[Mage 2: The Dethroned Queen] Analysis after the Scepter

Out of Character (OOC):

Chronicle: Mage 2: The Dethroned Queen
Venue: Mage: The Awakening 2nd Edition
Chronicle Storyteller: Jerad Sayler

Assistant Storytellers: Hannah Nyland & Alex Van Belkum

Lore: Analysis after the Scepter

The following is in-character (IC) results of research and analysis by the mages after the events of the story: The Scepter, part 3 of the Dethroned Queen metaplot.  The analysis takes place, in-game in August 2017.

Sources: Mage: The Awakening 2nd Edition corebook, Reign of the Exarchs sourcebook for MtA 1ed, and Keys to the Supernal Tarot sourcebook for MtA 1ed.

More research posts:
1. Research on the Dethroned Queen
2. Artifact: The Robe Revised
3. Artifact: The Ring Revised
4. Artifact: The Scepter Revised
5. Scenes from the Scepter

Iki, Jack, Chimera conducted a successful divination using the First Tarot Cards and got clear results, even after absorbing the difficulties of trying to divine without a complete deck. We've confirmed that the cards are tied Fate-wise to the Artifacts, but not directly. 

Questions and answers from their divination session are as follows:

Question: What is at the end of the "path" the Dethroned Queen wants to set us on? 
Answer: An opportunity for one of you to take the fight to the highest.  Transcend the fallen world.

Question: Are the Emissary or the Arbiter still around today carrying out their agendas? 
Answer: Their agendas are still playing out and are relevant in the world, they themselves are long gone and only exist in the cycle of the Diamond Wheel.

Chimera: Which really raises the question of who the redhead we saw in the post-cog of the telephone call was, since we assumed she was the Emissary. We discussed the possibility that it is still her in some fashion via time travel shenanigans, as we puzzled out that the Queen was the Exarch of Time through other methods. We're also quite sure that time shenanigans apply to the Artifacts themselves; The Robe saved itself from the destruction of being cast into the Ocean Orouboros by "rewinding" to a previous state when it was on Jack's shoulders.


Question: Where do the Queen's allegiances lie? Exarchs, Oracles, or her own path?
Answer: A coin tossed and falling, only to repeat again before it lands, thousands of times. Finally, it lands perfectly on edge. She's created a third option.

Question: If we take the path the Queen is laying out for us, will we retain our own agency in the end? When we "transcend" would we be doing so as a player, or a pawn? 
Answer: Depends on the choice of the person who takes the path. There's some sort of choice available after the transcendence that currently makes this unanswerable.

Question: Where is the Queen now?  Where would we find her? 
Answer: Sits in a place outside of Time, sits inside of Time, sits on a throne again.

Chimera: Yes, but which throne? But given the way this dialogue on the phone was phrased: "She wants to see if you are the chosen ones to receive the gifts of the Queen, to fulfill her purpose, to follow the path she laid behind her for others to follow." we can infer that she may have already transcended herself.

Chimera: More speculation from things learned and my own ideas:

The court we saw in the dreams was obviously her court, but probably one in the Fallen World. Our intuition says its not Atlantis. We see the Emissary and Arbiter arguing about how the world should be ruled, and the Queen said something true (but apparently upsetting) in response, because this seemed to cause them to start fighting.

The Queen seems likely to be an Acanthus with a Time bent. But there are some weird nods to the Mastigos Path as well, like some Mastigos specific Yantra factors on the Artifacts, the Scepter creating dream worlds, etc. Also, note that both Cold Smile and Cyberline Hand (who had a connection to her) were Mastigos. This *might be because the Cold Smile claimed and used at least one of the artifacts (The Robe) but there could be other reasons.

We speculated that the Queen may have cults that are still around and pursuing her agenda. Some speculation that Aldones (the Emissary) was leading it, but given the reveal that she and the Arbiter are not around anymore, that's either nixed or gets into Time travel shenanigan territory again. It's also possible her reincarnation has something to do with it, but there is no evidence to support that idea at this time - pure speculation.

Speculation that her court was the primordial version of the Silver Ladder, Cyberline and Cold Smile are also affiliated with that Order. Ritter quoted something from Silver Ladder history: "The Vox values Acanthus not just as practical oracles, but as those who predict when people Awaken to godhood."

We still need to determine who the Adversary is.  There was also speculation that part of her court was the predecessor to the Praetorian ministries. The Artifacts seem setup to counter both Seer abilities and direct supernal abilities, which is kinda interesting and does fit the depiction of her being some sort of third agent.

