Invisible Monarchs

A Mage: The Awakening game set in Chicago.

Setting

The Dream

You are pounding pavement, walking through the city. It's not empty, but it's silent. You're running from something, and the people you pass don't move, still as statues, and as you pause to catch your breath your hand comes to rest on one of them and they crumple to the ground, just empty skins covered in tiny needle sized holes. The three of you enter a strange square at the same time. Five roads meet there, and the square is surrounded by five mirror sided skyscrapers. The three of you can see each other, but not the other two roads, although you could hear people running in. On the front of each of the towers a person is strung up cruciform, and you each recognize your master, wearing a bronze mask that perfectly mimics their own pained features.

In the center of the square is another person, a woman, wearing a mask that covers the top half of her face but leaves her jaw uncovered. She is standing on a plinth, and the crowd around her is composed of people who are not still or silent, but are instead a crowd that hisses and groans gently, and each of them wears a skull shaped mask. The woman turns to look at you, then smiles and lifts a finger to her lip and shushes you, but as she does a great bloody gout of orange and black winged butterflies pours out, fluttering upward into the sky. From behind you you can hear a rushing crackle and when you turn you see great waves of fire rushing across the city toward you. They come close and just before they reach you you realize they're composed of thousands upon millions of orange and black winged butterflies. They cover you, tiny needle-like feet digging into your skin and wings buffeting you and then you feel the pressure around you increase almost unbearably, then there's a great rocking boom and the butterflies are shredded as the five glass sided towers around the square explode outward and then collapse. The last thing you see is the woman in the mask staring straight at you with an expression of...joy? Wonder? Hope? Maybe even surprise on her face.

The Cabal: Cardinal Watch

Creed

Members

Alice Collodi, Thyrsus Free Councilor

Forcas, Mastigos Guardian of the Veil

Virgil, Moros Mystagogue

Responsibilities

Cabal positions are as follows:

• 1st Farseeker: Forcas, 2nd Farseeker: Virgil
• 1st Doorwarden: Forcas, 2nd Doorwarden: Alice
• Hearthkeeper: Alice
• 1st Lorekeeper: Virgil, 2nd Lorekeeper: Forcas
• Edgetender: Virgil

Rights Followed

• Crossing
• Hospitality
• Nemesis
• Sanctuary

Sanctum

St.Boniface Church, Chicago (Outskirts)

• Size 2: The Restoration is underway but consuming funds rather quickly, at the moment the cabal has only restored and secured a small part of the Cathedral.
• Security 2: Spirits patrol the halls and warn of any intruders. Stable Doors and Magically enhanced locks.

Logs

Session 1 - All is not well in Chicago, Arrow Adept Dresden has been murdered. The cabal investigates but finds more questions than answers.
Session 2 - Interrogation of a seer agent's ghost reveals a serial killer targeting mages. A killer who may be connected to Alice's mother in some way ...
Session 3 - The cabal has lunch with Medea and reports on the investigation. Later a kidnapping arrest is planned.
Session 4 - The Kidnapping is enacted, a Seer is found with the Hunter and more question are raised. The Cabal is invited to the masked ball and goes up in the world.
Session 5 - Alice dreams of memories long locked away, Virgil meets a Sleeper with a strange aura who knows of ghosts, and Forcas learns that Mosades' ghost is eating other ghosts

Miscellaneous

The OOC and organization thread

Notes, deductions and questions
Creative Thaumaturgy - spells created for Invisible Monarchs

A diagram of relationships: