2018.09.24: Desert Patrol - Minecraft Horror

Desert Patrol - Minecraft Horror
Bawn Patrol are sent to check something out in the Desert.
IC Date	Monday, September 24th, 2018
IC Time	16:00:00 2018, PDT.
Players	Aleksandr, Hjalmar, Johanna, Lleutrim, Sean, SergeiST, Skully
Location	The Desert
Spheres	Garou Gaian

Sergei has sent word to gather for a patrol and is in one of the caves closer to the surface than the Caern waiting for the group he called for to be ready to move out.

Weathers-the-Storm has arrived as summoned, having already drawn the patrol duty for the evening. The huge Hispo paces about, keeping a head count for who has been summoned versus who has shown, and lashes his tail twice. << Slow response >> he grumbles, his one golden eye disapproving.

Patrol! Oh boy oh boy oh BOY! Sean all but runs to gather. He's tied his hair back out of his face in a super sexy man bun and put on a shirt that won't get snagged, and a pair of hiking boots that he's tucked his jeans into. The little hippie Fianna cleans up real super nice.

Black and brown fur sprouting over his body and a strange sound coming from within. Hjalmar shifted into his wolf form.

Johanna was ready for a patrol this evening and swiftly made her way to the caves where Sergei called them. She arrives still in her Homid form and nods with respect to Sergei. "Howling-Wind'rhya, reporting for patrol." A nod as well to Skully, "Weathers-the-Storm." She looks to see who else may be coming, and then there is the new buy. "Broken Claw. Well this will be enlightening. First time out on patrol here?"

It is a night of the full moon and Lleupine is a little slow to finally show up. The large gray wolf with ruddy sides and silver eyes comes in running and then slows his gait just outside to take a moment's caution to check things out - before he comes in to meet up with the others. Quietly Lleu pads in, watchful and silent. The Galliard starts sniffing over the others who have already arrived.

Throttling up to the meeting spot, ShieldBrother sniffs the air and takes in the surroundings.. Patrol starts at the borders of the territory, no? He comes up to Weathers-The-Storm-Rhya and dips his head in acknowledgement. And then one to the others arriving here. <<Quiet day. Is a good day.>>

At Lleu's arrival, Skully meanders over and gives the Fianna a comradely shoulder-rub, then similarly brushes against Johanna's leg as he's greeted. Sean gets a sniff, then a huff from the gigantic wolf's muzzle with a quiet comment of, << Good hair. >>. ShieldBrother's arrival is noted with a swishing of Skully's tail, and the big wolf bows his head. << ShieldBrother. Quiet is good, but woods are restless. Something in the air. >>

"Yes, ma'am. Not my first patrol ever, but the first one here." Sean is ecstatic, clearly, but he isn't giddy and bouncy and stupid about it. Skully gets a grin. "Hair is power, m'man," he says, then he pulls that metal rod from the holster on his hip and gives his wrist a flick and it extends out from just a little over two feet to just a little over six.

Johanna grins, seeing the rod change from one size to another, "Compensating, Broken Claw?" She does not say for what, but she just could not resist. "ShieldBrother, nice to see you as well." She cannot help but pat Skully's head when he brushes by her leg.

Sergei nods at Sean and quirks an eyebrow "Clever." and then he looks around "we'll wait a bit more for our last patrol member. Has everyone met?"

<< Know everyone >> Weathers-the-Storm replies to Sergei with a bow of his head, turning to look back toward the Caern. << Lights-the-Darkness comes. Was tending to spirits. Could not be delayed. >> He whuffs softly, tail swishing, and paws at the ground in impatience. Friggin' Theurges.

Yeah, Skully is just too damn big in here while in Hispo. It's like trying to fit the Titanic into a bathroom! Lleupine gets a shoulder bump with what? Weather's knee? Being as he's in the form of a regular wolf, even if he's a larger one than many, it's still not the dire wolf form so he's almost h half of the Metis' height. The smaller wolf ducks underneath and pops out the other side, smooth as you please. Silver-grey eyes regard Johanna and Lleu brushes against her for greeting before he finally can reach Sergei and quietly pay his respect to their patrol leader.

Sean grins at Johanna and SMACKS the stick on the ground and it pops out another couple of inches. He waggles his brows at Johanna with playful good fun and then sobers up a little bit. He looks around at the others and there ARE people that he doesn't know, including Sergei (I think). "Sean Fry. Broken Claw. Homid Fianna Theurge."

