(IC) New Bedford by Night: WtF III

[Haval]

You have no idea what you're dealing with. Joanna has the urge to go after the truck. She's not spent enough time in Gauru to know what she could do there but tipping Turner's truck over sounded fun about now. Instead, once she's close enough she's going to break into a run to bowl Turner over. If the sight of a black wolf the size of a horse is not enough to make him turn and run she'll try and knock his legs out from under him. If she can get him on the ground she'll put most of her weight on his arm to keep him from using the gun. She'll not trying to hurt Turner but if she breaks him a little here she can live with that.

Spoiler: ooc

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So maybe Lunacy but he's crazy enough that he possibly doesn't care

Initiative if needed 5+2 Urshul +d10
[roll]7+1d10[/roll]
rolled 11 in the ooc

If needed
Defence 3 (goes up to 4 in Urshul)

Unarmed Combat to grapple
Str 2 + Brawl 1 + Urshul 2 - Turner's defence
(5d10)[2][8][3][8][10](31)
Any 10s
(5d10)[8][6][2][2][6](24)


If possible going to use Urshul to impose the Knock Down tilt but I may have to damage him first.

[GKnightBC]

"Could we provide some kind of agile prey for Hunter to stalk, once in a while? Or arrange for such prey to come into his territory? Maybe Reveler has some resource we could use for that kind of thing." ​Jeremy suggests.

[Thundercracker]

"Could we provide some kind of agile prey for Hunter to stalk, once in a while? Or arrange for such prey to come into his territory? Maybe Reveler has some resource we could use for that kind of thing." ​Jeremy suggests.

“Yeah, good idea,” Blaze said, “but we should go ask him, assuming this is what we’re gonna do.. let’s have a chat with Reveler first and see how that goes. Then maybe we can get a hunt going or talk to KSH, whatever.”

He nodded to Bear.

[Bennosuke]

With the pack finally o the same page, they decide to seek out Reveler. Though at times the spirit has been with the pack, close enough to listen in and cross the Gauntlet when invited, it appears that the Totem spirit is not immediately available. Without access to the Summoning rite (OOC: see pg 145 for Shadowcall), the pack are forced to cross the Gauntlet and seek their ally there.

Blaze and Bear lead the pack across the Gauntlet; Kara stays behind with the wolf-blooded to guard the pack's territory given everything that has transpired recently. Blaze indicates that the pack should start with the spirit winery, which is where they do find Reveler in the Vineyard. The spirit of wine and decadence is found stretching its tentacle vines deep into the soil between the towering rows of tree-like grape vines. Moan like sounds can be heard from the outskirts of the vineyard, which is what leads the pack to Reveler. As they approach, the spirit says, "Welcome Uratha, do you care for a drink? The grapes are sweet now, sweet and heady."

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

Joanna is on the man before he even has chance to register the attack.

Spoiler: OOC

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Joanna goes first and gets one success after his defense, which assuming she's using claws is 2L damage or 3L if teeth (also counts as a grapple if you want). Please specify. Once per scene in Urshul an Uratha can us Weaken Prey per pg 97 to apply a condition such as knocked down; I assume you want to do this?

[GKnightBC]

"Joyous Reveler, I'd be honoured to taste the fruit of your efforts, if you judge it ready." Jeremy says, wanting to put himself into the Packs great ally's good graces. After that, he let's Blaze take the lead in the discussions.

[Haval]

'I could go for a drink.' How strong could spirit wine be anyway?

*******

Spoiler: ooc

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Let's go with claws for 2L damage and to impose the Knocked down condition. Not trying to kill Turner on purpose.

[Daishain]

Bear nods gratefully at the offer, "You always make the best drinks reveler."

[Thundercracker]

"Joyous Reveler, I'd be honoured to taste the fruit of your efforts, if you judge it ready." Jeremy says, wanting to put himself into the Packs great ally's good graces. After that, he let's Blaze take the lead in the discussions.

“Yeah man,” Blaze said before he happily took a large sip.

After everyone had drank their fill, Blaze stood up to address their totem.

