Coro de Angeles Sagrados
Choir of Sacred Angels Chantry
This is the only chantry in the Puebla area. Celestial Choristers dominate. While indigenous Dreamspeakers rival them, they tend to see eye to eye on major chantry concerns. The Order of Hermes maintains a presence, as do Euthanatoi—and the occasional drop-by of Yum Cimil always has the chantry a-flutter. Other mysticks include a few Hollow Ones, drawn to (and often Awakened by) the popular Mexican rave scene. Technomancers of any sort are not common in this small chantry (they’re more common in an equally small chantry in Mexico City). A few Cultists of Ecstasy may call this home. Akashic Brothers stay very rare (and limited largely to Roda d’Oro). Verbena are almost unheard of here.
Chantryhouse
The Monastery of San Miguel Arcángel stands on the slopes of Iztaccíhuatl, a dormant volcano. The mountain’s name means “white woman” in Nahuatl, referring to the snow-capped peaks forming the shape of a sleeping woman when viewed from a distance. It is one of the two great volcanic peaks that gatekeep the state of Puebla from the neighboring Mexico State (wherein lies the nation’s capital). Due to its prudent construction site, it has survived earthquakes and weathered storms well for centuries since the Spanish first built it in 1525.
The monastery itself contains all the expected halls of a church: a plaza leads into the building’s atrium, and from there to the nave, the sanctuary, and various cloister side chambers. Old frescos decorate the ancient walls. The architecture is a mix of medieval and Renaissance fashions, with obvious Moorish influence. The monastery enjoys a thick stone wall around its perimeter topped with merlons masoned in an indigenous style. The windows are mere slits, requiring candlelight even during the day. The building indeed stands as a fortress, from which the Awakened can masquerade as church laity and defend themselves against all unwelcome intruders. Tourists of course can visit. Gathered art and relics are provided for visitors to enjoy.
But unknown even to the Franciscans, lower levels dug into the mountain beneath the monastery. Secret doors from two cloisters lead down spiraling stairs into a basement. These walled tunnels sprawl into open chambers with imperceptible ventilation shafts leading up to the surface. This cellar serves as meeting halls and even boarding facility for the Awakened who would stay here and not mind the lack of modern plumbing or electricity. (Generators and other more portable and mundane contraptions are not permitted on the premises.)
Nodes
The site for the monastery was not chosen accidentally. Members of the Chorus accompanied the conquistadores centuries back. Most of the monasteries erected atop of old Nodes that formed on the slopes of the twin volcanoes like cauldrons of power. Some of those Nodes have since fizzled out or been tapped into extinction. But the Node of Saint Michael the Archangel churns still just under the surface of that old basaltic, volcanic bedrock. The mages tap it with a well of sorts: an iron dowsing rod (itself centuries old) drives deep in the heart of the monastery’s lower levels into the earth. Churning it like butter, the plunger is grasped and lifted up and down to release the energy, which manifests in tiny sparks (which may alarm, considering it’s a volcano, dormant or not).
Defenses
The embedding of the chantryhouse proper beneath the monastery serves adequately as physical defense. Additionally, the secret doors through off-limit cloisters are expertly camouflaged. The thick-walled, dome-shaped chamber of the Node contains no ventilation or windows (and is quite stifling with an alarming degree of oppressive heat). This creates a natural barrier against mystical divining and scans: one might as well as scan the mantle of the Earth. Few other wards exist, lest the mere presence of anti-magical efforts tip off rival sorcerers (living or undead).
Backgrounds & Characters
All members gain the Chantry Background at **. All other Backgrounds must be purchased and acquired normally. The chantry commands a communal Level 2 Node of primordial (entropic) Cataclysm.
Custos
The priests, monks, laity, and state employees who help maintain the Monastery of Saint Michael the Archangel can all be considered Acolytes, though nearly all are unwitting. The Celestial Chorus Master serves as a collared Catholic priest that oversees the monastery, and thus helps keep the entrances into the chantryhouse proper a secret from even the Custos.
