Legacy of the Stone Assembly, Chapter I: The Cabal, The Quill, and the Concord

[Hella_Tellah]

"Right then. Parlor tricks now."

Arathnos rolled his eyes as Jeremiah cast his spell. "Oh, you're going to be a big hit, I can already tell."

[sblock=Jeremiah's Spell]Gain Skill: 8 dice, 6 successes. Lacking a page reference to Gain Skill, I'm going to assume it functions like the Mind 3 Augment Mind (MtA 210), capping at your dots in Mind, so you gain 3 dots in Socialize for the scene.[/sblock]

"Excuse me, but would this happen to be a tour of some sort? I've heard of the beauty of the Cormant House, but this will be my first visit. I must say, I'm surprised by both the tour and its attendence however. Most do not take such an interest in such things, and for those who do, the pleasure is more personal in general. However, I would not say no to an instruction of the finer points of this house. The name is Prometheus; my mother was a classics scholar with an odd sense of humor. And you are?"

[sblock=Prometheus' Spell]*First Impressions: 5 dice, 1 success.[/sblock]
"I'm afraid we're hosting a private event at the moment, sir," Arathnos testily spits, "So I'm afraid you'll have to come back tomorrow."

Arathnos catches himself, and seems to remember something. "Unless you're the Prometheus that Anacoana invited. Did a Haitian woman send you?"

I think some sort of check might be needed to fool Arathnos, or to convey the fact that he is actually a mage in the last section.

[sblock=OOC]It will be Manipulation+Subterfuge to fool him into thinking you aren't a mage (and thus not invited to the dinner) if that's what you'd like to do. It will take a -3 penalty, because he knows your Shadow Name, and you just introduced yourself by it. Or is there something else Prometheus wants to do?[/sblock]

With a resigned shrug, he murmured to the empty air, "Here we go. Moment of truth."

The door to the dining room swung open, salloon style, and a bearded man in a cooking apron walked in holding a caserole dish with two oven mitts. He set the caserole dish down on a hot pad in the middle of the large, dining room table, removed the oven mitts, and pointed a small white remote at an iPod and speakers set up in the corner, which began playing a Jimmy Buffett Song.. He then extended his hand in greeting.

"It's good to finally meet you," he grumbled through decades of cigarette smoke. "I'm the Nemean. And you two must be Gabriel and Thorn. Your mentors have a lot of good things to say about you two."

The Nemean looked less like a learned sage and leader among the Wise, and more like an aging biker holding a tailgate party at Sturgis. Standing well over six feet tall, heavily muscled and with a large gut, The Nemean was physically imposing to say the least, and the apron did very little to soften that impression.

[sblock=OOC]The Nemean addressed Gabriel and Thorn because they're in the front; I'm guessing that Jeremiah and Prometheus are in the antechamber, and that Levanna is walking with Gabriel and Thorn, but I don't want to make any unwarranted assumptions.[/sblock]

 

[magic_gathering2001]

"I'm afraid we're hosting a private event at the moment, sir," Arathnos testily spits, "So I'm afraid you'll have to come back tomorrow."

Arathnos catches himself, and seems to remember something. "Unless you're the Prometheus that Anacoana invited. Did a Haitian woman send you?"

OOC:

Spoiler

The scene played out in the way I wanted, so there's no need for any sort of check.

[sblock=picture]

[/sblock]
"I take it you are Arathnos then, Anacoana said you would see me in. But who are these to be invited as well? I was not informed that this would be a group gathering... In any case I am here now, but next time let me know of such pertinent details beforehand." As Arathnos opens the door, he continues, whispering lowly, so as not to be heard by those inside, "How does one behave around the Nemean?"

 

[Hella_Tellah]

... In any case I am here now, but next time let me know of such pertinent details beforehand."

Arathnos took on a look of extreme offense, shocked that anyone would dare give him directions.

 

[magic_gathering2001]

OOC:

Spoiler

This should go immediately after the part just quoted, and replace the rest of the sentence...

"I beg your pardon, that was poorly phrased. I should better watch my tongue in such high company. I meant no reflection upon yourself with those words, which should have been directed at the one who sent me here."

 

[Shayuri]

Thorn gives the Nemean an appraising look, then grins. Something about the burly man reminds her favorably of the older NCO's from when she lived on base. Men who had enough power and enough confidence that they honestly felt no need to prove it. Remembering Chango's advice, she kept in mind that just because she liked him so far didn't mean he wasn't dangerous, or that he was nice. Just worthy of respect.

She bobs her head. "Thorn," this time the shadow name rolls easily off of her tongue, making her wonder if and when she's start -thinking- of herself by that name. "Good to meet you. Hell, good to meet everyone," Except maybe Ninja. "I feel kinda like I've been in a cave, away from what's really going on."