Seer symbols still were evident in the dreams we have (the pyramid), so she may still agree with aspects of that ideology without holding allegiance to them in general. Her allegiance was suggested to be complicated.

The Queen’s Court & Cult
1. She appears to be an Acanthus, former Exarch of Time!  Beyond the research. part of this is based on the analysis of the physical artifacts and the fact they are Path Tool Yantras for Acanthus.  This is true for the three artifacts we have found so far… right?  Huh... the Scepter is a Tool Yantra for a Mastigos for some reason..

2. She probably had her own cult and Ministry, focused on the aspect of War across Time based on the visions we have had. How the battles don’t win wars, the long-game, empire expansion and building a foundation of society. Predecessors to the Praetorian Ministry (The General) and the Prophet.

3. Fun Fact: Aldones is mentioned as a name in The Yellow King, a short story by H.P. Lovecraft

4. She was building her court (as seen in the visions) immediately after the Fall. The cult consisted of both Diamond and Seer membership, many of which defected to the General after she vanished from history.  It’s possible the fight between the Emissary and the Arbiter represented both Seer and Pentacle membership.

The cult must have dispersed or went deep underground because there are no real mentions of a fallen Exarch cult that match the profile.  But perhaps they have just been waiting for the right ‘time,’ perhaps that time is tied to the decline of the Unity, or the causal/effect of the artifacts starting to show up and fate/destiny is driving them back together like magnets, with the help of the Emissary. It’s impossible to know what the trigger event was.

There was Priests and Warriors in the room, a divide, a schism, which are these two groups though.  Former Praetorian… or former Panopticon?  Seers & the Diamond Orders?  They were arguing how the Fallen World should be ruled… so like a philosophical Ministry M.O.?

What if the Priest-Advisor Neotalba is still around in some form?


The Poem Analysis

“By her grace She leaves this Ring, so we might find the Truth we seek.” 
The Ring lets us see the control of the Exarchs in the Fallen World.

“She leaves this Robe of mystic night, so we might dwell beyond Their sight.”
The Robe allows you hide from the view of the Exarchs and their agents.

“This Scepter drawn She leaves us all, to brush aside Their distant call.”
The Scepter counters Exarchal power (Profane Urim), magic, and seer power in the fallen world.

“She leaves to us this Crown of souls, to twist their thralls to our own goals.”
This suggests that the Crown control people, perhaps specifically Seers and Seer Servitors.  Maybe this sways them from the Seers or the Diamond alike... scary thought.

“By her grace She leaves this last; A Throne whose seat will let us pass.”
Let us pass… to where?  May mean to follow in her footsteps, fight the Exarchs… into the Supernal?


Tarot Cards associated with or found around the Artifacts 

During The Ring

The Fool (First Tarot)

The first step on the long journey. The first kiss from a new lover. The first mistake, the first great triumph. The first footfalls into the office of a new career, or the first fumbling steps of a child. The Fool is the card of beginnings. The symbolism of the card makes the dangers of beginnings

plain. The Fool is about to step off a precipice, and perhaps fall to his doom.  Some decks include a white dog, perhaps barking to warn

the Fool. Most of the time, the Fool isn’t looking where he is going — if he does that, he’ll miss what’s happening around him! It’s easy to see why mages versed in the Tarot often equate the Fool to the Acanthus Path. Tricksters are wide-eyed at the possibilities of the world because they can

see them so much more easily than other mages. But the truth is that any mage, upon returning from the Supernal Realms, newly Awakened, is the Fool on the start of the grand adventure. The Fool is therefore often associated with the Time Arcanum in general, rather than the Acanthus Path, in some

circles — since the Fool occupies the position of “zero,” it can appear alongside any other Key without changing it (1 + 0 is still 1). But even more generally, the Fool can be seen as a metaphor for the Awakened condition. The Fool is the divine madman, the person whose perspective is so different from those around him that he is nearly unable to function in the world. That he is powerful is irrelevant. If he is to be able to communicate and therefore interact, he must find a way to reconcile

the way he sees the world with the way that others see it.

The Hierophant (drawn during the plot)
The Hierophant, known as the Pope in some decks, represents spiritual authority and dogma. He sits upon a throne, as does the Emperor, and carries a scepter or other symbol of his holy office. The Hierophant’s authority, however, comes from above, and the teachings he hands down are not based on lucid observation of the world around him,but upon visions, mysteries and readings of ancient holy texts. The card itself can represent the need to return to or observe orthodoxy or the danger of relying on it too much, depending on its position within a spread. For the mage and the journey through the Tarot, the Hierophant comes after the learning experiences of the previous Major Arcana cards in the path.

