[Ennui]

Hi Sian,  I say kneeling down and cooing at the hounds.  I bring a few treats for them out of my pocket and hold them out to them.  Then add with a laugh.  Glinda and I were discussing the possibility of starting a secret society and thought you might be interested.  We probably shouldn't talk about it out here though.

I give the hellhounds some attention then straighten up and give Sian my undivided attention.  It's not an emergency though we can wait for you to finish whatever it is you are doing here.

[Mercy Merchant]

Wednesday  12 June 2075  0252  Chinatown Barrens  Seattle


You feel the warmth of their breath on your hands as the Hell Hounds take the treats from you and snuffle about for the crumbs.  Sian laughs.  "Traitorous fiends.  It is good that a few treats are not enough to make them more loyal to you than to me."

She looks around and motions with her arm and a pair of Orks of greater than normal size lumber up.  One is carrying several packages and Sian gives it the one she is carrying, speaking very quickly in a tongue you do not know.  The Orks do not even seem to acknowledge what she says before turning to leave her and the market.  Sian turns to you and nods. "I am now finished here.  My place, then?"

[Ennui]

Like that would ever happen.  I just want them to be happy to see Auntie Isla, I say at the hounds in that annoying way people talk to their pets.

Your place it is then.

[Mercy Merchant]

Wednesday  12 June 2075  0255  Chinatown Barrens  Seattle


The three of you leave the market headed for Sian's place, with the two massive Hell Hounds following close behind their mistress.  The walk takes a few minutes as you move down narrow and twisted streets.  No one stops or bothers you and by now you barely notice the number of people that move aside and flash some sort of sign with their fingers.  When you arrive at the slovenly-looking place that Sian calls home here, the hounds peel off to curl up on the street, one to each side of the door.  Their large heads watch you as you enter the building.

Sian motions with a hand and lights spring up from several locations and another motion removes the glamour of the messy apartment room, revealing a place much more modern and certainly better kept up than your first look would reveal.  She nods with her head to the modern stove and Glinda walks over to get a kettle on.  Sian sits in a chair and offers you another. "Tea, dear?"

[Ennui]

That would be lovely, I say.  I glance after Glinda and then continue, Glinda said she wanted me here in case you had any questions she couldn't answer, but if she's getting the tea I'll just go ahead and start.  You both obviously know some advanced magic and I have been anxious to explore the higher mysteries myself.  I had suggested that we form a magical group to do that more efficiently.  Our purposes seem to align, yours here in Chinatown and mine in Redmond.  This would include a ritual led by a person with the knowledge of the bonding ritual.  I've been studying it and I suspect to have it learned relatively soon, if you don't already know it.  There would be some minor costs, maybe a one or two thousand nuyen and a spiritual cost akin to binding spirits or quickening spells.  The group bond is fairly intimate so we should be prepared to not keep secrets from the initiating members.  We can include strictures as well to encourage teamwork and collaboration in our individual agendas as well.

[Mercy Merchant]

Wednesday  12 June 2075  0300  Sian's Home  Chinatown Barrens  Seattle


Sian waves a hand.  "Advanced magics is hardly the word I would choose, Isla.  Different is a much better word.  In my youth, there were many different types of mages, some using bound books, others sucking life force from the environment, others who used small familiars to bring them spells, and some few who could just call upon the power of other planes.  You and I just conceive of magic differently and so use it differently.  The laws Glinda and I must obey are not the same as the laws you obey.  So, saying that, is there anything to be gained through this ritual?  What exactly does it do, and who do you propose to share in it?  Just the three of us?"

[Ennui]

Initiation allows us to explore the higher mysteries, if your magic is different I would imagine you simply have different higher mysteries than mine does.  Initiation would let you do that and an initiation group would let you do so with the assistance of others in the group.  If that sort of thing doesn't appeal to you then no there wouldn't be any other reason to do it other than the edification of the others who were.  It would be best if we all wanted the same thing though, that kind of alignment of wills makes things much easier as far as the magic is concerned.

As far as I am aware there must be at least four members in the bonding ritual so we would need to include Corbin in the group as well.  We were going to facilitate a meeting if you were interested.  You should probably meet my friends at some point anyway...considering. I shrug.

[Mercy Merchant]

Wednesday  12 June 2075  0301  Sian's Home  Chinatown Barrens  Seattle


Sian looks at you.  "So can this circle use our skills to help you achieve some sort of greater power?  Even if we do not use magic the same way?  I could support that if you think it will help you."  She thinks for a moment more, "This Corbin, he is a mage like you, then?  He uses the magic the same way.  And would he have to know what Glinda and I are and would he accept that?"

[Ennui]

Yes it would help increase my magical power but we could also use it to tie acolytes I train to us as well.  Adding initiates is much easier than starting the initial bond and we could introduce strictures such as secrecy and a requirement to work towards the groups goals and that sort of thing.  But even if it doesn't help you in the same way as it would help me surely there are higher mysteries in your own art that you could pursue with our help.  Glinda showed me a little of what you do and it could be able to help you with control and resisting the lure associated with it.  The group should benefit us all and learning if you two might be capable of more than you know would be as interesting as pursuing my own mysteries.

Corbin is an adept he uses magic to physically enhance his body.  It makes him faster and better at certain skills, I'm not entirely sure what he's capable of..  It may not be required that he know, however it is a real possibility that he would discover this and could complicate his acceptance.  If we told him and Shelly they would be apprehensive and curious at first but I'm nearly certain they would accept you.  We three have been together for so long I think that even if that weren't the case they would accept it so long as I did.  I have faith in my friends, faith born of a long and harrowing shared history.  I'd bet my life on them...I have.

