They have an escort on the way out - surly, silent wolves and wolfmen tailing them to the edge of the bawn. At the very borders they stop, watching their 'guests' depart. They don't turn back until Senachewine's people are utterly out of sight.
And when they are out of sight, Billy Bourne slows until he comes alongside of the Unbroken. In a low voice he asks, "So, what didja think?"
Brutal RevelationSinclair flicks a glance at Maddox, then back to Billy Bourne. "I think we should worry about Seamus out there with Bloody Smiles," she says. "He undermined the Warder right in front of the Grand Elder, and he seemed a little rabid about keeping anyone from even investigating the possibility of Spirals nearing their lands. I don't trust him."
Sidewalk's End"That thing 'e said," Maddox adds, "'bout bein' able to smell the Spirals. It's true. A Ragabash of his rank, 'specially one in a caern that bloody paranoid about outsiders, would've."
-retelling-"And yet he didn't," Billy replies, frowning. Then, slower, "Or... he said he didn't."
Brutal RevelationSinclair looks at Billy and raises both her eyebrows high on her forehead, staring at him a second. The look is expressive as that mouth she has: YUP. WHATCHA THINK THAT MEANS. She shakes her head. "We're off of their land. We should follow them if we can. It's no use casting doubt on him without proof."
Sidewalk's EndThe corner of Maddox's mouth quirks, his expression wry. He nods once, shrugs his shoulders. "And as much as I'd love to see that Seamus knocked around a bit, being a smarmy arsehole doesn't mean he deserves to die. Otherwise the Fianna'd've all died out before they even started." He turns to his packmates. "We're going after them, too, I take it?"
-retelling-"Now hold on a second." Joseph jogs up beside them. "If I'm hearin' correct, y'all think Bloody Smile's been turned, and he might move on his own packmate. That right? And now you're sayin' maybe we oughta follow 'em and, what, try to save one Fiann from the other?
"Now what if - just what if - he kills the poor bugger and then pins it on us? That'll be war."
Brutal RevelationSinclair is somewhere between the hardline Fianna and the more democratic group she finds herself in. She snaps her head around to look at Joseph. For a moment she just stares at him expectantly, a look he probably knows from his own mate. Then, a few seconds later: "Oh, see I thought since you spoke up you might have some better ideas." She looks from him to Billy, Billy to the rest of the group. "Anyone? You're all Garou. Wise Philodoxes and Theurges, strong Ahrouns, Galliards with minds full of ideas, crafty Ragabashes. The war is coming whether Throat-Cutter believes it or not, and whether Bloody Smiles will speak truth or not. So either come up with a better plan, or: those of you that are willing, get in line to come watch Bloody Smiles and, if we need to, save Seamus's life. And -- if we can -- bring proof to Throat Cutter.
"Of course there's always the chance that we're wrong, and if so, I want proof that's just as definitive of Bloody Smiles's innocence."
Sidewalk's EndAt move on his own packmate Maddox's brows lift. He must have missed that part of the introductions.
"If they're pack," he says once Sinclair has finished, "then as likely as not Seamus is in on the plot. If they're traitors, no one would know until it was much too late."
Turning to Billy, he drops his chin and lifts a brow. "Would you really be willing to risk that on a what if, mate?"
-retelling-[*coughs* SEPTMATE.]
Sidewalk's End[scrap everything before "Turning to Billy..."!]
-retelling-"I'm willing to bet a group of us can overpower one Ragabash, no matter how crafty or sly he might be," Billy replies. "Even if we can't, we gotta try. If Bloody Smile's up to something, this might be our best shot at catching him and finally gettin' our foot through the door at the Sept. Gotta admit for a while there today I thought we were done for," he adds, glancing at Sinclair, "but amazingly 'nough you managed to pull us all back out of the fire.
"Regardless," back to business, "we're not gonna get nothin' done standin' around debatin'. Colleen, you're with me, Savage Oracle 'n End of the Road. Joe, get everybody else back together and wait -- either for us to come back or the Fianna to send word, or both."
Joseph shakes his head. "Whatever you say, cap'n. Jus' don't blame me if y'all end up lynched or somethin'."
"I'll go with you," Lukas says. "You might need extra muscle."
"I ain't arguin' that," Billy replies, "but we'll need to move fast."
