[confessor.] [Ground Rules!
1. Keep track of your own health (including wound penalties when applicable) and tempers.
2. IC posts in 10 minutes or less; this clock starts from my most recent post. Declares in 3 minutes. Rolls in 2 minutes. If you miss your deadline, I will skip you or roll for you. Feel free to post ICly during combat, but keep to these deadlines.
3. If you choose to multitask, make sure you keep up with the above time limits. If it becomes a problem I will ask you to pause or leave your other scene.
4. There is no posting order, but please post only once for every post I make unless I say otherwise.
5. Ask questions in the chat. Do not IM me. If I don't respond immediately, I'm probably posting/notetaking. Wait, or PM me once in Jove if it is absolutely urgent.
6. Please PM applicable flaws/merits to me now. Phobias, compulsions, hatreds, etc.
7. Also PM any strictly off-limits themes, imagery, or events you do not want to see in the scene. If at any time a description is too graphic or IC events make you too uncomfortable to continue, please ask me to tone it down.
8. Intro post incoming!]
[confessor.] Of all the Garou -- Philodoxes, Ahrouns, Theurges, anyone -- who have spent time with the strange being who calls herself Meka'il in the past couple of days, Evens the Odds has put in perhaps the most. Bleeding Heart told a few that from what she could gather, this is nothing more than an epiphling who has gained a certain degree of self-awareness not often seen in these enigmatic spirits and harnessing more power than one would usually expect.
It is Evens the Odds who gathers this group of Garou together. He calls for Wyrmbreaker, who brings his protege along; the Warder does not dispute it, as Christian fought the first of these things and Lukas is the warmaster of the sept. He calls for Kiss with a Fist and Thirty Second Silence, the first because she has led two battles against the angels and the second because only an idiot goes to war without a medic. He calls for Bone-Grinder for his experience with them, and -- though he doesn't say it -- maybe because they killed Bone-Grinder. Nearly killed his Alpha. He understands something about seeing things through to the end.
When they get to the hangar in the caern, the Warder explains what Bleeding Heart has gathered, inviting Lukas to add whatever he learned from Meka'il. The angelic champion with her half-formed, brutalized wings will not be going with them; if the dragon they fought in the woods was able to turn her on her allies, they can't trust it won't happen again in the presence of Uriel, who she seems to fear even speaking of.
They've found the fourth archangel in -- off all places -- the penthouse of a high-rise downtown. "Enter through the penumbra," says Evens the Odds. "Nothing we've seen suggests they cross the gauntlet easily, if at all. Meka'il did not even seem to know what that meant when we asked her."
They have a layout of the building. Forty-three floors, penthouse on the forty-fourth. It's an open floorplan, lots of glass walls. Very posh, but no furniture or decor.
Evens the Odds takes any final questions they have, giving whatever knowledge they can, before sending the Garou on their way to deal with this problem once and for all.
[Wyrmbreaker] [ATTN!
[18:37:43] Damon: if we do have questions, can i suggest that we simply ask them OOC and get answers here?
[18:37:48] thekailing: i would love that.
[18:37:49] Damon: rather than having 3 hrs of dialogue ]
[Kiss With A Fist] Penny is here, hands slipped comfortably into the pockets of her jeans, just listening to Evens the Odds, and what questions the others might have. These things, these creatures didn't have much of an umbral presence, she remembers.
She notes that the battle party tonight is almost all Full Moons. They're being lead by the Warmaster of the sept. And she wonders if they'll even be able to attempt a peaceful resolution as she heard the Gaian Philodox suggested was possible. Only one way to find out.
When it comes time to go, she offers up space in her station wagon, as there's plenty of room for everyone.
[Wyrmbreaker] Lukas, as it turns out, has no further questions.
He drives. They all pile into his BMW coupe, which is an M3, which means it's so small that the backseat has trouble seating more than two medium-sized adults. With three Garou crammed in back there, it's possible at least one needs to be in wolf-form.
En route, he adds his own briefing: he's had conversations with the supposed Archangel Michael(a); he believes the angels are rather powerful Epiphlings born out of someone's belief. Somewhere. Possibly even those faithful at the Elk Grove church. Possibly those who would try to pervert the beliefs of those faithful and turn them against the Garou. Possibly something far older and more widespread: the collective belief of Abrahamic religions over the last five thousand years.
Their origins are obscure, and ultimately Wyrmbreaker does not concern himself overmuch with them. Their purpose, however, seems to be to combat the entity they call Sammael, which they see as the root of all evil and the corruptor of mankind.
Meka'il, he goes on to explain, believes the Garou are not agents of Sammael. The rest of the archangels believe they are in league with Sammael, and wish to exterminate them. Given that they appear to be marginally self-aware Epiphlings closely bound to their epiphs, Wyrmbreaker does not believe it will be possible to 'talk Uriel down,' so to speak. Nevertheless, he adds, they should give diplomacy a single shot.
If it fails, war it is.
One more thing, he adds: if these creatures have come into being, then there's every chance there's an accompanying Sammael somewhere, and the enemy of their enemy is very unlikely to be their friend. Wyrmbreaker warns the group to be ready to face the icon of sin himself.
As they get closer, talk shifts to practical concerns. Thirty Second Silence is asked to bind a wind-spirit to the party to serve as a temporary communications bond. He is further supplied with ample Gaia's Breath talens and put on backline healing duty.
Kiss with a Fist, having arguably the most tactical experience against these creatures, is put on scouting duty in lieu of a proper Ragabash.
Christian and Bone-Grinder are told to stay on Wyrmbreaker's flanks and to attack what the Fostern does until further notice.
Finally, Bloody Bandages are amply distributed to the Ahrouns, along with soak talens for those who do not have them. Taking the Warder's suggestion, Lukas tilts the rearview mirror of his car just so, looks into it, and begins to cross the Gauntlet.
[Wyrmbreaker] [eh heh! skip the Sammael bit. i forgot!]
[Wyrmbreaker] [whumm whumm whummm....
-1 Gn BB
-1 Gn Soak
-1 Gn Luna's Armor, go!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 7) Re-rolls: 1
[Bone-Grinder] He was here with a renewed sense of purpose. His first battle had seen him killed, and he had dragged his near lifeless Alpha home after the second... But this is what Garou do. They don't ask why they must do it, they don't concern themselves with the reasoning behind it. When Gaia asks something of them they simply do.
Perhaps these creatures doubted the resolve of the garou? Perhaps they did not truly understand what it meant to have the choice not to serve and to do so anyway without question. But the Garou would do what was needed of them. This particular Full Moon was not going to hand over his life frivolously but he would die if that is what was demanded of him. These things were frighteningly dangerous and if this was the worst of them you could expect that someone might not be walking away.
He doesn't smile at the thought. He isn't exactly thrilled about going into battle with these things again... But he is going. He looks around at those gathered before returning his attention to Evens the odds. Though his eyes were there he spoke to the others."This thing is supposed to carry a flaming sword... If that is true then we can expect that the sword will be our largest concern in a fight. Don't get hit... And if possible get it out of his grasp. I would think that would be the most obvious course of action when dealing with the leader itself. If there's gonna be a sword fight you'd like to think there will be swords... If not? We'll make due with what we got."He nods his head and moves to follow the others. With the planning information in hand there appeared nothing immediate that needed to be known. He would depart with the others.
Since they were entering through the Umbra he would have to arm himself when they arrived. That was fine by him! So off they go to their destination. Prepared to see the fight through to the end.
[Thirty Second Silence] The ride over is quiet for once. Gregory who usually -- despite his deed name -- can't stop from talking, is subdued, his mind focused on the task ahead. He was called for, it is not something that happens to Gregory. Ever. He credits this to Penny of course. She was called and had probably made them take him. That sounds more likely than them actually needing him.
He had no questions for ETO, the others are all far better, far stronger and more experienced. He leaves it to them to gain the additional information that may be required.
Still, he has grown a lot over the last month in Chicago, fought more battles and healed more wounds than ever before. This city is a constant struggle, a constant battle ground. Gregory is here to finish what they started back in that graveyard. To make sure the threats of a dying servant turn out to be empty after all. He's prepared as ever, has been preparing ever since their previous fight against the twenty foot angel. Maybe not for this particular battle but for whatever lies over the horizon.
The evidence of his labours jingle in his pocket when he steps out of Lukas' car. He slams the door and pulls his backpack out of the trunk. Pot swinging, spoon sticking. His eyes raise and his head tilts to the building. Its a rather tall building indeed. He doesn't wait for command or for the others to start using their small treasures. He simply does his own before going ahead with Wyrmbreakers commands to bind a wind spirit to them.
[-1G Soak]
[rituals+wits dif 5]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 5)
[Thirty Second Silence] [gnosis, do you like us spirity thing?]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 7, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Christian del Piero] It's not a full moon but you can't really tell the difference when Christian walks into the room. His Rage is crippling. He looks ready to punch the first thing that gets too close to him. Diplomacy isn't his strong point. The subcliath Fang keeps his arms crossed over his chest and stands apart from the others and grinds his teeth as Evens the Odds talks. He follows his alpha's lead and doesn't ask any questions. Not because he knows everything but because all he really wants to know is where they are. He sits in the backseat of the M3 and listens when Lukas talks. Even if he's tapping his foot and gnawing his finger nails the entire drive to the building. He doesn't activate the talen Lukas gives him until they cross over. The kid barely has more Gnosis now than he did 4 years ago.
[Thirty Second Silence] [WP -2G dif 7(spirit G) -2 (G spent) dif = 5]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 5, 10 (Success x 1 at target 5)
[Thirty Second Silence] [Gnosis battery]
[Kiss With A Fist] Penny waves off the offer of talens. She has her own supply, no need to deplete someone else's.
[-1G Bloody Bandage
-1G Soak
+3G Gnosis Battery]
[Wyrmbreaker] [+3 gn from battery too!]
[Wyrmbreaker] [note: 1 battery to Christian too!]
[confessor.] The sun is covered today by thick, dark clouds that unfurl across the sky, pregnant with thunder and flickering with lightning. By the time they reach the highrise Chicago is drenched with heavy rainfall, pouring like rivers through the gutters. It patters off of Gregory's pot as he alone leaves the BMW to go to the alleyway, soaking his thick hair as he prepares to summon once he gets to the other side. It takes him a moment or two longer to meet the rest of the Garou on the other side, where they gather together for the summoning of the wind jaggling that will allow them to communicate.
The spirit latches onto Gregory gleefully as soon as it appears, whipping around him until he's completely dry, cooing and howling like a breeze then a gale as it tries as best as it can to Make Friends. It seems quite fond of him, exploring under loose flaps of clothing, making things he's carrying bang together. It resists being bound at first, wanting freedom, but finally starts flitting amongst them, invisible but hardly silent. At first they hear a clamor of thoughts, all jumbled --
Lukas's seriousness, his constant planning.
Christian's Rage, beating at the insides of his mind while he tries to control it.
