(IC) New Bedford at Night

[Daishain]

"Tell me about it. Why would a beshilu try to warn us away?"

[Thundercracker]

"Tell me about it. Why would a beshilu try to warn us away?"

Blaze attempted to spit out the taste of Belishu blood before speaking.

“We should go take a look,” he said, “I can’t see ourselves allying with Belishu, under any sort of circumstances.”

[Daishain]

Bear snorts at the notion of an alliance, "Of course not, but I have to wonder. Are the Beshilu fighting this thing beneath the waves too?"

[EarthenRite]

“The only thing I can think about that would be a mutual enemy between us and that thing would be something that either wanted to end the world - they want to infect it, we want to protect it - or end all life...basically the same idea. Either way that’s really bad.”

[Bennosuke]

Kara steps forward, a serious look playing across her face. "Bear is correct, I think," Kara says grimly, "I've been dreaming about it. Solomon had a theory about this as well, right?" She turns to Solomon briefly for confirmation, before continuing, "There is death in the waters around here, and its pushed the Beshilu inland. Unfortunately, its forced the Beshilu to gather together and it looks like they've managed to pretty badly infect this city." Kara's eyes darken and she growls low. "The last pack here really ****ed things up," she says, and spits on the ground for good measure, "But this plague brought on by the Shartha must be corrected. Look at how thin the barrier is here. Spirits are literally crossing over from The Hisil at will. The Gauntlet is sick here, and the Plague Spirits have just gotten too freaking powerful. I don't know if we can end the Beshilu tonight. But we have to start hitting them hard. I hope it doesn't come to us fighting a battle on two fronts with whatever is in the waters, but right now I want to feel some rat hide between my jaws."

[Ladorak]

Solo growled in frustration, he had been in the perfect position to take the Rokhan, yet it had died before he'd even got his fangs wet. He was still lurking in the shadows, all that could be seen were brilliant shining eyes amid a shroud of darkness. 'I have never seen it, but I have heard stories of Pure aligning themselves with the rats, ironic, considering how much they revere Father Wolf. But they are the slaves of their twisted totems, so twisted their goals align with the Beshilu. For us, I don't see how we can co-exist with the Beshilu, let alone cooperate.' He falls silent, mulling over what was said 'I think you're on the right track Micheal, but maybe looking at it the wrong way. The Rats believe destroying the Gauntlet will, among other things, collapse the Hisil and the Flesh back into one world. Our underwater foes have shown they can cross the Gauntlet just like us, maybe they have an interest in seeing it maintained. Or maybe you're right, maybe they want to destroy the world both sides of the Gauntlet. Either way it sounds like some serious ritual magic is being worked down here in the dark, and this... Guard was blocking our path to it.'

[Thundercracker]

Blaze sniffed and tentatively continued down the passage. While he usually didn’t care about things like deadlines and had a very loose definition of “on time”, this time he had a sickening feeling they were on the clock and the consequences could be dire.

[Daishain]

Bear nods and follows behind Blaze, still in Dire Wolf form.

[Bennosuke]

As the Uratha pad forward through the tunnel, they can hear the scurrying of feet ahead of them. The deeper they go, the louder and more frantic the scratching noises become, until they are watching small wormy tails disappear into the darkness of the tunnel ahead of them, or squirming away between cracks in the brick wall.

The Gauntlet here is shredded, creating a patchwork reality as Essence from the Hisil literally bleeds through the walls of the tunnel. Plague spirits now flit about indifferently, often taunting the Uratha before disappearing into Twilight, or squeezing between chinks in the walls. Luminescent golden eyes stare at the Uratha from the shadows of the tunnel ahead, and then from behind as well. As the passageway narrows, the Uratha develop the sensation that they are now being forced deeper into the tunnel, as Beshilu and Plague Spirits close in around them from all sides, the incessant squeaks of rodents and chittering ephemeral voices creating a growing cacophony of noise.

(OOC: I will let the team decide if they are going to press onward, or start a fight, or flee as they become surrounded by lesser Beshilu and spirit enemies.)

