[Tongue Twister] .
to Tongue Twister
[Chrysalis] oh, I should post rules:
1. uh, let me know of merits/flaws/phobias that might apply.
2. keep track of your own health, WP, rage, gnosis, et cetera.
3. let me know if anything is off limits (I know lizards, lessa!) and / or please IM me if something offends you.
4. you will have one free reroll of any roll in the scene. once you’ve used it, no more! I would save it for something important. :)
5. have fun!
[Chrysalis] They are all the Caern tonight. Tongue Twist and Night’s Reprieve and Dreams in Summer Snow. In the Caern, at the edge of the lake, on a night that has been marked and moved and ridden by storms. The concrete is wet and the lake’s surface is as volatile as it ever gets. There is lightning on the horizon, breaking through the line of the clouds. Cloud to ground, the sort that splits the sky, this stutter-step of a flash that leaves something – smoking – on the wet ground.
After the storm, the evening air is warm and drenched. Fall is coming, but it feels like summer, simmering, the cool promise of the evening belayed by the humidity that lingers in the air. The moon beyond the clouds is full, they can feel it – but they see it only in flashes as the weather changes.
– and then it comes, a Galliard’s call – gift-born and intent, both the call of the wyld and the anthem of war.
The Guardians cannot leave the Caern, but they pass on the news to those in the physical world rather than the spirit-world. she who offers sorrow summons whatever Garou will come to her call to fight.
They’ll find her near the edge of the Caern, where the bawn borders her territory to the north, lupus, waiting impatiently, pacing back and forth. She will not wait long.
[Chrysalis] (LAST RULE: narrative posts within reasonable time, declares/rolls in 3 minutes pleaaaaaase!)
[Tongue Twister] In the Caern, the call comes, and Rory’s head snaps up, curls spilling across ehr face, over her shoulders as she listens. It is a call to war, a call to fight. It is her moon, her birthright, her duty to answer, and answer immediately.
She grabs her pack, shoves her things inside, and slings it over her shoulders – all on the move. Also, on the move, she shifts to her faster, lupine form, moving quickly and sure footed to join she who offers sorrow at the edge of the bawn.
This is what she was build for, made for. This is what she does, who she is.
This is War, and Tongue Twister is ready.
[Tongue Twister] Merits: Mech. Aptitude, common sense, and lack of scent. The later the most important, of course. :)
to Chrysalis
[Imogen] Roman had returned with his news – a chair with restrains, a reclined pose in the wheel house. People carrying a body. Soon after, things occur quickly – cover found, conversation switched to low tones, barely louder than the sound of lips parting, and air passing through them.
Imogen is not pack – she has no totemic connection; they must speak this way.
Kora – we shall call her Sorrow, now, for these are things of war and blood and no room for even human names in it decrees the number too great to be attacked by two Garou and one kinfolk. Imogen’s mouth is a thin line as she nods. Her gun is out, now, resting on her thigh, the safety removed, her expression carved in marble.
As Sorrow prepares to leave for the Caern, Imogen speaks, her finger on the trigger guard. There are tunnels beneath here, she thinks. A train system abandoned decades ago. There really isn’t time to ask the kinwoman why she might know these things, and at the moment, likely, it doesn’t make much difference.
Fate is sent to scout it out, as Sorrow leaves for the Caern and Imogen – having found a decent vantage point through the shattered window of an abandoned squat brick – building is too grand, but box will do nicely – that still has rusted tracks in front of them – merely a dozen feet or so of them before leading off to nowhere in grass and overgrown weeds – keeps a look out. She won’t yell if she’s in trouble; the report of her weapon will be warning enough.
Fate:
Imogen’s directions lead him to an abandoned building down rickety, rotted stairs to the basement. There, beneath a scatter of debris, the shattered edges of drywood, he finds the heavy metal door, and the remains of a broken, rusted lock. He opens it by a ring handle to get inside. The air is cool and stagnant, the walls rough and uneven.
There is very little light here. Some light comes from behind him, but more comes ahead – dank, musty and filtered through fluttering dirt and motes. He can feel debris at his feet as he moves, a large oil can mysteriously in the middle of the tracks, the contents smelling burnt and charcoal-filled, with the faintest trace of meat left behind.
As he gets closer to the light the tunnel begins to slope upward. He can hear the mutter of voices, something indecipherable. The sharp smell of blood, and the smells he learnt to recognize from the roundhouse he’d peered into from above. Old metal. Old oil. The clank of tools. He’s found what he needs.
By the time he returns, Imogen is much as he left her, though she turns as he opens the door, her finger on the trigger.
It relaxes a moment later – at least if he is in his human form, and if not, will relax when he reveals himself. She merely arches an eyebrow then turns her attention back toward the building, watching from an oblique angle.
[Dreams In Summer Snow] He’s at the caern tonight. He comes out here to stand guard like the rest of them: he’s pledged himself to Maelstrom and he lives at the Brotherhood, and even though he’s not a warrior or a soldier, he’s a part of this war. He remembers a creature coming up out of the water to destroy, to rend. So he’s here tonight, standing guard.
He goes when the call comes from a Galliard he barely knows, has never spoken to, only seen in passing. Still: he has a healer’s hands, the Philodox, has the gifts of the Children of Gaia regardless of whatever his moon is. He goes toward the sound of the summons.
Dreams in Summer Snow takes a new shape as he goes, distorts his form, grows taller. His warform is still small, not filled out yet, not fully grown; he is only fifteen. He is eight feet tall when he arrives, covered in a thick glossy coat of brown shot through with gray. He is already panting, tense, not quite as battle ready as the rest of them.
There’s a look, once, toward the kinswoman he does not know. Harmony hovers close to her, protectively; it hardly occurs to him that this woman doesn’t need his protection.
[Night’s Reprieve] Night’s Reprieve stands with his arms crossed over his chest, staring out over the lake with a streak of mud on his face and dirt on his hands. His nostrils flare with the scents of the evening air and his ears twitching to the sound of far away thunder and lightning. A storm is coming. When the call hits his senses, his body tenses and his chin tilts towards the location. Something calls for aid, something in his Bawn needs help and the Keeper of the Land is quick to respond. He see’s the Fianna, darting across the concrete and his eyes track her for a moment. He doesn’t shift, not yet.
He makes his way into one of the hangers and gathers up his leather satchel After that its just a matter of briskly walking across the Bawn to meet the Jarl, to see what the problem is.
[Fate] He was gone for several minutes and in that time he was chattering over the Totem Link to his Alpha, filling Sorrow in on details. Smells, sounds, the path he followed and the whispers he heard. Some ritual was going down, others had before from the burnt remains in the barrel.
When he returned to Imogen he hunkered down next to her, whispering.
“It’s messed up down there, I’m thinking they’s gonna torture that man they hauled in, then they will have a bar b que with what’s left. I found the burning can. Miss Kora should arrive shortly, she’s gathering folk.”
[Imogen] Imogen pauses, her head turning slightly toward him, then back again to the window.
“The can is mine,” she says. “I’ll be movin’ it later, yeh can rest assured.”
[Fate] “Huh?”
Real bright that response. He had taken his hat off to brush webs off of it when she said that.
“Ya put that can there, or ya claim the can for your own? Cause I gotta say Miss Doctor Slaughter, there’s better places to be bar be quing.”
[Imogen] “You’ve seen me burn evidence.” Her voice is barely a whisper. “Gi’en how often I’ve been doin’ it lately, I’ve ‘ad t’get a bit -” a pause before she chooses a word. “Creative.”
