IC Werewolf:TA-Chicago

[NotScaryBats]

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I didn't realize you could have more Rage than your score. It seems appropriate for Softpaws to be relatively Rage-exhausted due to how I've been RPing her lately <3

[CowMasterTrojan]

OOC: I kinda did in #624, but as an in-character retrospective.

"I really don't feel like it is a trick," Jason replies to Deep Fang's thoughts. "In a way, I already see some truth in it due to what happened with that mage," he adds. "We tried a frontal assault and failed horribly, taking several casualties."

His eyes narrow slightly, your words digging deeper than you likely intended. "And what would you suggest we do? I didn't hear any suggestions from you. I'm no expert on wyrm magic, and last time I checked, you weren't either. I've thought hard about what I did wrong there. I have a daily reminder after all. Don't you second guess me while I'm still alpha." He says, pointing a finger in hour's face before storming out of the room.

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Yeah, in this circumstance your rage can be higher than is normally possible. Not always a good thing.

[hayabusa]

"Thank you for proving me right..." Jason thinks as Deep Fang storms out of the room. "It also looks like my choice has already been made for me..." he whispers as he begins to head out to the backyard.

[CowMasterTrojan]

The rite comes much later than expected. Waiting til Thursday, Deep Fang abruptly informs everyone that the time has come. Traveling to the nearby city of Saint Charles in the late evening, the 'pack' heads to the Leroy Oaks Forest preserve.

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Parking at a nearby church, the group hikes into the forest that has been closed off after dusk.

When the group arrives at the site, they find Sam already there with three individuals they have never met before. Once they are settled, Deep Fang introduces everyone. The three new comers are all Bone Gnawers who aided in their survival on Saturday.

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Alysia "Walks the walk"

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Todd "**** for brains" Kroger.

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Sally "Spray Can"

"Lifa, Laughs, would you please gather some wood for the rite? Softpaws, if I may have a word with you in private..." Deep Fang barks.

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If you want to do a really good job at gathering wood, you may roll perception+survival

[hayabusa]

Jason looks at the newcomers with a slight bit of suspicion. It's not as if he doesn't trust them, but the correlation with his vision is just too much shake. "Followers of Boar as well?" he says somewhat nervously. "It's our tribal totem."

[CowMasterTrojan]

"No, they are lack both a pack and a totem. Soon we shall remedy both of those problems for them. Our pack serves boar, and soon he shall grow significantly stronger from our increased size..."

[NotScaryBats]

"Sure, what's up?" Softpaws says brightly. She hasn't really had as much alone time with the alpha as she would have liked, and blithely follows him where he leads.

[daelrog]

Laughs nodded in obedience to the Shadow Walker, mumbling under his breath only when they were a distance away. "With all these Bone Gnawers dogs, why are they having us get the wood?"

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Perception + Survival = 7
(7d10)[5][2][4][9][10][1][8](39)

[hayabusa]

Laughs nodded in obedience to the Shadow Walker, mumbling under his breath only when they were a distance away. "With all these Bone Gnawers dogs, why are they having us get the wood?"

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Perception + Survival = 7
[roll0]

"I don't like this one bit," Jason says to Laughs. He explains the basics of the vision granted to him by the Corax. "I think it's clear that these newcomers are the Garou that I couldn't recognize," Jason adds.

[daelrog]

Laughs thinks on what Jason said. A mischievous smile comes to his face. "Well, this sounds like a job for a Ragabash. So you want to be Alpha? Fine with me, I don't care much for the Shadow Lord anyways. I'll see if I can't rile him up a bit, then you can make your challenge. That is what you want, isn't it?"

[hayabusa]

"I don't want to challenge him, he is my friend after all, but I don't want what I saw to come to pass. I don't want any of my friends to die, and that's what going to happen if we follow Deep Fang's path. I just don't really know what to do..."

[BananaPhone]

Lifa had been suspiciously quiet the past few days.

In secret, the Theurge had been sniffing around the umbra that surrounded the house. With each venture into the spirit world she'd push her exploration just that little bit further until she almost got herself lost on several occassions. Though at first she had been intimidated by the scope and alien feel of such a suburban realm of the umbra, the Get of Fenris was coming generating a familiarity with the local spirits and their dwellings.

Hearing Laughs whine about the Bone Gnawers, Lifa smirked when she was near him.

"Isn't that what dogs are for? Fetching sticks?" she teased.

Being completely unaware of Jasons troubles the theurge just went about her business, gathering up some sticks.

