White Wash
The sea isn’t calm today, though it very rarely is beneath the bridge. It’s deceptive — everything about this area of town is deceptive. It looks like a beautiful location with tourists bustling back and forth as the sun turns black to grey to foggy yellow and then blue. They come to see all of this — they come to see the magnificent steel structure stretching across the water. Meanwhile people stand on ledges and look down at their inevitable doom, churning over a hundred feet below.
It’s deceptive. Not just because of the happy-sad contrast but also because of the water itself. There aren’t huge swells that come rushing in, but the undercurrent is extreme — deadly even. The water doesn’t seem to know where the hell it wants to go any more, it just sort of swirls and smashes together and tugs in all directions.
For those on board the Fay Wray, they have to put their faith in a grimy looking gruff sea captain by the name of Bernard. It looks like he’s got more stubble than skin on his face and he’s constantly scowling, constantly peering out into the water like the very substance beneath them might rise up and drag them down. It doesn’t — of course — but he keeps on scowling all the same. Vigilance, he calls it, gotta stay vigilant, the sea ain’t no place for hippies. A real Captain Ahab, here in the flesh.
The Fay Wray itself is not much more than a good solid fishing boat. fat and wide and rides low in the water. She handles this harbour like no other though and from the big cabin up the front they can see clearly where they’re going. Beneath the bridge, towards the far side of the bay. Big tyres line the edges of the ship and water slaps at it with rubbery-noises.
“We’re almost there,” gruffs the Captain, pointing ahead with one finger towards the cliffs looming closers.
Lilah Rove
Sitting up the back of the fishermans craft Lilah is fiddling with the diving equipment and muttering to herself. “This shite’s gonna make me drown,” she’s certain of it. It weighs a ton and the lean woman has hollow bones. She has visions of sinking to the bottom of the bay and being torn apart by angry Rokea. “Shoulda went through the Umbra.” Mutter, mutter.
She occasionally glances up to look at the Garou, keeping an ear out on their plan of negotiation. The fact that one of them killed a Rokea isn’t going to go down well. The Fang is meant to be the one doing all the talking and leading. The idea makes her snicker quietly to herself until she’s distracted by the Captains pointing towards the cliffs, and she stands up to squint against the sunlight reflecting off the water to get a better look.
Sgian-dubh
Rory isn’t chattering – not that she ever does. In fact, it’s likely that Adara is the only one who’s heard her speak much of anything at all. And right now, she’s discovering a distaste for water the likes she’s never known before. The fiery haired Ahroun is looking a bit green about the gills, in fact, but she is stoically holding on…
She studies the diving e
Sgian-dubh
(..ahem.)
She studies the diving equipment with suspicion, and looks over to her Alpha. If there were ever a doubt Rory would follow the Fury into the gates of hell themselves… it should be erased right here, right now.
Sgian-dubh
(..ahem.)
She studies the diving equipment with suspicion, and looks over to her Alpha. If there were ever a doubt Rory would follow the Fury into the gates of hell themselves… it should be erased right here, right now.
Adara Mires
Adara had talked with her sometime room mate Penelope. The Fostern had let her use one of the room in her big house and both women had developed a friendship. When Penelope was recalled for other duties on this day, the Fang had gotten them the ship and diving equipment. She told her packmate and Lilah to take the time to use the Rite of Talisman dedication on the equipment. At least it will disappear if they shift and they will be able to retrieve it once the trouble is dealt with.
The Fury was dressed in running shoes, jeans and tank top, a swimsuit underneath. And a watertight bag with her so she can put her clothes in once she strip to her swimsuit. She will have dry clothing to wear when this is over.
She grins at Lilah’s words “It’s not to late to change your mind”
She nods to the captain when tells then they’re almost there, she takes off her clothes, put them in the bag and start to put on the diving equipment “All right, guess we better ready ourselves”
Lilah Rove
“You got a plan?” Because so far nothing had been discussed. The big Wig Fang had pulled out and let her go with a pack lead by a Cliath – a smaller rank than herself. Lilah was sure she’d be better off alone. “Or is it te just dive in an’ ‘ope ye don’t get eatin? While tryin’ te talk ’round this.” She waggles the mouthpiece of the diving equipment and raises her brows for emphasis. The Corax is dressed in an all black wetsuit with some of those seaslippers on her feet that has some rubber traction. Her hair is plaited back, neatly binding the black mane.
Sgian-dubh
Rory follows Adara’s lead – Lilah may be getting the wrong idea of the fianna, but she would not be the first, or the last. Either way, it doesn’t matter to the Fostern, as she strips down to her suit and goes about getting ready, as Adara had taught her.
she is focused, for sure. LIstening, aware, and… well. not looking forward to this in the least…
Adara Mires
She look at Lilah “To be honest, I have no idea” She says, tapping her lower lip with her left index “I mean Penelope was supposed to lead this expedition. We’ll try to get there unnoticed, though they can probably sense vibrations in the water. So..the plan is this mostly..we go in, if caught we try to negotiate, at the first sign of trouble we go Umbral side and if we can’t avoid it, Rory and I will hold them off while you get your behind as fast as possible to the grotto”
She let out a slow breath “That’s not much of a plan but that’s all I have for now.” She look at Lilah “Rory and I are bonded. Underwater we won’t be able to speak much, let’s work on some hand signals..for go, wait, flee, Umbra…And if you have suggestions for an alternate plan or more signals..I’m all ears. I have no intention to die or get you all killed today”
White Wash
There are other ships that have been passing by like ghostly mirages, barely worth paying attention to so they slip through on the fringes of the consciousness for all but the most alert — for all but the most curious. For those people — the curious ones; the perceptive ones — they might notice the boats have suddenly stopped coming past and the Fay Wray is now seemingly alone.
