The Great Hunt (Shelby's fight)
Jun. 27th, 2011 04:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shelbyrou[Falcon's Gambit takes the bridge to...]
As you run along the length of the sunbridge, you find you are separate from one another, and no amount of effort seems to bring you back into a group. Things become confusing: the bridge is warm beneath your feet at first, but begins to cool, until in a rush you are spilled out onto desert ground, absent some of your party.
You find yourselves in the Umbra, but it is not any Umbra you have seen before, in any of your wide travels: a riparian desert spreads before you, the otherwise barren landscape of volcanic rock, clay, cacti, and sand broken up by a river that appears to have its origins in a distant mountain range. Plants have sprung up along its length: low-growing manzanita and cottonwood crowd one another along the banks, with rockrose, reeds, and bushy grasses making up the rest. Luna sits full and brilliant overhead, making it easy to see up-river, where the foothills of the mountains flatten into the desert. Here the plant life grows heavier, but twisted and ugly somehow; even at this distance, you sense that your focus is here.
Other Garou:
On-Star
Bag-of-Snakes
Oath-Ring
Fallout
Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd's head twists from side to side as she inspects their surroundings, her bulk still trundling forward a few steps as they are tossed off the bridge and into the desert. She isn't especially pleased in her current location, her claw flexing as her head turns toward the twisted vegetation, one lip curling up as she studies it.
Bag-of-Snakes slowly rotates through three hundred and sixty, eyes, ears and nose all alert for danger between here and the horizon. She too does not look very much at her ease in this unfamiliar place.
Oath-Ring shifts upwards to the war-form as the journey becomes confusing, howling out a call that is answered by a dark shape swooping overhead. As their suroundings steady once more his head snaps to one side, seeking his Jarl, then the other as that dark shape flutters down to perch on his shoulder: a large raven with a worrying glint in its eye. He tips his head to sniff at the air, suspiciously.
Fallout, still in hispo, seems a bit disgruntled in their current locale. He's wearing the talen looped across one forearm, now. He eyes their much smaller group, ears twisting back, and looks toward the remaining theurge, perhaps for explanation.
The green striped crinos stretches up to his full nine foot height as he comes to a halt. His form starts to distort before he looks around. On-Star is a ways off and trots towards the others in war form, taking in their new surroundings.
Falcon's Gambit trots some short distance ahead of the others, toward the foothills, before stopping to look back. ~If this is the fire, Night's-Shadow....~ she begins, before her ears flatten in momentary dismay. Her eyes search over the assembled Garou before she returns, aiming to stop before the Get Ahroun. ~I've had dreams, Bag-of-Snakes-rhya. Dreams about this, I think. Maybe they're hints.~ She glances to Oath-Ring and quiets.
~The Enemy is here,~ Oath-Ring rumbles. ~I smell Jormangundr's taint. Perhaps from that undergrowth.~ He turns to regard the Fang, ears quirking forward. ~What did you see? What did you learn?~
Bag-of-Snakes also seizes on Falcon's Gambit's statement. ~Tell us all about them.~
The unfamiliar garou pipes up to say, ~A quick aside, I'm Blood-Sucker, Fostern Ragabash of the Glass Walkers. Out of The Hill Sept.~ On-Star also adds, ~I think I had one too. But it had a mountain in it.~
Fallout eyes the stranger, and huffs out a dry, ~Interesting name,~ and then looks towards Gambit, as well.
Oath-Ring flicks a glance towards Bag-of-Snakes to confirm that he is, as seems highly likely, already aware of the stranger and his credentials, then glances around. Even in Crinos it's possible to tell from his body-language that he has noticed the absense of many of their number, but for now he waits on the Fang Ragabash.
Falcon's Gambit inclines her head before turning to include the rest of the small group. ~I have dreamed,~ she says again. ~Many nights. In my dreams, I learned the study of life. But everything I knew - everything we all know - was wrong. Things were backward. They spoke of "ria" and "retaw" instead of air and water. Finally the teacher came to me. She told me 'this is as it is, but not as it should be'. Theurges have dreamed other things - I have spoken to both Night's-Shadow and Bright-Falcon's-Grace-rhya. Perhaps Oath-Ring-rhya should speak of the Theurges' dream, however, and then I can say what I think it means?~
Judge Dredd listens to the talk but it is with half-an-ear. As the others discuss, she guards, slowly turning in a circle to keep an eye on her surroundings.
~Hazard of the job,~ Blood-Sucker sighs as he walks slowly around the group with his eyes searching their surroundings. On-Star makes a small noise and looks at Oath-Ring curiously.
~Falcon's Grace and I both dreamed of two sisters. One in green-black and red-orange armour, a strong defender and creator. One in white and blue and black, a thoughtful and shy one, quick of body. They ruled over their followers- Garou, I think- in this desert- yes, this one.~ He looks around again, thoughtfully. ~Or its dream image. They followed helios and Luna. A traveller came, who knew of the spirits. He travelled with the shy one. They flew out over the river and I woke.
~I dreamed again, of a great chasm. The Bawn was behind me; something else was on the other side. There were bridges across, but there were limits to their strength even though they were not damaged. There was silver to the left, arranged like Luna's faces. There were stones to the right, all colours. There was... someone of the east, a woman, in black and grey leather, with tattoos of a snake, a lion and a goat- Chimera, I think. She said 'They cannot each support you all. You must be ready to divide your strengths... oh... swina bqllr.~ His ears go flat, his head down.
~Huh? Swinabqllr?~ On-Star sounds mildly confused.
On the tail of Oath-Ring's dream telling comes a loud rustling of something approaching, something big and with no mind to stealth. It smells of wolf and blood and exhaustion and mud, and it's barreling towards them.
~There were other bits,~ Oath-Ring continues, subdued but irritable at first, speaking faster and bracing himself for trouble as the large thing approaches. ~The sisters at a, a... place. A 'Robin Hood' sort of palace. There were people playing political games. The traveller might have been one of them. There were traitors and the two sisters were under attack from everyone. Only I woke up.~ He clenches his fists, opens them again, and turns to face the oncoming whatever-it-is.
Falcon's Gambit collects the others with her eyes. ~I think we already have. Night's-Shadow,~ she continues to Bag-of-Snakes, but loud enough for the others to hear, ~was told to wield the weapons our enemies have forsaken, to arm himself against those they choose, and seek allies among those they have turned against. I believe...." She doesn't get a chance to finish what she believes, but turns sharply toward the intruder, dropping into a three-point stance of readiness. Hastily, ~Fire and earth. I believe they are safe. Avoid air and water.~
Bag-of-Snakes spins around at the sign of danger, barely growling an acknowledgement to Falcon's Gambit.
Judge Dredd calls out a warning as something is heard to approach, turning in the appropriate directly. She turns her head to look to Viv, waiting on her instructions.
Blood-Sucker's distorted shape ducks down and he opens the tin and holds what looks like a tiny little dot between two fingers ready to throw. On-Star perks up and joins those looking towards the noise primed for possible conflict.
Fallout spins as well, the huge dire wolf bracing himself against the approaching creature, claws sunk into the earth and teeth bared.
Bag-of-Snakes suddenly comes to the belated realisation that Blood-Guard, the leader of the hunt, is nowhere in sight... and that several other garou who began the ritual are not to be found either. Her ears lie flat. ~From this thing?~ she hisses to Oath-Ring, gesturing ahead at the source of suspicious sounds and scents.
A hispo form stumbles out from a cluster of sage, pulling up several feet shost of the group. Her merled gray and gold fur is marred with injuries and dirt, and she seems elated as she surveys everyone, tail low and wagging.
Oath-Ring sneezes and shakes his head. ~The scent of the Enemy has not changed.~
Falcon's Gambit steps forward, every line of her utterly Silver Fang. ~Identify yourself, stranger.~
Judge Dredd gives Falcon's Gambit a rather unamused look, her expression sour.
Fallout seems unamused, but less so at Gambit than anything else. Despite the stranger's friendly posture, he still is clearly very dubious of her. At least the snarl fades.
At first, all the hispo can do is babble. ~He was right. It was a sunbridge,~ she huffs out. Her legs wobble, but she stays upright. ~I--I am Burning-Sky, of the watercat's Tribe. A theurge. Will you come? We need such help, it is so very bad now.~ She leans, as if to turn and go regardless the answer, though doesn't actually step away.
Oath-Ring does not drop his vigilance and readiness; nor does he focus soley on the stranger now visible, but instead turns to check about the group.
Bag-of-Snakes steps forward. ~Calm yourself,~ she bids sternly. ~Why do you need help? What threat is menacing you? We cannot help unless you explain yourself.~
~Pretty sure she's one of us,~ Judge Dredd drawls. She pauses before repeating, ~-Pretty- sure.~
~The Man Who Smiles. He came and...and turned Her. He has destroyed almost all of it, the Caern is almost dead.~ The hispo shudders at some memory. ~He commands spirits and cajoles Garou. One of our Caern Totems has turned against us.~ She forces herself to slow down, and now she does turn to go back along her hastily-blazed trail. ~You should hear it from Thundersnow. He is a Galliard. Please, come.~
Falcon's Gambit looks at Oath-Ring, then Bag-of-Snakes as if to say See?.