Gregory's wondering if he belongs here with them,
Penny's concern for her packmate, her watchfulness of the others, her memories of previous battles,
Simon's visions of Mila's charred flesh, his own black and red death
-- but then it starts to quiet again, those wicked flashes fading away til they can hear themselves think again, til they only share what missives need to be broadcast to the temporary pack. The Umbra is not the friendliest place to them in daytime. There are spirits out that they would rather not deal with, busy ones who don't sleep because Chicago isn't sleeping, because they have work to do. When they begin to ascend the building -- whether they climb its very side or go in through imaginations of doors and elevators -- it is in the company of mildly toiling Weaver spirits here and there, the occasional jaggling of some thought or emotion or element. There are many storm spirits, who pull away when the Garou go into the building but briefly seemed quite drawn to Christian and Lukas indeed.
It's quiet, as they head upward, except for whatever thoughts they choose to share with each other. And as the Guardians have said, when they come to the penthouse's umbral reflection, they see only the faintest blue glow here and there, indicating something on the other side that is more than it seems. Otherwise, it is empty, and they are alone.
[Thirty Second Silence] Gregory catches up with them, spirit whirling around him when he finally does so. It's in his coat, brushing up against him, howling around his skin and eeeeing occasionally. It makes the theurge grin to himself and he can't help but hide it when he looks at penny. He feels her thoughts, feels all of theirs.
Don't worry Penny.. I'll be fine, you're here. Besides - Teclis won't let anything happen to me will you?
The spirit blows through Gregory's hair, puffing it up even more ridiculously than it usually is. He pauses outside the penthouse, the shimmering and glowing drawing his attention. His next thoughts are for Lukas.
Whats the plan mr wyrmbreaker sir?
[Kiss With A Fist] Penny crosses the Gauntlet behind Lukas, literally. From the backseat she peers at the rear view mirror with hazel eyes turned golden yellow in her lupus form. Someone had to do it, and what the hell, it was fun.
She watched curiously, ears pricked and head canted, while Greg summoned the wind spirit. Her jaw drops open in a slight small wolf grin. It comes quickly, and it loves him. It does his bidding, and her mind is flooded with the thoughts of the others. Her ears flick back, like that could save her from the onslaught. Briefly, she glances in the direction of the Unbroken. She remembers the first night they hunted these creatures. She remembers snarling at the youngest Ahroun among them.
He's not her concern tonight. Once the thoughts quiet down, she meets the eyes of her packmate.
Their bond doesn't allow them to speak mind to mind, but she lifts her chin up. Her tail swishes once. You belong here.
Then it's back to business. Unless Lukas commands otherwise, Penny keeps to her smallest form and leads the way inside and up through the building. To the place with the faintly glowing light through the barrier.
[Wyrmbreaker] The Warder told them the angel is forty-four floors up, and Lukas has a certain trust in the Athro's word. In his direwolf form, the large Ahroun doesn't linger long on the lesser floors, nor allow any of his compatriots to linger long. They find a stairwell and they begin to climb, and it's a
very
long
climb indeed.
They pause, at one point, when Penny spots something unusual. Silently, conveying his intent through vague notion and posture, Wyrmbreaker halts the party and creeps in for a closer look. They Peek for a while. Then Lukas draws back, his eyes clearing as the Penumbra settles into view around him again.
See if the local spirit population has anything to say about what they're up to, Thirty Second.
[Bone-Grinder] Simon's shoulder ached, only slightly, in remembrance of a battle not so long ago. It wasn't likely the memories would fade anytime soon. He has found himself waking up startled, and gasping for air remembering that cold dark emptiness that had sucked him away... Yet rather than fear it, it seemed to give him a sense of calm and serenity. Once they've killed you there isn't much more they could possibly do to you!
His rage teased at the back of his mind, and even as it surged his eyes watched the buildings pass just outside the vehicle. Until finally they reached their destination. The painted Full Moon finally grinned and stepped out into the open. He stood tall and glanced around before moving like a proper soldier to Lukas' flank. There was a sense of confidence ant certainty in the air around the beast. Even if Lukas had not been there... Even if Lukas did not know what these things were capable of he was the septs War Leader and that meant he was the most capable warrior about, save perhaps the warder himself!
"If they're all gathered in one spot it will make the element of surprise a little easier."He notes with mention of the gathering and ritual. These things were important to note and remember."We might even be able to come at them through the floors..."He checks to see how high the ceilings are.
[-1 G BB
-1 G Soak Talen
-1 Willpower Resist Pain]
[Christian del Piero] The newest member of the Unbroken isn't really a member yet. He contributes nothing to their totem other than his presence and in return Perun does not gift him like it does the others. He is no better at fighting than he was a few weeks ago. He has to find his cell phone when he needs help at 5 o'clock in the morning. In a way this is okay. He has to ease back into being connected to people. Knowing and being known is scary when you're not used to it.
When the others' thoughts come to him he jerks. Like he wants to pull away from it. Christian's eyes flash and his fur - he shifted when they crossed over - bristles but he doesn't go berserk. All anyone gets from him is seething anger...like he's about to snap at any second. Climbing is a distraction that he looks forward to. When they get to the top and they see what's on the other side of the door he bristles again. Bites back a growl and fights the urge to pace while the others talk.
[Thirty Second Silence] Gregory's eyes narrow on Wyrmbreaker for a moment, thinking. And then he shifts, its slow and tedious until he rests on all fours in his own direwolf form. He pulls back, lifting up onto his hind legs and he raises his snout into the air, turning his head from side to side as if he's listening.. for something.. Thoughts flood through him.. He finds some, they seem quite happy to talk to Gregory.
"Hello spirit friends."
Thom Thom Thom Thom
"You look lovely today, is that a new haircut?"
eeeee
"Tell me spirits, whats been happening in there?"
they've just been SITTING like that for long-time-very-long-very-still-long-long
"Orly?"
Orly wat is this? crazy wolf man eee
"It's true, I am a crazy wolf man, now tell me - I know you want to"
very quiet-shh, but weaver no like them no no no no no no nobody like them they not follow normal pattern of two-leg-no-furs no eat no sleep no NADA natheeng hahahahahaaha eeee
Gregory relays this information to the others in a slightly more comprehensible format.
[Wyrmbreaker] The two wolves of the Unbroken are nothing alike.
The white one is impatient, bristling, his rage out of proportion to his spirit and his will; constantly, constantly fighting the urge to rend-kill-destroy. He wants to pace. One can feel that seething under his skin, every minute of every day.
The black wolf is marked by his stillness. His keen eyes and his thoughtful, methodical mind. He sits on his haunches and is poised as a statue, cocking his head as he listens to Gregory's report. When he's finished, the Shadow Lord stands, turning his head to lay his muzzle over his not-quite-bound packmate's back for a moment. It might be a quelling gesture, or perhaps one of reassurance. Not don't be afraid, though. Something closer to:
soon.
He turns back to the others. Go have a quick look around, he sends to Penny. Unless you find an angel with six wings, this is where we're going in.
And while she scouts, he goes back to Peeking.
[confessor.] Inside the penthouse, the circle of seven remain motionless, their bodies folded in meditation, clothed on black. Their hands look overlarge but are curled into fists and tucked into their laps. They make no sound, and seem unable to: no mouths, no eyes, no nostrils. They all look different, various shapes and sizes. Some have long hair, some short. They could be anyone. They could have once been anyone.
The figure in the center remains motionless, so swathed in black cloth it's hard to tell actual size. Not a single one of these eight has wings, at least not that the Garou who look over can see. Then again, they could be hidden under that multi-wrapped robe or that veil, that hood.
[Wyrmbreaker] [FOLKS! *dies* i just realized where i got turned around. in his original briefing, when Lukas talks about the angels' nemesis, it wasn't SAMMAEL. It was AZAZEL. So: he would've said that the angels thought the Garou were tools of Azazel, and that Meka'il disagreed with them. And also, he would've warned them that it's possible the "real" Azazel-epiphling-thing might make take advantage and make an appearance.]
[Kiss With A Fist] Dutifully, Penny scouts around the rest of the floor, keeping her eye out for more glowing spots, or anything strange in the weaving of the pattern spiders. Warps, rifts, anything amiss.
There's nothing. This room, the one they've found with the seven and their central figure, is the only sign of activity visible to this side of the Gauntlet.
She pads quietly back to their group and reports her findings. Nothing.
Everyone is in their fighting forms. The Fury looks around at the males she's become surrounded by, and she looks back to their leader. The still, sharp black-furred Shadow Lord.
"Are we trying diplomacy in our war skins?"
[Wyrmbreaker] They know what we are. And given that they believe mankind was first tempted to sin by evil in the guise of a serpent, I think attempting to wear the proverbial sheep's skin won't go over well.
The direwolf's great claws flex against the half-solid material of the penumbral skyscraper. Then he whuffs aloud,
"Let's do this. With me, and no violence unless they instigate."
[rolling for Gift: Persuasion!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 7, 7, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [cross! -1 something shiny]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 2, 5, 7, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 5)
[Bone-Grinder] His eyes narrow and his nostrils flare."Diplomacy would not be the wisest course of action with these things... They've already bloodied my pack more than I would like to mention. They didn't come here to Parlay with the Garou they came here with one goal on their minds... Our complete destruction. If heaven has taken up arms against Gaia then heaven is the enemy of the Garou."He says to the others.
Never has the fact that Simon was a Shadow Lord shown through more than right now at this moment. Sieze the edge, show no mercy, cut down our enemies before they attack. Yet there was also experience in those eyes."They came to make war... And we are already walking into their trap."
[Thirty Second Silence] Gregory engages with Teclis while the big-boys sort things out.
Who were you talking to Thom Thom?
"Oh nobody.. just a few of your pal's"
Don't lie to me Thom Thom you see other spirits I can tell...
"I can't help it Teclis, you know you're the only one for me.."
Teclis swarms up through his thick ragged brown and black fur, twirling around him in a vortex.
really? you no-no-lie?
"I no-no-lie"
It's then that he's interrupted by Wyrmbreaker, Gregory nods his great direwolf head, licking at his teeth.
"Stay close friend. If they become hostile, disable what you can" This offered to the air elemental. And then he's dropping through after Wyrmbreaker.
[cross -1]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 10, 10 (Success x 1 at target 5)
[Thirty Second Silence] [penny cross -1]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 5)
[Christian del Piero] Most people don't touch him. It'd be like sticking your hand into a bear trap they figure. He'd snap and take it off. When his alpha rests his muzzle on him it doesn't stop the electricity under his skin but it doesn't set him off either. His loud breathing quiets and he focuses on the conversation instead of how he can't stand still. With the order to get moving Christian falls in at Lukas' flank.
(( Crossing! Difficulty -1. Gnosis +2, Gnosis Battery. ))
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 4, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Bone-Grinder] He was furious at the thought of trying to talk to these things. He knew where tonight would end ahead of time. Still Simon was not about to disobey an order from his elder even if he did not feel it was the... Best decision. If the fact he was already killed... And his Alpha damn near so... Wasn't proof enough of these things Ill intentions then nothing would be.