ShieldBrother trots over to the new wolf, Sean, and sniffs him out. <<Not seen you. Not before.>> He cocks his head in curiosity. <<Me is.. Hjalmar.. Hamerslag. Rited ShieldBrother..>> His introduction goes a little less fluid than normally, but it is getting there! <<Born on.. Two legs.. Under half moon.. Philodox.. Cliath of Fianna.>> The accent may be lacking, but work, it does!

"Another Fianna, thank fuck," Sean says pleasantly to ShieldBrother

With a crunch of bones and stretch of muscles, fur flies and wind swirls. Johanna becomes a wolf

Form begins to contort and stretch, as another emerges. Aleksandr becomes a silver wolf

Sergei nods at Alek when he arrives and the proceeds to explain "The Elders of the sept, in their wisdom, have barred access to the desert with the exception of certain patrolled and safe areas for Garou traveling on their own or without authorization. However we do still have holdings out that way that need looking after. Tonight we're going to be doing a sweep of the desert near one of those holdings. It hasn't been swept through in a bit so we may run into something."

Weathers-the-Storm hews to Sergei's words with rapt attention, sitting on his haunches and watching with that baleful golden eye. He bows his huge head at the task at hand, huffing in quiet agreement.

ShieldBrother turns his attention to Sergei and dips his head in acknowledgement. <<Good. We go and see.>> He focuses himself to bring himself into a more ready state... Zoning out any pain he might receive during fights, if there would be any!

At Sergei's announcement, Lleupine turns his wolf head to look for one of his fellow Fianna, << ShieldBrother ran into formor in desert. Recent. Not sure where. >> The gray wolf leaves it to Hjalmar to embellish upon that information or not. The Galliard sits on his haunches and waits for them to move out. The cub twitches an ear and stays off of Weather's blind side.

Lights-The-Darkness is in lupus, he never travels in anything but wolf or Homid, even if he expects there to be imminent trouble. Veil concerns. He arrives late, the Caern needed tending. Theurges man! He dips his head low to Sergei. <<Sorry late, Howling-Wind-rhya. Ready.>> He seems to assure the man and then moves to follow along, falling silent as is his usual. Head bows go round to each other present, but no more. Business time.

Starchaser looks over to Lleu and ShieldBrother. >>Would like to hear about that sometime. After tonight.<< She takes a step closer toward Howling-Wind. >>Ready to go when you are, Howling-Wind'rhya.<<

Eh, wolf form is kinda dumb. Sean will hang out in Homid or switch up to Crinos if that's allowed.

Howling-Wind melts down effortlessly into wolf form and leads the way out into the woods, he sets a fairly good pace, not a gift enhanced speed but he doesn't dawdle any either. As the group draws near the sands he slows down a bit >>We're coming out of the trees a ways away from the highway but the holding is a restaurant along it. If we need to rest there before we head back we can. In the future we may start patrols from there for this purpose.<<

Well, dammit. Lupus for Sean, it is.

Weathers-the-Storm takes left flank, as is his usual, padding along with the patrol and keeping his ears and nose open for trouble. He /may/ occasionally flick his tail in Lleu or Alek's face; it has been known to happen. As he lopes, he summons those Gifts which fit him for patrol, pushing against pain and poison more out of reflex than anything.

Lleupine stays in lupus for now, for it is a good form to move swift and silently, or for tracking. The cub stays quiet and watchful, waiting for the others to head out. When they start, he'll fall back in the ranks near to the back and remain silent, out towards their right flank. A nice good run out under the moonlight and the trees is excellent for warming up the muscles and clearing the mind. Sorry Skully, Lleu's on the other side of the group and staying away from your tail flicking.

ShieldBrother looks over his shoulder at Starchaser and yips. <<Told Galliards also... May be told by them soon too!>> He looks back to where they're heading. <<But Lleupine speaks of Coyote Fomori, I fought in desert with Libby. Killed all. Cleansed and burned too.>> He easily keeps up with the pace and takes up his position in the pack formation.

Starchaser brings up the back of the group tonight. Keeping an eye on the three musketeers, the other two Fianna, and of course their leader. Padding forward in lupus, her eyes always moving and watching.

Lights-The-Darkness listens quietly, taking up a position more near the rear, and perhaps just opposite of Starchaser. His eyes searching constantly. Sniffing, ears twitching to pick up and smell and sounds that might act as warning. All of this easier to do when quiet.

