Contents:
Jose Figueroa
Shadow Eyes
Hank
Bailey
Seirian
Gargoyle
Obvious exits:
Street Basement
Bailey looks over, and grins as yet another packmate appears. He growfs in cheerful greeting to the Lupus.
Seirian chuckles and wriggles her fingers in greeting.
Piddles looks tired, but pleased. "Pidza kep' atter onda food, yah. She still tryin' ta glop it all down, but izza start, yah."
Bailey chuckles. "Sounds like all of us, packie."
Hank grins, and nods.
"Ennytime sumwun talk to her?" Pid asks, scratching his stubbly head. "Ask her wut da firs' six Litany law bein'? Jus' ta keep it comin' at her, yah? An' wuns she get da six, add da nex'." He sighs. "Mebbe shuld be tryin' answer-treat-answer-treat."
As funny as this sounds, the MexiGnawer has trouble understanding Pidspeak.
Shadow Eyes thinks you are doing fine.
Hank nods. "you'll do fine, Pids."
Bailey has improved his Piddles comprehension skills since moving in with his pack, and chuckles. :Hey, go with what works."
Jose Figueroa finally groks. "Youse got another cub? Man, dudes, they comin' outta the wood."
Seirian chuckles, making out enough to get the gist of things.
Shadow Eyes looks to Jose. This is the one that has been living with you for weeks.
Piddles shakes his head. "Izza Clever. Izza workin' onda soshulyzayshun."
Jose Figueroa gets up and walks over to Piddles, offering to shake his hand. "Thank God, dude. She was startin' to get on my nerves. Good kid, but thick as a treetrunk. She deserves better'n me kickin' her ass when I get edgy."
Piddles shakes the other ahroun's hand. "Pidza 'membrin' wut wuz like teechin' him, yah. Izza karma."
Bailey shrugs. "Hey, a lot of people go around for a long time before finding what's best for them, and where they belong."
Hank nods. "Yeah....takes a while, sometimes."
Jose Figueroa nods at Bailey. "Speakin' o' that, our bud Boo gotta do the same thing, no? He gotta find where he belong."
Pack> Bailey says "And some of us get a whole lot luckier than others."
Pack> Shadow Eyes snugs.
Seirian nods. "Aye...sometimes too long."
Shadow Eyes thinks that Boo has come a long way in finding himself.
The lupus ahroun's eyes are sad and worried, however. "Pid, he got no time ta beya puppee. Nevernohow. It... it ain't seemin' righta take dat away frum her now." Piddles finds a seat and shoves his hands into the copious pockets of his pants, fiddling with the vast quantities of Stuff buried there.
Bailey nods quickly at the mention of the Gazer. "He does, yeah. He's gotta lot of stuff to work through. I'd help him if I knew how."
Hank nods. "Yeah, so would I..." He glances at Pid. "Glad ya think that way, packie."
Piddles looks up at Hank. "Reellee? It don' make Pid no morshmello?"
Hank shrugs. "Well...I don't think so."
Jose Figueroa says "If ya didn' care 'bout nothin', Pid, I'd be worried 'bout ya."
Bailey shakes his head. "Hell no it doesn't, Piddles. It makes you stronger if you care about something."
Shadow Eyes thumps his tail at Piddles. This one things you have a very good heart, packmater.
Seirian nods. "Aye, 'tis a greater ill t'nae care a'all."
Piddles scratches his head and uses the opportunity to duck his eyes in embarrassment. "Well," he says weakly. "Izza ting... jus' don' reellee wanna seeda pup all meen an' sinikul like da Pid wuz back den."
Shadow Eyes cocks his head. Cannot see you as 'sinikul'.
Bailey shrugs. "Don't know what you were like, "back then," but you've always been cool with me. Trust me Pid, what you're doing is right."
Piddles nods slowly. "Pid, he wuz a meenie, yah. Wuzza speshul person made him notmeen. Pid, he wanna tryta be de person for udders, yah."
Shadow Eyes has not heard this, packmate. Tell the tale?
Hank hmms, looking curious. "Tell, Pid?"
Bailey smiles warmly at Piddles. "Yeah, c'mon."
Piddles chews his lower lip for a moment. "Well, Pid wuzza leetul pup when sumwum come along an make him de pit dog. Wuzzen't too awful old when Pid, he kill his furst dog, an' he set up for more. Dis alla Pid know for alla his life. De pit, an' de cage. Dat for four yeer."
Seirian listens, leaning against the window.
Jose Figueroa gives all his attention to the Gnawer.
Bailey leans in as the story starts, and winces at the description, eyes flashing with a twinge of anger.
Hank grimaces, then gives Pid a sympathetic glance.
"Den dis day come when dere awful noise in de house, and de Garou come in an' kill de man Pid make so much munny for. An' Pid, he know by now he diff'rent, and he look up at de door o' de cage, an' dis... this... woman opens the door. The gate. The cage. She was tall, and pale, and her eyes were... incredibly... blue." Pid stares off into space, his voice dropping in pitch and taking on his accustomed Shakespearian resonance. "And she beckoned to me, and took me by the collar... and she tore the collar off. I couldn't even think to bite, or growl, or even bark. Just suddenly, that fast, I was free."
Shadow Eyes whines softly, pleased.
Hank smiles.
Bailey just stares at Piddles, awed, and is completely drawn into the story by this point.