Which is what they do. The small group becomes smaller still, half returning to the main camp, the other five circling back north, and west.
[Let's have some tracking rolls! I'll let you guys roll percep + PU at +3 dice b/c Colleen's with you, and a pretty good tracker.]
Sidewalk's End[percept + PU +3, diff -2 (lupus)]
Dice: 7 d10 TN4 (4, 4, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10) ( success x 7 )
Brutal Revelation[per + PU + Colleen]
Dice: 9 d10 TN4 (4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 7, 8, 8, 10) ( success x 9 )
Brutal Revelation"I try to put out the fires I start," Sinclair tells Billy Bourne, giving a tongue-lolling grin. "Least I can do." And she puts her nose to the ground.
Brutal Revelation[THEN GOD REACHES OUT AND TOUCHES THAT NOSE]
-retelling-[actually, one more roll to determine how quickly you get there! stam + ath, normal diff!]
Brutal Revelation[stam + ath]
Dice: 8 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 2, 6, 6, 6, 8, 9) ( success x 4 )
Sidewalk's End[stam + lup]
Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (3, 4, 4, 9, 10) ( success x 2 )
-retelling-They're the definition of a special task force. That term hasn't been invented yet, but they still fit it to a tee: mobile, swift, skilled. The five wolves have no trouble at all picking up the Fianna trail, and the pace they set is hard and fast. They swing wide of the Bawn, stay clear of where they know the Wyrm to be - this shunts them down a narrow corridor between the two influences, but the scent is clear as a beacon. The only question is how fast they'll run to reach it,
and the truth is, some can run faster than others.
Lukas and Sinclair have no trouble maintaining their pace. The Ahroun and the Galliard: they don't seem to tire. Colleen's a trooper too -- panting but running without strain, leaping nimbly over obstacles, skirting noisy patches as though by instinct. Maddox and Senachewine, though, soon begin to fall behind. It becomes readily apparent that the ones in the lead will either have to slow -- or leave their allies behind.
Brutal RevelationSinclair is not the first to notice that Billy Bourne and Maddox are falling behind -- Billy and Maddox are, most likely -- but when she does she hangs back a bit, sending over the totem bond: Lukas, take Colleen and go on ahead. I'll run with Difficult Current and Maddox. I don't think I could lose that trail in a thunderstorm. We'll catch up.
Sidewalk's EndTheir Theurge is not a physical creature. If it weren't for his shifting blood, his ability to change form into a four-legged beast from a two-legged, he'd be a complete weakling. He'd probably live his life by his guitar, more so than he already does, showing up for gigs in bars, taking home the odd girl, getting by just barely. This suits Maddox just fine, most days.
He's not surprised when he starts to fall behind the others. His packmates are stronger and faster than he could ever hope to be. When it starts to become obvious he's not going to be able to keep up, he doesn't slow down his pace, but, he doesn't try to force himself to keep up, either.
That's alright, he sends back. We'll catch up. If there's trouble up there you'll need all the muscle you can muster.
Brutal RevelationThe Galliard of the Unbroken was, from early childhood, an athlete. Double back handsprings, breaststroke, aggressive beach volleyball, surfing, basket tosses -- this was all conditioning her body long before she Changed. If she hadn't been born Garou --
well, let's not follow that thought to its conclusion. There are aching regrets as well as pastel sweater-sets down that road.
But there is this: she could run Bloody Smiles and Seamus down just as fast as Lukas, and she could track their quarry tonight with no stars and nothing but dry ground. She lives in this world, and in this world she is a strong, athletic, swiftly running wolf. There's a flicker of disappointment in her as she hangs back and notices that Maddox is just keeping his pace, neither slowing down -- giving up -- nor pushing that much harder when he realizes he's falling behind, which to someone like Sinclair is just another form of giving up.
And if there's trouble back here, Sinclair shoots back, who's the muscle with you and Difficult Current? The Ragabash and the Ahroun should go ahead: her wit and scouting ability, his strength in case of trouble. We'll catch up. Just move! she says, and circles behind him and Difficult Current,
snapping at their heels, harrying them forward
like she has harried forward everyone today, and last night.
Sidewalk's EndHe doesn't argue with that. There are spirits a thin veil away, and Maddox is a competent summoner. All it would take is him reaching across and dragging something -- anything -- over to buy time for escape or to call upon more firepower.