Bag-of-Snakes seems to come to a snap decision at the mention of a caern under threat. ~We will come!~ she responds, in a firm tone that will brook no denial, and she gestures to the other garou at the spot to follow as she looks to Burning-Sky to lead the way.
Oath-Ring drops into wingman position at his Jarl's flank, following her lead sturdily.
Falcon's Gambit takes up position to the side with no argument, roughly midway between the two Get and Burning-Sky.
Passing a suitable rock, the Get Godi pauses just long enough to draw both sets of fore-claws across it: once, twice.
The hispo didn't try to hide her path in any way, which at least makes it easier to pick along the increasingly wild plantlife. As the group travels, the spread of the overgrown area becomes more apparent. Healthy, normal plants become fewer, and strange, misshapen, and even uncommon ones abound. Pitcher plants, some almost the size of a lupus, lurk among the reeds, while bloated clumps of mosquito larva stir the water, and bullfrogs made grotesque by the Wyrm croak irritably. Soon, they are hearing the sounds of battle, interspersed at odd moments with a fierce, buzzing sound that makes the chest ache with its depth and bass.
Finally, the sounds of battle become clearer, and after rounding a clump of overzealous cottonwood a sad tableau presents itself: what once may have been a gorgeous, waterfall-fed pool and river outlet is now a pit of mold, algae, and soupy earth, fed by falls gone muddy brown. All of the plants bear signs of Corruption, from their size to their breed, and the wildlife is no better off. Stranger still is the fight before them. At the pool's edge is a huge tarantula hawk wasp, easily the size of three crinos Garou, with a single Garou by her side. It is the occasional beat of her wings that sends up the buzzing sounds. Her chitinous black body shimmers with green iridescence under the moonlight, and her wings are the color of fire, an orange-red so strong it turns the eye away; her stinger glitters with the promise of venom. The Garou is much less remarkable, being a normal, steel-gray furred crinos with a spear that's been thrust into a flailing leech-spirit. The wasp, for her part, pins down a tick-like creature with one leg, then rips it in half with a fierce jerk of her head. No other spirits appear on this side of the pool.
Across the pool, which is well over a hundred feet across, another crinos Garou, this one rust-red in color and painted with glyphs for Uktena and Theurge, has backed up against a pile of rocks near the falls. Several spirits mill around him; a swarm of botflies, a white, pulpy larva of some kind, and a mottled yellow cottonmouth among others. His eyes are on the surface of the pool, which ripples and contorts as something large moves just below the surface.
As they travel Falcon's Gambit's scent fades away. The Ragabash continues to look about rather than concentrate solely on their path (or guide). [She activates both Eyes of the Falcon and Scent of Running Water]
Thundersnow pages: Eyes shows her in finer detail all the wrongness. It's Wyld AND Wyrm, to her Ragabash eye, going utterly berzerk. Stuff she knows in the way she knew in the dream isn't from a desert, and desert plants and animals all gone wrong. Once they cross into the clearing, she sees the Uktena on the other side doesn't look scared of whatever is in the pool.
Thundersnow pages: And she can see a wrongness about the spirits with him; the snake looks sick, the botflies are bloated and much grosser than usual.
Fallout, not particularly one to know the umbra in any great detail beyond the average, looks a bit Disturbed. He eyes the spirits, and he can't help the low rumble that edges from his throat now and then.
Judge Dredd is horrified, a choking noise coming from her. She can be heard muttering, ~Leaving the city is bad!~ before she steels herself for the fight.
Bag-of-Snakes sharpens her claws on the same stone as Oath-Ring as she passes. When the enormous wasp heaves into sight, she can barely restrain herself from charging it; but instead she hisses to Burning-Sky. ~Is that your septmate with the spear?~
~It's backwards,~ Falcon's Gambit mutters, as if in reply to Judge Dredd, though she isn't looking at the Gnawer. Instead her lips peel back as she takes in the scene. ~Her wings are fire,~ she adds with a nod toward the gigantic wasp. ~Watch out for the water. And air.~
Oath-Ring cocks his head one way then the other, taking in as much as he can, trying to identify friend and foe both among the things new to him. He eyes the water a little longer than the other places, watching the swirling, a rumble starting deep in his throat.
Fallout says not a word; he just keeps looking displeased. He sends the gnawer philodox a wry look, and continues just looking around him, keeping an eye out.
~Yes, yes.~ Burning-Sky lopes ahead of the rest, stumbling up towards the wasp and crinos with no fear evident. As she reaches them, the crinos turns and looks at her, then the group. ~So it was, after all~ he says, eyes full of wonder. After laying a hand on Burning-Sky's head, he yanks his spear free of the leech (which has already begun to disperse into ephemera) and moves to greet the arrivals. The wasp's head turns towards the Garou for a moment, then back out over the rippling water. She seems less ambivalent than pre-occupied. Her wings flare, causing another burst of buzzing. ~I am Thundersnow, of the Children of Gaia. Galliard and Fostern.~ He looks among the Hunters. ~Are some, any of you, Theurges? Burning-Sky is exhausted, and the traitor can command spirits to his bidding. We are running out of options.~
~Two can play at that... tactic,~ Oath-Ring growls from his position beside Bag-of-Snakes. ~Where is the fight?~
Judge Dredd, usually quick with her opinion, just looks to the Get Ahroun and waits for her orders, her weight on her toes.
Bag-of-Snakes gestures to her fellow child of Fenris. ~Spirit-moon,~ she says curtly.
~Ragabash,~ Falcon's Gambit offers almost apologetically, keeping a wary eye on the pool and the entities gathered beyond it.
Thundersnow points with his spear across the pool at the Uktena, addressing both Bag-of-Snakes and Oath-Ring. ~We must contend with that one. He was our Warder, until he let the Smiling Man walk among us.~ As he speaks, the wasp flares her wings again, angry with just the mention of this person. ~The Man Turned one of our Totems and is draining the Caern to do all of this. He is in the Realm. We thought we could reclaim the Totem and cleanse her here, and then break him with the Totems restored. But She is deadly and powerful in the water, and the betrayer hasn't allowed us a chance to isolate her.~ The wasp buzzes, and the Galliard adds, ~We do not wish to kill her, if we can avoid it. This makes it harder. She,~ his eyes move to the wasp, ~could lift her from the water, but not with other spirits attacking her.~
Oath-Ring blinks, as though he'd expected his Auspice to be obvious without needing an explanation; his attention is still divided, with part of his focus on the pool.
~How long will it take to reclaim her?~ Oath-Ring asks.
Thundersnow looks to Burning-Sky, who has been resting. ~I'm not sure. I think...~ She surveys those gathered. ~I think we could manage it now, if we can stop the betrayer from sending spirits to harry our Sister.~
~I know the Cleansing Rite,~ the Godi offers, ~and I may be able to do something about some of the enemy's spirits, if-~ he looks to Bag-of-Snakes- ~that is to be our role.~
~You know the betrayer,~ points out Bag-of-Snakes, who is looking a little flustered. ~Does he have any weaknesses, anything we can exploit to take him down?~
Fallout eyes the wasp, and then the Uktena; he rumbles again, but otherwise doesn't contribute.
On-Star stands next to Blood-Sucker and they both remain just as quiet as they had been, though the Philodox seems far more troubled than the Ragabash who is looking around rather than at the spirit and Thundersnow.
Long distance to Thundersnow: Falcon's Gambit is going to cash in her +2 flash of intuition (in GM-info) to figure out the likely outcome of everyone just piling at the opposing Uktena (or if you want to be terribly generous, to try and figure out the best plan of action).
Thundersnow pages: That looks very favorable, in fact. He doesn't seem like he can fight.
Thundersnow considers. ~He is not a skilled warrior in his own right. If we can get one of you to him, that should be enough--but the spirits will ward him, so the rest will need to counter them.~ He eyes the water. ~Without getting into the water.~ The wasp buzzes, and Thundersnow nods, saying to Bag-of-Snakes, ~She says she can distract the other Totem, perhaps.~
~Time will be important,~ Oath-Ring adds in a quiet aside to Bag-of-Snakes. ~The wasp-Totem will be making herself a target for the other Totem. I can be useful at the start in facing the enemy spirits, but maybe I should pull back after the start and help their spirit-moon?~
Falcon's Gambit, who has been studying the scenario thoughtfully, leans in to Bag-of-Snakes. ~I know I am no Ahroun, but I think we could do well if we attacked the other Theurge. Designate someone to take him out, perhaps, while the rest of us take care of the spirits.~
~I've got some fire bombs that could be handy.~ Blood-Sucker mentions, glancing back into the group.
~Very well,~ Bag-of-Snakes concludes. ~Oath-Ring, as you suggest. The rest of us to the spirits... and the Silver Fang and I'll go for the fallen Warder...~ This last brings a nasty smile to the Jarl's features.
Judge Dredd looks toward her intended targets, flexing her hands as she nods agreement to Bag-of-Snakes.