So he assumed his war Form. The Massive black furred beast snarled as it drew it's claws furiously against the ground, dragging them and sharpening them for what he knew could only likely end in battle. He was not going into this matter unprepared... When he was ready and those claws were sharpened he followed the lead of his elders. Using Lukas' lead and finding the surface of the nearest window or... Whatever... As his guide he begins the process of gliding across the Gauntlet.
[Assuming Crinos
-1 Rage Razor Claws
Gnosis to cross Gauntlet!]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 5, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Kiss With A Fist] Penny just nods her head to that. Sometimes, peace has to be bought at the edge of a sword.
So she surges up into her war form, tall and powerful and brutal. She and Bone Grinder act nearly in unison, dragging and scraping their claws, honing them to a razor's edge.
Thus prepared, she crosses with her packmate and the other Ahrouns. If Christian and Simon still take up their positions to flank their elder, Penny keeps near Gregory, ready to spring into battle at the first sign of trouble.
[Kiss With A Fist] [Uh, -1R Razor Claws, dur]
[confessor.] There is no way that the angels in this room -- or whatever they are -- cannot see the Garou when they cross over. No way to miss the furred creatures stepping through shimmering air like sliding through the surface of a bubble.
Lukas, Christian, then Simon find themselves there instantaneously, the real world spiraling around them as their bodies and souls get used to the material realm once more. And the circle of figures all turn their heads as once towards the new presences in the room, as though they can see the Garou at all with those featureless faces of theirs.
Their flesh is a sickly, waxy color, pale blue. They are not warm.
The figure in the middle doesn't move, neither to lift their head nor rise to their feet. But, also as one, the lesser beings come to their feet with uncanny grace, their long arms falling to their sides, their heavy fists opening to reveal just how oversized their hands are. Broad palms, knobby knuckles, their fingers grown into claws with no discernible break between what looks like skin and what looks like charred, blackened bone. Sparks glint on the edges of those claws.
A few beats later, Penny comes through the gauntlet, but her packmate is nowhere to be found. Not yet, at least. And the way Garou battles go, it may very well be over by the time he pushes through the line between the worlds.
Even as the sparks on the ends of those claws are growing to flame, hot and red-orange, scorching, a soft voice emits from the figure in the center of the circle. "You abominations in the eyes of the Most High."
It's a child's voice.
"You goats of the dead lands that will not die."
It's an angry voice, a slender hand reaching up to cast back the hood. A bald head, the back of it tattooed with two dark wings.
"You bastards of Azazel."
Uriel's eyes are a pure, gleaming silver as he removes his veil, showing them the face of a child with golden-tanned skin. He's a lovely child, his voice aching with sorrow, overwhelming in its purity.
"Killer of my brothers and our children. Corrupters of my sister. Scholars of violence."
He rises, as snakelike with balance as the others, some of his robe falling away to reveal the small, slender, owl-like wings extending from the middle of his back, a tiny, flitting pair at his bare ankles. "You have come to destroy me, too. You will fail."
[Wyrmbreaker] The Unbroken and Bone Grinder snap across in the blink of an eye. While their compatriots are still in the crossing, Wyrmbreaker speaks forward and roars, even as Uriel is speaking --
"I am the Wyrm-Breaker, he who breaks the children of Azazel, he who is born of Thunder. Under the storm's auspices I call for truce. I demand a parley with mighty Uriel, the fire of heaven, the regent of Thunder."
[Thirty Second Silence] [crosss let me through!]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 5, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Thirty Second Silence] [really kahseeno I love you, please don't abandon me, let me through!]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 5, 8, 8 (Success x 1 at target 7)
[Thirty Second Silence] [-1WP MOTHER FUCKER]
[Christian del Piero] He's never crossed that quickly. The disorientation he feels doesn't last though. As soon as his feet touch solid ground he's digging his claws into the floor to keep from springing past his alpha and laying into the first figure he reaches. His breathing has gotten heavy again. Blood roars in Christian's head so loud that he's surprised no one else can hear it. His control over his Rage - himself - is weaker from suppressing the need to kill. The figures' skin looks red to him. Everything looks red to him. But he stays at Lukas' flank and doesn't advance.
(( -1 WP ))
[Bone-Grinder] He does not speak, he will not speak this night. For just as the creature before them looked at the Garou with a look of contempt and disdain so too did Simon reflect that very same feeling within his heart. They had attacked the Garou, they had brought this battle to them! They had come looking for a fight and now this one in it's desperation DARES to accuse the Garou of wrong doing.
Each of them had come before the Garou, each of them had been engaged and each of them had fallen before the might of Gaia's chosen. Here he stood once more beside a man greater in battle than he...
Simon kept himself Silent and allowed Lukas the chance to speak, he allowed his elder the chance to play at the game of Diplomacy so long as it worked. Simon, stood ready to respond, however, and he would do so the second anything so much as made the slightest move. In the meantime he drew in his surroundings and most importantly sought out a weapon or something that could be used as such. The fact this thing was supposed to carry a flaming sword worried him most of all.
[Kiss With A Fist] Penny pushes through a moment after the others and moves to stand near Christian. Greg hasn't come through yet, but she's not worried. Not yet. He's a Theurge who's proven his abilities. She knows any second he'll pop out after her.
Any second now.
Meanwhile she, too, takes in their surroundings. She's eying the size of the room and the number of their opponents. She's sizing up the seven surrounding the child.
She's been largely silent this time around, following orders when they're given, and generally not having much to add to Wyrmbreaker's plots and schemes. But she waits with the other Full Moons.
They're trying diplomacy.
Once.
If it fails, it's war. Unlike the younger males, Penny is in full control of her rage. She's not chomping at the bit, fighting the urge to rend and tear the closest adversary. She's quiet, calm and collected. And ready.
[confessor.] Lukas gets to I demand --
"SILENCE!"
It is the thunder and the lightning itself. The clawed creatures, angry with death, flinch from the voice of the archangel, their enormous hands coming up as though to shield themselves. It booms through the apartment, and the windows between this room and the storm shudder at the sound of it. Their heads pound with the sound of it.
"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?" he demands, his heels lifting from the ground, then the arches of his feet, til his toes, too, leave the carpeted floor. "Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place?[/i]
"[b]What is the way to the abode of light? And where does the darkness reside? Do you know the paths to their dwellings? Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!" he snarls, and even though his voice fills the room, fills their minds til they are certain their ears will bleed from it, it rips through them with sarcasm. Disdain.
"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Put your hand over your mouth! You are unworthy -- how can you reply to me?"
The pain of his voice is distracting. More than distracting; unbearable. It stokes the fires of their rage, it makes them burn inside. They are animals. Their animal sides shriek to them, clawing at the cages they are put in by things called Control. Uriel, the light of God, the regent of the Sun, calls to the very fires within them, unappeasable.
[Incite Frenzy. Difficulty is current WP.]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 8, 8, 9
[confessor.] [Fucking HTML. *fixing*]
[confessor.] Lukas gets to I demand --
"SILENCE!"
It is the thunder and the lightning itself. The clawed creatures, angry with death, flinch from the voice of the archangel, their enormous hands coming up as though to shield themselves. It booms through the apartment, and the windows between this room and the storm shudder at the sound of it. Their heads pound with the sound of it.
"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?" he demands, his heels lifting from the ground, then the arches of his feet, til his toes, too, leave the carpeted floor. "Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place?
"What is the way to the abode of light? And where does the darkness reside? Do you know the paths to their dwellings? Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!" he snarls, and even though his voice fills the room, fills their minds til they are certain their ears will bleed from it, it rips through them with sarcasm. Disdain.
"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Put your hand over your mouth! You are unworthy -- how can you reply to me?"
The pain of his voice is distracting. More than distracting; unbearable. It stokes the fires of their rage, it makes them burn inside. They are animals. Their animal sides shriek to them, clawing at the cages they are put in by things called Control. Uriel, the light of God, the regent of the Sun, calls to the very fires within them, unappeasable.
[Wyrmbreaker] [-1WP!]
HOLD, comes the order in their minds, iron wreathed in flame, control lashed by rage. For the third time in as many months Wyrmbreaker comes to the edge of frenzy. For the second time in as many months, he bites it back, quaking.
"I did not start this war," he snarls, "but I will finish it if I must. I call for truce, Uriel. Twice I've called for peace, and I will not call again."
[Thirty Second Silence] Gregory pops out beside penny finally, his teeth snarling and he raises back onto his hind paws for a moment before relaxing. Oh! Hey guys! Oops!eee. He looks around sheepishly, yes gregory is capable of that even as a direwolf.
Theres anger seething in the room, rage, Wyrmbreaker orders them to HOLD but Gregory can't feel it. He can't feel himself on the edge of the frenzy like everyone else so he finds no trouble with obeying their leader.
[Kiss With A Fist] That voice. Those words. They lash at her mind, flay back the humanity she's struggled to attain and call forth the animal within.
It snaps its jaws. It howls for blood, to feel it hot and and coppery sweet on its tongue, to feel flesh rent between teeth and bones pulled from sockets. The beast craves war as befits her birth moon.
But Penny bites it back. She lassos the monster within, reigns it in and fights it to the ground. Though her hackles rise and her vision turns red, though she flexes her mighty hand-paws with their deadly sharp claws
Penny stays in control. She holds as ordered, and she watches the younger Ahrouns.
[-1WP!]
[Bone-Grinder] The weight of the creatures voice is overwhelming. His eyes fill with rage, he wants so badly to end this thing, to end the reign of terror they have brought down upon his home. He wants so very badly to see an end to this all and to send a message to any others who might take this fight to the garou. He wants to tear the things head off... And dance in the blood of the fallen. But it speaks with fury and it's own sense of Self Righteousness.
It speaks with Certainty and Contempt. It showers them with disdain and by force of it's will it lashes out and feeds the overwhelming anger of the full moon. He wants to let loose, he wants to tear into these things with reckless abandon. He wants to see this fought brought to an end here and now! But as his rage surges his claws dig right into the floor underneath him and he lets out a snarl."GET OUT OF MY MIND!"The beast yells in the High tongue as it pushes the fury from its mind and embraces a sense of cold reason.
I might have come to kill you but if I kill you creature it shall be by my will and not your own! Is the defiant thought that passes through his head. They had this effect on others that he was already aware of and ready for. His will was steeled sharply against it and he braced himself as he stood silently flanking his elder. Raw defiance is the only thing that keeps him in check. He would not let them have him, he would not let them win!
[-1WP]
[Christian del Piero] The only thing that keeps him from flying into a frenzy is the order from Lukas. If it weren't for that it'd be over. He has no interest in diplomacy or parley or whatever it is they're doing here. His claws dig into the floor so hard they're about to snap off. He's shaking. There's a rattling growl coming from his throat that he doesn't even try to control anymore. What little will he possesses is drained even further. He stops himself but he can't do anything else but stand there and boil.