[Daishain]

Bear can't stop snarling as they go, he murmurs quietly to the others, "We still need to find their leaders. Say the word and I'll open a hole, whether to safety or deeper in."

[EarthenRite]

Michael growls back, low, glancing over at Bear but looking forward.

“My family used to have a thing they would say about hell...if you’re going through it, the best thing to do is keep going. I say we shred them.”

[Thundercracker]

Blaze

"Leaving our backs exposed is a bad idea," Blaze said, "let's take them down."

[Erulasto]

With the grotesque mass of Beshilu teeming before them, and her beloved Pack seeming to be unanimous in the decision to bring their righteous hatred to bear, Kara rolled her shoulders with a widening grin. As the Cahalith did so, pale fur began to spread from her head. Down across her shoulders and fair arms it grew as she dropped to her knee's, leaning forward as hands shifted to become great paws.

When the transformation to the primordial Dire Wolf was complete, hearkening back to the great wolves of prehistory, Kara gave herself a vigorous shake.

Her muzzle was lifted up and Kara let loose a wild, piercing howl and allowed her connection to the Gibbous Moon spill. It was the war howl of the Cahalith, long used to inspire a Pack to greater acts of violence and savagery.

Spoiler: OOC

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If I'm understanding correctly that there'll be ample killing in the immediate future, then the following bit applies!

Gibbous Moon Gift: War Howl (-1 Essence for Kara)

Presence 4 + Expression 4 + Glory 2
(10d10)[10][1][3][7][4][5][1][10][7][5](53)

If successful, it grants +1L damage on all Brawl and Weapon attacks for the duration and all attacks are considered Lethal. It lasts for one turn per success.

[Ladorak]

Solo rumbled low at the back of his throat but said nothing to prevent the pack as they turned their attention to the Spirits. He had his misgivings about allowing their Prey any more time than absolutely necessary, yet any course of action that improves odds of escape and survival is always a tough one to argue. More importantly when one lives in the pack one accepts the will of the pack, misgivings or not.

[Bennosuke]

Kara's howl echoes through the tunnel, drowning out the noise of the Beshilu and the Plague spirits, and causing all surrounding enemies to freeze. The Uratha can feel the heat of Kara's burned Essence, now glowing within their chests. Their enemies were weak, all would have to bow eventually to the will of the Uratha.

(OOC: Burning one essence. We will apply the bonus if/when combat starts, and per Kara's roll the bonus will last two turns. To be clear, at least in my interpretation, the bonus is 1L but it doesn't make a bashing attack all lethal damage, it just says the bonus is 1 lethal even if the attack is with Bashing... not that it matters. So... again, what are you guys gonna do???)

[Daishain]

Bear smiles a toothy smile as his pack prepare for battle. This should be fun. He looks to Solo, "Find him if you can"

Deliberately trying to get the attention of every hostile in the area, away from his packmates, and especially Solo, Bear leaps forward, claws tearing into the thickest mass of Beshilu or plague spirits within reach.

Spoiler: OOC

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8 again should still be active, so making use of it. Nothing fancy here, just causing as much damage as I can
claw attack (10d10)[65]
8 again (10d10)[45]
Oops...

[Bennosuke]

Bear plows into the tangle of rodent bodies before him, rending flesh with claw and fang. Beshilu scatter out of the way, turning to flee rather than swarming in on the mighty Uratha. Shartha are tossed into the air, shredded into bloody ribbons and crushed by the multiple in massive lupine jaws.

Spoiler: OOC

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Okay, so I guess we are starting combat. Since this will be the pack fighting off multiple swarms, and this combat is goal oriented, we are going to be using a team approach rather than an extended combat. So what are our goals for combat? Examples are:
-Distract the Beshilu and spirits to let Solomon sneak off and explore
-Break through the line of enemies to push on into the tunnel
-Wipe the all out
-Push through the enemies behind the pack to make it back to the sewer "entrance"

Bear got a solid 4 successes.

[Thundercracker]

Spoiler

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I'm going to say wipe out the enemies in the immediate vicinity and create enough of a distraction Solomon can sneak off in the process.

Blaze leapt ahead, not nearly as powerful as Bear, but more than willing to do his part.