 

[Annalist]

The Nemean struck Mitchell as being both intimidating and strangely disarming at the same time. Maybe it was his apron and oven mitts, but for being the Hierarch of the whole Consilium, he seemed rather mundane. Certainly not the stereotypical majestic presence that he was half-expecting. Of course it might all just be a clever affectation that he used on new guests. If so, time would tell.

He then extended his hand in greeting.

Mitchell automatically reached out and found his own hand engulfed by The Nemean's paw. He made sure that he kept his grip firm, but it was readily apparent that the other man's physical strength was prodigious. Definitely not a guy to get into a tussle with, he thought.

"It's good to finally meet you,"

The young Obrimos nearly guffawed at that, but fought hard to keep a straight face. After what Melchior had told him about his semi-antagonistic relationship with the Hierarch, he had assumed that the man would be just as content to crush his hand as he would to shake it.

"Nice to meet you too, sir," Mitchell hastily replied, thankful that The Nemean seemed to be in a good mood. Okay, now make a good impression. Say something profound.

"Uhh, I like veal."

D'oh!

 

[Hella_Tellah]

"I beg your pardon, that was poorly phrased. I should better watch my tongue in such high company. I meant no reflection upon yourself with those words, which should have been directed at the one who sent me here."

"Giving orders to Aracoana would earn you a lot worse than anything I could do to you. I may be the Consilium's Herald, but she's the top goddam Sentinel," Arathnos laughed. "She would f*cking eat you!"

"Uhh, I like veal."

"You damn well better!" the Nemean chuckled, and clapped Gabriel on the shoulder. Turning to Thorn, he said, "We keep people out of the loop during their apprenticeships for good reason. Once you get an idea of what's really going on around here, you'll probably wish you were living in a cave. Hell, I wish I was livin' in a cave, and I'm supposed to be in charge around here!" He gave a knowing wink.

"You kids have a seat, and I'll grab the rest of the grub." Hollering over his shoulder as he turned back to the kitchen area, he said, "Hope everyone's good with veal, baked ziti and salad!"

The dining room had most of the major features of a Victorian mansion--china cabinet, velvet-seated chairs, and a polished gold chandelier--but the plates, silverware, and centerpiece were more practical and basic. The kitchen was separated from the dining room by a breakfast bar, so the Nemean remained in partial view as he pulled warm plates with veal cutlets from the oven. It was the sort of dining room one might rent out for a meeting of the Daughters of the Confederacy, and had clearly been converted from a place people lived in and ate in daily to its current, commercial use.

[sblock=OOC]Apparently, this is a family board, and Arathnos' language is a bit salty for the filters [/sblock]

 

[magic_gathering2001]

"Giving orders to Aracoana would earn you a lot worse than anything I could do to you. I may be the Consilium's Herald, but she's the top goddam Sentinel," Arathnos laughed. "She would

Spoiler

f*cking

eat you!"

"It seems as though everyone I've gotten in over my head then, no?" With these final words, Prometheus finally enters the room. Unfortunately, the Nemean chooses that moment to bow out of the room, ridding him of any chance of introduction for now. Deciding to let the other diners sit first, he asks, "So, I do not believe I ever had the pleasure of your names?"

 

[BlueLotus]

Lingering near the back of the crowd, Sandra found it easy to hide a smirk behind her hand and a sideways glance. The whole exchange reaffirmed her choice of Orders. She felt less bad about disappointing her mentor.

"Levanna," she says simply, offering no more than that except for a smile for the room.

 

[Solarious]

Arathnos rolled his eyes as Jeremiah cast his spell. "Oh, you're going to be a big hit, I can already tell."

[sblock=Jeremiah's Spell]Gain Skill: 8 dice, 6 successes. Lacking a page reference to Gain Skill, I'm going to assume it functions like the Mind 3 Augment Mind (MtA 210), capping at your dots in Mind, so you gain 3 dots in Socialize for the scene.[/sblock]

[sblock=OOC]Gain Skill is from Free Council 111, and limits the skill dots gained to a combined of total of 5, including the dots you already have; the Mind 4 version has no limits on the dots.

Incidentally, I have Mind 2, not Mind 3.[/sblock]
Opening his eyes, Jeremiah smiles at Aranthnos. "You know who I am. I'm not exactly a contender in a popularity contest. Until next time, Aranthnos." He turns and follows the path to the dining room.

That could have probably gone better. The Nemean is probably going to ask us to do something for him... and judging by the number of people and the way Fate is intersecting, it looks like we might be working together for some time. A new Cabal ordained by the Heirarch? Not unprecedented, but... is that veal I smell?

Entering the room and taking an empty chair, he introduces himself. "I am Jeremiah, as some of you already know," nodding at each of the mages arranged around the table in turn. "Gabriel, Thorn," reserving a reproving look for the Ninja nickname, "Prometheus, Levanna." Jeremiah pauses for a moment, looking around. "Where is the Heirarch?"