[Drawn in Blood] [Gnosis]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 6, 10, 10
[Memory] Roman's arrival was prompt. He was the first to arrive shortly ahead of the others and the scene was decidedly vacant. It wasn't unusual for a street to be left Vacant let alone a park! But it was unusual for two police cars to be parked on the side of the road with doors wide open... Abandoned. Without so much as a light flashing overhead. It was also strangely suspicious to find a corpse just lying on the road... Long enough that the steam rising from it was not visible to the naked eye. A small puddle of cool blood formed near the storm drain.
Joey arrived shortly after and Roman's keen observational skills can easily pick her out.
The small park area seems abandoned though it's hare to tell without any stable light. Trees perhaps... Some rocks? It's too dark to make out specific features of the landscape.
[Roman Turner] He wasn't so familiar with Joey, having seen her at a few Moots maybe? So when she arrived she found him closing the doors on the cop cars after looking inside them to see if the weapons and keys were gone. So far he had not approached the body and storm drain but he had a feeling about it. It was too much like a horror movie setting where the mutants came out of the sewer to eat your face off. Of course, this city was like a horror movie most times.
[Killswitch] [dlp!]
[Burnout] [percep+alert]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 4, 4, 6, 6, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Burnout] [gnosis]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 3, 6, 10
[Killswitch] Defiance rolls onto the scene. Joey hops out and gives the scene a gander, looking at that corpse and those cop cars. She looks at Roman, nods a greeting as she steps past him to peer inside those darkened cop cars.
"Hey," she says in greeting. Even without the full introduction with all the bells and whistles, the way Joey carries herself speaks of a higher rank. She looks back to her Alpha, one of decidedly lower station than she herself is. "Somethin's wrong with the power. Is EmmyLou still workin'?"
Stepping back a little, away from the pooling blood and the dead body, she crouches down to press her bare palm flat to the pavement. She frowns. "Anybody else feelin' that?"
[Roman Turner] He returned Joey's greeting as he closed the last door on the cop car.
"Howdy. The shotguns are still locked in place so they weren't spooked. Ain't sure where they went nor why this guy is laying there like that. Figure they called it in?"
[Kalaratri] Asha breaks out her Ducati for the trip. Nevermind that it is 37 degrees outside, the air sharp with salt and ice and cold and cinders, the foul effluvia that starts to wake up during the first days of a broken frost. The ice on the lake and the river is breaking up. There's little melting rivulets winding down the filthy piles of snow shoved up by the snowplows. Nevermind, nevermind, nevermind that she's not the world's best driver: the creature looks like a commercial in Italian Vogue - black hair, dark clothes, a fine white scarf waving out behind her. Kickstand and stuff is BORING but the Ducati is bright red and - well, she does all the usual stuff. They can see her from down the street, this slight creature with the delicate precision of a bird of prey and enough breeding to float the titanic, slipping off her sleek, crimson bike (which is spattered with mud and filth now. Have fun cleaning it, Thomas!) and walking down the sidewalk to meet up with the other Garou.
A flash of a grin, like a razor. Asha looks around.
[Burnout] Hunter strolls up with Joey, Roman gets a nod of his head in greeting and a little "Hey dude." His face is grim, lips firmly set and eyes watching the lamp posts flicker on and off for a few seconds.
"Somethin' is fucked up. Seriously. I mean this is all fuckin' way wrong. You all prepped?" His eyes fall onto Asha and can't help but grin back. She's infectious like that.
"Sup girl."
But that's it, then it's back to business.
"Seriously though guys, tha' fuck is goin' on? I'm gon' get ready for a fight, I'm too pretty ta' die on fuckin' valentines day."
And he does. A strip of crusted bandage and a sheriffs badge, reused from the last time John had it.
[-1G BB -1G SOAK WHAT HTE FUCK IS GOING ON]
[Drawn in Blood] John must think it's summer: he isn't wearing a jacket when he peels himself out of the car and walks up to the scene with his pack. A sweatshirt, he's decided, will suffice. It's above freezing, and he's not exactly a twig.
When he ceases walking, the Modi lifts his chin in a nod, a silent Sup? to the Child of Gaia he fought with one of his first nights in the city, and flicks his eyes between the congregated. The only ones who can hear him are the ones to whom he is bound.
[-1G, +3 soak from talen!]
[Burnout] "What tha' fuck??"
A blink, eyes turn between all of them.
"You guys hear that? Someone just fuckin' yelled GO AWAY!"
[Drawn in Blood] At his Alpha's outburst, the Modi does not startle or flinch, but neither does he stare at him like he's speaking Klingonese like he normally does. He looks over, brow furrowed in questioning curiosity, and then casts his eyes about at their surroundings. Though he shakes his head in denial, John doesn't argue with him. He pulls his hands out of his pockets as if preparing to either go after the source of the noise or clap Hunter upside the head.
[Primal-Urge+Perception]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 5, 9, 9 (Success x 2 at target 8)
[Killswitch] Joey is momentarily distracted from her continued investigation by the familiar roar of a Ducati's engine, and a Ducati's bright red paint job. When she looks over at the Ahroun she's met but once before, the Fostern Rotagar's hang-dog eyes may as well have become hearts.
It's her Alpha's voice that startles her out of her ogling. A shake of her head, and she rises from her crouch, brushes her hands off on the thighs of her dark-wash jeans. She's wearing a fake-fur-lined black hoodie and a black wool cabbie hat with a button (ALL GROWN UP AND STILL WAITING TO BE A ROCK STAR) pinned by the brim. She adjusts the fall of her bag against her hip.
"I got talens if anyone needs 'em. Ground feels alive. You know, this's where that Valentine's Day massacre shit happened, like, back in the prohibition days." She sighs. "My kingdom for a goddamn Theurge. An' was prob'ly called in, otherwise cop cars wouldn't be here in the first place."
[Roman Turner] He greeted the others as the arrived,all with polite touches to the brim of his stetson. John got a wide grin besides the hat brim salute. Burnout asked if they heard something and his reply was.
"Er, I ain't heard no yelling, yet."
Joey mentioned the St. Valetine's massacre and that had him going.
"Al Capone and all that stuff?"
[Kalaratri] " - yufs," says the slight Ahroun, black eyes quick as a bird's (though it must be said, rather less observant) as she joins them, looking around with this faint, almost pouty frown marring her little bow mouth. That is her think-y face. " - rhya," to Joey, at the last. "I don't think we've been informally introduced!" There at the end, with a quick (shit-eating?) grin for all but Hunter, who has suffered through the "informal" introduction. "I left Thomas at home, though. He's doesn't like the way I drive."
Which -
...
From deep inside the inner pockets of her crisp leather blazer, Asha pulls out an equally grotesque bandage and starts to wrap it around her midsection, as if she were playing Doctor, or dressing up like a Mummy for Halloween. There are two narrow gold bracelets on her wrist, moving in the light. She can virtually smell the gnosis in the air; her sweeping gaze moves and lands, at last, on Roman. "I have a talen," she's already worming the bracelet off her wrist. "Make you tougher, too. Want one?"
[-1 Gnosis. BB. Offering Roman a soak talen.]
[Roman Turner] This was his first experience with a bunch of folk pulling out talens and such. He gave a faint shake of his head with the offer.
"I appreciate it Ma'am, but I ain't the strongest when it comes to spiritual connections and such. Might be I ought to save what little I got for a real pinch instead of maybe wasting one of your special things, ya know?"
[Burnout] Hunter pauses dead in his tracks, he misses the grin from Asha to everyone about formal introductions, if he hadn't he would have groaned and looked worried yet slightly amused. Instead his face goes pale, his eyes go wide, his mouth drops open and the only word that comes out is a questioning stutter.
"H-h-howard??"
[Drawn in Blood] John snaps his fingers to get Roman's attention when he hears the topic shift to his lack of spiritual energy, then gestures. It seems as though he wants the teenager to stay close to him; he has seen the boy fight, knows he is hardly a Cub, but without the capacity to speak he can't voice his motivation, and so that is all he has. A moment later his gaze is being snapped back to Hunter.
His furrowed brow becomes a frown.
[Killswitch] "Yeah," she answers Roman, "bunch'a guys got shot the hell up over there," she nods her head to the empty space between the two buildings where 2122 North Clark Street should be. She grins back at Asha, "Nah y'haven't. You'll have to hit me up with that sometime." She heard from Hunter about the informal greeting. Honestly, even just his description of that made her curious for the formal version.
Whatever she might've said next, it dies in her throat. Her attention, too, snaps to Hunter. She's no stranger to the voices of the dead calling out to the living (Is that what this is called? Love?).
She shakes her head at something. "Where's it comin' from?" Her voice is low, stern, serious. She, at least, doesn't believe her Alpha has lost his marbles.
That would imply him having them in the first place.
[Roman Turner] In his mind two things happened at that moment. Drawn in Blood snapped his fingers for attention and in Roman's brain something said..."oh yeah, he wants me to guard his back. I can do that." Never once imagining anything else. And the second thing was Burnout stuttered Howard. Howard, he never even met Howard when the guy was alive, but sure as Hell it seemed like Howard would chase him through the rest of his days. First there was the entire thing with Rain, now this?
"Ya see him too, or just hear him?"
Oh crap, ghosts.
[Burnout] He casts a sharp look at Joey, eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched, it's just a reaction to her shaking her head and he grits his teeth, grinds them slowly. Nostrils flare and he waits with all his patience while she asks that question, fists clenching at his sides.
It takes him a good few seconds before he does anything, like he can't believe he's doing it, like this is ridiculous. He is stronger than this, he doesn't bow to voices nor follow them. Today he does.
"WHERE ARE YA'?" He shouts out and it sounds deranged yet powerful. "Whaddya' want?" He adds slightly quieter.
