(IC) New Bedford by Night: WtF II

[Thundercracker]

Blaze got set up, twirled his drumsticks and warmed up.

Spoiler

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Presence + expression + spec: (8d10)[6][7][6][3][6][7][5][4](44)
10 again: (8d10)[5][10][8][6][6][6][1][7](49)
That’s zero.

[Daishain]

Bear sighs as he sees Iago's board in amongst the band's equipment. Michael had Juno's bass, but the keyboard was left behind and gathering dust. The loss of his packmates hurt, badly, and it seemed like there was never a moment to really honor their loss. They'd been far too busy.

He shakes his head. He couldn't be distracted, especially not now. Maybe he could channel the grief...

Spoiler: OOC

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Resolve+Presence+guitar specialty (7d10)[9][4][4][7][8][9][1](42)
ten again (7d10)[5][1][2][2][4][4][1](19)
Better than nothing.

[Bennosuke]

Solomon nodded his head, taking his place on the stage, and bringing his electric violin to his chin. The Irraka's eyes were heavily lidded, his countenance grey. Solomon had always been the quiet brooding type, but he seemed to be carrying the same weight on his shoulders as the others, his thoughts on Juno and Santiago and all of the hardship the Anchor Wolves had faced.

Forcing his eyes closed, Solomon drew back on his bow, wrenching from the instrument a long painful note that seemed to soar to the sky before wavering and fading into nothingness. After a moment's silence, Solomon dove hard into the song, playing out a steady melody in the basic chords of the song's progression.

Falling in line, Kara began to whisper along, her voice low and sibilant in the First Tongue. She was harmonizing with Solomon, following his background, but improvising and adding to the structure as the other band members fell in line.

Spoiler: OOC/Rolls

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Solomon: (6d10)[3][5][10][8][10][6](42) and 10 again (6d10)[3][8][10][9][10][6](46)
Kara: (9d10)[9][7][6][5][6][1][6][2][3](45) and 10 again (6d10)[3][8][7][9][9][9](45)


So far the pack has 8 successes out of 10. Just waiting for Michael's rolls now.

[Llyarden]

The bass felt awkward in Michael's hands, and not just because those hands were tipped with hard claws. He knew it wasn't his - could smell it wasn't his, could see the way the others watched him using it. There was a part of him that was surprised they'd let him play it at all, even if he had got the hang of working around his claws now. It would probably have been more sensible to just stay in...Hishu, that was it...but there was just something about this song that called to him, in a way that was so much deeper and more primal than the other songs. As awkward as it was from a practical standpoint, this just felt...right.

After a moment of just listening to the others, he joined in with a comparatively slow harmony to Solomon's melody, using a pick to pluck at the strings and carefully setting the fingers of his other hand on the bass's neck to avoid damaging it with his claws.

Spoiler: OOC

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I know nothing about playing bass, apologies!

Dex+Expression+Guitar Speciality: (6d10)[1][6][1][2][9][7](26) 1 success. :
Potential exploding 10s: (6d10)[10][1][9][4][4][1](29)

[Bennosuke]

The band's music is raw, starting out slow and mournful but speeding into something savage and angry. The Reveler, from its place hiding in Twilight, wails along as the music picks up; its unearthly voice adding and seeming to combine with Kara's. The music swells and swells until Kara is no longer singing, but simply howling, letting go until she shifts into Dalu, joining Michael. Her howls take on strange qualities; at one moment her voice embodies the hunter on the prowl, the next the violent ecstasy of the kill. And Solomon plays along with this, using the strokes of his violin to eek out the sounds of the prey as it flees, is murdered, and then eventually goes silent in death.

The music winds down after this, each instrument dropping off until only Michael's bass is left thumping out a slowly dying beat.

There is a long pause when the song ends, and then the wolf blooded audience (many of whom had been hiding in various nooks throughout the warehouse) explodes in applause and shouts of approval. The room is practically vibrating with the Essence of the pack's ritual, and the Uratha can practically taste the victory of the hunt like blood on their tongues.

E runs up on stage to throw her arms around Michael and practically stick her tongue down his throat.

(OOC: Will give everyone a chance to respond/react/or discuss... no pressure, just don't want to force things along if people want to react or RP this scene)

[Thundercracker]

Blaze

Blaze frowned. In hindsight, he probably shouldn’t have worked on the garden so hard, as his arms just weren’t working properly by the end of the session. Still, the ritual was a success and they had a hunt to take on.

[Daishain]

Bear is seething by the end of it. The session was rough, but it worked. They were finally going after the thing responsible for all this chaos and death. Finally he'd get a chance to tear out its throat.

He could hardly wait to get moving as the ritual concludes.

[Llyarden]

Even though he hadn't been doing anything more than playing, by the time the song was finished, Michael was left breathless from the surging Essence flowing through him. It was like the first time he'd Changed deliberately, like his first time meeting the Reveller and the pack, but so much more. He had enough self-control to set the bass down gently before wrapping his arms around E - still in Dalu - and returning her affections, but fundamentally while the attention of his mind and body might have been on the present, the attention of his soul was elsewhere.

