as usual, 10 min for posts, 3 min for declares, 2 for rolls! if you're too slow we'll just skip you and move on!]
[Wyrmbreaker] 2, 3am Sunday morning: Wyrmbreaker and the rest of the Garou -- the surviving Garou -- return from Moraine Hills. Most go to mourn Kemp in the Caern.
Wyrmbreaker goes to the Loft. He goes to the BroHo. He gathers up four of his pack; the six spot, he saves for a guest -- the Alpha and Galliard of the Dark Sky pack, who he introduces to the rest as they're packing to go. Weapons. Talens. As though they were going to war -- though that's not exactly it.
"We're going to the Battleground Realm," he explains as they follow Caleb and Theron into the Umbra. "It's an umbral realm where every battle that's ever happened replays over and over. Great training for Ahrouns and other warriors. You can watch, or you can participate. We're going to participate in tonight's battle in the basement. If you haven't already heard, Truth in Frenzy-rhya died tonight because he took hits that a bunch of Cliath Ahrouns didn't. They're claiming it was unavoidable, bad luck, and that they did their best. I'm not sure I believe that.
"To be fair," he adds this, makes this point, "they did seem to learn from it. They came back scarred and beaten, apparently all from taking hits for each other. That's to their credit. They're just having trouble swallowing the part that isn't. So I want to see what really went down. And I want to see if we can't pull this shit off with minimal casualties.
"I've asked Stormbreaker of Dark Sky to come along as a neutral Galliard and witness."
The umbra changes around them. Soon they come to a vast plain echoing with the din of battle, heady with the smell of blood, viscerae, glorious fucking death. Signposts, creaking and cracked, point the way to infinite battles --
ACTIUM
JERUSALEM
JUTLAND
STALINGRAD
HASTINGS
-- and perhaps without their theurges, they might have wandered for hours before finding the right one.
ELK GROVE COMMUNITY CENTER: BASEMENT
"We're going to fight first," Lukas says. "We're going to go in as blind as possible, react as they had to. When we're finished, we'll see what they did, and how."
The cobblestoned path they've been following has receded to faint tracks in the dirt. Ahead, there's a sharp rise -- beyond which they can see nothing.
"Let's prepare."
[okay, roll any and all activations now!]
[Banshee] Iona stayed as far from Lukas as possible, still angry with him, with his words. Maybe after he sees, they all see, then he will understand.
She shifted to Hispo, the same form she was in not hours before. Still feeling the pain from the wounds she took. (3A) But she bites back the pain for now. This time, she'll do it her way. No soak talen. And if the battle is true to its words, her 'spectral' self would activate the Stormfeather, and therefore, Preun will be with her.
[Honor's Compass]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 4, 8 (Success x 1 at target 7)
[Honor's Compass] [Luna's Armor]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [Note that I'm going to roughly map it out like this in terms of attacks and whatnot:
Lukas - Kemp
Sinclair - sM
Kate - Sol
Mila - Kire
Iona - herself
(NPC ghost) - Mama]
[Wyrmbreaker] [Lukas is activating:
Hispo form
-1 WP Resist Pain
-1 Gn Bloody Bandages
-1 Gn Soak Talen (+3)
-1 Gn Luna's Armor -- rolling!]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 3, 5, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 10 at target 7) [WP] Re-rolls: 2
[Warcry] Sinclair is about as excited about this as one can be about anything after fighting all night, sleeping for a few hours, and then getting roused awake. It's entirely possible Lukas or Katherine slapped her face to get her to do more than roll over and mumble, but considering her mother, as loving and nurturing a woman as you'll ever meet, had to pinch her occasionally to get her ass out of bed, she don't mind none. She dressed quick, packed up to shield and heal, and headed out.
On their way in, she's been bouncing occasionally on the balls of her feet, peering at signposts. Maybe Katherine has touched her shoulder and indicated that no, she can't go watch the Invasion of Normandy right now, they're busy.
She digs around in her pockets of a dedicated jacket, but they don't seem big enough to hold what she pulls out. Looking around, she gives a little nod to Banshee and tosses her a small black button with a quartered circle scrawled on it in white. She takes another for herself, pins it to her jacket, and the symbol glows faintly blue for a moment before fading entirely. Now it's just a black button, glossy and purposeless.
Then: gourds. She gives one to Iona, one to Kate, and one to Mila, just... y'know. In case. Cracking her neck, grinning, she snarls her way down into Hispo, metal bars and rings still glinting in her ears.
[-1WP Resist Pain
-1G Soak Talen
1 Gaia's Breath talen given to Iona, Kate, and Mila
1 Soak talen given to Iona]
[Banshee] Iona takes the talens in her hispo form, and moves them around with her mouth til they seem to hang on her neck from a hidden collar. Then button is picked up with her mouth, and she gives Sinclair a funny look. What is this, Warcry? Said as it gets tucked into a steel gauntlet around her left front leg.
[Honor's Compass] Truth's Meridian adopts her snowy white Hispo form once they are across the Gauntlet, into the Realm. She calls upon the Gift of the Lune, alongside her Alpha, a soft glow enveloping her fur. It is not the only she summons, the strength of Bear's Gift to resist pain is also requested; and she cracks a gourd over her fur to further aid in the soaking of any mystical blows she might receive.
Perun's boon extends only so far, and tonight; it is the Philodox who makes her way into battle without him.
[So! Tally:
- Soak Talen Activated
- Luna's Armor on
- Resist Pain on (-1WP)
- 1 GB from Sinclair stowed]
[Stormbreaker] Mila had been a quiet dark figure lurking a few steps off. She didn't know any of them, save Wyrmbreaker, but was honored to be invited to join. Perhaps after all this, she could get to know them better...
A nod of thanks was given to Sinclair for the talen as well as a little smirk - must have thought she needed it? Well.. she might! She was so much better at playing guitar then killing big things. The Gaia's breath was neatly tucked away before she shifted to her dark, very dark.. hispo form. She had no fancy gifts, or talens of her own to use.. but she'd keep the GB close at hand.