When Sinclair circles around behind him, he knows what's coming. Before her jaws can snap at his heels, he pushes himself to pick up the pace.
-retelling-Wyrmbreaker casts only one glance over his back. Then - a Shadow Lord, after all - he surges forward, vanishing into the thicket with the lanky-legged Fianna Ragabash. Left behind, Senachewine picks up the pace as well. Sinclair snaps at Maddox's heels, but he tries to go faster before she gets a chance, and all three of them, all together, move a little quicker.
They're still a good quarter-mile away when they smell it suddenly: blood on the wind. And close on the heels of that, distant snarls and growls. Lukas's voice in their minds, urgent and angry:
Found Seamus. He's almost dead. A pack of Dancers here. Bloody Smile's nowhere to be seen, but how much do you want to bet he's either running for the Dancers or running back to the Sept with a tongue full of lies?
Brutal RevelationImmediately -- even as Lukas is still speaking -- Sinclair begins barking aloud to Billy Bourne what she's hearing from her Alpha. When it's over, she surges forward, snapping to the Child of Gaia: "Go back to your sept and the Fianna caern -- tell them we are fighting the Dancers that don't exist." And, whether Maddox can keep up or not, she lunges over a fallen tree, kicking up mud with her hind legs as she pounds toward the battle.
Sidewalk's EndA moment before Lukas' words reach them, Maddox would have sworn he was going just as fast as his paws could carry him. He strains his muscles to work harder, to go faster, to get there.
Then, the report comes. The Theurge's ears flatten to his skull. A burst of adrenaline gives him just that much more of a boost for a few steps more. Sinclair breezes past him easily, barking to the other Galliard, and Maddox begins to shift upward as he runs. Up to Hispo, and again into Crinos, still on all fours, his loping ungainly. He claws at the earth, tearing huge gouges as he finally pushes himself from four legs to two.
Sinclair and Lukas rush toward the battle. Maddox finds his talens, readies them between the fingers of one hand as he hurries to join them.
-retelling-Billy hesitates only for a second. Then he whips around and races away, sparing only enough time to shout, "Be careful!" before he's gone.
[If you guys wanna activate anything/do anything, now's the time!]
Brutal Revelation[shifting to hispo as she runs.
resist pain, -1WP.
steelfur. -1WP, stamina + science. suxx add to health pool.]
Dice: 8 d10 TN7 (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) ( success x 4 )
Sidewalk's End[soak talen!]
Dice: 6 d10 TN6 (2, 2, 3, 5, 9, 9) ( success x 2 )
-retelling-When Sinclair and Maddox burst onto the scene, they find battle already joined and pitched. There are six Dancers. Seven, actually, but one lies dead, crumpled at the base of a tree, eyes staring and horrible. Another is badly wounded, but five others are circling like vultures, cackling, taunting.
The Ahroun and the Ragabash are back to back, teeth bared. They're guarding the ragged, convulsing ruin of Seamus - already in breed form, choking on blood. They circle too, and it takes the rest of the Unbroken only an instant to see that they're trying to keep the strongest Dancers facing Lukas. His eyes flick over to his packmates when they're in sight. He doesn't give them away. He waits, though, and when they attack -
so does he.
-retelling-[for the record: lukas probably put a BB on (+6) and activated resist pain en route, but i doubt he had time to do much else!]
Brutal RevelationMaddox -- if you can heal Seamus... are the last coherent words any of the Unbroken hear from Sinclair for awhile after that. As for her, she catches Lukas's eye and moves, quick as she can, behind the Dancers that face her pack Alpha.
-retelling-[let's init! same as ever: dex + wits + 1d10
also, FOR THE RECORD, this is a new dice system. if it's obviously not working, we'll scrap and go back to old one.]
Brutal Revelation[+10]
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (2) ( fail )
Sidewalk's EndSinclair moves to take the Dancers from behind. Maddox waits only to clear a path to his alpha and the wounded butthead on the ground.