Urum Da Takus. He'd have never remembered the First Tongue law normally, but now it was like it was etched into him by the lingering echoes of the song, and it took him a few moments of focus (not helped by E, unsurprisingly) before he could will his body to return to his normal human form. He could feel Izidakh behind him - not quite in the warehouse itself, perhaps because of the Reveller's lingering presence, but close enough - prowling impatiently.

He pulled away from E slightly as if to say something, but paused for a moment, and then just closed his mouth again. There was nothing to say, and in all likelihood the only vocalisation he could've made right now was a wordless growl anyway, human vocal cords or no. So instead, he just (reluctantly) let E go and joined the rest of the Uratha as they prepared themselves for the Hunt.

[Bennosuke]

The recording equipment indicated the song had only gone on for just short of twelve minutes, but the rite had seemed to go on forever, and by the time the Anchor Wolves stepped outside the sun had already set. Fitting for glorious battle, Mother Luna shown down bone white light from her full orb in the night's sky, her beams party dark heavy clouds that otherwise obscured the clouds. The wind was blowing hard off of the bay; filling the air with the smell of brine and fish, moaning, and chilling to the bone.

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

Solomon and Michael set out first, the pup following the Irraka. Their part in the hunt would be to find their prey and lure it out of the sewers. Solomon would try to lead the Plague Spirit towards the trap, while Michael would lead the Beshilu away from it. They had reviewed their respective paths several times that day, and Michael was certain he now knew every alleyway and every shortcut he could take to get the Beshilu to follow him to the Cannery.

The streets this close to the water were familiarly abandoned, as were many of the dilapidated houses and brick buildings that lined their path. The fishy ocean smell permeated the neighborhood, several blocks out from the water's edge. Most street lights had been knocked out, and few buildings had a light on to reveal Solomon and Michael as they made their way into town.

From across the Gauntlet, Michael could see Izidakh and its pack of dog spirits shadowing them from the Hisil. The feral mangy things were just as excited for the fight as the Anchor Wolves were. The Iurhir were already moving low to the ground, prowling in the Shadow Lands as they followed the Uratha towards the golf course.

Solomon had chosen a manhole by the golf course in Dartmouth as their point of access to the sewers. It was about midway between the pack's warehouse, and the killing floor the Anchor Wolves had built at the nursery. The Irraka did not speak as the two approached the alleyway with their chosen manhole. It was behind a rundown diner whose sign quizzically read "Pizzeria and Roast Beaf". Though Solomon was always the silent type, he was certainly more pensive and on edge. With the sudden crunching of bones and tearing and reknitting of flesh, he transitioned into Dalu, growing taller and more muscular as well as significantly more hirsute.

The plan was simple enough; Michael would follow Solomon through the sewer to where the Beshilu were and the two would lure them and He Who Obliterates Breathing back. Solomon had already tracked out a separate route, and Michael would use his Gift to control paths and locked doors to make sure the Beshilu followed him out, as he made his way back to The Cannery. Solomon had the undesirable task of taking on the lord Plague Spirit and leading it into The Anchor Wolves' trap.

"Follow me," Solomon said as he bent down to lift up the iron sewer cover and toss it aside as if it were a Frisbee. Without awaiting a reply, and completely ignoring the handholds, Solomon jumped into the darkness of the sewers, landing with a soft splash.

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

Bear, Kara and Blaze set off after Michael and Solomon had left, and took Pine's van out to the nursery. They were followed by The Reveler, King Sky Hunter and eventually joined by Immovable Hunter, all of whom had already transitioned into Twilight.

The circle had been laid out in back of the nursery in a small crop of trees. The circle that Bear had created was about twenty yards in diameter, with the sigil wards hung from various trees. It was clear that Kara was very agitated, she paced around the circle when the pack first arrived, watching the others unload the prepared liquid Bane. "So how are we gonna do this?" she asked, the question coming like the snapping of a tree branch, "What's the plan?" Her eyes darted from Bear to Blaze and back again.

[Thundercracker]

Blaze

“You guys hang out outside the wards and use the bane to weaken the thing, the spirits and us will be inside, hiding, and as soon as it’s inside, we’re all gonna jump it. That’s basically it. Don’t cross the wards,” Blaze said.

[Llyarden]

Michael just nodded quietly to Solomon - there was no way the Beshilu or their spirit ruler would hear them from here (or at least if they did then the duo had bigger things to worry about) but with adrenaline already running through him both from the rite and from sheer mundane nervousness, he didn't entirely trust himself not to draw attention.

It was for much the same abundance of caution that - following Solomon's lead and shifting into Dalu - he carefully pulled the manhole cover back before clambering down the ladder, settling it back over the manhole with one hand and clinging to the ladder with the other (somewhat awkwardly given the increased bulk of the Dalu form), and then clambering down the rest of the way, trying - and mostly failing - to be as quiet as Solomon was.

