The Spirit of the Age
7th of December 2006 A.D.
Over the next three days, or the next nine shifts as one might count them you spend all the time, you are not as school connected to a Library Terminal reading up on the philosophy and history that underlines the Faith of the Covenant, finding at once familiar and not. One finds the three treasures of Taoism here compassion, frugality, and humility wedded with a spirit of inquiry that reminds you of the best of the Church in the Age of Reason. everyone remembers poor Giordano Bruno, but few recall that most astronomers of the age were men of the cloth. In a world were spirits speak and do not hide away, one in which the flow of Essene is felt beneath one's feet inquiry into the workings becomes one of the central duties of the priest. To live in accordance to the flow of nature one must first understand it... to understand you. The thought is less terrifying that it might once have been because in these texts also is a way to explain your own limitations.
Thus you chance upon a particular quote from a philosopher who lived in the days long before towers shone on the five plinths of the cities, when caravans stretched out under the guard of spear the shield and the lifts were operated by the strength of tamed behemoths and blood sworn bargains with the spirits.
A spirit manifested is not all of a thing, only its core, the heart of the mountain, the rushing soul of the river, the fury of the storm and the vitality of the fields. It speaks for those things which are wholly of itself and not of other things. But as one color might run into each other upon a canvas so too do things run together, growing and becoming. Why does the wise man speak to the spirit of the forest? So that his tribe may know how to honor it in the hunt and thereby prosper? But ask yourself why does the forest speak to the wise man? So that it might know and be known by the river and the mountain, the Deep Ways and the shallow.
-Attributed to Flying Leaf in Amber 1700 P.U. (Pre-Unity)
***
"I'm the spirit of the world, its voice and its emissary, I come to instruct yes, for there are things I know that you do not, but I come also asking questions, unashamed of the ignorance, for it is one I aim to put right, else why would I have the power to inquire? Before you now I freely admit there are things you would ask of me to which I do not know the answers. The Great White of the unexplored stretches before me just as it does before you. I
ask this, I do not command: Take heart that we might learn together our place in the universe and as the fresh stream falling from the heights shape the rock beneath, into the wider circle becoming. The Wheel of Ages turn and in the turning much shall change."
It is so quiet in the chamber you could hear the heartbeats of hundreds upon hundreds of sages, priests and interested members of the general public who have made the journey as tens of thousands of time that many watch from afar. What you know you will not release as some secret thing only to the learned and select. Let them all hear and hope they all take heart.
"I do not know where those Departed go, but this much I can tell you it is the same place where those who die in the Beyond go, for us each death promises Parting." As a ripple of...
horror goes though the crowd at the notion. You raise a hand. "Such is the way of things, so we have learned to live within is, as life grows from the earth, as water helps it grow and air gives it breath of inspiration, as fire gives it purpose and direction. Yet not all who die would be parted..."
A nod towards Lydia is all she needs, you had rehearsed this.
"Death is a grey thing, a soft veil of forgetfulness that wraps like mist around the world of form, death is a kind thing, allowing one to linger and look back. Some there are who watch over family and friends, who guard and teach and for this are honored." Lydia sighs. "Alas that men are not so kind as death, some are fettered by malice pure and simple and those must be sent on swift as one is able. Alas that tis so easy for sorrow to curdle into bitterness and bitterness to hate. This realm of yours, this Sanctuary," she says the word in Whisper-speech not English, "could offer shelter for those who feel that they have been cheated out of the span of years they should have had."
So the two of you speak, taking up the mantle one after another, you of the workings of Sanctuary or of the works of the Covenant and Lydia of death, not just the secrets of the veil, but the small simple things of mourning and acceptance, the funerary rites of dozens of peoples, scores, some of them long since gone to dust.
"No ghost lingers in this land, none has been pushed past the threshold before its time," your friend finishes solemnly, catching the eye of one keeper after another. "You have done your calling proud." A small smile shows on her face. "And you know what they say the reward for a job well done is yet more work."
That is not a common expression in the city, but the sentiment is understood and appreciated just the same, relieved laughter bubbling to the surface after all this deep and solemn talk.
"Thank you all for leading me your ears," you finish smoothly in Seeker-Tongue
***
"I think that went OK. That went OK right?" Lydia asks, a flush of excitement still on her cheeks. "I don't want to mess this up for you."
"Are you kidding? You were great up there, way better than OK. I've been having people come to me with questions all day. Do you have any idea how hesitant these people are to just show up and ask direct questions? How intrigued they must be to do it anyway? You
helped me by being there... by being here."
"Thanks," she sighs, squeezing your left hand in both of hers. "Now for the easy part, ghost negotiations to try this out."
It takes you a moment to realize she means that.
***
9th of December 2006 A.D.
The next travelers to your world you have to deal with though are distinctly alive, the envoys of the White Council. "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?" Harry's voice is wry though the phone, he sounds like he has finally gotten over the instinct to hold it away from his head and shout.
"Bad first so we can end on a high note," you decide.
"The head of the delegation is Donald Morgan, he's a warden veteran, skilled wizard can't argue with that, but he's a stickler for the Laws and likely to ask some real uncomfortable questions." He sighs. "I heard the only reason he's here is he killed one of the Lords of the Outer Night down in Mexico City, but he got really bad chemical smoke inhalation in the process so he's on light duty until he heals though it, so he'll be in an even worse mood than normal."
"So what I'm hearing is he's good at war because he has such a large stick up his ass you could use him as a banner. Who else?"
Harry tries to tell you off for the joke, it would probably work better if he weren't obviously trying not to laugh. Finally he just gives it up. "There's Ramirez, Carlos Ramirez, he's so young he squeaks, officially the reason he is here is to give him some experience in something beside the war before he gets thrown in.
Unofficially the Merlin figures he is more likely to catch on to the tech."
Harry is getting a heads up from his boss? You bite your lip on the urge to tease him about getting into politics. This is something you want to encourage.
"Lastly there is Wu Min, all I know about her is that she's an apprentice of an apprentice of Ancient Mai, an expert in dealing with 'the Spirit Courts of the Middle Kingdom.' That is basically what you called 'shen' according to Bob, though he does not know much about them either, hasn't been around that neck of the woods."
"Got it," you asnwer, even as internally questions fly free as they are plentiful. Just how had the delegation been decided on and by whom. None of the names Harry mentioned were on the list, but they could still be primed by someone on it. Morgan sounds like a good target if one were to play into his biases.
Where do you meet with the White Council Delegation?
[] At Mac's again, it is a nice safe location
[] At the Last Station, it is a good introduction for what they will see beyond
[] Bring them all home to dinner, it is not often you have diplomatic dealings with people you can bring home and it should set them at ease
[] Write in
OOC: I stopped tracking Essence strictly when you guys are not in a crunch in places with high regen like your Kingdom. You get 1 back every 15 minutes passively. So if you are doing something that spends less than that there is no point. 