A mist rises up from the water as they roll towards the cliffs and the only sound is the chug chug chug of Fay Wray’s heart and the sloshing of thick viscus water that clings to her sides and slaps at her rubbery exterior continuously.
They can tell that the boat is slowing down and even the sounds of the vehicles on the bridge now behind them are distant and almost non existent. It’s just them and the water and those cliffs. For now.
“This is it,” he says to them. “Can’t take you any closer. I’d think it’s about three hundred feet straight ahead of us and down maybe twenty by the charts I was given. — Hey what are you guys doing out here anyway?”
Lilah Rove
“Aye, I do. How ’bout negotiatin’ instead o’ tresspassin’?” Is her simple solution. The idea of trying to get through were-shark territory in the water, weighted down by a bunch of equipment, with the idea that they could actually get past without being noticed isn’t a plan as far as the Corax is concerned.
Bernard asks what they’re getting up to out here and the lean woman smiled, at least until she was pulling on her diving equipment and grunting at the weight that settled on her back. “Goin’ fer a swim,” she replied, “If I don’ drown with this thing tha’ is.” The grin she gives him is all humour and eye sparkling.
“Thanks fer bringin’ us out ‘ere Captain Bernard. If I ever see a Moby, I know who te come an’ find.” It’s all harmless flattery and genuine appreciation.
Sgian-dubh
Rory… well, she’s all for negotiating or tresspassing but mostly for getting this show on the road. she’s wound up, antsy, and worries she won’t be able to protect them in the water. on land? sure. In the water is an entirely different story.
But she finishes getting ready, and settles to sit on the side of the boat, awaiting the signal.
Adara Mires
She nod to Lilah “That’s the main idea. Get them to let us pass. But..are you saying we should actively seek them out and ask them to let us pass?” It wasn’t a bad plan…but it wasn’t filling her heart with joy.
Though if LIlah actually means to seek them out, she nods. They will. Maybe the Corax can talk to them. The girl was charming, verbose and not Garou. With Hunter having killed one of them, maybe a non Garou ambassador was the best thing. Once things are cleared up, she gets ready
She let Lilah deal with the Captain, nodding her thanks to him
She adjust the equipment, put on the the underwater goggles, make sure her tank is open, make sure her watertight bag is with her “All right ladies, let’s go. Do as I do” She had checked on the net how to get in the water with that kind of equipment. No way one should dive head first after all.
She moves to the edge of the boat and drops into the water, the proper way (which if crouched rolling backward i think, or just feet first…not an expert here)
White Wash
The Captain grins and it’s a vicious thing, a crude hammering harpoon of an expression that belies mirth in the depths of his rough visage. “Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale. To the last I grapple with thee; from hell’s heart I stab at thee; for hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee.”
“Good book,” he tells her but then his smile begins to slip away — if it could ever really be called a smile by normal standards — and he starts to look towards the cliffs.
“Hey now, I thought I’d warn you. I mean.. you girls look like you can handle yourselves.. no whales out there.. but we’ve had a few shark attacks in this area. Just be careful. No wet suit is good — they like the wet suits. Going to feel like puttin’ your balls in the bait box though.”
“Water’s cold.” He clarifies.
Sgian-dubh
Putting her balls in the… oooooooooooh. Rory, she of rage so high it’s near palpable, even here – she blushes, and ducks her head, finally opting to follow Adara over the side of the boat and into the water, which sucks her breath away for a moment, because it si cold indeed..
Lilah Rove
To Adara: “Aye, s’wha’ I’m sayin’. Think if the shoe was on the other foot.”
“I knew ye’d appreciate a classic,” Lilah continues to banter with the Captain as the others go over to the side of the vessel. She follows over but nods at Bernards advise. Her stomach sinks at the mention of wet suits, which is exactly what she’s in. Blessing in disguise maybe, she can be the beacon that attracts them all. Wonderful. The goggles go on.
“Thanks again, Captain! Mourn fer me if I become shark bait.” She swings her legs onto the sides of the craft and eases over it, squawking as the cold water hits.
“I’ll stay with ye. Just remember one o’ ye I aint,” she mumbles to the Garou and fits her mouthpiece in and pushes from the side of the craft to swim toward them.
Adara Mires
She heard the man say the water is cold and she thought she was ready for it but by Gaia it was cold. Lucky she was used to cold temperatures and her Rage was burning inside her hot enough to keep her warm some
Lilah speaks and she pulls out the mouthpiece to answer “Just so you know, I really appreciate your help” She tells the Corax “So when we find them, you or I should negotiate. I do think they will respond better to you”
She accepts Lilah’s answer and putting the mouthpiece back on, she swim under the water, in the direction of the grotto. Not being entirely stupid, she got herself an underwater compass and lights. It might get dark really soon there and even wolf senses might not help them.
She takes the lead for the moment, glancing back or talking with Rory over their link to make sure Lilah was following and not struggling too much.
Sgian-dubh
She takes a moment to get herself aclimated – glad, once agian, for the heat of her rage. A nod to Adara – though through the link it sounds more like “cccccooooooollllldddddd” and a lopsided grin as she glances back to Lilah…
And then follows her Alpha under the water.
White Wash
“Take care,” says Bernard. “I’ll be waiting here to pick you all up when you’re done. Just give me a buzz on the radio in her pack.” He makes a nod towards Adara. After that all he can do is watch from his ship as the three girls group up in the water and then dive under, disappearing beneath the sloshing little excuses for waves, drawn down into the depths by the tugging tides that become all too apparent as soon as they dip into the darkness.
“It smells like the left wing of the day of judgment.” Says Bernard to himself and grins, even laughing a little with the dark humour of a real sailor — the kind who went looking for death just because they heard it might be worth a pretty penny.