Howling-Wind continues out into the wilderness, away from the trees and water. Into a place he refers to (to himself at least) as the 'not-snow'. After a another twenty minutes of four footed jogging or so he stops as the patrol group crosses something that doesn't belong....tire tracks >>This should not be here, find it so we can follow it.<<

Tire tracks. The command is given, and Weathers-the-Storm lopes over to pick up the scent, sniffing and checking direction. Not right; he knew there was something in the air.

ShieldBrother dips his head. <<Aye.. We follow. Find who is owner.>> He adjusts his direction in the way the tires seem to be heading and sniffs deeply, trying to pick up any scents left around the track...

Lights-The-Darkness follows suit as well, eyeing the tracks as much as following the scent. They seem obvious enough, though before moving on, he asks, somewhat curiously. <<Why not belong? Just vehicle?>>

Starchaser pads up and studies the tracks. Trying to discover anything she can as well.

The gray wolf continues to stay silent, running softly over the desert floor as they move out under the moonlight. Lleupine slows up and stops when Sergei does, eyes bright and ears up. He'll wait his turn to come up and sniff at the tracks, though probably to him it's not so weird to find tire tracks out in the desert. Lights-the-Darkness asks the obvious question. Lleupine keeps off a little to the right side, watchful of their perimeter as they get moving once more to follow the tracks.

Howling-Wind looks both directions along the tracks as the patrol group sniffs about >>This far from the road and where human things are....I am suspicious.<<

ShieldBrother takes a last deep sniff and looks at Howling-Wind. "Aye. Can check. If something, we do our thing. If not something.. We go on.>> He makes ready to head out again.

Weathers-the-Storm whuffs impatiently, ears turning to try to catch any sound, but the desert is quiet. << Tracks go out, not in, >> he comments, looking deeper into the desert. << Diesel truck. Heavy load. >>

Broken Claw just keeps quiet, sniffing things out here and there. Just as Weathers says something, Sean looks up and nods, tailing flicking in agreement. Yup, that's what he figures too.

Starchaser figured out nothing herself, and listens to the others tell what they found out. She waits for instructions from Howling-Wind for their next step.

<< Agreement. >> Not that they probably care what the cub in the party thinks but Lleu back up what Weathers declares. The gray wolf raises his head and looks in the direction the truck went, seeing no sign of lights on the desert floor. He too waits for orders.

Lights-The-Darkness doesn’t understand humans as others might. He has lived among Garou for most of his life. He accepts Howling Wind’s wisdom on it anyway, but might seem a little skeptical. Better safe than sorry. He offers nothing else with his question answered, listening and waiting to move.

Howling-Wind nods and trots off along, following the tracks and occasionally sniffing to the sides. The ground is broken and rolling, turning hilly after a while and the tires lead up to the mouth of a cave that's was shored up by wooden beams a long long time ago. As he sniffs his way up to the truck parked outside empty he comments >>A mine entrance.<<

Weathers-Storm's tail drops as he spies the mine, his steps slowing. The huge wolf looks to Howling-Wind, pawing the ground anxiously. << Closed space. Bad for fighting. How to proceed? >>

ShieldBrother follows Howling-Wind.. And indeed.. A a truck! Empty according to Howling.. He stares at the mine entrance and shakes his fur. <<Gonna be interesting.>> He looks back at Howling-Wind. <<We go in?>>

Having had a particularly bad month after a rough few months, the Galliard cub keeps a little apart from the main group. The others mill around the truck and the mine's entrance, Lleu eyes the hole in the earth warily. He begins to scout around to try and pick up more scents. Of men, of what their cargo may have been when unloaded, whether or not they used carts, dollies, or carried it, and any signs of traffic going elsewhere.

Howling-Wind looks over at the mine entrance and considers for a moment, while he's thinking the ground vibrates slightly as a low, subsonic pulse comes from underground somewhere nearby. Lleu finds lotttts of boot prints, shuffle and drag marks. Otherwise the area is thoroughly abandoned.

Broken Claw pauses as well, slipping backwards a little bit, head swiveling around briefly and then back to the front He slows, looking around for guidance

Starchaser comes up to the truck, and goes up on her hind paws, her front paws on the truck door, and peers inside the window. As she feels the vibration she moves back down onto all 4's. >>That is not right. Something should not be happening.<<

ShieldBrother looks at Howling-Wind. <<Comes from beneath... Feels bad.>> He stares at the entrance, fangs bared.