(( -1 WP. Current WP 2! ))
[confessor.] Were they dealing with a true angel -- and none really knows if they exist, none knows if their own prejudices and beliefs are right or wrong or laughable to even discuss -- then reason might work. Showing themselves to be controlled even in the face of the power to force them to the brink of their own fury might sway this... thing. It might accept truce, albeit a shaky one.
Lukas has not faced these things before. The way they mock the Garou. The way they hate them. The way they, quite simply, seem to exist for no other reason than to seek out something to call impure --
a scapegoat, however on-the-nose that is
-- and destroy it for the sake of humanity. That is why they exist. That is their core. That is what they are, this idea of giving salvation to the world by removing from it the children of the Low, servants of Azazel. They know nothing else. They can be nothing else.
"No peace," hisses the archangel, lifting still from the ground, closer now to that vaulted ceiling than to the floor on which they stand. "No peace, you wretched nephilite."
He opens his hands wide, his primary set of wings extended to keep him aloft, and from -- it seems -- the very air itself a storm appears swirling in his hand, flames licking from the gust of air til they form the grip, the hilt, and the blade of the very weapon they warned each other and themselves of: the flaming sword of Uriel.
[Inits!]
[Thirty Second Silence] [+11]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 2
[confessor.] Chesed, Gevurah, and Netzach
[+7]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 3
[Christian del Piero] (( +9 ))
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 7
[confessor.] Hod, Yesod, Malkuth, and Keter
+7
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 8
[Bone-Grinder] [+8]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 1
[Wyrmbreaker] +20!
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 2 (Failure at target 6)
[confessor.] Uriel
+11
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 3
[Kiss With A Fist] [+12]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 3
[confessor.] [Order:
Lukas 22
Christian 16
Penny 15
Hod, Yesod, Malkuth, Keter 15
Uriel 14
Gregory 13
Chesed, Gevurah, Netzach 10
Simon 9
Declare in reverse!]
[confessor.] As the sword comes alight in Uriel's hand, even the creatures who serve him flinch from its glow. It was, after all, the thing to guard the way to Eden so that mortals could not come near it. Something about it makes approaching Uriel difficult, makes harming him directly almost unthinkable.
[Uriel is in flight and requires a (splittable) action to jump up to reach him. This must be rolled for the sake of accurately gauging how high/far to jump and the fact that he is a moving target, but only 1 success is needed.
Moreover, the sword seems to act as a compelling force against harming Uriel himself. To use any attack that does damage directly to Uriel, make a (permanent) WP check vs. diff 8]
[Bone-Grinder] There is a bitterness when the battle begins. Bitterness directed at the creatures here, but also at those who thought this could end with anything less than violence. These creatures were beyond diplomacy and compromise and now... They had lost the element of surprise. No matter... This fight would end as all the others had before it.
[1a: Claw Hod
1b: Claw Hod
1R: Claw Hod ]
[Wyrmbreaker] No peace, then.
Simon knew this was coming. In truth, so did Lukas. But he tried anyway. Not because he loves peace; not because he is a Child of Gaia, a pacifist, anything of the sort --
but because their allies are so very few now. And something created to oppose the darkness, to embody the very fire and light of the purity could have been a potent ally indeed. And, perhaps, on some purely sentimental level: because some part of him loathes the thought of destroying something conceived so purely. Something so bound to the sky and the storm.
Too late now. No peace, insists the archangel,
and so it is war.
"Together!" snarls Wyrmbreaker, and drives for the first of the lesser angels. Its name is Hod. Wyrmbreaker will never know that.
[confessor.] Chesed
1a. Fur gnarl Christian
1b. Open it a little wider
R1. Claw, aiming on gnarled spot
Gevurah
1a.
1b.
R1. -- all claws on Christian, aiming at gnarled spot
Netzach
1a.
1b.
R1. -- all claws on Christian, aiming at gnarled spot
[Thirty Second Silence] [1a Go windy! pick up Chesed!]
[confessor.] Uriel
1a.
1b.
R1.
R2. -- Held. Maintaining lofty vantage point. What a dick.
[confessor.] Hod
1a. Fur Gnarl Simon
1b. Again
R1. Claw Simon, aiming at gnarled spot
Yesod
1a. Fur Gnarl Simon, as well
1b.
R1. -- all claws on Simon, aiming at gnarled spot.
Malkuth
1a.
1b.
R1. -- all claws on Simon, aiming at gnarled spot.
Keter
1a.
1b.
R1. -- all claws on Simon, aiming at gnarled spot.
[Kiss With A Fist] [1a: Body tackle Hod
1b:
1c:
R1:
R2: All claws on Hod, switching to Yesod if he goes down]
[Christian del Piero] (( 1a: Flank Hod.
1b: Bite Hod.
1c: Bite Hod.
1 Rage: Bite Hod. Will switch to Chesed if he goes down. ))
[Wyrmbreaker] [b]Lukas:[b]
Oh right: -1 WP for resist pain!
Reflexively -- will be trying to order the Garou to act together and to take advantage of positioning (flank/rear) if possible.
1a. Spur Claws on Netzach
b.
c.
R1
R2 - biting on Hod, Yesod, Malkuth, Keter, Chesed, Gev, and Net -- in that order!
Will also be taking hits (probably from Malkuth and Gevurah!)
[Wyrmbreaker] [/b] *closes tag!*
[Wyrmbreaker] 1a. -3 dice! diff 6! -1R!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [orly kahseeno?]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 5, 7, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[confessor.] Netzach
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 5, 5, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] b. Bite Hod! -4 THERE IS NO GOD BUT THE DICE GOD AND DAMON IS HIS PROPHET.
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 5) Re-rolls: 2
[Wyrmbreaker] [+4!]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[confessor.] Hod
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 4, 7 (Failure at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] c. Ašhadu &+702;an l&+257; il&+257;ha illa Kahseeno, wa &+702;ašhadu &+702;anna Damon ras&+363;lo Kahseeno! -5
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 7 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Wyrmbreaker] Dam +6. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Kahseeno R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!
Dice Rolled:[ 15 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 4, 6, 6, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 10 at target 6)
[confessor.] Hod
A Jihad on you, blasphemer!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 (Failure at target 6)
[confessor.] Hod: x_X
(9A overkill)
[Christian del Piero] (( 1a: Chesed it is! Flank!
1b: Dex + Brawl. Dex +3, hispo. Difficulty -1, flank. -4 pool, 2nd split. ))
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 4)
[Christian del Piero] (( Str +3 hispo +2 bite +1 staging ))
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 3, 5, 5, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[confessor.] Chesed
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 4, 7 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Christian del Piero] (( 1c: -5 pool, 3rd split. ))
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 3, 3, 6, 8 (Success x 2 at target 4)
[Christian del Piero] (( +1 ))
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 3, 5, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[confessor.] Chesed
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 7, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Kiss With A Fist] [1a: Body tackle Yesod: dex + brawl -3, diff 7]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 3 at target 7) Re-rolls: 1
[confessor.] Yesod
Dex + Ath
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 6, 7, 9 (Failure at target 9)
[Kiss With A Fist] [stay up!]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 6, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6) Re-rolls: 1
[Kiss With A Fist] [1b: Claw Yesod: -4]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 5, 6, 8 (Failure at target 4)
[confessor.] [Yesod is now at -2 diff to hit; diff can not go below 3.]
[Kiss With A Fist] [1c: Claw Yesod: -5]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 5 at target 4) Re-rolls: 1
[Kiss With A Fist] [dam: +4]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[confessor.] Yesod
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 6, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[confessor.] Yesod
[1a. Changing to GET UP!
1b. Changing to Fur Gnarl Simon. Dex + Brawl -3 (split) / diff +1 (change)]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 7, 10 (Failure at target 8)
[confessor.] Malkuth
[1a. Changing to fur gnarl Simon, SINCE YESOD FUCKED IT UP.]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 8 (Success x 2 at target 8)
[confessor.] [Damage, Strength + 2 (flaming claws) +1][A]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 4, 6, 6, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[confessor.] [Simon loses 2 soak dice for gnarled area.]
[Bone-Grinder] [Soak]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7 (Failure at target 6)
[confessor.] Malkuth
[1b. Claw Gnarled spot. -3 dice (split) / diff +2 (targeting)]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 6, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 8)
[confessor.] [Strength + 2 +1]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 7 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Soak]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[confessor.] [Corrections:
- The fur gnarl lands on Lukas as he takes the hit for Simon.
- Lukas takes -2 soak dice to the gnarled area.
- Malkuth's 1b., still aimed at Simon, cannot hit a gnarled spot. So suxx = 4.
- Extra damage from 1b., which Lukas will soak.]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 1, 6 (Failure at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [soak the first!]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [soak the second!]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[confessor.] Keter
[1a. Claw Simon! -2]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[confessor.] [+1!]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Soak]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[confessor.] [1b. Again! -3]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 5, 7, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[confessor.] [+3]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 4, 6, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Soak]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[confessor.] Uriel
[1a. Sword strike on Lukas -2 / diff +1]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 9 (Failure at target 7)
[confessor.] Uriel
[1b. Let's try that again...]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 3, 3, 6, 6, 7, 7, 9, 9 (Success x 4 at target 7)
[Wyrmbreaker] The first angel -- spirit -- thing dies so suddenly that there's hardly time to see it. One bite and a chunk of shoulder, an arm: gone. A second and there's only remnants left, bloody or dry, fragments.
Then the black wolf is shouldering aside another that would attack his tribesman. He takes that hit on his side, losing a strip of fur, baring a raw red section of skin. His snarl is more irritation than pain. He shoulders Bone-Grinder bodily toward the angel Christian has almost -- but not quite -- put down.
"Him next!
[confessor.] [strength + 3 (weapon) + 3][A]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 5, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [hurr!]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 7, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[confessor.] Uriel moves fast. In flight he is still faster than any of them with their lumpy bodies and stick-like legs. When he rushes towards Lukas, that flaming sword sweeping through the air to singe the wolf's fur, he is a blur of heat and darkness. The second strike, falling as fast as Lukas's own jaws can snap, finds home in the gleaming Lord's body, but the wound heals a split second after it is taken, his own sacrifice of lifeblood coming back to reward him.
[Thirty Second Silence] [wp]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 2, 5 (Botch x 1 at target 6)
[confessor.] The cheerful little wind jaggling that Gregory summoned and bound to their aid to keep them in contact is distracted for a few seconds when the Theurge directs it to one of the angels to lift it in the air and toss it any which way, as long as it's away from the Garou it wishes to harm.
That connection between their minds never returns. Everything is words aloud and body language now, no chance for unspoken orders kept private from these creatures that have a striking and vicious intelligence. Why?
Poor Jaggling rushes away from Gregory towards the faceless creature from some forgotten death-realm and blasts into it, intending to lift it in the air
and disintegrates, itself, as though too terrified by the cold it encountered or too wild and incoherent by nature to do the deed asked of it. Through no true fault of Gregory's, his wind jaggling friend is gone for this battle, escaped the only way it knows how.