Piddles rubs his face. "But you know, when you're a slave to anyone, there's the anger at having served. There's a rage that's... different from Rage. It runs deeper. It pierces the heart, makes life ... wretched. Cripples. It can't be run out by killing. It can't be run out by breaking things, or by flying into Frenzy. It sits and it gnaws at your soul, until your soul puckers and shrivels with the scars." He exhales. "And that's what happened to me."
Jose Figueroa, slightly taken aback by Piddles' switch from the vernacular, is nonetheless entranced by the Ahroun's story.
Bailey sighs softly, listening intently.
Hank hmms softly, chewing his lip.
Piddles slides up, straightening. "I tore at everyone in the sept. It didn't matter who you were, or how nice you were, or how mean you were. There wasn't any single Gnawer or Child of Gaia or Fury that didn't have a scratch or a bruise, because all I knew was how to fight. I set off the Rage in everyone just by being with them, near them. I was like... like a live wire, transmitting it all the time. Like a radar gun that cooks the people too close. Everyone avoided me, took themselves away. Except for Treana. The woman with the blue eyes. She tried everything, really. Tried being nice. Tried treating me like a dog. Tried treating me like a man. Tried treating me like a Garou. But I was all of them and none, a little knot of Rage and rage and rage, all claws and teeth."
Seirian listens raptly, one hand tucked beneath her chin.
Shadow Eyes whuffles softly.
"So one day she just..." Pid pauses, thinking. "She just stopped fighting. You know dogs, they never really stop fighting. Not when they're goaded on by their men. They fight and fight until one is dead. Or all are dead. Garou... Garou, we never stop fighting, not really. Not unless we work really hard at it, or we just give up. But there was this ...serenity to her stopping. She wouldn't hurt me. She wouldn't stop me. But she wouldn't let me hurt her, not really. I... it's hard to describe. The experience of someone... refusing to participate in the violence. There wasn't any rage there. No hate, no anger, no fear... nothing but this complete assumption of the mantle of peace. And... I don't know, she picked the right moment, I guess. Something broke through. And somehow... I realized that I didn't *have* to fight. There wasn't anything to fight against, nothing to lash out at for my servitude, nothing, no one, to retaliate against... except me. And while I was tearing myself apart, the real enemy was out there, laughing."
Hank nods solemnly, listening closely.
Bailey sits there, mouth slightly ajar. He has remained a statue for the last few minutes, transfixed in his seat.
Piddles smiles, a little sheepishly and shrugs. "I... I learned to cry that afternoon. It really is... it's a gift. Human-born don't realize what a gift it really is. All I could do before was howl. And howling helps, but... the tears... there's something magical in them that takes it away, even just a little, and makes the hurt less. And, after that, the Gnawers sent me to my Rite, and then I joined Treana's pack. And that's how I spent my last year at Alamo's back door, as the pack ahroun. Until Treana died... and the Get came to the sept. But... you know... that's just something else."
Bailey nods at this last speech. His eyes betray something. Sympathy, and complete understanding.
Hank nods quietly, looking sympathetic as well.
Seirian nods and closes her eyes a moment, left speechless by the tale.
Shadow Eyes pads over and brushes his body alongside his packmate in quiet support.
A glimmer of recognition flashes across Jose's face as he listens to Piddles. "The journey to realization is tough, man. But when ya get there, the whole journey made is kinda worth it, for whatcha get."
Bailey nods again, and whispers, "Amen, Jose, amen."
Piddles lays his hand on Shadow Eyes' head and scritches. He passes his hand over his eyes, wipes at his cheek and looks up at Jose. "Yeah. Yeah, it really is worth it."
Seirian wipes at her own eyes a moment and looks back up, smiling softly.
Pack> Bailey is awed. Pid, that was fucking incredible...
Pack> Piddles is embarrassed, a little, at himself. :}
Hank hrms quietly. "How's the light outside?"
Seirian peers outside at the world outside the church and squints. "Dark...think th'moon might be up. Can't tell from 'ere really."
Hank nods. "Let's head to the Rialto, and hit the flipside from there."
Piddles perks up from his thoughtful funk. "Izza time den?"
Jose Figueroa nods at Hank. "Tha's a good place. Love that mirror we got."
Bailey rises, and stretches a little. "I think so. Hank?"
Hank nods to Piddles. "It's time."
Shadow Eyes pads around in a circle, eager to be gone.
Seirian chuckles. "Let's go then..."
Piddles rises and stretches his big frame. "Pidza reddy."
The Rialto -- Auditorium(#3319RJ)
The roar of the crowd. The smell of greasepaint. "Now is the winter of our discontent..." An old, darkly nostalgic quality hangs heavy in the air of this empty old theater. Once black-painted windows no longer refuse the light of sun and moon, now broken and open to the city sky.
Largely gutted now, this once gilded and opulent theater spreads like an old grand dame holding desperately to a past now gone and largely forgotten. The plush seats which once held nearly a thousand people are, for the most part, long gone. Time's indifferent hand has dulled the once ornate proscenium arch and faded the velvet red of the main curtain, leaving the wide stage in dark shadows before the gaping and toothless mouth of the music pit.
At the right side of the stage, from the auditorium floor, a door leads toward the back of the theater. To the left of the stage, an old exit sign still glows above a reinforced door. In the back of the auditorium, archways lead back to the lobby and the boarded up front doors.
Jose Figueroa brings up the rear. "Don' touch the bag. Someone left it here 'bout a month 'n a half ago. Stinks like hell."