[Kalaratri] "Give it a try?" suggests the Silver Fang, dark eyes on the Coggie. They're nearly of an age, the pair of them. There's something vicious and bright about the Ahroun, though, particularly with the moon waxing in the sky, with the breeding underneath her dusky skin. The gold bracelet glimmers, moving in the light. Hunter starts to should and Asha's nostrils flare, sharp with awareness, with this liquid sense of predator about her. The creature's grin is slipping away, but it briefly surfaces as she looks back to Roman. "You oughta. I stole 'em from Aanchal to use for talens. IF she finds out - "
Goes unspoken. "Just in case! It's not like it's got blood on it." Not like the bandage she wrapped right 'round her midsection, twined tightly. "I promise!"
The side conversation is quiet; Asha does not know their living or their dead.
[Memory] Silence... Darkness... The strange haunting feeling that each and every one of them is surrounded. There is something here. It's hard to tell what, nothing readily visible. Only the darkness around them. Only the haunting presence and a dark and bloody past. The group comes to the sudden realization of this place's past but there doesn't seem to be anything even pertaining to this spot directly... Save the violence... Save the bloodshed.
Hunter calls into the night and nothing is returned to him. Only silence only the wind seems to blow through the air. Soft and chillingly cold. Somehow seeming a hint colder than the rest of the world around him with the lingering of a familiar voice.
[Roman Turner] "Aanchal?"
He reluctantly accepted the bracelet like taking a snake offered for a kiss. It was so..so...girlie looking. And it was all he could do to try to keep from making a face as he whispered.
"I gotta wear it, where folk would see it?"
His ears flamed.
[Kalaratri] Gnosis!
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 3, 10
[Kalaratri] WITS PLUS ZE OCCULT. (so figuring this out!)
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 8 (Failure at target 7)
[Burnout] Hunter catches something out of the corner of his eye, his head tilts, his eyes narrow and suddenly he begins walking seemingly towards nothing.
"Howard?" He questions again.
[Drawn in Blood] John has difficulty interacting with humans for a number of reasons. He doesn't understand them, for starters; he does not have a feral or lupine demeanor, but there are nuances of behavior that he misses out on on the best of days. There is a reason Garou are not to mate with Garou: half spirit to begin with, the body they create in union cannot handle that much energy. Moments like this when there are things happening that he cannot see or smell or hear, when all he has is feeling and his Alpha's distress, he ceases to seem human.
The Child of Gaia mistranslates what it is the Fenrir wants, and he becomes summarily distracted by his Alpha's walking. It seems more like wandering. John's nostrils flare, his eyes flashing, and he darts forward, grabbing the shorter yet heavier Ahroun by the upper arm to keep him from getting too far ahead.
[Killswitch] Nothing but silence echoes back from the darkness when Hunter shouts, but there's that creeping feeling of being watched. They're surrounded, though by what, they don't know.
Frowning at Hunter, Joey slips her hand into her bag and pulls out a small compact mirror. Flipping it open, she holds it up and stares at it like a tricorder. Though, she probably wouldn't get that reference.
[Peeking! diff I don't know, -1 (mirror)]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 4)
[Kalaratri] "Naw," Asha asserts with a quick shake of her dark head like she was confiding a secret. "You can break it if you wanna. Or you can just - like, push it with your head and the spirit inside pops out. Uhm, kinda like gum in one of those foil wrappers? The candy-coated gum." She sighs, quiet, the patter moving. Gum's very common. Chewing's not lady like. Or Princess like. Or Silver Fang hero like.
"Aanchal. That's my sister, she's all impressed with herself because she got a baby. Maybe a true-born. From our House." A note of distaste, there - quiet underneath it all - grievance underneath the gossip about strangers Roman could not possibly know or care about. "She's so obnoxious," the complaint continues. " - is that the ground? Or the air?"
To Roman; then a sharp look upward, frowning at Hunter, sweeping a look toward Joey and Drawn in Blood. Asha leaves the bracelet in Roman's hand and walks forward, her flat black boots nearly silent on the sidewalk, the grass and mud. Shadowing the forward movement as Hunter makes it, frowning at the nothingness.
- something solid, too, about her presence, the sort of thing that reinforces the spine.
[-1 Gnosis, Inspiration!]
[Roman Turner] He knew a bit about the St. Valentine's murders. It was part of the history his Ma made him study before he could come here with Sparrow some ten months before. He knew the legends of the spot being haunted, that the bricks that had once stood here were said to be bad luck. That people reported if they walked their dogs here that the dogs became agitated, even barking and howling. Now though, two cops were gone, a body lay dead here with blood flowing towards the sewer grate and Burnout was hearing Howard's voice.
As for himself, he was being offered a shiny girl's bracelet to wear, which so didn't jive with his Stetson and sheep's wool lined coat, cowboy boots and stiff pressed Wranglers. And he was about to go nose around the dead body to see what sort of get up it wore and exactly how it died. That's about when Burnout started talking to the air again and Drawn in Blood went after him and Kalatri gave him TMI and a bracelet.
"Ah, horse shit."
Was muttered and the bracelet slipped on and tucked up under his sleeve out of sight and his own curiosity took him towards the body and the sewer grate.
[Memory] Lights flicker and suddenly one of the police car's comes to life. The brights of it's lights blaring down on the group and the blue and red begin flashing before the sudden flare of it's siren's blaring deafeningly upon the group. The car, which had been dead only seconds ago, surges to life with sirens blasting as the engine of one of the cars begins to rev. Suddenly the entire area is alight with a brilliant glow as a second car snaps suddenly to life... The second police car joining in the show. Blinding lights assaulting the senses for anyone looking in their direction... Deafening sirens making it difficult to hear one another.
The lights also shine a glow upon the two corpses of police officers scattered around one of two trees in the small grassy area.
Hunter walks towards something that isn't there and Joey stares off into space at nothing at all.
Asha complains about her sister, and this is doubtless an important matter for her and her tribe though!
John... John doesn't speak. The modi just watches. Ever ready and alert as the area around them suddenly comes to life.
[Roman Turner] Bracelet roll
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 7, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6) [WP]
[Kalaratri] STAMINA!!!!!!
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 5, 9 (Failure at target 6)
[Burnout] [stam]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 3, 5
[Drawn in Blood] [Stamina]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 7
[Roman Turner] Stam.homid +bracelet
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 4, 4, 4, 6, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Drawn in Blood] [+3 because I am a dumbass]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 6, 9
[Burnout] [+2]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 1, 4
[Roman Turner] And again...stam....
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 4, 6, 6 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Killswitch] [WP!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Killswitch] "Ugh," Joey says, and snaps that compact closed. "That was...HUNTER NO!" she shouts to her Alpha, eyes wide. It's not the first time she's shouted at Hunter out on the street, but this time there's genuine fear in her voice, a genuine concern for his safety.
[Burnout] The grip of a fenrir encloses his arm and it isn't his Beta's, she's busy peeking into the Umbra. He stops, looks down at that arm almost expressionless but it isn't until he hears Joey's voice that he actually looks like he isn't going to keep going. His head turns back to her over his shoulder and he frowns.
"What's wrong?"
[Roman Turner] He clapped his hands over his ears and squinted something fierce with the cars came to life. Likely no one would hear him over all the noise but he was yelling.
"Look out!"
That was about when the cop's bodies registered in his brain. Though he was more concerned about getting run over.
[Killswitch] "There's somethin' on the other side," she says to the group. "Like a ghost, bound to the earth. On the otherside, you'd be headin' straight into it."
She looks over her shoulder at the cop cars going nuts, squints a little. "What the fuck? Did those start goin' off when you started walkin'?"
[Burnout] "I guess so, I mean I wasn't payin' much attention n'all."
He winces, face screwing up as he looks at the cars.
"Someone shut those fuckin' things off yea? Rip out tha' god damn horns if ya' have to, smash tha' lights."
[Killswitch] "Whatever it is, it's fuckin' pissed as hell. Come back this way, maybe movin' away from it'll shut off the cars."
Even so, she walks back to one, opens the driver's side door to see those keys Roman mentioned, see if they're in the ignition and if taking them out will shut off the sirens.
[Kalaratri] Now Asha has creative destruction to unleash. She runs toward the police cars, shifting to Glabro half-way there, Crinos if it is clear that no one human is around, and grabs the lights from the roof, tearing them away. RAWR.
[Roman Turner] He was having a hard time hearing what people said with all the noise and flashing lights. At this rate he was sure he was going to top John by going deaf and blind. Between the two of them they could cover See, Speak and Hear no Evil.
Part of his brain expected to get run over by a cop car as he raced towards the one the others didn't go for. He knew one thing, he knew how to crawl up under the dash, remove the fuse box cover and yank out all the fuses.
[Drawn in Blood] He clearly doesn't trust his Alpha to not keep moving across the street toward whatever it is Joey sees. His own eyes are widened and focused on the tantrum-tossing police cars, as though he isn't entirely certain what the hell it is they're doing. Maybe he's never seen a police cruiser before, or he's never heard one in action, or he is halfway to being convinced they're possessed and about to perform Christine reenactments. Whatever the case happens to be, John keeps a strong hand on Hunter's arm; he starts to step back, giving the shorter male little choice about moving with him.
And then Roman takes off.
John sighs, lets Hunter go, and races after him.
[Burnout] Hunter doesn't need guiding any more, he saw what Joey saw and now he looks fucking pissed. He snarls and stomps and makes his way to Joey's car and if required he will literally shift to crinos and throw the car at a building.
[Memory] Whether keys are removed or cars are literally smashed it is only a matter of seconds before the police cars were silent, quiet and they found themselves bathed in darkness once more. Something was still out there and they could feel it's presence. They could feel eyes upon them seething with vengeful rage. But for the moment the urgency and the chaos of the moment has passed making it possible to think straight and collect their thoughts.
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 (Success x 1 at target 7)
[Kalaratri] "You said - " a flashing look toward Joey, now. The Silver Fang is in Glabro, heavier, taller, her breeding like a musk that hangs around her, the echo of the ancients all the move visible in her bone structure, evident in the echo of her deepened voice. "That there's something on the other side. Bound into the earth. Right?
"We all feel it. There's nothing here to fight, right?" She is not the most observant, so our Asha gives them each a direct look to confirm. "We need to cross over, regroup, and tear the spirit out from the roots of the earth, cleanse the other side.
"I know the Rite. Unless there are other ideas?"