[confessor.] Chesed
[This will -totally- work. Fur Gnarl Christian. -2 (split)]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 7)
[confessor.] [+3]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [soaking that!]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 9 at target 6)
[confessor.] [Lukas has a 2nd Gnarled Spot on his body that is -4]
[confessor.] Chesed
[1b. We focus. Clawing Christian. -3 (split)]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 3, 4 (Botch x 1 at target 6)
[confessor.] [That's gonna hurt in the morning.]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 4, 4, 4, 6, 7, 9, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[confessor.] Chesed
Soak vs. your own stupid fucking hand.
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 4, 4, 4, 5, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[confessor.] Chesed: x_X
(2 overkill, suicide by stupid. WTG, dickweed.)
[confessor.] Gevurah
[1a. Changing to claw Lukas's 2nd Gnarled spot. -2 (split) / diff +1 (change) +2 (targeting)]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 1, 4, 5, 6, 8 (Botch x 2 at target 9)
[confessor.] The undead creatures they're fighting, not quite zombies and not quite malakhim, swarm the two male Ahroun they have fought before, one of whom is clearly fast and wild with rage, one of whom they know has killed many of their allies. But the other Garou don't let them do much work on Simon or Christian. Lukas takes blow after blow, his armor and his fur stripped in two places now.
One of the figures manages to miss Christian so spectacularly that he claws at his own face, leaving a swath of charred flesh where there was once a face. No matter. He was close to death. He dies without sound, falling in a lump to the ground.
The next, infuriated -- though it's hard to tell, without facial expression... they may as well be automatons -- whirls on Lukas, but attacks too fast. Too energetic. He flails one wicked-long, flaming claw at the Ahroun, only to find his legs twisting. He falls face-forward to the ground, suddenly at their mercy.
[confessor.] Gevurah
[ACK! Not for long, bitches! 1b. GET UP]
[confessor.] Netzach
[1a. Claw Christian! -2]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[confessor.] [+3]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 5, 6, 6, 6, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Christian del Piero] (( Soak! ))
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[confessor.] [Fuck]
[confessor.] [Diff was 8 on attack. Suxx = 3. Rerolling damage.]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 7, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[confessor.] Netzach
[1b. -3 / diff +2 (spur claws!)]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 5, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 1 at target 8)
[confessor.] [+0]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Christian del Piero] (( Soak! ))
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 4, 6, 8, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] Simon can't help but grin inwardly as their enemies are torn asunder. Fury and savage brutality are almost replaced by amusement as these things show their incompetence before their master. Having no eyes likely has something to do wit it no?
Whatever the case, entertained or not they are the enemy and they will be shown no mercy by the furious garou who leaps upon Yesod first to finish that one off.
[Dex+Brawl+Totem+Crinos = 9 -2 dice to claw Yesod!]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Str+Crinos+Totem+1+1 Razor Claws +5 Extra successes = 15]
Dice Rolled:[ 15 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 3, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[confessor.] Yesod
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 5, 5, 8 (Failure at target 6)
[confessor.] Yesod: x_X
(1A overkill)
[Bone-Grinder] [Claw Malkuth 6 Dice this time!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[confessor.] Malkuth
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 3, 5, 10, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [10 Dice +2 = 12]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [R1. bite Gev! KAHSEENO FHTAGN!]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 11 at target 5) Re-rolls: 4
[Wyrmbreaker] [sorry -- malkuth!]
[confessor.] Malkuth
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 4, 4 (Botch x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [iä iä Kahseeno fhtagn!]
Dice Rolled:[ 19 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[confessor.] Malkuth: x_X
(5A overkill)
[Christian del Piero] (( Switching to Netzach!
R1, bite. Difficulty +2, spurred. -1 pool, health. ))
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8 (Success x 1 at target 7)
[Christian del Piero] (( JK! +1 ))
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[confessor.] Netzach
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 5, 6, 8, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Kiss With A Fist] [R1: Claw Netzach]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6) Re-rolls: 3
[Kiss With A Fist] [dam: +2]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[confessor.] Netzach
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[confessor.] Keter
[R1. Clawing Simon!]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[confessor.] [+0 WTF]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Soak it!]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[confessor.] Uriel
[R1. Sword-strike on Lukas / diff +1 (changed) +2 (targeting)
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 10 (Failure at target 9)
[confessor.] Gevurah
[R1. Claw Christian]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[confessor.] [+2]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 5, 5, 7, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Christian del Piero] (( Soak! ))
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[confessor.] Netzach
[R1. Clawing Christian / +2 diff (spur claws)]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 5, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 1 at target 8)
[confessor.] [+0]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [see, i'm not laughing![
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 1, 4, 5, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 8 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Dex+Brawl+Totem+Crinos = 9 Dice claw on Netzatch!]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 3, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [10+4 = 14]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[confessor.] Netzach
Fuuuck me.
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 5, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [R2 - change to Net! +1 diff]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 11 at target 6) Re-rolls: 2
[Wyrmbreaker] [NO GOD BUT THE DICE GOD!]
Dice Rolled:[ 19 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 14 at target 6)
[confessor.] Netzach
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[confessor.] Netzach: X_x
(11A overkill)
[Kiss With A Fist] [R1: Claw Gevurah]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 4, 6, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9 (Success x 6 at target 6) [WP]
[Kiss With A Fist] [dam: +5]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[confessor.] Gevurah
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 4, 7 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[confessor.] One of these things is still darting towards them with those long, wicked claws of his, seeming hampered only because the spurred claws in his side twist the muscles inside around. He does not seem to feel pain. None of them do. He rushes at the Garou, this long, lanky, dark-haired dead thing who has been gone so long from the world even his face is missing,
and Lukas tears him in half. No.
Tears him in half and separates his head from his body. Tears him in half and mutilates what is left of his insides. Tears him in half and leaves nothing but puddle where there was once the form of a human-like body. Lukas is covered in blood, not a drop of it his own, even from the places where his very fur has been ripped off and his flesh weakened significantly.
In fact, very few of them are at all hurt. A few nicks and scratches here and there. A missing wind jaggling. They follow each other without the spirit's aid, though, adhering to what sense they can find in the chaos and the body language, the previously barked orders, of this leader they're following today.
Outside the windows, the storm goes on, illuminating them only briefly. Inside, the room is clear because of Uriel's sword, that glowing beacon of Thou Shalt Not and Begone, Lowly Worm, that weapon that warns them not to harm the sending of the Most High. He roars as his creatures, called from Sheol, fall out of their mobilized bodies one by one, some literally torn so viciously to pieces that black blood has splattered across the windows, stained the floor that Uriel now cannot touch
with his ever-so-pure feet.
[R2. Sword strike on Christian! / diff +1 (change)]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 7)
[confessor.] [+4]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Kiss With A Fist] [Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[confessor.] [Damage:
Christian: 2A
Everyone else: OK
Uriel: OK
Gevurah: Wounded
Keter: OK]
[confessor.] [Order:
Lukas
Christian
Penny
Keter
Uriel
Gregory
Gevurah
Simon
Declare in reverse!]
[confessor.] +1WP - Pure epicness.
to Wyrmbreaker
[Bone-Grinder] 1a: Claw
1b: Claw
1R: Claw All on Gevurah then Uriel! If Uriel is in air one will be sacrificed to get up to him!
[confessor.] Gevurah
1a. Claw Lukas's 2nd gnarled spot
1b. Again!
[Thirty Second Silence] [1a GB on christian
1b
1c -- bites on keter]
[Wyrmbreaker] It all happens so fast. For these creatures, these monstrosities of the earth and these creatures of the heavens, time itself bows and bends. They move faster than humans can imagine; than mortals can think. They destroy and rend and tear, and the air is hot and dry with flame, stinking of the ozone-stink of rage. There is blood everywhere.
Wyrmbreaker is panting as the Garou regroup against the few that remain. His fur black, his jaws black with the lifesblood of these raised things: the Shadow Lord's eyes crackle, the color of lightning. He does not look harrowed by the destruction he has wrought. He looks victorious, and savage, and utterly sure of himself. His place. His duty.
Ahroun. Warrior.
"Finish the small ones," he snarls. "That one [Keter] first. Then drag the archangel from the air and end him."
[confessor.] Uriel
[Reflexive: "NaJstar brat! PriJatel na temnata! Gospodarot na pepel! Pomoš za nas!"
1a. Sword strike on Lukas's 2nd gnarled spot
1b. Again
R1. Again!
R2. YOU FUCKER.]
[confessor.] Keter
[1a. Claw Lukas's 2nd gnarled spot
1b. Again!
R1. Annnd Again!]
[Kiss With A Fist] [1a: Jump!
1b: Spur Claw Uriel
Reflexive: -1R Snapshift to Hispo
1c: Bite
1d: Bite on Keter, or Gevurah, or Uriel in that order]
[Christian del Piero] If he could think of anything other than killing Christian could figure out why Lukas - and maybe Penny - keeps jumping in front of him. He's not really thinking of killing though. He's not thinking at all. He's not going to remember this later. It's like a drunk's black out. This creature fighting among them doesn't - couldn't - identify himself as Christian, or Unbroken, or even Garou. Right now he's a monster. A wrathful monster.
(( 1:
3 Rage: All bites on Keter. Moving to Gev if he goes down. ))
[Wyrmbreaker] 1a.
b.
R1
R2
R3
CHOMPS AWAY! - Keter, then Gev, then Uriel. If he's the first to attack Uriel: knock him out of the skyyyy! If he's not: first attack will be an attempted Disarm.
[Wyrmbreaker] 1a. -2 chomp Keter!
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 7 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Wyrmbreaker] 1a. -2 chomp Keter!
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 7 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[confessor.] Upon the words wailed from the archangel's mouth, the remaining rephaim have started to seem like they're losing control. They rush at Lukas altogether, though by now they must know it's futile, they will be dead before they land a blow. As before, they come forward without care for their own strange existences.
But somehow now they seem ...terrified. They stink of fear even as they rush into the claws and fangs of the Garou.
Keter
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 4, 6, 7, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [iä Kahseeno!]
Dice Rolled:[ 15 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 10 at target 6)
[confessor.] And another one dies, untouched before she met Wyrmbreaker in the remains of her comrades. This one was a female, once, a very long time ago. Elderly, a little short, with chopped reddish hair. She was called Keter after many eons in the afterlife, in the black pit where souls went before they invented Hell and knew what to name it.
Keter: x_X
(1A overkill)
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[confessor.] [I don't know why there was a roll attached to that. WHATEVS.]
[Wyrmbreaker] 1b. -3 chomp Gev!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Wyrmbreaker] [dam +5!]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 9 at target 6)
[confessor.] Gevurah
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 4, 8, 8, 8 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[confessor.] Gevurah: x_X
(3A overkill)
[confessor.] Bloody waste, all around them. All black, all thick, too old to be red anymore, too ancient to be anything but rotten. It leaves a foul taste in their mouth, like gnawing on blood-soaked dirt mixed with bone gristle. They are all covered in it. The splatter from the kills did not take sides. Not a single wound was taken by these things that did not burst from them as though they were once bloated corpses, however slender they may have seemed while moving.