Hierophant isn’t necessarily a negative card, but its primary function is to educate the mage in what other Awakened believe. This “orthodoxy” might be the Atlantean system of belief, including the Fall of the Celestial Ladder and the formation of the orders, or
the teachings of the Throne and the need for subservience to the Exarchs. Some mages might even fall in with Banishers, and learn a much more unpleasant — but just as regimented — belief system. The important point here is that not only does magic require morality, but that morality very often has a set of established rules and values attached to it. And like Sleeper religions, many of these values don’t have much validity outside their respective beliefs. That is, while the orders might have a great deal to teach, some of the traditions are outmoded and perhaps unnecessary in the modern world. Even so, many mages treat them as though they are inviolable. The Hierophant does not ask that mages critically examine his teachings (though he doesn’t necessarily forbid it, depending on what he represents). He only holds up the holy writ and intones his sacred passages, expecting others to follow.


Some interpretations of the Hierophant among the Awakened are narrower, referring specifically to the Seers of the Throne and the Exarchs. From what the Pentacle mages know of the Seers, they are living representations of how dogma as a guiding principle can be toxic, as they teach that a given set of rules is absolute. Any mage, though, should know that the rules of reality itself are variable depending on which “reality” one is currently in (that is, the Fallen World or the Supernal Realms, or even the physical world as opposed to the Shadow). A system that espouses absolutism is thus flawed, and that is how the Pentacle generally perceives the Throne. Interestingly, though, cartomancers among the Seers welcome this association, and it’s not uncommon to see Seer
cabals use Hierophant symbolism in their heraldry. Solitaries and those few cabals that come together without interference from the Pentacle orders, of course, don’t meet the Hierophant. This has its advantages and disadvantages. The Hierophant isn’t there to impart a system of beliefs, and that means the mages aren’t blind to other possibilities — they never had an authority figure tell them “this is how things are, and this is what you should believe.” On the other hand, sometimes that
kind of structure can be comforting, especially as what a mage “knows” is constantly questioned by the very nature of magical exploration.

During the Robe

The High Priestess (Drawn during the plot)

The High Priestess sits on her throne and waits. She is resting potential, the power of intuition and the collective unconscious. She is spirituality without the religious dogma of the Hierophant, and she is authority without the chest-pounding masculinity of the Emperor. Her power doesn’t stem from her femininity, as the Empress’ does, but from her knowledge, from her introspection and her patience.

In some decks, she is called the Female Pope, perhaps a reference to the legendary Pope Joan, but perhaps a simple reminder that a spiritual leader’s authority doesn’t come from gender, station in life or any other earthly attribute, but from her or his connection to the higher power.

For mages, especially mages of the Pentacle, this is an important point to keep in mind. Magic comes from the Supernal, and no matter how many Awakened a family claims, no matter how long the pedigree of one’s cabal or Consilium (or order, the Free Council reminds them), mastery over the Arcana requires connecting to the Supernal Realms. The temporal, physical concerns, ultimately, are meaningless. Another common interpretation of the High Priestess among the Awakened, of course, is the Guardians of the Veil. The High Priestess is the mistress of her own Labyrinth, mysterious and inscrutable, doling out knowledge that can enlighten or mislead. She does not give up her secrets easily or lightly, and her ceremonial headdress and garb acts as a kind of mask, making sure that it is her station that witnesses see, not the woman (or mage) beneath. Subtlety, for both the order and the High Priestess, are the best defense against persistent inquiry. A dedicated investigator will eventually penetrate the High Priestess’ mystery…unless he redirects him to something else, turning him back into a perpetual Magician, or pushing him forward into the arms of the more receptive Empress.

Although the High Priestess is an early stop on the journey through the Tarot, it is a hint of things to come. A mage sees the lesson of the High Priestess immediately post-Awakening, because she is capable of some of the same feats of magic as her more experienced comrades simply because she has Awakened. Whether she internalizes or retains that lesson is something else again, but she will see it repeated again in her journey, in the Star, the Tower and the World.

The Empress (First Tarot)

The Empress is an expression of the female form made divine. She is Ishtar, Astarte, Demeter and Isis. In some decks, she is also linked to the Virgin Mary, but whatever name is given to the Empress, she is the Maiden matured — the Mother. She is often pictured pregnant, sometimes holding a child. She is a symbol of fertility and plenty. More abstractly, she is a symbol of wisdom, but her wisdom stems from a combination of intuition and natural insight and the experience of years. The Fool’s youth and the High Priestess’ knowledge combine in the Empress.