“We’ve been good to each other, man, I hope you’ve been happy with our arrangement, we’re super stoked that you’re our totem,” Blaze said.
“We’ve got a problem though, these Pure have moved in our territory. We tried to talk to them because we’re chill like that but no bueno. So, we’re gonna declare a hunt and drive ‘em out, starting with their totem, a badass anger spirit. We got it’s bane. First of all, we’re totally open to any pearls of wisdom you might have, and second, what do you think, down to join up and hunt it down together?”

[Bennosuke]

Something in the Reveler's strange elongated form tenses, and two of its vine-like tentacles pull it closer to the ground. There is a shuddering like an earthquake, and the leaves of the massive grapevine trees rustle with the momentum. The totem spirit opens its mouth and low moaning sound fills the rows of the vineyard. The fist sized grape fruits hanging from the vines, many the color of dark plumbs, begin to shiver and shrink as the ground quakes settle.

The soft dirt at the feet of the Uratha begins mound and push aside as thin sucker covered tentacles of The Reveler break their way through. Each tentacle reaches up to an Anchor Wolf, the most distal suction cup expanding to take the form of a small chalice which begins to fill with a luminous dark liquid. The air is perfumed with the scent of fruit flowers, cherries and hard alcohol.

Spoiler: OOC: TC

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“We’ve been good to each other, man, I hope you’ve been happy with our arrangement, we’re super stoked that you’re our totem,” Blaze said.
“We’ve got a problem though, these Pure have moved in our territory. We tried to talk to them because we’re chill like that but no bueno. So, we’re gonna declare a hunt and drive ‘em out, starting with their totem, a badass anger spirit. We got it’s bane. First of all, we’re totally open to any pearls of wisdom you might have, and second, what do you think, down to join up and hunt it down together?”

Let's safe this for after everyone drinks or doesn't.

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

Joanna's paw catches Brock in the back of the leg, just below the knee, her claws tearing out a clump of his calf. The man goes down with a scream. Landing hard on his back, Brock raises the gun and fires. No normal creature would be able to move fast enough to avoid a shotgun blast, but Joanna's powerful legs carry her out of harm's way.

(OOC: Brock Turner takes 2L damage and is prone)

[Haval]

The liquid smelled good enough that Joanna didn't really care where it came from. She'll lean closer to smell it better before she drinks.

*******

Once she's managed to avoid getting shot Joanna will turn around to capitalise on getting Turner on the ground. If possible she'll try to put the weight of one paw on the arm holding the gun and bat it away with the other.

Spoiler

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Trying to disarm him, which I think means I have to roll again (p.167)

Edit - Roll to grapple, contested roll in the ooc
Str 2 + Brawl 1 + Urshul 2 - Turner's defence
(5d10)[7][4][8][1][3](23)
Any 10s
(5d10)[10][8][2][8][8](36)

[Daishain]

Bear nods gratefully to Reveler before reaching out to bring the makeshift cup to his lips to drink with a grin. The spirit often had the best booze.

[Bennosuke]

The wine tastes deeply of fermented fruit mixed with the salty metallic tang of blood. The draught is potent, laced with Essence, but within only a few seconds of finishing the drink, you can feel your head begin to spin. Solids before you begin to blur and double, and noise takes on a vibrating and distant sort of echo. The Reveler appears almost instantly more powerful, more alluring. The vines seem to bend and bow around the spirit.

(OOC: Each Uratha gains one Essence, but also gains the Swooning (Reveler) condition. See pg 311 of Werewolf.
@TC: Now may be a good time to repost your prior IC post... though you may want to adjust/reconsider given current happenings.)

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

Joanna charges back in, planting a heavy paw on the scrambling man's chest so that he cannot immediately rise. With her free pay, she takes a powerful swipe at Turner's shotgun, claws snagging as she wrenches it from his grasp. It clatters between her legs, and fortunate does not discharge.

[Haval]

Joanna will drop to one knee as the drink hits her. She has a sudden urge to break out laughing but will only grin up at the Reveler. Any lingering doubt at the sheer oddness of the spirit's appearance is long gone from her mind. Can't argue with anyone who makes me feel like that. 'Thanks man, I needed that. I don't suppose you have any more for Kara?'