[Warcry] She sits back as the two Fosterns of their pack glow, calling upon armor granted them by Gift and Goddess, and lifts one hind leg to scratch at her scruff. Her tongue lolls out a bit. Shield talen. Punk rock style. w00t.
[Banshee] She seemed to nod. Thank you, Sister.
[Waking Dream] [A'ight. In the interest of getting this shit on the road while I still catch up! Lila's shifting her ass to Crinos then getting her Luna's Armor on. That's it for preparation! IC post forthcoming, honest to god! -1G]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 3, 5, 5, 6, 6, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Waking Dream] Lila listens as Lukas explains why they're going to the Battleground Realm and looks about as inscrutable as it's possible for the Child of Gaia galliard to look. She listens, and she follows, noting the moods of the other garou who're making this trip. When Lukas tells them to prepare, so-to-speak, she (still wordless; still watchful: eyes a gleam [dark] of green smoke) takes her lethal war-form, Crinos, and a moment afterward, glows radiant. And that's how it is, and that's how it goes.
[Er! Manip+Subt! I don't show what I r thinking!]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 7, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [Percep + Emp! I look with my four dice of lookings!]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 5, 7, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] When they're all ready, Wyrmbreaker leads them up the hill.
At the crest, the world around them suddenly shifts. They find themselves suddenly facing a a tunnel, perhaps large enough for three Hispo abreast or two Crinos. If they look behind, the plains and the signposts are gone. Nothing but a dark basement there, and elevators. Ahead, the tunnel slopes sharply downward. Shrieks, chitters, snarls and growls waft up, along with a potent stink, a humid, suffocating heat.
"Let me take point," Wyrmbreaker growls softly. "Iona, Kate and Mila behind. Sinclair and Waking Dream on rearguard."
The tunnel descends precipitously for the first ten, fifteen feet, then gentles. They're still going down -- they can feel it in the way their claws have to dig in for traction -- but it's milder now.
The ground beneath them, once concrete, is now earth. Loamy. Faintly sticky, wet, and infirm. There is a blind curve ahead; they can see nothing past it, but all at once there is a shriek -- loud, and quite close --
and then a bane flits around the corner.
It resembles an enormous centipede: innumerable legs, ability to move seemingly impervious to gravity. It spirals up the wall and freezes when it sees them, as shocked to see them as they are to see it. More so, likely. When it raises its carapaced head, it reveals a human face -- a placid, lovely, youthful face, androgynous, with an insect's compound eyes.
It begins to shriek alarm.
[inits! Sentry Bane rolled a 7 on night of assault.
Wyrmbreaker +20]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 6
[Warcry] [+9]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 6
[Waking Dream] (+7)
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 3
[Stormbreaker] [+5]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 7
[Honor's Compass] [+9]
Dice Rolled:[ 1 d10 ] 3
[Wyrmbreaker] [Okay, using Banshee's init from the other night -- 17
Lukas 26
Banshee 17
Sinclair 15
Kate 12
Mila 12
Lila 10
Bane 7 ]
[Wyrmbreaker] Bane: Shriek alarm!
[Waking Dream] [Lila: I'm rear-guard, yo. Look behind us! If shit comes, claw it!]
[Wyrmbreaker] Later, when they watch what happened this night:
This is when Kemp shouts: "Shut it the fuck up and ward the Theurge!"
This is when Kemp and Iona step to the blind curve and wait for any backups that may arrive. This is when sklora-Myrgen and Soledad leap for the bane, and in four hits, bring it down before it can utter a sound.
[Stormbreaker] Mila: If able to get Bane, claw
[Honor's Compass] [Kate: Keeping watch! Readying to attack if need be!]
[Wyrmbreaker] [I should mention some rules in use the other night:
1) You can declare to be taking hits for someone else reflexively. No action needs to be spent; you can just take the hit.
2) We're dumping split actions unless it gets ridiculous (like ...4 or more splits)]
[Warcry] [1a.
1b.
-- holding actions/keeping rearguard]
[Wyrmbreaker] Lukas
1a Bite Bane!
b. Bite Bane!
c. Bite Bane!
Iona - playing Mama's part:
1. Holding action
[Wyrmbreaker] [-3 split]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 5) Re-rolls: 3
[Wyrmbreaker] [dam +5]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Bane soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 8, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [-4!]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Wyrmbreaker] [dam]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 5, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 8 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [nooo i want to liiive!]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 4, 7, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [-5: no rly, die.]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 2, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 10 (Success x 8 at target 5) Re-rolls: 1
[Wyrmbreaker] [dam +7]
Dice Rolled:[ 16 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 10 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] The bane hits the ground. A wing flutters weakly. Not a sound; nothing but the crack of teeth into chitin.
Yet another twist in the tunnel stretches ahead. Yet another run of downslope. The stench is growing ever stronger down here. The heat in the air builds: a thick, sluggish, wet heat, suffocating, like a Gulf coast summer.
A difference, though. Where it's been growing steadily darker, it now begins to brighten again. Not daylight, though, nor moonlight, nor lamplight.
A sickly, flickering, greenish-yellow glow bathes the next turn in the tunnel, where they can see that the tunnel begins to delta out. A room? A chamber?
Wyrmbreaker licks his chops. Then he raises his muzzle and scents the air.
Later, when they watch:
Kemp slinks forward, keeping to the shadows, all but vanishing -- an expert scout at work. In his wake, Iona: making all the motions of creeping. Visible to all. A Cliath scout at work.
[Anyone who wants to sniff, roll percep+alert/PU, whichever is higher! -1 diff for hispo, -2 for lupus.]
[Wyrmbreaker] [sniff!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Stormbreaker] {Sniff}
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 6, 7, 7, 7, 10 (Success x 4 at target 5)
[Honor's Compass] [SNIFF! -1 Diff, Hispo!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Warcry] [*snuffle*]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 7, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Waking Dream] [smell bad??--Ludo]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [3 succ:
They can scent at least five distinct presences in there. Two are Garou. Three are foul, foul beyond reckoning.
Also, something else: they can hear it, too. A low, slushing gurgle, like a half-plugged drain. And voices. The low, guttural, foul snarls of the Dancer Tongue, barely intelligible across the distance, and after thousands of years in their fetid labyrinths.