To the Awakened, the Empress card resonates with the Thyrsus Path and, more specifically, the Life Arcanum. The Empress is a symbol of all growing things, of fertility and fecundity, and of life born anew. As such, she symbolizes the Life Arcanum, arguably imperfectly. The Life Arcanum can heal and cause new growth, but as any Thyrsus knows, Life can also be used to control, warp and even kill organisms. Some Awakened cartomancers look at the destructive side of Life as being represented by the Empress Reversed. Her meaning in traditional cartomancy is somewhat different.

For a mage on her journey through the Tarot, the Empress can be seen as either a stage on this journey or an advisory figure. Someone who Awakens later in life, perhaps when she has a family of her own, must take the lessons that Sleeping life has taught her and apply them to her new outlook
as one of the Wise. Mages that disregard the life experience of the Fallen World are, frankly, fools — the Fallen World is where all mages must live. If the Empress is an advisory figure, she needn’t be a mage herself. Some mages, after surviving that first precarious Fool’s leap, consorting with the charlatan Magician and receiving the blessing and wise counsel of the High Priestess, need the more
earthy (and honestly, more fun) advice of the Empress. And indulging in the sensuality of the Empress is indeed advisable — after her, the journey grows harsh. The strict Emperor and the humorless Hierophant looms close.

During The Scepter

Ace of Wands (First Tarot)
Like all Aces, the Ace of Wands symbolizes the roots and the entity of its element, here it is the root of Fire, the first spark to create the flaming powers of Atziluth, the world of the all-encompassing spiritual substance. Being the essence of Fire, the Ace itself goes nowhere, but stands for the strong feeling that soon might turn into a strong will or plan. There is a spiritual power that has the ability to grow, it is completely up to us whether we use it or not.  The Ace of Wands might turn out to be bad when we cannot control or use its power that starts burning all out of a sudden, and all its riches get burned down before we can use them for good.


Further on the Corrupted Dreams 

Mystery commands so… these must be the Exarchs talking. The opposition.

Temples, erected from marble, chalcedony and obsidian with Greek columns and burning with spells. An embassy to the Supernal

You walk through the streets and people grovel before you. Mages rule with an Iron Fist.
This is all they deserve

The Inner Sanctum decorated.
We rule the truths now

Iron Pyramid on the far wall.
Path to Transcendence
This mark is a Seer philosophy of the Iron Pyramid and the path to transcendence. Why would she have that there? Appropriated from Seer cultists?

Hallow, stronger than any you have felt. It’s like the Supernal touching down on physical reality.
Condoned Bastion of the highest of high. 
A Supernal Verge, how did they manage that?

The courtiers around the throne are divided in half. One side of the room are priests in robes wielding coins, cups, wands, and swords.
Tarot suits symbols

Burning sigils upon them. Wear hats called pshents upon their heads. (Egyptian crowns, not with the cobra look, symbols of wisdom).
Servants of the Arbiter

The other side of the room are warriors wearing Orichalcum with disks of Thaumium with magical weapons, Tridents and spears that you just know can cut through hope and memory as well as anything.
Servants of the Emissary

The Throne is the amazing and hums with power. On its back is the Iron Pyramid, eye of lightning. 
Symbolizing the Panopticon

The Queen, black curly hair pulled back with curls framing her face. Circlet of ten gemstones, dangling earrings of pearls and white and gold metals.
These appear in the same order and stone on the Ring of the Dethroned Queen, they match the Bell the Crown, and the Exarchs and Arcana)

Exarch Message only: 
(This is) an Embassy. (Sleepers enslaved to mages) is what they deserve. We rule the truths now. (The Iron Pyramid) is the path to transcendence. (Verges are the) condoned bastion of the highest of high. (See) the servants of the Arbiter. (See) the servants of the Emissary. (See) her name. OBEY!


Analyzing the Name of the Queen 
Source: It's on the Ring and on the Throne in dreams.

We’ve now seen her forgotten name, all Exarchs have names which are complex geometric matrices of High Speech sigils of incredible complexity.  These names exist on a 10-dimensional scale. (Space) of incredible complexity.  Each of the 10 Arcana in mage sights reveals new details and patterns in the name.  The name/sigil is itself power and an identify. A True Name.  It hurts to look at it (like looking at the sun).  You feel observed looking at it, (LTN effect), Ministry.