———-
Beneath the water their eyes have to adjust — they have to get used to seeing in the murkiness but soon they’re swimming, cutting through the water towards those cliffs only three hundred.. now two fifty… feet away. Twenty feet down, that’s what he said. Not really a big distance when you think about it… when you’re down there yourself though and all you can see is the flippers in front of you.. it can feel like a lifetime.
[Alert rolls dif 8]
Lilah Rove
Perception + Stealth (enemy ways) – Specialty: Uncanny Instincts
Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (2, 6, 6, 8, 9, 9, 10) ( success x 6 )
Sgian-dubh
[perc alert]
Dice: 5 d10 TN8 (3, 4, 6, 6, 8) ( success x 1 )
Lilah Rove
Perception + Alertness Spec: Uncanny Instincts
Dice: 6 d10 TN6 (2, 2, 2, 4, 8, 10) ( success x 2 )
Adara Mires
She swims fairly easily , being in shape, with a lot of stamina, living in Greece and Seattle in the past. She was used to water and actually liked it..when it wasn’t so cold. For now things were going smoothly but they were closing on the grotto and they should look around for the sharks before getting to close
(alertness roll)
Dice: 5 d10 TN8 (1, 2, 5, 5, 9) ( fail )
Lilah Rove
She swims slower than the rest. Lilah isn’t any slouch but she does weigh less and the extra weight on her back doesn’t help when one has hollow bones. She has to compensate and the water feels like it’s dragging her anywhere it wants. Legs kick against the currents and she strokes murkiness. She reaches out for one of the legs in front of her and tugs on it, trying not to get kicked in the face. She doesn’t want to stop swimming and being caught alone, but she doesn’t want to go any further either.
That sense of dread just tripled and felt like lead weight in her stomach. She spins around on the spot, looking through the darkness at the shapes she can sense and see out beyond. Of all things she does, the Corax gives up two peace signs with her fingers of both hands, wisely keeping it close to her body. That her heart rate is pounding through the roof betrays just how she feels about this expedition.
White Wash
Rory can see the Grotto up ahead or what looks like it might be the entrance, but it’s much further down than they expected.
Sgian-dubh
She tips her head, slightly, as she swims. Lilah grabs hold of her ankle, and she doesn’t flinch away, or kick her in the face either. She turns to look at her, red hair floating about her face, as she does so. She turns back in the direction they were swimming, and back to Lilah, a clear question… The Grotto looks farther away than they thought… and she tips her head, slightly…
Adara Mires
She hadn’t noticed anything, her senses dulled by the water. Sure her connection with her wolf was extremely strong lately but even her wolf wasn’t amphibian. She swim ahead until she turn her head and sees that the other two have stopped, farther behind her than she liked.
She turns and make her way back sending a message to her pack mate “Rory, why have you stopped?”
Lilah Rove
It’s all hand signals. Rory is questioning her and Lilah is pointing several times in different directions and makes a circling motion with her hand. She shows the number ten then another five after. She’s also swimming on the one spot, just trying not to sink and get carried away, while her head turns and she tries to keep certain sharks in sight. They are so done for! Keep cool Lilah, keep it cool. Peace signs are flashed again, and she tries not to move around too much or make sudden, startling motions. The mantra is: Please don’t eat me. Which is becoming the manta of her daily life in San Francisco.
Sgian-dubh
She nods as she reads the signals, and turns her head to search for the sharks in the murky water. She replies to Adara through their bond – oddly enough, mangling the words just as much as she does in verbal speech…
~Srrounded… 15. She thees sem.~
White Wash
Lilah is amazingly perceptive today; she can sense that they’re still keeping their distance like she’s got sonar or something. The other two can’t really make out the dark shapes in the water but every now and then they can see a flicker of movement in the murky depths.
The big one is getting bolder, circling ever closing, making glorious lunges to cover quick bursts of ground to show his bravery as he twists and turns through the water.
Not long till he reaches them, of that Lilah can be certain.
Adara Mires
“All right, I’m coming back” She swims toward the two other women, Slowly, so she wouldn’t do movements that could be interpreted as hostile. She stops near them, not reaching for Lilah, the Corax was probably scared, Hell she is scared. 15 sharks were bad news, if they were all shifters, if was hell in water.
She swim on the spot, wondering if the Fera could smell they weren’t humans. She hopes so, shifting will only be seem as an hostile act after all. She waits patiently, watching Lilah and the bold shark, getting ready to order them in the Umbra if things turn ugly
Sgian-dubh
She nods, slightly, and treds water, trying to watch everything at once, not really seeing more than the shapes, her belly clenching with nerves… she isn’t a great fan of this water, of this expidition… and add to that that she’s nervous….
Well. Fortunately, the Fianna has more control than most – and she does her best to position herself to protect adara and Lilah both…
Lilah Rove
She can’t help herself, she squeaks into the mouth piece and a flurry of bubbles bursts up. Her arms tuck in and she tries to make herself look smaller, wincing at the quickness of the shark in the water. She feels like a sitting duck and with communication limited, and with sharks wear no expressions to cue by other than big teeth and powerful fins life is difficult.
The Corax still has to make some sort of decision. She looks to the direction of the grotto, an estimate of how far away the cliffs and glances up towards the surface. If they got to a cliff they wouldn’t be circled, only eaten from one direction. There was no rush for the grotto, doing so would be hostile and ultimately deadly.
She begins to move towards the surface and in the direction of a cliff face, decidedly not towards the grotto. She does so slowly, keeping with the other two and watching the shapes in the water. It’s not just the big, flashy one she’s eyeing, suspicious it might just be a decoy. But damn is it a big, scary decoy that is a very real threat too. Any change in their behaviour or movement forces Lilah to pause.