"...Anhkahahn [unintelligible] hurry. They're [??] pressed hard upstairs."
"What does [??] want? Going [??] as I can. Not like [?? ??] faster."
"Just hurry."
And then a squealing shriek.]
to Honor's Compass, Stormbreaker, Warcry
[Wyrmbreaker] [4 succ:
One more thing. Suddenly, Stormbreaker catches a sixth distinct scent. A new one. It's not just one she missed. It's new.]
to Stormbreaker
[Wyrmbreaker] Wyrmbreaker, very softly:
"I smell two Dancers. Three banes. I hear... liquid." The hispo's shaggy, dark head swings toward the others. "You?"
[Warcry] A low whuff: "Same. Hear voices."
[Stormbreaker] Her muzzle lowered to the ground as she sniffed a bit further.. to try to confirm what she's found. Then.. quietly. "There's a sixth.. it just arrived.."
[Wyrmbreaker] [3 succ:
They can scent at least five distinct presences in there. Two are Garou. Three are foul, foul beyond reckoning.
Also, something else: they can hear it, too. A low, slushing gurgle, like a half-plugged drain. And voices. The low, guttural, foul snarls of the Dancer Tongue, barely intelligible across the distance, and after thousands of years in their fetid labyrinths.
"...Anhkahahn [unintelligible] hurry. They're [??] pressed hard upstairs."
"What does [??] want? Going [??] as I can. Not like [?? ??] faster."
"Just hurry."
And then a squealing shriek.]
to Waking Dream
[Honor's Compass] "Voices. Wanting to hurry. Something squealing." Soft, whuffed.
[Banshee] Iona saw all this, remembered it. She was right behind Kemp/Lukas. "There be a wyrmhole ahead. Birthing out Banes everah 5 minutes. 2 Dancers and 3 banes already wait there fo' mo'. An' they will see us soon."
[Wyrmbreaker] Banshee doesn't get past There be a -- when Wyrmbreaker snaps his jaws at her.
"Silence! Tell us only what you can see and hear and scent, now. No prior memories. Let the others go in fresh, as you did tonight."
[Waking Dream] "Some ace in the hole down here," Waking Dream says, low-as-possible. "Reinforcements. Foul weapon. Dunno."
[Banshee] She chuffed a bit, but still, she guarded her Alpha/Assualt leader's back as she did just a few hours before. Listening, she heard something familiar, and that is where she moved a bit, where they would soon be seen.
[Wyrmbreaker] Wyrmbreaker's lips lift, quivering, in a reflexive and soundless snarl.
"We go in together. Stop at the mouth of the tunnel. Let me take the brunt of the attack as long as I can bear it. Counterattack what I do. Banshee," he pauses long enough to toss her his bag of talens, "take the Gaia's Breaths in there. Heal yourself, and then be ready to heal anyone. Do not Rage, do you understand?
"When you run out of spirit, shout it out and pass the talens on."
A short, chuffing breath. He waits until Banshee has repaired herself.
"Ready? With me!"
-- the Shadow Lord explodes forward down the tunnel.
[Lukas has like... 10 GBs or something. Banshee should heal herself up to full! I'll wait for a post from everyone, then get this rolling.]
[Wyrmbreaker] [oh, also: reflexive wits + occult rolls! you may add wyrm lore if you have it. if you don't have occult at all, you may roll wits + PU at diff 8 instead.]
[Wyrmbreaker] [Lukas!]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 7, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Honor's Compass] [Wits + Occult]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 4, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Stormbreaker] {Who knows about wyrmies.. Mila does!maybe..}
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 3, 6 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Warcry] [wits+pu]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 1 at target 8)
[Wyrmbreaker] As they round the corner, they see it sprawling in the center of the chamber: a vortex of corruption, ten or fifteen feet across. Like an abominated mirror of Maelstrom, it's a swirling eye of chaos that spits taint out the way the way Maelstrom takes it in, devours it, ends it.
At the far side, there's barely two feet between the edges of the vortex and the sloping walls of the chamber. At the near side, there's perhaps four or five feet of clearance to the right, there's a largish patch of open space. Two malformed Crinos Garou stand there with long hooks, pulling banes from the filth as they're formed. Three other banes are already patrolling the edges, cavorting in the air over the hole. A fourth, the six entity Stormbreaker scented, is being birthed as the Ragabashes watch. It thrashes onto the shore, wet, slimed with the foul substance it was formed from, roaring. The Dancers keep their distance, use hooks to peel the afterbirth from its form.
As the Garou storm into sight, they turn to face the threat...
[PMs coming!]
[Wyrmbreaker] [Augh! That thing is bad! It's spitting out new banes!]
to Stormbreaker, Warcry
[Warcry] The Galliard of the Unbroken -- not the only Galliard here, not the Galliards brought as witnesses -- makes a rough sound in her throat when Lukas says he'll take the brunt of the attack. It's openly showing reservation, displeasure. There's submission though, sheathed fangs and lowered head. She knows none of them will die in this venture. She does not behave as though that is the case.
"I have many talens too. If needed."
She shakes her fur out, arches her back, stretches, and
follows Wyrmbreaker.
[Banshee] This wasn't right, this wasn't how it went. She caught the back in her mouth, and managed to get one out. But she did as told and broke it to try and heal herself. It was the last bit of spirit she had left.
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 1 at target 8)
[Wyrmbreaker] [There must be some way to close it. Maybe they can choke it with bodies!]
to Honor's Compass
[Waking Dream] [wtf not? *late to the party* maybe I'll go learn stuff after this. wits+pu]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 5, 6, 10 (Success x 1 at target 8)
[Wyrmbreaker] [Augh! That thing is bad! It's spitting out new banes!]
to Waking Dream
[Stormbreaker] The plan she agreed with, mostly. Staying together was important. Pick -them- off one by one.. and do not allow them to pick you off! The Cliath's experience with battle was.. minimal, but she could bullshit like no ones business and she looked badass.. and that was the important thing.
Stormbreaker followed after Wyrmbreaker, determined to stay close.
[Honor's Compass] There's a snarl.