[Roman Turner] Chaos stopped, yet still something watched them. It made his skin crawl and made his mouth kick in as he headed back towards John.
"Scared of an eight second ride? This ain't my first Rodeo. Ya want a taste of this? I guarantee, I'm hotter than a Halbenaro, twice as likely to burn going down and coming out!"
He called in to the night.
"Enough cat and mouse! Ya got something to say? Chicken shit!"
[Burnout] He gets about halfway to the car when the lights and sirens stop and suddenly he pauses. He rubs at his face, he rubs at his chest and suddenly he throws his jacket to the ground and starts dancing on the spot. Well it's not exactly dancing, it's more like scratching himself and shaking all over the place. He falls over onto the ground and rolls around like a poison log.
[Drawn in Blood] When they get to the car, John stops his forward momentum with his palms, the smack of flesh against the cold metal as close to a violent outburst as he's going to get. A huff of breath, not flustered enough to be exasperation, and he looks around as if to confirm what it is that Kalaratri has decided, or that Fate's hollering hasn't negated it. Searching eyes find nothing here beyond the dead human lawgivers, beyond shadows and his--
John pushes his tongue into the back of his incisor when Hunter starts convulsing, staring without expression on his face. At this rate he's going to end up going gray before he hits Fostern. The Modi pushes off of the car and strolls over to the Bone Gnawer, not rushing as he had when the Child of Gaia tore off toward the car.
[Killswitch] "If we cross, we go in ready to fight. It's one ghost, but a zillion tentacles." She grins at Roman, unaccountably proud of her auspicemate.
She watches Hunter with more than a little concern. Something tonight is out to get her Alpha. That something is about to get ripped to shreds. She shifts, up and up, to Glabro and then to Crinos, all the scars visible, and finally down to all fours in Hispo, a grey-furred dire-wolf ready to fight.
[Roman Turner] One moment he was issuing a challenge at the night and the next he was on the ground, thrashing around, back arching, body trembling, rolling, screaming in pure agony.
[Roman Turner]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 8)
[Kalaratri] Oh, what the hell. When Roman starts yelling, Asha stops her Very Serious Recommendations and throws in a few heckles of her own: "&+2309;&+2352;&+2366;&+2332;&+2325;&+2340;&+2366; &+2348;&+2306;&+2342; &+2325;&+2352; &+2342;&+2367;&+2351;&+2366;, &+2347;&+2367;&+2352; &+2349;&+2368; &+2309;&+2349;&+2368; &+2349;&+2368; &+2313;&+2344;&+2381;&+2361;&+2375;&+2306; &+2325;&+2369;&+2331; &+2342;&+2375;&+2326;&+2366; &+2341;&+2366;. &+2351;&+2361; &+2313;&+2360;&+2325;&+2368; &+2340;&+2381;&+2357;&+2330;&+2366; &+2325;&+2381;&+2352;&+2377;&+2354; &+2325;&+2367;&+2351;&+2366; &+2324;&+2352; &+2325;&+2375; &+2352;&+2370;&+2346; &+2350;&+2375;&+2306; &+2313;&+2344;&+2381;&+2361;&+2379;&+2306;&+2344;&+2375; &+2332;&+2377;&+2344; &+2325;&+2368; &+2323;&+2352; &+2357;&+2366;&+2346;&+2360; &+2309;&+2343;&+2381;&+2351;&+2325;&+2381;&+2359;&+2340;&+2366; &+2350;&+2375;&+2306; &+2313;&+2360;&+2325;&+2375; &+2350;&+2369;&+2306;&+2361; &+2354;&+2366;&+2340; &+2348;&+2344;&+2366;&+2351;&+2366; &+2361;&+2376;. &+2319;&+2325; &+2310;&+2336; &+2342;&+2370;&+2360;&+2352;&+2368; &+2360;&+2357;&+2366;&+2352;&+2368; &+2325;&+2366; &+2337;&+2352;? &+2351;&+2361;!"
God only knows what it means, as the creature is - like Killswitch - shifting into Crinos, then Hispo, heavy pawed on the ground, padding forward, her coat pale in the moonlight, nearly white but marked with silver.
[-1 WP, Resist Pain]
[Burnout] He gives himself one last shake -- no scratch that. NO DON'T SCRATCH IT JESUS
Hunter's player has gone insane from Seb's mind games, but luckily Hunter is still quite capable. He pushes himself to his feet but he's shifting as he does it, elongating and popping joins, bones expanding, muscles bulging and a hand snakes out for his jacket just as he bursts through into crinos. The garment disappears into his fur and he remains on all fours, sinking down again into Hispo.
A snarl, a god damn horrific growl from the entirely unamused Alpha of Defiance and he looks at Asha, looks at Joey, tips a head and looks at Roman. He doesn't bother telling them all about the insects, poor bastards would find out soon enough.
To victory, to the death of this foul beast, ASHA ARE YOU WITH ME, JOEY ARE YOU WITH ME, JOHN ARE YOU WITH ME, ROMAN GET OFF THE GROUND.
He lashes his tail, gnashes his teeth, bristles his fur.
[-1 WP resist pain]
[Drawn in Blood] John sees his Alpha getting to his feet and decides to let the Ahroun handle himself. The Ragabash, though, has a Modi on him like white on rice: John doubles back, grabbing the screaming teenager by the front of his shirt and, as gently as one can expect a Fenrir to do such a thing, hauls him off the ground and onto his feet. If he doesn't stay on his feet, John damn well holds him there until he does. It isn't until Roman is back in the game that John bursts into his war form.
It isn't an order that comes over the totem phone, but a request.
[Killswitch] First Hunter, then Roman drop to the ground, rolling about to rid themselves of, something. Joey shakes out her fur in sympathy, but then Hunter's up again. Calling them to arms.
The Rotagar's jaw drops open in a lupine grin, her tails gives a happy little swish, and she lets out a woorrrrooorrrrrooorrrr.
[-1WP Resist Pain, -1G Soak!]
[Burnout] Tails wag and Hunter returns that woofing howl to Joey, muzzle lifting into the air woorrroooorrooorrr. He's about ready to go when his eyes turn to John and the other Ragabash.
Roman, he barks, Stick with the Modi.
[Roman Turner] Burnout could issue orders till the cows came home. Roman couldn't hear them over the sounds that were felt more than heard in his mind and body. He thrashed wildly, sweat soaking his face. His hat had rolled off, he was nothing but screaming agony. Could he scream like a girl? Hell yes. Could he scream like a soul tossed into Hell? You betcha. He screamed like the damned, his voice growing hoarse already. Even when hauled up, he was a wildly thrashing tangle of arms and legs that was desperately trying to pull away and run from something.
[Roman Turner]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 1 at target 8)
[Killswitch] Everyone is preparing for war, yet the Ragabash remains on the ground, thrashing and flailing. Joey doesn't wait for orders from Hunter, but trots quickly over to the boy, looking him over for the cause of his distress.
Tipping her snout down, she nudes him unless he thrashes her away, nudges and pushes and tries to help his escape from an (unseen?) assailant.
[Drawn in Blood] Okay so John's still in homid. They don't usually breed Full Moons this patient. Common sense says not to hold still a body in the throes of an epileptic convulsion but Roman's screaming, and people having seizures don't scream.
John looks around at the others, visibly perplexed. The only other person this happened to was Hunter, and Hunter has been largely quiet about what the hell happened to him. The Modi hauls Roman across the street, away from the police cars.
[Killswitch] [peeking!]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 9 (Success x 1 at target 5)
[Memory] [1-2 Hunter, 3-4 DiB, 5-6 Kalaratri, 7-8 Killswitch, 9-10 Roman!]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 8
[Roman Turner] John grabbed hold to haul him off and Roman fought like a hooked Swordfish on a line. Thrashing, hoarsely screaming, flailing as if his life depended on getting away from something that was agony few ever survived.
[Roman Turner]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 7 (Botch x 2 at target 8)
[Killswitch] Joey peeks across, hoping to see if those tendrils have hold of Roman from the other side, hoping to find some answers.
What she sees is that face. Tempting her. Offering her something someone else might fall all over themselves to accept. But not Joey. At her throat, beneath the layers of her clothing worn in Homid is a necklace made of a green stone pulled from the Umbra. On the other side it pulses faintly. The living heart. Family. A reason to keep her mind closed.
She peers across the Gauntlet into that face, and her lips peel back from dangerously sharp teeth. Killswitch snarls, and she pushes forward. Through the barrier.
[crossing!]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 3, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Burnout] Hunter is a step behind her, without speaking, just a growl in his throat.
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 6, 9 (Success x 2 at target 5)
[Burnout] [2 more]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 1, 2 (Botch x 1 at target 5)
[Kalaratri] Asha - Crossing!
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 7, 8, 8 (Success x 4 at target 5) [WP]
[Drawn in Blood] This kid is fighting like a goddamn salmon. John clearly has no idea what he's supposed to do to help him, other than what it is he does: he hooks his arms, effectively putting the No Moon into a restraint, and marches him a full block away from the police cars. So far as he can tell there are no bystanders, nobody who cares enough to peek out the windows and try to figure out what the hell is going on. He seems to be going on the fact that the two of them are close enough in age that they can pass for family, on his Rage, to keep humans from investigating too closely.
He sits the both of their asses down on the cold ground, securing Roman's arms and legs so he doesn't hurt either of them, and he waits.
[Roman Turner] There seemed to be no awareness of movement, restraint, anything, he fought regardless. Fought like a wild cat with it's tail in a bear trap. And he screamed in that high pitched wail of agony like a damned soul.
[Roman Turner]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7 (Failure at target 8)
[Kalaratri] With a sharp, moving frown, Asha leaves the Child of Gaia under the watchful eye of the hot (not that SHE knows that. She prefers the Beebs.), silent Fenrir and slips across the gauntlet, through the curvilinear movement of her reflection in a piece of mirrored jewelry she has hanging from a narrow gold chain, hidden beneath the crisp lines of her white Oxford. POOF. She pops across.