~I will begin the ritual,~ Burning-Sky says. ~Form the ring and gather the pieces.~ She gets up, shifting to crinos; in this form she's a tall and leggy Garou. ~If you can aid me with that, when we have her, we should be able to move swiftly as the other rejoin and add their spirit-strength and will.~ Thundersnow offers his spear to her, which she accepts reluctantly. ~And I will draw the Totem out,~ he says, and starts to the water's edge. The betrayer Uktena across the water yells something in spirit speech, which Thundersnow ignores as he wades in, but the spirits around the betrayer all move forward. The wasp takes off, shadowing Thundersnow.
On-Star shrugs slightly as Blood-Sucker sucks his teeth and shakes the tin in his hand. The philodox stays with Burning-Sky while the ragabash prepares to follow those going after the betrayer.
Fallout moves to join the circle to help with the spirits, grumbling all the while.
Oath-Ring grins toothily and scores across one of the scars on his fore-leg with his claws, activating the blessings of the spirit bound there. Then he rises tall in the war-form, a Godi of Fenrir's warriors, scarred with war and ritual. He strides clear of the water, away from both the wasp and the Totem in the water, where the others can get clear strikes against anything approaching. He draws a breath. The authority of his Auspice rings in the howl of command and taunting scorn that he flings towards the whole mass of spirits siding against them: *Bite me!*
Judge Dredd takes off toward the spirits at the circle, giving Norman a rather alarmed look as she goes back. ~Theurges are crazy,~ she mutters before focusing on the gross larva.
Blood-Sucker moves quickly, but erratically towards the bot fly swarm with the little white dot held between two fingers.
Bag-of-Snakes claps her hands together. ~And let's GO!~ she snarls, and begins to charge toward the spirits -- her eye on the big squishy larva-like one as a target.
The large black raven-spirit that came with Oath-Ring moves inconspicuously through cover, angling around behind the lake and watching the scene unfold.
Many things happen at once as Oath-Ring performs his daring act. Thundersnow makes it to waist-depth in the pool, and a large shape erupts out of the water at him with lightning speed. It's easy to see why the wasp must be the one to handle this menace: the Corrupted Totem is a dragonfly nymph almost two thirds the wasp's size, her body colored a hideous combination of green-brown and yellow. She lunges, reaching for Thundersnow with her legs, and they scrape along his side as the wasp snatches up the nymph and hefts her skyward. The nymph shrieks in an ear-piercing sound and begins to flail, showering everyone with foul-smelling water as she tries to strike the wasp, who bears the nymph as if she were a precious jewel and not a crazed spirit.
The spirits had all begun to aim towards various approaching Garou--the snake to Oath-Ring, the larva towards Gambit, and the botflies for Bag-of-Snakes and Judge Dredd--but when Oath-Ring's call hits them, they turn as one and make for him. His trator counterpart snarls and countermands with his own orders, though it only effects the botflies, who swirl towards Judge Dredd and Bag-of-Snakes once more. The snake rockets towards Oath-Ring, and the larva lumbers along behind, both of them so focused on the Theurge they're paying no mind to Garou.
Falcon's Gambit snarls and takes off after Bag-of-Snakes like her emergency brake's been removed, though she remains just behind and to the Get's right, protecting her flank. As the botflies resist Oath-Ring's command she snarls again, swiping at the first to come within range.
Judge Dredd's target appears before her--the philodox launches herself at the fly before her. Her hands blur in a rush as she reaches out to swipe with both of them, concentrating as she does to attempt to hit the wings of the thing.
Blood-Sucker deftly tosses the little white packet as he races around the momentarily confused swarm. On-Star leaps forward at the snake, trying to intercept it.
Oath-Ring concentrates his will on the incoming spirits, reaching out with both claws in a one-two slash of blurred limbs toward the faster moving snake, growling out a challenge as he does. The dark raven shape above remains watching.
Bag-of-Snakes rakes at the larva as it squishes past her, but doesn't stop to engage it properly; her main target is the traitor garou, and it's him towards whom she continues her charge.
Fallout goes for the distasteful task of dispatching bug spirits, heading to help out with the larva and such. Yuck.
The flies are just as happy to attack Gambit as Bag-of-Snakes, and proceed to do so, biting and stinging furiously. Still, the Ragabash's claws cleave a few of them from the air, and Blood-Sucker's talen makes short work of the rest, its explosion causing them to scatter in a panic. Only a few return to bite and sting at the two Ragabashes, while the rest flee or disintegrate.
Judge Dredd takes out some of the botflies, but the rest continue their assault on her, painful and clouding judgment.
The larva squeals as Bag-of-Snakes and Fallout's claws cleave into it, but it rolls and latches on to one of Fallout's feet--the one on his bum leg, sadly--and bites down. It's a damned painful bite, and makes moving almost impossible, as the thing is far heavier than it looks.
The snake reaches Oath-Ring, but its lunge is interrupted by On-Star, who causes it to hit the ground just short of biting him. It turns on her instead, sinking in its fangs and beginning to poison her.
Gambit and Bag-of-Snakes' target stumbles back, seeing he now has no defense. He calls out in spirit speech again, but nothing comes to his aid, and he flashes his teeth in a terrified bid.
Overheard, the wasp tangles with the nymph. Thundersnow staggers back towards the opposite shore with his bleeding gashes, and Burning-Sky leaves off her work with the Cleansing ring to help him up.
Thundersnow pages: -1 agg from the flies, your eyes are a little starred from the nearby use of the talen, but they clear as you move.
Blood-Sucker's hand snags another tiny white package from the tin and it is deftly lobbed at the flies attacking the Bone Gnawer as he tries his best to ignore the ones still attacking him. On-Star snarls as the snake bites her and her movements seem less sure before she exerts her will and in a flurry of motion she rips and bites at the snake's head and body shortly below it.
Bag-of-Snakes doesn't seem to have any mercy for the Uktena. ~Traitor!~ she growls, and slashes at him again.
The Gnawer just sets her face grimly, concentrating on swiping through the flies the best she can. The Get, on the other hand, launches at the snake and blurs with rage once more as he attempts to help the Glass Walker kill it before it does worse to her.
Fallout's back leg buckles a little, but the pain enrages rather than weakens. He just voices a fierce snarl and lays into the gross thing.
Falcon's Gambit winces away from the sudden glare but continues to bat at what remains of the swarm, keeping them away from Bag-of-Snakes as best she can.
Another explosion and application of claws, and the botflies on Judge Dredd all flee or collapse into ephemera--though not before delivering another round of bites and stings.
The snake's jaws release On-Star, presumably to bite her again, but one of her hits catches its head. Norman's added attacks weaken it further, and what had been an attempt to coil around her ceases. It's not quite dead, though.
The larva's teeth remain locked on Fallout's foot, but its body yields easily to the onslaught of Rage. It begins to fall apart, but the pain in his leg remains, throbbing.
Gambit smashes the rest of the flies with her claws, leaving her to Bag-of-Snakes and the betrayer, who slashes out at the Get with with tooth and nail. He finds little purchase, though, and only does nominal damage; instead, he puts effort into replying, ~You don't understand! We're saving this place!~ Blood flecks his muzzle.
Thundersnow pages: -1 agg for a few last bites, and the first round are starting to ITCH like mad.
Still holding on to the tin the Walker Ragabash races over towards the larva and Fallout, one eye glancing up at the spirits locked in battle. On-Star lashes out at the snake's body with her hind feet, but her top half flops back against the ground and her hands push weakly against the snake's head.
Judge Dredd grits her teeth as she concentrates on her actions, trying to do her best to slice at the flies on her. ~STOP THROWING THOSE THINGS!~ she shouts in a fury as she does. Norman, for his part, falls on the snake with one last slashing blow of sharpened claws. Even as he does, he shouts, ~Whoever has one of the cleansing talens, On-Star needs it!~
Falcon's Gambit ducks away, as much from the explosions as the last of the flies' attacks. Her answering snarl is wordless, but in total agreement with the Gnawer. Seeing their path clear she swings wide around the opposing Theurge, swinging back in on all fours to harry the back of his legs and that oh-so-tempting target of the vulnerable tendon.
Bag-of-Snakes snarls with pain as her ribs are scored. But, perhaps surprisingly, she pauses in her flurry of attacking. ~Saving this place? By filling it with nasty insects and bugs?~ She's poised to deliver more savage attacks, but it seems she's prepared to allow the Uktena at least a few seconds to explain himself further.
Fallout finishes off the larva with a growl, and then moves to help with the theurge.
Thundersnow pages: Oh SNAP, you *didn't*. -2 agg, that guy is probably Frenzied. Your neck and head. D:
The snake dissolves into spirit-stuff, melting out from under On-Star and Oath-Ring's claws. They are, for now, unattacked.
The larva is gone, leaving Fallout and Blood-Sucker to their own devices.
Judge Dredd's botflies leave her be, with only painful bites and stings as memoirs.