She can't help it, when she catches sight of what they're about to confront but not really win against, since this battle was already fought, already won. But it doesn't make the sight any less revolting, doesn't make the fur bristle over her skin any less for the knowledge. She's whuffing as she moves, running low behind her Alpha, amongst the others, the ghosts of the former Garou that fought here, and those she's with in actuality.
"Vortex key. Must find way to close! Choke it with bodies! Banes. Feed back filth to filth."
[Banshee] Iona passed the bag back. Out o' Gnosis. Spoken in a soft High Tongue
[Wyrmbreaker] Later:
They'll see how the party before them did this. They'll see how Kemp and Iona scouted to the lip of the tunnel, the younger ragabash unaware that she was not cloaked in shadows.
They'll see how the Dancers saw them, and descended on Iona, and how the rest of the Garou rushed down the tunnel, and then the banes swarmed. And then:
Soledad and Kemp leap for the Dancers. Iona too. One manages to cut into Iona -- the same wound she bore when she reentered the basement's umbral reflection, the only one. Kemp takes another Dancer down in two hits, the first to fall. His body shoved into the Wyrmhole; the Wyrmhole shuddering, choking on its own foul emesis. Iona and Soledad have a little more difficulty with the remaining one, though eventually Soledad downs it with a vicious bite.
Of the four banes, one breaks for Kire, who stands his ground, takes the hits. His blood is the first to spill amongst the Gaians.
The other three go for Mama. She's kneeling, chanting, a ritual, a prayer, a summons. Kire stands over her, but is busy with his own enemy. Soledad and Iona do not defend her. sklora-Myrgen does, taking two hits, is wounded badly. The Fang deals damage back in kind, tearing into one of the banes.
Kemp takes four hits. The first two don't even scratch him. The third wounds him. The fourth kills him.
[Wyrmbreaker] Wyrmbreaker snarls, and passes the talens directly to Mila -- flinging the bag without so much as breaking his stride.
"Heal if you must. Do not Rage! Shout when you're out of spirit!"
The banes are facing them now, chittering: eager for blood. The Dancers are screaming at them in their foul tongue, lashing them on. The Wyrmhole: yawns wide.
"Kate, with me, on the vortex! Everyone else -- on Sinclair's target!"
[annnnd inits!]
[Wyrmbreaker] [actually -- let's keep inits. i'll init up the dancers / banes]
[Wyrmbreaker] [Or well, look them up. Dancers 8, Banes 14.
Lukas 26
Banshee 17
Sinclair 15
Banes 14
Kate 12
Mila 12
Lila 10
Dancers 8]
[Wyrmbreaker] [oh and wyrmhole, effectively 0]
[Wyrmbreaker] Dancers
Adam
1. Gouge Iona with hook!
R1. Grapple with hook!
R2. Try to toss into Wyrmhole!
Ben
1. Finish helping Fred get born
R1. Bite Iona
Wyrmhole
Spits out a new bane at the end of every round!
[Waking Dream] [A'ight, fine! Either:
1a. close distance w/ Sinclair's target.
1b. Claw!
or!
1a. claw Sinclair's target
1b. bite Sinclair's target.]
[Stormbreaker] {Mila:
1a. Claw whatever target is Sinclair's
1b. also bite same target}
[Honor's Compass] [Tooo the windoooow, to the Wyrmhole!
1a. To the BITE BITE
1b. BITE BITE BITE
R1. BITE
R2. BITE]
[Wyrmbreaker] Adam, reflexive:
"Kill the [???] Theurge!"
Banes
Chad
1. Breaks rank and attacks Mila!
R1. Again!
Dan
1. Attack Lila!
R1. Again!
El
1. Attack Lila!
R1. Again!
Fred
1. Attack Lila!
R1. Again!
[Warcry] [1a. move to flank Dan
1b.
1c.
R1. -- all bites, switching to El if Dan goes down]
[Banshee] 1a) Flank Dan
1b) Bite Dan
[Wyrmbreaker] Lukas
Reflexive: Taking a shit ton of hits. Also yelling HAEL PLZ at Stormbreaker/Lila if necessary.
1a.
b.
R1
R2
R3 -- biting Wyrmhole first; moving on to Dan, then El, and so on.
[Wyrmbreaker] 1a. bite wyrmhole! stationary object! straight to damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 22 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [hurr. i forgot my split. -2]
Dice Rolled:[ 20 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 9 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [-3!]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 15 at target 1) Re-rolls: 2
[Wyrmbreaker] [hurr.]
Dice Rolled:[ 23 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 14 at target 6)
[Banshee] 1a) Flanking
1b) 10d @ diff 4 (-1 flanking)
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 8 at target 4)
[Banshee] Damage 8d
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Attacking a Wyrmhole is a little like a surrealist nightmare.
Their teeth tear into nothingness, meet some amorphous, rubbery resistance. When Wyrmbreaker snaps his head to the side, he literally rips pieces and chunks of matter into existence. Jumbled, incomplete, tattered pieces of banes, an eye here, a deformed skull there, a claw, some glistening stretch of entrail: these things splat out against the shore, pulled lukewarm and half-formed from the vortex, are flung onto the walls and the floor of the chamber like a Jackson Pollack from hell.
[Wyrmbreaker] [dan soaks!]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 5, 6, 8, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Warcry] [1b. -4 (split), -1 (moon), +1 (stormw00t)]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 4) Re-rolls: 1
[Warcry] [+3]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Warcry] [1c. -5, +1, -1]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 4) Re-rolls: 1
[Warcry] [+3 COME ON YOU WHORE.]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 6, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Banes!
Chad, attacking Mila, deflected by Lukas.
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Damage+2!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 20 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 8 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Dan, attacking Lila, deflected by Lukas.
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Dam!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 3, 5, 6, 7, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 20 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] El, same as Dan!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 9 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Dam!
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 4, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker]
Dice Rolled:[ 20 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Fred, same as Dan!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Dam!