[Memory] The three emerge on the other side and they find themselves outside the cityscape they had expected. A thick fog was cast over the region which was largely dirt beneath their feet. There was a powerful stench surrounding them, it was enough to bring tears to the eye and force all who stood on this side to choke back the urge to vomit. Death... Decomposing flesh. The ground itself was mixed with blood, and the writing of maggots laid by the twisted fly spirits who likely called this place home. They could see around them the shattered broken graves of hundreds... If not thousands of souls. They were shattered, splintered... Some were uprooted and tipped over some corpses simply lay in the mud half buried. They were no longer in the heart of the city the spirit realm often learned to reflect the impressions of that which was left upon it and despite the fact that Chicago had grown, moved on, and changed... The spirit world still reflected Lincoln Park's forgotten history.
So many memories... So much death. So much abandoned, and forgotten. But not tonight... Was it chance or the knowing doing of some criminal who brought death to this place? So much emotion and history. The taste of violence, the taste of murder has fed the ancient soil, whatever sleeps beneath this place rumbled and shifts in it's slumber. Some ancient forgotten thing writhes it's tendrils and reaches for the surface hungry. Sucking away life, and memory, and energy... Draining everything in it's path in it's eternal hunger. Something threatens to awaken beneath their feet and the brave Garou find themselves face to face. Not with the beast itself but with a manifestation of it's will. It's dark and twisted living nightmare hovers with tendrils stuffed up and under it like a puppet before them. With hollow empty eyes it hungers for their very lives. It hovered before them with hollow empty sockets for eyes... They had brought themselves to it a feast served up on a plate. Surely they would prove a far more satisfying meal than a drug addict and a few lousy police.
[Kalaratri] The Silver Fang snarls when she reaches the other side of the gauntlet. The air stinks, the twisted corpses in the broken ground have the hispo-beast stepping lightly, almost delicately, over the churned muck of the soil. She shakes her gleaming fur, and in an instant she is gleaming all the more, so bright that she is a beacon from a distant, a sharp, blurred smear of light up glow.
With a snarl, she launches herself at the spirit.
She's angry.
It was movie night.
And Valentine's or something.
[Burnout] [+10]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 2
[Killswitch] [+9]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 8
[Memory] [+10]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 7
[Roman Turner]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 10 (Success x 2 at target 8)
[Kalaratri] 9
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 4
[Memory] [Nightmare 17
Burnout: 17
Kalaratri: 13
Joey: 12
We'll start declares and the like while Roman posts :) ]
[Memory] [Declare in reverse!]
[Burnout] [1a
1b
1c
r1
r2 - bite a tentacle]
[Roman Turner] He was wildly thrashing, screaming and suddenly the hoarse screaming cut off. He went limp, just laying there for several seconds as his chest rose and fell with his panting. While he was still trying to catch his breath, trying to swallow pass the pain in his throat, that he lifted his hands to study them. He felt his body as if feeling for damage. Memory is a weird thing, he knew for a fact he was burning to charcoal, his flesh had crackled, popped, split and crisped like bacon before blackening. Yet he couldn't see that now through eyes that would of turned to liquid qoo before evaporating.
[Memory] [Umm Burnout is second not last!]
[Kalaratri] [Resist Pain, Lambert Flame already active. 1a. 1b. 1c. Rage 1: Rage 2: BITES. Tentacles.]
[Killswitch] [1a:
1b:
1c:
R: Bite tentacles!]
[Memory] [1A: Nightmare! On... Everyone!]
[Roman Turner] ((Seriously would not just pop up and leave John, but player is afk? So er, feeling lost))
Tries to cross when he has half a wit and says something to John and shifts to Crinos?
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 5, 7, 7 (Success x 3 at target 6) [WP]
[Memory] [Be afraid! WP Diff 7]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8
[Memory] The beast draws in it's breath and sucks in the air around it... Until all the air around them seems to disappear and the garou are left with nothing to breathe. It sucks inward and it's chest swells to massive proportions and then suddenly an overwhelming surge of an explosion bursts from the creatures mouth erupting like a volcano as it sends a whitehot surge of searing flame rushing over each and every one of them! Enough to instantly sear fur and send pain surging through each and every one of them...
Everyone soak 3 Agg diff 9(Cept soak it with WP and yes... You do get +1 auto success)
[Kalaratri] Willpower - soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 6, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 9) [WP]
[Burnout] [>_> wp soak]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 2, 4, 4, 7, 7, 8
[Killswitch] [WP Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 5, 8 (Botch x 1 at target 9)
[Killswitch] [1a: Bite: -3]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 8, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 5)
[Killswitch] [dam: +3]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 10, 10
[Killswitch] [1b: Bite: -4]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 3, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 5)
[Killswitch] [dam: +1]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 10
[Memory] [Soak again!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 10
[Killswitch] [1c: Bite: -5]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 3, 7 (Success x 1 at target 5)
[Killswitch] [dam: +0]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10
[Memory]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10
[Kalaratri] 1a. -3
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 4, 4, 5, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 5)
[Kalaratri] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 7, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Kalaratri] 1b. -4
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 2, 3, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Failure at target 60)
[Kalaratri] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 3, 3, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 10, 10, 10
[Memory]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 5, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Kalaratri] 1c. -5
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 6 at target 5)
[Kalaratri] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 7, 7, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 7, 9, 10, 10
[Burnout] [1a - 3]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 2, 5, 6, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Burnout] [dmg+4]
Dice Rolled:[ 16 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 8, 9, 10
[Burnout] [1b -4]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 4, 6, 10 (Failure at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Burnout] [1c -5]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 5) Re-rolls: 2
[Burnout] [dmg+4]
Dice Rolled:[ 16 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10
[Killswitch] [R: Bite tentacle!]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Killswitch] [dam: +2]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 9, 9, 9, 10
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 10
[Kalaratri] Rage 1: CHOMP. (Mmm. Calamari!)
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 8 at target 5)
[Kalaratri] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 15 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Memory] [Soak that shit!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Burnout] [r1 bite]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 3 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Burnout] [dmg+2]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 10
[Kalaratri] ASHA. Rage 2:
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8 (Success x 4 at target 5)
[Kalaratri] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8
[Drawn in Blood] [Gnosis: I WANT TO JOIN YOUR WORLD ROMAN]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 7, 7 (Failure at target 5)
[Burnout] [R2]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 1, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 8, 8 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Memory] [Soak! Asha's!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8
[Burnout] [dmg+2]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10
[Memory] [Soak Huntaur's!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 10
[Drawn in Blood] [NO SERIOUSLY. Diff 6.]
[Drawn in Blood] [... might help if I put dice into the dice roller.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 3, 4, 5, 6
[Drawn in Blood] [I'm just going to keep going until he botches. Diff 7.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
[Drawn in Blood] [Derp derp derp 8.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 7, 9
[Drawn in Blood] [Derrrp derp derp derp 9.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 5, 7, 8, 10
[Drawn in Blood] [Watch him get three 10s.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 7, 8
[Killswitch] [+9]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 1
[Burnout] [+10]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 9
[Kalaratri] [+9]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 9
[Burnout] [swapping inits with Joey!]
[Roman Turner] +8
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 3
[Memory] The creature's fires surge through the others though Asha remains unharmed. The three garou do not seem to mind the flame which might be somewhat surprising to the thing which still stands despite their best attempt. Those tentacles have been culled and their number now dwindles. As the Garou tear at more and more they are scked back under the earth where they disappear. Soon the things tentacles are barely holding it aloft and yet still it stares. Empty hollow eyes as it hovers before them.
[Memory] [+10]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 9
[Memory] [Tie Breaker!]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 8
[Memory] [Nightmare:19
Burnout:19
Kalaratri:18
Fate: 11
Killswitch:10
DeclaRE IN REVERSE!]
[Killswitch] [1a
1b
R: Bites on tentacles!]
[Roman Turner] 1a claw puppet/doll thingie
1b do it again
1 r yep, do it again.
[Kalaratri] [1a. BITE. 1b. BITE. 1c. BITE. Rage 1. BITE. Rage 2. BITE]
[Memory] [Odds boy, evens girl]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 5
[Burnout] [1a
1b
1c
r1 - bite]
[Memory] [Odds Joey, Evens Asha!]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 5
[Memory] [Attempt to possess Joey!]
[Killswitch] [JOEY'S NOT A BOY]
[Memory] [Shit sorry! Umm Odds Hunter Evens Roman!]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 10
[Memory] [This'll be fun roman! Just open up your brain wiiiiiide! *Dives*]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 5, 5, 6, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Memory] The others perpare to attack... Getting into position as Roman comes racing back. Fond memories are shared between Roman and the spirit. He's so young, so brave, so full of hope and life! It finds itself drawn to him... It literally dives at him in a final desperate attempt to spare itself the fate the Garou would likely deliver upon it. Soon enough Roman Snarls, bursting to his war form and facing the Garou. Tentacles bulging from his skull... Connected by the same bonds to the same entity and yet the spirit itself is still hidden somewhere within those eyes which look out at the world only with malice. They will likely win this battle... But it will take one of them down with it tonight!
[Burnout] [1a -3]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 5) Re-rolls: 2
[Burnout] [dmg+3]
Dice Rolled:[ 15 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9
[Burnout] [1b -4]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 6, 7 (Success x 2 at target 5)
[Burnout] [dmg+1]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 2, 3, 5, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Memory] The tendrils are severed and the link to the spirit is instantly shattered. Roman's eyes seem to clear and control is instantly restored... However something is still off. Roman can feel it... Deep down within the depths of his Psyche. There is something still lurking within him. Another mind, a dark and wicked thing. It's connection to it's creator severed and yet it finds itself bound, instead, to a new host. It's control shattered but it is still there inside him.
In the meantime the earth beneath their feet rumbles in pain and soon enough the tentacles are sucked back beneath the earth. The thing, the walking nightmare born of some ancient tentacled beast is forced into slumber. Without an outlet to the world, without a means by which to leech the energy of the living world it finds itself rapidly falling back into it's own ancient slumber.