He thought about using his Gift immediately, but when he couldn't be entirely sure that the Plague spirit wouldn't somehow sense the spiritual incursion, he didn't want to give away their arrival too early - and besides, with the Siskur-Dah's power still flowing through him, he could sense the power of the Gauntlet. It would be obvious from its weakening when they were getting closer to the Beshilu lair. But he kept running through the motions in his head, as much hyping himself up for the inevitable chase as actually making sure the Gift was fixed in his memory.

[Bennosuke]

"Which one of us is closing the circle?" Kara asked sharply, "Maybe I should be in the circle and use my presence to help Solomon draw it in. Perhaps we can even use me to make sure it hits the fetish you set up." She looked around at the trees, then up at mother Luna, her eyes fixing on the bright bone white orb in the sky. The wind was picking up, and it whipped Kara's hair around her face suddenly. As if in response she shifted into Dalu.

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

Michael's shoes ring out on the ladder holds as he makes his way down into the depths of the sewers. The passageway is circular and brick lined, a brackish dark liquid trickling along the floor. At the bottom, the pup is surprised to see that Solomon has shifted again, taking the form of a lean and lithe wolf with charcoal black fur. A limp rodent is clutched in the Irraka's jaws, blood and bile spilling out to stain Solomon's chin. A second rat lies disemboweled at Solomon's feet. "Shift to Urhan, and follow me." Solomon orders sharply in First Tongue, his voice little more than a muted growl.

Assuming Michael follows Solomon's lead, he sets off down the tunnel, padding on near silent feet with nimble bounds. Michael's memories race back to the last raid on the Beshilu's sewer nest. Though still frighteningly unstable, the Gauntlet appeared to be healing in places. The stain of Essence and ichor on the tunnel walls was less significant now, and the tunnels were simply more empty. Lord knew how long it would take for the barrier to begin to truly heal down here, but it still seemed like the Uratha had left their mark when they came down and slayed The Red Priest.

Solomon stopped abruptly at a space where the tunnel was beginning to widen. The ground here was littered with rodent droppings and piles of shed fur. But again, the Gauntlet was not as thin as it had been. From the mouth of the tunnel, Michael can hear the incessant chittering and squeaks of the Beshilu colony up ahead. They were hard at work chewing through the barrier between worlds, creating the porous Gauntlet that was allowing Plague Spirits to flood into the world of flesh and cause the current citywide pandemic of Captain Drips.

In a near whisper Solomon growls, "Ready? Remember big howls to draw their attention. Keep moving to get them following you. We have to wait for He Who Obliterates to appear before we can flee. I will try to draw the Plague Lord away, and you will handle the Beshilu. You can do this."

(OOC: Feel free to react/respond however you want, but when you are ready, please give me a Presence + Athletics or Dexterity + Expression roll)

[Llyarden]

Michael concentrated, shifting down to the form of a grey wolf, watching out of the corner of his eye as his hoodie melded into his skin with his fur beginning to protrude through. It was still such an odd sight, though, of course, far better than the typical Hollywood alternative of wrecking his outfit each time he shifted - the others had mentioned that that was one of the side effects of growing too close to the human world, which in some ways was far more of a discouragement to him than any spiritual connotations.

It didn't feel like it took long to arrive at the Beshilu lair. Somehow he suspected it would feel much further going away from it with the Beshilu on his heels. At Solomon's question, he paused and focused, trying to put the stench of the Beshilu and the strange sixth sense of the Siskur-Dah out of the forefront of his mind, pushing a little Essence out and into the world around him, sending it racing down the paths he and Solomon would be taking. In a strange, miniscule way, the sewers were his territory now. It made him a little more confident.

He nodded to Solomon - he didn't know enough First Tongue to reply with 'let's hope so' - drew in a deep breath, and crouched to spring forwards on the more experienced Uratha's heels.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm assuming this would be when Michael needs to activate All Doors Locked (Ess 9 -> 8). Although...it's not actually entirely clear to me whether it's a one-time ability to lock/open things at the time the Facet is used and they just stay that way for the 1-scene duration of the Facet, or if I can keep changing stuff for the entire duration of the Facet. In the latter case I obviously don't want to do this yet.

In either case, Dex+Expression: (5d10)[5][4][5][8][5](27)
Potential exploding 10s: (5d10)[10][6][6][9][2](33)
1 success, and why are my unused 10-again rolls always better than my actual rolls?

[Daishain]

"Maybe Blaze ought to handle the final ward placement, he knows this stuff better than anyone else. And yeah, help us draw it in if you can." Bear starts pacing around the perimeter, checking the preparations again for perhaps the fifth time.

[Bennosuke]

Michael follows Solomon as he dives head first down the tunnel. The path quickly opens up into a massive anti-chamber that looks like it has been partly gnawed out of the sewer system itself. This is the same hall where the Anchor Wolves had found and killed the Red Priest, his alter still standing in the center of the room. But the sheer number of Beshilu that had been swarming in this place was now significantly less. There had previously been a veritable flood of rat-things that had completely covered the floor, creating a squirming layer of furry brown and grey and black bodies. It seemed as if their numbers had been nearly halved since the last attack, though there were still likely hundreds if not thousands of the Nihilith.

The two Uratha charged into the cavern, their howls echoing off the brick walls to thunderous proportions. With there actually being space to race across the walls, Michael followed Solomon as he cut a path through the masses of Beshilu; biting, cutting sharp turns, and pawing or hip bumping away offending rodents. The two Urhan tore across the room, before turning to race around the perimeter as more and more rats took notice and began the chase.

But the two could not leave yet, they had to wait for He Who Obliterates Breathing to appear. But there was no sign of the plague spirit, and so the two raced around and around the room. The occasional bite of a Nihilith was little to Michael. His coat was thick and any attack that was able to pierce his hide healed within moments; he was always able to shake off any Beshilu that tried to come along for the ride. But his legs began to ache, his lungs began to burn and still, it seemed like there was no sign of the plague spirit.

Then the booming wailing noise began. At first it was little more than a whisper pricking at the back of Michael's brain, but it grew louder and louder till it even drowned out the Uratha's calls. Finally, He Who Obliterates Breathing materialized with a terrible ripping noise as it tore across the tattered Gauntlet. Its presence sent an explosion of runny puss streaked ichor spraying across the chamber. The thing nearly filled half of the massive chamber; its corpus being composed of a collection of eviscerated organs wrapped around various deformed bones, forming a large quadriped monstrosity dripping blood and mucous. It reared its covered black beaked head back to give out a roar made up of the screams of a thousand dying children, so loud it brought tears to Michael's eyes and made it feel like his eardrums and skull might just explode.

But Michael knew what to do. Rather than engage the monstrosity, or wait to see what would happen, Michael spun around, and immediately headed back for the tunnel through which he and Solomon had entered.

Spoiler: OOC

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Okay, so here we go. We are going to initiate a chase scene now, base goal of successes five in this contested action. At first this will be a chase between (Michael + Solomon) vs. (Beshilu Swarm + HWOB), with each "character" rolling separately and goal successes being combined. If/when Micahel activates his gift (which can be done any round) this becomes two separate chase scenes of Michael vs. Beshilu and Solomon vs. HWOB. HWOB cannot give chase the first round as it finishes materializing.

So feel free to activate your gift, which if successful, will take effect in the following scene. Michael and Solomon start with two free successes, thanks to their successful rolls in the preparation. So the modified success goal is base 10 -1 for knowing the territory -1 for being faster than their opponents= goal of 8 successes (with two already obtained... so you could consider it 6 successes needed at this point). As this is going to start with an all out sprint, please roll for me Str/Dex + Athletics for yourself, I will roll for solomon, and the antagonists below (and don't forget the bonuses for being in Urhan)(enemy target number is 10 after modifier for initiative bonus but penalty for speed):

Solomon: (8d10)[5][6][4][8][6][7][10][9](55) and 10 again (8d10)[6][5][6][7][7][6][8][2](47)
Beshilu swarm: (7d10)[9][9][6][10][4][4][1](43)

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

Kara puts both hands up saying, "Sounds like a plan to me." From the other side of the Gauntlet, the Uratha can feel the nervous energy from their spirit companions. The wind was picking up now, stabbing with bone cold knives and it felt like it may start raining any moment.

[Llyarden]

And we're trying to kill this thing?

Ironically, the constant pursuit of the Beshilu probably helped - it forced Michael to keep his focus on the present. His racing around the lair was quick enough that the Beshilu were almost literally falling over each other to get at him, but once they were back in the tunnels he wouldn't have the luxury of mobility to evade them. All he could rely on was his wolf speed - and hope it was enough.

Spoiler: OOC

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All Doors Locked doesn't actually require a roll, but since it's an instant action I figure it would make more sense to use it once Michael can use the corners and junctions in the sewers to give himself a moment to focus, rather than when he's running as fast as his paws can carry him.

Dex (currently 5) + Athletics: (7d10)[1][2][10][7][3][9][6](38)
Potential exploding 10s: (7d10)[4][3][10][4][7][3][8](39)
2 successes.

[Bennosuke]

Spoiler: OOC: Resolving Rolls

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Okay then, well the dramatic drawn out chase has been finished in a single round Nice rolling!!!

I am going to charge the point of Essence for activating All Doors Locked and we will move things on! Thank you for the patience everyone!!!

Michael had followed Solomon out of the massive chamber, as the horde of Beshilu and the terrifying plague spirit began to give chase. The two raced down the tunnel, the pup finding he was somehow keeping up with his pack mate. Mercifully, the Beshilu seemed unable to close the distance, but as expected, He Who Obliterates Breathing was growing closer and closer.

Even though they had planned it, Michael could not help but be surprised when Solomon suddenly turned sideways and began skidding to a halt. The Irraka actually turned to stare down the impossibly powerful spirit, lips curled up in an unwavering snarl! As the plague spirit fell upon Solomon, he launched himself into the air on powerful hind legs, fore-paws swiping to gain purchase on the skull of He Who Obliterates Breathing, before tearing into the thing's un-flesh with snapping jaw.

The plague spirit roared in surprise and rage, but when a long viscera laden appendage came up to swipe Solomon off, the Uratha was miraculously gone, now standing in the frame of a dimly lit side passage of the sewer. He Who Obliterates Breathing howled in rage, and forgetting Michael, took off after the now fleeing senior Uratha.

As they had planned, Michael activated his Gift, calling on his connection to The Hisil and Mother Luna to cause the passage to fade into shadow, just as the horde of Beshilu appeared down the corridor. His job done, Michael turned and led the pursuing wave of rodents out of the sewers.

There was no fatigue and no fear as Michael raced back the way he came. Miraculously, the streets remained completely empty as the Urhan led the swarm of golden eyed rats through the streets of New Bedford, and back to The Cannery. The Beshilu were small, unable to keep pace with Michael, who found himself holding a comfortable distance between himself and the rodents.

When he arrived at the warehouse, the rats were already slowing down, clearly hesitant about getting too close to the water's edge.

And that was when Izidakh and its pack of dog spirits appeared, cutting off any escape route for the Beshilu.

Spoiler: OOC

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Okay, please roll initiative for Michael please

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

Somehow, it was only moments after Kara had finished her thought, and the pack had spread out to take their positions when Solomon and He Who Obliterates Breathing began approaching! The Uratha could feel the plague lord's terrible presence even before they heard Solomon's howls and the terrible shrieking noises coming from the materialized spirit. The cries seemed to shake the very earth, causing the winds to whip harder so that there was a low mournful whistling in the low branches.

On cue, the pack's spirit allies began to materialize. First Reveler came into existence, its long teardrop shaped body and probing tentacles filling in in substance and color. Next was King Sky Hunter, then Immovable Hunter.

Down the empty street that passed the nursery, the silhouette of a lithe black wolf racing for its life appeared. Solomon was moving so fast, his paws barely seeming to touch the ground as he came closer and closer.

Then came the plague spirit. The thing's massive skull like head was gaining on Solomon, its maw wide open as it shrieked and cackled. It left a trail of slimy blood and bodily fluids as it gave chase, long sinewy legs clopping on the pavement with massive goat's hooves. They were getting closer and closer. It was time to spring the trap.

Spoiler: OOC:

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Okay, everyone please roll Wits/Dex + Stealth. I will roll for Kara and the spirits. The pack must make a contested roll against He Who Obliterates Breathing's Resistance Trait. I will roll all of this in the OOC thread momentarily. Success means the pack gets a surprise round against Reveler

Please also roll initiative! and please be sure to be clear as to what form you are in and be aware of what benefits that provides and note for simplicity sake YOU CANNOT START IN GAURU assuming you are staying hidden as Gauru form basically requires you start attacking stuff immediately.

I'm also going to say you need to make a Resolve + Composure roll to use weaponized Bane in Gauru form.

[Daishain]

Bear almost barks his excitement at the site of the enemy before remembering himself and settling into the foliage, shifting down to the form of a true wolf to blend in better. He's quivering with anticipation as Obliterates moves ever closer.

Spoiler: OOC

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Bear can shift quickly, so starting off in hishan for best ambush chances and a nifty initiative bonus.

dex+stealth (5d10)[5][8][3][10][9](35)
ten again (5d10)[6][8][4][10][9](37)
initiative (1d10+13)[20]

[Bennosuke]

Solomon races into the circle, He Who Obliterates Breathing closing on him fast. The Uratha ducks under the branch with the poppet, placed cleverly at the entrance, and as the plague spirit follows, it bowls through the bow of the tree, snapping branches off with a number of loud snaps. The small primitive doll whip into contact with Obliterates, activating with a sudden gust of wind that blows everyone's hair/fur back.

(OOC: Poppet activated)

Solomon whips around to prepare himself for the fight as King Sky Hunter takes to the air. It's wings, festooned with harpoon heads and fishing hooks jangle noisily above the din as they beat over and over, gathering a massive gust of wind that strikes Obliterates with such force that it rips the grass out of the ground around the spirit and bowls over the adjacent tree.

(OOC: Numina does 4 lethal damage)

Immovable Hunter throws its head back and roars up into the night, it's cavernous maw opening wide to show massive sharp teeth, flinging flecks of saliva the size of a human hand in a shotgun spray. As the spirit roars, its claws and teeth seem to grow to near comical proportions, such that each sharp protrusion is the size of a two handed long sword.

(OOC: I've already rolled for Kara but will stop here, as it is Bear's turn next. Please note your Harmony in determining if you are going to shift form, as it may require spending Essence to shift without spending your entire turn.)

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

The dog spirits, led by Izidakh, descend on the hoard of Beshilu, barking and yipping and growling. The Beshilu turn. Some charge back at the dog spirits, the rare few begin to scatter. The dog spirits tear into the swarm, sending rat bodies into the air, chomping others in half and swinging their limp bodies back and forth to break spines.

(OOC: The Beshilu have a swarm form. The dog spirits have done damage to the swarm. It is Michael's turn)

[Llyarden]

Michael came in hot on the heels of Izidakh and its pack, body rippling with Essence as he shifted, returning to two legs and more than doubling in size, crashing down among the swarm as five hundred pounds of fur, muscle and claws, trying to make up for the numbers and skill of his spiritual allies with sheer strength and power, letting out a bark that was more of a roar almost without noticing he was doing it as he tried to scythe through the swarm with his vicious claws.

Spoiler: OOC

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1 Essence (8 -> 7) to reflexively transform into Gauru, and then all-out attacking with 1 WP (4 -> 3) (base pool Str 3+3 + 1 brawl - 6 swarm def + 2 AoA + 3 WP): (6d10)[6][4][4][2][4][10](30)
Potential exploding 10s: (6d10)[10][4][4][8][6][10](42)
2 successes; base damage 2L from Gauru claws

And potential extra dice for ignoring the Beshilu's Athletics/etc due to Primal Fear: (6d10)[4][8][2][4][5][9](32) Turns out there are three of these; using the first 3 dice that would be one extra success.

[Thundercracker]

As soon as the plague lord enters the circle and hits the poppet, Blaze places the final ward stone, completing the set and sealing the spirits in.

[Daishain]

Bear dashes forward from his hiding spot, hitting Obliterates from the side as hard as he can. Now that the king spirit was in the trap, he wanted the thing's attention on him rather than his brother Solomon or any others in the pack. With this in mind, he changes form, growing incredibly tall in the blink of an eye, and hitting the spirit with much more mass than he'd started with. He strikes out with suddenly massive claws, trying his best to render the thing's legs completely useless.

Spoiler: OOC

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Shifting straight into Guaru and activating Broaden in the process. Assuming HWOB doesn't dodge, he automatically takes 3 bludgeoning damage (the difference in sizes), and must make a dex+athletics roll or suffer the knocked down tilt. He'll probably easily pass the latter check, but it would be hilarious if that part does work. Harmony is 6, so no there's no essence cost to shift on the fly.

I can manage five rounds of this before I have to start making rolls.

Strength+Brawl+Claw specialty, including +3 to strength from guaru, also +2 lethal damage is applied if any of this gets through the defense.
(11d10)[6][8][4][8][4][3][4][9][2][1][7](56)
nine again (11d10)[1][2][9][7][3][3][2][9][6][10][5](57)
Defense is probably higher than a three, so probably two successes, 4 lethal damage.

[Bennosuke]

The shift into Gauru is both frightening and a complete release fo Michael. The young Pup had barely had opportunities to explore his "war form", and the transformation was more painful than anything else he had ever been through as every bone, muscle and organ in his body shred itself apart in order become a killing machine. Michael was flooded with red hot fury, his mind suddenly empty of all thoughts but the desire to dominate, to kill.

With a howl that he had not intended to release, Michael bounded into the swarm of Beshilu, his claws striking out on near pure instinct to tear apart squirming flesh. Even though he was unused to the size and speed of his new body, every one of Michael's attacks seemed to shred through a handful of rats. As he waded into the near foot deep mass of rodents, the mass became filled with a chorus of terrified shrieks. Many of the nearest Beshilu actually tried to turn and flee from Michael, but the Uratha offered no quarter, stabbing and swiping into the backs of the would be escapees. The most foolish rats tried to fight back, but in Gauru Michael was just too fast, his hide just to thick, and even when a single Beshilu managed to sink its yellowed teeth into the meat of his calf, the Uratha barely noticed.

(OOC: Michael does 5 Lethal damage, shredding through the swarm and this fight may not last much longer. Michael takes a single lethal damage, which he will of course heal before the next round)

Nearby, Izidakh the massive dog spirit whips its head up, opening its mouth filled with many rows of pointed teeth to howl loud into the night. The mournful noise seemed to split the very air itself and shake the ground. Powered by the spirit's very Essence the howl is so powerful that it literally stuns the entire mass of squirming fighting and fleeing rodents. The pack of Iurhir fall upon the frozen Beshilu, kicking up bodies and snapping others in twine with powerful long jaws.