[CowMasterTrojan]

"Sure, what's up?" Softpaws says brightly. She hasn't really had as much alone time with the alpha as she would have liked, and blithely follows him where he leads.

Deep Fang leads softpaws aside, a certain thickness of the air makes it clear that he has something to say. "So... I know you've been having self confidence issues lately. And after hearing of your over eagerness with the pattern spiders, I've had second thoughts about making you Beta. I have always been impressed with your ferocity. But I wonder if It was a mistake making one so young Beta. What are your thoughts on the matter?"

[BananaPhone]

OOC:

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Rage roll: (1d10)[6](6)

[daelrog]

Laughs at Blood shrugged his shoulders. "Fine. Since you seem so uncertain, I'll challenge him and I'll be the Alpha. That sounds much better to me. Clearly your vision was given to you so you could tell the Red Talon Ragabash in the giant man-city to take over." He gestured widely as he spoke.

"I don't really have any friends. Listening to you now, makes me glad about it. After all, sounds like all your friendship is doing is helping get us all killed. If it's better to die than upset your friend, then may I never know such kinship, for I intend to upset everyone I know." He then poked Jason in the shoulder, roughly, as if to prove his last point.

[NotScaryBats]

Softpaws' face falls. "I... overconfident?" She hugs herself, surprised and off guard by the attack - and from Deep Fang no less! She thought about what he just said, trying to puzzle out why her favorite person in the world was doing this to her - it just didn't make sense. Too young? Too -

"SHE put you up to this, didn't she!? I see now - too young - s-so you want me gone so she can take my place? Is that it? Not pretty enough, either, right?" Her face flushed, Softpaws feels tears burning her eyes. Her suspicions were confirmed!

[CowMasterTrojan]

It's clear softpaws emotions affect him, as he pauses for a moment before putting his arm around her. "Emily..." he says using her homid name, a rare thing... "Don't take this personally. I don't know who you refer, but no one put me up to this. It was my idea. Packs are always changing. Even I may not be Alpha soon with my obvious weakness... But we can't hold that against others. Our loyalty is to the pack. Sometimes it calls for us to lead. Sometimes it calls for us to serve."

Deep Fang looks around, making sure others aren't staring. Some of the new comers are, but they quickly change their gaze. "Now your reaction makes it clear. You're too emotionally attached to the position. One day I may make you Beta again, but for now it's not right for you. Sam will be taking your place. Don't hold it against him. He's just doing what I ask of him." Deep Fang turns soft paw's face so he can look into her eyes "Can you do that for me?" He says with a warm smile. "And don't think it doesn't mean I don't care about you. This is hard for me too."

[NotScaryBats]

The young Metis blinks back tears and nods dumbly. Somehow, she just never says or does the right thing. Ever.

Miserably, she looks everywhere but at Deep Fang.

[hayabusa]

"No," Jason says in a very forceful tone. "I will not challenge Deep Fang and neither will you. I'd much rather leave this pack and join another than to risk his life in a duel. That said, something must be done or we may very well be doomed."

[CowMasterTrojan]

After some time, Lifa and Laughs return with firewood. After complimenting Laughs at a job well done, Deep Fang instructs the three new comers to build the fire. They eventually build one that gets going decent by the time it is completely dark out.

Enacting the ritual, Deep Fang calls forth Boar from the umbra. Appearing in the plume of smoke, Boar stomps the spiritual air as it appears.

"My Followers. You have called me forth, and I have come. What do you wish of me?"

"Boar. As Alpha of this pack, I ask that you consider adding five new members to our pack."

"Very well Deep Fang. Let the current pack speak. Do you who already serve Boar also wish to add these members?"

[hayabusa]

"I have something to say," Jason states as he stands up. "I've never met these two newcomers but I have no outright problem with them joining the pack, but I do have issue with Deep Fang's leadership. A few days ago, I received a vision about the possible future of this pack: one that involved if we followed him we could very well meet our ends. I told him of this and he dismissed it outright. I doubt that he even listened fully to me. I don't think that an alpha that would outright dismiss a subordinate is fit to lead us."

[CowMasterTrojan]

A unexpected silence falls over the camp. Everyone looking between Deep Fang and Hour Tales. Finally Deep Fang points his one good arm at Hour Tales.
"A good leader is not manipulated by Fera lies. You've let yourself go astray... glass walker!" He says, clearly saying Jason's tribe like a insult. Which is ironic considering you're surrounded by Bone Gnawers.