Soon enough the Garou are standing alone... In a quiet foggy umbral graveyard. Not exactly the most romantic place to spend Valentine's day!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 6, 10, 10
[Memory] Roman's arrival was prompt. He was the first to arrive shortly ahead of the others and the scene was decidedly vacant. It wasn't unusual for a street to be left Vacant let alone a park! But it was unusual for two police cars to be parked on the side of the road with doors wide open... Abandoned. Without so much as a light flashing overhead. It was also strangely suspicious to find a corpse just lying on the road... Long enough that the steam rising from it was not visible to the naked eye. A small puddle of cool blood formed near the storm drain.
Joey arrived shortly after and Roman's keen observational skills can easily pick her out.
The small park area seems abandoned though it's hare to tell without any stable light. Trees perhaps... Some rocks? It's too dark to make out specific features of the landscape.
[Roman Turner] He wasn't so familiar with Joey, having seen her at a few Moots maybe? So when she arrived she found him closing the doors on the cop cars after looking inside them to see if the weapons and keys were gone. So far he had not approached the body and storm drain but he had a feeling about it. It was too much like a horror movie setting where the mutants came out of the sewer to eat your face off. Of course, this city was like a horror movie most times.
[Killswitch] [dlp!]
[Burnout] [percep+alert]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 4, 4, 6, 6, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Burnout] [gnosis]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 3, 6, 10
[Killswitch] Defiance rolls onto the scene. Joey hops out and gives the scene a gander, looking at that corpse and those cop cars. She looks at Roman, nods a greeting as she steps past him to peer inside those darkened cop cars.
"Hey," she says in greeting. Even without the full introduction with all the bells and whistles, the way Joey carries herself speaks of a higher rank. She looks back to her Alpha, one of decidedly lower station than she herself is. "Somethin's wrong with the power. Is EmmyLou still workin'?"
Stepping back a little, away from the pooling blood and the dead body, she crouches down to press her bare palm flat to the pavement. She frowns. "Anybody else feelin' that?"
[Roman Turner] He returned Joey's greeting as he closed the last door on the cop car.
"Howdy. The shotguns are still locked in place so they weren't spooked. Ain't sure where they went nor why this guy is laying there like that. Figure they called it in?"
[Kalaratri] Asha breaks out her Ducati for the trip. Nevermind that it is 37 degrees outside, the air sharp with salt and ice and cold and cinders, the foul effluvia that starts to wake up during the first days of a broken frost. The ice on the lake and the river is breaking up. There's little melting rivulets winding down the filthy piles of snow shoved up by the snowplows. Nevermind, nevermind, nevermind that she's not the world's best driver: the creature looks like a commercial in Italian Vogue - black hair, dark clothes, a fine white scarf waving out behind her. Kickstand and stuff is BORING but the Ducati is bright red and - well, she does all the usual stuff. They can see her from down the street, this slight creature with the delicate precision of a bird of prey and enough breeding to float the titanic, slipping off her sleek, crimson bike (which is spattered with mud and filth now. Have fun cleaning it, Thomas!) and walking down the sidewalk to meet up with the other Garou.
A flash of a grin, like a razor. Asha looks around.
[Burnout] Hunter strolls up with Joey, Roman gets a nod of his head in greeting and a little "Hey dude." His face is grim, lips firmly set and eyes watching the lamp posts flicker on and off for a few seconds.
"Somethin' is fucked up. Seriously. I mean this is all fuckin' way wrong. You all prepped?" His eyes fall onto Asha and can't help but grin back. She's infectious like that.
"Sup girl."
But that's it, then it's back to business.
"Seriously though guys, tha' fuck is goin' on? I'm gon' get ready for a fight, I'm too pretty ta' die on fuckin' valentines day."
And he does. A strip of crusted bandage and a sheriffs badge, reused from the last time John had it.
[-1G BB -1G SOAK WHAT HTE FUCK IS GOING ON]
[Drawn in Blood] John must think it's summer: he isn't wearing a jacket when he peels himself out of the car and walks up to the scene with his pack. A sweatshirt, he's decided, will suffice. It's above freezing, and he's not exactly a twig.
When he ceases walking, the Modi lifts his chin in a nod, a silent Sup? to the Child of Gaia he fought with one of his first nights in the city, and flicks his eyes between the congregated. The only ones who can hear him are the ones to whom he is bound.
[-1G, +3 soak from talen!]
[Burnout] "What tha' fuck??"
A blink, eyes turn between all of them.
"You guys hear that? Someone just fuckin' yelled GO AWAY!"
[Drawn in Blood] At his Alpha's outburst, the Modi does not startle or flinch, but neither does he stare at him like he's speaking Klingonese like he normally does. He looks over, brow furrowed in questioning curiosity, and then casts his eyes about at their surroundings. Though he shakes his head in denial, John doesn't argue with him. He pulls his hands out of his pockets as if preparing to either go after the source of the noise or clap Hunter upside the head.
[Primal-Urge+Perception]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 5, 9, 9 (Success x 2 at target 8)
[Killswitch] Joey is momentarily distracted from her continued investigation by the familiar roar of a Ducati's engine, and a Ducati's bright red paint job. When she looks over at the Ahroun she's met but once before, the Fostern Rotagar's hang-dog eyes may as well have become hearts.
It's her Alpha's voice that startles her out of her ogling. A shake of her head, and she rises from her crouch, brushes her hands off on the thighs of her dark-wash jeans. She's wearing a fake-fur-lined black hoodie and a black wool cabbie hat with a button (ALL GROWN UP AND STILL WAITING TO BE A ROCK STAR) pinned by the brim. She adjusts the fall of her bag against her hip.
"I got talens if anyone needs 'em. Ground feels alive. You know, this's where that Valentine's Day massacre shit happened, like, back in the prohibition days." She sighs. "My kingdom for a goddamn Theurge. An' was prob'ly called in, otherwise cop cars wouldn't be here in the first place."
[Roman Turner] He greeted the others as the arrived,all with polite touches to the brim of his stetson. John got a wide grin besides the hat brim salute. Burnout asked if they heard something and his reply was.
"Er, I ain't heard no yelling, yet."
Joey mentioned the St. Valetine's massacre and that had him going.
"Al Capone and all that stuff?"
[Kalaratri] " - yufs," says the slight Ahroun, black eyes quick as a bird's (though it must be said, rather less observant) as she joins them, looking around with this faint, almost pouty frown marring her little bow mouth. That is her think-y face. " - rhya," to Joey, at the last. "I don't think we've been informally introduced!" There at the end, with a quick (shit-eating?) grin for all but Hunter, who has suffered through the "informal" introduction. "I left Thomas at home, though. He's doesn't like the way I drive."
Which -
...
From deep inside the inner pockets of her crisp leather blazer, Asha pulls out an equally grotesque bandage and starts to wrap it around her midsection, as if she were playing Doctor, or dressing up like a Mummy for Halloween. There are two narrow gold bracelets on her wrist, moving in the light. She can virtually smell the gnosis in the air; her sweeping gaze moves and lands, at last, on Roman. "I have a talen," she's already worming the bracelet off her wrist. "Make you tougher, too. Want one?"
[-1 Gnosis. BB. Offering Roman a soak talen.]
[Roman Turner] This was his first experience with a bunch of folk pulling out talens and such. He gave a faint shake of his head with the offer.
"I appreciate it Ma'am, but I ain't the strongest when it comes to spiritual connections and such. Might be I ought to save what little I got for a real pinch instead of maybe wasting one of your special things, ya know?"
[Burnout] Hunter pauses dead in his tracks, he misses the grin from Asha to everyone about formal introductions, if he hadn't he would have groaned and looked worried yet slightly amused. Instead his face goes pale, his eyes go wide, his mouth drops open and the only word that comes out is a questioning stutter.
"H-h-howard??"
[Drawn in Blood] John snaps his fingers to get Roman's attention when he hears the topic shift to his lack of spiritual energy, then gestures. It seems as though he wants the teenager to stay close to him; he has seen the boy fight, knows he is hardly a Cub, but without the capacity to speak he can't voice his motivation, and so that is all he has. A moment later his gaze is being snapped back to Hunter.
His furrowed brow becomes a frown.
[Killswitch] "Yeah," she answers Roman, "bunch'a guys got shot the hell up over there," she nods her head to the empty space between the two buildings where 2122 North Clark Street should be. She grins back at Asha, "Nah y'haven't. You'll have to hit me up with that sometime." She heard from Hunter about the informal greeting. Honestly, even just his description of that made her curious for the formal version.
Whatever she might've said next, it dies in her throat. Her attention, too, snaps to Hunter. She's no stranger to the voices of the dead calling out to the living (Is that what this is called? Love?).
She shakes her head at something. "Where's it comin' from?" Her voice is low, stern, serious. She, at least, doesn't believe her Alpha has lost his marbles.
That would imply him having them in the first place.
[Roman Turner] In his mind two things happened at that moment. Drawn in Blood snapped his fingers for attention and in Roman's brain something said..."oh yeah, he wants me to guard his back. I can do that." Never once imagining anything else. And the second thing was Burnout stuttered Howard. Howard, he never even met Howard when the guy was alive, but sure as Hell it seemed like Howard would chase him through the rest of his days. First there was the entire thing with Rain, now this?
"Ya see him too, or just hear him?"
Oh crap, ghosts.
[Burnout] He casts a sharp look at Joey, eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched, it's just a reaction to her shaking her head and he grits his teeth, grinds them slowly. Nostrils flare and he waits with all his patience while she asks that question, fists clenching at his sides.
It takes him a good few seconds before he does anything, like he can't believe he's doing it, like this is ridiculous. He is stronger than this, he doesn't bow to voices nor follow them. Today he does.
"WHERE ARE YA'?" He shouts out and it sounds deranged yet powerful. "Whaddya' want?" He adds slightly quieter.
[Kalaratri] "Give it a try?" suggests the Silver Fang, dark eyes on the Coggie. They're nearly of an age, the pair of them. There's something vicious and bright about the Ahroun, though, particularly with the moon waxing in the sky, with the breeding underneath her dusky skin. The gold bracelet glimmers, moving in the light. Hunter starts to should and Asha's nostrils flare, sharp with awareness, with this liquid sense of predator about her. The creature's grin is slipping away, but it briefly surfaces as she looks back to Roman. "You oughta. I stole 'em from Aanchal to use for talens. IF she finds out - "
Goes unspoken. "Just in case! It's not like it's got blood on it." Not like the bandage she wrapped right 'round her midsection, twined tightly. "I promise!"