<<Dark. Good for hiding.>> Lights-the-Darkness notes aside after Weathers the Storm speaks. <<Can sneak.>> He’s still ever alert, searching the area to catch any signs of human, truck or anything that might cause him to be more suspicious. He’s still seems unaware of why the concern. It’s all seems somewhat normal for humans, he must think. Even the shaking is not so much to him. <<Mining tool?>> He’s well read.

Howling-Wind frowns at the pulse and nods to Starchaser >>We go in. Weathers-the-storm, you take point. The rest of us follow, two by two.<< Howling-Wind swells up to Hispo

<<There has been much death here>> Broken Claw says, his eyes going a little distant for a moment. "<<Banes. Lots of them. Circling, surrounding the place. Caution, brothers and sister>>

Weathers-the-Storm blows out a huff of agreement and leads, stalking into the mine carefully and keeping on the alert. The pack is depending on him. As things grow darker, he relies more heavily on his nose and ears, attempting to gauge how deep they will be going before encountering trouble.

ShieldBrother dips his head and takes up position next to Lleutrim. Better to protect one of the cubs if needed... He closes his eyes and wills himself into a change...

With a crunch of bones and stretch of muscles, fur flies and wind swirls. Starchaser becomes a dire wolf

The sound of stretching bones and sinew preludes as ShieldBrother becomes a primal looking man with blue eyes.

Broken Claw shifts as well, and follows near the back. This is not his favorite form. No thumbs. But he's competent, at least.

Starchaser moves to walk in with Broken Claw. She shifts up to Hispo, knowing it may take much more to fight off the banes.

Lights-The-Darkness didn’t look at the Umbra, didn’t have reason for real concern until now, but a glance at Broken Claw follows his words. Things go through his head, considerations, but then he dips his head to Howling Wind and falls in line. His form also grows bigger in the dire wolf of legend. Banes out here are a worry. Normal death would not call so many. It means something bad happened here, to attract them. He growls a little.

Form shifts and contort, and a new one emerges. Lights-The-Darkness becomes a dire wolf

Weathers-the-Storm just got +fingered by George. Buy a guy a drink first, huh?

Lleupine stops sniffing around the various tracks and marks and comes back to the group. He raises his head as orders are given, silver eyes focusing then upon Broken-Claw for what he has to stay about the spirits. The Galliard too shifts up into the larger dire wolf form and waits to go in. No, not liking the tunnel at all but it's high and wide enough as they quietly file into the mouth of the earth...

Death. So much death to bring Banes of that magnitude. Weathers-the-Storm continues his careful way into the mine, trying his best to keep alert for traps or alarms in his path. He detects none, but the mine dips deep, and the uneasiness shows in the huge wolf's every movement.

The patrol moves into the old mine tunnel. Not so abandoned any more, some ways down the tunnel the group can hear chanting, and smell blood.

ShieldBrother smells deeply.. And shakes his head... He's not saying anything, keeping quiet to keep up the element of surprise. But whatever's in here.. It is bad... Very very bad...

Broken Claw is totes stealthy. I mean, he isn't howling while he walks. That's something, right?

Lights-the-Darkness moves to follow along, keeping distance form whoever he follows beside, to give them each room to maneuver should they need to. He moves quietly as possible, the wolf is better for that, the extra weight not as much. He sniffs at the air, smelling the blood, but with death, to be expected. Not scent of death though? Rot? Curious. Eyes try to piece the darkness, ears twitch at the chanting. Ever careful.

All of the deaths in these tunnels have been recent, all the other smells that come with being recently deceased are present. From around a corner up ahead there is light, but its green and flickering.

ShieldBrother goes as quietly as he can.. He stops for a moment... Not feeling right in this form.. It has been a while since he was in Glabro form.. And the others are all in Hispo.. He closes his eyes and wills himself into that form as well... Now that there's still time.

Fur sprouting everywhere, claws and teeth forming and a crackling sound coming from under his skin, ShieldBrother becomes a black and brown coated, blue eyed dire wolf

Towards the back but with Starchaser and Broken Claw behind, Lleupine pads very softly along the tunnel more or less near ShieldBrother. He is pretty quiet, staying close to the wall, head low. The odor and the chanting up ahead are not pleasant at all.