[Fate] “Yessum, but ya might consider better neighbors. These folks ain’t gonna come borrow sugar. I reckon most likely they will come to borrow a heart and not bring it back.”
Over the link he sent.
~Miss Kora, best be moving along before Miss Doctor Slaughter gets the urge to go in that there hole and commence to grilling up someone.~
[Imogen] “I’ll keep that in mind,” her reply is as dry as the Sahara.
[Chrysalis] They find her at the edge of the bawn, the motley trio: Ahroun and Philodox and Godi, they find Sorrow, the Skald, in her gray-furred lupus form at the edge of the bawn. Her flanks are heaving from both her run through the city’s umbral reflection, underneath the great spanning works of the weaver, in the shadow of the darker coils of the wyrm, through the hard, flat lands of her territory. When they arrive, the story she tells them is brief, almost perfunctory:
Doctor Slaughter discovered a glyph near a corpse today, hidden underneat a small pile of stones. The glyph said offering and was written in blood. Fate and Sorrow[i] joined her to investigate, and found five more forming the points of the star – a five-pointed star, with an offering at each apex, all in gold. The disc of a lens from a eye. The bones from inside some human ear. The root of a tongue, so finely detailed, said the doctor, it could have been cast from a body.
Given the proclivities of the enemy, likely it was.
At the center of the five-pointed star, in the abadoned railyard is an abandoned roundhouse, and in the abandoned roundhouse, the enemy gathers. Her packmate is scouting the approaches, but they do not have much time. Whatever they mean to do, the cursed ones have hidden it well and carefully, and prepared themselves assiduously.
They gather tonight, and must be stopped.
– and Sorrow asks them, Tongue Twister and Night’s Reprieve, Dreams in Summer Snow, to join her.
—
Those that door soon retrace Kora’s steps, through the umbra. She runs in her lupus form, for speed and endurance. They pass through her territory and onward, while the world around them darkens, until it grows so dark that she stops, [i]looks across the gauntlet, into an abandoned warehouse, and leads whoever has followed her back across the gauntlet.
The last handful of blocks they take on foot, quiet on bleak streets through the corridors of long abandoned industry, until they come to the abandoned railyard, huge and weedy, littered with derelict engines and criss-crossing tracks, old brick and metal buildings. The closest thing to civilization are a pair of bleak high-rise housing projects on the other side of a wide concrete canal bed, the water long since drained away. No one lives here but scavengers, human and other kinds.
Silence is necessary, now. They pick their way aound the edge of the vast old trainyard – half the tracks have been pried up and sold for metal scrap – until they come to the squat brick – structure in which Imogen and Fate have taken shelter against the darkness, with a vantage point on the roundhouse, the largest structure in the foreground, with train tracks spanning out from it like the points of a multipartite star.
[Imogen] Imogen straightens slightly as the Garou darken the door. She is crouched near the window, her vantage point. A flick of her gaze about Sorrow, the Garou behind her and the slight redhaired kinwoman nods slightly, almost as if to herself.
Her safety clicks ever-so-softly as she places it back on. She sweeps a hand beneath her light jacket, fitting her gun back into its sheath.
It is a deliberate, silent statement, as she gets to her feet, keeping out of direct line of the window. Her intention to withdraw.
[Dreams In Summer Snow] He is attentive while he listens to Sorrow tell them what they found. Dr. Slaughter he doesn’t know, and Fate he doesn’t know, but he’ll know them soon enough. Battle has a way of getting people acquainted. Lets them know more about each other than they would otherwise. Harmony would deny it; that doesn’t make it not true.
He follows Kora and keeps pace easily. Quiet, waiting for orders.
This isn’t a place he would have gone to on his own, normally. This isn’t a place whose like he’s been in before. The Philodox watches with nervous green eyes as they pad through the old trainyard. His muscles are tense.
[Tongue Twister] Sorrow gives them the rundown, and when she turns to go, Rory is at her side, running easily in this form as she does in others. Interestingly enough, the fur in this form kinks and curls just as much as the hair in her homid form does. Not necessarily important, but interersting.
She follows Chicago’s Jarl as easily as she does others, and picks her way silently across the yard to join the others. This is Sorrow’s fight, and with a dip of her head she accepts her leadership unquestioningly. She doesn’t speak, not yet. A nod for Imogen, for Roman, both of whom she has met. Then she looks to Kora to see if she has a plan, while quietly placing herself between the Doctor and the danger before them, almost as if on accident, only not.
[Fate] When the group arrived he melted out of the dark to greet them. Whispering with a nod towards the building.
“There’s a way in that Miss Doctor Slaughter Ma’am knows about. I done scouted up through there and so far, we ain’t seen more go in, so unless they crossed over from the otherside to arrive, the party is about to start. They got themselves a fella all strapped in like they’s gonna do surgery.”
[Night’s Reprieve] Night’s Reprieve enters the little structure last out of all of them, places himself out of the way but nods his head to both Imogen and Roman. He knows little about the situation until Roman begins to talk and when he does the Godi listens, narrows his brows. Keeps his mouth shut until the mention of the man strapped in.
“Who is he? Does he need to be saved?”
Could be he’d be better off dead, could be he’s just some poor human in the wrong place at the wrong time in which case they need to stop his death.
[Chrysalis] “Doc,” Kora says, quietly by way of greeting to Imogen when they’ve arrived. She stays away from the half-broken windows of the old brick building, sliding into the shadows on the other side as the other Garou come in after her. Roman gets a hip bump by way of greeting, subtle and animal, direct. ” – the tunnels go all the way inside, then.”
She lifts a glance back up at Imogen as Night’s Reprieve asks who the man is, shaking her own head quietly. “I don’t know.” A direct look at the kinswoman. ” – though I cannot imagine a human could survive captivity by the cursed ones with anything like sanity intact. Were either of your close enough to overhear?”
[Fate] “Well sir, I ain’t had a chance to ask him who he is. It’s a mite bit crowded in there, what with all them Dancer fellas dancing around.”
He bumped back against Kora when she bumped him, though he was answering NR.
“Ain’t heard much of what they said either, except some unflattering things I ain’t gonna repeat in the presence of lady folk.”
[Imogen] Does he need to be saved?
“I think it’s a little late for him to be saved,” she says, casting a quiet glance toward Night’s Reprieve as she adjusts her jacket about herself. “Even if he’s still alive if you succeed.” Sorrow speaks, and Imogen returns the glance, steady, unflinching.
At the Skald’s question, she shakes her head, simply, the only answer she offers.
[Fate] “I did get from some of the things they were saying, that they ain’t so sure their offering is gonna be enough. Though enough for who or what, can’t say. I can say they’s a bunch of them inside. Four or five dancers and they got a motley looking bunch of human folk like a bunch of cattle wandering around.”
[Dreams In Summer Snow] Harmony’s heart beats a little faster when he hears there’s a man, trapped. His Crinos form doesn’t lend itself to a great deal of expressiveness, but whatever Rage most Garou might feel at the prospect seems to be muted in him. He’s just torn, just horrified, just pained at the thought of what they might have to do to him.
“…We should do something. If we can,” he says. Because he has not yet fully accepted the idea that sometimes there is nothing that can be done.
[Night’s Reprieve] “Assume he’s done for , I’m sorry Dreams. They are both right, he won’t have much of a mind left if they’ve been the hospitable hosts that they aim to be.”
He raises a finger tip his lips, puts his thumb nail between his teeth briefly.
“Well, this way in you found. How big are the tunnels? Room for Crinos, room for Hispo?”
[Tongue Twister] She listens. she listens carefully, and even casts Fate an unreadable look that reads very much like the idea she might be shocked to find herself considered a lady. She shifts her feet, slightly, and then glances at Harmony. “If.” If they can, they will, but she’s already moved on.
Night’s Reprieve asks the question she was about to ask – and a good sight more clearly, as well.
[Fate] “It’s a train tunnel. Four humans across, sure, but you talking Hispo or Crinos and fighting room? No more than two side by side or ya gonna be hitting each other. It’s possible to sneak in close, spread out before striking, if luck is with us.”
[Night’s Reprieve] “Hm.”
He leans back against the wall of the structure, crosses his arms over his chest. When he speaks its calm, chirpy even.
“Tunnels lead to the same place? Is there different exits?”
[Fate] “Sure, sameway they came and went, right through that door over yonder.”
He nodded towards the Wheelhouse.
[Fate] “I don’t think they know about the tunnels cause Miss Doctor Slaughter here has been using them for bar b queing and ain’t no one ate her yet.”
[Bone-Grinder] Simon had trailed behind them. Literally just a couple minutes behind them all. He was surprisingly quiet in his approach… The Full Moon was also a Shadow Lord and so Stealth was just as important as speed strength and agility. He came upon them with a little grin.”Heads up…”He says before simply jumping into their midst. He allowed everyone time to register that he was a friend, or at least not an enemy.
“I was told where to find you all and thought I would stop in to lend a hand.”He reassures the others with a nod of his head. The full moon was dressed for stealth tonight, hoodie, and a bandanna around his neck, he carried a knife on his belt and a pair of tightly clutching boots. Relatively loose jeans made stealth a little easier as he shouldn’t snag up on anything while being tight enough that he would trip. He came to join the operation prepared to do his part, it would appear.
[Dreams In Summer Snow] Harmony lets out a slow breath and listens to what the others are saying about the tunnels. He isn’t really a spectacular fighter, the Philodox; he just wants to know the layout, wants to plan out where he’ll have to be in order to heal someone if he needs to.
He looks over his shoulder once, at Simon, and the brown Crinos nods toward the Shadow Lord he’s fought beside but never really spoken to.
And he steels himself, prepares to go inside.
[Fate] “Howdy Mister Simon. Listen, we got the wheelhouse there. We got us four or five Dancers. We got one man all beat up, strapped in for the ride and there’s a bunch of humans that seem to be there for the party as either party favors or clean up crew. We got Dancers worried their sacrifice might not be enough, for what, beats me. And there’s the tunnel with the old tracks. They branch out down there, all seem to come to the same room in the end. If we are really quiet, we might spread out and come in from different angles.”
[Imogen] “The tunnels are a massive network,” Imogen interrupts, “s’an old city -quirk, shall we say. Old train system. There are other entrances but other than the wheelhouse and th’buildin’ I showed Roman, there are none near here.” A beat.
“Tha’ I know of.”
A flick of her glance toward Fate, “All tha’ means is we were never ‘ere at the same time. Not that they don’t know about the tunnels. Besides, when I was ‘ere last, there was no chair in the wheelhouse. You’re leapin’ a bit far.”
[Fate] He turned eyes as pale as faded denim on Imogen, removing his hat.
“Yessum. You’re right, Ma’am.”
One thing he had learned a long time ago, never argue with a woman who had a gun.
[Night’s Reprieve] His head turns towards the new-comer, he frowns. The man isn’t known to him, though that isn’t surprising but you get to know faces being the Keeper. His wasn’t one that had been around the Bawn lately. No matter, he’s here to help.
“I don’t like the idea of all of us clunking our way into those tunnels and then having a single exit to where we want to go. We’ve got enough people here for two forces, Simon, Dreams, Tongue Twister, Sorrow. Delayed front door. Fate, Doc and Myself take the tunnels. Fate can give the signal to Sorrow when we’re in position.”
There’s a pause.
“Am I missing anything?”
[Bone-Grinder] He nods his head a little.”Different angles is night provided we have the ability to keep a little on the quiet side. That said I’d imagine that most of us know how to be a little sneaky by now.”He adds with a little tiny of a smile and a nod of his head.”Surprise is the greatest weapon we have at our disposal.”He says with a nod of his head.
“What are they sacrificing? The man?”He asks curiously.”If so… Might do us a little better if we got him out of there or killed him before the ritual is complete if we can’t manage to wriggle him free. Whatever plan they have in mind stopping it will likely be a good thing.”He says with a little bit of a smile. The way he mentions killing a man who might be an innocent is surprisingly casual but then… Consider his tribe.
“Do we know anything about the pack specifically? Who is their alpha and who is their Beta? If we know these then they should be the first to fall… As the ones who will likely organize in a conflict cutting off the head of the pack before the fight usually helps dispatch the rest of the body.”He was giving suggestions and doing his part. These kinds of things were important… Having a plan and knowing where you are going.
[Imogen] Abruptly, Imogen holds up her hand, making a brief sharp sibilance of sound. The same hand points concisely toward the window, indicating the out-of-doors, where a flashlight is weaving near the wheelhouse.
[Fate] “What I know is, they might of done started by now. They been in there quite some time now.”
He shrugged apologetically.
[Fate] He naturally looked in the direction Imogen was pointing, hissing.
“Might of heard or seen us. Could be that there watch ya asked about.”
[Bone-Grinder] His eyes shift in the direction of the flashlight and he finds his eyes narrowing a little.”Could be some kinda night watchman or something? If so let him stumble in and distract them… We can use the cover to strike.”He says with a slight smile forming on his lips. Always make use of your environment and oblivious humans were what a Shadow Lord would consider an environmental factor.
[Fate] per+pu
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Tongue Twister] [per+PU]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Perc + PU]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 3, 3, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Imogen] perception+science
HAIL KAHSEENO!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 4, 7, 7, 8 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [per+pu]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 5, 5, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Fate] “If it’s anything, it’s one of them or their’s. No one patrols this area, it’s why they picked it.”
[Imogen] Imogen shakes her head slightly. “They’re smoking and carryin’ a body bag,” she says, her eyes narrowed toward the dimness, “an empty one,” she adds.
“I think it’s merely coincidental.”
A beat.
“But might I suggest tha’ it would be rather embarrassing t’ha’ a guard, or smoker, or anythin’ realize tha’ there are five Garou and one kinfolk hiding in a building debating a battle plan?
“If you want my advice, take the tunnels wi’ the element o’ surprise.” A flick of her gaze toward Night’s Reprieve, “I regret t’inform you, I’m not joinin in yer venture. I imagine you ha’ Garou enough.
“I will leave when yeh’ve started th’attack. But pray, decide quickly and get on with it.”
[Chrysalis] “The tunnels come up in the center of the wheelhouse, right?” Sorrow casts a look at Fate, briefly. “More than two of you should take the tunnels. Anyone, only one Garou at a time is getting through those doors, and squeezing a hispo through them after knocking them down would be an effort. A different sort of bottleneck, with the door in the middle. ” To Simon, a quick shake of her head. “We don’t have any intelligence. We stumbled on a ritual. We need to stop it.”
—
Those who look now can see one human figure standing outside the wheelhouse, smoking cigarette. A second human figure is walking away from the doors, dragging a long black bag. The smoker has a flashlight, pointed down now at the ground. He shines it briefly to light the second figure’s way. She’s a teenaged girl, with greasy brown hair but a certain confident set to her shoulders. Then he shines it away. The guard is guarding the building in a desultory manner, after that, but he’s there.
—
And then they feel it, underneath their feet – each and everyone of them, this brief – lurching shudder, as if the earth were briefly liquified, somewhere deep underground. It isn’t enough to rattle glass in its pane, not yet. But they felt it, the wrongness of it, each and every one of them.
[Dreams In Summer Snow] Harmony begins to shift down to Hispo at the suggestion, glances toward the others. And waits for someone to give the word to go, for one of the Ahroun to lead the way into the corridors. He’ll be quick to follow.
[Fate] That’s all it took. He looked at his Alpha and nodded to the rest.
“Come on fella’s, feel that? It’s the welcome wagon.”
And he slipped off towards the tunnels.
[Tongue Twister] She shakes her head. “Enough talk.”
She steps up, and points to Simon and Sorrow. “Guard.” To the others. “Tunnels.”
And she turns to follow Fate toward the tunnels. Time to get this show on the road.
[Night’s Reprieve] His hand dips into his leather pouch at his side while he peeks out at the flash light. Talens are removed. Discs with seams running through the middle, he cracks one in half and rubs the goopy grey paste on the back of his neck where the spiraling spear tattoo is. The second he smears on his cheeks below his eyes.
So much for plans, here we go. He follows after the rest of them into the tunnels.
[rolling for damage Talen]
[-1G Soak +3]
[-1WP Resist Pain]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 4, 5, 9 (Success x 1 at target 5)
[Fate] When he reached near the tunnel’s end, just outside the Wheelhouse where the voices came from, he shifted to Hispo and grabbed for a couple of gifts.
Resist Pain
Blur
Blur roll…man+stealth
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 (Failure at target 8)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Spending a WP on resist pain.]
[Tongue Twister] Other’s grab for gifts, and Rory has a moment to remember she has meant to learn another one and hasn’t yet. No matter now, it’s the tunnel and the fight ahead she focuses on. On the move she shifts to hispo, taking point with Fate.
[Bone-Grinder] Simon readies himself as they head into the tunnels taking the time to prepare a few things before combat but otherwise he appears primed and ready to go as any Ahroun should be.
[-1 G soak Talen +2 Soak]
[-1 WP Resist Pain]
Once those little matters are taken care of, and seeing as how he won’t likely need to restrain himself Simon opts to assume a battle form while down in the tunnels so as to better take advantage of the situation. If this is going to be a surprise attack the best bet is to hit as hard as possible as quickly as possible.
[Dreams In Summer Snow] Harmony goes immediately after Fate and Tongue Twister, staying in the middle so that he can easily reach anyone who might need to be healed in the narrow tunnel.
[Chrysalis] The evening is quiet and damp; they peel away from the shack amidst the rails, to the old control building, which looms in the darkness, taller than anything else in the yard except for the old water towers and the shadow of a crane stark against the dark orange sky. Picking their way through weeds and the rails, creeping low against the ground, darting behind a derelict diesel engine with two passenger cars behind it, the second one sheared in half by some great force.
The ground feels quiet again, still underneath. The yard is silent. If any of them shift to a more feral form, they will catch the scent of tobacco in the air from the smoking guard, the hint of blood from the preparations as they pass one of the points of the star.
This is where the gold tongue root was found.
—
Inside, they kick up dust, the musty smell of old papers, human feces and urine. The building has been a squat for the past twenty years, the control panels rusting to ruin. Down stairs into the basement, past the old canteen with its swinging doors and this vague vision, briefly, of that sickly, institutional green color that belongs in a horror movie rather than on the walls.
They go deeper, lower themselves one by one down an old access tunnel that drops first, a narrow metal ladder, then hits the ground and slopes slowly toward the old train tunnels. The darkness in here is nearly absolute. The air is cool but humid, the scent musty. There’s little alive down here, just the echo of water dripping somewhere.
It is cool and tense; they’re blind, led by their noses rather than their eyes. A last, somewhere up ahead, light returns. The rails run slowly uphill, emerging eventually on the center platform of the wheelhouse. From within the shadows of the tunnel, they can see the teeth of the old gears, ruined engines, the shadows of machinery used to move the platform in a circle.
The central wooden platform is raised perhaps a half-meter from the level of the main wheelhouse, and is easily the diameter of two diesel engines – nose to nose. A half-dozen figures linger on the periphery of the circle. Two of these are Garou already in warform, Crinos, ritualists the Godi thinks from the concentration, the position, they way they hold their hands out. In the center of the wooden platform, the metal dentist’s chair, someone strapped into the center, and with a slight, pretty woman beside him, her hands on his temples, massaging, quiet, carefully avoiding his restraints.
[Night’s Reprieve] [per+pu]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 2 at target 10)
[Fate] PU+Per
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 3, 8, 8, 9, 10 (Failure at target 10)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Perc + PU]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 9 (Botch x 1 at target 10)
[Tongue Twister] (PU+per)
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 6, 7 (Botch x 1 at target 10)
[Bone-Grinder] [Per+PU]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9 (Failure at target 10)
[Chrysalis] The restraints seem to be some base metal; stainless steel or the like.
to Dreams In Summer Snow, Tongue Twister
[Fate] Roman gave Twister a look and his muscles bunched and he was flying through the air, right for a Godi.
[Tongue Twister] She tips her head and looks inside, taking in everyone, and where they are. Roman gives her a look, and she’s right there with him – and with a lunge, she’s aiming for the massaging woman…
[Night’s Reprieve] “The man in the chair is a shifter, or… will be? Maybe I’m not sure. The chains are silver, why else would they be silver.” His bones pop and his spear appears in his right paw as he shifts to Crinos. The other two are just jumping on in, you can’t just leave a Fenrir behind like that. He’s right there with them.
[Night’s Reprieve] [+7]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 9
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [+7]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 3
[Fate] +9
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 10
[Tongue Twister] Inits! +8
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 9
[Bone-Grinder] [+10]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 6
[Chrysalis] Grrrssssh +6
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 7
[Chrysalis] Kryssslich +8
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 10
[Chrysalis] Ritual +2
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 1
[Chrysalis] Zzzzzzzzyx +6
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 5
[Chrysalis] Flart +6
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 10
[Chrysalis] June, Jody, Jennifer +4
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 9
[Chrysalis] Order:
Roman – 19
Kry – 18 (Crinos)
Rory – 17
Simon – 16
NR – 16
Flart – 16 (Crinos)
Grrrr – 13 (prisoner)
The girls – 13
Zzzzzyyyx – 11 (girl, with prisoner)
Harmony – 10
Rite – 3
[Chrysalis] Rite: 3 – [Needs another round!]
[Chrysalis] (The girl, Flart, and Krys are within immediate range. GRRRR and ZZZZZZYX require an action to get there.
[Dreams In Summer Snow] 1: Biting the woman doing the ritual.
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Oops. Changing to Flart.]
[Chrysalis] Zzzzzzyyyx – 1 rage, snapshift to Crinos.
1. Finish ritual!
[Chrysalis] The girls! must make willpower roll to act.
Jennifer: 1a. draw gun. 1b. shoot harmony!
June: Run run away!
Jody! 1a Run to Zyzzzyzzyzhx! 1b. Block 1 attack on Zyzzzzyzyx!
[Chrysalis] GRRRRR – is restrained. Holding action.
[Chrysalis] Flart: 1a. Bite Rory. 1b. Bite Roman. Rage 1: Bite Harmony.
[Night’s Reprieve] Reflexive: “The Ritualist! Strike him down!”
[1a – move to ZZZZZYX
1b
1c
r1 – spears, changing to Kry if dead]
[Bone-Grinder] 1a: Bite Flart
1b: Bite Flart
1R: Bite Flart
2R: Bite Flart
Switch to… Whoever when dead.
[Night’s Reprieve] [strike her! she has womanly parts!]
[Tongue Twister] 2 rage, split first action:
1a: move it, Fianna!
1b: bite
1r: bite
2r: BITE DAMMIT. All on Zzzzzzyx. moving on to whoever’s closest after.
[Fate] 1a rush Grrrr
1b, Rip Grrr out of chair
1r Hit Zzzzzzzyyx with Grrrr.
[Chrysalis] Kryss: 1a. Moving to defend Zzzyzzzyx. 1b. Block 1st attack on Zzzyzyx. 1c. Bite NR. Rage 1: Bite Fate. Rage 2. Bite Rory.
[Fate] 1a…bum rush to Grrrr…….
[Fate] 1b rip Grrr from seat
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 4, 6, 6, 7, 7, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 8) [WP]
[Chrysalis] The restrained man is pulled from his seat, flesh and bone tearing. The stink of silver is now in the air around them.
One of th misshapen Crinos Garou watching the ritual charges with the Gaians, moving into position to defend the ritualist.
[Tongue Twister] 1a – move y’ass, red!
1b – bite!
Dex + Brawl + Hispo = 3+4+2 = 9 -3 for split = 6 diff 5 – reroll 10s +wp!
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 4, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 5 at target 5) [WP] Re-rolls: 1
[Tongue Twister] Damage! HAIL KAHSEENO!!
Str + Hispo + Bite + (suxx-1) = 4+3+2 = 9 + 4
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Zzzzzyxxxx SOAK
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Bite Flart! Dex+Brawl+Totem+Hispo = 10 -2 for split action = 8 diff 5]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 5, 5, 5, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Bone-Grinder] [Damage = Str+Totem+Hispo+2+5 = 14 Die Flart!]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 9 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Flart: SOAK!
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 7, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Rage back!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 3, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 8) [WP]
[Bone-Grinder] [Bite Flart again! 7 this time!]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 7, 8 (Failure at target 5)
[Night’s Reprieve] [1b – dex 3 + 1 (crinos) + melee 3 + Valkyrie 3 – 4 (split)]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 4, 4, 5, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Kry: Block! -3 for split.
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [dmg str+4(crinos)+3(spear)+1(damage talen)]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Zz Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 3, 3, 5, 5, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] June: WP to run away!
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 5, 9, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Jennifer: WP to draw weapon and fire!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 3, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 7)
[Chrysalis] Jody: WP to throw self into the fray!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 3, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 8)
[Chrysalis] Jennifer: 1a. Draw gun! 1b. Shoot Harmony!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 4, 5, 5, 6, 7 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Soak]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 4, 7, 7, 8 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Biting Flart!]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 5 at target 5)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Damage! Str 5 + hispo 1 + bite 1 + 4]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 2, 2, 4, 6, 6, 6, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 8 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Flart: x.x
[Chrysalis] Kyr bits NR – 1c.
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 7, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 4 at target 5)
[Chrysalis] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 2, 2, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [soak+3talen]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [1c -5 (split)]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 6, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Jody: BLOCK!
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 6, 7, 8 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [dmg+2]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Jody: soak?
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 3, 4 (Failure at target 8)
[Fate] 1 R, smashing Zzzzzyyyyk with Grrrr as improvised weapon.
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 8 (Success x 4 at target 8) [WP]
[Fate] damn
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 7, 7, 7, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Chysalis] Gah! Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] GRrrr: SOAK
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 5, 7 (Failure at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Kyyyr: Rage 1: BITE Roman
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 (Success x 2 at target 5)
[Chrysalis] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 5, 5, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Fate] soak
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 3, 6, 6, 7, 7, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Rage 2: BITE Rory
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Chrysalis] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Tongue Twister] Soak: HAIL KAHSEENO!
Sta+Hispo = 4+3=7
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Tongue Twister] R1/2 – NOMNOMNOM ZZZZZZ
HAIL KAHSEENO!
Dex + Brawl + Hispo = 3+4+2= 9 diff 5 – reroll 10s
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 4, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 5) Re-rolls: 2
[Tongue Twister] DIIIIIIIIIIE! KAHSEENO LETIM DIIIIE!
Damage:
Str + Hispo + Bite + (suxx-1) = 4+3+2 = 9 + 5
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 5, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Zzzzyx. SOAK.
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Zzzzyx: -.- (incap!)
[Tongue Twister] R2/2! Switching to Kry… NOMNOMNOM!
HAIL KAHSEENO!
Dex + Brawl + Hispo = 3+4+2= 9 diff 5 – reroll 10s
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 9, 9 (Success x 5 at target 5)
[Tongue Twister] DIIIIIIIIE! KAHEENO LEETIMDIIIIIE!
Damage:
Str + Hispo + Bite + (suxx-1) = 4+3+2 = 9 + 4
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9 (Success x 8 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Kryssy SOAK!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [R1: Kill Jennifer! Shouldn’ta pulled your weapon and shot a Garou with a Shadow Lord around bitch!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Bone-Grinder] [Damage! Str+Hispo+Totem+2+4 = 13]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Jen: SOAK!
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 3, 4 (Failure at target 8)
[Bone-Grinder] [One more time and this time you die!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Bone-Grinder] [Same exacy Damage roll!]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 1, 7 (Botch x 1 at target 8)
[Chrysalis] Jennifer: x.x
[Night’s Reprieve] [R1 on Krys]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 7, 9, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [dmg+5]
Dice Rolled:[ 16 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 6, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak: Kry!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] RAGE BACK!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 4, 6, 6, 8 (Success x 1 at target 8) [WP]
[Chrysalis] -.- incap.
[Chrysalis] The battle goes by in a great blur. Three Gaians charge for the ritualist in the center of the wheelhouse. Roman tears the bound Spiral from his silver restraints, breaking bones, searing flesh. The scent of burned skin is sharp in the air. Night’s Reprieve and Tongue-Twister leap for the theurge, as first a Garou, then a kinfolk jump in from of their weapons – the Godi’s spear, the Fianna’s teeth. Closer to the mouth of the tunnel, Bone-Grinder takes down the misshapen Crinos Ahroun in one great bite. He rages back, blind and snarling, surging back to life – only to be taken down by the Gaian in another great bite.
—
In the aftermath, the Garou are left standing on a field littered by the dead, the incapacitated. There’s a certain quiet. One Garou is dead, two are lying senseless, on the absolute edge of death. One of the three kin is dead. The other has made it to the shadows edging the building.
The third – who bravely, foolishly – threw herself between a Fenrir’s spear and the theurge’s hide – is unharmed as yet. She makes a strangled, shocked noise and begins hyperventilating, rooted in one spot, her huge eyes fixed on the last of the Garou –
Grrrssssh.
Restrained in the dentist’s chair by silver bands, cheap restraints badly worked, effective nonetheless. The beast is wounded and woozy, still human, burns around his wrists and ankles, half-clothed, filthy, glyphs carved into his skin, and everything around them is silent, just the harsh breathing of the Spiral kin, their own rage thrumming in their ears.
And deep underground, this brief, liquid sense of movement that does not unbalance them, so much as make itself felt in the inner ear.
Grrssssh twitches and moans in Roman’s hands.
—
The battle isn’t over.
Not by a long shot.
[Pause!]
[Tongue Twister] Rory stands in hispo, her paws braced, muscles quivering, ready to jump into the frey again, almost disappointed that it’s already over.
[it’s never over]
When the sense of movement twings in her inner ear, she tips her head, slightly, ears flicking upwards, a shiver of reaction rippling under her skin… there’s a noise deep in her throat, soft, questioning, barely heard…
[Dreams In Summer Snow] This isn’t the first time Harmony has shed blood, but it is the first time he’s taken a life. It’s the first time he’s felt something struggle and go limp in his jaws, dropped another creature to the ground and seen its eyes vacant. Those might be Spiral eyes, but it still horrifies him.
It would have disturbed him no matter what it was, if it had just been a twitching little rabbit, something sad and helpless even if it is the way of Gaia. Just because: it was moving, its muscles were full of vitality, and then they weren’t. It’s burned into his head, that feeling.
But he gets over it fast. He has to, because the ground’s rumbling.
[Fate] He was holding the still breathing Grrrr. Standing there, breathing hard as his eyes that had gone amber, scanned the room. Absently one great clawed hand/paw stroked Grrr’s head as Roman leaned his own face close his improvised weapon’s ear and whispered.
“Shhhh, feel that? What is it?”
[Night’s Reprieve] The Godi’s spear touches down against the ground silently with the tip pointed skywards. His weapon isn’t so improvised, it speaks in the language of the spirits though its unclear if anyone other than the Godi here can understand it.
“Gungnir killlllll tear rip destroy… filthy tainted ones.. no chance.. no hope..”
“Shut up.” NR says back to him in cascading water and echoes.
“But.. blood and enemies.. death..”
“Shh.”
And he’s quiet.
[Fate] One ear flickered towards the sounds coming from NR’s direction as he turned towards Tongue Twister and handed over his living weapon.
“Hold this.”
Then he shifted down and approached the quivering Kinfolk.
“It’s ok Miss, ain’t gonna hurt ya if ya don’t try and hurt me.”
He held his now human hands out and spoke over his shoulder to NR.
“See if ya can figure out what the rumbling is, talk to the spirits or something, see if we can stop it.”
Then he turned back to the Kinfolk there.
“Can ya tell me what they were trying to do?”
[Tongue Twister] Rory blinks, and grabs the human weapon as it’s thrust at her, adjusting until she can hold it – which is to say she sorta ends up with it on the ground and huge paws strategically placed to hold it right there as she watches Fate curiously.
[Dreams In Summer Snow] Harmony watches Fate approach the kinfolk, and though he’s a touch shaken, he moves to stand near his Tribesman. He is quiet, but he too is watching the girl and willing to help. Hoping that they aren’t going to have to kill her too.
[Night’s Reprieve] NR does just that, he tilts his head, ears alert as he searches out any spirits in the vicinity that would have seen or heard what was happening here. Any clues as to exactly what this rite was supposed to accomplish. What that terrible feeling in all their guts is about.
Ladies.. he says
Ladies and gentlemen..
Anybody got anything to share with a friendly old Godi like me?
[Chrysalis] Grrssssh – the once-human thing, one-Garou thing, scarred and twisted by the Wyrm – has watery brown eyes and stringy brown hair. Flecks of blood and dried spittle whiten his mouth. His eyes are open as Fate bends down, whispers to him, and asks what is coming, what is coming next.
There’s nothing close to comprehension in them, just this sort animal spasm, that fear of death that chokes the heart of most living things in the shadow of the last moment, that awareness of impending nothingness, the terror of the unknown.
– and, worse, an ecstatic sort of expectancy, the staring eyes of a believer to whom the face of the true god is about to be revealed.
Roman hands him over to Rory, then.
The man is skin and bones, skin sloughing from bones, so light he hardly seems human. His eyes widen, and his skin seems – both shadowed and translucent, stretching like putty over the architecture of his bones.
With spastic hands, he reaches up, making these terrible choking noises now, his gorge rising like he were on the verge of vomiting up his swollen tongue, reaches blindly up for Rory like he wants to seize the Garou – one hand only either cheek, hold him still so he could share this prayerful, joyous revelation except he cannot see anything, just a gathering darkness that makes the shadows of the roof darken and go distant.
—
The kin, knife in her hand, starts to choke too. There’s no ecstasy on her face, just this sort of living terror. Roman approaches her carefully, holding his hands out, human, just this kid a couple of years younger than she is, and she looks at him with bulging eyes, reaches up to claw at her throat, choking, unable to breathe, just heaving in again and again without exhaling.
With almost nerveless fingers, she takes the knife in her hands – and stabs herself in the throat. Not the practiced motion of someone committing seppuku, but the frantic, grotesque motion of some psycho killer trying to perform the crudest of tracheotomies.
[Tongue Twister] [per+alert]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 4, 6, 6, 6, 8 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [hellllo?]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Alertness]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 5, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Fate] His eyes grew huge when the Kinfolk started choking and stabbing herself in the throat. Something told him if she killed herself, it would fuel whatever was going on. And part of him was afraid if she died at all it would fuel whatever was happening. And the horrified part of him just freaked, snapped up to Warform and tried to kill her before she could commit suicide.
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Noooooooo – init +7]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 5
[Chrysalis] The bodies of the dead are twitching, too. The effect is more subtle than on the living, but she can see movement in the corpses that is more pronounced than the ordinary spasms of electical impulses through the bodies of the dead. The only corpse that is not moving is that of the theurge who was performing the rite.
to Tongue Twister
[Fate] +8
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 6
[Bone-Grinder] [Init! Umm +10]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 5
[Tongue Twister] She shakes the hands of Grrssssh off her face, and lips curl into a silent snarl as she looks down at him – and then her attention is drawn to something else – to the rest of the dead. She takes a step forward, and makes a questioning sound in the back of her throat…. finally mangling High Tongue as much as she does English…
Modies boving!
Something big is going on here.. and she drags Grrrsssssh toward the nearest corpse for a closer look..
[Dreams In Summer Snow] When Harmony sees the girl raise the knife to stab at her own throat, another expression of horror washes over his face. He doesn’t even see that Roman is already going to kill her, he’s trying to touch her, trying to close that wound over. In the end, Fate is faster.
His blow lands before Harmony’s hands do, and the younger Gaian’s hands twitch back. Even as he gapes up at Roman.
Then he just shakes his head. “Yeah, they’re…they’re all twitchy.”
[Fate] “Best stop ’em! Start with that one!”
He pointed at the one Tongue Twister held. Blood flew from his claws when he thrust his hand out in that pointing gesture. He made sure the kin was in no condition to move, ie: he pulled the arms and legs off.
[Night’s Reprieve] The high tongue is a snarl from the Godi’s crinos snout.
“Would not go near the dead… The summoning ritual was to bind and join them together.. the ones marked with runes.. Stay back. Ritual completed.. vessles dead but were not meant to be so.. unsure of result. Best to be rid of them.”
And he steps forward, points out his hand towards those bodies. Time to start a fire, when nobodies in the way.