The side conversation is quiet; Asha does not know their living or their dead.
[Memory] Silence... Darkness... The strange haunting feeling that each and every one of them is surrounded. There is something here. It's hard to tell what, nothing readily visible. Only the darkness around them. Only the haunting presence and a dark and bloody past. The group comes to the sudden realization of this place's past but there doesn't seem to be anything even pertaining to this spot directly... Save the violence... Save the bloodshed.
Hunter calls into the night and nothing is returned to him. Only silence only the wind seems to blow through the air. Soft and chillingly cold. Somehow seeming a hint colder than the rest of the world around him with the lingering of a familiar voice.
[Roman Turner] "Aanchal?"
He reluctantly accepted the bracelet like taking a snake offered for a kiss. It was so..so...girlie looking. And it was all he could do to try to keep from making a face as he whispered.
"I gotta wear it, where folk would see it?"
His ears flamed.
[Kalaratri] Gnosis!
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 3, 10
[Kalaratri] WITS PLUS ZE OCCULT. (so figuring this out!)
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 8 (Failure at target 7)
[Burnout] Hunter catches something out of the corner of his eye, his head tilts, his eyes narrow and suddenly he begins walking seemingly towards nothing.
"Howard?" He questions again.
[Drawn in Blood] John has difficulty interacting with humans for a number of reasons. He doesn't understand them, for starters; he does not have a feral or lupine demeanor, but there are nuances of behavior that he misses out on on the best of days. There is a reason Garou are not to mate with Garou: half spirit to begin with, the body they create in union cannot handle that much energy. Moments like this when there are things happening that he cannot see or smell or hear, when all he has is feeling and his Alpha's distress, he ceases to seem human.
The Child of Gaia mistranslates what it is the Fenrir wants, and he becomes summarily distracted by his Alpha's walking. It seems more like wandering. John's nostrils flare, his eyes flashing, and he darts forward, grabbing the shorter yet heavier Ahroun by the upper arm to keep him from getting too far ahead.
[Killswitch] Nothing but silence echoes back from the darkness when Hunter shouts, but there's that creeping feeling of being watched. They're surrounded, though by what, they don't know.
Frowning at Hunter, Joey slips her hand into her bag and pulls out a small compact mirror. Flipping it open, she holds it up and stares at it like a tricorder. Though, she probably wouldn't get that reference.
[Peeking! diff I don't know, -1 (mirror)]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 4)
[Kalaratri] "Naw," Asha asserts with a quick shake of her dark head like she was confiding a secret. "You can break it if you wanna. Or you can just - like, push it with your head and the spirit inside pops out. Uhm, kinda like gum in one of those foil wrappers? The candy-coated gum." She sighs, quiet, the patter moving. Gum's very common. Chewing's not lady like. Or Princess like. Or Silver Fang hero like.
"Aanchal. That's my sister, she's all impressed with herself because she got a baby. Maybe a true-born. From our House." A note of distaste, there - quiet underneath it all - grievance underneath the gossip about strangers Roman could not possibly know or care about. "She's so obnoxious," the complaint continues. " - is that the ground? Or the air?"
To Roman; then a sharp look upward, frowning at Hunter, sweeping a look toward Joey and Drawn in Blood. Asha leaves the bracelet in Roman's hand and walks forward, her flat black boots nearly silent on the sidewalk, the grass and mud. Shadowing the forward movement as Hunter makes it, frowning at the nothingness.
- something solid, too, about her presence, the sort of thing that reinforces the spine.
[-1 Gnosis, Inspiration!]
[Roman Turner] He knew a bit about the St. Valentine's murders. It was part of the history his Ma made him study before he could come here with Sparrow some ten months before. He knew the legends of the spot being haunted, that the bricks that had once stood here were said to be bad luck. That people reported if they walked their dogs here that the dogs became agitated, even barking and howling. Now though, two cops were gone, a body lay dead here with blood flowing towards the sewer grate and Burnout was hearing Howard's voice.
As for himself, he was being offered a shiny girl's bracelet to wear, which so didn't jive with his Stetson and sheep's wool lined coat, cowboy boots and stiff pressed Wranglers. And he was about to go nose around the dead body to see what sort of get up it wore and exactly how it died. That's about when Burnout started talking to the air again and Drawn in Blood went after him and Kalatri gave him TMI and a bracelet.
"Ah, horse shit."
Was muttered and the bracelet slipped on and tucked up under his sleeve out of sight and his own curiosity took him towards the body and the sewer grate.
[Memory] Lights flicker and suddenly one of the police car's comes to life. The brights of it's lights blaring down on the group and the blue and red begin flashing before the sudden flare of it's siren's blaring deafeningly upon the group. The car, which had been dead only seconds ago, surges to life with sirens blasting as the engine of one of the cars begins to rev. Suddenly the entire area is alight with a brilliant glow as a second car snaps suddenly to life... The second police car joining in the show. Blinding lights assaulting the senses for anyone looking in their direction... Deafening sirens making it difficult to hear one another.
The lights also shine a glow upon the two corpses of police officers scattered around one of two trees in the small grassy area.
Hunter walks towards something that isn't there and Joey stares off into space at nothing at all.
Asha complains about her sister, and this is doubtless an important matter for her and her tribe though!
John... John doesn't speak. The modi just watches. Ever ready and alert as the area around them suddenly comes to life.
[Roman Turner] Bracelet roll
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 7, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6) [WP]
[Kalaratri] STAMINA!!!!!!
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 5, 9 (Failure at target 6)
[Burnout] [stam]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 3, 5
[Drawn in Blood] [Stamina]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 7
[Roman Turner] Stam.homid +bracelet
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 4, 4, 4, 6, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Drawn in Blood] [+3 because I am a dumbass]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 6, 9
[Burnout] [+2]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 1, 4
[Roman Turner] And again...stam....
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 4, 6, 6 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Killswitch] [WP!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Killswitch] "Ugh," Joey says, and snaps that compact closed. "That was...HUNTER NO!" she shouts to her Alpha, eyes wide. It's not the first time she's shouted at Hunter out on the street, but this time there's genuine fear in her voice, a genuine concern for his safety.
[Burnout] The grip of a fenrir encloses his arm and it isn't his Beta's, she's busy peeking into the Umbra. He stops, looks down at that arm almost expressionless but it isn't until he hears Joey's voice that he actually looks like he isn't going to keep going. His head turns back to her over his shoulder and he frowns.
"What's wrong?"
[Roman Turner] He clapped his hands over his ears and squinted something fierce with the cars came to life. Likely no one would hear him over all the noise but he was yelling.
"Look out!"
That was about when the cop's bodies registered in his brain. Though he was more concerned about getting run over.
[Killswitch] "There's somethin' on the other side," she says to the group. "Like a ghost, bound to the earth. On the otherside, you'd be headin' straight into it."
She looks over her shoulder at the cop cars going nuts, squints a little. "What the fuck? Did those start goin' off when you started walkin'?"
[Burnout] "I guess so, I mean I wasn't payin' much attention n'all."
He winces, face screwing up as he looks at the cars.
"Someone shut those fuckin' things off yea? Rip out tha' god damn horns if ya' have to, smash tha' lights."
[Killswitch] "Whatever it is, it's fuckin' pissed as hell. Come back this way, maybe movin' away from it'll shut off the cars."
Even so, she walks back to one, opens the driver's side door to see those keys Roman mentioned, see if they're in the ignition and if taking them out will shut off the sirens.
[Kalaratri] Now Asha has creative destruction to unleash. She runs toward the police cars, shifting to Glabro half-way there, Crinos if it is clear that no one human is around, and grabs the lights from the roof, tearing them away. RAWR.
[Roman Turner] He was having a hard time hearing what people said with all the noise and flashing lights. At this rate he was sure he was going to top John by going deaf and blind. Between the two of them they could cover See, Speak and Hear no Evil.
Part of his brain expected to get run over by a cop car as he raced towards the one the others didn't go for. He knew one thing, he knew how to crawl up under the dash, remove the fuse box cover and yank out all the fuses.
[Drawn in Blood] He clearly doesn't trust his Alpha to not keep moving across the street toward whatever it is Joey sees. His own eyes are widened and focused on the tantrum-tossing police cars, as though he isn't entirely certain what the hell it is they're doing. Maybe he's never seen a police cruiser before, or he's never heard one in action, or he is halfway to being convinced they're possessed and about to perform Christine reenactments. Whatever the case happens to be, John keeps a strong hand on Hunter's arm; he starts to step back, giving the shorter male little choice about moving with him.
And then Roman takes off.
John sighs, lets Hunter go, and races after him.
[Burnout] Hunter doesn't need guiding any more, he saw what Joey saw and now he looks fucking pissed. He snarls and stomps and makes his way to Joey's car and if required he will literally shift to crinos and throw the car at a building.
[Memory] Whether keys are removed or cars are literally smashed it is only a matter of seconds before the police cars were silent, quiet and they found themselves bathed in darkness once more. Something was still out there and they could feel it's presence. They could feel eyes upon them seething with vengeful rage. But for the moment the urgency and the chaos of the moment has passed making it possible to think straight and collect their thoughts.
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 (Success x 1 at target 7)
[Kalaratri] "You said - " a flashing look toward Joey, now. The Silver Fang is in Glabro, heavier, taller, her breeding like a musk that hangs around her, the echo of the ancients all the move visible in her bone structure, evident in the echo of her deepened voice. "That there's something on the other side. Bound into the earth. Right?
"We all feel it. There's nothing here to fight, right?" She is not the most observant, so our Asha gives them each a direct look to confirm. "We need to cross over, regroup, and tear the spirit out from the roots of the earth, cleanse the other side.
"I know the Rite. Unless there are other ideas?"