The Theurge puts one hand over a gaping wound in his side. His eyes flick to Fallout, then back to Bag-of-Snakes, and as he speaks, he seems confused. ~The Man came to help us. It's, it's all the fighting against him that does this--if we just--~ his voice chokes into a roar as Gambit's claws find his legs, and he whirls to attack her, slashing at the back of her head. Rage is in his eyes now.
The nymph's throes have become less focused and more panicked. The wasp is struggling to hold her, but has begun to move her towards the Cleansing circle, which Burning-Sky has finished.
On-Star just kinda senselessly flops around painfully as she tries to get back to her feet. Blood-Sucker alters his course to follow the Wasp back towards the cleansing circle. The tin in his hand remains closed.
The Get Theurge immediately heads toward the circle, looking bound and determined to assist his fellow theurge with the cleansing. For her part, Camille follows the Get, at a slightly slower pace, her teeth gritting and her eyes blinking far too rapidly.
For the barest fraction of a second the Jarl hesitates. Then she makes her decision. Moving with preternatural swiftness, she reaches for the Uktena with one hand and Falcon's Gambit with the other, her aim being nothing less than to grab each by the neck and bang their heads together hard.
[OOC] Falcon's Gambit can see it now: "Well, /technically/ I killed the bad guy, but I had a concussion for weeks."
More defending now than attacking, Falcon's Gambit falls back from the frenzying Uktena. Blood streams from a multitude of wounds on her face, neck, and shoulders. She manages to get out, ~He lies!~ but nothing more. She isn't, of course, defending against Bag-of-Snakes.
Fallout pulls up short, grumbling and just preparing to watch, though his claws flex and his gaze cuts between the Jarl, the Fang, and the theurge.
The Frenzied Theurge is harder to grab than Gambit, but he's not strong enough to resist the Jarl, and she succedes in her attempt to use Gambit as an immovable object to the traitor's unstoppable force. He yelps at the impact, then goes limp under the Jarl's claws, fading into his homid form in the process. He was a lean-faced, bronze-skinned man oncem, but bruising and blood makes anything else difficult to distinguish. His ragged, dirty clothes were simple, handspun linen.
As the other Theurge goes down, Burning-Sky shouts, ~Die now and be judged by Uktena himself!~ her voice raw with emotion. It's a moment before she collects herself and greets Oath-Ring and Judge Dredd's approach with a sharp nod. Thundersnow has retreated to a rock and is nursing his injuries, which remain unhealed, but he calls out to Judge Dredd, ~I can heal, if you have a need.~
Thundersnow pages: -1 more agg for you, young lady, and you now feel as dizzy and concussed as Sol looks. (Total, -5 agg)
Oath-Ring is preparing himself to join in the cleansing ritual, looking up toward the spirit that hovers above in the grasp of the wasp. Judge Dredd, for her part, swings her head back the cusses, dashing back toward the collapsed On-Star and starting to drag her near the cleansing area.
Blood-Sucker's ear twitches at the offer of healing and detours over to On-Star as she gets dragged. For her part the Walker philodox still tries to get to her feet, but has minimal success. She is, at least, more clear headed as she mutters about three tailed giraffes.
Falcon's Gambit stumbles and reels back, clawed hand going automatically to her head. She doesn't, to her benefit, actually sit down (or collapse, if you want to be impolite) until she sees the Uktena revert to breed form, but when she does, she doesn't stand up again right away but gingerly feels at her injuries.
Fallout seems to be relatively unhurt beyond heavily limping, and he eyes the fallen theurge with disgust. However, he seems prepared to join the cleansing ritual.
Bag-of-Snakes looks down at the dead garou with a face contorted with rage... or with something. She whirls away from him, turning on her heel, and surveys the scene, then comes loping towards the commencing ritual.
Thundersnow hefts himself over to On-Star and sets a hand on her forehead. He murmurs a prayer, his voice deep and rich as he speaks, and the bite mark begins to lose its swelling.
Above, the nymph and wasp are both exhausted, but the wasp has outlasted. She begins to lower the nymph towards the circle, wings stirring the plants around them erratically. Piles of components have been grouped up, and Burning-Sky begins to gesture Garou to each cardinal direction: Gambit and Blood-Sucker to the East, Judge Dredd and Fallout to the South (with a glance at On-Star, maybe to encourage her only if she feels healed enough), Bag-of-Snakes to the North, and Thundersnow to the West. Then she offers an aspen branch to Oath-Ring, asking, ~Will you lead it with me, honored brother? Helios sent you to our aid--it is you who should have the honor of freeing her, if she will be freed.~
Thundersnow pages: No worse now, though possibly some nausea from the sudden sit-down. You lived! \o/ (Itchitchitch.)
The Get reaches out, taking the branch and inclining his head to the other theurge. ~I will do this with you, honored sister.~ Even as he prepares to move, Camille wanders over to the south to stand beside Fallout. Unsurprising, she gives her fellow urrah a rather dubious look. ~I need a cigarette,~ she mutters to him.
On-Star struggles upright and makes her way sluggishly to the South, probably sustained by will alone. Blood-Sucker shakes the tin in his hand, those with sharp ears can tell that it isn't empty, as he takes his place to the East.
~You and me both,~ Fallout grumbles to Camille as he takes his spot for the ritual.
You paged Thundersnow with 'OMG, will the pages never end! Is Shelby currently the worst off for injury?'.
Thundersnow pages: Looking over, yes indeed, she is. D: Thundersnow can heal her, though.
Falcon's Gambit staggers back to her feet, pausing at their fallen foe's body for a moment. She heads for the East as directed, rubbing at her wounds when scratching abruptly proves to be a Really Bad Idea. She manages a tight nod for the Walker Ragabash and rather blearily takes in the others' conditions before activating the talen Zosia handed her with a sigh. [Removing toxins stops the itching]
Now that the ritual is starting, the raven spirit swoops from watching to swooping in a tight circle above the Get and his actions, calling out to the ritualists below.
Blood-Sucker's face splits with a smile as he nods back to Gambit.
Bag-of-Snakes limps into her directed place to the north, her face still savage and looking as if she hasn't nearly finished wanting to bite people.
Burning-Sky moves to center of the circle as the wasp brings the nymph down. This ritual circle is huge, as required for the size of their target, so there's room for her and Oath-Ring to stand clear of the nymph's attacks, which have taken up a renewed violence with a note of desparation and madness. ~Sister, be restored to us,~ she says over the spirit's cries. Release the Smiling Man from yourself.~ She takes up a handful of sand from a small leather pouch and flings it on to the nymph. ~Let our mother the earth cleanse you.~ Now she gestures with a willow branch that is burned and scored. ~Let our sister the fire burn clean the Corruption.~ Finally, a dandelion head, which she blows on to send the seeds at the nymph. ~Walk once more with air as you did water.~ Then she steps aside and nods at Oath-Ring.
Reaching up with one claw, Norman opens up a long slice along this arm, causing blood to well up along it. Dipping the edges of the branch within, the Get flicks it toward the flailing spirit. ~Sister, find the strength to fight the darkness within you.~ He starts to move along the circle, dipping and flicking as he goes. ~Sister, be cleansed of the foulness trapped within you.~ Deliberate steps, deliberate flicks. ~Sister, return to the purity of our Mother.~ This goes on, the blood dripping down his arm unheeding and marking his trail behind him.
~Theurges are ten kinds of screwed up,~ Camille growls to Jack.
Blood-Sucker idly shakes his tin, tilting his head to listen to it, as he watches the proceedings.
Fallout watches, features impassive but with a definite hint of rage still about him. He grunts an agreement to Camille, and adds under his breath, ~Get theurges especially.~
The nymph twitches as the drops of blood strike her, but she can't avoid them, and they sizzle and burn on her body where they land. The cleansing builds as Burning-Sky and Oath-Ring continue, until a break-point hits, and the strength of the Garou and the elements all rush into the nymph. The wasp releases her and leaps back, almost clipping Fallout in the process. The nymph's skin begins to distort and grow dark brown, bulging out as she writhes. Her movements slow, and then stop, and now she is a gleaming pupae resting in the middle of the circle. Burning-Sky stares, uncertain, then starts back as the pupae rocks. It splits open, and a white and black and blue dragonfly staggers out, wet and weak but whole and clean. Burning-Sky bursts into tears.
And with that the Jarl's tension and furious look at last dissolve, and she slumps a little, now looking merely weary. ~Well... my word,~ she mutters in a low tone.
On-Star cheers with a sore fist pump into the air, ~Yeah!~ And then she staggers.
Even Fallout looks a little impressed.
Falcon's Gambit stands straight and attentive, no longer trying to claw her injuries. She lets out a breath when the rite ends successfully.
Judge Dredd's jaw drops and she at least admires the result. Oath-Ring, for his part, bows deeply, looking decidedly satisfied.
The Walker raggie grins at the dragonfly slightly, clearly pleased.
[OOC] Thundersnow: And now, my lovely players, I have kept you all far too long, and longer than I promised. If you go back to the point you arrived at, you will find the bridge waiting for you.
[OOC] Thundersnow: If you want to chill and do some wrap RP, please feel free: when you arrive back, Tim will be like 'you're allalive!' and promptly pass the hell out. It will be just before sunset. [Thundersnow heals Shelby for +2 agg]
Return to the caern to finish.