[Fate] Fire sounded good to the tiny human part of his brain that had retreated in horror with the knowledge that dead were moving. That little tiny spark remembered you stopped zombies with fire or completely tearing them apart, or a bullet to the head, depending on the horror movie.
[Tongue Twister] Fate tells her to finish the one in her possession, and she does so, immediately – orders given, orders followed.
She drops him on the ground, and closing her jaws about his neck, biting down, through and riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiping.
[Night’s Reprieve] [rollin -1G]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] Harmony seems unsure of what to do at what the Godi says, other than to prepare himself to fight. After a moment he looks toward the runes that are marked on the bodies of the dead, and while he doubts it will help, he tears at the flesh of one of them with his jaws, attempts to rip the rune away.
[Chrysalis] There’s a flare in the air, this carbon sizzle as Night’s Reprieve creates fire from nothing. The corpse of the farthest Garou sparks and combusts, fur bursting into flame, the scorched smell of burning hair and sorched fat fills the air.
Fate ends the life of the kinfolk with one terrible swipe of his claws. Harmony turns away, his mission of mercy ended by his tribesmate’s more terrible idea of the same. She was already bleeding, anyway, choking on her own tongue, swollen in her mouth. She staggers forward like a rag doll, bloody arms wide, the light fading from her eyes.
Tongue Twister throws down the body of the sacrifice onto the floor, goes to tear out his throat. His arms are thrown wide as if he were embracing her like a lover, and gods he’s laughing at her, soundlessly, his skin looks like the membrane of a balloon, he’s still, not changing but stretched somehow.
She tears of his throat, this great gout of blood and bile, and he half-rises, marionnette-like, vomiting this stream of black bile.
—
There’s a moment of stillness, this dead-man sits there with a wound nearly sufficient to sever the head from the body, his head lolling, heavy –
– and then something is pushing throw, stuck somehow within the membrane of his skin, like a wet sheet pulled tight over the shadow of a screaming face snapped taut, drowning beneath it.
Abruptly, the skin starts to expand, being pushes from within, before it starts to zipper open as something shadowed starts to push through.
[Chrysalis] Head +10
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 6
[Fate] Init
+8
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 3
[Chrysalis] Arm 1: +8
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 9
[Chrysalis] Arm 2: +8
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 4
[Bone-Grinder] [+10]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 7
[Night’s Reprieve] [+7]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 2
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [+7]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 4
[Fate] For Rory
+9
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 10
[Chrysalis] Rory: 19
Bone Grinder: 17
Arm 1: 17 (in the burning corpse)
Head: 16
Arm 2: 12
Fate: 11
Harmony: 11
Night’s Reprieve: 9
[Night’s Reprieve] [1a
1b
r1
r2 – spears on head]
[Dreams In Summer Snow] 1a: Bite arm 2.
1b: Bite arm 2.
[Fate] 1a leaping for Theurge
1b Claw theurge
1r Claw Theurge
[Fate] 1a might as well burn baby. Claw Arm
1b Claw Arm
1r Claw Arm
[Fate] (Burning arm)
[Fate] And again…
1a help with arm 2, claw
1b claw again
1r claw again.
[Chrysalis] Arm 2: 1. Emerge. 2. Wingsweep. 3. Claw Fate. 4. Grab Harmony!
[Chrysalis] Head: 1. ShadowVomit on Rory! 2. Firebreath on Night’s Reprieve. 3. Bite Rory! 4. Bite Simon!
[Chrysalis] Arm 1: OUCH. ON FIRES.
[Bone-Grinder] [-1R Shift to Crinos
1A: Claw Head Eye
1B: Claw Head Eye
1R: Claw Head Eye
2R: Claw Head Eye]
[Tongue Twister] 2 rage, split first action – all on the head emerging from Grrrrrsssssh! cuz, um, ew? gross?
1a: bite
1b: bite
1r: bite
2r: bite
[Tongue Twister] nomnomnom!
split 1: Dex + Brawl + Hispo = 3+4+2 = 9 -2 for split = 7 diff 5 – reroll 10s
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 4, 4, 4, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 7 at target 5) Re-rolls: 3
[Tongue Twister] BITCHA LIKE YA MEAN IT!
Str + Hispo + Bite + (suxx-1) = 4+3+2 = 9 + 6
Dice Rolled:[ 15 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 7, 7, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Tongue Twister] (….really, Kahseeno? You whore.)
split 2: Dex + Brawl + Hispo = 3+4+2 = 9 -3 for split = 6 diff 5 – reroll 10s
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 5) Re-rolls: 2
[Tongue Twister] Yeah. I SAID WHORE.
Str + Hispo + Bite + (suxx-1) = 4+3+2 = 9 +4
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 1, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Tongue Twister] Soak 1:
Sta+Hispo = 4+3=7
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 4, 7, 7, 7 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Tongue Twister] Soak 2:
Sta+Hispo = 4+3=7
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] The first bite there’s this – twinge in the back of her throat. It’s like swallowing something strange, metallic, lingering in the back of her throat. The second bite, though – burns Rory’s muzzle, scores her throat.
2 Agg
to Tongue Twister
[Tongue Twister] Come on.. resist me some toxin!
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 8, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Dex+Totem+Crinos+Brawl = 9 Dice -2 for split actions = 7 Dice Diff 8]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 1 at target 8) Re-rolls: 1
[Tongue Twister] 3 dice to second soak roll…
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 7, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Str+Totem+Crinos+1 = 9]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 4, 4, 7, 7, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] MY EYE. MY EYE. MY – SOAK.
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 2, 7, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Ahem 2 more to that first roll!]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 1, 10 (Failure at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Second Roll 6 Dice this time!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 5, 6, 9 (Failure at target 8)
[Bone-Grinder] [Soak +2 +1]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Soak +2 +2]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Head: ShadowVomit!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 8, 8 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Soak +2 +3]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Tongue Twister] Stamina!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Fate] 1a claw arm
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 7 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Fate] damn
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Arm soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 5, 5, 5, 8, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Fate] 1b claw arm
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Fate] damn
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Arm soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Fate] soak 1
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Fate] soak 2
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [1a: Bite Arm 2! -2 split action.]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 4, 4, 5, 5, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 5)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Damage! Str 5 +1 bite +1 hispo +3]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [1b: Bite Arm 2! -3 split action.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 4, 5 (Failure at target 5)
[Night’s Reprieve] [1a -2 (split) spear on head]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 5, 5, 7, 8, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Soak]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 7, 7, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [dmg str+4+3+1+1]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [1b -3]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 2, 4, 5, 5, 7, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [dmg]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 4, 6, 7, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Tongue Twister] RAAAAAAAR!
Dex + Brawl + Hispo = 3+4+2= 9 diff 5 – reroll 10s
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 3, 4, 5, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 9 at target 5) Re-rolls: 2
[Tongue Twister] And again.. RAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!
Str + Hispo + Bite + (suxx-1) = 4+3+2 = 9 + 8
Dice Rolled:[ 17 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 9 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Stop looking at me eye just fscking die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dex+Totem+Crinos+Brawl = 9 Dice diff 8 Spending a Willpower so this stupid thing will Dieeeeeeeeeeeeeee]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 8) [WP] Re-rolls: 1
[Tongue Twister] Soak:
Sta+Hispo = 4+3=7+3 resist toxin!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 10, 10 (Failure at target 6)
[Chrysalis] This time Rory lunges at the head, more fully realized now, still vaguely formless but – dark and inky where the skin of the dead garou has split wide open as the – reptilian thing pushes through. She tears away a great chunk of the beast, and feels that burning in her mouth, on her skin, grotesque.
