Interesting...
The Ritual of Doom tm, is a geographical effect. A recreation of the black tide in Britain/Netherlands on Downtown Seattle. As such it is a unique effect. There is at least one lodestone site created by a pre mini Ritual of Doom tm, thats part practice/part prologue to the main event.
As such the Order knows the toxic shaman is effecting the sea, and by having a bowl of sea water can effect a counter using the hermetic laws of Contagion and Sympathy.
In other words, they know the basics, its a geographical effect in an area they are in position too oppose. So thats the theory.
Devils in the details though.
As am setting a precedent I need to work out if the theory that yes they could, translates into, but the practicle details require them too.
Now the toxic is a lone magicain bug nuts enough to do this. He is off setting a BIG spell with a lot of sacraficed (murdered) magical life force.
The Order is, er, about thirty mages of differing levels getting together for some anti magic despell ritual. They dont know where or when but they know what and how. Which has any sane being fretting.
Commence brainstorm.
Sensing could perhapes pick up the mana spike of the ritual-? Or divining could help?
Astral projecting mages could scout Downtown looking for signs but that means less mages to oppose the badness.
Perhapes they could counter ritual before the Ritual of Doom tm, no that sucks.
Most ritual magic needs a link or eyes on to work, so they might not be able to do anything..
Astral watch on the sea could work....as thats the target...perhapes higher TN's or reduced pool to represent diffuse effort or linking difficulties...perhapes they could track the mana back to the ritual site...maybe they carn't all hang around indeffinatly waiting for this to happen...
Feel free to pitch in guys. Hopefully this explains what am looking at.