"Hour Tales! Do you challenge Deep Fang for alpha?"

"He cannot. The Litany denies such challenges when we are at war. The wyrm is clearly on the move right now. As is the weaver. We are at war."

[hayabusa]

"A good leader listens to his pack and doesn't let his preconceptions get in the way, whether it be of different breeds or of different tribes. As for challenging, I really don't care whether or not we're at war or not, I'm going to stand up for what I believe and I believe that this is a mistake! I have a choice to make and I'm going to make it now. Yeah, I'll challenge you in a fashion: I'm going to walk out and if you have any need for me in your new pack, you get to try and stop me." Jason begins to turn his back towards the group before turning his head towards the others: Softpaws, Laughs at Blood and Lifa. "You all are welcome to come with me if you want. I hope you do."

[NotScaryBats]

"I-I can't," Softpaws says pathetically, her eyes wide and her arms tight against her trunk. "You know I can't leave him."

[BananaPhone]

For Lifa, this was rather exciting.

She barely knew Deep Fang....other than the acertation of his location being the catalyst for even meeting Softpaws and Jason. Once he had been discovered, however, he had given her a once-over look and left it at that.

Hey arsehole, we're not of your pack and we risked our lives finding you and protecting your pack-members and not even a thanks? Or an acknowledgement?

And now it turns out that the spirits were delivering omens to Jason that they would all die if they followed Deep Fang...but he dismissed it entirely because it came from the Fera?

Yeah fuck this guy, Lifa thought, why the hell am I following this ungrateful wanker?

Wait - the spirits had delivered omens via Fera intermediates, and she, teh theurge, hadn't been consulted?!

But...Jason was potentially breaking the litany. Lifa wasn't exactly a conformist, keeps-the-boat-steady kind of woman but even she grew shy at the prospect of breaking the litany. At least without good reason.

Buuuut...she wasn't part of the pack yet. Not officially. She was recognised by boar, but not this one-armed ingrate.

"What further substance do you have to your claims?" she asked Jason diplomatically.

[hayabusa]

"I don't have any hard evidence," Jason says as he turns around. "All I know is that it's beginning to come to pass. The Garou that I did not know, I believe that these Bone Gnawers are them. All I know is that I will not let my friends down and will do everything I can to help them survive this."

[CowMasterTrojan]

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My apologies to my slow posting rate these last few days. Work has been killer.

"So that's it then? Can't challenge me, so you're just going to walk off like a coward? I expected better of you Jason."Deep Fang screams, anger clearly heavy in his voice.

After a moment, the girl with short blonde hair speaks up. Her voice is filled with fear, but at the same time a certain conviction. "Um... I know it's not my role. At least not yet... But you're actually wrong. I've heard the elders speaking about this issue before. Pack leaders insisting that they can't be challenged because of wyrm threat. But the wyrm is not actively trying to harm us in any way. There is no immediate threat. It's actions are constant, yes, but still rather slow. According to elders on the Litany, you can be challenged right now." She speaks and steps back behind the other bone gnawers, the angry glare of Deep Fang following her.

"She speaks truth Deep Fang. I proclaim that if one is brave enough, there can be a challenge for leadership."

The campfire goes silent for another moment, and then Deep Fang turns back to Hour Tales. "Very well. If you wish to challenge me for leadership, come at me. I am Ahroun of this pack. I will defeat you, whether I have two arms or just one!" With those words, Deep Fang shifts into Crinos form and snarls more like a lion than a wolf.

[NotScaryBats]

Softpaws whimpers, but since she is no longer Beta, she has no place in this dispute. Boar would likely referee himself under these circumstances. She clutches herself and feels miserable about this whole thing -- who arre these Bone Gnawers? Why do they want to join? A lump in her stomach tells her that there will be no perfect end to this conflict.

[hayabusa]

"Forget it," Jason says, not turning around but hearing the bones of Deep Fang shift into Crinos. "I'm not fighting you."

[daelrog]

Laughs at Blood looked curiously at the two of them. Oh why didn't Jason see it?! An interesting choice he had made, one that Laughs liked, but this was fate. He walked quickly up to Deep Fang, whispering in his ear.

He won't fight you because he pities you. He thinks you are too weak. Truly is this a way to treat one's Alpha? Treat him like a wounded dog?"

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Laughs is trying to provke Deep Fang into attacking Jason first.
Manipulation +Subterfuge = 7

(7d10)[8][3][1][6][7][5][3](33)