[Roman Turner] Chaos stopped, yet still something watched them. It made his skin crawl and made his mouth kick in as he headed back towards John.
"Scared of an eight second ride? This ain't my first Rodeo. Ya want a taste of this? I guarantee, I'm hotter than a Halbenaro, twice as likely to burn going down and coming out!"
He called in to the night.
"Enough cat and mouse! Ya got something to say? Chicken shit!"
[Burnout] He gets about halfway to the car when the lights and sirens stop and suddenly he pauses. He rubs at his face, he rubs at his chest and suddenly he throws his jacket to the ground and starts dancing on the spot. Well it's not exactly dancing, it's more like scratching himself and shaking all over the place. He falls over onto the ground and rolls around like a poison log.
[Drawn in Blood] When they get to the car, John stops his forward momentum with his palms, the smack of flesh against the cold metal as close to a violent outburst as he's going to get. A huff of breath, not flustered enough to be exasperation, and he looks around as if to confirm what it is that Kalaratri has decided, or that Fate's hollering hasn't negated it. Searching eyes find nothing here beyond the dead human lawgivers, beyond shadows and his--
John pushes his tongue into the back of his incisor when Hunter starts convulsing, staring without expression on his face. At this rate he's going to end up going gray before he hits Fostern. The Modi pushes off of the car and strolls over to the Bone Gnawer, not rushing as he had when the Child of Gaia tore off toward the car.
[Killswitch] "If we cross, we go in ready to fight. It's one ghost, but a zillion tentacles." She grins at Roman, unaccountably proud of her auspicemate.
She watches Hunter with more than a little concern. Something tonight is out to get her Alpha. That something is about to get ripped to shreds. She shifts, up and up, to Glabro and then to Crinos, all the scars visible, and finally down to all fours in Hispo, a grey-furred dire-wolf ready to fight.
[Roman Turner] One moment he was issuing a challenge at the night and the next he was on the ground, thrashing around, back arching, body trembling, rolling, screaming in pure agony.
[Roman Turner]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 8)
[Kalaratri] Oh, what the hell. When Roman starts yelling, Asha stops her Very Serious Recommendations and throws in a few heckles of her own: "&+2309;&+2352;&+2366;&+2332;&+2325;&+2340;&+2366; &+2348;&+2306;&+2342; &+2325;&+2352; &+2342;&+2367;&+2351;&+2366;, &+2347;&+2367;&+2352; &+2349;&+2368; &+2309;&+2349;&+2368; &+2349;&+2368; &+2313;&+2344;&+2381;&+2361;&+2375;&+2306; &+2325;&+2369;&+2331; &+2342;&+2375;&+2326;&+2366; &+2341;&+2366;. &+2351;&+2361; &+2313;&+2360;&+2325;&+2368; &+2340;&+2381;&+2357;&+2330;&+2366; &+2325;&+2381;&+2352;&+2377;&+2354; &+2325;&+2367;&+2351;&+2366; &+2324;&+2352; &+2325;&+2375; &+2352;&+2370;&+2346; &+2350;&+2375;&+2306; &+2313;&+2344;&+2381;&+2361;&+2379;&+2306;&+2344;&+2375; &+2332;&+2377;&+2344; &+2325;&+2368; &+2323;&+2352; &+2357;&+2366;&+2346;&+2360; &+2309;&+2343;&+2381;&+2351;&+2325;&+2381;&+2359;&+2340;&+2366; &+2350;&+2375;&+2306; &+2313;&+2360;&+2325;&+2375; &+2350;&+2369;&+2306;&+2361; &+2354;&+2366;&+2340; &+2348;&+2344;&+2366;&+2351;&+2366; &+2361;&+2376;. &+2319;&+2325; &+2310;&+2336; &+2342;&+2370;&+2360;&+2352;&+2368; &+2360;&+2357;&+2366;&+2352;&+2368; &+2325;&+2366; &+2337;&+2352;? &+2351;&+2361;!"
God only knows what it means, as the creature is - like Killswitch - shifting into Crinos, then Hispo, heavy pawed on the ground, padding forward, her coat pale in the moonlight, nearly white but marked with silver.
[-1 WP, Resist Pain]
[Burnout] He gives himself one last shake -- no scratch that. NO DON'T SCRATCH IT JESUS
Hunter's player has gone insane from Seb's mind games, but luckily Hunter is still quite capable. He pushes himself to his feet but he's shifting as he does it, elongating and popping joins, bones expanding, muscles bulging and a hand snakes out for his jacket just as he bursts through into crinos. The garment disappears into his fur and he remains on all fours, sinking down again into Hispo.
A snarl, a god damn horrific growl from the entirely unamused Alpha of Defiance and he looks at Asha, looks at Joey, tips a head and looks at Roman. He doesn't bother telling them all about the insects, poor bastards would find out soon enough.
To victory, to the death of this foul beast, ASHA ARE YOU WITH ME, JOEY ARE YOU WITH ME, JOHN ARE YOU WITH ME, ROMAN GET OFF THE GROUND.
He lashes his tail, gnashes his teeth, bristles his fur.
[-1 WP resist pain]
[Drawn in Blood] John sees his Alpha getting to his feet and decides to let the Ahroun handle himself. The Ragabash, though, has a Modi on him like white on rice: John doubles back, grabbing the screaming teenager by the front of his shirt and, as gently as one can expect a Fenrir to do such a thing, hauls him off the ground and onto his feet. If he doesn't stay on his feet, John damn well holds him there until he does. It isn't until Roman is back in the game that John bursts into his war form.
It isn't an order that comes over the totem phone, but a request.
[Killswitch] First Hunter, then Roman drop to the ground, rolling about to rid themselves of, something. Joey shakes out her fur in sympathy, but then Hunter's up again. Calling them to arms.
The Rotagar's jaw drops open in a lupine grin, her tails gives a happy little swish, and she lets out a woorrrrooorrrrrooorrrr.
[-1WP Resist Pain, -1G Soak!]
[Burnout] Tails wag and Hunter returns that woofing howl to Joey, muzzle lifting into the air woorrroooorrooorrr. He's about ready to go when his eyes turn to John and the other Ragabash.
Roman, he barks, Stick with the Modi.
[Roman Turner] Burnout could issue orders till the cows came home. Roman couldn't hear them over the sounds that were felt more than heard in his mind and body. He thrashed wildly, sweat soaking his face. His hat had rolled off, he was nothing but screaming agony. Could he scream like a girl? Hell yes. Could he scream like a soul tossed into Hell? You betcha. He screamed like the damned, his voice growing hoarse already. Even when hauled up, he was a wildly thrashing tangle of arms and legs that was desperately trying to pull away and run from something.
[Roman Turner]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 1 at target 8)
[Killswitch] Everyone is preparing for war, yet the Ragabash remains on the ground, thrashing and flailing. Joey doesn't wait for orders from Hunter, but trots quickly over to the boy, looking him over for the cause of his distress.
Tipping her snout down, she nudes him unless he thrashes her away, nudges and pushes and tries to help his escape from an (unseen?) assailant.
[Drawn in Blood] Okay so John's still in homid. They don't usually breed Full Moons this patient. Common sense says not to hold still a body in the throes of an epileptic convulsion but Roman's screaming, and people having seizures don't scream.
John looks around at the others, visibly perplexed. The only other person this happened to was Hunter, and Hunter has been largely quiet about what the hell happened to him. The Modi hauls Roman across the street, away from the police cars.
[Killswitch] [peeking!]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 9 (Success x 1 at target 5)
[Memory] [1-2 Hunter, 3-4 DiB, 5-6 Kalaratri, 7-8 Killswitch, 9-10 Roman!]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 8
[Roman Turner] John grabbed hold to haul him off and Roman fought like a hooked Swordfish on a line. Thrashing, hoarsely screaming, flailing as if his life depended on getting away from something that was agony few ever survived.
[Roman Turner]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 7 (Botch x 2 at target 8)
[Killswitch] Joey peeks across, hoping to see if those tendrils have hold of Roman from the other side, hoping to find some answers.
What she sees is that face. Tempting her. Offering her something someone else might fall all over themselves to accept. But not Joey. At her throat, beneath the layers of her clothing worn in Homid is a necklace made of a green stone pulled from the Umbra. On the other side it pulses faintly. The living heart. Family. A reason to keep her mind closed.
She peers across the Gauntlet into that face, and her lips peel back from dangerously sharp teeth. Killswitch snarls, and she pushes forward. Through the barrier.
[crossing!]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 3, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Burnout] Hunter is a step behind her, without speaking, just a growl in his throat.
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 6, 9 (Success x 2 at target 5)
[Burnout] [2 more]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 1, 2 (Botch x 1 at target 5)
[Kalaratri] Asha - Crossing!
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 7, 8, 8 (Success x 4 at target 5) [WP]
[Drawn in Blood] This kid is fighting like a goddamn salmon. John clearly has no idea what he's supposed to do to help him, other than what it is he does: he hooks his arms, effectively putting the No Moon into a restraint, and marches him a full block away from the police cars. So far as he can tell there are no bystanders, nobody who cares enough to peek out the windows and try to figure out what the hell is going on. He seems to be going on the fact that the two of them are close enough in age that they can pass for family, on his Rage, to keep humans from investigating too closely.
He sits the both of their asses down on the cold ground, securing Roman's arms and legs so he doesn't hurt either of them, and he waits.
[Roman Turner] There seemed to be no awareness of movement, restraint, anything, he fought regardless. Fought like a wild cat with it's tail in a bear trap. And he screamed in that high pitched wail of agony like a damned soul.
[Roman Turner]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7 (Failure at target 8)
[Kalaratri] With a sharp, moving frown, Asha leaves the Child of Gaia under the watchful eye of the hot (not that SHE knows that. She prefers the Beebs.), silent Fenrir and slips across the gauntlet, through the curvilinear movement of her reflection in a piece of mirrored jewelry she has hanging from a narrow gold chain, hidden beneath the crisp lines of her white Oxford. POOF. She pops across.
