Nexus had her phone out, typing out the prophesy into a word document so that Spark-of-the-invisible-wave could mull it over.  The Spirit likely couldn't do anything with the words at that point, but given that it was a Spirit of Information, granting it the knowledge would be adding fuel to its own internal fire.

On a second window she called up everything she could on the London blitz.

"According to this Scribd.com article, the most bombs fell in Greenwich the first night of the Blitz.  There is a tube station in Greenwich..."

That second part, she knew without looking up.  The tubes were her home now more than ever.

"... and that is certainly where people might have hidden from German bombers.  Sounds like it would be worth checking out?"

Selene had taken a spot leaning against one of Hayfinch's walls. Her towel gone from her head, instead rolled tightly across her shoulders. Letting her fingers toss her hair back and forth. One could watch her passing ideas from one side of her brain to the other, head bobbling with them. Her toes curled and pat softly against the worn soles of her sandels. Each time they pressed down, a little bit of water squeezed free.

"It sounds like a good place to start, at least. What'll we do if we find anything?"

There was something to the furtive little exchange between Clasm and Hayfich's mistress that might bear later investigation, but other things were far more pressing for the time being.  "Provided you endorse her skill as an oracle, I believe Ptolomy and the guards of the Library should be contacted.  If I understand it properly they will be the ones under fire."  Stele replied, dark eyes flicking about the room before coming to rest on the elder Obrimos, watching intently as he puzzled through the way she'd posed her question.  Given her reputation Oz most certainly knew who to call and how to spread the word if she thought it necessary, but she'd been very specific in asking what 'they' were going to do.  'Testing us perhaps?  It wouldn't be the first time.' The Moros mused as he dropped the towel he'd used back onto the table.  "Figuring out the location of these 'rats' is good as well, but I think informing and preparing our own side has to come first."

"Actually...."

Nexus' monotone voice paused, typing something into her phone and then turning it around to face the others.  On it was a picture that she had pulled from a Wikipedia article.



"There is a second possibility.  This was taken outside of one of the Underground stations in Southwark, down in Newington.  Elephant and Castle tube station, very clever name. "

She said dryly.

"I've only been there once but I remember seeing it.  That would certainly satisfy the words of the prophecy."

Bast nodded as she finished carefully drying off her hair. "Looks like a good place to start." She folded her towel carefully and set it beside her. "I agree with Stele, though - we should warn the Athaneum and anyone else who might be a potential target before we do any more investigating."

She looked to Oz. "Unless you'd prefer we kept this prophecy among us, of course."

Oz quickly shook her head at Bast's question.
"The prophecy is yours, all of yours. It is clear that I wasn't meant to have it, or I'd have found Belinda myself", pristine fingernails ran through her ginger hair, "This is your time to act, and your actions to grow by. Though," and at this she gave an encouraging smile, "I'll do what I can to help."

Looking between Stele and the others, Oz worried at her bottom lip. "So where will you go, to the station or to the Censorium?"

"The station."

Nexus stated flatly, though she did not know if the others would agree with her.

"Why not both?" Selen offered, still leaning back against the wall. "We all know where we're heading, and it's not like we're pack hunting or something!"

"Because if the Seers have designs for the Library, they'll be staking it out, even if through a Sleeper proxy. Visiting it in person might risk tipping them off. Additionally, if we're going to where the Seers are hiding, we'll want the full strength of numbers in case things become the Chinese sort of interesting. Plus, it gives us a wider variety of Sights to see with, make sure we don't miss any details." Clasm flicked her gaze to Selene, an eyebrow raised in a confrontational manner. From where she stood, it was exactly like they were pack hunting. Also, possibly being pack hunted, if they weren't careful. "I'm of a mind that we head to the station."

"Well, I wasn't suggesting we go to the Censorium in person." Bast reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone - it's not a fancy model, but it does have a little cat's paw charm hanging from it - and held it up for everyone to see. "I mean, they have phones there, don't they?" She looked at Stele. "You're a Mystagog, aren't you? Couldn't you call them up and give them a quick word of warning?"

Without waiting for a reply, she began to text her Mentor a quick message, letting him know the gist of what had transpired.

"I can contact the low security staff, but getting a message to those at the top may be a little more difficult."  The necromancer replied somewhat hesitantly, his fingers tapping out a contemplative rhythm against his thigh as he considered the problem.  Clasm had a point regarding potential oversight on the Athenaeum, though he had to hope that even if they had identified one of the entrances the Seers wouldn't have been able to locate all of them.  "With the amount of people that go in and out of the Library on a daily basis I doubt the comings and goings of one neophyte would be cause for alarm, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to try and call first."  Stele admitted, slipping his phone from his pocket and flicking through the lock screen as he began piecing together exactly what he wanted to say.  Scrolling past the first few contacts he finally tapped the one listed simply as 'Dewey' before lifting the device to his ear.

"You've reached the offices of Dewey, Cheetum and How!", crackled over the line before a chuckle followed, "Sorry, been a long day. You've reached the Library of St. John the Beheaded, how may I help you today?"

