowwalkers take down Magath and help keep the Choirs in line, but are often the cause of the Magath or tresspassers in the first place. Mostly Silver Ladder, with a member each from the Mysterium and Arrow. The majority are Keepers of the Covenenant.

Skywatch: Weather-workers and stargazers, all members of the Storm Keeper Legacy. Headed by Cloudchaser, with a focus on studying the unusual storms that arrive just as the tourist season ends. Also the most interested in The Ruins in The Deep, being mostly Mystagogs.

Independents: The unwashed masses. Most have been part of a Cabal at one point or another, but are currently independent.

Little Atlantis - a small town on the north-west coast of the US, a few hours from Seattle. Notable to Mages for having an incredibly high number of Hallows, to the point where the whole town may as well be one. However, most are so erratically cyclical that only a few are accessible at a given time. They are also very prone to having strange Mana effects. Cabal Sanctums tend to form around the few reliably stable ones. Seers haven't been a visible problem for about 50 years - all known Seers simply vanished. They're mostly invoked as a talisman of misfortune now, although senior mages and recent immigrants worry about how lax modern generations are getting.

Places of Note

The Lighthouse - Santiago and Cloudchaser's house. Picturesque cottage with a functional rotating-light tower in the Material, imposing stone edifice nearly twelve stories high in the Shadow. Known to have a strong Hallow in the light room, and rumored to have a dual Demesne in the basement

Hargrave Hotel and Spa - Little Atlantis' primary industry; rich folk come from across the country to enjoy the esoteric spa treatments. Abuts onto its own private beach, which is noted for it's odd mixture of obsidian-black and snow-white sands. No matter how much you mess with the grains, the colors always seem to separate themselves again when you aren't looking

Thomas Morgan Training Center, AKA "The Factory" - Known to be a government training facility of some sort, cycling trainees through on a roughly six-month basis. A few trainees who weren't tight-lipped admitted -or at least claimed- to work for the CIA, FBI, or the Treasury, but most are unnerving g-men who don't mingle with the locals. The Factory abuts onto a large stretch of restricted-access wilderness, which are rumored to be used for survival training and war games.

Lone Pine Appartments - short-term apartments, notable mainly for being where trainees from The Factory tend to stay. Low rent and decent facilities, but has an eerie vibe that keeps it from becoming welcoming.

Golden Hill Swap-Meet - a small market mostly staffed by local orchards and farmers, congregating around a historic general store. Has been a fixture of the town for almost 100 years, and has been a branch of Tumbledown Market for as long as anyone can remember.

Raven and Rose - a highly-rated restaurant that mainly caters to the rich during the tourist seasons; during the winter, they drop their prices significantly so locals can enjoy the menu. Known for their beef-and-mushroom tortes, which are complementary with every meal. The head chefs -and owners- are a pair of identical twins.

"The Tracks" - while not a main line, there is an active train station near the north side of town. Trains run once or twice a week, although no-one is quite sure where all of them actually go.

"The Ruins in the Deep" - Sleepers who rent boats from the marina have reported seeing ruined building or even whole cities just beneath the waves. Awakened attempts to find these places have always failed, even if the Sleeper is able to give exact coordinates.

LA International University - while a few students have joined because they thought it was in Los Angeles, LAIU is still a decent college. It specializes in maritime science and philosophy, and survives largely on generous endowments from a few "foreign investors".

[I'll edit in more details as we go.]

**TempleBuilder** · 01-25-2023, 05:21 PM

Ray "Elpis" Wright
Name: Ray Wright
Age: 20
Height: 1.65m
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Black
Path: Obrimos
Legacy(Potentially): Elan
Immediate Nimbus: Motes of multicolored lights streak through the air, filling those who witness with the knowledge that their hopes, however distant, are possible. (+3 Resolve)
Signature Nimbus: A feeling of the afterimage of a bright light, and a slight sense that the world could be better.
Long Term Nimbus: People become inspired to be more proactive in following their hopes and dreams.
Dedicated Magical Tools: What used to be a plastic water bottle, has now been transformed into a crystal phial that seems to hold the cosmos when examined by mage sight.
Concept: Idealistic Ascension Seeker

Background:
Ray grew up in a hard-working, but somewhat distant family in Seattle. Both parents were often kept away by their jobs with Ray typically being left to their own means. At home, their parents extolled the virtues of study and hard work, ensuring Ray had been keeping up with their grades. Despite what one might expect, Ray was a mild-mannered child, if somewhat strange, rarely acting out, which lasted well into their teenage years. From an academic standpoint, they were a model student. However, Ray seemed unable to make many friends, preferring to read or play video games rather than interact with other students. Combined with their somewhat strange nature, most other students avoided them. Over the years, Ray grew increasingly listless, coming to the realization that despite all their work, they didn't have much of anything in the way of a dream to pursue.