As you run along the length of the sunbridge, you find you are separate from one another, and no amount of effort seems to bring you back into a group. Things become confusing: the bridge is warm beneath your feet at first, but begins to cool, until in a rush you are spilled out onto desert ground, absent some of your party.
You find yourselves in the Umbra, but it is not any Umbra you have seen before, in any of your wide travels: a riparian desert spreads before you, the otherwise barren landscape of volcanic rock, clay, cacti, and sand broken up by a river that appears to have its origins in a distant mountain range. Plants have sprung up along its length: low-growing manzanita and cottonwood crowd one another along the banks, with rockrose, reeds, and bushy grasses making up the rest. Luna sits full and brilliant overhead, making it easy to see up-river, where the foothills of the mountains flatten into the desert. Here the plant life grows heavier, but twisted and ugly somehow; even at this distance, you sense that your focus is here.
Other Garou:
On-Star
Bag-of-Snakes
Oath-Ring
Fallout
Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd's head twists from side to side as she inspects their surroundings, her bulk still trundling forward a few steps as they are tossed off the bridge and into the desert. She isn't especially pleased in her current location, her claw flexing as her head turns toward the twisted vegetation, one lip curling up as she studies it.
Bag-of-Snakes slowly rotates through three hundred and sixty, eyes, ears and nose all alert for danger between here and the horizon. She too does not look very much at her ease in this unfamiliar place.
Oath-Ring shifts upwards to the war-form as the journey becomes confusing, howling out a call that is answered by a dark shape swooping overhead. As their suroundings steady once more his head snaps to one side, seeking his Jarl, then the other as that dark shape flutters down to perch on his shoulder: a large raven with a worrying glint in its eye. He tips his head to sniff at the air, suspiciously.
Fallout, still in hispo, seems a bit disgruntled in their current locale. He's wearing the talen looped across one forearm, now. He eyes their much smaller group, ears twisting back, and looks toward the remaining theurge, perhaps for explanation.
The green striped crinos stretches up to his full nine foot height as he comes to a halt. His form starts to distort before he looks around. On-Star is a ways off and trots towards the others in war form, taking in their new surroundings.
Falcon's Gambit trots some short distance ahead of the others, toward the foothills, before stopping to look back. ~If this is the fire, Night's-Shadow....~ she begins, before her ears flatten in momentary dismay. Her eyes search over the assembled Garou before she returns, aiming to stop before the Get Ahroun. ~I've had dreams, Bag-of-Snakes-rhya. Dreams about this, I think. Maybe they're hints.~ She glances to Oath-Ring and quiets.
~The Enemy is here,~ Oath-Ring rumbles. ~I smell Jormangundr's taint. Perhaps from that undergrowth.~ He turns to regard the Fang, ears quirking forward. ~What did you see? What did you learn?~
Bag-of-Snakes also seizes on Falcon's Gambit's statement. ~Tell us all about them.~
The unfamiliar garou pipes up to say, ~A quick aside, I'm Blood-Sucker, Fostern Ragabash of the Glass Walkers. Out of The Hill Sept.~ On-Star also adds, ~I think I had one too. But it had a mountain in it.~
Fallout eyes the stranger, and huffs out a dry, ~Interesting name,~ and then looks towards Gambit, as well.
Oath-Ring flicks a glance towards Bag-of-Snakes to confirm that he is, as seems highly likely, already aware of the stranger and his credentials, then glances around. Even in Crinos it's possible to tell from his body-language that he has noticed the absense of many of their number, but for now he waits on the Fang Ragabash.
Falcon's Gambit inclines her head before turning to include the rest of the small group. ~I have dreamed,~ she says again. ~Many nights. In my dreams, I learned the study of life. But everything I knew - everything we all know - was wrong. Things were backward. They spoke of "ria" and "retaw" instead of air and water. Finally the teacher came to me. She told me 'this is as it is, but not as it should be'. Theurges have dreamed other things - I have spoken to both Night's-Shadow and Bright-Falcon's-Grace-rhya. Perhaps Oath-Ring-rhya should speak of the Theurges' dream, however, and then I can say what I think it means?~
Judge Dredd listens to the talk but it is with half-an-ear. As the others discuss, she guards, slowly turning in a circle to keep an eye on her surroundings.
~Hazard of the job,~ Blood-Sucker sighs as he walks slowly around the group with his eyes searching their surroundings. On-Star makes a small noise and looks at Oath-Ring curiously.
~Falcon's Grace and I both dreamed of two sisters. One in green-black and red-orange armour, a strong defender and creator. One in white and blue and black, a thoughtful and shy one, quick of body. They ruled over their followers- Garou, I think- in this desert- yes, this one.~ He looks around again, thoughtfully. ~Or its dream image. They followed helios and Luna. A traveller came, who knew of the spirits. He travelled with the shy one. They flew out over the river and I woke.
~I dreamed again, of a great chasm. The Bawn was behind me; something else was on the other side. There were bridges across, but there were limits to their strength even though they were not damaged. There was silver to the left, arranged like Luna's faces. There were stones to the right, all colours. There was... someone of the east, a woman, in black and grey leather, with tattoos of a snake, a lion and a goat- Chimera, I think. She said 'They cannot each support you all. You must be ready to divide your strengths... oh... swina bqllr.~ His ears go flat, his head down.
~Huh? Swinabqllr?~ On-Star sounds mildly confused.
On the tail of Oath-Ring's dream telling comes a loud rustling of something approaching, something big and with no mind to stealth. It smells of wolf and blood and exhaustion and mud, and it's barreling towards them.
~There were other bits,~ Oath-Ring continues, subdued but irritable at first, speaking faster and bracing himself for trouble as the large thing approaches. ~The sisters at a, a... place. A 'Robin Hood' sort of palace. There were people playing political games. The traveller might have been one of them. There were traitors and the two sisters were under attack from everyone. Only I woke up.~ He clenches his fists, opens them again, and turns to face the oncoming whatever-it-is.
Falcon's Gambit collects the others with her eyes. ~I think we already have. Night's-Shadow,~ she continues to Bag-of-Snakes, but loud enough for the others to hear, ~was told to wield the weapons our enemies have forsaken, to arm himself against those they choose, and seek allies among those they have turned against. I believe...." She doesn't get a chance to finish what she believes, but turns sharply toward the intruder, dropping into a three-point stance of readiness. Hastily, ~Fire and earth. I believe they are safe. Avoid air and water.~
Bag-of-Snakes spins around at the sign of danger, barely growling an acknowledgement to Falcon's Gambit.
Judge Dredd calls out a warning as something is heard to approach, turning in the appropriate directly. She turns her head to look to Viv, waiting on her instructions.
Blood-Sucker's distorted shape ducks down and he opens the tin and holds what looks like a tiny little dot between two fingers ready to throw. On-Star perks up and joins those looking towards the noise primed for possible conflict.
Fallout spins as well, the huge dire wolf bracing himself against the approaching creature, claws sunk into the earth and teeth bared.
Bag-of-Snakes suddenly comes to the belated realisation that Blood-Guard, the leader of the hunt, is nowhere in sight... and that several other garou who began the ritual are not to be found either. Her ears lie flat. ~From this thing?~ she hisses to Oath-Ring, gesturing ahead at the source of suspicious sounds and scents.
A hispo form stumbles out from a cluster of sage, pulling up several feet shost of the group. Her merled gray and gold fur is marred with injuries and dirt, and she seems elated as she surveys everyone, tail low and wagging.
Oath-Ring sneezes and shakes his head. ~The scent of the Enemy has not changed.~
Falcon's Gambit steps forward, every line of her utterly Silver Fang. ~Identify yourself, stranger.~
Judge Dredd gives Falcon's Gambit a rather unamused look, her expression sour.
Fallout seems unamused, but less so at Gambit than anything else. Despite the stranger's friendly posture, he still is clearly very dubious of her. At least the snarl fades.
At first, all the hispo can do is babble. ~He was right. It was a sunbridge,~ she huffs out. Her legs wobble, but she stays upright. ~I--I am Burning-Sky, of the watercat's Tribe. A theurge. Will you come? We need such help, it is so very bad now.~ She leans, as if to turn and go regardless the answer, though doesn't actually step away.
Oath-Ring does not drop his vigilance and readiness; nor does he focus soley on the stranger now visible, but instead turns to check about the group.
Bag-of-Snakes steps forward. ~Calm yourself,~ she bids sternly. ~Why do you need help? What threat is menacing you? We cannot help unless you explain yourself.~
~Pretty sure she's one of us,~ Judge Dredd drawls. She pauses before repeating, ~-Pretty- sure.~
~The Man Who Smiles. He came and...and turned Her. He has destroyed almost all of it, the Caern is almost dead.~ The hispo shudders at some memory. ~He commands spirits and cajoles Garou. One of our Caern Totems has turned against us.~ She forces herself to slow down, and now she does turn to go back along her hastily-blazed trail. ~You should hear it from Thundersnow. He is a Galliard. Please, come.~
Falcon's Gambit looks at Oath-Ring, then Bag-of-Snakes as if to say See?.
Bag-of-Snakes seems to come to a snap decision at the mention of a caern under threat. ~We will come!~ she responds, in a firm tone that will brook no denial, and she gestures to the other garou at the spot to follow as she looks to Burning-Sky to lead the way.
Oath-Ring drops into wingman position at his Jarl's flank, following her lead sturdily.
Falcon's Gambit takes up position to the side with no argument, roughly midway between the two Get and Burning-Sky.
Passing a suitable rock, the Get Godi pauses just long enough to draw both sets of fore-claws across it: once, twice.
The hispo didn't try to hide her path in any way, which at least makes it easier to pick along the increasingly wild plantlife. As the group travels, the spread of the overgrown area becomes more apparent. Healthy, normal plants become fewer, and strange, misshapen, and even uncommon ones abound. Pitcher plants, some almost the size of a lupus, lurk among the reeds, while bloated clumps of mosquito larva stir the water, and bullfrogs made grotesque by the Wyrm croak irritably. Soon, they are hearing the sounds of battle, interspersed at odd moments with a fierce, buzzing sound that makes the chest ache with its depth and bass.
Finally, the sounds of battle become clearer, and after rounding a clump of overzealous cottonwood a sad tableau presents itself: what once may have been a gorgeous, waterfall-fed pool and river outlet is now a pit of mold, algae, and soupy earth, fed by falls gone muddy brown. All of the plants bear signs of Corruption, from their size to their breed, and the wildlife is no better off. Stranger still is the fight before them. At the pool's edge is a huge tarantula hawk wasp, easily the size of three crinos Garou, with a single Garou by her side. It is the occasional beat of her wings that sends up the buzzing sounds. Her chitinous black body shimmers with green iridescence under the moonlight, and her wings are the color of fire, an orange-red so strong it turns the eye away; her stinger glitters with the promise of venom. The Garou is much less remarkable, being a normal, steel-gray furred crinos with a spear that's been thrust into a flailing leech-spirit. The wasp, for her part, pins down a tick-like creature with one leg, then rips it in half with a fierce jerk of her head. No other spirits appear on this side of the pool.
Across the pool, which is well over a hundred feet across, another crinos Garou, this one rust-red in color and painted with glyphs for Uktena and Theurge, has backed up against a pile of rocks near the falls. Several spirits mill around him; a swarm of botflies, a white, pulpy larva of some kind, and a mottled yellow cottonmouth among others. His eyes are on the surface of the pool, which ripples and contorts as something large moves just below the surface.
As they travel Falcon's Gambit's scent fades away. The Ragabash continues to look about rather than concentrate solely on their path (or guide). [She activates both Eyes of the Falcon and Scent of Running Water]
Thundersnow pages: Eyes shows her in finer detail all the wrongness. It's Wyld AND Wyrm, to her Ragabash eye, going utterly berzerk. Stuff she knows in the way she knew in the dream isn't from a desert, and desert plants and animals all gone wrong. Once they cross into the clearing, she sees the Uktena on the other side doesn't look scared of whatever is in the pool.
Thundersnow pages: And she can see a wrongness about the spirits with him; the snake looks sick, the botflies are bloated and much grosser than usual.
Fallout, not particularly one to know the umbra in any great detail beyond the average, looks a bit Disturbed. He eyes the spirits, and he can't help the low rumble that edges from his throat now and then.
Judge Dredd is horrified, a choking noise coming from her. She can be heard muttering, ~Leaving the city is bad!~ before she steels herself for the fight.
Bag-of-Snakes sharpens her claws on the same stone as Oath-Ring as she passes. When the enormous wasp heaves into sight, she can barely restrain herself from charging it; but instead she hisses to Burning-Sky. ~Is that your septmate with the spear?~
~It's backwards,~ Falcon's Gambit mutters, as if in reply to Judge Dredd, though she isn't looking at the Gnawer. Instead her lips peel back as she takes in the scene. ~Her wings are fire,~ she adds with a nod toward the gigantic wasp. ~Watch out for the water. And air.~
Oath-Ring cocks his head one way then the other, taking in as much as he can, trying to identify friend and foe both among the things new to him. He eyes the water a little longer than the other places, watching the swirling, a rumble starting deep in his throat.
Fallout says not a word; he just keeps looking displeased. He sends the gnawer philodox a wry look, and continues just looking around him, keeping an eye out.
~Yes, yes.~ Burning-Sky lopes ahead of the rest, stumbling up towards the wasp and crinos with no fear evident. As she reaches them, the crinos turns and looks at her, then the group. ~So it was, after all~ he says, eyes full of wonder. After laying a hand on Burning-Sky's head, he yanks his spear free of the leech (which has already begun to disperse into ephemera) and moves to greet the arrivals. The wasp's head turns towards the Garou for a moment, then back out over the rippling water. She seems less ambivalent than pre-occupied. Her wings flare, causing another burst of buzzing. ~I am Thundersnow, of the Children of Gaia. Galliard and Fostern.~ He looks among the Hunters. ~Are some, any of you, Theurges? Burning-Sky is exhausted, and the traitor can command spirits to his bidding. We are running out of options.~
~Two can play at that... tactic,~ Oath-Ring growls from his position beside Bag-of-Snakes. ~Where is the fight?~
Judge Dredd, usually quick with her opinion, just looks to the Get Ahroun and waits for her orders, her weight on her toes.
Bag-of-Snakes gestures to her fellow child of Fenris. ~Spirit-moon,~ she says curtly.
~Ragabash,~ Falcon's Gambit offers almost apologetically, keeping a wary eye on the pool and the entities gathered beyond it.
Thundersnow points with his spear across the pool at the Uktena, addressing both Bag-of-Snakes and Oath-Ring. ~We must contend with that one. He was our Warder, until he let the Smiling Man walk among us.~ As he speaks, the wasp flares her wings again, angry with just the mention of this person. ~The Man Turned one of our Totems and is draining the Caern to do all of this. He is in the Realm. We thought we could reclaim the Totem and cleanse her here, and then break him with the Totems restored. But She is deadly and powerful in the water, and the betrayer hasn't allowed us a chance to isolate her.~ The wasp buzzes, and the Galliard adds, ~We do not wish to kill her, if we can avoid it. This makes it harder. She,~ his eyes move to the wasp, ~could lift her from the water, but not with other spirits attacking her.~
Oath-Ring blinks, as though he'd expected his Auspice to be obvious without needing an explanation; his attention is still divided, with part of his focus on the pool.
~How long will it take to reclaim her?~ Oath-Ring asks.
Thundersnow looks to Burning-Sky, who has been resting. ~I'm not sure. I think...~ She surveys those gathered. ~I think we could manage it now, if we can stop the betrayer from sending spirits to harry our Sister.~
~I know the Cleansing Rite,~ the Godi offers, ~and I may be able to do something about some of the enemy's spirits, if-~ he looks to Bag-of-Snakes- ~that is to be our role.~
~You know the betrayer,~ points out Bag-of-Snakes, who is looking a little flustered. ~Does he have any weaknesses, anything we can exploit to take him down?~
Fallout eyes the wasp, and then the Uktena; he rumbles again, but otherwise doesn't contribute.
On-Star stands next to Blood-Sucker and they both remain just as quiet as they had been, though the Philodox seems far more troubled than the Ragabash who is looking around rather than at the spirit and Thundersnow.
Long distance to Thundersnow: Falcon's Gambit is going to cash in her +2 flash of intuition (in GM-info) to figure out the likely outcome of everyone just piling at the opposing Uktena (or if you want to be terribly generous, to try and figure out the best plan of action).
Thundersnow pages: That looks very favorable, in fact. He doesn't seem like he can fight.
Thundersnow considers. ~He is not a skilled warrior in his own right. If we can get one of you to him, that should be enough--but the spirits will ward him, so the rest will need to counter them.~ He eyes the water. ~Without getting into the water.~ The wasp buzzes, and Thundersnow nods, saying to Bag-of-Snakes, ~She says she can distract the other Totem, perhaps.~
~Time will be important,~ Oath-Ring adds in a quiet aside to Bag-of-Snakes. ~The wasp-Totem will be making herself a target for the other Totem. I can be useful at the start in facing the enemy spirits, but maybe I should pull back after the start and help their spirit-moon?~
Falcon's Gambit, who has been studying the scenario thoughtfully, leans in to Bag-of-Snakes. ~I know I am no Ahroun, but I think we could do well if we attacked the other Theurge. Designate someone to take him out, perhaps, while the rest of us take care of the spirits.~
~I've got some fire bombs that could be handy.~ Blood-Sucker mentions, glancing back into the group.
~Very well,~ Bag-of-Snakes concludes. ~Oath-Ring, as you suggest. The rest of us to the spirits... and the Silver Fang and I'll go for the fallen Warder...~ This last brings a nasty smile to the Jarl's features.
Judge Dredd looks toward her intended targets, flexing her hands as she nods agreement to Bag-of-Snakes.