White Wash
There are breeds that there should not be here — there are sharks that do not belong in these waters and if any here are marine biologists that should be evidence enough that they not dealing with the regular kind. The water soaks up a lot of the Rage but these sharks seem to communicating or working in unison in same — even if it is with the uniformity of a bunch of hungry hyenas.
Lilah begins to move towards the cliffs in the distance, veering away from the direct course to the Grotto entrance and some of the sharks follow.
Suddenly there’s a rushing of water that they can all feel — something thick and hard and fast brushing past their legs in the water and flapping off into the dark. Then again and again; things in the light-less water keep touching them. Adara and Rory can both see them now, the fins and teeth and the snouts.
Now or never.
Adara Mires
She follows Lilah’s lead, changing direction slowly to move with her. It wasn’t an easy situation. Would the sharks understand their signs if they say they came in peace? Would they think humans are just pleading for their lives?
Maybe
She look at one of the closest sharks and made a circular motion with one hand indicating them, then hold up the peace sign. She then make the motion, making the talk sign with her hand and them indicate them, pointing them with a few fingers
Gaia, please let them understand …they don’t want a fight, just talk.
Sgian-dubh
She follows, keeping herself between Adara and Lilah and the sharks behind them as best as she can.. watching as Adara tries to signal them their wish to talk, and that they come in peace. Rory is strong, but the water pulls at her, tugs at her, and she fears she can’t defend them… but she does what she can as they touch her – she lets them… and moves again and again to try and put herself between Adara and Lilah and the things that come for them…
Lilah Rove
The water rushes around them and she feels things brush by her legs. Her intial reaction is to scream and the air locks up in her chest. Kicking anew, she pushes for the surface. This shit is so not worth it. She’s going to loose breakfast out one end or the other soon enough. Each time something brushes her she’s between holding her breath or hyperventilating. The Corax is definitely moving to surface and has forgot about that idea of moving slowly. Legs kicking she torpedo’s towards where there is air (and a possible escape route).
White Wash
Things are looking bad — things are looking very bad — the sharks do not look like they want to talk at all. In fact, they look like they rather want to bite pieces out of the Garou and the Corax. The Garou hold firm, floating still in the water and trying to make it clear to the sharks that they come in peace.
Meanwhile Lilah goes bursting towards the surface and the sudden movement has many of the sharks instinctively chasing — racing through the water faster than she could ever hope to. But as much as it is in their instincts to chase her; it is in her instincts to find air, find freedom.
Before she can reach the surface though there is a terrible gnashing of teeth and a thrashing of fins as something not entirely shark comes crashing through the crowd of fish, scattering them in his path to swerve and sway in front of them, an enormousness sharks head attached to the muscular frame of a man’s body, all shark skin and webbed feet and hands with a white tipped fin peeking scarred from near his shoulder. A monstrosity that barely makes any sense. But they can understand him..
Land Apes, Why do you come here again. Foolish, stupid, suicide — you seek to die?
Muse
Among the dark, imposing shapes that cruise deftly through the water with all the power and strength of a Hispo Garou on land, there is another more delicate seeming creature. It bears a fin very much like the intimidating predators surrounding them, though there are small differences that herald a difference between them.
The tails of the sharks whoosh side to side while this creatures tail moves quickly up an down. It’s snout is longer, bottle nosed perhaps, and it’s head bears a more pronounced shape. In the distance it swims quickly, bumping the bigger fish with its nose before just barely darting away in a burst of speed that’s amazing to say the least.
This has taken the attention of most of the sharks off the Garou and Corax, at least for the moment.
Adara Mires
Things were looking like it would go from bad to worst with Lilah moving away and the sharks following but something happens. Maybe her signs were understood, maybe the fact they weren’t all feeing made them pause, maybe Gaia watched over them
Whatever it was two things happened. The big shark shifted and spoke. and someone else arrived. Ceri..the dolphin Owen told her about, the one who helped him.
Now it was time to talk and they had agree that Lilah would be the one speaking. She look at the Corax who was further away. If she signal her she will lead the negotiation but she was sure another Fera would have better chances than a Garou.
But she will do it if she has to. She won’t fail in her duties
Sgian-dubh
Lilah starts to swim away, and Rory is torn – she was sworn to protect both of them in this, but she can’t if they don’t stay together… in the end her decision is no real surprise, however. She stays near her Alpha, watching her back, and doing her best to position herself to protect the Fury with all she has…
Lilah Rove
There’s movement in more places than she can see but certainly sense. The currents that they cause is enough to buffet her about in the water and stop her progress towards the surface. Before thm there’s a Rokea. She’s never seen one before and the sight of him is confronting and yet somehow expected, as if she couldn’t have imagined them to look any other way.
For a moment he distracts her from that idea she needs to get away and fast. That he’s talking and she can understand him under water certainly helps. She reaches up to the mouthpiece and, after taking a good lungful of air, takes it out her mouth to talk in the water. “Bargain for passage.” The mouth piece pops back into her mouth and she points towards the area they were heading.
Muse
The dolphin seems to be taking the brunt of the sharks anger at the moment as White Wash shifts and rumbles out a few words toward the Garou. A push here, a bump there, but the smaller dolphin manages to keep them at bay and in the distance there are more of the water mammals. The primary one – the one Adara knows as Ceri – rushes toward the floating Garou and Corax as White Wash speaks and they respond.
She’s circling Lilah so quickly that it leaves a circular white foam at the top of the water around her.
White Wash
The sharks all hate that god damn dolphin. There is out-rage from the school as they all swim in circles trying to catch her, gnashing their jaws and crunching their teeth in vain. If anything, the big Great White in front of them looks.. worn out. He sighs, if such a thing is possible in water.
But when they ask for passage, there’s a fierce rumbling that echoes with a bubbling of water as he snaps at them and shakes his head from side to side as if ripping apart their imaginary bodies.
No passage! The way is closed! That horrible Ceri will not distract them for long. The last one of you that came here could converse with me on the spiritual plane. The others cannot follow there. Come with me.
Lilah Rove
It’s so very tempting to see if dolphins do carry folks around, and she’s itching to reach out and grab the animal that is moving around her so quickly that it’s dizzing. The Corax feels for the others welfare, however, knowing that its keeping a school of hungry sharks at bay. Nodding at the Rokea’s suggestion she glanced to the Garou with her and nodded at them too. Lilah is going to cross to the Umbra with the shark-man.
Adara Mires
She watches what was happening. It was a strange and eerie sight. Dolphins and shark in a stalemate, Garou and Corax discussing with a Rokea…yep, all in a days work for her. Sure.
The tales she will have to sing and tell when she makes Fostern..some will not believe her, She’s sure of that.
She makes the ok signal to Lilah, they will cross together, then point at herself, Rory then LIlah and making the umbra sign they had talked about on the boat.
Unless Lilah wants to go alone, she focuses and then step sideways.
Dice: 3 d10 TN7 (1, 8, 10) ( success x 2 ) [WP]
Sgian-dubh
She follows adara’s lead, and nods slightly. She waits, though, for Lilah to cross, than Adara, making sure they are safely through before she concentrates herself, and steps sideways…
[pleaseohpleaseohplease ]
Dice: 3 d10 TN7 (3, 3, 3) ( success x 1 ) [WP]
Lilah Rove
Dice: 6 d10 TN7 (1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) ( success x 2 )
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
(Psst… Just a heads up… When you are in a pack you can have one person “Open the Way” allowing that one person to roll for the whole pack)
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
(When crossing the gauntlet anyway)
White Wash
Rory is a little behind, as it probably should be, the Ahroun ripping and clawing her way at a much slower pace through the gauntlet that the other two slip through much more comfortably. But White Wash doesn’t start talking while it’s only Adara and Lilah there — he still but not silent, grunting and huffing, snorting the slimy viscous fluid from his shark-skin face.
In the Umbra the sea is like a thick soup of mercury. It clings to them and instead of being a huge pool of it — it seems to drip continuously from their bodies, like they’re standing in plastic moulds of their own forms — like they can’t displace the water — it just moves of its own accord.
Finally Rory stumbles through and White Wash snarls — a sound most horrendous from his tooth filled maw. His head is massive, it could swallow their human bodies completely whole and it’s pointed right at them. If it is their first time in the umbra under-water they would fight for what they think is breath — they would feel a choking sensation swallowing them whole and blinding their senses and it’s to this that the shark shows his attention first.
Do not fight it — let it all in — let it all through you — breathe the spirit-sea
Mercury-water drips from his nostril slits and over his teeth and eyes and shoulders.
My name is White Wash and I know what you seek. But the Grotto is closed, we had no choice. You’re lucky you weren’t torn to pieces after what one of your kind did at Allamere.
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
Penelope was late but never without good reason, the rental of a seagoing vessel on such short notice was expensive. Still she was here with the others and her presence could likely be felt by those garou who dwelt nearby. The Umbra seemed the best place to hold a meeting since Giant shark monsters weren’t likely to want to meet all gathered around a table like proper little people. So that is where she was, approaching with the others, and swimming up to join them. Her attention on the beast who was speaking, curiosity and interest… Why shouldn’t she be? It was the first time she had seen one of these curious things.
Muse
They are not left with just the Rokea known to his kind and a few of theirs as White Wash. The dolphin is there too, swimming in the mercury like water with a slow sort of cautiousness. The other sharks cannot follow her here and maybe it’s because of that reason that Ceri is taking her time swimming and rolling in the Umbra water.
Lilah Rove
It’s a horrible sensation being underwater in the Umbra, one that Lilah hopes never to repeat again. For the Corax it is hard not to panic to feel so stuck, both her insides and out. Fighting past it, forcing her breathing to slow, she tells herself to trust the Rokea and her own instincts and strength of Gnosis tied to this world.
Once she’s past it, she can talk again. “I’m Rove; a Corax na Garou,” that had to be told first of all, to distinguish herself as one of the Fera and not one of the slaughterers. It’s about then that she notices that the Silver Fang is with them and her stomach does a bit of a dying fish flip-flop.
Swallowing past the mercury water she focuses on White Wash. “Ye’re well met White-Wash. I was sorry to hear of your loss.” Genuine, that is. “I hope that others make amends.”
“Wha’ happened te the grotto? I was hoping to get passage through to where the Wyrm is said te be on the other side.”
Adara Mires
She let Lilah speaks. It was as agreed. She frowns when she sees Penelope, wondering what the Fostern was doing in the Umbra. Watching over them? Was it some kind of test?
She wasn’t the ranking Garou any more, it was the Fang so she shut up. But maybe White Shark recognise her form the beach, maybe he heard her tell Hunter many times to back off. Maybe he could see the regret and apology on her face, in her eyes.
Maybe he didn’t give a rat’s ass either.
She offer the Rokea a slow respectful nod. She couldn’t offer apologies on the Nation’s behalf, it will have to be Penelope who does so, but at least she will give the powerful Fera the respect he deserves.
Sgian-dubh
Rory finally arrives, scratching her way through, and breathing – though it’s odd and disconcerting and she’s a little out of sorts… She nods her respect though, and allows the other women to do the communication…
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
She wasn’t here to bark orders, she wasn’t here to give Adara’s pack commands. Adara’s pack was here to ensure that she was able to speak to the “Weresharks” and that Lilah was allowed entrance into the grotto. So naturally it was disappointing to her to hear that the grotto was closed. She didn’t speak up yet, she would soon enough but Lilah had already asked what she would have asked, she was also being respectful about one of their dead… Another good sign.
White Wash
The oncoming sight of the Fostern Silver Fang has the big Great White twisting in a tight circle and thrashing a useless tail along with his webbed feet and legs. He rushes forward, pushing through the water before he can answer Lilah and towards the incoming Penelope.
Who is this intruder! He snarls at her and flickers his limbs, twisting and rolling through the water with the expertise of someone clearly born into such a world.
But these Garou know her — he can tell that much by their faces — so he calms down, bubbling and huffing the mercury water like a drug-dipped rag. Back to Lilah he moves, rolling and floating in front of her to stare at her with those beady black eyes.
The way is closed because we had to make it so. The wyrm taint was getting too strong, it was seeping into the spirit of our home. The others .. they are not so tied to the spirit world.. but I see.. I know.. it had to be done.
Muse
The dolphin that had attempted to protect Lilah from the angry Rokea school swims languidly behind White Wash, tail thrashing up and down in the thick umbra water as she seems to be listening to everything that is being said.
Lilah Rove
White Wash charges towards Penelope and Lilah certainly doesn’t get in the way. She cringes a little, hoping that there wasn’t going to be blood letting happening, and once it was clear there wasn’t, she cast a quick glance to where the dolphin was before she’s looking back to White-Wash again.
They have similar eyes, she notes, except hers are far more smaller. “May I ask how it was you closed it? I need te find a way in, te ‘elp stop the spread o’ taint everywhere. It’s gettin’ stronger, an’ this was one o’ the last ways in.” Maybe they could find a way to shut down the other Trods and keep the King from trapping anyone else, sealing them off. First they have to see if she can get in there.
White Wash
You are confused, he tells her and sways left to right, half rolling onto his belly and then back to face her.
The portal remains. We had to close the grotto. The taint came from the sea nearby, we have guarded the portal in the grotto .. unsure and wary of it.. do you know how to close it?? We wish it closed.
Adara Mires
She doesn’t move closer, letting Lilah handle the negotiations. She was speaking for the Garou and they will back the Corax words if needed. The grotto was closed, not the portal, they could still access it.
If they can get the big shark’s permission.
Quiet,she watches the exchange and Penelope standing from afar. Her bound telling her where Rory was.
Lilah Rove
“No, but I will try an’ find a way if you can get me safe passage to the portal.” Now things make a little more sense. Better that she got straight answers and worked out the puzzle herself. Now if she can get some more pieces on the other side of the portal and make it back again safely.
White Wash
Absolutely not
He twists in the water and washes a wave of it with his half-tail, sending it splashing over the nearby dolphin-creature.
The way is closed, to open it with the taint nearby would see the spirit within corrupted.
Lilah Rove
“Wha’ if we can aid in cleansing the area first?” The Corax suggests.
Muse
The dolphin seems to almost flinch at the splash of a wave sent by White Wash’s half-tail – she darts to the left and then swims back quickly within hearing range. Her body floats near the surface, blow hole spurting bits of thick umbra water. It’s Lilah’s question that finds the mammal splashing her tail fin and dipping back below the surface of the water.
White Wash
One of the big black beady eyes, void of emotion, filled with only logic and death and Rage — closes. The other peers at her sceptically. You would help? He rumbles uncomfortably and drops down lower in the water, dipping below the girls, rising up behind them and then circling past again to the front with fins and arms and legs all moving in unison.
Like I said.. the others.. they are not so spiritually bound..
He rumbles again and then:
If you can remove the taint… if you can close the portal… I can get you in perhaps.
Adara Mires
She watches and wait, her part done for the moment. Then if they can get passage and LIlah into the portal, it will be guard duty time. For now..she observes.
Things were going smoothly at the moment. She hopes it will last.
Lilah Rove
“I can’t close the portal, yet. But I am willing to look fer the way how to, an’ aid in doin’ so after, as well as ‘elp cleanse. I will ‘elp you any way I can to make things as they should be, an’ call on my own allies to do the same.” Lilah tells the Rokea without hesitation and he will detect no trickery or lies from the lean woman.
“If we are able to do this, can we count on you to ‘elp fight any enemies tha’ may come into the water? I know I ask a lot, but you are much better fighters than I am, an’ I would not want to put your territory in jeopardy. I go to the other side alone, to find answers to help all, but I do not know wha’ I will find on the other side. So I ask fer your ‘elp and give you mine White-Wash.”
Sgian-dubh
She’s restless, she keeps moving, not so much that she distracts from the negotionations… but simply to keep moving. She watches LIlah as she talks, adnwatches Adara as she waits…
she’s antsy… but contained. for now…
Muse
I will take them!, the small dolphin creature says in a tongue that they all can, somehow, understand. Take them, take them! She chants like a hyperactivity child at the edge of a playground filled with other rambunctious kids. Her movements become quicker, excited, and she swims in and out of White Wash’s reach, splashing waves of water at him in her wake.
White Wash
Ceri will take you to the source of the taint.. Remove it and return to me.. I will wait by the Grotto entrance here in this realm. Do not pull trickery with me — I will find out and the Grotto will be closed to you forever. I do not tolerate trickery. He growls the last part, beady eyes flickering to the dolphin.
Unless any one goes to stop him — he turns about, body shifting and morphing into something decidedly scarier than a half-man half-shark. It’s like the man part of it dilutes the pure terror and ferocity of a plain shark. There’s nothing human to see in the features of the sea-dweller; there’s nothing to relate to.
The Rokea slips into the darkness and disappears with the side to side thrashing of its heterocercal tail.