Spoiler

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attack: (5d10)[5][6][5][1][9](26)
10 again: (5d10)[8][3][5][1][2](19)

[Erulasto]

Hot on the heels of her packmates, Kara pounced into the swarming Beshilu, biting and tearing with glee - heedless of the gore they would soon all be coated in.

Spoiler: OOC

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I agree with TC. We should clear the immediate area. Just to get ease some pressure. If Solo is going to sneak away, we can't have any of the little buggers getting in the way!

Attack!

Strength 2 (+2 Urshul) + Brawl 3
(7d10)[1][8][3][6][8][3][8](37)

[Ladorak]

The unspoken communication of the pack. Solo didn't know how they had known what was in his heart, nor did he question it. A flick of the tail, a spray of musk, a significant look from Bear, what did it matter? Like wise he could read in subtle ways their intention, even Bear was not normally so explosive. Confident his pack could scatter the Spirits as a hurricane scatters leaves he slipped away from the chaos and into the darkness.

Spoiler

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So stealth+dex. Shadowpelt has one 'charge' left so rote action
(7d10)[9][2][10][8][4][9][6](48)
rote/10-again
(7d10)[4][5][9][4][7][3][4](36)

[Bennosuke]

The pack falls upon the swarm of large rodent bodies that had gathered around them in a mass of grey and brown wriggling bodies, pink tails and golden beady eyes. The tunnel is filled with the sounds of Uratha growls, of squeaks and screeches mixed with shrill first tongue, the rain-like patter of a thousand rat claws on the brick tunnel wall, and the splash of furry bodies through the watery muck.

Those nearest to the pack, Plague Spirits and Beshilu alike, are torn asunder by the fury of the Uratha. The swarm is scattered by the wrath of the Anchor Wolves. Solomon is able to disappear into the shadows and down the dark tunnel, and the rest of the Anchor Wolves find themselves relatively alone in the sewer tunnel; except for the mass of ruined rodent carcasses. Still, a few pairs of golden eyes peer out from cracks in the tunnel walls, and a few Plague spirits peer through the tattered gauntlet, hereticaly keeping one foot in either world and ready to slip into the Hisil at the first sign of aggression.

The Anchor Wolves are free to continue forward, but before they can begin there begins a coalescence that is easily felt from the other side of the shredded Gauntlet. They can feel the gathering power, a swelling of hot Essence. Those remaining Beshilu and Plague spirits alike begin to moan and sing. The walls of the tunnel begin to leak ichor, a muddy green sludge tinged with coppery blood begins leaking from the cracks in the tunnel walls, pooling at the base of the round sewer. Something very big, and very powerful, and all to familiar is coming, pushing its way through the Gauntlet to cast aside Father Wolf's edicts and materialize in the world of Flesh.

************************************************** ************************

Solomon finds himself bounding fast on padded feet through the sewer tunnels. At first he is running with the fleeing Beshilu, though the rodents are too mad with fear to notice his presence. But further down the tunnel he finds that the tunnel floors are a highway of scrambling rat bodies, the floor a veritable rug of squirming fur and claw and tumorous fleshy masses. The Beshilu are wise enough to give the Uratha a wide berth, but they scramble through the sewer seemingly uninterested in the Wolf's presence. Far away is a booming voice, speaking in a frenetic commanding First Tongue. At first Solomon cannot understand the words, but as he draws closer, he understands that the strained voice is ministering; giving a strange speech about the comings of The Plague King!

The aperture of the sewer widens and Solomon pushes forward, and it quickly becomes clear that the bricks of the sewer have slowly been removed or gnawed away to create a new architecture as Solomon finds himself walking towards a massive opening. In this giant "room" if one would call it that, the sewer floor has been flooded with sewer water. Thousands of Beshilu churn about in the water, swimming or crawling through dark muddy waters. Golden eyes flash into and out of existence as the mass of Beshilu scramble over each other in their comings and goings. In the center of the room is a raised platform; a dias of sorts, where a single Rokhan stands, dressed in tattered red and purple robes. He gesticulates as he pontificates about the time of The Beshilu an the coming of The Plague King. The thing has light brown fur, speckled with grey, his bloated body is a mass of tumors, and patches of fur-less irritated rashes that weep a yellowish pus. None have seemed to recognize Solomon just yet.