~I will begin the ritual,~ Burning-Sky says. ~Form the ring and gather the pieces.~ She gets up, shifting to crinos; in this form she's a tall and leggy Garou. ~If you can aid me with that, when we have her, we should be able to move swiftly as the other rejoin and add their spirit-strength and will.~ Thundersnow offers his spear to her, which she accepts reluctantly. ~And I will draw the Totem out,~ he says, and starts to the water's edge. The betrayer Uktena across the water yells something in spirit speech, which Thundersnow ignores as he wades in, but the spirits around the betrayer all move forward. The wasp takes off, shadowing Thundersnow.
On-Star shrugs slightly as Blood-Sucker sucks his teeth and shakes the tin in his hand. The philodox stays with Burning-Sky while the ragabash prepares to follow those going after the betrayer.
Fallout moves to join the circle to help with the spirits, grumbling all the while.
Oath-Ring grins toothily and scores across one of the scars on his fore-leg with his claws, activating the blessings of the spirit bound there. Then he rises tall in the war-form, a Godi of Fenrir's warriors, scarred with war and ritual. He strides clear of the water, away from both the wasp and the Totem in the water, where the others can get clear strikes against anything approaching. He draws a breath. The authority of his Auspice rings in the howl of command and taunting scorn that he flings towards the whole mass of spirits siding against them: *Bite me!*
Judge Dredd takes off toward the spirits at the circle, giving Norman a rather alarmed look as she goes back. ~Theurges are crazy,~ she mutters before focusing on the gross larva.
Blood-Sucker moves quickly, but erratically towards the bot fly swarm with the little white dot held between two fingers.
Bag-of-Snakes claps her hands together. ~And let's GO!~ she snarls, and begins to charge toward the spirits -- her eye on the big squishy larva-like one as a target.
The large black raven-spirit that came with Oath-Ring moves inconspicuously through cover, angling around behind the lake and watching the scene unfold.
Many things happen at once as Oath-Ring performs his daring act. Thundersnow makes it to waist-depth in the pool, and a large shape erupts out of the water at him with lightning speed. It's easy to see why the wasp must be the one to handle this menace: the Corrupted Totem is a dragonfly nymph almost two thirds the wasp's size, her body colored a hideous combination of green-brown and yellow. She lunges, reaching for Thundersnow with her legs, and they scrape along his side as the wasp snatches up the nymph and hefts her skyward. The nymph shrieks in an ear-piercing sound and begins to flail, showering everyone with foul-smelling water as she tries to strike the wasp, who bears the nymph as if she were a precious jewel and not a crazed spirit.
The spirits had all begun to aim towards various approaching Garou--the snake to Oath-Ring, the larva towards Gambit, and the botflies for Bag-of-Snakes and Judge Dredd--but when Oath-Ring's call hits them, they turn as one and make for him. His trator counterpart snarls and countermands with his own orders, though it only effects the botflies, who swirl towards Judge Dredd and Bag-of-Snakes once more. The snake rockets towards Oath-Ring, and the larva lumbers along behind, both of them so focused on the Theurge they're paying no mind to Garou.
Falcon's Gambit snarls and takes off after Bag-of-Snakes like her emergency brake's been removed, though she remains just behind and to the Get's right, protecting her flank. As the botflies resist Oath-Ring's command she snarls again, swiping at the first to come within range.
Judge Dredd's target appears before her--the philodox launches herself at the fly before her. Her hands blur in a rush as she reaches out to swipe with both of them, concentrating as she does to attempt to hit the wings of the thing.
Blood-Sucker deftly tosses the little white packet as he races around the momentarily confused swarm. On-Star leaps forward at the snake, trying to intercept it.
Oath-Ring concentrates his will on the incoming spirits, reaching out with both claws in a one-two slash of blurred limbs toward the faster moving snake, growling out a challenge as he does. The dark raven shape above remains watching.
Bag-of-Snakes rakes at the larva as it squishes past her, but doesn't stop to engage it properly; her main target is the traitor garou, and it's him towards whom she continues her charge.
Fallout goes for the distasteful task of dispatching bug spirits, heading to help out with the larva and such. Yuck.
The flies are just as happy to attack Gambit as Bag-of-Snakes, and proceed to do so, biting and stinging furiously. Still, the Ragabash's claws cleave a few of them from the air, and Blood-Sucker's talen makes short work of the rest, its explosion causing them to scatter in a panic. Only a few return to bite and sting at the two Ragabashes, while the rest flee or disintegrate.
Judge Dredd takes out some of the botflies, but the rest continue their assault on her, painful and clouding judgment.
The larva squeals as Bag-of-Snakes and Fallout's claws cleave into it, but it rolls and latches on to one of Fallout's feet--the one on his bum leg, sadly--and bites down. It's a damned painful bite, and makes moving almost impossible, as the thing is far heavier than it looks.
The snake reaches Oath-Ring, but its lunge is interrupted by On-Star, who causes it to hit the ground just short of biting him. It turns on her instead, sinking in its fangs and beginning to poison her.
Gambit and Bag-of-Snakes' target stumbles back, seeing he now has no defense. He calls out in spirit speech again, but nothing comes to his aid, and he flashes his teeth in a terrified bid.
Overheard, the wasp tangles with the nymph. Thundersnow staggers back towards the opposite shore with his bleeding gashes, and Burning-Sky leaves off her work with the Cleansing ring to help him up.
Thundersnow pages: -1 agg from the flies, your eyes are a little starred from the nearby use of the talen, but they clear as you move.
Blood-Sucker's hand snags another tiny white package from the tin and it is deftly lobbed at the flies attacking the Bone Gnawer as he tries his best to ignore the ones still attacking him. On-Star snarls as the snake bites her and her movements seem less sure before she exerts her will and in a flurry of motion she rips and bites at the snake's head and body shortly below it.
Bag-of-Snakes doesn't seem to have any mercy for the Uktena. ~Traitor!~ she growls, and slashes at him again.
The Gnawer just sets her face grimly, concentrating on swiping through the flies the best she can. The Get, on the other hand, launches at the snake and blurs with rage once more as he attempts to help the Glass Walker kill it before it does worse to her.
Fallout's back leg buckles a little, but the pain enrages rather than weakens. He just voices a fierce snarl and lays into the gross thing.
Falcon's Gambit winces away from the sudden glare but continues to bat at what remains of the swarm, keeping them away from Bag-of-Snakes as best she can.
Another explosion and application of claws, and the botflies on Judge Dredd all flee or collapse into ephemera--though not before delivering another round of bites and stings.
The snake's jaws release On-Star, presumably to bite her again, but one of her hits catches its head. Norman's added attacks weaken it further, and what had been an attempt to coil around her ceases. It's not quite dead, though.
The larva's teeth remain locked on Fallout's foot, but its body yields easily to the onslaught of Rage. It begins to fall apart, but the pain in his leg remains, throbbing.
Gambit smashes the rest of the flies with her claws, leaving her to Bag-of-Snakes and the betrayer, who slashes out at the Get with with tooth and nail. He finds little purchase, though, and only does nominal damage; instead, he puts effort into replying, ~You don't understand! We're saving this place!~ Blood flecks his muzzle.
Thundersnow pages: -1 agg for a few last bites, and the first round are starting to ITCH like mad.
Still holding on to the tin the Walker Ragabash races over towards the larva and Fallout, one eye glancing up at the spirits locked in battle. On-Star lashes out at the snake's body with her hind feet, but her top half flops back against the ground and her hands push weakly against the snake's head.
Judge Dredd grits her teeth as she concentrates on her actions, trying to do her best to slice at the flies on her. ~STOP THROWING THOSE THINGS!~ she shouts in a fury as she does. Norman, for his part, falls on the snake with one last slashing blow of sharpened claws. Even as he does, he shouts, ~Whoever has one of the cleansing talens, On-Star needs it!~
Falcon's Gambit ducks away, as much from the explosions as the last of the flies' attacks. Her answering snarl is wordless, but in total agreement with the Gnawer. Seeing their path clear she swings wide around the opposing Theurge, swinging back in on all fours to harry the back of his legs and that oh-so-tempting target of the vulnerable tendon.
Bag-of-Snakes snarls with pain as her ribs are scored. But, perhaps surprisingly, she pauses in her flurry of attacking. ~Saving this place? By filling it with nasty insects and bugs?~ She's poised to deliver more savage attacks, but it seems she's prepared to allow the Uktena at least a few seconds to explain himself further.
Fallout finishes off the larva with a growl, and then moves to help with the theurge.
Thundersnow pages: Oh SNAP, you *didn't*. -2 agg, that guy is probably Frenzied. Your neck and head. D:
The snake dissolves into spirit-stuff, melting out from under On-Star and Oath-Ring's claws. They are, for now, unattacked.
The larva is gone, leaving Fallout and Blood-Sucker to their own devices.
Judge Dredd's botflies leave her be, with only painful bites and stings as memoirs.
The Theurge puts one hand over a gaping wound in his side. His eyes flick to Fallout, then back to Bag-of-Snakes, and as he speaks, he seems confused. ~The Man came to help us. It's, it's all the fighting against him that does this--if we just--~ his voice chokes into a roar as Gambit's claws find his legs, and he whirls to attack her, slashing at the back of her head. Rage is in his eyes now.