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 20 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Honor's Compass] [Bite Wyrmhole! -2 Split, -1]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 2, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 12 at target 1)
[Honor's Compass] [Bite Wyrmhole, take 2! -3, -1]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 12 at target 1)
[Stormbreaker] {Claw(Dan?)}
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 3, 3, 3, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Stormbreaker] {Damage}
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] It's possible none of them, not even Lukas himself, has ever seen him so supernaturally resilient before. Four blows come to him and are turned all-but-effortlessly aside -- though the last, in spite of all his armor, all his strength, manages to gouge him down the side.
It heals in an instant. Bloody Bandage. Still: Fate. Luck. Fickle mistresses.
The Wyrmhole, meanwhile: ripped and rended, its contents literally torn from its surface, shrinking, drying up, only a fraction of its original size now.
[Dan soaks!]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Stormbreaker] {Bite -same}
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 5, 5, 5, 5, 7, 9, 9, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Stormbreaker] {Damage}
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 4, 7 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Stormbreaker] {Take... 2.. Claw!}
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 2, 6, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Stormbreaker] {Damage.. *crosses fingers*}
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 3, 5, 5, 5, 7, 7, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Stormbreaker] {Bite.. take 2}
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 5, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Stormbreaker] {Damage}
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] soak 2!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 3, 5, 5, 7, 7, 8, 8 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Waking Dream] [1a. Claw Dan? Doo-dee-doo. -2]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Waking Dream] [DMG: 6+3+1-1?]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 4, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [nooo i wanna liiive!]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 8, 9, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Waking Dream] [1b. Bite ...
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 3, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Waking Dream] [DMG: 6+3+1-1?]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 8, 9 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] BSDs
Adam
1. Gouge Iona with hook! Deflected by Lukas.
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 3, 3, 5, 8, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 7)
[Wyrmbreaker] [damage +1(hook) +3(succ)]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 4, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 20 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 10 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Ben
1. Was halping Fred!
[Wyrmbreaker] Rage Actions!
Lukas
R1 - attack Wyrmhole again!
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 14 at target 1) Re-rolls: 2
[Wyrmbreaker] damage!
Dice Rolled:[ 23 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 12 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Even as the first of the banes drop to the ground, the Wyrmhole closes with a final gurgle of suction.
Wyrmbreaker wheels on the banes, barking to his compatriots.
"Flank them!"
[Warcry] [R1. -1, +1!]
Dice Rolled:[ 13 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 5 at target 4)
[Warcry] [+4 KAHSEENO I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL CUT YOU]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] El soaks!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 5, 7, 7, 8 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Banes
Chad - attacking Mila, deflected!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 3, 3, 5, 5, 6, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [dam]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker]
Dice Rolled:[ 20 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 9, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Dan - ded.
El - on Lila, deflected!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 4, 4, 6, 6, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [dam +4]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker]
Dice Rolled:[ 20 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 8 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Fred - same as El!
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [Damage +3]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 5, 5, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 20 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Honor's Compass] [R1. Biting Banes! El? Someone bad! Dex + Brawl + Hispo, -1 Flanking]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 4)
[Honor's Compass] [Damage + 5]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Honor's Compass] [R2!]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 (Success x 4 at target 4)
[Honor's Compass] [Damage + 3]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [El soaks! nooo i wanna liiiive!]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 3, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] x_x
[Wyrmbreaker] Fred soaks!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] R2. True Fear on Adam!
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 2, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9 (Success x 8 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [whoops, hold Lukas's R2. Dancers!
Adam R1: grappling Iona]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 4, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [Ben R1: biting Iona, deflected by Lukas.]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 9 (Success x 2 at target 5)
[Wyrmbreaker] [agh, i rolled too many dice for both! shoulda been 7.
damage +1!]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 20 d10 ] 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [Okay, NOW: R2, True Fear.
Banshee, Sinclair, Banes: no R2. Kate: already did R2. Mila, Lila: no R2.
Adam:
R2. Original R2: toss Iona. New R2: block against imaginary attacks!
Lukas R3: spur claws on Ben]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 9 at target 6) Re-rolls: 2
[Wyrmbreaker] [damage +8]
Dice Rolled:[ 17 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 9 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Ben: soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 5, 6 (Failure at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [Round summary:
Lukas 4A (still +1 from bloody bandage)
All else OK
Sentry 10A + 9 overkill
Wyrmhole 50A + 1 overkill
Dan 10A + 2 overkill
El 10A, no overkill
Fred 3A, still alive
Adam True Feared
Ben 7A + 2 overkill... IN A SINGLE HIT. *brag*]
[Wyrmbreaker] Lukas 26
Banshee 17
Sinclair 15
Banes 14
Kate 12
Mila 12
Lila 10
Dancers 8
Declare:
Adam - Freaking out.
1. block
R1. block
R2. block!
[Waking Dream] [1a: Uh, Calm Adam if by some miracle still alive.
1b: Uh, claw Fred if by some miracle still alive.]
[Stormbreaker] {Mila
1a. Claw Adam
1a. Bite same!}
[Honor's Compass] [1a. Fred BITE
1b. Fred BITE
R1. Fred MOAR BITE
R2. Fred, unless ded, then moving on to Adam!]
[Wyrmbreaker] [Fred: Fuck me.
1. Still doggedly going after Lila!
R1. Really!]
[Warcry] [1a.
1b.
1c. -- bite Fred to bits
R1. Nom on Fred. Y'know. If necessary.]
[Banshee] 1a) Bite Fred
1b) Bite Fred + WP
1R) Bite Fred or Adam (if fred is dead)
[Wyrmbreaker] This is where the stories begin to diverge ever more sharply. In their realm:
Two seconds into the battle, they annihilate the wyrmhole. Shred it to pieces, fling its fetid contents all over the room, half-formed, malformed, deformed, in seconds. They turn on the banes, focusing their attacks, taking them down one, by one, by one.
Three seconds into the battle, there's one bane left. It's wounded. The other three are shreds. There's one dancer left. He's terrified.
The other dancer is a smear on the ground.
--
Later:
They'll see how the ones that came before them fared. Three seconds into that battle, Kemp died. He took one hit too many; he got unlucky. It slid past his armor and took him down hard. sklora-Myrgen, at that point, was badly wounded, defending Mama. Banshee bore wounds from a Dancer. Kire, from the one bane that had attacked him, and from a hit he had taken for Mama after Kemp's fall.