Bailey chuckles. "Normally, they're supposed to set it on fire before knocking."
Shadow Eyes wasn't planning on it, tribemate.
Piddles sneezes. "Damn strate."
Seirian eyes the indicated bag. "No plans t'go near it on my part..."
Jose Figueroa grins at Bailey. "Nah. It was some food. We're waitin' for it to throw itself away."
Hank nods. "Really?" He grimaces a little. "Let's hit the flipside, then head for the park. Be alert, an' if it looks bad, we run. Back here, if we can. Otherwise t' wherever we can get realmside safely again."
Shadow Eyes thinks we reach from inside?
Jose Figueroa points at the spiral staircase. "Downstairs is the mirror. Big fucker." He aims for the door.
Umbra: Harbor Park
The Umbral ground beneath your feet here is lush with vegetation, an oasis of life amidst the concrete and webbing of the scab. Trees stand proud and tall here, their branches full of leaves. Shrubs line the outer edges of the park, tangled with encroaching webs. There's no plywood cage around the fountain here, its shining white marble reflecting the silvery glow of Luna's light. Still operational here, a soft flow of water bubbles from the fountain, gathering into a serene pool. The river banks the east shore of the park, bridged by a massive rusty bridge. On this shore, the glade seems to have spread out on to it, vines winding around the supports. Further across the river, the bridge melds into the scab again, flaked with rust and covered in webs. The river itself is clean within a few feet of the shore, but black ooze seems to encroach menacingly from the murk of the rest of the river.
A walkway leads out of the Glade-like atmosphere of the park from just north of the fountain. Eastward, the dark span of the bridge stretches over the vile river. Dark streets lead west and southwest into the blighted Umbra of the city.
Jose Figueroa STRAINS to pass the Gauntlet, grunting as he does reach the Flip.
Bailey pulls himself through the gauntlet with a snarl. Sweating a little, he shifts down to the Near-wolf.
Piddles shifts from paw to paw, watching packmates and tribemates come through the Gauntlet in a small, agitated motion. But his eyes are contemplative of the surroundings.
Shadow Eyes moves with the fill stealth of his wolf form.
The river on this side is just as swollen, if not more so, than its Realm counterpart. It roils angrily, currents chopping at the piles of the looming bridge and swirling in miniature tidal pools.
Seirian looks around, eyes pausing on the river for a long moment before turning away.
Jose Figueroa assumes the near-wolf form, perfect for scouting and equally as useful for hauling ass away.
The waterlogge clouds hang low in the sky, dropping sprinkles of rain every now and then.
Night's-Justice keeps his eyes focused, watching the river and it's surroundings. Ok, White-Eye, this is your game. what's the play?
The fountain is trickling quietly, as if it doesn't particularly want to be noticed right now.
Hank glances around. Keep on your toes, and look for anything that doesn't normally fit. We've seen the place a fair amount....enough t' notice anything different.
Seirian slips up to glabro as she eyes their surroundings in wary quiet.
Shadow Eyes moves quietly to one side, to scout.
You paged Undine with 'Heightened Senses up.'.
Jabs will protect. Don't know this side well.
Hank whuffs softly. And no heroics. We look for stuff...if we don't find it we head home. if we do....we watch carefully, unless attacked....if attacked run, otherwise keep scouting.
Piddles doesn't know this side well either, Jabs. We will cover ass.
Seirian nods quickly and shortly.
Jabs will take the rear. Follow everyone.
Night's-Justice starts a scout opposite Shadow Eyes's direction, but remains within sight of the others.
Oh, this side looks different. The fountain's gentle weeping and the angry river and... something else combine to give this entire area a heavy, waiting feeling. As if the air itself is swollen and about to give birth. It presses against the more spiritually sensitive of you, almost as if it's an itch.
Seirian moves after Shadow Eyes, eyes moving around, almost expecting something to rise up out of nowhere.
Hank nods, taking point and leading the group in. He snorts at the feeling in the air. Not good, I think.
Piddles is perked and alert, ears swiveling with the faintest sounds, nose twitching at the air. There is a swagger, a strut to his step, although he is doing his lupus best to be silent in his motions.
Night's-Justice pads behind Hank, and rumbles softly. It's worse here than Earth-side.
Shadow Eyes eyes the swilring water cautiously. He flicks his ears and sniffs, looking for any sign of the creatures.
Hank leads them a bit closer, peering carefully for anything that looks...out of place...from the usual park.
Suddenly, something dark and ethereal darts from above the river into the city.
Seirian's eyes occasionally look to the sky, then back to the water.
Shadow Eyes blinks. Whatthe'fuck?
Piddles gathers himself and holds, watching.
Night's-Justice hunches down, watching the shape fly past.
Seirian jumps slightly and bites down her first words.
Jabs sniffs about, padding back and forth. The black motion jetting from the water splats the Gnawer down, as his front paws spread out in front, his lips peeled back.
Hank freezes in his tracks, and gazes the direction the dark from went in.
The creature zooms past the Garou, blithely uninterested in them, and vanishes into the darkness of the city.
Shadow Eyes looks towards the river. Something is still in there, then? Making them?
Seirian looks back to the water instantly, an unreadable look in her eyes as she does.
Hank slowly relaxes, and glances at the others. All right - that is the thing...or things we're looking for, I'd say. He chuffs softly. Looks that way. Or else they're breeding.
That is not cool,, Jabs chuffs. Farting black into the city from the river. Not cool.
Piddles wags his tail low and slowly, watching the river and turning all his senses upon it.
Night's-Justice gazes at the swriling waters. They just keep flying into the city, and something horrible happens each time one does. Murder, rape, suicide, beatings, depravity. I'll bet my tail on it.
Shadow Eyes thinks that sensing Wyrm on it would be unwise. So... How to determine what it is? Hmm.
Hank glances at Night's Justice. I don't think you will lose your tail anytime soon. That would be my thought. He stares at the river. All right. Let us get a little closer, and see if we can see where they come from?
Shadow Eyes moves closer, cautiously. He sniffs, then looks about with a seer's eyes to try and spot any other spirits about.
Night's-Justice nods. We get closer, we stay close to each other, in case something tries to drag us in.
Seirian hangs back a bit as the others go closer, keeping to the back of the group with a wary look in her eyes.
Hank nods to Night's-Justice. Yes. EAsier to react to aid.
Jabs decides that this one will not serve best in back. To the side, yes.
Hank moves closer, eyeing possible ambush spots...and always the water and clouds.
The place seems oddly empty of ordinary spirits-- and what is there seems to be laying low. The fog only drifts a few inches above the ground, the fountain only weeps quietly, the rats and squirrels are utterly absent.
Piddles moves with his packmates, a tight motion that seems synchronized with the others.
Night's-Justice looks closely at the surroundings, Dog's Gift opening his senses.
Seirian shifts down to the near-wolf, pacing close to the others for safety's sake.
+scan
Listeners present:
Name Sex Form Doing
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Luna-Singer F Hispo Irememberthisplacetoowell.
Hank M Lupus -
Nights-Justice M Hispo HS (packgift) Pct: 4
Jabs M Hispo Weasel's gifts and lots o guts
Piddles M Hispo Heightened senses... Clap on!
Shadow Eyes M Lupus SpiritSpeech
Shadow Eyes wishes Falcon's Wing were here...let me try to ask one of the tree spirits what it has seen in this place.
Kevin Sterling fades into view from the Realm, looks about at those here and seems about to leave North.
Shadow Eyes flicks an ear at Kevin, not recognizing him. He chuffs. Who are you?
Kevin Sterling looks at the wolf, answers aloud: "My name is Kevin Sterling. I'm a Theurge of the Silent Striders."
Hank looks at Kevin. Are you known here?
Jabs sniffs at the Theurge. That one you can sense, Night's Justice.
Pack> Shadow Eyes hmm's. He dresses nice, at least.
Kevin Sterling submits himself for examination, saying, "Hope-Star and I have spoken. I've come to see if I can find out what's screwing up the river."
Luna-Singer looks over the newcomer quietly, then turns back to watch the river.
Night's-Justice blinks. You came here /alone?/ You nuts?
Piddles eyes the newcomer, but keeps his senses tuned upon the shadows and the river, where the greater dangers lie.
Hank looks at Kevin. That may not be wise, alone....there are things coming from the river.
Kevin Sterling shrugs. "Actually I have no choice but to go alone wherever I go, so yes I came alone. Thanks for the concern though. What exactly's coming from the river?"
Shadow Eyes pads close to Kevin and pushes his nose against the youth.
Kevin Sterling starts a little unexpectedly at Shadow Eyes' gesture, but relents to it.
Pack> Night's-Justice says "Either this kid's normally a loner, he has balls of solid rock, or he's lost his mind..."
Pack> Piddles votes for the last.
Pack> Hank hrms. Might be the first.
Pack> Night's-Justice agrees with Hank on this one. Jeez, we should catch him up, continue to scout, then grill him for info when we get backl...
Kevin Sterling looks over the river curiously, "What are you all watching for, exactly?"
Undine pages all: I should point out that Sensing Wyrm here is next to useless. You certainly wouldn't be able to tell if Sterling here is Wyrmy, unless he's a major bane.
Hank chuffs. Black things from the river.
As if summoned, another black thing darts from the river and zooms past.
Luna-Singer fights down an instinct to skitter at the black shape flitting by, stifling a low growl swiftly.
Kevin Sterling exclaims, "God damn!" as he reflexively ducks and his gaze follows the thing.
Hank follows the track of that. Those. He glances at the others, thinking a moment.
The sense of pressure here, for those who are sensitive, grows softly, and seems to... move and swirl around you. There's a crash abruptly as one of the trees edging the bank simply falls over and into the river, sticking there.
Piddles perks his ears and then flattens them at the crash. Something is aware.
Shadow Eyes can tell nothing about him but...he ducks as well. He snaps his head to the river. Back! Back away.
Kevin Sterling removes a white-wrapped bundle from his lower jacket pocket, a large vaguely round thing that he starts to unwrap.
Luna-Singer doesn't need prompting. At the crash she skitters back quickly, looking at the river with wide eyes.
Hank slowly backs away from the river, growling.
Night's-Justice moves back quickly. His gaze flicks from the river to the second dark thing, and back again. Damn...
Jabs joins the exodus from the river's edge without hesitation, moving back towards the fountain soon after the black shape zips overhead and into the Scab.
Hank glances at the others. We get the idea here. We need to see where those things GO. But they move awfully fast.
Piddles lets the others fall behind him, away from the river, as he faces the darkness of the water. When the others are back sufficiently, he backs off, still facing the water.
Kevin Sterling stuffs the leftover tissue paper wrapping back in his pocket, leaving a small-ish crude clay bowl, engraved with an inverted sign of the Wyrm. He turns his back to the river, walks away a few paces, turns back again. He channels his gnosis and closes his eyes as he snaps the bowl into two halves.
A nervous growl starts in the Fianna's throat as she watches the water. Was here before...saw... She violently shakes her head and looks back to the water.
Shadow Eyes curiously looks at the young Strider.
Hank stares at the Strider, wondering if this is giong to be useful....or an attack.
Jabs whurfs at Luna-Singer. We should get out of here, should we not?
Hank glances at Jabs. One moment.
Kevin Sterling drops the bowl peices as he grabs his eyes and yells in pain! He falls back on his butt, still holding his face, but makes no more noise.
Night's-Justice wants to see what the kid's doing first. He turns to the Gnawer. Damn, packie, guess we were right.
Hank blinks, staring at the kid. Screwed himself up, looks like.....
Shadow Eyes moves to pull at Kevin. I do not know what you tried, but we are leaving. You must come. It is too dangerous, here, alone.
Hank pads towards Kevin, joining Shadow Eyes. Come with us, yes.
Piddles swings his big head toward the Strider at the cry, then back to the water, ears high.
Night's-Justice barrels over to Kevin and Elan, and starts to pull as well. Get him back to the church.
Luna-Singer eyes the water and answers the earlier question. This...thing...is bad. More to it than what we see. She flattens her ears at the cry and backs up. Yes. Let's go. Now.
Kevin Sterling cries out, "NO! Wait..." and he opens his eyes to look around, apparently unharmed. "My god," he says, getting to his feet and walking closer to the river to look. He gazes long and hard at what's there.
Piddles gathers himself to pounce forward if necessary.
Shadow Eyes tries to pull Kevin back from the water.
Hank moves to help Shadow Eyes. Get back....or you could wind up IN there.
Kevin Sterling urgently waves away anyone trying to pull him back, "Let me look, this will be for nothing if I don't get to look. I'll go with you in a little bit."
Jabs rocks back, his hindquarters straight up, his front paws collapsed underneath him. Back away, Shadow Eyes. He lives and gets knowledge or he dies.
Luna-Singer barks a sharp warning to Kevin and lays her ears all the way back, not pleased at all with the situation.
Hank nods. Back up a bit. But be ready, in case. He waits for Shadow Eyes to start moving.
The water twists and swirls, going from muddy brown to frothing white as one of the small whirlpools grows larger out near the center of the flowing river.
Kevin Sterling turns and looks all around, seeming to take in sights invisible to anyone but himself. He sees the whirlpools and backs up quickly. "Ok...I think that's good enough for me."
Hank looks at the whirlpools, and whines softly...then to the Strider. Let's get towards the city more. Then tell us what you saw.
Luna-Singer's hackles rise. Let us go. Now.
More and more water pours into the whirlpool, although the river level doesn't drop at all...
Kevin Sterling nods to Hank, then shifts...
Kevin Sterling contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Kevin Sterling shifts into Lupus form.
Jabs whuffs at Hank. At least to the edge of the park.
Piddles raises his chin, watching the whirlpool.
Hank glances at the whirlpool, and whuffs. Yes. Move it or lose it.
Shadow Eyes begins to move very quickly away from the river, flanking his packmates.
Knows-the-Dead follows the group from behind, still taking in everything around him.
Luna-Singer pads swiftly back the way they came, sparing few glances back at the river.
Piddles takes up the rear again in the retreat.
A low thundering sound begins to rumble through the ground, trembles from the river shaking in his bed.
Hank leads the way, moving quickly from the river.
Hank blinks. Double time! He picks up the pace, loping now.
Shadow Eyes runs like the very hounds of hell are after him, since they are.
Shadow Eyes leaves the park, heading southwest to the murky Umbral representation of Bridge Street.
Hank leaves the park, heading southwest to the murky Umbral representation of Bridge Street.
Jabs circles once as everyone runs, then beats feet, er, paws away from the park.
Piddles lets the others have a good lead. Once he makes sure that the Strider is moving, he runs.
Luna-Singer breaks into a run, giving one last glance behind her.
Luna-Singer leaves the park, heading southwest to the murky Umbral representation of Bridge Street.
Jabs leaves the park, heading southwest to the murky Umbral representation of Bridge Street.
Knows-the-Dead leaves the park, heading southwest to the murky Umbral representation of Bridge Street.
You leave the haven of the park, and head into the darkness of Bridge Street.
Umbra: Bridge Street (100-400)
Bridge Street, like most of the rest of the city, is even more disgusting in the Umbra than in Realm. The power plant here is a travesty -- black filth belches into the sky, creating a dark cloud that hangs over the entire street like a sign of impending doom. The webs of the weaver are old and decayed to an extent here, running in haphazard, entropic patterns. The dim aura of despair and base negative emotion pervades the area, much as it does in the rest of the south end of the Umbral cityscape.
The devastation surrounding the vile blight of the factory lies southward. The city becomes darker and more decayed further to the southwest, where another street can be seen. A building nearby has the gleam of mirrored doors visible through the window. The one ray of hope comes from the Glade visible to the northeast.
Knows-the-Dead shakes his head as if something bothers him. How amazing!
The trembling continues to echo into the city, but softly. As the last of you flee the park, there is an awful roaring noise, and /something/ rises up from the water.
Knows-the-Dead looks back to see what might be visible.
Luna-Singer pauses momentarily to look behind her, one paw raised and ears lifted.