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

Joanna wonders how easy it would be to break the shotgun in half if she really had to. Now she'd got the gun off him she'll put the weight of both paws on Turner to stop him from wriggling away. If she can keep him there she'll regard him very closely so that her muzzle is virtually in Turners face. From here Joanna would like Turner to get a good look at her teeth and a set of jaws that might be capable of biting his whole head off. It would be so easy to bite down and finish this.

Spoiler: ooc

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So contested roll to keep the Grapple and hold him down
Str 2 + Brawl 1 + Urshul 2
(5d10)[7][1][2][5][8](23)
Any 10s
(5d10)[6][2][10][2][6](26)

Going to try Intimidate again under the circumstances. Will spend that point of Willpower and hopefully get one back for Monster
Presence 3 + Intimidate 0 + Wp 3
(6d10)[6][2][2][4][1][2](17)
Any 10s
(6d10)[10][10][3][7][7][8](45)

[GKnightBC]

Jeremy quaffs the offered potions, eagerly drinking down the potent spirit-sauce. When the effects hits him, he lets it's rush roil through his body and reels slightly. Empowered, he say "THIS is what the doctor ordered! What a rush!"

[Bennosuke]

"Kara is always welcome to join," The Reveler replies, his voice soft and comforting, "Now enjoy. You Uratha carry so many responsibilities. You deserve the opportunity to unwind... to make music... to celebrate. But you came to me for a reason, yes?"

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

Brock Turner looks up into the eyes of the terrible monster towering over him. His eyes go wide with terror, and he struggles to pull his face away from the growling menace that has him pinned hard to the ground.

(OOC: Save your WP and forget your roll. A Dire Wolf has disarmed him and pinned him and is baring his fangs. He's a mortal. He's ****ting himself at very best. Rolled for Lunacy but he passes, so Brock is not out of his mind with Lunacy, but he's absolutely terrified.)

[Haval]

Joanna will gaze disdainfully down at Brock. Beating him up was the first time she had really let loose like this on purpose and it felt good. The only problem with looking like this was that it wasn't as if she could threaten anyone properly. Don't kill anyone else or I'm coming back? Maybe it would work if she had terrified him enough, but whether he was being influenced by something on the other side or whether he was just a psycho it wasn't as if she could guarantee that. If she wasn't going to put him down now it meant she was obliged to let the police deal with it. Even the New Bedford police ought to be able to deal with a murder when there was this much evidence. All of this was going on in the middle of the day. What were the chances that after multiple gunshots there was no one watching from one of the other houses? With a last snarl Joanna is going to get off of Brock and go looking for somewhere without any bystanders where she can change back to human and be capable of phoning the police.

******

To the Reveler, 'Brand practice sounds pretty good about now, but I don't think this can wait. Do you ...fight? If you have to I mean.' Joanna is well disposed towards the Reveler that she doesn't want to see it getting hurt.

[Bennosuke]

The shock in the man's eyes is enough for Joanna. Sure she could tear his throat out, and the animal part of her certainly wanted to; but she had had enough. Joanna allows one last growl to grow loud as she pulls her lips back to expose her impossibly large maw filled with curved pointed teeth. Turner winces, but by the time he opens his eyes, Joanna is slinking fast across the street, moving out of view.

As she rushes away, Joanna is forced to lap her tongue at a mouth filled with hungry saliva. She (or maybe just this wolf body) ached to taste the man's blood, maybe even to eat his meat and chew his bones. But the more human part of Joanna's brain was racing with satisfaction.

Turning a corner, Joanna hears the roar of the shotgun, only slightly distant, followed by a slew of obscenities hurled by Brock. He was out of sight, but Joanna could hear him cursing the wolf/dog that had attacked him; a deranged babbling series of curses. By the time Joanna has slipped into the shadows of a cluster of trees between properties to begin shifting, she hears the distant grumble of a truck coming to life followed by the screeching of tires as it peels out; all before the sound of police sirens begin to approach from afar.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Joanna recovers her one WP and is now up to 2. Joanna has decided not to kill. Brock Turner has escaped, and who knows what he will do now.