[3 Agg Rory!]
[Bone-Grinder] [DMG! Str+Totem+Crinos+1+2(Targeted Shot)+3(Extra Successes!]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 6, 8 (Failure at target 6)
[Chrysalis] The eye comes sloughing out of the shadow socket.
[Chrysalis] Firebreath!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Soak that fire breath!]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10 (Failure at target 6)
[Tongue Twister] ouch!!
Soak:
Sta+Hispo = 4+3=7 +3 RT!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 3, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 8 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Arm! WINGSWEEP.
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 1, 7, 7, 8, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Fate] dex+ath
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 3, 6, 10, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Dreams In Summer Snow] [Dex + Ath, 4 sux needed.]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 4, 7, 8, 8 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Wingsweep damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 9, 10, 10 (Failure at target 6)
[Fate] Clawing with back feet (rage action)
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 7, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6) [WP] Re-rolls: 1
[Fate] damn
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 2, 4, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 8 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [r1 stabbity head! die!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [dmg+1]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 8, 9, 10, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 8 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] SOAK.
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 4, 5, 5, 6, 8, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Tongue Twister] R2 – DIE!
Dex + Brawl + Hispo = 3+4+2= 9 diff 5 – reroll 10s
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 2, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 8 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Tongue Twister] I MEAN IT! DIIIIIIIIIE!
Damage:
Str + Hispo + Bite + (suxx-1) = 4+3+2 = 9 + 7
Dice Rolled:[ 16 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 3, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] head: x.x!
[Bone-Grinder] [Attacking Arm!]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 5, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6) Re-rolls: 2
[Tongue Twister] Soak:
Sta+Hispo = 4+3=7+3 soooooak!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 3, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Str+Totem+Crinos+1+5 = 14]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Arm: soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 3, 6, 6, 7, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Arm: CLAW Roman! -1 dif since he is prone; -4 dice for loss of the head.
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 6, 6, 7 (Success x 2 at target 5)
[Chrysalis] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 8 (Failure at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [R2 stabbity on arm!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Night’s Reprieve] [dmg+2]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 6, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 8 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 4, 4, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Chrysalis] ARM: x.x
[Chrysalis] What emerges from the corpses is wholly inhuman, not solid-black but shadow black, opaque and murky. Rory is the first to sink her teeth into it, and it pulls in her mouth like acidic taffy, stringlets of shadow-stuff peeling away from the formed formlessness of the head emerging from the corpse of Grrrrrsh. When it turns on her the first time, opening its great maw to spew a stream of vaguely greenish vomit, no one is deterred. Bone-Grinder, Tongue-Twister, and Night’s Reprieve converge around the head, attacking it with tooth and claw and spear. It turns on them again, breathing a gout of scorching flame out of its flaring nostrils – even the fire is blackened, somehow – directly onto the Fenrir. Each blow that they land pulls away more of the roiling, gelatinous – stuff – that seems to be pouring from the corpse of the dead man out of the vaguely reptilian head, until Bone-Grinder literally pulls the huge eye, the size of a dinner plate, with the consistency of a jelly mold of a brain-pan, out of the socket, until Night’s Reprieve shoves his spear into the opening between lower jaw and upper jaw, tearing the whole of the lower jaw away. Until Rory ends it with a final, nauseating bite, tearing whatever membrane held that – black stuff together apart.
Fate and Dreams in Summer Snow turn on the arm, this grotesque batwinged thing emerging from the corpse of the second dead Spiral. The arm sort of implodes the corpse’s sternum like a sinkhole, then erupts out into existance as the pair of Gaians turn and lunge at it, tooth and claw. Harmony feels this strange resistance underneath his jaws as he tears into the structure of the shadow wing, like biting into a structure made of liquorice and hollow-bird bones, feels the burn of it in the back of his throat. Fate tears into it, leaving gaping holes in the substrate of the wing’s structure. The thing still sweeps, a great arc of motion, knocking both Garou from their feet. As the head begins to dissolve, the arm flails, blind, seeking for Fate. The other Garou turn from their prey, and end it, finally.
Whatever it is – whatever it was meant to be, joining the pack of spirals together, being born, maybe, through the sacrifice, appeased by the tokens so carefully scattered and hidden around the railyard – whatever it was meant to become just – collapses, defluctuant, the substance of the thing torn apart, this corona of coruscating acid in the air around them. For a moment – for a thin, scorching moment – each of them is sure that the air is about to catch fire, that some spark will be thrown amidst the oily shadow-residue, the acid burn of scorched oxygen as the air rushes to fill the vaccuum as the head collapses, as the arm disappears.
There’s smoke in the air, they can all see the last arm flailing into nothingness, melting back into whatever hell had tried to birth it in the corpse the Fenrir set flame, farther out in the old roundhouse. There is in the aftermath a sort of silence, a hanging stillness. They are the only things still moving.
[Fate] “We still alive?”
[Dreams In Summer Snow] Harmony coughs, gags, and spits once they’re through, once the Spiral is just a sticky oozing mess on the floor. He hasn’t gotten used to the smell. He’ll never get used to the smell, and how overpowering it is when he’s standing here next to the body as a Hispo wolf.
And then he backs away, and looks once toward the dead Kin girl, and then about to make sure all of his companions are all right. All relatively unscarred: they’ve been lucky.
“Yes,” he tells Fate, grateful that he doesn’t have to resort to actual speech just yet, that he can use the High Tongue. His throat is still burning.
[Tongue Twister] An uneasy silence falls, aside from the breathing and the crackling of the fire.. it hangs, and Rory watches and waits, and watches again. She tips her head, and swallows uneasily. She is not uninjured, the flames having ripped at her, singed her fur and flesh away in places.
She takes another breath, and when Fate asks his question, she turns toward him, and nods.
[Fate] He wasn’t a great healer. He wasn’t a fair healer. He was a rather iffy healer. Nonetheless, Roman stepped towards Rory to use his meager Gift on her. Mother’s Touch.
“Let’s get all remains in the fire and make sure them little ritual piles are destroyed too.”
[Night’s Reprieve] After the fight, it takes a few moments for the Godi to still his beating heart. He spent every inch of rage that he had or near enough to it and it doesn’t leave him docile, it just makes him feel.. spent.. exhausted.. slightly frustrated. Once he’s sure it is safe, that there is no immediate danger, he rounds on the others. He had been completely blanketed in fire, a weaker Garou would have been dropped right there, set a flame like NR had done to the corpse that became a flailing towering inferno instead of a deadly arm. Instead, the Godi stands relatively uninjured. Bits of his grey fur are charcoaled black and there seems to be a nasty looking burn wound oozing blood through cracked and seared flesh on his lower right abdomen.
He can’t feel it of course, not that it would slow him down if he could. It’s not a serious wound, not a life threatening wound.
“Burn it all” He spits the words from his snarling snout in the high tongue. “This filth doesn’t deserve to be on display.” And this time he actually does spit, a huge glob of mess upon the ground to clear the tainted taste in his throat.
[Fate] Mother’s Touch
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 6, 6 (Success x 3 at target 3) [WP]
[Tongue Twister] Roman touches her, and she almost flinches away – until she realizes what he is doing, and as she melts down to her monkey skin, she bushes and smiles shyly at him.
“Thanks.”
before helping with the cleanup.