Shadow Eyes does the consumate Gnawer trick of trying to guide people to good hidey-holes. They may not be /clean/ hidey-holes, but secure nonetheless.
Hank glances back - this is important.
Shadow Eyes flicks an ear at his packmate's request, and glances back, eager to see...
Piddles has continued to move while watching for pursuit, so looking behind himself is really not all that out of the way.
It's as if the river itself is standing on end, looking at you. There is the rattling of water on leaves and pavement, and then a flurry of small black things speeds towards you all.
Jabs circles around and watches from the left flank.
Piddles heaves himself up to Crinos, covering the group's rear. Run!
Knows-the-Dead yips! Watch out for the small things, they're more tainted and they're faster! He shifts.
Knows-the-Dead contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Knows-the-Dead shifts into Crinos form.
Hank contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Hank shifts into Crinos form.
Jabs shifts almost as quickly, dragging claws across the brick face of a building as he reaches Crinos.
Hank growls! ~Everybody! MOVE it. Remember - no heroes. Get back to the nearest safe place t' the realm, NOW.~
Shadow Eyes contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Shadow Eyes sparkles and blurs, shifting into Hispo form.
Luna-Singer's lupine eyes widen sharply and she backs up, failing to fight down the growl in her throat. The sleeper! She seems to have no desire to fight these things, instead trying to find something to put between her and the shapes.
Pack> Shadow Eyes says "Take hispo"
Knows-the-Dead seems all in favor of leaving, backing away further from the river-giant thing. ~I think I'm understanding..~ he mutters.
Hank contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Hank shifts into Hispo form.
Hank growls. ~Understand later! MOVE! EVerybody OUT!~
The banelets dive on the fleeing Garou-- they're faster than an ordinary lupus, even one fleeing for their lives. They have long, skelatal arms and wickedly curving claws, and not much else.
Piddles backs up rapidly, covering the group's retreat, as he has all along.
Knows-the-Dead takes passing swipes at the little banes as he makes an escape, trying to catch a good look at just one.
Jabs takes the rear point with Piddles, hoping at least that everyone else will flee safely.
Luna-Singer just runs, casting a look or two behind her for the others.
Hank leads the way, heading for the nearest safe place - the Rialto umbra. With a mirror to get REALMside....
Shadow Eyes moves quickly to retreat, just in front of Piddles and Jose. All of us, run, now, dive realmside.
The flurry descends on the two great crinos standing guard, claws stretched. They're not exactly tough-- a few swipes of the claws are enough to rend their fabric to the wind-- but there are a lot of them. In addition, each time one of them strikes a blow-- and a few of those happen, the two Garou... flag a little... drop a little, until as the last few banes skitter around them, it's like trying to move through emotional molasses. Why bother? What's the point? The Wyrm is going to win anyhow. Your friends left you behind, all alone, while they fled. Some appreciation. They've forgotten about you. There's nobody left... and you're angry. And you want to die, at the same time.
Hank glances back....and growls. Keep moving! He starts back for the the last few banes, snarling....running at them.
Shadow Eyes calls to the two fighters, come! Quickly!
Undine pages: Three agg.
Luna-Singer pauses for a second and barks. Come! Come now!
Hank manages to rend the last few banes, dodging and weaving among them.
Knows-the-Dead keeps on moving, still trying to get a good eyeshot of one of the small attackers whenever one gets near.
Piddles lets go a bereft yowl as he falls to all fours, something that combines Rage with the bonesplitting keen of a banshee or a wailing woman.
Listeners present:
Name Sex Form Doing
----------------------------------------------------------------------
KnowstheDea M Crinos -
Piddles M Crinos HS, and 3 agg, and needs Prozac
Jabs M Crinos Weasel's gifts and lots o guts
Luna-Singer F Hispo Irememberthisplacetoowell.
Hank M Hispo -
Shadow Eyes M Hispo SpiritSpeech
Pack> Hank says "PIDDLES! We're HERE! LISten to us, you've got to move! We're here for you!"
Jabs throws his hands down as the last of the first wave die too quickly. ~Fuck it Why bother. So many...~ he throws himself at another building and SMACKS it with his claws..
Shadow Eyes turns to aid the ahrouns just behind him, hoping to drag them away before the next wave comes down.
Pack> Piddles says "WhybotheritsnotworthittherestoomuchtoomanyweredeadgaiasdeadtheworldisDEADthereisnopointnogoingonnomore..."
Hank nudges Piddles. Move. Got to move. He growls at Jabs. ~Move! That's THEM talking. Get realmside, now!~
Hank pages: Dunno if persuastion works, but I'm trying ti.
You paged Undine with 'Would Persuasion help at all?'.
You paged Undine with 'In getting us motivated, that is.'.
Luna-Singer barks for the others to follow and keeps running.
Pack> Hank is silent a moment. "You gotta go on. You don't want to let Treana down, do you? She'd want you to go on."
Undine pages to Piddles and Jabs: So... your packmate/friend wants you to get realmside. And your other packmate/friend is trying to drag you. And I don't expect to kill anybody tonight unless they're extreme. So pose as you will. You're really depressed. But they can probably motivate you for a few minutes.
Shadow Eyes growls at Jabs and tries to pull him back, and into the Realm.
Knows-the-Dead, still half-running half-looking around, cries out, ~Don't let those damned things touch you, they're contagious!~
Piddles lets go another dreadful howl and turns feverish eyes upon Hank. He breathes hard for a moment, then lays massive Crinos hands upon Jabs and drags him toward the Realm.
