The entire site is built on a Node, and Tass is available in the form
of silver bangles (or other silver jewellery.) As the power of the
Electric Ballroom Node is insufficient to sustain the Horizon Realm
by itself a second Node belonging to the Three Saints Cabal has been
connected. This second node is a replacement of the original, cursed,
Cleopatra's Needle Node.
The Horizon Realm
The realm is commonly accessed via the top bar at the Ballroom, the
corridor leading back to the club can also lead into the realm (the
choice is the Mage's.)
The realm itself consists of a large Church underneath some form of Dome that is supported by a number of ornate brass struts. The struts are festooned with tubes, filled with a glowing green liquid, that connect to a pair of brass mounted monitors within the Church. The Dome is near a dark cityscape that contains many burning, manacled figures.
The Church was surrounded by dull grey sand within which a large
number of purple flowers were blooming, but now is surrounded by a
meadow.
History of The Chantry
The Chantry has belonged to House Shae of the Order of Hermes for many
years, in the late 1930s they transfered the Chantry, its Nodes and
Horizon Realm to the Hollow Ones. Since taking control the London
Hollow Ones have lost members at an alarming rate. A close examination
of the Chantry records has revealed that no Leader has served for
longer than a year and a day. It appeared as if this was related to an
ancient curse on the Needle, an entity claiming to be Anubis had taken
up residence within the Horizon Realm.
At some point the Chantry acquired a large Ankh as a symbol of leadership and the "protection" of "Anubis", that was passed from predecessor to successor. In April of 1998 the last Hollow One of the Chantry invited Magi from across London to the Chantry. Knowing that he was dying, Robbins bequeathed leadership of the Chantry to one of the guest Magi, a Hollow One called Jake.
Unfortunately the curse continued with the new leadership, during the last six months two deputies appointed by Jake have disappeared and a third was shot. Jake himself has spent a couple of months in a coma. After several abortive attempts, the current members of the Chantry have managed to bind "Anubis" into a statue and requested that the Needle be returned to Egypt to lift the curse. At the same time as the cursed node was being removed from the Chantry, a new Ley line was laid to a Node controlled by one of the Cabals within the Chantry membership.
This new node has a different ressonance to the Needle, and is more powerful, subsequently the Horizon Realm has drastically altered in appearance. Originally the realm consisted of a large black granite pyramid. Near the top is a balcony accessed from the Ballroom corridor, walking into the pyramid will normally send the Mage straight back to the Ballroom.
The pyramid was surrounded by desert sands, roamed by Jackals. It always appeared to be daylight in the realm although time of day varies (from dawn to dusk) with no apparent relationship to the mundane world. A river flowed by the pyramid (leading to the Needle), bordered by dry rushes and was populated by crocodiles.
Unfortunately the removal of the Needle Node and the connection of a new node was taken to be a breach of the original Deed of Transfer from House Shae to the Hollow Ones, and consequently the Chantry reverted to House Shae at the beginning of September 1998. House Shae, however, decided to return the Chantry to the members of Speakeasy Chantry with a proviso that the Chantry is now to be led by a triumvurate of Deacons.
Owen, an Orphan, has produced a detailed map of the Nodes of central London that he is offering up for auction. As far as can be determined this map is fairly accurate in the location of Nodes, Chantries and controlling factions. The map also includes the Ley Lines between the nodes.
The name, description and history of the Speakeasy Chantry, it's nodes
and Horizon Realm are the intellectual property of Scott Walker, Ruth
Combie, Ben Geddis and Andy Cooper - the Storytellers for London Mage
- so keep your grubby mits off. Or they'll set the geckos on you.