Behind him, Solomon can feel the same gathering of spirit energy, Essence coalescing in a way that is unnatural within the world of Flesh, though this is far behind him.

[EarthenRite]

As the pressure from the other side of the gauntlet grew and swelled, Michael looked to the others for guidance. It wasn’t a shock to him that something was coming through. This many cultists - for thats what they were - in one place seemed guaranteed to pull something across the barrier. He did, however, recognize that there was a decision to be made between running to regroup or fighting. Both had risks.

“Do we run? Or do we fight? That thing is coming. This feels like an opportunity to destroy it and seal the tears. But I don’t know...”

[Daishain]

Bear growls, hating the next words out of his mouth, "We run. We don't stand a reasonable chance against a spirit that powerful, not without its bane on hand. Lets head the way Solo went, whether he found the heirophant or not, we can regroup and cut our way out of this place."

[Erulasto]

Snarling, Kara eyed the scraps and tatters of the gauntlet with rising anger. Much as she wanted to end this now, they had to play it smarter than that.

"Um...yeah? Forwarned is forarmed, or some ****, right?" Kara muttered, rising back on two legs as she returned to her normal shape. Hands would be a good idea here. The Cahalith turned to follow the rest her pack, before casting a final glance over her shoulder to where the danger tore through.

"Any chance we could...like...slow it down, somehow?"

[Thundercracker]

Blaze

Blaze pondered whether there was anything they could do with the equipment they had to slow down the incoming spirit, at the same time he tried to figure out what it was.

Spoiler

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How do we slow it down? Int+ occult: (9d10)[1][7][6][6][2][5][2][2][1](32)
What is it? (9d10)[2][10][1][1][1][2][6][8][6](37)
9 again: (18d10)[5][5][2][3][4][9][7][6][1][5][7][10][10][8][7][6][3][8](106)

“Nothing I can think of off the top of my head,” he said, “anyone else have any ideas?”

[EarthenRite]

“I’m all for taking down more if it can slow this down. Regrouping with Solo sounds fine.”

[Erulasto]

There was an urge born of desperation to bring down the roof above where this abomination was clawing its way through, but it wasn't likely to do that much. And the few seconds of respite it could earn them didn't seem like it would do all that much good.

Especially if they simply turned tail and ran.

"**** it!" Kara cursed. "Let's get out of here!"

[Ladorak]

Finally Solo had found his prey. Iago had died mere weeks ago, that wound still gushed blood whenever it was poked over, but it had felt like years, like an eternity of waiting. Even the most patient of predators would have howled at the frustrated vengeance which now, finally, he could realize, could release, could rend and tear. The anger bubbled up out of him like lava from deep beneath the earth, bursting from nowhere and consuming all before it in an inexorable burning tide.
Normally his hunter's instincts would have his eyes searching out the perfect place to strike from, searching out the perfect path to it. His muscles would be tensed not to strike, to pad lightly and leave no sound and no ripples in the water. This, however, was not normal and so used was he to the whisper-assassin of his Irraka soul he lacked the mental defenses against pure unabridged rage that someone like Bear possessed.

With Iago's ruined face clear in his mind, complete with a mocking rodent wickedly ensconced in the eye socket, he had to fight to keep his body low to the ground, hugging corners and shadows. The rage muddied his thinking, made it hard to plan every step as he painfully slowly made his way toward the Red Minister.

Spoiler

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OOC
Stealthing up behind the one speaking, ready to strike.
(7d10)[3][6][6][5][6][2][5](33)
10-again
(7d10)[7][5][4][5][9][5][3](38)

[Ladorak]

Spoiler: OOC

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Well that was awful
Spend a Wp for 3 more dice:
(3d10)[2][2][6](10)
10again
(3d10)[6][10][3](19)

[Thundercracker]

Blaze

“It’s that big plague spirit lord coming through, and we haven’t got the banes yet,” Blaze said, “let’s punch through, grab Solo, and get out the other side.”