Hank shifts to Crinos. ~No shit!~ He moves to pull Piddles along....then helps him and elan with Jabs when he starts moving.
Hank contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Hank shifts into Crinos form.
Jabs turns and /stares/ at Shadow Eyes. The face is twisted in anguish, but the eyes are almost filling with tears. Letting himself be fairly dragged away, he moves with the rest toward the relative safety of the Rialto.
The roaring waterfall in the distance continues on as you move away, but nothing moves after you. A few nasties peer at you from the shadows, but the size of the party and the clear instability of the two anguished crinos keeps them from molesting you.
Piddles struggles along, his jaw clenched on further laments.
From afar, Hank is a bastard....sorry....
Long distance to Hank: Piddles laughs! No, no, I just thought it was hysterical that this was the first time I'd ever told his background story and it immediately comes in handy! :)
From afar, Hank grins. It was the first thing that sprang to mind, that might get through. :)
You paged Hank with 'And, of course, it was fresh in his mind. Hee!'.
Luna-Singer lets her growls precede her as she moves on, glaring at the shadows threateningly as she passes them.
Shadow Eyes moves Jabs away, watching all closely.
Knows-the-Dead looks at the shadows, eyes widened with a mixture of curiosity and amazement.
Hank keeps people moving to the Rialto. ~Once we're there, Night's Justice will go through, and Luna-Singer. Then we'll send Piddles and Jabs through and follow.~
Shadow Eyes follows Hank's lead.
Knows-the-Dead follows Shadow Eyes' lead, shaking his head again and moving along.
Luna-Singer half-growls an acknowledgement as she goes.
Jabs pounds some more walls as he is led home. ~Get me the fuck out of here.~
Green Room -- The Rialto(#3680RAJ)
Once a home to the backstage antics and off-stage life of actors from the grand Shakespearians to the slapsticks of vaudeville to the props mistresses, this broad room parallels in size the stage above it. Old and gaudy couches, chez-lounges, and rockers sit in haphazard groups about an old but functional pot-bellied stove whose smokepipe leads off into the bricking of the back wall.
Pairs of dressing rooms lead off at each side. To one side, stairs lead up into the theater itself. Off to one side, a wide door leads into the darkened alcoves of the props and costume closets. Opposite those closets, a bricked up archway leads nowhere.
Jabs staggers through the mirror in the corner on the arm of Shadow Eyes.
Piddles tumbles through the mirror and immediately falls to the ground, shifting to homid. The big man curls into a fetal position, arms firmly over his face, and he weeps inconsolably.
Piddles contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
You shift into Homid form.
Luna-Singer emerges from the Umbra in a swirl of wind and light, slipping back up to her birth form when her feet touch.
Night's-Justice tumbles in, and shifts up, keeping quiet.
Shadow Eyes pads over to Piddles, and pays his head across the Ahroun's head, whining softly. It is OK. It is simply a dream, brought by the Wyrm.
Kevin Sterling fades into the Realm without event, then remembers to shift back to homid.
Hank appears in a flash of light from the mirror and moves to Piddles when he sees his packie go down. he kneels next to him, shifting down, and reaches to stroke the man's back. "It's not your feelings, Pid.....it's the Wyrm, lying to you..."
Kevin Sterling rubs his eyes, then sighs and smiles. "Gone..." he says.
Jabs staggers over to a couch, shifting at every step, until he falls onto the couch and grabs a pillow, completely homid.
Pack> Hank says "Bailey? help jabs?"
Bailey walks over to Jose, and sits down besode him. "dude, you ok?"
Seirian looks between Piddles and Jose, then crosses to Jose, perching on the arm of the couch.
Piddles shudders, and only occasionally does the choked sound of a sob escape.
Kevin Sterling finds a spot next to the wall and sits down hard, thinking. He looks pointedly at Piddles.
Jose Figueroa roughly waves his arm at Seirian and Bailey, wishing them away without a word. He's got his head buried under an massive pillow, sort of on his knees and curled over.
Hank tries to draw Piddles into his arms, to give a hug. "C'mon, Pid. You did good....it's Ok. C'mon, you're safe, it's OK...."
Bailey looks very concerned. "Jose, talk to us. it's all right. Whatever you heard was a lie. We're your friends."
Seirian just quietly perches, not intruding on Jose any more than that, just offering herself as a calm presence.
Undine pages to Piddles and Jose Figueroa: Okay, you two. You're tainted. You aren't neccesarily going to be sobbing uncontrollably forever, but until you're fixed, life sucks. Despair. Maybe it's quiet despair, but it's got ahold of you good. I'm expecting you'll get fixed fairly soon, so bear with me?
Jose Figueroa looks up at Bailey, anger, pain, frustration, swirling around a tear-and blood stained face. "Is it a lie that we're outnumbered? That we fight an' fight and get pushed back an' back? We got NO CHANCE!" The last screamed from the pit of despair.
Jose Figueroa pages to Hank, Kevin Sterling, Piddles, Bailey, Shadow Eyes, Seirian, and Undine: I'm angsting, aren't I. *sigh*
The lupus, drawn to the physical contact, lets Hank draw him in. He does not weep gracefully, this big man, and his face is already swollen and reddened. But he does put his whole being into it. The touch seems to release him from the choking restraint, and he hides his face against Hank's chest, letting go a long, low moan.