"FILTH!" roars Uriel, griefstricken. "Graverobbers! Murderers!" He tips his head back, arms outstretched and wings beating at the air. "SudiJa na Pit! Slezi kaJ nas! Pomoš SAD!"
[Christian del Piero] (( Changing action to jumping!
Dex + Ath. Dex +3, hispo. -1 pool, wound penalty. ))
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 6 at target 8) [WP]
[Kiss With A Fist] [1a: Spur Claw: -1R, diff +1]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 (Failure at target 7)
[Kiss With A Fist] [WP]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 4, 5, 6, 6, 9 (Success x 1 at target 8)
[Kiss With A Fist] [-1R snapshift to Hispo
1b: Bite! -5, diff +1]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 3, 5, 5, 7, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Kiss With A Fist] [dam: +1]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 3, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[confessor.] The youngest Ahroun in a group of Ahrouns -- and one Theurge -- is burning up from the inside out. He is all but frenzied. The only way his allies can tell he isn't is that Christian still uses his brain. Instead of tearing into his friends or his packmate, instead of rolling in the filth of the dead, he leaps into the air, grabs the ends of Uriel's robe in his jaws, and gravity brings them both down to earth.
Kiss With a Fist is there, waiting. And though the sword said to guard Eden's gate roars in her face like an inferno, telling her no, she is mortal, she can be killed, she can not touch this thing, she snaps into a form even less human than before
and bites the archangel as hard as she can.
Uriel
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 5, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Kiss With A Fist] [WP]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 (Failure at target 8)
[Kiss With A Fist] [WP!!!!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 9 (Success x 1 at target 8)
[Kiss With A Fist] [1d: Bite Uriel: -7]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 4, 5, 6 (Success x 2 at target 5)
[Kiss With A Fist] [dam: +1]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 7, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[confessor.] It is hard -- inexplicably, infuriatingly hard -- to push past that compulsion not to harm this childlike creature, his owlish wings batting at the air as the Fury comes at him. But they are faster than him and he can't take to the air again. He wails as Penny bites into him a second time, turning his face away.
[Soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 4, 4, 4, 6 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[confessor.] Uriel
[1a. Stabbing at Lukas's gnarled patch, -2 / diff +2]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 10 (Failure at target 8)
[confessor.] [>_
[confessor.] [1b. Fuck Lukas! Stabbing Penny!]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 9 (Success x 1 at target 7)
[confessor.] [+0]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 2, 3, 3, 6, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Kiss With A Fist] [soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Thirty Second Silence] [soak]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[confessor.] [We'll just take Penny's.]
[Thirty Second Silence] [-1G +4 HL to christian
wp to attack flameyflamedude]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 8)
[Thirty Second Silence] [1b bite -4(split)]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 4, 6, 6 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Thirty Second Silence] [dmg str+2+3]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 4, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Thirty Second Silence] [wp to attack again]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 5, 6, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 3 at target 8)
[confessor.] The energy in the room is changing. As blows land on the young(-seeming) angel, he tosses his head, wailing, wings beating futiley. He slashes blindly, crying out in some language that none of them can understand, that sword sometimes doing nothing to them. Nothing at all.
Down close they can tell his arms are thing, and he is not very strong. Maybe there's a reason for that. People know Meka'il's name more readily than his, Israfel's, Gabriel's most of all. Maybe --
it doesn't matter.
They are killing him.
[Soak Gregory's 1b]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 4, 4, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Thirty Second Silence] [1c bite -5 (WP)]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 7, 7 (Success x 3 at target 6) [WP]
[Thirty Second Silence] [dmg]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[confessor.] Uriel
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [I'ma kik ur butt Uriel! First Attack WP!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 7, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 8)
[Bone-Grinder] [Claw 9 dice -2 = 7]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [10+2 = 12]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[confessor.] Uriel
Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [2n'd Attack WP]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 5, 5, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [6 dice for claw 2]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 6, 6, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Dmg: 10+4 = 14]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 9, 9, 9 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] An interjection from the Fostern, bursting out so suddenly it has to be sheer reflex -- "Don't kill him!"
[confessor.] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 5, 6, 6, 6 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[confessor.] [Reflexive Perception + Alertness rolls, diff 7]
[Kiss With A Fist] [percept + alert]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 7)
[Wyrmbreaker]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4 (Botch x 2 at target 7)
[Christian del Piero] (( Perc + Alert ))
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 4, 7 (Failure at target 7)
[Bone-Grinder] [Per+Alertness]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 8 (Failure at target 7)
[Thirty Second Silence] [per+alert]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 3, 4, 6, 10 (Success x 1 at target 7)
[confessor.] What is that SMELL? Ugh? Is it all this red stuff? Wait, that's black. Huh. Oh hey, it's a window! It's Raining!!!
to Wyrmbreaker
[Kiss With A Fist] It's chaos, utter chaos. The Garou have worked to take down the lesser angels, one by one by one. Lukas shouts out to them to leave Uriel alive.
And there's something...
Kiss With a Fist turns her huge Hispo head, and her ears flick back. She starts as the lights explode into her vision. She looks around, notices only one other Garou looks like they've noticed. And it's Greg, nice.
"What...?" Shaking out her fur, and though there is still the archangel being held down to their level by Christian, Penny steps away. Toward the black spot.
[Wyrmbreaker] Reflexive: "What do you see, Kiss with a Fist?"
[Thirty Second Silence] Gregory follows after penny a step or two.
It's a black hole! That little wheelchair microsoft sam fucker was right!
[Wyrmbreaker] WP vs 8!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 3, 4, 7, 7, 9, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 8)
[Wyrmbreaker] [R1 - attempted disarm! -1WP, diff 8. Must beat Uriel's strength to take the flaming sword!]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 7 at target 8) [WP] Re-rolls: 4
[Wyrmbreaker] [soak ze fiah!]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] Sweet it's raining outside! Shit don't kill him? Is this another one of those things like that time Lukas was all."Let's talk to those angels we'll make friends!" And then they attacked us? Oh wait this is still that time!
[confessor.] The little black spot that was once in Penny and Gregory's peripheral vision is still growing, blue-white at the center and ringed by a corona of purplish-black. It seems to emit a faint hum, barely perceptible above Uriel's screaming. And it gets a little bigger even as they look at it, flickering like a will o' the wisp, but it does not advance. It remains off to the side, like a witness.
Uriel does not see it. He is thrashing, waving his sword uselessly --
-- til it is taken from him. Lukas grabs the very blade in his jaws, his teeth grating on the metal, fire bursting around his mouth, and he rips it out of the angel's hand. He doesn't even feel the pain. The fire dies, and the sword drops or is tossed.
Once it leaves Uriel, it vanishes entirely.
[Kiss With A Fist] Penny doesn't wander in much closer. There's no way to know if the light is benign, or if it'll explode out at the Bagmen when they venture too close.
She doesn't turn away from it, not completely. Turning her head so it's still within her peripheral, she says back to Lukas, "Something here. Not sure what."
[peeking!]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 4, 5, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] "ENOUGH!"
It's impossible to tell who that's meant for: the angel or the Garou tearing it to pieces.
"You may be incapable of mercy. I am not. It's over, Uriel."
[Christian del Piero] He's no better off than he was when this fight started. He's actually worse off. There is no intelligent light left in Christian's eyes. There's just consuming fire. He isn't frenzied or else they'd have to hold him down to keep him from disobeying his alpha. But he's completely out of control. The teenager's blue eyes are glazed and blind. When Lukas shouts what sounds like an order Christian holds himself back...and then he staggers, as if he's about to collapse. The huge white furred wolf snarls a snarl that has no trace of restraint or civility in it. Rabid dogs make noises like this, not the descendants of kings.
[confessor.] The leader disarms him. Uriel lets out a ragged noise when the sword is taken, but as his eyes follow it, he sees the light in the corner of the room. He slumps. As Christian staggers away, the archangel lifts from the ground on his heavily beating wings. Blood trickles from wounds that look smaller than they should be, dripping from his toes. He hovers in front of vast windows, the storm behind him marred by the vast splashes of blood across the glass, and he wraps his thin arms around himself, staring at the Garou for a moment.
He shakes his head. "I do not accept your mercy. I remain pure," he says flatly. He looks at the light. "Ako sum se dade na tebe, k&+769;e gi zeme, isto taka?" he asks, his voice a rasp.
The light throbs slightly.
"Amen," intones Uriel, in the voice of a child, and turning his back on the Garou, rushes from them. To the glass. And with greater strength than any mortal being of that size, yet strength so paltry in comparison to their own, he hurls himself through the glass, shattering one massive pane of it
and falling into the storm.
It is so far away that they don't hear the crush and crunch of bone when it hits concrete. The window -- and the empty space where one used to be -- is not so far away that they can't go to it and see what is left of the angel-boy's body. Wings and all. It's the middle of the fucking day on the Mile.
A prepubescent boy with owl wings just broke his neck and pulverized his body on the sidewalk.
[Wyrmbreaker] There is a moment when Wyrmbreaker's muscles are coiled, his body ready: a moment when he might have thrown himself between his packmate and Uriel to keep the Fang from destroying the archangel along with his malakim.
It's not necessary, ultimately. The Fang restrains himself, though it costs him almost everywhere. He turns away snarling. Wyrmbreaker's pale eyes remain on the angel.
Light, gathered and waiting, observes.
When Uriel declines mercy, nothing about Wyrmbreaker suggests surprise. A sort of resignation, perhaps. When he turns away, it's possible that a Garou with his horrific strength, his mindbending speed, could have caught him. It's possible Lukas could have restrained him. His rage is afire. He could be across the room in an eyeblink. He could tackle Uriel to the ground, pin him there, keep him from hurling himself into thin air,
but he doesn't. His head turns, tracking the archangel. When he plummets from sight, the direwolf's eyes do not follow, but stare into the storm instead for a beat.
Then they turn back to the silent light.
[confessor.] All around them is death. The dead who have lost even their mobility, the body of the archangel lying on the concrete so very, very far below them. And this strange light, which seems so very patient, as though it need do nothing, need change nothing.
When they look at it, their vision goes fuzzy at the edges, darkness impinging on all they see. It is very like the feeling one gets right before passing out. Going under. It is hard to stare at for long.
[Thirty Second Silence] His head lifts and looks to the window as the Angel shouts, screams something incomprehensible and then dives through the window. He starts forward half a step but its too late. The angel is gone, plummeting to certain death below. He does however slowly meander his way to the windows edge, head peering out into the rain and wind just to make sure, just to know for certain that the boy-angel hasn't flown away on the breeze. Headed off to Cair-Paravel.
But this is no children's story, the angel is dead leaving only a feathery grave on the side-walk.
