"Thank you for coming," Lady Mylissa said softly, her voice carrying the elegance and authority you had come to expect from her. Her smile was delicate, barely touching her lips but enough to show her appreciation.
The two of you had settled into the warmth of her lounge, an inviting room bathed in the soft glow of candles and the quiet crackle of a distant hearth. The scent of freshly brewed tea mingled with the faint aroma of incense, and the soft cushions beneath you offered a comforting contrast to the chill outside.
You returned her smile with one of your own, offering the briefest acknowledgment of the pleasantry.
"Of course," you replied, though your curiosity was already piqued. Lady Mylissa rarely summoned you without reason, and though you knew better than to press, you couldn't help but wonder what had prompted this particular meeting. Still, etiquette had to be observed.
You lifted the teacup in front of you, the steam curling gently from the surface. As expected, the tea was excellently brewed—rich, fragrant, and calming. You took a slow sip, savoring the warmth that spread through you. Lady Mylissa, too, seemed content to allow the silence to linger.
It was the kind of silence that felt neither awkward nor oppressive, but comfortable, a space where thoughts could gather before the real conversation began.
Several minutes passed like this, the two of you quietly sharing the moment, until Lady Mylissa, with the faintest sigh, set her teacup down upon the small table between you. Her fingers rested on the porcelain for a moment before she raised her eyes to meet yours. The pleasantries were over.
"There are... complications," she began, her tone still measured but with an undercurrent of frustration that was hard to miss. "Coulson is encountering difficulties. His arrival has delayed plans, but he should be gone soon, and preparations can be done while he is on the way out."
"Therefore, the scrying will be done this month," she continued, her voice firm. "Should we need to delay the journey that follows, so be it. But the preparations—those will proceed."
You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What journey?" you asked, tilting your head slightly. There had been no mention of such a thing before. Lady Mylissa hesitated, a rare flicker of uncertainty crossing her otherwise composed features. Her fingers tapped lightly against her thigh, a subtle gesture, but one you had learned to recognize. Was that a glint of nervousness in her verdant eyes? It vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the familiar, piercing gaze that seemed to see through you entirely.
"There is a place," she began, her voice low, almost reverent. "In the mountains now called the Andes. It is a place of ancient knowledge, knowledge that will be instrumental to our goals." She paused, and you could feel the weight of what she was about to reveal. "I am bound by laws—old ones. Laws that still hold sway, even over me. I cannot set foot in that place, nor can I scry upon it."
The significance of her admission was not lost on you. If there was a place even Lady Mylissa could not touch, it must be one of immense power, one that held secrets older than most could comprehend. She continued, her tone steady but laced with a quiet frustration. "That is why you will be scrying upon it. In seven months' time, you and the others will journey there to retrieve what is needed."
You blinked, processing her words. A place that Lady Mylissa herself was forbidden to enter, yet you were being tasked with venturing into it. There was a tension in her voice, carefully controlled, but you could sense the deep frustration that simmered beneath her calm exterior.
The fact that she was sharing this with you meant she trusted you—deeply. But it was trust with a price. If that trust were broken, the consequences would be severe, and there was no need for her to say it outright. You understood.
For a moment, you considered asking more, pushing for further details. But one look at Lady Mylissa told you that you would not receive more than what she had already given. Her eyes held that unmistakable glint of finality, the silent warning that you would do well not to overstep.
So, instead, you gave her a polite nod, offering a smile that you hoped conveyed both your understanding and your willingness to accept the task.
"Of course," you said, your voice steady. "I'll set aside the time and bring the Sun Spark."
Her expression softened, just enough to suggest gratitude, though her posture remained as regal as ever. "Thank you," she murmured, and with that, the heavy conversation seemed to shift into lighter territory.
In the end, you knew that you would learn what you needed when the time came. When you scryed upon that hidden location in the Andes, the answers would begin to reveal themselves. Until then, all you could do was prepare and wait.
[Healing, DC: 70]
[Roll: 42+15(Heart)+5(Blood of the Earth)+40(An Imminence) = 102]
[Emir has healed One Wound, he has Six Health remaining]
[Clearing Dread, DC: 70]
[Roll: 62+10(Winter)+10(Attention of the Laws)+20(Management) = 102]
[Emir has removed One Dread, he has none remaining]
You are no longer under the effects of An Imminence.
Sol has added a Winter and Grail manuscript to Lady Mylissa's library. The Cult's Winter is now Level Two.
The Inner Circle Discretionary Reserve's balance is now 540.
Vote by plan
Possible Actions: You have 3 4 Actions each month; more can be gained by spending less time at work.
You have access to two extra Actions due to your summons and Confidantes, please mark which actions you are having them do.