[+7]
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (9) ( success x 1 )
-retelling-lukas! +20
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (6) ( success x 1 )
-retelling-colleen! +8
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (6) ( success x 1 )
-retelling-Albert! +20
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (1) ( botch x 1 )
-retelling-Buck! +7
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (9) ( success x 1 )
-retelling-Cade! +8
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (3) ( fail )
-retelling-Dan! +8
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (8) ( success x 1 )
-retelling-Eli! +10
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (8) ( success x 1 )
-retelling-Fred! +4 (gurk... almost ded...)
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (9) ( success x 1 )
-retelling-Init
Lukas 26
Al 21
Eli 18
Dan 16
Maddox 16
Buck 16
Colleen 14
Fred 13
Sinclair 12
Cade 11
Cade:
1. Try to bite Seamus!
a. Again!
b. I'm really out to get him!
Brutal Revelation[1a. get behind Albert
1b. bite Albert omnomnom
1c. OM NOM NOM
r1. still on albert, switching to Eli otherwise]
-retelling-[oh man, for the record, by 1 / a / b i meant 1 / R1 / R2]
-retelling-Buck
1a. claw lookasch!
R1. again!
R2. bite him!
Colleen
0. Will take hit Cade-1 for Seamus
1. Claw Albert!
R1. Again!
Fred
1. Ow... ow... hamstring Sinclair!
R1. RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY.
Sidewalk's End[Who needs physical stats when you a TALEN MACHEEN?
1a: Moon Sign on Cade
1b: Moon Sign on Al
1c: -1G GB butthead]
Lukas
0. Take other two hits for Seamus!
1a. bite Al
b. again
R1. sommore!
R2. srsly, chomp
R3. CHOMP
Al
1. Bite Lukas!
R1. Bite Colleen!
R2. Lukas!
R3. Colleen!
R4. I CAN GO FIVE TIMES TOO. Bite Lukas!
Eli
1. Oh hey, new people. Bite Maddox!
R1. Stay on him!
R2. Like white on rice!
Dan
1. Bite Sinclair!
R1. Stick to her!
R2. Like glue!
-retelling-Lukas
Biting: attack score = 20, Al's defend = a disgusting 15; rolling 5 dice at diff 5 (biting). 1's don't subtract, 10's are rerolled. Each succ = -1 health!
Dice: 5 d10 TN5 (2, 3, 7, 7, 7, 10) ( success x 4 ) Re-rolls: 1
-retelling-Again!
Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (1, 3, 8, 8, 8) ( success x 2 )
-retelling-+1 succ for the 1. Al down 7, but he had more than 7 to start so he's still up.
-retelling-Al: bites Lukas! Al has resist pain, so does not lose dice. Al's attack is 18; Lukas's defense is 13. Rolling 5 dice at diff 5.
Dice: 5 d10 TN5 (3, 4, 6, 7, 7, 10) ( success x 4 ) Re-rolls: 1
-retelling-Eli: biting Maddox. Eli's attack is 16. Maddox's defense is 9. Rolling 7 dice at diff 5!
Dice: 7 d10 TN5 (2, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7) ( success x 4 )
-retelling-Dan: biting Sinclair! 16 attack - 12 def = 4 diff 5.
Dice: 4 d10 TN5 (1, 2, 2, 9, 10) ( success x 1 ) Re-rolls: 1
-retelling-[2 succ! 1 doesn't count]
Sidewalk's End[1a: Talen actimication! Gnosis -3, -1 (ow!), diff 5]
Dice: 2 d10 TN5 (6, 10) ( success x 2 )
-retelling-Cade: don'tshiftdon'tshift
Dice: 5 d10 TN7 (1, 2, 3, 4, 8) ( fail )
-retelling-Cade: lupus!
Sidewalk's End[1a: Talen actimication onnnnnnnn Eli! Gnosis -4 -1 (ow!), diff 6]
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (2) ( fail )
Sidewalk's End[-1G, +4HL to Seamus!]
-retelling-[Seamus heals up a little and groggily wakes up - will be active next round!]
-retelling-Buck: clawing Lukas! Attack 14, Lukas's Defense is 13. Buck takes +1 diff; Lukas's defense drops to 11. 3 dice at diff 7!
Dice: 3 d10 TN7 (5, 7, 8) ( success x 2 )
-retelling-Colleen: FINISH AL! 16 attack vs 15 defense; taking +2 diff to drop defense to 11. 5 dice at diff 8! +WP
Dice: 5 d10 TN8 (1, 4, 7, 9, 9) ( success x 2 ) [WP]
-retelling-[3 succ... and Al is incap!]