Meanwhile, both Dancers were down as well by that point. Two of the banes were wounded. A fresh one crawls from the pit. The new bane shrieks; directs the storm. All the banes swarm sklora-Myrgen, then, seeking to take the Fang down.
Four seconds into the battle, Soledad takes a bullet for her Alpha. She takes a lot of bullets for her Alpha. Five seconds, and she goes down dead; rages back up, mad-eyed. She, and sklora-Myrgen, and Kire, and Iona, fight for their lives. They take three banes down, and both the Dancers. Injure a fourth.
Six seconds into that battle: Mama Anklebiter completes her summon: a water elemental born into the world. At the same time: yet another bane crawls from the still-open Wyrmhole.
Six seconds into that battle, one injured bane and two fresh, more powerful banes face the Garou. Banshee is lightly injured, Kire more heavily, both sklora-Myrgen and Soledad badly wounded; the last literally one blow from death.
The Wyrmhole is still open.
[Wyrmbreaker] Lukas
1.
R1.
R2. - bites! Fred, then Adam.
[Wyrmbreaker] 1. Chomp fred!
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 8 at target 5)
[Wyrmbreaker] Dam+7
Dice Rolled:[ 16 d10 ] 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] ow!
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 5, 7 (Failure at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Fred: x_x
[Banshee] 1a) 10d @ diff 4
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 4 at target 4)
[Banshee] Damage
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 1, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [soak!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 6, 7, 8 (Failure at target 6)
[Banshee] 1b) 9d @ diff 4 + WP
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 9 (Success x 4 at target 4) [WP]
[Banshee] Damage 11d
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] soak!
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Warcry] [1a. -3 (split), +1 (storm), -1 (moon) // diff +1 (changing targets) -1 (flanking)]
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 9 (Success x 7 at target 5)
[Warcry] [+6 THAT'S RIGHT. YOU LIKE IT WHEN I TIE YOU DOWN, DONCHA.]
Dice Rolled:[ 14 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 4, 4, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 8, 10 (Failure at target 6)
[Warcry] [1b. -4 (split) +1 (storm) -1 (moon) // diff +1 (changing targets) -1 (flanking)]
Dice Rolled:[ 9 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 5, 5, 6, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 5 at target 5)
[Warcry] [+4, fine fuck you.]
Dice Rolled:[ 12 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [erkk!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 4, 6, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Warcry] [1c. -5 (split) +1 (storm) -1 (moon) // diff +1 (changing targets) -1 (flanking)]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 4 at target 5)
[Wyrmbreaker] x_x!
[Warcry] [+3 FOR POTENTIAL OVERKILL]
Dice Rolled:[ 11 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] [Final Tally
Sentry 10A+9
Wyrmhole 50A+1
Dan 10A+2
El 10A
Fred 10A
Ben 7A+2 IN A SINGLE HIT
Adam 7A+5
Lukas +1 from BB remaining
Sinclair, Kate, Mila, Lila OK
Iona 2A from earlier]
[Wyrmbreaker] Four seconds into battle: the last bane goes down.
Five: the last Dancer.
The adrenaline of combat is pounding in their ears. It felt real. It felt so fucking real that they can taste blood, taste flesh, taste victory
and a bitterness rather like defeat. Because it didn't go this way.
It's not real. It felt real, but it's not. As soon as the last Dancer dies, the scene around them simply freezes, crystallizes. The Dancer stops falling, head snapped back, throat yawning open, arms pinwheeling, feet off the ground with the force of that last hit. The arcing splatter of his lifesblood hangs motionless in midair.
If they touch anything, anything at all -- the Dancer, the blood, the chaos -- the entire scene simply unravels. Dissipates to nothing. Fades away, leaving no trace but their memories, what they have seen and felt, the rage they spent, the gnosis, the talens they've used.
They're back on the plains, a moody, overcast sky overhead, sere grass beneath their bloody paws.
[Warcry] Then:
An Adren Rotagar went into the earth with a younger Ragabash, a Fostern Theurge, and three Ahrouns, two packed under a goddess of war and wisdom. One of them was walking wounded. Four of them were resurrected. One of them will, soon, burn on a pyre as though the destruction of the body and belongings will release a spirit already long, long gone.
Now:
A Fostern Ahroun went into the earth with a younger Ragabash, a Fostern Philodox, and three Galliards, one a Fostern and one packed under a god of thunder and dominance. One of them still bears her wounds from the first battle. Four are untouched. One was scratched, and his skin instantly absorbed and smoothed over the wound as though it never, ever was.
They stand at the edge of what was once a Wyrmhole, birthing out banes, but it has gone barren. They stand, while the bodies of two Dancers and three Banes rot (it happens very quickly, when it begins to happen at all) at their feet. Somewhere back in the tunnel are the splotches that used to be a sentry bane, many-eyed and shrieking.
It all fades. Unfurls. Dissolves.
Sinclair's ears twitch, and if there were more light coming through the clouds, the titanium through her ears and through the skin of her left foreleg would glint against it. As it is, the modifications that mark her to so many as urrah blend into the shadows of her fur. She chuffs out a breath. Bitterness, then. She looks over her shoulder, looks at the others, looks down.
Her anger is like a palpable, almost visible fire around her, lurching and saturating.
[Wyrmbreaker] And later:
Seven seconds. They banes swarm Soledad. Mama takes the hit; comes to the edge of death. Again: sklora-Myrgen, who dies, and comes back.
Eight seconds. Kire defends Soledad. Drops unconscious to the floor. Mama, bitterly wounded, heals Kire, heals Soledad, heals sklora-Myrgen, only to see them wounded again.
Nine seconds. Mama dies for Soledad ... and comes back.
Three Garou beyond reason. One dead. Kire nearly so; Iona still bearing her wound. Ten seconds. Kire dies for Mama, and comes back.
Eleven: they kill the last of the banes. And close the Wyrmhole.