While Stele spoke on the phone Oz nodded towards Clasm, "If this address is where they gather you'll want to be ready for a fight, though there's a chance this is just where they're planning on breaking in... Regardless, this is certainly a hunt"
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:59, Fri 02 June 2017.

When the first few words reached his ears Stele froze for a moment, his lips slightly parted and a confused little huff of breath escaping as the voice on the other side of the line forced him to take an emotional 180.  "Uh...hmm, yes it has been.  This is Stele, like the stones, and I need to speak to the librarian.  Please pass my number to the current mouser as soon as you can."  The Moros replied after a beat, his voice kept quite neutral, though the emphasis on stones was quite clear.  The staff assigned to the desk were usually apprentices or sleepwalkers who'd been read in just enough to know which keys to look out for, which would have to be enough for the time being.

At a dusty desk, covered with papers and notes, a middle aged Mage who goes by The Doctor feels like he has stumbled into something quite a bit above his paygrade by picking up the phone. A quaking hand quickly grabs a mostly blank sheet of paper and writes the number down.

"Like the... stones? Oh! Yes! Absolutely! The librarian you say? A mouser? Okay. Alright. Yes, yes, right away. Please expect a call back soon, goodbye"

Night duty on the phones was meant to be the boring, reliable part of his apprenticeship a part of him wants to whine. The rest of him, the brave part that takes after his namesake, leaps at a chance for adventure.

The Doctor rises from his chair, taking a moment to wrap his ridiculously long scarf around his shoulders. He then races off to find a superior who will know what to do with the number and the gravity of the tone that was on the other end of the line.

It's past suppertime, most of the staff have left and it's only the guards and a few higher ups kicking around. Doing research and more important things to do than listen to him.

Well, there is... Her. The Doctor supposes he could take this directly to her. For all his inner bravado, he'd honestly rather eat his own foot. Pausing a moment, The Doctor's fears are realized as a soft voice interrupts his racing thoughts.

"Doc? Aren't you supposed to be at the front desk?", the woman's eyes are sharp and mistrustful and even though she is a good foot shorter than him The Doctor still shrinks away.

"Ah, yes, but, well, you see, that is to say, a Mystagogue just called, I believe the one from America? Stele, that's his name! The new one, he needs to speak with... Oh! Mouser! Security! He wanted to speak to security, or Ptolomy directly. Would... would you be able to... maybe call him back?"

The number is passed hands and the redhead gives a sharp nod before sternly motioning the apprentice away from her. As The Doctor returns to his desk he smiles proudly.
That was at least three less stutters than last time he had to talk to her, and if anyone counts as security surely she does.

For Stele it's a few minutes before his phone starts to ring. The number is blocked.

While Stele got in contact with the Library, Clasm turned her eye to Nexus. While Clasm didn't know the specifics of her magical abilities, she seemed a deft hand at finding information through mundane means. Which, while they were still in Hayfich, was the means available to them. Considering that what Clasm had in mind only involved mapping a route through London, though, such means were sufficient. "If there's going to be a fight, extra hands would be useful. Is the Lamb and Flag very far off the route to this tube station?"

"Whoa, wait. Shouldn't we like... Actually know if we're going to the right place before blowing all the horns?" Selene asked, as she searched the entry room for a chair to slouch into. She pulled the towel from her shoulders, winding it into a tight tail with a few flicks of her wrist. "Cause, like, our thing now is probably a prophecy that we're maybe interpreting right to a station that came up when it was Googled. Which, I mean, get it in one, bravo. But maybe it's a thing to make of first and then go rousing everyone in town? Before cryin' about wolves and everything."

"Shouldn't be too long now."  Stele offered the others as he lowered his phone, the flicker of amusement he'd felt at the receptionist's flustered responses fading as the interminable waiting game began.  The others seemed to be split over the idea of jumping into an offensive against the seers, including pulling in allies, or just a little reconnaissance which didn't quite address the elephant in the room.  "Before we really consider heading over to the station, it would probably be wise to check in with a Sentinel or someone who can actually weigh in on whether or not the Consillium actually wants to start this war too."  The Moros added, his steely gaze coming to rest on their host as the most likely to actually hold such contacts.  For all he knew maybe some Guardian out there would just let it slip to the right people that the Pentacle 'knew' of a potential incursion against the Athenaeum and the whole thing would be done with before it began.

Glancing down as his phone began to buzz in his hand, Stele answered the call immediately.  He hadn't expected to get a response quite this quickly, though being proven wrong was sort of gratifying in a weird way.  "Hello?"  He queried, letting the other side set the tone for this particular interaction as he settled back onto his heels and tucked his free hand into his pocket.

"Fight?"

Nexus objected.

"Why do you expect there is going to be a fight?  Why are we discussing war?  As far as we know, aren't we the only people who know about this?"

She did not seem perturbed, perhaps slightly off put in that quintessentially English way.