[Memory] The three emerge on the other side and they find themselves outside the cityscape they had expected. A thick fog was cast over the region which was largely dirt beneath their feet. There was a powerful stench surrounding them, it was enough to bring tears to the eye and force all who stood on this side to choke back the urge to vomit. Death... Decomposing flesh. The ground itself was mixed with blood, and the writing of maggots laid by the twisted fly spirits who likely called this place home. They could see around them the shattered broken graves of hundreds... If not thousands of souls. They were shattered, splintered... Some were uprooted and tipped over some corpses simply lay in the mud half buried. They were no longer in the heart of the city the spirit realm often learned to reflect the impressions of that which was left upon it and despite the fact that Chicago had grown, moved on, and changed... The spirit world still reflected Lincoln Park's forgotten history.
So many memories... So much death. So much abandoned, and forgotten. But not tonight... Was it chance or the knowing doing of some criminal who brought death to this place? So much emotion and history. The taste of violence, the taste of murder has fed the ancient soil, whatever sleeps beneath this place rumbled and shifts in it's slumber. Some ancient forgotten thing writhes it's tendrils and reaches for the surface hungry. Sucking away life, and memory, and energy... Draining everything in it's path in it's eternal hunger. Something threatens to awaken beneath their feet and the brave Garou find themselves face to face. Not with the beast itself but with a manifestation of it's will. It's dark and twisted living nightmare hovers with tendrils stuffed up and under it like a puppet before them. With hollow empty eyes it hungers for their very lives. It hovered before them with hollow empty sockets for eyes... They had brought themselves to it a feast served up on a plate. Surely they would prove a far more satisfying meal than a drug addict and a few lousy police.
[Kalaratri] The Silver Fang snarls when she reaches the other side of the gauntlet. The air stinks, the twisted corpses in the broken ground have the hispo-beast stepping lightly, almost delicately, over the churned muck of the soil. She shakes her gleaming fur, and in an instant she is gleaming all the more, so bright that she is a beacon from a distant, a sharp, blurred smear of light up glow.
With a snarl, she launches herself at the spirit.
She's angry.
It was movie night.
And Valentine's or something.
[Burnout] [+10]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 2
[Killswitch] [+9]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 8
[Memory] [+10]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 7
[Roman Turner]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 10 (Success x 2 at target 8)
[Kalaratri] 9
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 4
[Memory] [Nightmare 17
Burnout: 17
Kalaratri: 13
Joey: 12
We'll start declares and the like while Roman posts :) ]
[Memory] [Declare in reverse!]
[Burnout] [1a
1b
1c
r1
r2 - bite a tentacle]
[Roman Turner] He was wildly thrashing, screaming and suddenly the hoarse screaming cut off. He went limp, just laying there for several seconds as his chest rose and fell with his panting. While he was still trying to catch his breath, trying to swallow pass the pain in his throat, that he lifted his hands to study them. He felt his body as if feeling for damage. Memory is a weird thing, he knew for a fact he was burning to charcoal, his flesh had crackled, popped, split and crisped like bacon before blackening. Yet he couldn't see that now through eyes that would of turned to liquid qoo before evaporating.
[Memory] [Umm Burnout is second not last!]
[Kalaratri] [Resist Pain, Lambert Flame already active. 1a. 1b. 1c. Rage 1: Rage 2: BITES. Tentacles.]
[Killswitch] [1a:
1b:
1c:
R: Bite tentacles!]
[Memory] [1A: Nightmare! On... Everyone!]
[Roman Turner] ((Seriously would not just pop up and leave John, but player is afk? So er, feeling lost))
Tries to cross when he has half a wit and says something to John and shifts to Crinos?
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 5, 7, 7 (Success x 3 at target 6) [WP]
[Memory] [Be afraid! WP Diff 7]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8
[Memory] The beast draws in it's breath and sucks in the air around it... Until all the air around them seems to disappear and the garou are left with nothing to breathe. It sucks inward and it's chest swells to massive proportions and then suddenly an overwhelming surge of an explosion bursts from the creatures mouth erupting like a volcano as it sends a whitehot surge of searing flame rushing over each and every one of them! Enough to instantly sear fur and send pain surging through each and every one of them...
Everyone soak 3 Agg diff 9(Cept soak it with WP and yes... You do get +1 auto success)
[Kalaratri] Willpower - soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 6, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 9) [WP]
[Burnout] [>_> wp soak]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 2, 4, 4, 7, 7, 8
[Killswitch] [WP Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 5, 8 (Botch x 1 at target 9)
[Killswitch] [1a: Bite: -3]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 8, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 5)
[Killswitch] [dam: +3]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 10, 10
[Killswitch] [1b: Bite: -4]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 3, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 5)
[Killswitch] [dam: +1]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 10
[Memory] [Soak again!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 10
[Killswitch] [1c: Bite: -5]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 3, 7 (Success x 1 at target 5)
[Killswitch] [dam: +0]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10
[Memory]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10
[Kalaratri] 1a. -3
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 4, 4, 5, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 5)
[Kalaratri] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 7, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Kalaratri] 1b. -4
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 2, 3, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Failure at target 60)
[Kalaratri] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 3, 3, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 10, 10, 10
[Memory]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 5, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Kalaratri] 1c. -5
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 6 at target 5)
[Kalaratri] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 7, 7, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 7, 9, 10, 10
[Burnout] [1a - 3]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 2, 5, 6, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Burnout] [dmg+4]
Dice Rolled:[ 16 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 8, 9, 10
[Burnout] [1b -4]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 4, 6, 10 (Failure at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Burnout] [1c -5]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 5) Re-rolls: 2
[Burnout] [dmg+4]
Dice Rolled:[ 16 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10
[Killswitch] [R: Bite tentacle!]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Killswitch] [dam: +2]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 9, 9, 9, 10
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 10
[Kalaratri] Rage 1: CHOMP. (Mmm. Calamari!)
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 8 at target 5)
[Kalaratri] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 15 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Memory] [Soak that shit!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Burnout] [r1 bite]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 3 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Burnout] [dmg+2]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 10
[Kalaratri] ASHA. Rage 2:
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8 (Success x 4 at target 5)
[Kalaratri] Damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8
[Drawn in Blood] [Gnosis: I WANT TO JOIN YOUR WORLD ROMAN]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 7, 7 (Failure at target 5)
[Burnout] [R2]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 1, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 8, 8 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Memory] [Soak! Asha's!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8
[Burnout] [dmg+2]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10
[Memory] [Soak Huntaur's!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 10
[Drawn in Blood] [NO SERIOUSLY. Diff 6.]
[Drawn in Blood] [... might help if I put dice into the dice roller.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 3, 4, 5, 6
[Drawn in Blood] [I'm just going to keep going until he botches. Diff 7.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
[Drawn in Blood] [Derp derp derp 8.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 7, 9
[Drawn in Blood] [Derrrp derp derp derp 9.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 5, 7, 8, 10
[Drawn in Blood] [Watch him get three 10s.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 7, 8
[Killswitch] [+9]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 1
[Burnout] [+10]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 9
[Kalaratri] [+9]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 9
[Burnout] [swapping inits with Joey!]
[Roman Turner] +8
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 3
[Memory] The creature's fires surge through the others though Asha remains unharmed. The three garou do not seem to mind the flame which might be somewhat surprising to the thing which still stands despite their best attempt. Those tentacles have been culled and their number now dwindles. As the Garou tear at more and more they are scked back under the earth where they disappear. Soon the things tentacles are barely holding it aloft and yet still it stares. Empty hollow eyes as it hovers before them.
[Memory] [+10]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 9
[Memory] [Tie Breaker!]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 8
[Memory] [Nightmare:19
Burnout:19
Kalaratri:18
Fate: 11
Killswitch:10
DeclaRE IN REVERSE!]
[Killswitch] [1a
1b
R: Bites on tentacles!]
[Roman Turner] 1a claw puppet/doll thingie
1b do it again
1 r yep, do it again.
[Kalaratri] [1a. BITE. 1b. BITE. 1c. BITE. Rage 1. BITE. Rage 2. BITE]
[Memory] [Odds boy, evens girl]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 5
[Burnout] [1a
1b
1c
r1 - bite]
[Memory] [Odds Joey, Evens Asha!]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 5
[Memory] [Attempt to possess Joey!]
[Killswitch] [JOEY'S NOT A BOY]
[Memory] [Shit sorry! Umm Odds Hunter Evens Roman!]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 10
[Memory] [This'll be fun roman! Just open up your brain wiiiiiide! *Dives*]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 5, 5, 6, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Memory] The others perpare to attack... Getting into position as Roman comes racing back. Fond memories are shared between Roman and the spirit. He's so young, so brave, so full of hope and life! It finds itself drawn to him... It literally dives at him in a final desperate attempt to spare itself the fate the Garou would likely deliver upon it. Soon enough Roman Snarls, bursting to his war form and facing the Garou. Tentacles bulging from his skull... Connected by the same bonds to the same entity and yet the spirit itself is still hidden somewhere within those eyes which look out at the world only with malice. They will likely win this battle... But it will take one of them down with it tonight!
[Burnout] [1a -3]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 5) Re-rolls: 2
[Burnout] [dmg+3]
Dice Rolled:[ 15 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10
[Memory] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9
[Burnout] [1b -4]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 6, 7 (Success x 2 at target 5)
[Burnout] [dmg+1]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 2, 3, 5, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10
[Memory] The tendrils are severed and the link to the spirit is instantly shattered. Roman's eyes seem to clear and control is instantly restored... However something is still off. Roman can feel it... Deep down within the depths of his Psyche. There is something still lurking within him. Another mind, a dark and wicked thing. It's connection to it's creator severed and yet it finds itself bound, instead, to a new host. It's control shattered but it is still there inside him.
In the meantime the earth beneath their feet rumbles in pain and soon enough the tentacles are sucked back beneath the earth. The thing, the walking nightmare born of some ancient tentacled beast is forced into slumber. Without an outlet to the world, without a means by which to leech the energy of the living world it finds itself rapidly falling back into it's own ancient slumber.
Soon enough the Garou are standing alone... In a quiet foggy umbral graveyard. Not exactly the most romantic place to spend Valentine's day!