(OOC: Izidakh's Numina works very well. The dog spirit pack does a further 2L damage due to an unimpressive roll.. and we are back to Michael's turn)

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

Bear was the first to strike, getting in close to flank the plague king before shifting up into Gauru. He had used his ability to transform to knock over foes many times. Though Obliterates does not get out of the way as Bear rapidly changes in size and shape, the growth into Gauru form seems to do little to bother the plague spirit, which still towers over Bear. Undaunted, the Rahu tears into He Who Obliterates Breathing with his claws, which tear out a chunk of meat so rotten that it comes apart like jelly. He Who Obliterates Breathing shrieks in pain, turning its head to face Bear.

(OOC: Bear shifts up to Gauru size 7, meaning he only does one bashing damage. It passes its Dexterity test. Obliterates has a base defense of 10, dropped to 9 as it's already been attacked that round. Bear does 3L damage, which is shifted to bashing because this is a spirit.)

The Reveler is the next to reach the plague spirit. Vine like tentacles shoot out from the totem, thorny tipped mouth's sticking into the thing's fleshy hide. Obliterates rears up and with one hooved limb swipes the tentacle appendages away.

(OOC: Reveler uses drain and gains miraculously steals two Essence from HWOB)

In Dalu form, Kara throws her head back and sends a War Howl up to Mother Luna. The wild howl is so powerful it seems to split the sky, and a torrential rain begins to pour down on the battle. The noise is powered by Kara's lunar gift, her body suddenly glowing a fiery white with sigils of power. The nearby Uratha can feel the moon's light shining brighter on them, pushing them to fight harder in defense of their territory.

(OOC: Kara activates War Howl and now all Uratha get an extra +1L on all claw or teeth attacks)

As the others distract the plague spirit, Blaze moves quickly to bring the last Sigil of Warding into it's proper place. Blaze moves from behind a tree with the bone-white stone, painted with First Tongue iconography, his powerful Dalu legs racing him to the spot, where he plants the stone into the ground. The circle completed, the stone suddenly alights with bright blue electricity that shoots out from one ward to the next, creating a circle around the combat from which the plague spirit will not be able to escape.

He Who Obliterates Breathing turns its head to Blaze when it realizes what has happened. It's hooded cowl focuses on the Uratha, its black void eyes filled with indignant rage. "How dare you try to trap me Half-Flesh!" the spirit shrieks, its voice seemingly a conglomerate of a thousand tortured souls. It whips a mucous covered appendage up into the air, swatting Sky Hunter out of the sky. The hawk spirit plummets fast to the earth, hitting the ground in an explosion of mud and dirt. The Plague Spirit's hoof comes down hard on King Sky Hunter, snapping immaterial bones and obliterating the spirit into cloud of discorperating Essence. The Plague King shrieks with laughter, as a second limb strikes out and through Immovable Hunter, turning the bear spirit similarly into dust.

(OOC: We are going to go back to the top of the order here, which will start with Solomon, but I've already done enough rolling so I'll let everyone else post their turns as well)

[Daishain]

Bear looks on dismayed and in a daze, unable to act as several allies are laid low in the blink of an eye. Eventually he shakes it off and resumes attacking. This must work, the pack had put everything they had into this, and a trap wouldn't work again...

Spoiler: OOC

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Activating crushing blow and killer instinct. These subtract 2 from the enemies defense (vs the next attack only unfortunately), and makes all of bear's attacks for the rest of the scene benefit from the 8 again rule.

str+brawl+claw specialty-7defense (4d10)[2][9][9][4](24)
8 again (4d10)[1][8][8][7](24)

nice, five damage

[Llyarden]

Michael roared - even he couldn't have said whether it was in triumph or anger - and turned, swatting the one Beshilu that had managed to get a solid grip on him off (the wound sealing over almost before the rat's teeth had left his calf), lashing out again with sweeps of his claws.

This was utterly terrifying.

Spoiler: OOC

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Turn 2/4 in Gauru, healing all damage (such as it was) from Gauru regeneration, and all-out attacking again, no WP this time though (3+3 Str + 1 Brawl + 2 AoA - 3 def): (6d10)[3][4][2][2][3][1](15) Base damage 2L again.
Potential exploding 10s: (6d10)[10][6][2][3][8][5](34)
Wow okay thanks dice. A total whiff, although once again my set of rolls for 10-again taunts me by being better.

[Thundercracker]

As soon as he had his wits about him again, Blaze leaned back and called upon the gifts bestowed to him, unleashing a keening howl that echoed through the Hisil, disturbing the spirit’s connection to its existence.

Spoiler

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spend 1 essence for primal howl.

[Bennosuke]

Solomon howls in anger, shifting suddenly from his lupine form into Gauru. "How dare you!" he snarls, his eyes picking up the unholy light of the plague spirit, "Come get me **** spirit. Come get me!" Powerful limbs send Solomon hurtling at the flank of Obliterates, black claws digging deep into the spirit's corpus of tightly bound muscle and viscera. Obliterates shrieks in pain and disdain at Solomon's attack, rearing back like a startled horse.