-Charlotte
-Sun Spark (Bindings decay at the end of Turn 12)
-Sun Spark (Bindings decay at the end of Turn 12) Being sacrificed
Remember that you have Attention of the Laws, a Free Action that doubles your Application bonus for a single Lore on a single Action
It has been requested that you cast The Reflection of the Tapestry at the end of this month. You lose one action this turn and one of your Sun Sparks will be sacrificed. The cost of the ritual will be taken from the Discretionary Reserves automatically.
Current Funds: 260
Income: 60 Funds/Month
-[] On work and the people you preach to.
--[] You'll pray and preach as you have been told to (Gain no extra actions, reduce any worry raised by taking time off, default)
--[] You'll end a few minutes early, subtly of course (Gain an extra action)
--[] It is simply a busy month, you don't have as much time to preach (Gain two extra actions, will not be noticed if not done often.)
--[] There's been a crisis, one that you must handle yourself (Gain three extra actions, a few people may notice.)
--[] The doors shall be closed, the church will be empty (Gain four extra actions, people will check up on you.)
-[] On your Foe and the problem he poses
--[] Attack him, remove him from the board (This is an Assault an Opponent Expedition)
--[] Stalk him and figure out what he is doing
-[] On the goal, of rites, rituals, and summoned creatures
--[] Search out a Ritual
--[] Research a Ritual
---[] What Lore? (Write in)
--[] Create a Ritual
--[] Search the Woods for summonable creatures
--[] Search the White Plane for summonable creatures
--[] Gather supplies
---[] For which ritual? (Write in)
--[] Acquire supplies and tools to aid your research
-[] On furthering the cause.
--[] Assist somebody else in their task
---[] Dismas is aiding Ava in her financial work, maybe you could help him help her?
---[] Ava is seeding financial trouble for Agent Coulson, a light touch but plenty irritating. You could aid her in that
---[] Charlotte is turning Agent Coulson's friends against him, you could help poison his own well
---[] Sol is collecting more scraps of information and Lore for the cult
---[] Delilah is working over Agent Coulson, ensuring he suffers from problems and setbacks so why not lend your aid?
--[] Items and strange artifacts, go search for them. They could be useful
---[] Take money from the Discretionary Reserve (Write in)
-[] On learning the Lores.
--[] Search for books
---[] In the local libraries and bookstores
---[] Stranger and more hidden places
---[] Online, from places abroad (Will cost 10 Funds per book in shipping)
--[] From the Cult's very own library (Gain 1 scrap of the chosen Lore)
---[] Moth
--[] Lady Mylissa is willing to teach, request a lesson
---[] What lore? (Write in, she is willing to teach all Lores, up to level three)
--[] Read your own books (Pick Two for each Action spent)
---[] Moth 2
---[] Heart 2
-[] Cast a Ritual
--[] What ritual are you casting? (Write in)
-[] The Mansus, a place of contradictions. It calls to you, reach out.
--[] The Woods
---[] Travel the Wax Melted Trail, perhaps you could learn something else
---[] Descend down into the Luster Drowned Well (Mansus Expedition)
---[] There must be something you haven't found, keep exploring
--[] The White Plane
---[] Head back to the Lodge of the Sadge Knight and Baldomerian who dwells within
---[] Traverse through the Overgrown Orchard (Mansus Expedition)
---[] Return to the Ivory Spires and that splintered moon Requires a Secret Histories Sacrament
---[] In a place as empty as this there is always more to explore, so keep at it
--[] Upward, to Glory
-[] On Charlotte, and her aid (These are actions exclusive to Charlotte)
--[] She should double down on recruitment
--[] Turn her smiles and relentless optimism to tripping up Agent Coulson
-[] On Sun Sparks and their leadership (These are actions exclusive to Sun Sparks)
--[] Prepare a plan for somebody, granting them a single reroll
---[] Who? (Write in)
--[] Work over the checkbooks, squeeze a bit more money from them
-[] On matters outside the cult.
--[] Spend time with somebody
---[] Who? (Write in)
--[] Get to know somebody
---[] Who? (Write in, one of your parishioners, a low level person inside the cult, a random joe on the street etc)
--[] Talk to Charlotte about hope, about the future, about what might be (Will transform her into a minion. Only available while you are under the effects of An Incarnadescence) You are not under the effects of An Incarnadescence
--[] Continue to help Ashley control her powers
-[] A fleeting opportunity (rumor mills spin, opportunities come and go. These actions might never be available again)
--[] Induct Ashley into the Lores (You will have a later vote on if this will include inducting her into the cult)
-[] Something else? (Write in, must be approved by QM)