[Mercy Merchant]

Wednesday  12 June 2075  0303  Sian's Home  Chinatown Barrens  Seattle


Sian cannot help but snort when you talk about your long shared experience with Corbin and Shelly, but almost immediately pouts a hand up. "I am sorry.  I do not mean to belittle your time together and it was rude of me to make that sound.  Sometimes it is hard to even understand time in the same sense as those I am talking to.  I am interested in this learning circle.  Of course, there are levels of mastery within my own art that I have not mastered yet and would love to do so.  I am not sure that this circle will help, but I do not know that it will not, either.  I am, of course leery of confiding my secrets to even more, but perhaps it is necessary.  Tell me more of what we must do and what the gain will be."

[Ennui]

You don't need to apologize.  You have lived a long time Sian but time is relative.  You have known Glinda for two thousand years, but how many years before you met her did you have?  I have lived the whole of my life with these two.  I cannot remember a time when I did not know them.  That's eternity for me.  I understand your hesitance, but you saw how easily I accepted what you two are I wouldn't suggest it if I wasn't sure of how they'd react.  I expect a little fear but mostly of curiosity.

First I have to finish learning the ritual to give you exact details but I should have it down in the next few days.  The closer we are aligned in our purpose and the more rules we place upon ourselves the easier it will be to create the bond and the less money we will need to spend on reagents to make it easier.  Have you done any ritual spell casting?  It's basically the same thing but we will have to construct a lodge big enough to complete it and I would suggest making that place our base of operations.  So we should pick up some real estate.  The group would allow us to initiate at a reduced cost of on par with an ordeal and can be combined with an ordeal and even schooling to reduce it further.  The payment being that energy you barter with spirits for or you use when you bind them.  That sort of thing.  we would have a centralized area of study for academic pursuits and we can help each other on ordeals and initiations to increase our knowledge of the mysteries and meta planes.   If you want to do it in the barrens it could also serve as the school for those with the Talent I am able to find.  I think a stable of mages at our beck and call would be quite useful.  The four of us would be in charge  of course and we can keep you out of the limelight as much as you wish...depending on how you want to focus on keeping your secret.

Ah, and then there is that small complication.  I don't think you will need to worry about it but I have made some allies recently in Redmond where I am attempting my own gentrification project. similar to yours.  A group of six genetically bred super-soldiers have come into the possession of 5 of the gangs surround my territory and I have made an alliance with them.  We've started a leadership council and will begin recruiting a "meta-gang" from the impressive talent we each discover.  However they are wary of Glinda and curious and I've cautioned her about being careless around them.  I think we can trust them.  Our goals are in alignment, but I wanted to keep you out of it, partly to protect your secret and partly because I need to be in charge of Redmond


OOC:  the group bond ritual is described in shadow rituals in the street grimoire.  It could use more details but I think the gist can be determined.  The base force of the ritual is 12+/- modifiers but it's probably going to be around 12 and drain is 2P per Force since it's ritual magic, that scary 24P drain can be reduced with sacrficing reagents down to a minimum of 2P as I understand it. and a lodge of equal force of the ritual will need to be built.

[Mercy Merchant]

Wednesday  12 June 2075  0306  Sian's Home  Chinatown Barrens  Seattle


Glinda brings the tea over and sits down.  Cups are filled and Sian places a hand on Glinda's.  "Yes, we have been together a very long time, but you are right; I was more or less alone for a long time before I brought her over.  There were others, of course, but none for as long.  I can understand your situation.  I would rather not move too fast, though, as I have experienced disappointment before."

"I am not sure what a "lodge" is, but it sounds like a place to concentrate our magical energies.  If that is correct, I can support that.  It sounds like you think it will be expensive, so will it detract from what we are doing here and in your own Redmond?"

[Ennui]

It shouldn't be exorbitantly so, maybe ten thousand nuyen tops.  I can cover that no problem.  Think of it more as an investment in our activities rather than detracting from them.  I would also suggest dues to keep the property up, but again a monthly fee of 500 to 1000 nuyen should be plenty.  This can be as much use in our endeavors as you would want it to be.  If we eventually include those Talented that I train this could be a significant resource in helping with our goals.

The four of us would be the inner circle.  Additional acolytes would provide a base of magical talent to draw upon as needed and they would be tasked with assisting our plans as part of the initiation rites.  Granted that will take some time...like I said, it's an investment.

[Mercy Merchant]

Wednesday  12 June 2075  0308  Sian's Home  Chinatown Barrens  Seattle


Sian laughs. "I like a girl who thinks 10000 Nuyen is a paltry sum.  I do not wish you to have to carry the full cost, so do we each put up 25%?  And where do you think we should set up?  I can get a large place here for cheap and can secure it, but would this background count be something of a concern for you?  I understand that it is quite high down here.  Perhaps we can find a place more suitable, but that will probably cost more.  What do you think?"

[Ennui]

The lodge would take care of the background count but I think that the other issues make this a bad choice.  Too much noise and the fact that this place is a labyrinth are problems.  There's a building near where I live that looks like a good spot.  You can check it out if you'd like.  It's 4 stories I figured the bottom floor could be a youth center, basically a cover for our activities.  Second floor could be the school and the third and fourth floors the initiate groups headquarters.

Plus that would give you a good reason to come visit us once in a while Sian.