Muse
[er – hyperactive even!]
Adara Mires
She bites her lips. She didn’t have the rite. Though she was sure Hunter has it..Owen too. Probably Theron as well. She look at Lilah
“I you don’t have a way to cleanse it…we’ll have to come back and uphold our word. I don’t know how to do the rite properly. I remember how it was made when I saw it. I could maybe recreate it..but it’s not a sure thing”
At least she had been paying attention that night. And her memory forgets so little. She might pull it off…might.
Lilah Rove
“I think I just pee’d my pants,” mumurs the Corax as she watches the Rokea slip away with an involuntary shudder. That feeling that the shark gives out is a very unpleasant one.
To Ceri then, who doesn’t fill her with that sense of dread, Lilah glances. “Thankye Ceri. If ye didn’t ‘ear earlier, I’m Rove an’ these others can introduce themselves.” She readies to swim after the dolphin, but not before she addresses the Garou.
“I ‘ope one o’ you can perform tha’ Rite, or get someone, or someone’s ‘ere quickly tha’ can lead the rest o’ us.” Because the Corax doesn’t have the Rite and maybe her kind don’t work the same way. Fera ways could be very different to the Garou’s, who knew.
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
Penelope frowns and sighs.”Bringing a few more along might have been a good idea. Is there anyone we can bring out here quickly to aid us with the cleansing?”She asks and she pauses to think on all those she knows.
Muse
Ceri is darting forward quickly before turning and rolling in the water to go back when she realises that the others haven’t caught up so quickly. Lilah gives the name Rove and the dolphin-creatures quick, intelligent mind process it efficiently for recollection at a later time.
Come! Come! She urges, swimming forward then back as if that might urge the group forward.
Lilah Rove
“I’ma comin’!” Putting effort into swimming through the mercury water, Lilah’s arms work through the liquid and seek to catch up to the dolphin, which is a hope she can never do, but at least she’s now swimming in the right direction and with a purpose that isn’t weighed down by the fear of being eaten.
“Call yer boss.” Who was a Mystic she knew. They had weighed up each others spiritual prowess on their first meeting, each of them giving off similar feelings. And besides that, it had been said several times now that Kelly was capable. “He’d know.” And he has quick access to every other wolf in the area.
Adara Mires
The dolphin urge them forward while Adara replies to both Lilah and Penelope “Hunter and Owen are the two I know for sure who possess the rite. Possibly Theron too” She says, moving toward the dolphin “We’ll need someone to find one of them”
At the same time as she thinks about him, LIlah mention Kelly
“Kelly knows for sure. She look at Penelope…who should go? Rory or I can. With the link we’ll be able to find the grotto of the other is there”
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
She nods her head then looks at Adara.”It is your pack, I am not going to tell you how you think best to organize your pack. Get someone out there to find someone quickly and get them back here as soon as possible.”She pauses to think on the matter.”If possible make it Hunter… He has killed one of theirs, it is only fitting he come here to make ammends with them.”She says before looking between the two.
“I would think, however, that you would be better suited to this… An Ahroun would be of more use to us right here. However that spirit seems to want to show us something so let us follow it, perhaps it is important?”
Sgian-dubh
She chews on her lower lip, absently, as the dolphin takes off swimming and tells them follow… she waits for Adara though – it is her decision who goes. She doesn’t like the idea of adara going on without her though – that much is clear.
Penelope says she would benefit – and through the link she adds to her Alpha. You explain better.. I’ll throtect pem..”
Lilah Rove
“NO.” This comes from Lilah right away. “Do not make it Hunter.” There’s a gleam in the Corax eye that is decidedly unpleasant in that moment. “He can make amends when we’re not hangin’ all our ‘opes on lettin’ them show us in. You think they’re gonna let him pass? Let it be someone else, Adara. We don’t need hostile waters.”
“An’ why not use a phone, aint any o’ you got one dedicated?”
Adara Mires
She shakes her head “No, I changed phones too often lately and well gnosis doesn’t fall out of the sky with no gathering place” She said with some regret. She wasn’t an expert on spirit so she couldn’t replenish herself as easily as in other places
“Go ahead, I’ll find Kelly. Then I’ll track you down. I’ll be fine” She nods to them and heads away, moving toward the surface so she could sidestep and call the Theurge.
At least she didn’t have bad news..well not really.
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
She turns her attention back upon Lilah.”There will be no hostile waters… Hunters presence here will create tension but it will also display his willingness to make amends by placing himself within their realm and at their mercy. I do not care who is brought back, but there will be no violence so long as I am here…”She says with a shrug of her shoulders.”I will make certain of that.”
“However, like I said, this spirit seems to want so show us something so we should follow its lead.”
Lilah Rove
“I think ye should just let me do the talkin’.” Penelope is winning no favours from the Corax so far and, by this point, just thinks they should all shut up. What a big mess this whole thing was.
Ceri is still being followed. Lilah’s arms are getting tired and the weight of responsibility is heavy. It would be easier for her to locate and speak to Kelly but she doesn’t trust to leave the others alone and since she’s been negotiator from the start and seems to have taken a leadership role, she stays with, keeping the dolphin in sight as they swim through thick spirit-water.
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
She looks at Lilah and she narrows her eyes.”When you agreed to come on this mission Lilah you agreed to come with us. If you are not going to take part in this mission then we will do what we must to make amends and close the portal without you. This is a Garou matter you are here to assist us not here to tell me how to do my job… Are we understood?”She says back to Lilah quite sternly.
Lilah Rove
“Oh, aye, this is a Garou matter.” That pauses her in tracks. The Corax has had quite enough. “Good luck te ye, then.” She wades water and motions for them to go on without her. The Fang just broke trades with the Corax.