[Banshee] Iona watched as the second battle went so much smoother, side by side with the original battle. End then end, the hispo lays down and huffs at the dirt. Her eyes go up to Lukas. Then they go to the others. She had fought, as hard as she could, given 110% of herself into this battle, and somehow been the only one to escape with little damage, and had not died and risen.
[Honor's Compass] Katherine's coat is still gleaming, much like Lila's, like Lukas' own. The silvery protection ebbs, fades. The gloaming light of Luna dissipates once she is clear that the danger has passed [for them], that this victory was theirs [but not]. The Silver Fang lets a low, steady breath out, and sits back on her haunches; her pale eyes gleaming in the dim light.
She looks over at her Alpha.
At her pack-sisters.
At the one who had shared the Reawakening of Spring with her.
To the near-stranger.
Then her ears fold back and she tips her head back; howls -- once. A lone, mournful farewell to those who had died here, and come back. And most importantly, the one who had not.
[Stormbreaker] Mila had no first hand knowledge of the previous events. She didn't know the honored warrior who'd lost his life. She didn't know the connections to him. The sorrow was palpable. Perhaps this isn't how this was envisioned to go. It was over.. so quick. Barely a scratch to any.
What was clear.. is where a mistake was made. Those who'd fought the battle for real failed to close the wyrmhole.. allowing their enemies to spawn and further divide their resources.
The dark wolf didn't look pleased that they'd just smeared the wyrm guts on the wall with one fell swoop.. she knew what this all meant.. and that those who grieved for the loss of their friend would not be aided by hearing of this..
Her gaze shifted towards Lila.. the howl went up - her muzzle rose and a mournful, haunting howl joined in.
[Waking Dream] Another day, and sorrow.
They fight: these - the Unbroken, the Galliard Elder of Maelstrom's Sept, Stormbreaker. They triumph. They witness the other fight: how it really happened. The battle: those claws, those garou. They can read their expressions -- blurred; it all happens in a matter of seconds. They can count each blow, if they're sharp-eyed, keen. They watch Truth in Frenzy fall. The resurrections. And, now
mere hours afterward
maybe dawn's inching its way into the sky, now: first dawn Kemp Oates'll never sleep through or notice
they're standing on withered grass, blood-soaked, remembering. Waking Dream looks pensive, and also sad. Honor's Compass lifts her voice to howl, then so does Stormbreaker, after a glance -- Lila listens for a moment, and then, to gather those voices together, to say goodbye, she, too, howls for the brave ones who resurrected themselves the day before Easter
and she howls, oh, howls for the one who just wasn't angry enough to come back
one more time.
And eventually, that's done, and she's looking at Lukas, Lila-woman again, quiet.
[Warcry] Kate howls. Then Mila. They give voice to sorrow and to mourning, for those that died. Lila joins them, saying goodbye.
When the Glass Walker among them throws her head back to howl, muzzle going from grass to moonlight, it is not to sing with them. She opens her maw in a roar, a loud and unleashed cry of undiminished rage, twisted in its rising with frustration, with what little grief she has for those she never knew, with what mourning she has for the nation, for the sept,
for this fucking war they're fucking losing
because of stupid, needless deaths.
When she finishes, she's shaking, sucking in air and claws spasming into the mud. She looks like she wants to kill something. It is one of the few times when it becomes stringently clear why she was given the name she was.
[Wyrmbreaker] A hispo's howl is far different from a wolf's. It is lower, rougher, more discordant. Wyrmbreaker's joins the chorus, slinging out across a barren landscape dotted with battlefields, dotted with signposts, dotted with memories of the glorious and the injustly fallen alike.
When they finish, Wyrmbreaker is Lukas again, crouching in the short wildgrass, wiping blood from his mouth only to see it fade to nothing on his hands, on the grass he wipes his hands on.
"You know what I think?" He's speaking to Lila, quiet. "I think most of them made mistakes of inexperience, and maybe just a little arrogance. I think they could have done things differently tactically, and they could have been more vigilant when defending each other, early on, but these were all rookie mistakes. Not really cowardice.
"I think they were brave as hell toward the end. The way they died for each other, over and over..."
The Shadow Lord frowns into the distance, then looks back at Lila; at Sinclair, and Kate. Rises, letting grass shards fall from his fingers.
"I want them to know what they did right as much as what they did wrong. So they can learn. Judging from what we saw here, I'd say they did learn by the end of that battle. But judging from how they reacted to me, it's like they forgot all over again. I think at this point the Fang and the Uktena are convinced I'm out to trample on their glory." A faint, ironic huff. "Because that's what Shadow Lords do, I suppose."
[Stormbreaker] Mila stood, herself again. Her expression was somber, thoughtful. She said nothing - she was the outsider here. If asked, she'd offer opinions, but in all honestly, she didn't think they were needed. Storm-colored eyes shifted between them all... and without a word, she simply stepped back, out of the way. She'd be there, should they like to speak to her - but silence for now, seemed appropriate.
[Warcry] "
[Waking Dream] Lukas is speaking to Lila, quiet. And she is listening to him. Lila is a good listener; he knows that well. Honor's Compass does, as well: after all, the galliard didn't look exhausted after her Fostern challenge, was still bright-eyed, enthusiastic, after all those words and arguments. So, she listens.
"I don't disagree, Wyrmbreaker-yuf." Now it's Lila who's looking out into the distance, as if she could see something there: some Other battle, some other tale of Glory. Her gaze flicks back after a second. "Do you think they tried their best?"
[Wyrmbreaker] The Shadow Lord takes a breath, chest expanding, falling.
"Not at first. Not all of them. I think some of them rode Truth in Frenzy-rhya's coattails a bit. I think there was an overall sense that it was under control, Kemp could handle whatever was thrown at him.
"After Kemp died -- yeah. They gave their all then. But fighting hard isn't the same as fighting smart."