Bailey places a hand on Jose's shoulder. "Maybe so, but we only lose when we give up hope. I know you, Jose. Giving up isn't like you."
Seirian moves from her perch, crouching down where Jose can see her. "Jose. Each time we fight is another chance. There is hope." Her voice is quiet, though far from calm.
Hank glances at Shadow Eyes, and nods towards Jose. Then just starts to rock Piddles back and forth, gently. "It's OK, Pid. This is those things talkin'....makin' you feel like this..."
Hank keeps his voice soothing for his packmate. "YOu're safe here....it's OK."
Kevin Sterling looks up and clears his throat. "Um...just...well, do any of you know a version of the Rite of Cleansing?"
Pack> Bailey says "Mental Note: We keep the kid with us. We let him go off on his won, he might do something else."
Elan nods to Kevin as he shifts up, and then narrows his eyes at the young man.
Kevin Sterling clams back up, giving Jose and Piddles another look and then bowing his head to think some more.
A thin, canine whine comes from Piddles, dropping into another low keen.
Elan shivers a bit. "OK, I sense taint. Who else knows how to cleanse it? I do."
Hank keeps rocking Piddles. "C'mon, Pid...we're here. Your pack's here."
Hank glances at Elan. "I do...need me?"
Elan nods. "Let's get this on the road." He looks to the two fighters, then the rest. "OK. Get a bit closer together." He rumages in one of his belt pouches and produces a handfull of copper washers. He tosses a few to Hank, then moves to one side of the group. Rubbing a washer between his thumb and forefinger of each hand, he begins to concentrate.
Jose Figueroa flips around, still holding on to the pillow like some teen who lost their first love. He mutters something in Spanish, looking very forlorn but not suicidal any more.
Kevin Sterling looks up and watches this with avid interest, knitting his brows as he observes.
Seirian stays crouched by Jose for the moment, but watches ELan with very faint curiousity.
Hank moves Pid in a bit closer, then takes up the washers in his fingers, mirroring Elan, Pid still before him.
Piddles moves willingly. In fact, the group suspects that if someone were to take a fancy to Pid as an action figure right about then, he'd be fully poseable.
Elan begins the Rite. "Mama Rat, we got some trouble here. Trouble we need washed away." He begins to rub the copper washers briskly. "Water takes awy our troubles, and cleanses everyone. Rain or fire hydrant, it don't matter." He begins to walk in a circle. "Wash away the tain here, wash it away back to the hell that spawned it. Leave our comrades bright and pure once more..."
Undine pages: There's a clenching nside.
Piddles tightens his fetal position until his knees are literally under his chin, and his whole body shudders violently.
Hank pats Piddle,. and gets to his feet, washers in his own hand. "Metal to ground it..." He rubs his own copper washers. "Soak up the taint...draw it away. Drawing it where it can do no harm....." His pacing follows Elan's own, a semicircle away.
Then Piddles and Jose both start to shake uncontrollably for a moment, a few hearbeats. The two ritualists continue the chant, rubbing the washers, and after a long moment, the seizures stop and the two Garou rest there limply.
Undine pages all: I do the quick-thing again. It's actually a bit harder than that, but not terribly difficult. The injection of despair was still fresh, noticed early and there's easier prey out there.
Elan winds down the ritual quietly, earthing the power he's raised and stowing the components. "OK. Look at them..."
Hank grounds his own side, and offers the washers back. Then he goes to check on Pid. "Heya, Pids....you OK?"
Seirian leans over to check on Jose, face tightened slightly in concern.
Piddles yawns and nods, sheepishly, blinking.
Undine pages: Yeah, slowly, you feel better. Cathartic. Like you cried a very great deal.
Hank gives Pid a gentle hug. "Better now, packie?"
Seirian pages all: I'll assume Jose just went to sleep. :)
Piddles nods and hiccoughs, hugging Hank back.
Seirian turns back from the sleeping Jose and looks over to the others, looking relieved at what she sees and hears.
Piddles, in fact, wanders around, sleepily hugging everyone except the sleeping Jose and the stranger.
Undine pages: Can I have a Piddles of my very own?
Long distance to Undine: Piddles cackles.
You paged Undine with 'Big cuddly wuddly ahroun?'.
Elan smiles and gives his packmate a bif pat on the back. "You did good, man, You protected them, like you wanted to."
Seirian smiles, accepting a hug from Piddles. "Ye did real good. Real good."
Hank nods to Pid. "Yeah...you did great."
Seirian curls up with her back against the couch, and yawns.
Elan looks to Kevin. "Wanna talk to you, later, dude, about what you did out there. OK?"
Kevin Sterling nods to Elan. "Sure thing. I'm gonna be sorting it out myself for a bit."
Piddles finishes his round of hugs and wearily turns in a circle three times before dropping into lupus and curling up.
Piddles contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
You shift into Lupus form.
Seirian follows much the same suit, quietly lying down on her side and falling asleep quickly.
Kevin Sterling gets to his feet, stretches, and heads for the stairs..
Hank nods to Kevin. "I want to talk to you as well. Stick around here for now?"
Kevin Sterling says over his shoulder to Hank, "We should let them sleep."
Hank hmmms. "Go tell Sepdet what you saw, then. And ask her to tell you where teh Forgotten church is and seek us there. OK?"
Hank regards Kevin. "We need to talk. Tomorrow."
Kevin Sterling, still looking back, frowns. "Ok, if you'd rather talk tomorrow then." and turns to leave again.
Back to home.