Gregory paces, back to the light. His shoulders rising and falling with each step, distorting his otherwise perpetually messy tangle of fur. After a moment he realises he's in front of Penny and he quickly bounds back towards her, stopping just to her side and resting back on his haunches -- tongue lolling out of his mouth. He tries to look at the light, but its too bright.. or is it dark? It's hard to tell but he averts his gaze every so often until it returns to normal.
"What is it..."
It's the question on all their minds. Gregory just voices it.
[Wyrmbreaker] And this question, too, likely on their minds:
"Are you the one worshiped as God?"
[Bone-Grinder] There is a fire in Simon's eyes, a fire that burns hot with remembrance of what their kind inflicted upon him. They had brought a battle before them, they had brought their conflict into the middle of the Garou's war. He heart the words come from Lukas' mouth and it fills his heart with rage.
Thunder does not show mercy. Thunders heart does not bleed for the weak and pathetic. Most importantly Thunder does not let his enemies to live except as crippled mockeries of their former selves. These things had not come with the intention of showing mercy or restraint... These things had come to kill the Garou. These things had killed Simon or was that so quickly forgotten because they wore wings covered in feathers.
First he surrendered the initiative in an attempt to parlay with the enemy that failed miserably despite being warned that such would never be plausible and now he is asking the garou to lay down their arms and show mercy? Mercy is for those who have shown some tiny hint of possiblity... Things that have not shown themselves ir-redeemable!
There was a certain sense of tension in the air as the full moon's claws splintered the floor beneath his feet instead of finishing the creature who had brought them here this evening. Lukas was his elder... He would not disobey his elder's order. If any garou died here this night it would be on Lukas' head and not his own. He burned so hotly that a glance into those rage filled eyes would sear any meeting his gaze. He was the pitiless destroyer, he was the assassin who pulled the trigger without concern for his marks well being, he was the soldier who did what his peers could not dirty their hands with. He was not a creature of forgiveness or righteousness... He was a dark and heartless creature who set out each night to show the monsters that there were worse things in this world than misguided saps who think good intentions and kindness can change the world!
But first he was Garou... That would never change. His elder gave an order and he obeyed.
He held back and he watched. Silent, wrathful, mindful... But he watched the creature. It was not capable of remorse or pity, it was not capable of seeing the mercy it was offered. It was not capable of anything more than it was programed for, and in the mercy it was shown if used it's last dying breaths to end itself rather than give the garou the satisfaction of having killed it honorably in combat.
He watches the thing fall to its death and then shrugs his shoulders. That was the end... Hopefully. He had come to see this through to the end. He did not like leaving unfinished business and tonight his business was concluded. He glanced around at the others and growled softly.
Then finally the thing... Whatever it was... Whatever it was here for... He would face it too. This was Gaia's realm and none may trespass here without her permission!"Is your game is over?"He asks the thing that glowed with a familiar light that hunted his dreams each and every night since being dragged off into the darkness himself."Or do you bring more?"The beast snarls in defiance as if informing the creature that they would face anything thrown at them. Anything! And that was true... This is simply what the Garou did. They faced overwhelming impossible odds each and every night of their lives. Another heaping helping of infinity on their shoulders... Would not even phase them.
[Kiss With A Fist] Penny stops a little ways from the spot, that radiates and hums. While Lukas asks questions, the Fury's eyes go black, and she looks through to the other side.
After a moment, she comes back to herself. Her eyes glow that golden yellow once more.
Quietly, she says, "It's the same on the other side as the angels. Soft blue glow."
[Christian del Piero] The only one who isn't interested in the lights is the Silver Fang. Christian is shaking like he's been left out in the rain all night. He paces the floor tracking bloody paw prints everywhere he goes. His blood stained teeth are bared but there's nothing for him to attack. Every so often he looses a thin whimper that turns into a growl...but otherwise he's silent.
[Bone-Grinder] "This was mentioned to us... Shared by Meka'il... Uriel is the close companion of the Angel of death... Fitting that the angel of death would wear such a mask..."He says with a snarl, as he begins to move."Get away from it!"
[confessor.] Were this God, what they have read -- and at least a couple of them have read necessary passages in various text to know this -- tells them that the answer would be simple:
I am that I am.
Christian might know more. Might tell them that God as he is known could not bear to be in their presence right now. Killers. Beasts. Mad with rage -- at least one of them. Lukas might talk about personifications of God in literature, could connect them to discussions of Incarna. Gregory would add to it, delineating the lines between human mythology and the heirarchies of spirits. It could be a very stimulating discussion, all told,
if most of them weren't covered in blood and half-insane from the battle.
Rain splatters into the building, mixing with the blood in the carpet, making it run down the outer side, past the broken glass. Whoever owns this building is going to have a hell of a time cleaning this penthouse up, powerwashing the outside to get the black sludge off the exterior. So much death here tonight. And the death, even, of an archangel.
Or something that took the shape of one.
The light grows larger as they speak to it, and speak of it, that wavering black corona becoming wider and harder by the second to look at. Their eyes water if they try. It begins to feel familiar... to some.
To Simon, whose shoulder burns as he looks at it.
To Lukas, who feels a throbbing pain across his middle that he hasn't paid attention to in well over a year.
Christian finds it familiar, but does not know why. Doesn't know much, right now, other than his own rage.
Penny and Gregory... they may know this. They may find it close to their memories and be unable to understand why.
Get away from it! yells the younger Shadow Lord. And the light, as though waiting for some kind of signal -- perhaps Uriel's heart to stop beating, or theirs to start pounding --
erupts.
[confessor.] Also:
[WHUMWHUMWHUM]
[Bone-Grinder] The thing was attacking and as it swelled outward in a powerful eruption Simon is quick to take cover. If he cannot find cover then he will get to the nearest wall. Not about to be thrown out of the building at the very least he can hope to be slammed against a wall and still be able to fight again. Whatever the case his instincts are quick to tell him to find some kind of cover and that is what he does.
[Kiss With A Fist] Penny doesn't know what to make of the light/absence of light. That dark spot that makes her vision swim and her head feel funny. So she stops looking at it.
Get away from it! Simon says, though, and she's on her feet, pushing her shoulder into Gregory's.
"Go! Go!" Because she remembers now, too. The Angel of Death. Merciless. She shoulders her packmate back, and tries to put herself between him and the light. She tries to protect him, at least, though she's not above shoving back whoever else is closest.
[Wyrmbreaker] Sometimes the greatest duty of leadership is not to lead unswervingly but to realize when your preconceptions and assumptions are wrong. To listen to what's said to you by someone under your command and see the wisdom in it.
When Bone-Grinder names it the angel of death, Lukas knows, instantly, that the younger Lord is right.
Others are shouting get away! and go! and move! Wyrmbreaker shouts nothing at all -- he wheels on his haunches and snaps at the others' heels, hounding them all toward the nearest exit.
Time to get out of there.
[Christian del Piero] Stubborn, Christian is not. Hard headed, sure. As he grows older - if he grows older - he will probably become stubborn. He has the auspice and temperament for it...usually. Right now he doesn't. It's like watching a smoker deprived of nicotine only it's stronger. He does not just want to kill. He bloody well needs to, and there is nothing here but his comrades...one of them like his adopted family. That need to kill is stronger than his desire to drop and let the angel of death take him. Thing is it's blinding him to everything else. He's completely oblivious. When his alpha harries him he snarls. And then he stumbles again.
[Thirty Second Silence] Just before the blast goes off gregory slides under penny in her Direwolf form, placing him in front of his Alpha.
[confessor.] Death hovers familiar and patient, just past some horizon of what they can truly see, accept, and understand. If this is just an epiphling, then it is simply that: an epiphling of Death, as enigmatic, inevitable, and power as that. There is no escaping it. Only postponing it. There is no appeasing it. Only running from it.
Which the Garou do. As soon as the words leave Bone-Grinder's mouth -- and his name is a little on the nose for declaring this to his allies, telling them that this is the end, this is Azrael, the companion of Uriel, summoned to his friend's side to grind up their bones, to turn them to dust -- they whip around to run, because they all know that today is not the day they want to die. They want to see sunset tonight. They want to watch the storm end over Chicago.
Bone-Grinder wants to see to his Alpha, to watch her recover, to tell her that they beat 'em. They killed 'em. It's over. Gregory wants that next warm meal in his belly, that conversation with the Ritesmistress, that song he had in his head earlier. Penny wants to see their pack grow, she wants to talk to that cocky Silver Fang who was so light on his feet. Christian wants to help Cordelia take off her glasses while she smiles that smile so they don't bump his nose while he kisses her. Lukas wants to see Danicka again, his den, the oak tree growing in the back yard
where they will bury a handful of his ashes, should he die.
They run not because they are cowards, but because they want to live. And death is coming for them, releasing a shockwave of blackness that feels white-hot all the same as it rips up their backs, scorching them, engulfing them. Penny doesn't have time to scream NO! at Gregory as he ducks between her and the shockwave, doesn't have time to tell him this isn't the time to try and be a hero, this isn't the time to try and save someone stronger than him. But he does it anyway.
It may very well get him killed, as he tries to cover Penny with his own body, and as the coldest, hottest pain he's ever felt in his life reaches through his skin and muscle and bone, gripping his heart.
All their hearts.
[confessor.] [Soak 12 Agg.]
to Wyrmbreaker
[Thirty Second Silence] [soak1]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 3, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Kiss With A Fist] [soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 9, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Thirty Second Silence] [soak2]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 2, 3, 6, 6, 7, 7, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Christian del Piero] (( Soak! ))
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Bone-Grinder] [Soak]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[confessor.] [Damage:
Christian 3A
Penny 4A
Simon 4A
Gregory 5A
Lukas 4A]
[Christian del Piero] (( Yep. ))
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 4, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 7)
[confessor.] +1Rage at the senselessness of these fucking angels and their fucking vendetta and their stupid fucking suicides out stupid windows and now they have to clean it up and falkdsjg;lkds'ap jg;ajgsaglpksRAR.
to Wyrmbreaker
[confessor.] [WELL NEVERMIND. THIS INSECT REFUSES THE DAUGHTER OF RA.]
to Wyrmbreaker
[Kiss With A Fist] It makes sense. Penny is Alpha. She's Full Moon. She's been trained to fight and to take a beating and keep going. She was born to. She has a talen that bolsters her, keeps wounds from even touching her.
And then that stupid fucking urrah Theurge had to dive beneath her.
There's no time to stop him, either, that bastard. That stupid annoying burr that's been clinging to her fur since she left Las Vegas. When they're out, and they're safe, and they've all taken minimal damage, Penny pauses to catch her breath from their mad flight from death itself. Then she rounds on Thirty Second Silence.
"That was stupid! You stupid...stupid!" she snarls at her injured packmate. Her friend.
She shifts, Hispo to Crinos. From seeming nowhere, she pulls something shining, something golden from her black fur. He's lucky she burned off her rage, Before Gregory can so much as frame a retort, she jams it in his mouth.