-retelling-Fred: I be hamstring nao? 7 attack vs 12 defend. Base diff is 8; +2 diff only drops defense to 8, so... no. Fred does not hamstring. FAIL.
Brutal Revelation[1b. ELI NOM]
Dice: 5 d10 TN3 (2, 3, 4, 4, 5) ( success x 4 )
Brutal Revelation[1c. ELI NOM 2]
Dice: 4 d10 TN3 (3, 3, 3, 8, 10, 10) ( success x 6 ) Re-rolls: 2
-retelling-Eli: (x_X)
-retelling-Cade: I be nom Seamus, k? 11 Attack
Colleen: NEWP. 13 Defend.
Cade takes +2 diff; Colleen at 9.
Dice: 2 d10 TN8 (3, 9) ( success x 1 )
Brutal Revelation[THOU SHALT NOT BITE THE HEALBOT, ELI.]
-retelling-[midround summary:
Format is: Name Init Attack Defense StartHP CurrentHP
Lukas 26 20 13 13 6
Eli 18 16 10 7 x_X (OK 3)
Dan 16 16 10 7
Maddox 16 9 8 4
Buck 16 14 10 7
Colleen 14 16 13 7 6
Fred 13 7 7 7
Sinclair 12 12 11 9
Cade 11 11 8 7
Seamus 10 8 4
INCAP
Al 21 18 15 10 0]
er. THIS.
Init Attack Defend Health
Lukas 26 20 13 13 6
Dan 16 16 10 7
Maddox 16 11 9 8 4
Buck 16 14 10 7
Colleen 14 16 13 7 6
Fred 13 7 7 7
Sinclair 12 19 12 11 9
Cade 11 11 8 7
Seamus 10 8 4
INCAP
Al 21 18 15 10 0
DED
Eli 18 16 10 7 x_X (OK 3)
Lukas, R1 - chomping Dan! Attack 20, Defense 10
Dice: 10 d10 TN5 (1, 1, 3, 3, 5, 5, 7, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10) ( success x 6 ) Re-rolls: 2
-retelling-+2 from the stupid 1's.
-retelling-Dan: obviously NOT biting Sinclair anymore. On to Maddox!
-retelling-Er. On to Buck!
R1. Biting lukas! Attack 14, Defense 13, taking +2 diff to drop defense to 9.
Dice: 5 d10 TN7 (1, 2, 4, 7, 9) ( success x 1 )
-retelling-+1
-retelling-Colleen: moving on to claw Cade! Attack 16, Defense 8.
Dice: 8 d10 TN6 (1, 3, 3, 5, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10) ( success x 4 ) Re-rolls: 1
-retelling-+1
-retelling-Fred: I BE RUN NOW, TAY. -5, ow ow ow.
Dice: 2 d10 TN6 (1, 9) ( fail )
-retelling-or not.
Brutal Revelation[R1. CHOMP BUCK IN HIS BADONKADONK.]
Dice: 9 d10 TN3 (1, 3, 3, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10) ( success x 12 ) Re-rolls: 5
Brutal Revelation[+1. 13 HP annihiliated. Buck is a splatter.]
-retelling-LOL. Buck: ____ __
-retelling-Cade: WELL I'M STILL BITIN SEAMUS! Attack is currently 9
Lukas: defend! 13
Cade: +3 diff, drops defense to 7!
Dice: 2 d10 TN8 (3, 6) ( fail )
-retelling-Lukas: R2, attacking Cade, 20 vs 6
Dice: 14 d10 TN5 (1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10, 10) ( success x 7 ) Re-rolls: 3
-retelling-+3; Cade also down. Combat ends!
-retelling-Final score:
Format is Name Init Attack Defense StartHP CurrentHP
Lukas 26 20 13 13 4
Maddox 16 11 9 8 4
Colleen 14 16 13 7 6
Sinclair 12 19 12 11 9
Seamus 4
INCAP
Al 21 18 15 10 0
DED
Buck 16 14 10 7 0 (OK 6)
Cade 9 9 6 7 0 (OK 8)
Dan 16 16 10 7 0 (OK 1)
Eli 18 16 10 7 0 (OK 3)
FLEEING
Fred 2