Muse
Ceri turns round and the dolphin looks between the arguing land dweller. Nervous, her movements become jerky and quick as her body rolls one way and darts between them and then around them anxiously.
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
She smiles and waggles her fingers.”Goodbye Lilah…”She says before turning her attention on the others.”Our mission objective has changed slightly then… We’re cleansing the portal.”She says to the other two.
Adara Mires
(Adara has moved away in my previous post. Reaching the surface, stepping sideways and calling Kelly)
Sgian-dubh
She watches Adara go, and then nods slightly, taking a slow breath. She narrows her gaze as Penelope talks to Lilah, and shakes her head slightly…
Muse
Ceri doesn’t leave Lilah. The others – the one she has been taught to fear – are left alone as the dolphin circles round the other Fera with anxious apprehension.
the eye of sauron
[Meanwhile, Kelly’s ulcer flares up without warning. Scourge do you want to do this here or in another room?]
Lilah Rove
Lilah looks to Ceri and puts out a hand towards the dolphin. “May I?” Reaching for the dolphins fin. This would be much quicker and the Corax is leaving the Garou without her help. The Corax and dolphin could cover much more ground this way.
Adara Mires
(here is fine…pm so not to clutter the chat until they join them again..or not)
Adara Mires
The Fury breaks out to the surface and opens her watertight bag, finding her phone, calling the Adren
Sgian-dubh
She watches, and listens… and waits… though there is a moment where her eyes go distant, just for a second, as she tells Adara what’s happening between the corax and Penelope….
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
She turns her attention upon White Wash.”We have offered to aid you in cleansing this place… If our companion does not wish to take part that is fine. However we remain and we will find someone who will come and aid in the cleansing. This much we have promised and we will deliver.”Plans change, but that does not change the fact that this mission was partly in the order of finding some peace with the Weresharks. The matter of sending a scout through was of secondary importance. This was, after all, a secondary objective.
Muse
[White Wash is gone – he turned and left them all with Ceri]
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
[Alright then… She did not speak to him]
Muse
The dolphin begins to make a noise – that high pitched squawking and chirping that is distinctive dolphin chatter. She obviously is not speaking to the land dwellers, but very probably others like her or maybe even White Wash.
Lilah reaches for her dorsal fin and she slows to allow it before speeding up and driving through the thick water in search of the big gruff Rokea that had bargained this task with them.
Muse
[afk a sec]
Lilah Rove
Holding on for dear life, the Corax is whisked through the waters by the quick dolphin. She feels regret for Rory but just not enough to stick around. She spits out water frequently as she’s splashed through the waves and rushed towards a destination unknown.
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
She sighs and looks to Rori.”The Corax is on her own… We will return to the surface and we will return when Owen can be found, and brought back with us. Inform Adara that I will speak with our Elder personally but this mission is over…”She says.”We are returning to the surface.”
Sgian-dubh
She shakes her head slightly, but bites back anything she would ahve said. Penelope was to lead, and so she lets her do so. She looks after Lilah, and then, reluctantly, nods to the fang, and heads toward the surface, telling Adara what she had said through their bond.
Adara Mires
The conversation ends and she tells Rory to come to her and bring Penelope too. And then she starts swimming on the spot. 30 mins with her equipment will feel like a long time. But she could do it.
She had to.
Sgian-dubh
She gestures toward Penelope, and then kicks away, following the path Adara had taken, and swimming to her as asked… she is not the best of swimmers, but she is strong, and has within her a refusal to quit no matter the circumstances…
She doesn’t bother to look to see if Penelope follows – she simply goes. Her alpha’s call takes priority. Always.
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
(Where are they supposed to be going?)
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
She moves with intending on seeing what has to be said… She had not taken part in the conversation but Rory seemed to have something.
White Wash
Adara has left the safety of the spirit world behind, breaching back into the gloom and the horrid reality of what lies on the other side of that gauntlet. Sharks. There’s so many of them still all sniffing and tasting, breathing her through the water like her very essence is being permeated into the liquid around her.
Sharks of various types all non native to this area begin circling her position, tigers and hammer heads, gnashing jaws and thrashing their tails as the beat a steady path around her position.
Adara Mires
She watches the sharks surrounding her. Well so much for White Wash keeping them in check. Deftly, she textes Kelly. “Umbra, water=sharks” The phone is quickly stuffed into the bag, it’s zipped and she used the glass of the compass or the water if she can see her reflection to sidestep once more.
She hadn’t come this far to become shark food.
(sidestepping again)
Dice: 3 d10 TN7 (1, 3, 8) ( success x 1 ) [WP]
Sgian-dubh
She doesn’t bother trying to speak to Penelope – She simply leads the way. She can sense Adara’s sudden shift in mood as well, as she is surrounded, and makes that much more an effort to get to where she is… she doesn’t go realmside – but speaks with her through their bond, so that they are in the same place when Adara reappears.
If she reappears.
[She’d better, reappear.]
Adara Mires
She feels her pack mate through the link and guide her as best as she could, giving the Fianna visual pointers. Eventually, both Fostern should be able to find their way to her
“Rory, we’re to stay here until End Sight arrives. Penelope, he told me that you have to wait on the banks until he arrives. He might still be 20 minutes from here. do not side step in the water, sharks are everywhere”
She watches them both “Rory and I will wait for Lilah until nightfall. Kelly will come and help with hte cleansing I hope then we both stay. Penelope, he will tell you what he wants when he arrives”
Ojos-de-Fuego-Corazón-de-Piedra
She nods her head.”I will go to meet with him immediately.”She says moving in order to meet with her elder as she was ordered.
Sgian-dubh
She nods, again, and offers Adara a little lopsided grin, before she settles to wait with her Alpha.