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

A rippling roaring noise fills the row of vines, emanating from The Reveler as something between laughter and the sound of crashing waves. "I have fought before along side your pack little pup," the Totem spirit replies, the words forming in the air without the spirit moving its mouth, "But I allied myself with Anchor Wolves not because they are great warriors, but because of the music they make and the emotions that they inspire. All things are pressing, and you have neglected your responsibilities to me!" There is a low moaning sound, which also comes from somewhere outside the spirit, though was likely The Reveler's as well. "I grow weaker without your assistance; it is your actions that empower me Uratha. Though you don't need to perform for me now, I need you to play for the mortals, and soon, lest I grow weaker still and thus less capable of assisting you in your needs," The Reveler finishes, and perhaps it was the act of creating the spirit wine, or maybe The Totem was speaking the truth, for its corpus did appear withered and dusky.

Somehow, The Reveler's words rung with truth. The Anchor Wolves had sworn to assist the Reveler just as he had to them, and all he had asked was that they continue to play, to inspire revelry and joy... and yet the pack had not played a show since before they had finished the plague spirit Obliterates! Was it so much to ask? Didn't the Anchor Wolves also owe a responsibility to their band Cry Wolf?

Spoiler: OOC

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Part of taking on a Totem is taking their Ban and an Aspiration (see the OOC thread), of which most of the pack members have not indulged. The characters are also under the swooning condition, making The Reveler seem more amazing and making the characters wish to appease it; which will also result in resolution of the condition and a beat.

[Haval]

Joanna is going to lie down among the trees for a moment and get some air once she finishes shifting. She still remembered the aftermath of her first change and what it had felt like to wake up with the taste of flesh in her mouth. The trouble was it didn't entirely feel like a bad memory anymore. Was she going to find herself anticipating that feeling even when she wasn't wearing that form? The idea that Brock might be better off dead had occurred to her, and maybe she'd have to put him down herself, but as yet trying to get a second opinion might allow her to live with herself. If there was some spirit on the other side making Brock like this she'd have no trouble hunting it down.

For now she'll go back to Fin's house and wait for the police to show up. Technically this was still her job wasn't it? Better see if the local police could actually be useful to her.

*******

'Before my time.' Joanna mutters feeling oddly guilty. To the others, 'How long has it been anyway?'

[Thundercracker]

Blaze

“Reveler’s got a point y’all, we should be playing more shows… but this is important,” Blaze said, “maybe we can kill two birds with one stone. We gotta get a hunt going before taking on their totem, any way we can turn that into an impromptu performance?”

[Haval]

'I don't know. Can we do that ritual stuff in public?'

[Thundercracker]

'I don't know. Can we do that ritual stuff in public?'

“I mean, the way we do our rituals it’s just like an extended jam session, so… yeah I say let’s go for it man,” Blaze replied, “might be good publicity too, if we blow our fans’ minds.”

[Haval]

“I mean, the way we do our rituals it’s just like an extended jam session, so… yeah I say let’s go for it man,” Blaze replied, “might be good publicity too, if we blow our fans’ minds.”

'Heh, never done a secret show before. My old band never had that kind of profile. Should I call the Pour House or are we doing this outside somewhere?'

[Bennosuke]

For now she'll go back to Fin's house and wait for the police to show up. Technically this was still her job wasn't it? Better see if the local police could actually be useful to her.

(OOC: In which form is Joanna returning in?)

Joanna stalks pas the decimated body of Fin on her way to the house. She moves up the steps to find the front door open, the house empty. With the sirens approaching, Joanna maybe has a few minutes to explore the house should she choose.

(OOC: Time enough for a Wits + Investigation -3 roll if you wish to pursue it)

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

Though the Reveler's face does not move, somehow it is possible to perceive a satisfied grin in the wide whale face, the black eyes. An image appears momentarily, created by a gathering of the surrounding fog; a face. Mitchell Sanders, one of the Pack's Wolf Blooded, and the band's manager. "Speak to your man," The Reveler commands, his voice shaking the towering vines, "he shall help."