[Golden Apple: each suxx = 1 health level]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 3)
[Wyrmbreaker] They don't run fast enough -- but then, that was almost assured from the start. Death itself catches up to them as it always does, sooner or later; takes its toll on their flesh and bone; drives them into the ground and leaves them all battered. Leaves Wyrmbreaker dazed for a moment.
There's a certain equality in this. Mighty or weak, strong or fragile, every last one of them would have died the same way: peacefully, with just enough pain to sever the soul from the body. If they weren't what they are. If they weren't, by their very nature, supernatural.
Unnatural.
Perhaps that's what these angels, these epiphlings of faith, latched onto in the end. They were an aberration; a flaw in the great symphony of heaven. And once that was set, the rest could only follow.
It's said that angels surpass men in every way except one. An angel has no freedom of choice; no will.
Wyrmbreaker pushes himself painfully back to his feet. He coughs up a mouthful of blood and spits it aside. Then he checks the others, silently and swiftly, sniffing them over where they stand or lay.
Over Christian, he pauses a moment longer than the rest, whuffing in his throat. He doesn't ask if the younger Ahroun is okay. That's a stupid question. There's a question there, but it's only this -- not a test, not a challenge, but a simple question:
"Can you control your rage?"
[Thirty Second Silence] Penny pushes him, shoulders him back and he snarls -- snaps at his Alpha. She's trying to coddle him, protect him. She's stronger, he knows that. But he's patient. He waits until she thinks he's back away and he ducks around her, pushing her back in the process. It's the surprise that does it, no way would Gregory ever do something heroic. No way would he throw himself at danger like that.. would he? For his Alpha he would -- For Penny he does. Without hesitation.
He doesn't even know what it is that hits him. It's like a cage of molten steel is slowly crushing his heart, searing and burning away at his flesh as it encloses his chest in its fiery grip. It comes in waves, the first one knocks the wind out of him, pushing him to his knees. His fur bristles out much like his homid-fro. The second washes over him and his knees wobble slightly but he only snarls. It's a pathetic snarl. A yappy raspy little yelp pushed out between his teeth.
He opens his mouth to further show his displeasure, but his growl is shortened by an apple.
"MmfyugemmmhurtmpenamIhelpmmmmgdthom"
Translation: You were going to get hurt PenPens, I protect you like you protect me. Good Thom Thom.
[Christian del Piero] For being the youngest and the smallest Christian manages to take the least amount of damage. If he were in his right mind he'd probably be briefly terrified. He knows he's going to die in battle. It's just that he hasn't come to terms with it yet. It's not something he feels in his heart. This wasn't a war he enlisted in willingly. He's still a baby compared to the rest of them. He's not going to remember what happened when his Rage finally dwindles or his will catches up to it. He makes a horrible noise when he gets hurt and nearly frenzies. He doesn't though. And strangely enough...he's bolstered by it. By surviving. It's just a shame he doesn't know what's going on right now.
Lukas gets close. It's his voice that compels Christian to get himself under control. Rather than slowly shifting Christian uses his Rage to push himself to crinos, then to glabro, and then to his fragile human body. Luckily he's wearing his dedicated clothes tonight. Once he gets there his eyes are on fire still but he's not out of his mind. He is breathing heavily though. Panting actually. Black blood stains his face and neck. Fresh red oozes from his nose. He looks at Lukas, then looks around. He looks like he's just woke up from a nightmare and doesn't know where he is. Then he feels the pain. Christian winces as if he's just received the injury, puts a hand over his midsection, then squeezes his eyes shut. Opens them again. It doesn't help.
"Oh, shit..."
[Bone-Grinder] He was alive, and that was the single most important part of any of this. The second most important part was finding that others had survived. They had faced the threat and come out of this alive. He was bloodied and battered but he was alive and so long as he lived and breathed he remained a threat to all of Gaia's enemies.
This dark and sinister beast might be lax when it comes to anything resembling morality, So willing and ready to set aside that which others hold so dear in favor of doing what needs to be done, but there was a lot more to it than others have seen or would ever see. His reasoning he would keep bottled up... But it filled him with his sense of purpose and self worth. It was what pulled him back from deaths door... It is what brought him to this battle to see this fight through to its bitter and violent end.
That is what this is... The end.
"I said it before and I will say it again... I am Garou! The difference between myself and my enemies is that I still breathe!"He says this with a sense of certainty and pride. Their enemies lay butchered and annihilated. Crushed by the claws and teeth of Gaia. This was their realm, their world and their place and they would defend it till the end of time.
Simon glanced at the others, and seeing that all were alive and well he made his way for the closest Exit.
[Wyrmbreaker] When Christian begins to shift, Wyrmbreaker knows he's with them again. The black hispo's head swings away then: on to Simon, on to the Bagmen, on to the empty space where Death itself, not so much personified as simply coalesced, once waited.
That's the same in any religion, creed or culture. The one great equalizer, patient and merciful and pitiless.
Dematerialized now, though. Not really gone. Every scar on their body reminds them: death can be delayed, but never avoided. Wyrmbreaker turns back to his packmate, and he shifts as well, taking on his human shape. He reaches out and grips Christian's shoulder, his hand heavy and firm, not crushing. Just holding. Just a moment: an anchor.
Later on, he'll tell Christian everything that happened. How many times the young Ahroun was called to stand down. How many times he did stand down, burning away every shred of his will to do so. How he, quite frankly, controlled himself. That won't be said, though. And Lukas won't condescend to tell Christian you did well -- not now, not later.
For now: just that grip on his shoulder. Eyes met, blue to blue. And a faint quirk of a smile.
"Yeah," he says. "I know."
Then Simon is boasting, and there's a faint flicker of irritation over Lukas's face. He turns to the others. "Let's clean up," he says. "I don't want these bodies strung up on the Wyrmpole. They were not of the Wyrm, and they were not," his eyes pin Simon's, "our enemy."
[Bone-Grinder] A correction hit him like a ton of bricks. There was one side of him that tensed up inwardly, and the whites of his knuckles shined through with that correction. He turned and met his Elder's eyes."Did these things fight by your side? Did they risk their hides in service to your sept? Or in service to Gaia? No..."
"These things attacked us. These things slew me... And they nearly did so to my alpha. Everyone here has felt their sting. We have been battered, rended and torn apart by these these things. I do not care how you wish to think of them Wyrmbreaker-rhya... But these things were definitely my enemy. So is anyone or anything that would raise its hands against the Garou anywhere. It doesn't have to be of the Wyrm to do the Wyrms bidding for it."Yes there was a sense that this whole matter was deeply personal.
He would remain to help clean up. To dispose of the bodies, and he wouldn't exactly celebrate any of this. He hadn't come to celebrate anything, he had come to face a threat to his kind. He had come to see it defeated and that much was done.
[Wyrmbreaker] "You do not know," Lukas's teeth bare on the consonants as he wheels on his tribesman, "what these creatures may have done for Gaia before their ire was finally turned on us. You do not know how many humans' spirits we may have just crushed by destroying these icons of their beliefs -- the literal, physical manifestation of their faith. The same sort of faith that holds back the Wyrm in Elk Grove even now.
"These beings were created by trust in light, in goodness, in righteousness. They were created by those who wanted them to oppose the great corrupter. To vanquish darkness and the corrosion of the spirit. Does that sound familiar at all, Bone Grinder, or are you truly nothing but a blunt instrument?"
Anger seethes in the air for a moment. Then Lukas draws a breath; levels his tone.
"They attacked us the way crazed humans under the sway of Delirium do. Because they couldn't help it. And ultimately they attacked us with about as much effect as a human might. We were tearing them down like paper. We were shredding belief and faith that took god knows how long to build, and you're reveling in it because the last time you faced them, these pathetic creatures," he slashes his hand at the ruined bodies all about, "somehow nearly killed you and your Alpha.
"That's your own weakness showing, Bone Grinder. And your blind hatred for anything that would oppose you betrays a similarly troubling weakness of the mind and spirit. Only the Wyrm hates blindly and wants nothing but blind vengeance."
[Christian del Piero] People only really touch Christian when his Rage is dwindled like this. It's like they can sense that he would turn on them if they tried to touch him on a normal night. Cordelia doesn't even want to get close to him on a normal night. The last full moon when he was still living at the Brotherhood she had disappeared for three days waiting for his rolling boil to simmer. Now he only goes to see her when he's close to human. When he can stand to be touched and others can stand to be around him. A shiver goes up his spine when Lukas lays his hand on the much smaller boy's shoulder but he doesn't twist away or snap his jaws. He wipes at his mouth with the back of his hand and tries to smile. It's not something he does very often. Then he bumps Lukas' arm with his head and turns to start cleaning up. He hasn't got a gift to let him ignore his pain so he just fights through it. It gives him something to focus on other than the argument going on between the two Shadow Lords...it would be rude to stand and stare, but he does overhear the halves of the discussion. Once he looks over at his alpha. But mostly he piles up pieces and drags bodies. There's nothing to be done about the window. He doesn't bother with it.
[Bone-Grinder] "Of course Wyrmbreaker-rhya. I shall strive to improve myself in the future."His words were not what he wanted to speak but they were the closest thing he could speak to what he felt his elder would like to hear. He couldn't argue if his elder chose to make a lesson out of this. But he also wasn't about to change, about himself, what he knew to be right. Fire burned in the young Full Moon's eyes, and he glimmered in the light of Thunder as lightning crackled in the sky.
The idea of arguing with his elder was senseless and pointless and would only lead to punishment or worse. He knew when to shut his mouth... He knew who the superior warrior was. They were Shadow Lords might makes right and Lukas was obviously the mightiest... For now.
Instead he turns to the task of cleanup and says nothing further on the matter.
[Wyrmbreaker] No one would mistake Bone-Grinder for someone truly convinced, least of all the Ahroun currently facing him. There's a long pause. Then Lukas speaks again, quieter.
"Your Alpha is a Galliard," he says. "Ask her to tell you the tale of the War of Rage. Ask her to tell you about the War of Shame and the Bunyip. That's the price of blind hatred. We had to defeat these creatures; it was us or them. But we will not gloat about it." And he repeats it:
"They were not of the Wyrm."
He turns back to the cleanup, then. They pick up what they can. Stuff body parts and corpses into bags, sacks, whatever they can find. Haul it out of there. There's nothing to be done for the old, black blood; nothing to be done for the body on the sidewalk below, doubtlessly already drawing an audience. A dead angel dropping out of the sky: there is no way to cover that up.
They'll try anyway. They'll contact their kin and their contacts in the media, in the police department. They'll try to hush this as much as they can.
In the end, eventually, they'll return to the Caern. They'll bring Meka'il word of what happened to the last of her brothers. They'll report to the Warder, and the Grand Elder, that the threat to the Sept is eliminated.
They will not hang trophies.
[Christian del Piero] (( Thanks again for the scene, Kai! ))
[confessor.] [Great scene, guys! Thanks for playing!]
celebration.
9 years ago