The nymph's throes have become less focused and more panicked. The wasp is struggling to hold her, but has begun to move her towards the Cleansing circle, which Burning-Sky has finished.
On-Star just kinda senselessly flops around painfully as she tries to get back to her feet. Blood-Sucker alters his course to follow the Wasp back towards the cleansing circle. The tin in his hand remains closed.
The Get Theurge immediately heads toward the circle, looking bound and determined to assist his fellow theurge with the cleansing. For her part, Camille follows the Get, at a slightly slower pace, her teeth gritting and her eyes blinking far too rapidly.
For the barest fraction of a second the Jarl hesitates. Then she makes her decision. Moving with preternatural swiftness, she reaches for the Uktena with one hand and Falcon's Gambit with the other, her aim being nothing less than to grab each by the neck and bang their heads together hard.
[OOC] Falcon's Gambit can see it now: "Well, /technically/ I killed the bad guy, but I had a concussion for weeks."
More defending now than attacking, Falcon's Gambit falls back from the frenzying Uktena. Blood streams from a multitude of wounds on her face, neck, and shoulders. She manages to get out, ~He lies!~ but nothing more. She isn't, of course, defending against Bag-of-Snakes.
Fallout pulls up short, grumbling and just preparing to watch, though his claws flex and his gaze cuts between the Jarl, the Fang, and the theurge.
The Frenzied Theurge is harder to grab than Gambit, but he's not strong enough to resist the Jarl, and she succedes in her attempt to use Gambit as an immovable object to the traitor's unstoppable force. He yelps at the impact, then goes limp under the Jarl's claws, fading into his homid form in the process. He was a lean-faced, bronze-skinned man oncem, but bruising and blood makes anything else difficult to distinguish. His ragged, dirty clothes were simple, handspun linen.
As the other Theurge goes down, Burning-Sky shouts, ~Die now and be judged by Uktena himself!~ her voice raw with emotion. It's a moment before she collects herself and greets Oath-Ring and Judge Dredd's approach with a sharp nod. Thundersnow has retreated to a rock and is nursing his injuries, which remain unhealed, but he calls out to Judge Dredd, ~I can heal, if you have a need.~
Thundersnow pages: -1 more agg for you, young lady, and you now feel as dizzy and concussed as Sol looks. (Total, -5 agg)
Oath-Ring is preparing himself to join in the cleansing ritual, looking up toward the spirit that hovers above in the grasp of the wasp. Judge Dredd, for her part, swings her head back the cusses, dashing back toward the collapsed On-Star and starting to drag her near the cleansing area.
Blood-Sucker's ear twitches at the offer of healing and detours over to On-Star as she gets dragged. For her part the Walker philodox still tries to get to her feet, but has minimal success. She is, at least, more clear headed as she mutters about three tailed giraffes.
Falcon's Gambit stumbles and reels back, clawed hand going automatically to her head. She doesn't, to her benefit, actually sit down (or collapse, if you want to be impolite) until she sees the Uktena revert to breed form, but when she does, she doesn't stand up again right away but gingerly feels at her injuries.
Fallout seems to be relatively unhurt beyond heavily limping, and he eyes the fallen theurge with disgust. However, he seems prepared to join the cleansing ritual.
Bag-of-Snakes looks down at the dead garou with a face contorted with rage... or with something. She whirls away from him, turning on her heel, and surveys the scene, then comes loping towards the commencing ritual.
Thundersnow hefts himself over to On-Star and sets a hand on her forehead. He murmurs a prayer, his voice deep and rich as he speaks, and the bite mark begins to lose its swelling.
Above, the nymph and wasp are both exhausted, but the wasp has outlasted. She begins to lower the nymph towards the circle, wings stirring the plants around them erratically. Piles of components have been grouped up, and Burning-Sky begins to gesture Garou to each cardinal direction: Gambit and Blood-Sucker to the East, Judge Dredd and Fallout to the South (with a glance at On-Star, maybe to encourage her only if she feels healed enough), Bag-of-Snakes to the North, and Thundersnow to the West. Then she offers an aspen branch to Oath-Ring, asking, ~Will you lead it with me, honored brother? Helios sent you to our aid--it is you who should have the honor of freeing her, if she will be freed.~
Thundersnow pages: No worse now, though possibly some nausea from the sudden sit-down. You lived! \o/ (Itchitchitch.)
The Get reaches out, taking the branch and inclining his head to the other theurge. ~I will do this with you, honored sister.~ Even as he prepares to move, Camille wanders over to the south to stand beside Fallout. Unsurprising, she gives her fellow urrah a rather dubious look. ~I need a cigarette,~ she mutters to him.
On-Star struggles upright and makes her way sluggishly to the South, probably sustained by will alone. Blood-Sucker shakes the tin in his hand, those with sharp ears can tell that it isn't empty, as he takes his place to the East.
~You and me both,~ Fallout grumbles to Camille as he takes his spot for the ritual.
You paged Thundersnow with 'OMG, will the pages never end! Is Shelby currently the worst off for injury?'.
Thundersnow pages: Looking over, yes indeed, she is. D: Thundersnow can heal her, though.
Falcon's Gambit staggers back to her feet, pausing at their fallen foe's body for a moment. She heads for the East as directed, rubbing at her wounds when scratching abruptly proves to be a Really Bad Idea. She manages a tight nod for the Walker Ragabash and rather blearily takes in the others' conditions before activating the talen Zosia handed her with a sigh. [Removing toxins stops the itching]
Now that the ritual is starting, the raven spirit swoops from watching to swooping in a tight circle above the Get and his actions, calling out to the ritualists below.
Blood-Sucker's face splits with a smile as he nods back to Gambit.
Bag-of-Snakes limps into her directed place to the north, her face still savage and looking as if she hasn't nearly finished wanting to bite people.
Burning-Sky moves to center of the circle as the wasp brings the nymph down. This ritual circle is huge, as required for the size of their target, so there's room for her and Oath-Ring to stand clear of the nymph's attacks, which have taken up a renewed violence with a note of desparation and madness. ~Sister, be restored to us,~ she says over the spirit's cries. Release the Smiling Man from yourself.~ She takes up a handful of sand from a small leather pouch and flings it on to the nymph. ~Let our mother the earth cleanse you.~ Now she gestures with a willow branch that is burned and scored. ~Let our sister the fire burn clean the Corruption.~ Finally, a dandelion head, which she blows on to send the seeds at the nymph. ~Walk once more with air as you did water.~ Then she steps aside and nods at Oath-Ring.
Reaching up with one claw, Norman opens up a long slice along this arm, causing blood to well up along it. Dipping the edges of the branch within, the Get flicks it toward the flailing spirit. ~Sister, find the strength to fight the darkness within you.~ He starts to move along the circle, dipping and flicking as he goes. ~Sister, be cleansed of the foulness trapped within you.~ Deliberate steps, deliberate flicks. ~Sister, return to the purity of our Mother.~ This goes on, the blood dripping down his arm unheeding and marking his trail behind him.
~Theurges are ten kinds of screwed up,~ Camille growls to Jack.
Blood-Sucker idly shakes his tin, tilting his head to listen to it, as he watches the proceedings.
Fallout watches, features impassive but with a definite hint of rage still about him. He grunts an agreement to Camille, and adds under his breath, ~Get theurges especially.~
The nymph twitches as the drops of blood strike her, but she can't avoid them, and they sizzle and burn on her body where they land. The cleansing builds as Burning-Sky and Oath-Ring continue, until a break-point hits, and the strength of the Garou and the elements all rush into the nymph. The wasp releases her and leaps back, almost clipping Fallout in the process. The nymph's skin begins to distort and grow dark brown, bulging out as she writhes. Her movements slow, and then stop, and now she is a gleaming pupae resting in the middle of the circle. Burning-Sky stares, uncertain, then starts back as the pupae rocks. It splits open, and a white and black and blue dragonfly staggers out, wet and weak but whole and clean. Burning-Sky bursts into tears.
And with that the Jarl's tension and furious look at last dissolve, and she slumps a little, now looking merely weary. ~Well... my word,~ she mutters in a low tone.
On-Star cheers with a sore fist pump into the air, ~Yeah!~ And then she staggers.
Even Fallout looks a little impressed.
Falcon's Gambit stands straight and attentive, no longer trying to claw her injuries. She lets out a breath when the rite ends successfully.
Judge Dredd's jaw drops and she at least admires the result. Oath-Ring, for his part, bows deeply, looking decidedly satisfied.
The Walker raggie grins at the dragonfly slightly, clearly pleased.
[OOC] Thundersnow: And now, my lovely players, I have kept you all far too long, and longer than I promised. If you go back to the point you arrived at, you will find the bridge waiting for you.
[OOC] Thundersnow: If you want to chill and do some wrap RP, please feel free: when you arrive back, Tim will be like 'you're allalive!' and promptly pass the hell out. It will be just before sunset. [Thundersnow heals Shelby for +2 agg]
Return to the caern to finish.