[Waking Dream] This time, her not-disagreement is a flicker in her spring green eyes -- is not accompanied by verbiage or a nod. "What do you think you'll do? How do you think you'll teach them; make certain that they've learned their lesson?" A pause, and if he answers in that pause, she touches her mouth. She can still taste blood that isn't. She can still taste fetid flesh that is no longer. If he doesn't speak immediately, she'll continue: not because she doesn't want to hear that answer; but because she wants to add: "What I believe is this: when they reacted to you, it was because their wounds were still raw - " Here, a flick-of-eyes toward Iona: perhas the No Moon has wandered off, out of earshot, to contemplate her part in the battle, now that she's fought it twice-over. " - because this disaster and this triumph was so fresh; because the loss of Truth in Frenzy is like salt. What I'd like to believe is this: they've learned their lesson, those Ahrouns."
[Waking Dream] ooc: perhas = perhaps!
[Warcry] Off to the side, Sinclair eases to the ground, laying on her belly with her paws out in front of her and head up, watching the two Fosterns. Listening.
[Wyrmbreaker] "I asked you to come," Wyrmbreaker answers, which does not even seem like an answer at first, not until he says, "because if I was right, then I wanted to ask you to teach them. To go to them with what you might see here tonight. As a neutral witness. But I think at this point that would be unnecessarily cruel."
He thinks for a moment.
"I'll watch them. See if they've learned. And if they haven't, I'll teach them again."
[Warcry] Sinclair shifts. She changes back to her birth form in an instant, revealing herself in street clothes and tousled hair, in a crouch on the ground that she rises from with slow, athletic grace. When she speaks, she speaks quietly, and she speaks primarily to her Alpha.
"Truth in Frenzy-rhya told them to protect each other at the very beginning," she says. "I may have missed others, but when we watched the battle as it truly played out, I only saw one of the Ahrouns actually do so until the Adren died.
"Then Muerte Fria, Moving Mountain and sklora-Myrgen did. Even the Theurge." She turns her head and looks at Lukas for a moment. Whatever she's thinking there, it isn't hard to read. Lila, gifted as she is in such quarters, can probably read the other Galliard even more deeply, see not only what she's thinking but how she feels about it.
And since it is so very much on her sleeve, the unspoken:
Only our own packmate did not, even once, take a hit for another Garou.
"I agree with Waking Dream, Wyrmbreaker. I think the Ahrouns learned. And maybe that is why they were so defensive."
[Wyrmbreaker] Lukas isn't as convinced; this is evident. He isn't happy either; this, even more so. He reads what's in Warcry's eyes, and it's the same thing he's known since he heard the story from Mama's lips. The thought makes him uncomfortable; makes him twist his neck on his shoulders once as though he wanted to pop a joint.
He answers Sinclair, though, "I was taught that you don't learn unless you admit failure first. And like you said. They were so defensive."
And, after a pause: "But here's me admitting failure. Maybe I shouldn't have pointed it out quite so quickly, with the wound still so fresh."
[Waking Dream] Lila watches both of the Unbroken, although her attention is more strongly on Sinclair when the Glasswalker shifts into woman-shape and speaks, and she reads [hears (sees)] without comment what Sinclair wears on her sleeve. Sinclair -- glass; Sinclair -- heart: not the kind, candycoated Valentine's day heart. Something honest.
Lila inhales, once Lukas has spoken again. "Yes," she says, simply. And then: "If they haven't," learned, if he watches those ahrouns and sees nothing, sees no experience gained, no insight, if he sees only sullenness and refusal: "Then come to me and I will go to them."
Beat. And, "There will be a lot to do." It's clear that Lila's not talking about the ahrouns any longer. It's clear that Lila's talking about -- well, the Sept has lost an Adren, and one of the few garou who raised the caern. There will be a lot to do.
And life'll go on.
[Warcry] Sinclair's brow furrows faintly when Lukas answers her, tells her what he was taught. It clears a moment later, and she doesn't reply. That may be a discussion for another day. Or just a passing thought, unimportant enough that it doesn't bear voicing. She looks over her shoulder, at where Katherine and Iona and Mila have gone, before turning back to Lukas and Lila.
"I... can't even begin to think of what the Ragabash Elder challenge is going to look like," she says, exhaling.
[Waking Dream] ooc: CURSE YOU CHAT, not re-freshing on me.
[Wyrmbreaker] Briefly, and brilliant, Lukas's eyes meet Lila's. Eventually he nods. Offer: acceptance. "Thanks," he adds, and on that note, begins to walk. They turn their backs on the signpost that reads BASEMENT; the anonymous bubble of battle that they will visit, and Kemp's packmates, and perhaps no one ever again.
It's not Gettysburg, after all. It's not the Battle of the First Hive.
Life goes on.
The grass crunches under their feet. Always barren here, always wintry. War does not allow for much in the way of life and greenery. The Shadow Lord bows his head against the wind, listens to them speak of Ragabash Elder challenges, finds a wry laugh in himself.
"That'll be Hatchet's problem, not ours."
[Warcry] [YOU JERK]
[Waking Dream] [ooc: nooot gonna lie. (LMAO) Lila was gonna say the same thing! but less wryly, and more, "THAT'LL BE SO INTERESTING." should i punt out another post, or are y'all good with leaving there? server! being! so! bitchy! is all.]
[Warcry] [YOU GUYS ARE SUCH JERKS. *KRI*]
[Wyrmbreaker] [i want jess to type the wrap! *dies*]
[Waking Dream] [fiiiiine! *goes typity*]
[Waking Dream] Lila inhales when Sinclair mentions the Ragabash Elder challenge. It isn't sharp, although there's something of sharpness there; it's considering, it's agreement with something in that remark. That'll be Hatchet's problem, not ours, Lukas says, and Lila buries her fingers in her dawn-ripening hair, raking it away from her face. Maybe she's thinking about the Ragabashes who still remain. "It'll be difficult," she says, a pause: then also, "I'm certain he'll handle it well." Faith, see: shining, strong. And it will be interesting, she thinks: interesting to watch, even if all the challengers are ash and gravel.
And they re-join the others: Honor's Compass, Banshee, Stormbreaker. They begin to follow their compass homeward (back to maelstrom [who demands sacrifice (where there is no calm eye)]). Maybe by now news of Sandman's death has reached the caern as well. Another death, another oldtimer gone: oldgard's getting thin -- newgard's coming home
- it's been a record year for rainfall.