"Name and mentor's name, please. For identity verification."
The voice on the other end of the line is light and crisp. There is no room for pleasantries in it, just a desire for facts. Even the word 'please' isn't presented as a request, but merely a word humans speak at each other to get things done.
"Then please state the reason for your call"

Oz nodded slowly at Selene's point, mulling it over. "Even if their interpretation of the prophecy is incorrect, it is better to at least have the Censorium on alert than to possibly let them be surprised. If the Seers have discovered a way to get in, or are getting help from the Exarchs to gain entry..." the woman trailed off, a deep frown on her face as she considered what could be in the Censorium that the Seers could use for their agendas.

Turning to Nexus, Oz made a motion at her phone, "You might want to reach out to Sly, even if this is unconfirmed the Guardians will likely want it investigated."
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:53, Tue 06 June 2017.

Nexus nodded.

"Absolutely."

She already had her phone out, she always had her phone out, and so with a quick tap she pulled up the encrypted e-mail service that she and her mentor employed.  She e-mailed him a request for instructions, attaching the notes on the encounter with Belinda and their subsequent sleuthing she had already typed up on the tube ride over, as well as the picture of the Elephant and Castle station.

She also added an addendum expressing some concern over her newfound companions apparent eagerness for for combat, and a second query for instructions.

Satisfied, she hit send, sending the package of information out into the ether.

"Of course, Stele, apprentice of Ys."  The Moros offered, his reply quick and precise as he checked off the requested boxes.  The voice on the other end was unfamiliar, but that came with being the new guy.  "I am calling to place the Censorium on alert.  A prophecy was uttered today which may warn of an impending attack by the Seers." Stele added without hesitation, the dire pronouncement only slightly leavened by the hint of uncertainty in it.  Placing the Library in a state of panic without cause would be a terrible waste of resources, but nowhere near as bad as a full breach might be.  London's Censorium was famous the world over, and the potential repercussions of having the artefacts within released didn't bear considering.  "A transcript is available and will be tendered to the archive, but I could discern no indication of the potential time frame and wanted staff to be aware of the threat."

Clasm would've been quick to respond to Nexus's question about the prospect of war, but Oz had been quicker in making the woman busy. So, she waited for the other Mage to finish typing out a text or whatever. Once Nexus had finished what she was doing, Clasm spoke up. "In regard to your question, about the possibility of war? We're the only ones aware of the prophecy, but there were two references to rats in the prophecy. One that has them becoming brave after the tempest died, and Calaban's name is taken from a character in the Tempest. Prospero's slave, if I have it right?"

Clasm looked to Oz for confirmation. She knew from her own experience that Shadow Names had a degree of potency to them, so she was mindful of their origins. It had been a factor in her leaving Lethe's authority; she couldn't trust her memory that nothing bad had happened to her yet. In any event, she quickly refocused on Nexus. "The other reference? The rats march. Call me paranoid if you like, but I don't think they're organizing a peaceful protest in the streets of London."

"Verifying", the voice chirped in a tone used by one who typically has to annotate their actions to those who don't understand them. There was a moment of pause before Stele heard a small growl of annoyance on the line.
"Identity confirmed. No registered prophets have prophesied today... You're in Hayfich. Typical. Seers, huh? Excellent. I'll pass this information on to the librarian and ensure protocols are enacted"
For a brief moment it was quiet again. It sounded like the phone was moving away from whoever was speaking. Almost as if they were preparing to hang up before bringing the phone back,
"Was there anything else you needed to share?"


Oz nodded to Clasm, "Yes, that was where he took the name from, as far as I know"


Nexus received a ping a few moments later, 'Sentinels cmoing to ur location, wait for them. Dont start war plz. Higher ups will have my head. Investigate and defend. Good work'
The only reason her mentor's text was at all legible was likely because his phone had autocorrect, and even then it didn't catch all the mistakes in the hurried reply.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:20, Fri 09 June 2017.

"Perhaps…The group who received the original prophecy are preparing to investigate a location which seems a likely staging point for the attack on the Athenaeum."  The Moros explained, his bearing shifting slightly as the script he'd prepared for himself began to run short.  This entire scenario was a little outside his field and while he'd been taught as much as any other Mysterium apprentice about the more violent applications of the Art, there was a big difference between theorising and true implementation.  "We believe the Elephant and Castle station is being used as the oppositions base of operations, but to be honest this excursion is…unusual for me.  If you have any to offer I would appreciate advice from more experienced uh…field agents."  Stele finished softly, the plea a tentative call for aid from a largely unknown party.

For her part, Selen didn't seem in the least concerned. Quite the opposite. She smiled when anyone looked her way, continuing to radiate a warm contentment. Spinning her towel with quick flicks of her wrist. Slipping from her sandals to let her feet dry out. An idea visibly striking, sending her towel to the floor. A few steps leave it a little more wet, dark impressions of her feet drawn by a bit of grime that the rain had loosened.

"Oz, don't you know anyone who could help with this? You seem to know everyone, don't you?"