You are feeling the her signature nimbus and a Yantra of power for the cult. It’s essentially the nimbus of the ENTIRE Time Arcanum represented.  This forgotten name still holds power in the dream and on the Ring.  This may indicate she retained Exarchal power after her fall or managed to re-ascend which is why it's empowered again.  Either way, her power is still around in some form.  This might be the product of the artifacts existing, but this seems much more powerful.  The name is still “active,” could she still be an Exarch now? A sub-Exarch?

Analyzing the Gemstones
Source: As seen on Ring, Scepter, and Crown

Each stone represents an Arcanum. But why does she have these?  On the bell-clapper of the Ring it's probably to have each resonance (sound/pattern/spell) to show Exarch control across all 10 lens. Attuning to the control of her enemies. 

So, which Exarch control are we seeing?
1. Prime = Diamond = The Father
2. Mind = Ruby = The Unity
3. Space = Emerald = The Eye
4. Fate = Sapphire = The Ruin
5. Death = Onyx = Ther Psychopomp
6. Time = Amethyst = The Prophet, used to be the Queen…
7. Spirit = Moonstone = The Nemesis
8. Life = Amber = The Raptor
9. Matter = Jade = The Chancellor
10. Forces = Aquamarine = The General

Unknown Exarchs
We now seem to know there are more than just the 10 Exarchs:
1. The Dethroned Queen
2. The Architect (mentioned by Seraph)
3. The Mind of the Fallen Exarch (mentioned by Seraph)
4. The Gate - the 11th Exarch, Emissary to the Abyss. Aeon of the Abyss

Further Analysis of the Cold Smile
Cxaxa Qherephis

She was a pre-Almec queen, thousands of years after the Dethroned Queen’s visions.  She was a Mastigos Archmage (interestingly enough the Ring and Robe is a tool Yantra for Acanthus, the Scepter it is for Mastigos), and a major player in the pre-Silver Ladder.

She was not an incarnation of the Queen, more like a wannabe. She had and used the Robe as her mark of divine authority in defiance of the Exarchs. She did her best to emulate the Dethroned Queen, step off of her success and fame/infamy/notoriety.  She used the Robe as a “Quintessence” for her resurrection - she broke herself into Soulstones (Splintered Sight, Swarming Heart, Cyberline Hand’s bloodline and the Robe).

The rise and fall (and rise and fall again) of the Cold Smile is NOT part of the Queen’s Agenda as far as we can tell…  As much as the connection wants to be made, the Cold Smile was an evil mage but her disposition shouldn’t be directly correlated to the queen. Cold Smile evil does not equal Dethroned Queen is evil too.

The Cold Smile claimed to be an Oracle or at least an Exemplar in opposition to the queen. This information implies the Queen is an Exarch and is still around then and today and still works along with the power of the other Exarchs. Is it possible that the reason WE are getting pulled into this business with the Artifacts could have something to do with ancient bloodlines?


Insights from Seraph’s Dream

“Must unite the 10 soul stones”
There is ambiguity on whether this is referring to the queen or another fallen Exarch.  This could this relate to the 10 gemstones (which seem to represent the Arcana and/or 10 Exarchs that are lords over them) somehow?

“Ring, Robe, Scepter, Crown, Throne”
In the same vein as above, not only do we have the total number of artifacts (five) but we seem to have an order and that poem. The 10 soulstones mentioned above, could that relate to the five artifacts? Is there one artifact for each of the five Supernal Realms?

"Queen must not Return” 
Sure, seems clear…. But…. who is providing that?  Consider the source (the mind of a fallen Exarch trapped in an Astral Prison (Castle Discordia) powered by souls and infected with an Abyssal god.) He may have objected from a Exarch before he was also cast down.

 Wait... Didn’t she already return? Did she return to the fallen world from whence she came and then returned to the Supernal. Unless she hasn’t. Which makes sense, the five artifacts might be needed for her to return to the Supernal and these actions are making that happen. Just a theory.

This maybe why they are coming together again. Do you oppose or help this happen? That is the question. What about the return of Aldones, the Emissary?

Seraph’s vision also talks about MATEOAT (The Mirror at the End of all Things)
- This is off-track but MATEOAT was the “parent” of the 9th Calamity, responsible for Fobax’s horrid life and consequences.
- MATEOAT is trapped in the mind of that Exarch at the edge of the Astral Abyss
- Maybe we could study both in prep for destroying them?
- Perhaps a return to the Castle is in order?