The Awakening:
They were on a school trip. The high school was invited to attend a stargazing event of the Perseid meteor shower at a park with low levels of light pollution. This was their first time outside of Seattle at night, leading to seeing the full splendor of the starry sky for the first time. Remembering the myth of wishing on a star, they whimsically decided to wish for a wish. Eventually, they grew tired, and what was intended as a brief rest of their eyes turned into a nap. They awoke on a crystalline floor, belonging to a building they did not recognize. The temple was beautiful, and yet deeply broken. Gashes had been cut deep into the floor leading to a void filled with whirling stars, relics had been smashed and scattered, and statues knocked over. And, despite the damage to the building had suffered, it maintained an air of something Ray had never felt in a place before. From deeper within the temple, Ray noticed a strange light. Perplexed, they tried to make their way through the broken temple, eventually finding their way to a door of multi-colored light, as solid to them as any wall. Testing with a plastic water bottle, they discovered that they could pass objects through. Eventually, they used fragments of the ruin to redirect the light enough for them to make their way through. Many similar puzzles awaited them throughout the temple until they made their way to the center of the temple, as the material of construction turned from crystal to gold, and they needed to climb. Eventually, they made their way into a room of pure gold, with everything covered in names. Ray spotted a small section in the corner without any markings and believing this to be another puzzle, scratched their name with a crystal shard they held onto. They woke with a start on a park bench. It was still nighttime, with classmates and teachers still around, but more importantly, they could see the electricity coursing through everyone's phones, the wind coursing through the park, and the ambient air pressure pushing on everything. Nobody seemed to be able to see the things Ray did. Ray wondered if they had gone mad. Eventually, the visions faded, but Ray was still deeply unsettled. For three days, they had no answers, until a strange woman knocked on their door. She introduced herself as Pandora, and that she had answers to most of Ray's questions.

**TempleBuilder** · 01-25-2023, 11:00 PM

Cauthon In response to the ask a simple question thing….nope no spoilers. Thanks for answering, but I’m not reading your response. If you have a plan to answer that in game, I’m looking forward to finding out. And to answer the question you are probably asking, yes this is a path I can see Elpis taking in regards to Pandora’s soul stone. It’s not like the idea is set in stone, I think even Elpis will know it’s a terrible idea, but I think it would be very interesting, if probably ending very badly. It’s also a ways down the road.

**TempleBuilder** · 01-26-2023, 07:31 PM

I don’t think we’ve ever discussed Pandora’s Path. Would it be too weird for her to be a Mastigos? I don’t know how common stuff like being taught by someone of a different Path would be.

**Cauthon** · 01-26-2023, 07:53 PM

I'd say it depends on the Legacy - the Elan are FC because of their progenitor, but are politically distinct. Mastigos would likely be the easiest, but any Path works. It might work best for her Path to have been associated with any of Elphis' non-Path Arcana.

**KaiserAfini** · 01-28-2023, 12:05 AM

I think it makes symbolic sense too, both Pandora and her box were made of clay, a worked material, which is a type of yantra associated with the Mastigos path. I think a Path would impact how you explain magic and the Supernal, what metaphors and shortcuts you use to make people grok the concepts. One of my favorite examples of how an Acanthus who values precision would explain Fate or a disciplined Mastigos would teach about Mind. It all depends on how Pandora perceived magic, how she goes about teaching it and then how it would be adjusted once she understood her student more.

**TempleBuilder** · 01-28-2023, 12:39 AM

So I admit I’ve been working offa slightly different track. I asked myself who is the person who would name themselves, who would willingly take the metaphysical shape of Pandora? To name oneself someone is to give oneself definition, both positive and negative. To call oneself Sun Wukong, is to take in both the power and the flaws of the stone monkey as oneself. To make a good name, one must look inside oneself, and see what resonates. Over time, one will become more like the aspect they named themselves as. So, why Pandora? Well, there are two stories of Pandora I know of, the pop culture version, where she dooms herself and others for her curiosity, by disobeying the gods. In the other, she knowing brought calamity, being dangerously intelligent, beautiful, and deceitful. So, it seem clear to me that the person who would willingly name themselves after that would be someone who knowing embraces their Vice of Curiosity, who chases where Mystery beckons. It is much the same as naming oneself after a demon lord. Vice in Chronicles of Darkness is a source of strength, and one who embraces is made powerful from the act. All of which points me to the mindset of the Path of Scourging. Hopefully that makes some degree of sense?

Announcement

In The Hallowed Light [MTAW2e - OOC]

In The Hallowed Light [MTAW2e - OOC]

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment