Fangs of Fate - IC

[Seanfall]

New York New York so nice they named it twice.

- Some ****ing Liar

The year is 2013 AD, and the world is ****ed. Pollutants fill the air, the sea and the ground. The mother writhes in pain and agony as her children rape her body. But all is not lost, the Garou still fight still rage against the wyrm with all their might. If these are the final days than they shall meet them head on with fury in their hearts.

We open in New York City, armpit of the Wyrm. Central Park Manhattan, it's night lit only by a half moon and the few stars the city's air pollution doesn't block out. Glorious ain't it? But our focus isn't on the sky is it? It's on a group gathered in the park around burning oil drums and a small campfire. A place of spiritual power, a rare thing in this city. A young group of Garou, who have passed their rite of initiation are among those gathered. Though young they are talented and many of pure blood, omens state that they are meant for something grand. Their gathering here is no coincidence, tonight they will be bound together by pack and totem.

But the how and who is up them, as is weather or not they survive these final days. We shall see.

All of you are within the Caern, around the fires. Mother Larissa and Hundo Chunder are speaking to eachother. You can't quite hear them. They and most of the Senior members of the Sept have left you to your own devices for now. Expect for Spotlight, "Zoo" the Caern Warder. He sits nearby in Lupus form watching you all.


Welcome to the game players. If you have any questions let me know, for now you've been left to your own devices within the caern.

[Amoren]

Crevan had decided to linger near the edge of the group in his vulpes form, an american red fox who never seemed to have lost the blue eyes of a kit as he killed time by idly sniffing at the nearby foliage and air, picking up the scents of who would be his new companions for the foreseeable future, and the rest of garou in the caern. It was probably not the best decision, practically throwing his other-ness in the face of the wolves he was welcomed amongst, but he had enough trust in the fact that they had become used to his presence in the months since he had changed and been welcomed amongst the Glass Walkers, and the four legged form felt more comfortable to him. His human shape was to blind, lacking the heightened sense of smell, hearing, and sight that he was used to since his birth, even if he had stayed in his homid guise for most of the time since his first change as part of his work in the Glass Walkers. He supposed he'd switch to homid or, if allowed, his crinos form after everything around them was prepared, or he needed to talk, but for now he just enjoyed the scents and sounds of the park around him.

[McStabbington]

Gabriel put down his whetstone long enough to look long and hard at the very ugly woman before nodding an acknowledgement and returning to his work, carefully sharpening the blade of his knife to keep the edge razored.

Beneath the surface, though, Gabriel fought to keep down his tension. The people here were predators all, even the little fox hanging around in the background. And at that, they were predators he didn't necessarily trust or understand. Humans he could recognize and get a feel for. Even vampires weren't quite so difficult once you accounted for the accumulation of eons of memories and the corrosion that years of never being able to trust anyone and always having to kill to survive could do to you. But these animals? They still operated at too . . . well, too prima a level for himto follow as yet. It made him nervous. He kepy sharpening his blade.

[JonRG]

Far in the back, István shudders slightly but only in part from the night air. "What am I doing here?" Over the last six months, he'd grown more accustomed to spending time with his kind. Walker was a bro. Great guy to get blazed with. This many wolves though? István wanted to run for the hills. Deep breath. Was it really so bad? They all had a common goal, even creepy Chelsea. Save the planet... somehow. C'mon kid. Fake it till ya make it. That worked in AP Lit, didn't it? Then again, Sister Margaret wouldn't rip your throat out if you failed a test. Probably.

His eyes light up when he spots the fox skulking in the background, and he sidles over to sit next to the small creature. "Hey Crev, long time no see." István whispers, giving the fox a quick scritch under the chin. "Sorry. Wiggin' out a bit here." He takes a deep breath and scans the assembled crowd for more friendly faces, at least ones more friendly than Chelsea's. Like that would be hard.

[Exthalion]

Two Hours Ago

The room was quiet enough that anyone could have sleep peacefully, which did not mean it was free of sound. The slow breathing of a woman on the bed and the dogs on the floor, the crackling of the fire, and the constant scratching of a pen on paper all filled the room, to say nothing of the city sounds that came through the walls.[/FONT]

That last noise was produced by one Almos Amarante, owner of Tellus Biotech and one of the riches men in the world. He held the pen oddly, the point about where a claw on his index finger would end. His short, hard strokes left a cuneiform like script of straight lines that flowed across the page with a deliberate hand.

Met with Nexon Representative.

The memory flashed back as the words went down,
Tobacco smoke, old sweat, expensive liquor, wood polish, leather... the air was stale and acrid. The ventilation was circulating the same scents over and over again until everyone smelled like everything. He caught the faint hint of two different perfumes on the smug man across the table.

The chairs creek when you sit in them, leather folders slide across the table with a rustle, there is a clink of glass as someone pours a drink, the the man starts to say, "If we can begin..."

He turned his head, caught a glimpse of a tailored suit, turned away. The walls were dark wood and a glass cabinet was to one side.

-The cleaning woman isn't changing the water enough
-Nexon is not concerned by EPA regulations
--Possible congressional aid
--Inform legal
-He is having an affair

He did this every night, writing down the conclusions he could make form his memory. As a wolf, the past simply was. As a Glasswalker, the past was gone. It was hard to make the past matter in his mind.

So he wrote, brought the past back into the present, and tried to pick out the things that humans found important from the dozens of things they didn't even notice.

Went to the rock.

Dust, Birch, Maple, Cedar, a bear was eating a dear a mile up wind, a coyote had been here a day ago, a muskrat was hiding in a bush... It was hard to keep going and not just bask in all the scents. He was going on all fours, jumping between the outcroppings of raw stone.

Then he reached the top. The rock was a diagonal slab of rock the size of a building that had fallen toward the east. It was a fetish, a very old one, from when the glaciers had begun to melt and a river of water had covered this place in the spring. The spirit within was also very old, and very quiet.

More scents came, from farther away. The wind carried them over the sea and away from the sun. It carried the scent of ancient forests and human cities. Humans farming by a river with black mud, oil fires in an ocean of sand, snow that remembered the ice age... and burning. Burning of trees, and stone, and metal. The reek of it wove together like a noxious worm that burrowed down his nose and left his stomach unsettled.

-Gaia is dying.

With that he closed the journal, the digital pen had already left a copy on his phone, and left the house.

Present

Another Lupus entered the clearing. His red-brown fur and silent steps had concealed him until he was quite close. He lifted his nose to get the scent of all present then very deliberately turned his head to look at them.

He sat down at the edge of the firelight, unsure of his place here, and continued to watch.

[BananaPhone]

Alex watched from the seclusion of her patch of grass - the Get of Fenris sitting on her rump with her troso held up by pressing her hands flat against the ground. The effect caused her shoulders to rise up around her ears, but it was a comfortable enough position for now.

Besides, who needed comfort when there were sights to behold around the fire - and boy ever was there sights!

The first woman to speak almost made Alex shudder. The flames licked up into the shadows of the night sky and in doing so they cast spurious hues of orange-and-yellow across all who beheld them - including Sludge Metal. Poor dear. She looked like she fell out of the top of the ugly tree and bounced off every branch on the way down.

Alex's attentions were distracted briefly, however, by movement between a trim, eastern European fellow and a skittish fox...images immediately flashing into the Ahroun's head of the way its pelt would look around her shoulders. It would be quite glamorous...she'd be the belle of the cearn! Elegant and charming, all in one.

Lowering herself a little so that she was propped up by her elbows, Alex watched the proceedings in silence, eager to see who her new pack-mates would be. This was quite exciting after-all, her own pack! She didn't want to open her mouth and say something stupid.

[Seanfall]

Chelsea's entrance and proclamation didn't go unnoticed, both Hundo and Mother Larissa stopped talking long enough to look over. Hundo raised an eyebrow a little surprised and amused, however Larissa laughed aloud in that old cackling way that only a woman of her age can pull off. Zoo on the other hand stood and growled, he was on a rock on-top a small hill. Giving him a slight height advantage. He barred his fangs and barked at the girl, "Silence! you will speak when spoken too."

Mother Larissa sighed and walked over, and promptly flicked Zoo in his nose. The lupus scrunched his face and stared daggers at her, but she just smiled. He backed down and showed his throat to her. "Hee hee hee, Never mind Zoo. He takes his job very seriously, doesn't know when to let his hair down. Bah-ha-ha-ha." The old Crescent moon motions to the assembled parties, "Speaking of which why all the quiet and the sitting alone hmmm? Tonight's one of the rare nights we ain't biting and clawing at things. We should be enjoying the night!" There are a few calls of 'hell yeah' and '****ing A'. Before someone busts out an old boombox and turns it up, a few other's bring out their own music devices and a mix of rock, Rap, and country fills the air. Someone pulls out a beaten up cooler full of beer.

Larissa starts counting the 'young'ens'. "Seems we're still missing someone. Ain't we?" She shrugs and walks over to 'Sludge Metal'. "Hee hee, not everyday someone gets Zoo's dander up so fast...actually that does happen everyday. BAHAHAHAHA!" She lets out a boisterous laugh, and pinches Chelsea's cheek. "Too bad the other young'en's ain't as bold as you dearie we could use more of the spirit."

Hundo, isn't far behind her. A skinny gangly man with olive skin, he whispers into Mother Larissa's ear.


Anyone with Heightened senses or a successful Per+Alertness Diff 6 roll will hear:

"Mother don't you think we should tell them about the...'messages'?"

[Amoren]

Crevan turned to face István, spotting a familiar face amongst the sea of alien ones' he did not know. He nodded towards the human-form, before speaking softly in a way that would hopefully translate right - fox movements didn't exactly meet up with wolf ones, despite him having nearly a year to learn to fake the differences. "Well, think of the bright side. If we f*** up royally there's so many werewolves here that we likely wouldn't suffer long, unless they were feeling gruesome." He then gave what was the closest approximation to a smile he could manage on his feral snout to try and disarm any concern that statement might have had, "Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'm just hoping that they respect the Walkers enough that it'll give me some weight to work within the caern."

His attention was diverted away from the familiar face as people reacted to the Black Fury's statement, bringing a blink to his night suited eyes as the wolf that was watching them barked, then shortly thereafter followed by a few of the other older wolves approached as well to speak to them, or at least to the nearby area. However, his ears twitch and contort to flick towards the whisper, and it brings a slightly confused, but mostly curious glance to his eyes as he looked towards the two.

[JonRG]

István grins widely. "Don't worry 'bout me. If there's one thing I know how to do, it's party. 'scuse me." He rises to his feet and makes his way to the cooler, which has nearly been picked clean. "Bleh. Yuengling it is, then." István grabs two bottles and walks over to the tall woman lurking in the back. "Here. You looked like you could use a drink." He hands her one. "I'm István, by the way. You here for the pack binding too?"

He can see some of the elders whispering, but can't make out what they're saying from this distance.

[BananaPhone]

Alex watched as Istvan drew closer, her thoughts guarded by an impassive face.

When he came upon her and offered a drink, she reached out and received it, her lips curling at their sides as she nodded. "Thanks." she answered. Expectantly, her voice was deeper than smaller women - her single word coming from her lips with a strange mixture of femininity and bass.

"Nah," she answered his second question, "I got lost on the way to the golf course." she winked and smirked.

[Exthalion]

"It has a god." He answered simply. After a moments consideration, an intuition that more explanation was required, he elaborated.

"She is a spider, with slender legs that tremble to bear her weight as they stretch across earth and water. Her footing is unsure in Sino and Araby, though her net is still strong. The eneven weight of her crown makes her dizzy, yet she is still a queen among her kind."

With that he seemed finished.

[JonRG]

István doesn't bat an eye at the depth of her voice. She was a foot taller than him for God's sake. What could one expect? "Haha. You and me should go mini-golf some time. With beer. The true test of skill!" He downs some of his beer.

[McStabbington]

"I've always heard of golf as a good walk spoiled. To say nothing of how much food you could raise with all that water. But that's regular golf." The voice came from behind Istvan. It was the brown-haired, blue-eyed youth that had been sharpening his knife earlier. The voice was soft and quiet, a gentle sigh of an alto against the rumbling bass of the big woman. He came up beside the two of them.

"I hope you don't mind. The name is . . . " he paused for a moment. "Well, technically it's Walks-in-Wyrm's-Shadow, but I usually go by Gabe." He looked up at the big woman. She stood a head taller than him. "Word is that you grew up in rural Colorado. I grew up in Wyoming. Small world, huh." His volume was quiet, but his tone carried an ever-so-slight hint of bone-dry archness to it.

[JonRG]

He could definitely do this. "Yeah. Mini golf's on Astroturf. No problem there." István extends a hand. "Don't mind at all. It's nice to meet you, Gabe. István Varga." He takes another sip. "Huh. I grew up just an hour north of here." Worry nags at the back of his mind, though. How bad must the situation be?

[Exthalion]

The lupus' ears came forward and flat, a lupine smile seemingly at odds with the metis' stance.

"You carry the burden of a great deal of presupositions. Try letting go of them, your shoulders will be straighter and your footsteps lighter. Much easier to dance with light feet and to run with proper posture.

You said the city was godless, and I corrected you. Anything beyond that is what you added. Unless I have been wrong about what gods I keep, in which case you have my thanks for the instruction. It must be a great Gift that permts you to know other's minds better than they do."

[BananaPhone]

"Rural would be a nice way to put it," Alex answered, getting up from her seated position as she did so. After she spoke, she stole a glance over towards the squat woman and the glass walker that seemed to be turning heated. Something primal in Alex's blood was content with the idea: they'd barely been in the same proximity for ten minutes yet already a pecking order was being established.

"Thankfully there were no banjo's duels." she smirks, taking a swig of the beer that Istvan had handed her.

"I'm Kreigenreich," she introduced herself the two before her, "but you can just call me Alex. It rolls off the tongue easier."

When she speaks, there is a noticeable inflection to her words that one would expect from a German who was well-fluent in English.

"But you're a long way from home, Gabe!" says, reaching out to give the fellow a pat on the back. "Istvan and I were just talking about the pack binding - speaking of which, as we're sharing origins; from where are you drawn?" she asked Istvan.

[JonRG]

István chuckles. "Believe me, I know all about hard to pronounce. I'm Hungarian. Alex is a bit quicker to say, so I think I'll stick with that."

[McStabbington]

Gabriel took the man's hand and shook it firmly, and nodded at the giantess . . . but then turned and saw the ugly lady and another man jawing at one another. It looked like it might turn ugly. He turned back to Istvan and Alex just as the latter asked the former about his origins. "I'll be back in just a moment. Excuse me."

He moved towards the two, quietly and quickly. The two were paying attention to each other, so it wasn't exactly hard. He stepped in to the side of the two, cheating towards the ugly woman and forcing her to account for him as she boxed the man out. "Howdy. My name's Gabriel. I believe you're Chelsea, yes," he asked, his voice still quiet, but his tone cheerful and upbeat.

[JonRG]

István snorts some of his beer, the cold sting tickling his sinuses. "Oh, damn. We should make sure she doesn't kill him... though combat's not exactly my forté." He sets his bottle down in the grass and edges closer to the brewing conflict.

[Exthalion]

"No, you most certainly do not; and you are free to do so if you wish to continue and legitimize the practice of judging others based on the things you fear may be wrong with them instead of who they actually are. You are free to judge just as I am free to chose not to let your judgement mean anything to me."

With that he slipped by her and closer toward the fire and the other knot of conversation. He seemed to be daring her to resort to violence, to risk weakening the pack and the nation with the lose of a wolf, and to prove that all the hateful things whispered about her over the years were true.

The wolf that cannot control itself is a weapon in the Wyrm's hands

[JonRG]

"Coulda gone worse," István mutters while retrieving his beer. He waves at the subject of Miss Chelsea's ire. "Nice night, huh?"

[Amoren]

Crevan sat back and watched the confrontation from the shadow he had been sitting in, his forepaws twitching ever so slightly as he contemplated whether to try and step in... It seemed like a ridiculous idea to him, but the lupus-form male was one of his tribe, at least he thought he vaguely remembered the guy at least, and once more that slightly independent streak within him from his non-wolf nature seemed to find the idea of jumping at someone else's barking under only the threat of strength... unwelcoming. Still, he was thankful when another interjected themselves into the heated argument before he thought he'd have to step in.

Instead, he made his way over towards Sleeps-Within-The-Red-Flower, the on the large size feral fox coming to a few feet from the feral wolf, and offered him a brief dip of his snout in hello.

[Exthalion]

Sleeps nodded to the fox, on oddly human brow raise conveying a hint of question.

He answered Istvan with a friendly, "It is. Its nights like these when the island remember old streams and ancient stars."

[BananaPhone]

Something in Alex was slightly disappointed when the confrontation fizzled out - something deep in her chest wanted to see some fists fly.

"Do you always speak in riddles?" she asked plainly of Sleeps, while her eyes moved over to the diminutive little fox that had crept up on their cluster while they had not been paying attention.

[JonRG]

István chuckled. "I don't know. I think it's kinda charming. Wish I hadn't slept through Lit now. Not much of a poet." He shrugged with a grin. "I'm István, by the way."

[Exthalion]

"The riddles of Gaia are more satisfying than mortal solutions."

He paused for a bit with an unsure expression before continuing.

"They are also easier to have ready when you want to say something but don't know what to say."

[Seanfall]

The celebration continues for about an hour or so Until, Mother Larissa moves to the growing bonfire in the middle of the gathering. She clears her throat and the music slowly dies down and the revelry comes to an end. She smiles her crooked smile, she speaks welcoming the newcomers and greeting old friends a few minutes of this and she turns her attention to your little group.

"And now the reason for this gathering, hee hee. It's a rare and good thing when so many young pups survive their rite of passage. Even better when they are all marked by fate." She smiles again widely, "These few pups, and the little foxy are here to bind themselves as a pack. However, this won't be done by yours truly." Larissa nods to Hundo who looks more than happy to start speaking.

"There have been a few 'messages' left in the near Umbra. They seem to form a trail of some sort, the markings are new...but...their forms are archaic, and like they were clawed into the stone and earth by something with great claws." Hundo goes to Larissa's cart the one she pushes around during the day, and takes out a few beaten up sketch books, he holds them up to your group, and flips through them. Though some of the pictures will take a few minutes to make sense of the others are far more familiar. Each as Hundo said appear to be drawings of markings made with claws, though they are oddly detailed.

One is what roughly looks like a Crinos form werewolf holding a Labrys.

Another a Female with long hair breaking a chain.

A wolf in the center of a web that runs with electricity.

A human who appears to be singing though he's holding heads in both his hands.

A fox sitting up, fur running with lighting.

Another Human steeped in Shadows.

And Finally a Wolf prancing as a bird flies above it.

"We think these were meant for you." Hundo leaves the sketches with your group. And Mother Larissa speaks again, "The markings were free from wyrm taint, we think something is trying to guide to it."


Extended Intelligence+Occult (and any specialties relating to spirits, signs, or Werewolf markings) Diff 7 4 Suxx needed overall. You can combine your efforts. Each roll represents 10 minutes of work.

Success figures out they make up a rough map through the umbra, and you recognize some of the areas.
An Exceptional Success allows you to put them in order into an exact retracing.

[McStabbington]

[ Temporis ]

Gabriel had to refrain from rolling his eyes at the man behind him as he sidled away from himself and Rowe. Sure, pal. Anytime I can help. But he wasn't sure how the Metis would take it . . . and then he heard her question.

Gabe was struck by an absurd thought as his eyebrows cocked skywards. I must have so many emotions playing across my face right now. But he pulled himself together, closed his mouth, and did his best to keep the conversation patter going. "Well, uh, I imagine that's a bit like asking a fish what it's like to spend its whole life swimming . . . um, Sludge. The 'skin' I wear is a bit like the air I breathe; I haven't spent much time thinking about it. As for pack life, I really can't say much. Never had one, so I can't say if I'd like it."

"This your first pack?" Gabriel kept the tone light, although somehow he doubted it.

[ / Temporis ]


Since I can't edit in a roll, I will include mine in the OOC spot. Just wanted to placemark the fact that both the ST and I were writing at the same time, and he beat me to the punch.

[Seanfall]

It's not easy and takes almost half an hour but by working together able to peice the map together. From what you can tell it leads out of the Umbral shadow of New York City, but through a path that somehow circles around most of the Cities shadow. It does require you to do some trekking though. It leads out of the city and into the less developed Paths.

Anyone native to New York state who's lived outside the city, or who just do a lot of Umbral mapping will note it leads to the Catskill Park.

Once within the park the map leads to a large cave and then within the system. It ends once you enter the Cave system.

But with a completed map you'll be able to cut travel time by at least a day and a half.

You also note that on several of the depictions of these landmarks you'll be able to follow is another mark usually left on a tree or rock. It's a simple mark just a claw scratch to denote passage. This should help you keep on track as you travel.

[Amoren]

The fox had been silent throughout much of the celebration, keeping to the bonfire in his feral frame so that he could smell the smokey scents that raged from the drums. The scent wasn't as pleasant as the smell of burning wood, more than likely due to the fact that the most widespread kindling likely used was paper and cardboard discarded by the human world around them, rather than the chopped wood he had smelled previously. Then again, to the feral blooded wolves around him, burning wood might be a smell of fear, rather than comfort - a small blessing of living within the civilization whose refuse they were now burning it seemed.

Of course, during the hour he would talk and respond to those that might have gotten his attention, or spoken to him, but for the most part he kept to himself, reserved and reclusive even if he had come out of the shadows to stand as openly as he dared in the light of the burning drum. But then came the elders once again, and his attention was drawn to them, and his ears focused forward in alert attention as they spoke and finally shared the messages he had overheard being discussed earlier.

When the books containing the sketches were passed out, the fox couldn't help but shift into his natural form as he suddenly and eagerly desired hands to hold and manipulate them, as his innate curious nature got the better of him. He had made a few steps forward in his version of crinos, body covered in a simple trench coat, t-shirt, and jeans with his fluffy, vulpine tail twitching behind him before he finally noticed what he had done, and what he now looked like. He gave the best version of a bashful smile he could with his vulpine snout and closed his eyes to focus the rest of the way into human, snout shrinking along with his ears, while his tail also disappeared and human skin made its way past vulpine fur.

Once done, he'd sit before the sketch books and help to try and decipher their message and the map they contained...

[JonRG]

István spent the hour before Mother Larissa's announcement in full party mode. He chatted with Alex some, then braved the rest of the assemblage. They were an intense crowd, human and wolf, but István was a charming guy.

*************

István wasn't much of one for riddles, but even he could see symbolism when it was shoved in his face. Gabe and the wolf worked out most of the puzzle though István managed to blurt out something not entirely stupid to get them the rest of the way. Chelsea was yammering about the law. Christ, did that woman have an off-switch? Ignore her. Focus on the task at hand. "So... when do we leave?"

[McStabbington]

Gabriel's expression towards the ugly woman was flat. His mind flipped to a supercut he had seen recently on Youtube of reality show contestants announcing that they weren't here to make friends. "Message received. If you'll excuse me, I left some of the others hanging to introduce myself." He shrugged and moved back towards Istvan and Alex. "Sorry about that. I'm new to the whole pack thing, but I wanted to break things up before anyone got hurt."

[BananaPhone]

Alex watched in silence as the group combined their minds and almost instantly pieced together Mothers little riddle. Having nothing to contribute, her silence was expected.

"Best to let it play out now," Alex replied, her voice sonorous and soothing, "because some do not play well with others until there's a pecking order."

[BananaPhone]

Alex looked down at the stocky woman, figuring that it would be her turn to stand in front of the charging bull at some point.

"My name is Kriegenreich," she answered, her tone quite placid, arms folded over her tummy, "but you can call me Alex."

"And to answer your question: Fenris does not long entrust his name to the timid."

[Seanfall]

Mother Larissa laughs to herself as she watches the young ones. "Ah youth never ceases to entertain." After a moment she continues. "When you leave is up to you, but whatever left these markings is powerful. hee hee hee, and I wouldn't keep it waiting. I'm impressed you solved the map so quickly, took me twice as long." She smiles a toothy grin, "Guess my eyes aren't as good they used to be hahaha." She laughs, but Hundo's eyes drop to the ground for when she speaks.

A loud clap of her hands and Larissa stands back up. "Well what shall be? Will you go now run through the streets of the spirits. Hunt the unknown? Or sit here and get wasted?"

A few of the other sept members are watching the soon-to-be-pack with increasing interest. Spotlight or Zoo, is sitting up on his forelegs eyes roving on the pack.

[Amoren]

The werefox, now in his young, teenage appearing body of a human, sat back as they finished studying the map with a clear direction in mind, and looked up to the crazy old Bonegnawer as she started to speak. "I vote the sooner we go the better," he finally spoke up to the crowd at large, and not just the side conversation to one or two members of his soon to be pack. "If this spirit creature is an ally, and it seems to be, its possible that wyrm or weaver spirits might be following its scent, especially if it was in the penumbra so close to the city. We shouldn't sit around and 'enjoy ourselves' if that's a remote possibility."

[McStabbington]

Gabriel said nothing, simply unzipping his jacket and adjusting what appeared to be twin blades tucked into internal pockets sewn on the inside of the jacket, loosening them for easy access. He twisted his neck to one side, popping the joints, and then looked at the rest of the group expectantly.

[BananaPhone]

Alex slid easily into the umbra, her nerves tingling at the sensation of shedding her flesh for the guise of a spiritual projection.

Slowly, she morphed herself down so that she was no longer a towering lady, but instead wore the guise of a wolf. A Get of Fenris through and through, she almost looked like a small polar bear (https://howlingforjustice.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/ghost-dire-wolf-game-of-thrones.png%3Fw%3D470%26h%3D258) with a coat of pure gray.

[Amoren]

Reynard easily followed his new companions through the gauntlet, stepping out into the spiritual world with a deep, relaxed sigh as he breathed in the familiar, spiritual air. Safe from the guise of potentially watching humans, he didn't waste a moment before letting his form slip back into the one he was most comfortable in, taking on his breed form.

However, he seemed... different than for the brief moment he had assumed the form in the caern, owed to the manifestation of his spiritual lineage. He still had the same general appearance, anthropomorphic fox standing a few inches taller than his human form, muscles showing a bit more development from what could be seen underneath that trench coat, and certainly holding himself with a bit more grace. But on top of that... He seemed like he would be partially at home as one of the denizens of this domain, at least with the pale light that glimmered in his eye, and the quite visible sparks which danced occasionally across his form, arcing painlessly across his clothing and fur at random intervals.

[McStabbington]

Gabriel watched his companions wink out one by one, a pinch of dismay crossing the iron hard lines of his brow and jaw. Oh great. He sighed, did his best to relax, and looked at a nearby puddle, trying to hold . . . he wasn't quite sure what together as he shifted. Most of his earlier times had been purely by accident, and while Dad had told him to do his best to master the trick . . .

He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He'd made it to the other side. His clothes and his knives had come with him. He offered a silent prayer of thanks that he wasn't naked this time, to say nothing of being able to take his weapons with him, and set off after the others.

[Seanfall]

One by one you all slip into the Umbra, the transition is smoother for some then others. One or two almost go a step too far, either way you all end up here the spirit world. The Umbra the colors are brighter, or are they darker? The trees move of their own accord. The world seems more primal, but even here in the center of this park you can feel the touch of the weaver.

Far from the center the weaver's webs wrap around the distorted towers of the buildings. Some threatening the trees near the edge of the park, and far in the distance you can make out the faintest traces of smoke. This doesn't surprise you however, because it's been burning for nearly 12 years now. A wound that won't heal.

Next to your group, Mother Larissa, Hundo and Spotlight step into the Umbra. "Hee hee, good time you all got going." She walks among the group petting those in wolf form, "Some of you have been here longer then others." Her voice takes on a soft tone. "Others new arrivals, but your all young. I wish you luck on your journey and hope you all make it back safe. Gaia keep you strong." She turns and steps back into the Real world. Then Hundo speaks.

"Spotlight here will stay with you till you reach the edge of the Bawn. Stay safe kids." And then he steps back into the physical world. Spotlight has shifted into Hispo. He looks at you all with disdain, "Well pups what are you waiting for? Get moving, the sooner I'm away from you the better."


Your in the Umbra, it's a Half-moon as a reminder. With the map you get a -2 Difficulty to navigating. The first 'marker' is near the edge of the Park, to the North. Good luck.

[BananaPhone]

Alex trotted up to the one that had the best idea of where to go...the umbra wasn't exactly her speciality.

Sniffing the air as her senses danced in the luminescence of the spirit world, Alex gave the Master Tracker a nudge with her nose and a soft grunt.

[JonRG]

István breathed a small sigh of relief. He was in the Umbra and, more importantly, he was wearing pants. Not that it would matter much as István shifted into his wolf form (http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs12/i/2006/314/9/0/The_Black_Wolf_by_CoupeKid.jpg). His nerves tingled at the recalled agony of his first change. Mission accomplished, he trotted up to Alex and sniffed at her in greeting.

[McStabbington]

Gabriel watched the others shift, mostly into wolf forms. He did not follow suit . . . this place was strange and erratic enough as it was; being in wolf form as well felt . . . well, too primal for his tastes. Here of all places, he needed control rather than speed. He looked at the map he had helped piece together, and set off towards what he thought was the first marker with a steady, careful gait. His eyes marked the horizon, looking for threats in this strange land.

[BananaPhone]

Alex watched as Sludge snatched away the completed map from the more demure Gabriel, before giving it a once over and then demanding they follow her.

"No." Alex said, her voice a guttural growl as she spoke in the Garou language.

"Give the map to a crescent-moon. This is their territory."

[BananaPhone]

Alex watched with a vacant stare as Sludge offered up her explanation. Her eyes didn't hold the throat-tearing anger one might expect, or the fearlessness of a seasoned werewolf...instead, there was nothing - as if there was no conscience to guide the flesh.

"Oh, I understand your confusion - you think I'm asking. Give the map to the crescent moon, or I'll take it from your hands myself."

If Sludge looked behind her, she'd note the Get had shifted forms again - the lithe, gray-furred warform of the Ahroun had replaced that of the lupus.

[BananaPhone]

Alex

Challenging a Get when your back was turned to her wasn't the most apt tactic for victory.

Watching Sludge reach behind her back to grab her weapon after issuing her challenge, Alex felt no qualms about attacking from behind. Her opponent knew she was there and had issued her provocation. The Ahroun darted forward as a locomotive of fur, muscle and teeth.

The impact the two Crinos made upon colliding would've made a UFC audience flinch; the Get of Fenris locking her thick arms around the shorter crinos from behind - her open jaw sinking into her collar and biting down hard.

ooc:
Initiative: 1d10+8=18 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4380808/)

I'm going to assume that Alex'll go first.

Splitting the dice pool to perform 2 actions, a Grapple and a Bite attack.

Seems as Alex is attacking from behind, she takes -2 to her difficulties.

Grapple: 10 dice: 7d10 str + 4d10 brawl - 1d10 for extra action: 10d10=61 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4380822/)
10d10 → [2,2,6,10,5,9,8,7,5,7] = (61)

She doesn't have a Strength speciality (yet), but if we're allowed to re-roll 10s: speciality: 1d10=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4380823/)

So at difficulty 4, Alex scores 8 sucesses. Sludge has to beat that or end up immobilised. For the sake of the next action I'll assume that she can't roll that many - if that turns out to be wrong, then I'll roll this attack again.

Bite attack: difficulty 5 - 2 difficulty for attacking immobilised opponent - 2 difficult for attacking from behind: Dex 5 + brawl 4 - 2 extra action = 7 dice: 7d10=47 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4380826/)
7d10 → [10,9,10,6,2,4,6] = (47)

Alas, no biting speciality...Alex is a kick boxer.

Damage: 7 Str + 1 biting damage + 6 successes from hit (as she's immobilised, she can't dodge): 14d10=81 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4380828/)

14d10 → [2,7,6,5,4,10,5,8,9,7,4,6,4,4] = (81)

7 aggravated damage.

Edit: I'm counting Alex's strength as 7 and not 8 while in Crinos form, because I'm assuming we haven't received Bears blessing yet. If that's not the case give a hola and I'll throw some extra dice into it.

[Amoren]

The werefox watched the dominance struggle play out before him, standing off to the side as he contemplated what to do about, if anything, about the challenges flying back and forth. Despite being amongst werewolves for so long, even he was quite unused to such brazen infighting, the glass walkers at least had an air of human civility when it comes to politics and forming pecking orders - or at least that's what he had seen off to the side of the community he had slowly been welcomed into.

His first instinct upon seeing one of them charge and tackle the other, however, was for him to make a half step forward and reach for the hilt of his swords - yet upon doing so he paused, and stopped, clearly concerned and not sure how to proceed. Instead, he made damn sure to step off to the side from the tussle and looked to the over wolves with a bit of a curious glance as to what they should do about the two.

[JonRG]

István growled quietly. "We don't have time for this." Fortunately, not everyone had lost their mind. Crevan watched from the sidelines as well and debated jumping in. Bad idea. Probably wind up maimed. He padded silently over to his werefox friend, nudging at a knee with his snout then cocking his head forward. István walked on. Hopefully, Crevan would get the hint and follow.

[Amoren]

The fox could barely make out what was going on in the tussle of fur, but he could only offer a small sigh as he agreed with István's statement. Fortunately for him, at least, his keen memory more than likely allowed him to remember the map perfectly - even if it was in the hands of one of the two feuding wolves and liable to be damaged.

He turned his attention away and followed his memory of the map to where he believed the first map marker to be, letting the two of them catch up when they finally cooled off, thinking that they should be safe from doing too much damage to one another with the older wolf's gaze still on them, and the caern literally right around them still.

Making a perception test to see how well the fox gets lost as he follows his memory of the map with his Eiditc Memory quality.

[roll0]

[Exthalion]

The quite lupus had almost been forgotten in the excitement of the fighting. He trotted over to the two who had stayed out of the combat.

"They still have the map...

I'm going."

[BananaPhone]

Alex

It didn't take long for Alex to catch up with the group, her frame panting softly and blood drying in small patches across her fur.

"Hey guys!" she uttered, shrinking down into the cavewoman look of glabro as she did so. Even in this brutish form, her blue eyes seemed alive and her grin cheerful.

"So," she continued, presenting a ratty piece of paper across her broad palm, "who knows how to read this damn thing and show us where we're going?"

[Seanfall]

The metis beaten slinks off into the night onto her own quest, her pride hurt and her body even more so. Spotlight sniffs the air, grunts and continues to follow the pack, who chose to move on in the scuffle. The rest of the journey is uneventful, and after about an hour of following the map. Wind up at the first marker, at the edge of the Carens Bawn.

The mark is upon a tree near the edge of the park, it practically glows with power. Minor spirits have gathered around it, and a feeling of safety and warmth permeates the area. Even spotlight seems calm in it's radiance, you'll note that the weavers webs in this area have been cleared. It's been a few days since these marks were found. Yet no new webs have been woven, no attempt made to fix what was broken.

"Well pups this is where we part ways. Watch yourself in the weavers webs beyond, and if you must die. Do so like a Garou." With that he turns and runs off back towards the center of the Caren.


Exp and Renown time! Uhh Scene end too. I was going to throw an encounter your way but...after that fight I..yeah...>.>

All: 4 XP all around! I've like the Role Play and you all engaged well.

Temporary Renown
Alex
3 Glory
2 Honor

Sleeps-Among-the-Red-Flower
3 Wisdom
1 Honor

Gabriel MacIntyre
2 Honor

Crevan Keir
3 Wisdom

István
3 Wisdom

If you think you deserve more renown for something, tell me and we can discuss it. I was keeping a running tally, but If I missed something let me know.

[Amoren]

"I do, if no one else wants to try to lead," the fox responded as he noticed Alex return, although his eyes briefly glanced into the shadows behind her for Sludge's return, before catching whatever look in Alex's eyes that might have conveyed the defeated party had wandered off on her own accord. "However, I've already got it all in my head right now, it doesn't seem to have led me astray so far, so handing it to someone else that doesn't might work out better."

The sparks of elemental current that subtly flowed through the fox's fur seemed to grow more prominent as they stepped into the clearing created around that mark, a sense of awe and wander of the spirit that had such power sending a shiver through his spine until it came out as a flicker of a wag in his tail beneath his coat. Of course, then came a small smile on his lips when Spotlight spoke, apparently taking it as a compliment to be called a Garou by the wolf - even if it was likely just because he was lumped in with his future brothers and sisters.

He'd step in slowly, hoping the spirits wouldn't mind his presence, as he tried to gain a closer look at the mark on the tree.

[Seanfall]

The spirits don't react, expect to scamper away from the fox. The mark was obviously made by claws. It looks like a rough drawing of an arrow, pointing north and slightly to the west. As the fox looks closer a curious squirrel spirit is looking at him from above the trees mark.


Intelligence + Investigation to discover anything not obvious to the eye.

[McStabbington]

Gabe lingered after the fight, watching over the two combatants. He supposed that he should have been involved; Sludge had decided to take the map away from him. And there had been a part of him that wanted to rip her face off . . . "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. . ." He had remained still, silent.

And he had stood watch to make sure that no one had intervened.

He lingered behind as Alex rejoined the pack, looking over his shoulder. His eyes momentarily caught the Metis', and he jerked his head in the direction of the pack. Her eyes dropped, and she went another direction. Gabriel thought about going to her, looked at the pack, and followed Alex.

He joined up with the group just as the fox was speaking ". . . in my head right now, it doesn't seem to have led me astray so far, so handing it to someone else that doesn't might work out better." His eyes scanned the markings.

[Seanfall]

Both Gabriel and Crevan notice just how deep the marks are made, the tree itself looks to have been pushed back. There's a slight impression next to the mark, it looks like a paw but it's too obscure to gain much insight. Whatever made this mark was large and very physically powerful, beyond that there's nothing else to be gained. The spirits around you start to whisper among themselves, if you try to listen to them they turn silent and hide behind the nearby trees.

[JonRG]

István padded up to the tree and sniffed at the claw marks. Whispers drifted through the air. He activated his Shadow Lord gift to try to eavesdrop on their words. Perhaps some wisdom might be found in them.

[Seanfall]

Istvan likewise notices what the other two have, in addition he picks up what some of the spirits are whispering to one another.

I thought all the wolves were in the center tonight?

Are they the ones it was looking for?

Two of them were fighting further back, struggling.

They are not like the cursed ones, that scurried earlier.

Do you think they have any nuts?

[BananaPhone]

Seeing that Gabriel had re-materialised by her side, Alex turned her head to peer down at the other Garou and twisted her arm about to present the map for his taking.

"I believe you were the one handling this," she says, jutting her hand forward a little bit in emphasis.

Once in the clearing, Alex shrunk herself down into her Homid form and peered about with curiosity. The colors of the spirit world had always been a fascination of hers - a free LSD trip through which she stayed in control of her faculties.

Moving over to the claw-markings on the map, Alex easily looked over the shoulders of the others present, then up at the tree containing the little squirrels.

"What d'you guys think so far?" she asked with her sonorous, soothing voice. At the same time, she played over several scenario's in her head. Alex was no brains-trust, but she wasn't completely in the dark as to the motivations of others.

ooc:
Int + Investigation roll: 4d10=29 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4384792/)
[10,8,9,2] = (29) - 3 successes

[Seanfall]

Alex notices what the others, notices. The deep claw marks, the tree having been pushed back and the slight imprint. However with everyone looking a rough outline of the print takes shape. It almost looks like a wolf print, expect much much bigger.

[McStabbington]

"Never seen these markings. So aside from the fact that it's big and strong, I can't say much." Gabe carefully folded the map, squatted on his haunches, and gently touched the earth where the roots appeared to be pushed up, then craned his neck to look up at the tree, his fingers and thumb rubbing against one another to scrub the dirt off. "Hit the tree higher up than I can reach, and with a lot of force. If I didn't think that one print looks like a wolf print, I'd say the only thing I know that could do that is a bear."

[JonRG]

István furrowed his lupine brow. "Watch yourselves. Enemies have passed through here before us." He tried to feign excitement, but frankly, all he wanted to do was leave.

[BananaPhone]

Looming like a towering shadow behind the rest of the investigators, Alex kept a watchful eye and scoured for any signs of danger.

"A bear?" Alex repeated softly, even with her sonorous voice.

"There were rumors of the ghural vanishing into the Umbra," the Ahroun spoke, ducking a head beneath the branches as she further inspected the tree's and the surrounding area.

"I read that their departure was a great loss to the Garou Nation."

[Amoren]

The fox leans forward to closely examine the print marking, given it a look over before he blinks in an almost confused fashion. "The print definitely seems to look like a bear, but its been purposely attempted to altered to try and make it look like a wolf print."

He points towards the print, trying to show off a few areas where he saw it was covered up or altered. "Who would try to cover up the print though?"

[McStabbington]

"Someone with something against us, or against bears, I'd guess," Gabe said, rising from his crouch. His eyes focused inward for a moment, his brow beetling as his concentrated before looking back up, mainly at Alex. "I've never heard the term 'gurahl' before, but I'm assuming from the way you used it that it's a were-bear? My dad mentioned them once or twice, but didn't know much about them." Gabriel declined to mention his father's exact wording. "I've never seen one go crazy before, which is fortunate, because I don't think I want to hunt one." Gabe didn't think these people would catch the subtleties in that statement.

His eyes turned to the too-cool-for-school man who had been drinking with Alex. Istvan, Gabriel recalled his name. "You said enemies were here. What did you mean?"

[JonRG]

István sighed. The wolf might feel more at home here, but it couldn't speak worth a damn. He shifted back into homid form. His skin crawled at the alien sensation of the Umbra. Focus. "I overheard the spirits. Said that we..." István closed his eyes in concentration, "'weren't like the cursed ones who scurried earlier.' Got no effin' clue what a cursed one is, but I imagine they're not friendly."

[McStabbington]

Gabriel turned his head, craning his neck as he looked quizzically at the spirits. Perhaps I underestimated him. A bad move for a hunter. He turned back, his blue eyes appraising the man differently. "Good work. I didn't even consider they were saying something intelligible."

He turned his body slightly, cheating out to let the rest of the group into the conversation. "If I had to guess, I'd say those 'cursed ones' are . . ." Gabriel trailed off as his brow furrowed in momentary concentration again. His hand unconsciously stroked the pommel of one of his daggers. He looked up quickly. "Spiral Dancers, I think they're called. It's only a guess; vampires can sometimes come into this place in spirit form if they're skilled enough seers. But my dad has taken a few of them down, and they're tough and fast but beatable if you have a sound plan. The question is, do we follow the map, or do we try to track these Dancers?"

[BananaPhone]

Alex, grasping the tree-trunk with one long and thick arm, hauled herself up into the umbrage and squatted upon a branch that craned beneath her weight. Peering across the expanse from her elevated position, she looked like a massive, blonde-haired gorilla with shoulders suited for holding victims down while her hands strangled the life out them.

"Spirals are not the only agents of the wyrm, or vampires." she spoke to her companions, while her eyes kept scanning the pathways available.

"During my Rite of Passage, we encountered numerous...humans, that had been touched by chaos. Humans...if they could still be called that, whose flesh was twisted by the malevolence of Banes."

Seemingly satisfied with whatever it was she had been observing, the Ahroun dropped herself from the tree to land in front of her fellows. Straightening up, she rolled her shoulders and craned her neck.

"As much as I enjoy the hunt...we have been given a different task. If this spirit we seek is being pursued by these wretches, then I dare say we'll enjoy both activities at once."

[McStabbington]

Gabriel shrugged indifferently. "If those spirits are saying these cursed ones looked like us, Dancers are a pretty good bet." Then his voice took a slightly more wistful tone. "But you're right on both larger counts, I suppose. I shouldn't jump to conclusions about what they are, and our business is with the spirit we're tracking, not these."

[JonRG]

"Sounds good, but shouldn't we move on to the next marker then?" István pointed off in its general direction.

[Seanfall]

The next marker, is clearly within the city. The bent and looming umbral buildings tower just outside the end of the park. The Weavers webs wrap around and entangle the tops of the buildings arcing with electricity. It is no place for a wolf.

[BananaPhone]

Alex swooped low, her back stiffening as she snifree the air in glabro form.

"The Weaver is powerful where we are heading." she started, "we must be cautious."

Directed by the others as to their trajectory, Alex moved forward quietly. If any were to be the first to encounter hostile fiends of the Weaver, it was her duty as Ahroun to be the shield and sword of the pack. Shifting into her Crinos form, the Get of Fenris moved herself forward quietly.

[McStabbington]

Gabe blinked once at giantess, his eyebrow cocked ever-so-slightly as she came down the tree. Then he shook his head and followed, swinging to the left flank as Alex barreled up the middle. Maybe she knows something about picking forms that I don't . . ., he guessed mentally, then smashed the idea flat. He knew what he was doing, and even if he didn't, possibly heading into a fight in this eerie place wouldn't be the best time to change up on strategies. He scanned his side of the perimeter for movement.

[JonRG]

István smiled to himself. He may be a lousy combatant, but a Shadow Lord knew how to hide. István advanced on the right side to cover whatever ground that Alex and Gabe missed.

[Amoren]

Crevan appeared to be calmer than his companions within the webs of the city, more than likely out of a familiarity with the city's umbral reflection due to his adopted tribe's common patrolling grounds. Still, that didn't mean he was going to let his guard down as his eyes wandered along the web covered skyline, his vulpine ears twitching as tried to pick up any noise as they moved towards their destination.

[Seanfall]

This isn't the forest, or the park it is the weaver's lair. You feel like a fly walking into a web. An apt comparison, all things considered. You group is stealthy enough, with the giantess ahroun leading the way and helping to guide the others. You can smell it though, the staleness of the city. The buildings above you differ greatly. Some are bent and twisted, the windows are eyes following your group. Others are too perfect far more so than their real world counterparts. Arcs of electricity spiral off of these buildings down the webs around the rest of the city. As you pass an alley a group of rat spirits scurry away watching you pass from dozens of hidey holes.

Your path starts to take you close to that smoke from earlier though, and it makes your hair and fur stand on edge. Even being near that site, a place where a terrible thing happened years ago. Ground Zero, where the towers fell, you all know what happened. Even those who spent years in the forest soon learned about the tragedy that took place. Such a terrible event had grave repercussions in the Umbra. The spiritual towers are long gone, filled in with sorrow, regret, fear, etc. The spiritual site did not become a hell hole oh no. Instead it became a place that touches the lands of the dead, ghosts instead of spirits fill this place.

Luckly you only pass near it, not through it. Lest the sorrow that place drag your souls into Harano. You need to stay alert, your aren't the only wolves out tonight are you?


Roll Perception + Alertness diff 4

[Seanfall]

Sneaking through the city isn't easy, but you manage not to attract attention as you journey through the shadowscape. According to the map you're nearing the next marker, your ears perk up. Your not the only ones in this alley, and no not the spirits many of whom are not aware of your presence.

((2 or more Suxx hears the following.))
Something is moving slightly ahead and around the corner, a few somethings. You catch snippets of a conversation as they aren't even whispering.
A high pitched worried voice, "we...we lost them. they left the park and then just vanished. How the **** does that even happen that big bitch was in her war form for christsake."
A deep rumbling voice, "you tell me twitch you're the damn tracker!" what sounds like a slap echoes down the alley.
A calm voice, though obviously seething with rage, "Quiet both of you. The rest of the Hive is counting on us, you know the stakes here. We can't let the Garou find out what's going on."
The High pitched voice, "....What is going on?"
The other two both start yelling at the high pitched one cussing a lot.

[BananaPhone]

The soft, short fur across Alex's body rippled as her ears twitched and straightened. Alerted to the voices, the crinos lowered her shoulders and reached behind her to signal to the others to do the same - her large, clawed hands flattening and slowly moving down as an indication for everyone to get closer to the ground.

Tuning herself in to the chatter amongst the trio up ahead, the Get of Fenris smirked at the names they called her and the idea that something as big as she was shouldn't be able to move that quietly.

Looking over her shoulder, Alex's large eyes fell upon the closest individual as she gestured her fingers in their direction. The symbol wasn't elaborate or technical: she closed her index and middle finger together, pointed them at whoever it was she had spotted, then made an over-arching motion in the direction the voices were coming from.

Her message delivered, hopefully, the Garou quietly slunk forward and moved up into an elevated position. Once in place, she brought herself a little closer so that she could gain a visual on the targets and place herself in a spot to pounce down upon them when necessary.

Counting their number and signalling it back to the others with the digits on one of her hands, Alex then withdrew her fang-dagger from its sheath and silently awakened its spirit.


ooc:
Yeah, IC is down: I'll roll in a few hours if it's come up again.

[McStabbington]

Gabriel couldn't tell what brought Alex up short; he had been doing his best to thread his way through the garbage-strewn alleyway silently and hadn't been focusing on his surroundings. But the ears of the hulking Crinos ahead and to his right brought him up short. He watched her ears perk up, and then flatten. Enemies, he instinctually thought, and brought himself up short. She turned to look; caught his eye. She gestured in an up-and over motion.

Gabriel nodded, looked back at the wall, and backtracked to find a ladder up. He looked back at Alex and jerked a thumb upwards. Then he flitted backwards quietly to the fire escape, and with a jump leaped upwards, snagging the lowest level, and he began to climb.


Gabriel will climb a fire escape to get on top of the building kitty-corner to where he thinks Alex hears enemies. I'll do a quick map:

1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 ___________________________
1
1
1
1 E E E
1 ____________________________
1 1
1 A1
1 1
1G 1

Key:
E: Where Gabe is assuming the enemies are based on Alex's actions.
A: Alex
G: Where Gabriel is at.

[Seanfall]

Gabriel you don't have to go far to find a fire escape. However it's moving slightly, and as you try to climb it starts to move and shake more. So it takes longer than usual to get up it.

as for your diagram...right on the money. At least as far as I envisioned it. I've tried making a map or grid of some sort but I'm no good doing that on a computer.

[Amoren]

Crevan detected the others speech just as Alex did, bringing a curious twitch to his ears. He draws his blades as quietly as he can manage, the longsword in his right hand and a smaller, parrying blade in his left. He slinks forward, staying low and quiet as he attempts to peek around the corner of whatever cover he can find to try and identify what they were dealing with.

[CowMasterTrojan]

Quietly the Silent Strider crept along in the Umbra, an eye out for what he had been smelling. His form was already in Crinos, and a Klaive sat patiently in his right hand. He gripped it tightly, knowing it was nearly time.

Tempest-Walker hadn't been looking for a fight. He had been looking for the spiritual opening at ground zero. Having learned of it from a ghost, he couldn't help himself. Traveling all night, when he got into town he parked his cycle and shifted straight into the umbra. He had been inside a city before, and so the spiders didn't scare him.
Don't mess with them, usually they won't mess with you.

But once in the umbra, his senses went crazy. Using his gifts, he could smell garou. Two different groups. And worse... He could sense one of them was wyrm tainted. Spiral Dancers... Cursing himself, he changed form and began following his nose. He wouldn't stand idly by why a pack is ambushed by black spirals.
"Where are you, ya' traitorous bastards..." He murmured to himself, sneaking along.
Hopefully I find them before they find me.

[McStabbington]

Gabriel climbed to the top of the building and then began moving towards the corner of the T-junction, crouching low to avoid being seen against the skyline.

[JonRG]

István crept along behind Crevan. From what he overheard, it sounded like combat was imminent, so István quietly shifted to Crinos form. Maybe it wouldn't come to violence, but optimism would probably get him killed.

[Seanfall]

Alex, Istvan, and Crevan move silently like shadow. Getting into position around their quarry, though it was close their natural dexterity and skill proved the deciding factor. The three speaking ahead of them were none the wiser.

Gabriel however was not so lucky, as he climbed up the playful fire escape, he spooked the buildings spirit. It twitched in fear and drew the eye of two of the three down below. "Well look what we got here," Said the large rage filled man. "A lone wolf."

Kazil arrived near the scene as the three Dancers spotted Gab on the roof of a nearby building. It looks like a battle is about to break out.


Gab only got 2 suxx 2 of the stooges got 3. Kazil can roll stealth if he wants to sneak around, or...well whatever he wants.

Alex, Istvan, and Crevan may attack this turn at -2 Diff for the sneak attack.

roll Initiative everyone, though only the Stooges, Gab, and Kazil are bound by it this turn.

[BananaPhone]

Gabriels discovery was all Alex needed to leap into action. However, her blows were not as sure-foot as they had been when facing down the impudent Black Fury from earlier.

Pouncing forward from her slightly elevated position, Alex landed behind the turned-group of black spirals, fang dagger in her hand.

Her first lashing went straight into the back of the human-form spiral - her knife finding its mark but leaving wounds that should have been deeper.

Moving quickly, Alex came up to her second target - the glabro-form wearing Spiral. Using her position and element of surprise, she drove her Fang Dagger deep into him from behind, the blood that ran across her hand matting her otherwise immaculately grey fur.

ooc:

Time for some rolling.

Alex is taking 3 actions: she has to move to get into position followed by two attacks each. Her total melee pool is 9d10, so that means she'll make her first attack at 7d10 and her second at 6d10.

FirstAttack: On guy in Glabro form
7d10=40 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4411035/)
That's 4 successes, so 3 extra damage.

Also, I forgot that the difficulty is 2 to hit: 6 standard - 2 from behind behind and -2 for the surprise, so that means I got 7 successes total, so 6 extra damage.

So 11 damage: 11d10=53 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4411036/): 4 successes.
The extra 3: 3d10=14 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4411040/): 0 successes.

Wow that's ****ing terrible.

Still, it's using her Fang Dagger, so that means the damage is doubled to 8 agg damage.

Second Attack: - On the guy in Homid Form
6d10=34 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4411038/)
4 successes.
11d10=55 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4411039/)
Yup...out of 11 dice, 2 successes. So 4 damage.



Wow that was ****.

[Amoren]

Crevan moved with surprising speed with the opening that Alex provided, darting around the corner and leaping off to take advantage of the Glabro Spiral when he turned to retaliate against his companion... Or if the man was dropped from the bite of that dagger alone, the fox would slam his blade home into the nearest of the other two when they turned to engage the ahroun.

I don't know how far away the three are. If they're merely afew yards away from Crevan, he doesn't have to spend an action to move. And I assume that Crevan had crept pretty close to peek around. If I'm wrong, though, I can always reroll his rolls with minus one die.

Going to split his actions, one to attack, and the other with held to parry any attack coming his way. His total melee dice pool is currently Dex 7 + Melee 3, for a total of 10. His attack pool is 8, and parry pool is 7.

Rolls were made in the OoC thread. Six successes were scored on the attack, for a total of 8 lethal damage rolled. Six successes were scored on the parry action.

[JonRG]

István slunk through the shadows and sprung into action when the large man shouted. He jumped down behind the gangly man and bit into his neck, hoping to the end the fight before he could use that gun.

Attack! [roll0]

[Seanfall]

While the three Spirals are distracted by Gabriel, the others launch a quick and brutally effect strike against them. Alex and Crevan strike the only one who is not in his own skin, Alex's fang dagger bites deep growing from his sternum as if it was planted there. Before he can return the strike the young fox strikes from the sides slashing and cutting so deeply into the man's neck he nearly severs the head. He falls dead and spurting blood.

The gangly man isn't any luckier, as Alex struck with her dagger drawing a bloody line along his stomach. Istavan launched from the shadows his fangs finding purchase and snapping the man's neck as they tumbled.

His companions dead the third and last of them stands arms pointed out, he speaks from his voice you can tell he sounds like the one who was angry and upset earlier. "Alright, alright, lets all just calm down here...."

[BananaPhone]

The salty scent of freshly spilled Spiral blood was sweet to the Get of Fenris in ways no non-Garou could understand. The elation surged through her towering figure, exciting nerves and stimulating the neurons in her brain to such a degree that it required considerable restraint on her behalf not to lunge forward upon the remaining Spiral and tear into him without mercy.

But she held back.

"Shut up, Wyrm scum." the gutteral words tumbled out of Alex's jaws like falling boulders. To reinforce her point, the crinos reached forward and seized his shoulders to affix him in place - her broad forehead swiftly followed to connect with the mans face.

If instinct so directed him, she would let him topple over to land on his back.

"Everyone grab a limb." Alex issued, reaching down and encircling the Spirals ankles with her enveloping hands.


oOo Assuming Everyone Does So oOo
(if not then ignore from beyond here)

"Start talking, or we start pulling."

ooc:

I'm going to assume he doesn't try to dodge or anything. Furthermore, I'm not rolling to actively hurt him - the headbutt is more for...cinematic purposes, rather than trying to do damage. Unless you'd like me to?

Furthermore, I dunno what the intimidating roll would be for having a werewolf holding each of your limbs and threatening to pull them off - so it's all up to you!

[Seanfall]

Blood spurted from the Spirals nose as Alex's headbutt broke it, however even the Dancers could heal such injuries. He Crawls as far away as he can a hand raised up in defense. "Stchop, scthop..." Alex must have busted a lip or something for his speech to be slurred in such a way.

"Damn it twitch....you *******, she's a ****ing giant." He blurts out looking at the torn corpse of the gangly tracker, 'Twitch' apparently. He looks back up at Alex and the other Garou. "You really need that extra bugger over in the shadows?" He asks nodding his head to Kazil further in the alley.

"Sweet **** if you *******s don't go into overkill." he looked Alex up and down, "let me guess....Fury? One of the 'bitches of gaia' or just a bitch in general?" He doesn't get up when he speaks, staying crumbled on the ground.


Perception + Alertness rolls from any watching him.

Also if you want info, A Manipulation + Intimidation, or well any social roll made to try to get info out of him. Mani+Intimidation is just the most...blunt route.

A well written description of how you Manipulate, torture, beat, cajole etc etc. to get him to speak might give some extra Suxx or lower the Diff.

[Amoren]

Crevan didn't move in to take a limb, but then again, he wouldn't be able to do much in the way of raw physical strength, even with the small bit of extra muscle provided by his breed form. Instead he stood a few feet away from the man, his broadsword held and pointed towards the defeated Spiral in case he tried to slip away from their team. It was because of this, especially with the Spiral's nod, that the fox's keen gaze turned towards the skulking male.

The fox was rather quick to bring his shorter, parrying blade to point towards the sneaking strider, just in time for a spark of lightning to race along his forearm fur and down across the blade from his grasp, whilst his attention starts to split between their 'prisoner', and the other werewolf.

Don't think it'll really matter, but lets use Sense Wyrm on Kiev. xD
[roll0] +2 to Difficulty due to being naive.

[McStabbington]

"Enough!" The change in Gabriel's tone was startling. Rather than his soft-spoken tone, his voice rang sharp and harsh. A voice that equated dissent with death. He had found a fire escape, and was halfway down, sliding gracefully down the ladder as he did so. He took the last ten feet at a leap, coiling his legs and knees smoothly as his feet touched ground and bounced cleanly back up to stalk forward.

Gabriel looked at the larger Crinos', his gaze quickly flitting from Istvan to Alex. Then he nodded, and spoke once more, his voice losing none of its menace. "Drop him. I've been waiting to meet one of these Spiral Dancers for a very, very long time, and I'd prefer that he be in more or less one piece before I start." His eyes dropped to the bloodied man for a moment, considering him with an almost clinical look. Then Gabriel cheated out and looked down, his tone almost bored. "I'm curious, is there a limit to how much you can regenerate? I mean, if I dig out your intestines, can I do that every day for the rest of your natural life and it will always grow back, or is there a point where I could cut and it just won't heal?" A curved blade appeared in Gabriel's right hand, his left thumb gently polishing the gleaming, pristine blade.



Let me know what the die roll is for an Intimidation check.

[Seanfall]

Crevan and Gab are both able to note that the Spiral seems to be reaching for something in his pocket.

[Amoren]

Crevan pushed his blade against the Spiral's reaching hand to discourage him from moving it, "Keep at it and I'll start sating his curiosity with your hand."

[Seanfall]

The spiral growled in his throat flicked his wrist and tossed the switchblade he'd been reaching for aside, it clatters to the ground. "Good looking out...whatever the hell you are." He turns to gab raising an eyebrow, "Yeesh and they called me sick, and I don't know. I didn't take anatomy, too busy doing all those bad things you'd think someone like me would do."

The spiral decides to stay still but he continues speaking, "If you have an actual question to ask get on with it or finish me off. I got better things to do then speak to bunch of Gaia's ****tards."

[McStabbington]

Gabriel's hand twitched, nicking his left thumb on the blade. He paid no attention as his eyes burned with rage and hate. If you insist . . . his first instinct was to say, and there was a ghost of tension in his wrist as the blade prepared to snake out and spear the man's eye. He's a Spiral Dancer . . .

And from somewhere, he wasn't sure why, his mind brought up a memory: his father, gently sitting next to Gabriel, his lithe movements naturally dodging the ice pack Gabe was holding to his face. His father looked at him, silent as he always was, before his hands flashed out a message. In the background, Lou Reed played softly in the background. "I know what it is to lose control. It was why I stopped you. There are some things you don't want to have to carry, my son."

He tried to shrug off the memory, but something seemed insistent, urgent about the memory. Before he could realize what he had said, the words came out in a husky whisper: "What's your name?" Gabe blinked momentarily, checking his memory to be certain that he had said that, and then tried to steady his face to at least back it up with some measure of confidence. Gabriel knew that his face was not his own at the moment.

[Seanfall]

The spiral in question looked up at gab and the others, a brow raised as he finally stood up staying pressed against the wall. "Edmund." He raised a hand before anyone else could speak, "My pack called me Switch." He points the gangling skinny one. "That was Twitch." Then to the one who had been in Galbrao form. "And that...was Mitch. Yeah we had a rhyming thing going. Our totem, who seems to have split the scene was an eccentric one."

[McStabbington]

"Switch . . ." Gabriel softly repeated, trying to work through his own confusion. The memory wouldn't let go. Gabe looked down for a moment, and then back up, his voice more confident. "Ed. How did you get into this mess? Here?"

[Seanfall]

"....You think you show me a little respect and I just spill my guts? Uh-uh. Once you get what you need I'm dead. I might as well make it hard for you." he smiles, then bursts out laughing.

[McStabbington]

Gabriel's blue eyes narrowed, and a hand shot out, pressing a thumb hard on Switch's broken nose. There was nowhere near as much force as Gabe could have put into it with a punch, but with his nose already broken, Gabe didn't have to. "Pay attention, Switch." Gabe retracted his hand and stared hard at the man's face. "Whether you live or die is your own call. You want to walk away? I mean, really walk away? You've already lost your pack; I don't see much holding you here. Well, if you want it, the chance is yours. Tell me what you know, drop a message where your former friends will find it, and promise that you'll never come back, and that you'll never hurt anyone without just cause again . . . and you can go. Alive. With no more hurt to you."

Gabe's jaw hardened, the muscles bundled into steel wires. "But if you can't make that promise, or even worse, if you break that promise, I will end you. But before I do that, I will make you grateful for that end."

[Seanfall]

For a moment it looks like Switch will breakdown. But then his face hardens and he laughs in your face Gab, "**** you." Switch turns to walk away, "You *******s don't know ****, wasting time..." He smirks and starts chuckling, as he laughs he presses his hands against his face and runs his nails down his face drawing several bloody lines down it's length. "You ready for the big end *******S!? I'M READY!!"

[McStabbington]

Gabriel looked at the man with a stony expression. "I see." He stood and took a step back. "A pity. I had hoped that you might extend an honorable surrender. It was my understanding I was required to accept it by Lupine law." His glance flicked up from Edmund to the massive Crinos behind him, and his shoulders shrugged fractionally.

[BananaPhone]

"You ready for the big end *******S!? I'M RE - "

The Spirals words were cut short into a wet Splurch! as the piston-like closed fist of the Get of Fenris impacted with his face, shattering what had healed from his previously received headbutt.

The large gray blur moved past the others to stand behind the recovering Spiral, her mit-like hands seizing around his shoulders as she hoisted him off the ground.

"Buy yourself a painless death with words, scum!" her guttural growl rumbled into his ear as she flexed upon her grip - his shoulder joins coming under the intense pressure she could apply.

ooc:
Str + Intimidate: 7d10=48 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4440808/)
7d10 → [3,9,8,10,10,6,2] = (48)

5 successes.

[Seanfall]

Switche's words are indeed cut short rather quickly as the large Giantess shut him down hard. He gurgled for a moment before crying out in pain from the pressure. Bones started to crack and finally he relents, "Alright, alright! I'll talk I'll talk! Look we're just supposed to slow you Gaians down." He cried out and struggled to get free, "Just stop please!"

[McStabbington]

Gabriel looked at the towering Crinos and made a short chopping motion with one hand. "Slow us down for what, Edmund," he asked, his voice a studied calm as he looked at the gasping man out of the corner of his eye, his hands once again thumbing the blade.

[Seanfall]

"To keep you from following those marks. Some of the Hive saw what it was, guessed where it leads to." Edmund stays where he is now actually frightened. He might not be afraid to die, but the pain of being torn apart by a giantess, that was a little different. "The whole Hive is on the march, with as many banes as they could chain. They want....their going to...I don't know. Our leader Twin Jaws went rapid. He's also been close to the Wyrm but I think he's finally gone full on bonkers with this."

[McStabbington]

Gabriel shot the man a cold, hard glance. Which means that even now, he's doing his pack's job. Gabe wasn't sure whether to curse himself or not. He looked around to the rest of the group, and shot them a quizzical look.

[Seanfall]

The following is a quick synopsis of what I had planned for the rest of this adventure. All active players may get a post in describing how they reacted and affected the following. Regardless all active players receive the following. Also the Fate of Switch is up to the players, attempt redemption or slay him it's up to you.

All renown is Temp of course.

5 XP
3 Honor (after reduction from Totem.)
2 Wisdom
5 Glory (you'll see why + taking down this spirals so damn easy.)



The pack had decided to return to the hunt, the news that an entire Hive was ahead them gave speed and urgency to their travel. From mark to Mark they moved, each sigil shining brighter than last. As they raced they learned the truth of Switch's words. For wherever they went they found the area empty of banes. The hive was gathering them as they moved, adding to their forces. They found a few stragglers easy dispatched as the local Spirits had taken the opportunity to slay a few of the wyrms forces as well.

Finally they reached the spiritual reflection of the woods the marks led them too. There the natural world thrummed with power. The wolf within rejoiced at the feel of this part of the Umbra. The moon shining brightly in the skies above, Luna looking down over her charges. At this point the marks and the map they had became irrelevant. As the Spiral hive left a path of corruption in their wake, easily followed. With each step onward a sense of foreboding filled the air, they could feel it now, something powerful had called to them. Eventually they found themselves before a massive cave, which had no Real World reflection.

They entered the cave, sounds of battle echoed upon the walls as they rushed through it. They soon found out why, in a massive cavern the Spiral Hive and all the Banes they could muster were warring with the children of Bear. Bear's servants and avatars warred with the banes and twisted wolves that dared to enter her domain. Bear herself, in her massive form lay far across the cave, wounded. A massive thorn piercing her side, dripping with wyrm poison. She roared and called out to the pack, it was a cry of pain.


And here's where everyone does their post.

To note: The Thorn in her side prevents her calling to her own Children the Gurhal, you'd figure this out through rolling but we're trying to be speedy here.

[McStabbington]

Gabriel turned briefly to the pack, his pack, he amended silently. He didn't know if it was true, yet, but they had stood by and let him speak with the Dancer. That made them at least allies. Which was good to know, as he surveyed the battle momentarily, as he was now facing a sea of enemies. There was no need for caution. No need for control. No need for mercy. He turned to the rest of the pack, his eyes red with rage, his lips turned upwards in a terrifying smile.

"Istvan? Do you can take some of the less-experienced fighters up and take out some of those supporting spirits," he queried calmly, pointing to the back ends of the caves, where banes had gathered to snipe down those fighting on the front line. "In the meantime, I believe I owe Alex a debt for being so gracious with Twitch." He turned and looked at the giantess, his voice coy and playful despite the murderous look of rage in his eyes. "For giving me that chance, I believe that I owe you some help carving a path for our healer to that Bear. And in the process, I believe I owe this group even more kills along the way than you. Care to make it a challenge for me?"

He tossed her a jaunty wink, firmly hooked his daggers into their sheaths, and sprang forward. By three paces, he was moving at a full sprint. At five, he began to change. At seven, he leaped at his foes mid-transition, his form transitioning to Hispo . . . or at least, what the others thought was Hispo. Coal black with a bristling coat of sleek fur, Gabriel was gone. In his place was the red-eyed Barghest of legend, the black hellhound of myth, and like the legend of old, the horse-sized wolf began reaping a bloody swath through the Dancer ranks. Already, one was down as the massive animal struck him full in the back, and with a quick twist of his jaws and a sickening crunch, crushed the bones in the Dancer's neck even as he tried to rise up, letting the Crinos flop lifelessly to the ground as the terror moved on, ripping limbs from torsos without bothering to stop, pressing into the thickest of the fight.

Yet even as he pressed in, and the Dancers began to fight back, hacking at him with claws and blades even as he shredded open their ribcages and yanked their lungs and hearts free, the Hispo never once fell into frenzy. On the contrary, rather than the red rage of frenzy, the look that the Barghest gave them was icy. It was pure hate. It was death incarnate. And it made sure to give each one it killed one last look even as it moved on, savoring, at long last, this small slice of vengeance.

[JonRG]

Not as cool as McStabbs, but I'll be leaving the country in ~24 hours. :smallsmile:

István nodded his lupine head and, for once in his life, he felt comfortable in his own skin. All was right with the world. István skulked back towards the neophytes and drew them to his side with a growl of, "With me." Then they approached the snipers, who were wholly unprepared for the frontal assault István brought to bear. His claws hacked through one woeful spirit after another, the Shadow Lord fully in the throes of his bloodlust. His new band of followers was all for it, however, and once all the snipers were dead, István howled a low note of triumph to signal to Gabe that the task was done.

[BananaPhone]

Towering over the rest of her pack as a grey mountain, Alex stood in silent contemplation over the field of banes that separated them from the Great Bear. Though Gabriel gave his thoughts on the groups approach to the situation, Alex was tethered to the storm brewing in her spirit at such a sight; the claws of the wyrm, multitudinous and vile, enclosing in upon a bastion of life and renewal. As the Ahroun of the Earth Mothers designs, that fury stoked the furnace of her power and tempered her discipline; it gave her strength and it gave her focus, both of which would drive the engine of her onslaught.

"Valhalla awaits us," her voice rumbled down from above, "but for these dogs there is nothing but the crows."

Seeing no other alternative, Alex rolled her broad shoulders and moved forward as she unplucked the knife that hung from her waist. Twirling it about once between her fingers to bring it into her palm, she readied the weapon as she came down behind gabriel as a grey avalanche of muscle, fur and claws. The throngs of ugly faces that surrounded her provided the Get of Fenris with little beyond targets: her bone-dagger puncturing deep into flesh and severing tendons as her spare hand clawed and scraped to rip thick strips of muscle from the bones of her prey. Where her pack-mates needed cover, Alex was there; her huge body stepping between an ally and foes that would take advantage of vulnerabilities but instead received nothing but visceral wounds from which their entrails poured forth across the ground.

Far from the vanguard of the Garou nation, Alex played her role in tethering together the efforts of her team-mates. More than once she'd hoist and hurl some sniveling wretch that would then find itself skewered upon the waiting claws of her pack-mates, and as her body knitted itself back together time and again from the myriad wounds it sustained, the grey beast kept her vigil and powered forward to be by the Great Bears side.

[Seanfall]

The packs onslaught caught the spirals by surprise, indeed in the first moments of their strike Alex and Gabriel tore a bloody swath through the embattled wolfs. Twisted blood and bodies stained the floor and blackened the noble Garou's fur. Istvan and the few who had followed him managed to strike down many of the banes but the Shadow Lord could not escape every blow, they would all earn scars today.

Alex and Gabriel's quick success turned sour soon enough as the cannier wolfs kept their distance. The two were forced back to...haunch. The Dancers growled and swore at them a circle of broken teeth, twisted bodies and blackened souls. Bears avatars and spiritual children tried to break through to them, but a wall of banes kept them at bay.

Far from here from this battle, in the wilderness of the north a barrel chested man with a long brown beard sped through the forest axe in one hand. A bear carved along it's haft, in the mountains of the rockies a young man carrying a rifle and a bearing an overstuffed backpack searched for a special cave fear in his heart.

Istvan was the only one able to reach Bear's side, the massive spirit lay on her side the thorn poking out of her powerful form. Shifting Istvan began to pull on it, the poisons of the wyrm burned flesh and bone as he tugged and tugged. Bear cried out in pain as it finally began to shift.

The Spirals turned to her cry and began to rush towards Istvan, creating a lull for Alex and Gabriel to renew their strike. The two were bleeding from grievous wounds, all in all it looked like they would die here. Istvan gave another mighty tug, and pulled the thorn clear from bears side. The blackened terrible thing seemed to hiss as it's bloody tip left the great spirit. The spirals charging Istvan rose to strike, and then they were gone. Replaced by bears giant paw and a loud sickening crunch as she slayed a half dozen.

All around the cave smaller entrances shone and from them, charging out in full warform, came the Gurhal. The spirals made to run and hide, but the entrance closed as Bear rose up on her hind legs and roared out shaking the cave and indeed the very souls of those present.


"You sought to fight a great spirit? Then let me show you what a great spirit can do!"

Bear roared again and those spirals too close were simply blasted apart, the pack themselves felt their spirits lift. Their wounds knitted shut the corruption of the wyrm blown from their fur and flesh. The banes simply faded as bear returned to her full might. Her children the Gurhal tore apart the remaining Dancers. Among them a giant of a man, and a skinny slip of a boy fighting back to back. When the battle had finally ended Bear called the pack to her side.


"Garou, I thank you for interceding on my behalf. The wyrms poisons weakened me and prevented my own from coming to my aide. I feared none of your kin would find me, and then the spirits spoke of a few young ones who had destiny weaved around them. Had it not been for your intervention it is likely I would have died or worse...been slowly corrupted by the dancers foul machinations. I know your kind does not trust those bound to me. But I would consider it an honor to be bound as your packs totem."

[McStabbington]

Gabriel's chest heaved, not with exertion, but with the thrill of finally, totally, letting all of his collected rage and anger free. He almost did not recognize that he could stop . . .

But he pulled himself free. The enemy was dead or retreating. They had, for the moment, won a battle. He waited for his wounds to heal, and then slowly, reluctantly, let himself slip back into human form. His blades and clothes returned with him, thank heavens. He picked at his clothes, making sure they sat just right, and then stopped as the massive bear boomed at him. He looked at Alex, an eyebrow cocked. That . . . that's a good thing, right? Having a spirit totem "bound"? he thought, but he did not want to appear stupid by asking.

[JonRG]

István returned to his human form with a sigh of relief. He looked down at his body, covered in scars and blood, both his and that of others. Fortunately, the giant bear served to distract his haggard mind. "I... what do you think, Alex?"

[BananaPhone]

(OOC: Okay...this didn't come up in my Subscriptions...this game is like...ghost-game or something. I've re-subscribed just to make sure)


Alex's broad shoulders heaved up and down as she stood and observed with barely-restrained satisfaction as the remaining spirals and banes were given their due. Madmen and violators all - they deserved the violent deaths they received.

Shrinking into her human form, Alex's figure was caked with gore; her angular, strong features splattered and painted with the residual humours of the Garou's enemies. To any amongst the mundane of humanity she would look like a mad butcher herself: a viking in the wake of a bloody pillaging, or a serial killer adorning herself with the fluids of her victims.

Turning, she beheld both the great bear and her pack-mates. Swallowing tightly, her blue eyes peered up at the towering form of the imposing spirit and saw in her a kindred spirit. Panting heavily, looking at Istvan and Gabriel, Alex pondered briefly the spirits words for though they bestowed great honour and ability, so did they require a responsibility of conduct. Would she be able to live up to that aspiration? Could her pack-mates?

Pushing aside any idea of doubt, Alex nodded to Istvan's words and Gabriels look. If she was going to commit to bear, she was glad to have the two with her. They had both proven to be reliable friends that had no fled when the Wyrm appeared overwhelming, nor had they sought to bully and lord over others like a particular Black Fury whose absence was a blessing.

Nodding, "All of us then?" she said, putting her hand forward for the other two to hold before the great bear.

"The wyrm requires healing as much as it does defeating; Bear embodies both. If she will have us..."

[McStabbington]

Gabriel sucked on one cheek before shrugging nonchalantly. "You know better than I would Alex, and you were willing to stick with me when I was talking with Switch. If you think it's a good idea, I'll back your play."

[JonRG]

István nodded. "Yeah, what he said."

[Seanfall]

((OOC: Taking that as a yes.))


"So you agree little ones?"

Bear tips her head down and closes her eyes the pack feels something...happening. That space in their souls that had been set aside for a Totem bond filled suddenly a warmth fills your chests as you feel Bear's power entwine with your soul. For a moment a ghostly image of Bear surrounds your bodies before fading.


"Your Tribes might not approve of this bond, but I thank you for embracing it nonetheless. My Children, however will look more favorably upon you. I beg you not to abuse that favor."

Bear looks up and the top of the 'cave' your in dissolves into the dark of the night sky, lit by thousands of stars. More than you'd ever see in the physical world, Bears body shimmers and she too becomes black as night but filled with stars shining brightly she leaps up into the sky and you feel yourselves pulled along with her. As she runs across the sky you can see around you the vastness of the Umbra opened up all around you The mad Cacophony of color sights and sounds threaten to overwhelm you before your trip comes to an abrupt end.

It is not long before you find yourselves back in the reflection of Central Park, Bear smaller than before by your side. Still glowing with power, she sniffs the air and scrunches her nose her eyes filled with sorrow at the scent of man choking the natural world.


"Your Elders I believe are anxious for your return, though we part ways part of my spirit will always travel with you. You are my pack and I your totem."

Bear stands on her hind legs and lets out a powerful roar that shakes the Umbra around you, for a moment the world lights up with her primal power. And far from being frightened it buoys your spirits.


"Fight well, Warriors of Gaia."

With that Bear fades into the night of the Umbra leaving only that filled feeling within your hearts and souls. You are now a pack forged in battle and bonded by a true Totem.

[BananaPhone]

Alex panted heavily as she looked around central park in the wake of Bears absence, as if she could find an explanation within the foliage around them. The moutains large shoulders heaved up and down, her eyes darted around the clearing until finally she came to settle her gaze on her team-mates.

"Shrinking" down into her human form, Alex looked up at the sky then back at Gabriel and Istvan.

"Did...we just get brought here by a flying bear?"

[JonRG]

István pulled his arms tight around himself. "Did all that really happen?" His tattered shirt indicated that yes, it had. He felt... distinctly all right, and that continued to scare him. István wanted this night to be over so he could head home and forget all about it.

[BananaPhone]

Alex watched Istvan's reaction and repressed the urge to clap him upon the shoulder to cheer him up. Instead, a grin crept across her features as she continued to look around their environment: the bushes, the tree's, the grass, the sky. Letting out an amused "Ha!" as she stood atop a rock and peered up at the stars, she turned to look back at her two companions that had now been joined in a covenant.

"A flying bear; mother bear. She has taken us beneath her mighty paw."

Caring not that Central Park sat within the centre of New York City, Alex shifted into the primordially terrifying visage of Hispo: the dire wolf. Almost the size of a small European car, she planted her two front paws stoutly upon the rock, drew her head back and howled (http://youtu.be/G2ex1Zm6A4M?t=52s) at the moon.

[McStabbington]

Gabriel allowed a moment of pure exultation. He had allowed himself to fully unleash himself, to not hold himself, and rather than exploding, he had defeated his foe. He had gained . . . comrades, friends, in the process? But by far the greatest thing for him, he had maintained his control. His father's fears had echoed within him for so long, despite his yearnings . . .

He shook his head and cleared the thought. He had won this time. But could still remember the first change, and how his father had been needed to protect him from himself. He had maintained control this time. But what did that say about next time? He watched as the amazingly large packmate transformed into a dire wolf form almost as large as his and howl. In his heart, however, he allowed himself only relief. This time, this time he did not lose control. He hoped that was a portent for the future, he thought to himself grimly.

[Seanfall]

As you howl you hear a return howl, then a second and finally a third. Around you the umbra shimmers, and three large wolves greet you. Two shifting into the Familiar forms of Hundo and Larissa. The third becomes smaller but otherwise takes no human form, Spotlight of course. Larissa lets out a loud laugh as she approaches your group.

"So you made it back did you...seems you lost a few along the way." She adds, her smile fading into a an all too well used visage of sorrow. Hundo nods sadly as well.

Spotlight coughs or hacks, his imitation of a human 'tch' no doubt. "That metis was too arrogant anyways. If anyone died fighting then they died well. We have no time to mourn the dead. These pups have succeeded. If that howl was any indication, Celebrate your victory. For they are becoming rare these days."

Hundo looked like he was about to speak up with Larissa cut him off. "For once Zoo, we agree." Larissa turns to your pack and with arms wide embraces all of you. Showing a rare moment of weakness, Garou who are this old have lost many along the way. But when she pulls back she falls right back into her crazy old lady self. "Now now, lets get back to the physical world, You lot. Get some rest, you're not pups anymore and there's a lot of wyrm to battle in this city." With that Larissa and Hundo step sideways back to the physical world.

Spotlight waits for you lot to go back first however, "Seems I underestimated you all, I owe someone a few rabbits."



Congratz! I mentioned in an earlier post your rewards. Before I turned off the rolling. rolling is turned back on after you step sideways.

Add another 3XP to your rewards for the RP I've seen.

You have bound Bear as your totem. :D and the prologue is over. The real game starts now.

[BananaPhone]

Alex

"Keep your rabbits," Alex said as she straightened herself up. "I don't want to starve to death trying to subsist on the scrawny things you could catch."

Her tone made it clear she was being playful.


oOo

"Yes, I'm sure I want to do this," Alex said to the Theurge, her arms folded across her chest.

"So, please, if you would be so kind, get a bee spirit in here so I can get me an education!"


oOo


Towering over the crowds around her, and receiving some side-ways glances, Alex moved through the throngs of humanity as she "did her rounds" in the Big Apple. Detective Lawson, Attorney Fink, the docks and the Harlem Refuge for Women and the Destitue.

The Get of Fenris liked to keep close tabs on their kinfolk.


ooc:
Alex is getting one of the Theurge's to summon a Bee spirit so that she can learn Spur Claws (page 171, Ahroun gift).

She's also going to learn Falling Touch, on page 170. It says "any aerial spirit", and bee's can fly, so year.

She's then "doing the rounds" so to speak and checking in with all of her immediate kinfolk; the Detective, the Lawyer, some workers at the docks (who're attached to Get of Fenris kinfolk families in the area), and the homeless/womens shelter.

[McStabbington]

Gabriel awkwardly accepted the hug and returned to the regular world, but said nothing. He looked out over Central Park (it's so . . . Thomas Kinkaid-y), his expression troubled. He looked at his watch, shot Istvan and Alex a nod, picked up his bookbag, and began heading back to the dorm.



Sorry guys, but Gabe's pretty tight-lipped, and I don't personally have much to add to the scene.

[JonRG]

István returned the hug, but was similarly lost for words. Once back in reality, he got in his rundown Ford sedan and drove over to Walks-With-Karma's place. István couldn't afford weed right now and figured his friend had some to spare.

I too don't have much to say. Guy's just had a rough night and all.