“Two Dark Towers...”
Ties and implies that there are two hidden towers, reflections of each other.

 “Apocalyptic Landscape”
Sounds a lot about the Aboleth dream.

Curse of the Ring:
The Ring has a serious flaw in it… the paranoia and playing into expectations  But it lets you see Exarch influence and control on the world. Unfortunately you get obsessed with the ring. You get paranoid, you become addicted to knowing where all the control is, through seeing through these filters.  This is a truth you cannot ignore… and perhaps that is why.  Then you start seeing False signs based on user perception… perhaps this effect can be countered by magic? (The mental paranoia and obsession, not the information flow)

The gemstone immediately centered above the Amethyst gemstone.  This supports the fact that she is/was the Exarch of Time All the Artifacts seem to have a Flaw or Curse worked into them… but why? Was this intentional by the Queen so she could keep track of them? Loopholes? Perhaps the Queen has returned to the Supernal (fuck, maybe she is an Oracle now). And she is keeping tabs on her investments…  Or did the Exarchs or the Abyss corrupt them to keep their power in check and subvert her intent?  This seems to make the Artifacts seem non-viable… but this may not be the case

Curse of the Robe
The Robe also has a flaw in it, at least one Exarch might be able to actually track this. It beacons under Ringsight, but only via Time.  What if the only Exarch that can track you is the Queen, or the Prophet after she went away?

Appears as a Greek Orthodox Vestment but sometimes it’s a Sutterton High hoodie, class of 2017!  Sometimes it has Iky’s Horror’s blood on it. It seems to be designed to conceal the wearer from the scrutiny of the Exarchs.  We would have to assume that it would also work on Seers?

It has an incredibly powerful long-term nimbus.  It concealed Witchend from the outside world and magical scrutiny so they could build their Stepford Suburbia. Trouble is… we have no idea how to control or direct its effects. Actually… even without wearing it could be occluding the Sanctum and/or the Cabal right now.  Then again, it’s in a pocket dimension, doubt it cares though. It conceals itself and then… moves when it wants to…?

Using the robe violates the cosmic station of the Exarchs and “the gods.”  Using it is a big deal... you can feel it.  There is a Rote encoded into the Primium Bangles on the back that is a Seer/Queen Cult version of Sympathy suppressing and cutting spell.

Curse of the Scepter

The cult, the robe, the visions… what’s with the Greco-Roman Motif? Is this because of the expectations of what Atlantis was like over the years?  Multi-verse – what is being dreamed might be window-dressing, it could also be no longer true.

What if the cult in the dream was taking place inside the Scepter instead? It might explain the heavy-handed motifs?  Both the bell and the Scepter seem to “vibrate” to produce their magical effect. What about the Robe?  This may support causality/destiny/chaos/causality angle and principles like String Theory.

It’s designed to Counter Magic, it dispels and blocks Profane Urms!  This is a HUGE deal….




The Destiny of the Exarchs
There seems to be two sides of the debate.  The Queen is “returning” and its bad – a volatile ex-Exarch.  The Queen tried to Ascend (and unless she is still around she either succeeded or failed to ascend) and it’s a good thing that this is happening. Making this a critical time to fight the Exarchs.  But what is the purpose or cause of the dreams? What is the nature of the Fate entanglement that seems to be centered on Chimera and now Jack more strongly than others?  Are the Artifacts just another form of Control?

Phone Call Analysis
Perspective: This is either the Queens or the Emissary’s view.

“Chosen ones to receive the gifts of the Queen” 
“To fulfill her purpose, to follow the path laid behind for others to follow."
“To keep the regalia from the hands of the Adversary.” 
“Stand against the Lie, the Jailers" (Seers)

The Exarch’s Administrators must not take back the Regalia.

Other Notes:
“Gather. Artifacts. Fight. Lords. Save. Fallen.”

Queen Regalia, Lords of Aeon = Exarchs

There were sigils in the rocks around the case for the scepter. But what do they mean?  They were placed by Queen’s cult to await for “the way to open once more.” 

Instead of the Prophet, lore says she was worshiped as “The Ananke” after her disappearance, a servant of Fate and Destiny. The mother of all Ananke.  Ironically her Emissary may be an Ananke or an Ochemata.  Its purpose seems to be to disperse or disrupt Exarchal control

Fate Entangled - You are probably not the only “pawns” on the board. All parties and interests will want to find and claim the Artifacts if they knew the Cabal had them.  Having them stored by an Archmage might help or hinder efforts to hide the items.

By the way... who were those Street Performers in the German city of Kiel?