[Haval]

Joanna has turned back to her human form for the moment. She'll take the opportunity to have a look around Fin's house before the police arrive.

Spoiler: ooc

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Wits 3 + Investigation 2 - penalty 3
(2d10)[3][5](8)
Any 10s
(2d10)[3][7](10)

[Bennosuke]

Joanna quickly scavenges through the house. Her nose picks up the scent of rodent droppings first, though they are depressingly easy to discover scattered along the edges of the near barren kitchen floor. The house if sparsely furnished; a real middle aged bachelor's pad. The walls are scuffed, the furniture ancient and stained. But the cop sirens get too close for comfort too soon. Joanna barely has time to rifle through the bedroom, though she does have time to hurriedly grab a small key ring off of the bedside nightstand. As Joanna rushes down the stairs and out the back door (just as police cars pull up), she has time to study the ring with it's four keys. It looks like Fin's work ring, with the keys being for that Jeremy had ridden on, and the other three likely for the travel agency's storefront.

[Haval]

Joanna will hold onto the keys just in case one of them wasn't for the travel agency. Fin didn't seem like the type to have another place but Brock had to sleep somewhere if he wasn't coming back here.

As the police pull up Joanna will stand in the doorway and make sure her hands are visible. She didn't want any of them getting jumpy considering Fin's body was still lying there.

[Bennosuke]

Three cop cars come to a screeching halt at the curb in front of Fin's yard, sirens blazing. It's still bright out, but Joanna's lupine senses heighten the brightness of the flashing lights and the shrill volume of the sirens. A single officer explodes out of each car, three uniformed police, each drawing their pistols on Joanna who stands in the doorway with her arms raised. Despite this, the first officer out of the car, a heavy set man with a pock marked face and unruly grey stubble shouts, "Don't move, put your hands up!" His eyes go from the still carcass on the ground to Joanna, then back again.

[Haval]

This was the first time any police had pointed guns at her, but Joanna wasn't completely inexperienced at dealing with them. And just in case she was ever in this position, Dad had made sure she was prepared. 'Guys, my name is Joanna Sullivan. I'm a private investigator, and a witness. I saw the whole thing.' It wasn't that difficult to sound calm if she compared this to some of the things she'd been dealing with lately.

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Composure 3 + Persuasion 2 + Fame (Police) 1 + Striking Looks (Persuasion) 1
(7d10)[5][5][10][7][8][4][3](42)
Any 10s
(7d10)[5][2][5][8][3][10][3](36)

*****

Joanna will smile in delight as the image of Mitchell Sanders appears. 'That's a nice trick.' Helping the Reveler out was a good idea anyway, but the idea of playing live again seemed like a nice distraction at the moment. 'I'd hoped to get a little more practice in before I had to play in front of people again.'

[Daishain]

Bear grins, "It will be good to play again for real. Lets kill several birds with one stone here. We were talking about a benefit concert anyways, Kara, where were we on that? Work a siskur dah into the music, and make it damn loud for the people to hear. We'll rock this town into the ground and then go hunt us a flaming totem spirit."

[Bennosuke]

Though only one of the cops lowers their guns, the other two seem to soften a little. The expression on the lead officer with the pock marked face becomes that of bemused curiosity. No longer barking authoritatively, he replies coolly, "You got any proof you're a PI? You got your license, you can lower your hands to get it, but don't do nothing smart." His accent is thick with New England drawl, and "smart" comes out comes out sounding like it rhymes with ****. He keeps his gun trained on Joanna, but the ease with which he holds the weapon is far less threatening.

(OOC: Jo gets two successes. I'm good with assuming she has her PI license on her if you want.)

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

The Reveler makes a noise that is somewhere between a hearty chuckle and the lapping of waves on sand. As the sound is still fading in the vines, the spirit says, "Now that sounds like a raucous jubilee. I look forward to hearing your performance, and basking in the Essence it inspires."