(OOC: Solomon does 5 bashing damage considering Kara's bonus)

Nearby, Bear's form glowed with bright runes of powerful renown as he called upon the essence in his body to push his form past it's potent limits. His claws rend into the spirit's viscous flesh. The Plague spirit shrieks again. Now whole chunks are missing from the spirit's corpus, and the mud of the combat rounds is soiled with half-coagulated blood, puss and mucus.

(OOC: As per the OOC thread, the defense was 9 not seven, so Bear gets one success +3L converted to bashing damage for a total of 4B. Bear's next attack will apply a -2 to HWOB's defense)

Even as He Who Obliterates Breathing rears around to face its Uratha attackers, the pack's totem sends its vines out again. The Reveler's tentacles connect, but this time the plague spirit looses a fierce howl, and the Reveler recoils as if in pain.

(OOC: The Reveler tries drain again, but fails and loses two essence.)

Kara shifts into Gauru, howling up to Mother Luna as her body shifts into the killing form. She follows her pack members in attacking the spirit's flank as it turns its attention towards the last offender. She jumps up into the air to take two hard swipes against the intestine wrapped belly of Obliterates. More bile and blood spray out, covering Kara's almond colored fur and splattering across the dirt and grass.

(OOC: Kara spends an Essence to shift and then attacks doing 5 further bashing damage)
(OOC: Blaze activates spirit howl and permanently drops HWOB's Defense by two. The book does not say how long this takes, but since it is only a howl, I'm going to assume it is reflexive. Blaze can still take an instant action to do something like attack if you want to. I've docked the Essence from Blaze's character box. )

[Thundercracker]

Blaze, still in his Dalu form, took a swipe with at the Plague spirit with hardened claws, attempting to open it up for others' more deadly attacks.

Spoiler

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brawl: (5d10)[4][1][7][2][4](18)
10 again: (5d10)[8][4][2][3][8](25)
no idea what defense is now (probably insanely high) but there is the full roll, +1 for Dalu, +1 for Kara's bonus.

[Bennosuke]

Spoiler: OOC@All

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My apologies for the delay everyone I'm back at it. Thank you for the patience.

Michael continues to barrel through the mass of fleeing Beshilu. He wings with his left and his right, but his claws find no purchase in the squirming darting forms, though a few wriggling tails slip through his fingers.

Despite his wounds quickly healing, Michael barely notices the pain in his right ankle from the bite of a nearby rat whose body is more open sores and lumps of tumors than fur and flesh. He kicks the thing away, growling in annoyance, and the rat soars through the air with a high pitched shriek.

(OOC: Michael takes one lethal damage, which will of course be healed over by his next turn)

The dog spirits continue to catch fleeing Beshilu, barking and yipping with excitement. What was supposed to be a fight has now become a game of chase and corner; the swarm of Beshilu has now thinned to fraction of its original size.

(OOC: A good roll will possibly end this combat)

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

Blaze's enlarged form glows with golden and blue sigils of renown as he races forward to attack the plague spirit. But Obliterates turns quickly it's massive beaked face bearing round to intercept Blaze, who is forced to halt his attack. The thing's entire corpus seems to be shaking now, both with the physical and ethereal assaults it has sustained.

(OOC: Blaze's howl and attack lowers HWOB's defense down to 4 before the Wolf Blooded get their turn.)

The Wolf Blooded have been hiding behind trees outside the circle as the combat has unfolded. Finally freed from their panic, they begin hurling beer bottles filled with weaponized bane. Two bottles smash hard on the side of He Who Obliterates Breathing, while a third falls at its feet. The glass bottles explode on contact, and the contents immediately sets a purple fire in the rotten tissue of the thing's imitation of a body. The abomination howls in pain, the shriek reaching a volume so loud that it drowns out all other sound and causes the surrounding trees to bend away from the spirit.

(OOC: E's hit does one aggrevated damage, and James does whopping three. Pine just barely misses. THis also means that they just knocked down 4 Essence from the spirit's pool as well)

But before He Who Obliterates can do anything, a snow white figure comes charging into the circle. The wolf smells of stagnant sea brine and kelp. The familiar Uratha's fur is matted and missing in places. In the patches where her coat has thinned out, barnacles grow out of angry red flesh. The werewolf's eyes are rheumy, fogged with both rage and something all together more alien. Juno unleashes an other-worldly howl as she rejoins her pack, before charging her foe.

(OOC: Irrelephant, please take it away)

[Llyarden]

The rats wriggling through his claws, leaving him finding purchase in nothing more than their dead brethren, only made Michael angrier, as though every second his prey's blood remained in its veins was a personal insult, and he kept slashing, furiously, trying to stomp the Beshilu as much as claw them, even lunging at them with his maw if his wild, chaotic blows brought any of the rats too close as they tried to escape.

He had to stop he had to stop he had to stop.

Spoiler: OOC

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Turn 3/4 in Gauru, continuing with the all-out attack; base damage still 2L: (6d10)[1][2][8][9][4][4](28) Another 2 successes.
Potential exploding 10s: (6d10)[2][6][8][10][4][9](39)