Chanting, blood... bad to worse. Weathers-the-Storm slows his approach, tail flicking like a whip to signal those behind him. << Wyrmsign >> comes the soft, basso growl of the Hispo giant, just loud enough for the second row to catch it. His hackles rise, lips curling back from dagger teeth in a silent rictus. His claws grate slowly, so slowly on the stone of the cave, drawing to razor sharpness... aye, and gleaming silver in the sickly green light.

Broken Claw is just waiting, staying alert, making sure that he has enough room for everyone to maneuver when the time comes.

<<Banes.>> The silver dire wolf chuffs quietly, as if that was all he needed to know to know Wyrmsign would be here. He’s still sniffing, even the whiffs of death don’t deter him, as he tries to push senses through that for more. To try to see what else he might pick up in these tunnels. That’s when he falls deadly silent. <<Bad.>> That’s all he says at first. <<Awaken Bad spirit.>> Though they might all know that by now.

Howling-Wind gives a low growl at the explanation and nods as the green light flicks unwholesomely in the darkness >>Forward. For Gaia.<<

The big furry dire wolf that is ShieldBrother dips his head. <<Need to be fast... Need to stop summons.>> He gets ready to charge with the rest of the group! <<For Gaia!>>

No further urging needed for Weathers-the-Storm, already braced and tensed with the pain of silver and Rage in his blood. The mammoth dire wolf charges in first, as he was made to do, his war cry of << HOKA-HEY! >> echoing through the mine.

Who or what would be summoning? Black Spiral Dancers, formori, something else? Nearer to the back, Lleupine doesn't ask as he'll soon find out and should stay quiet so not to ruin their hope for surprise. He waits, listening for orders as well as Skully's.... there he goes! The Galliard will move up and join the rush as those before him begin to move in for the attack!

Broken Claw explains the situation (See HW's OOC) as best he is able, but that's HARD to bring across in the lupus tongue or even the Garou tongue. He keeps it simple and makes the softest little growly sounds.

"Glory to you, blessed saint. Your skill in the symphony of killing has been too long from this world." Says one of the voices from around the corner and then when there's a war cry from the tunnel the same voice responds "Stop them, we've almost awakened him!"

The first Garou around the corner will see half a dozen human-ish looking deformed cultists and one that's further gone, a hulking robed figure covered in blood raising its muzzle (its a spiral kiddies) >>Blood and Pain for the EATER OF SOULS<<

Howling-Wind howls loudly and leaps high at the side wall and bounces off it, hurtling forward over the top of Weathers-the-Storm flowing into his war form in mid air. Landing, fetish knife first on the Spiral leader's chest they go to the ground in massive splatter of Blood and bone >>WEEENNNDDIIIGOOOOOOOOOO!<<

Starchaser snarls as she readies for the attack. She leaps toward the first target, and rips right into him! Shredding and tearing, and goes after him once, and then again, giving it all she can for Gaia! With Broken Claw and ShieldBrother by her side, they take it to this guy!

Damn fighting in Hispo is hard as fuck. At least for Broken Claw. He dashes in, following up on SC's attack with one of his own, but there isn't enough room. When he gets the chance, he decides to just say fuck it and goes for a bite, taking a little chunk out of the asshole.

Into the sickly flickering green lighted chamber the wolves leap! Lleupine is among them, another dire wolf with teeth bared and snarling! While two others get in ahead of him, he's moved up from the back in a quick leap past some of the pack. One of the foe before him, the Galliard lays into it with a vicious attack, jaws closing at once upon the man-form's throat and taking him down to the ground! Lleu whips his head back and forth, ripping the foe's throat out and breaking its neck to kill his target right away! The cub raises his head, silvery eyes gleaming in the strange light, maw dripping with gore.

Super quick his form blurs and shifts into the larger Crinos form. Instead of going after another foe, Lleu rushes upon the altar and does his best to destroy what is laid out upon it, knocking things to the floor and raising his great fists to slam down upon it, cracking the altar stone! By the time he turns to look for another target, the fighting is winding down. Garou are victorious, bringing down all their foes within the chamber and none escaping!

Lleu bares his teeth ferally when he sees none of them have even been wounded, then shifts back into Hispo.

Lights-the-Darkness has been training, but he’s still in last, taking up one of the blockers as the others wolves burst through. Leaping to his target, he topples the man with giant claws across his torso, exposing blood and guts, his insides almost falling out as he starts to waver and crumple. It matters very little. Before he can hit the ground, the giant silver wolf catches his neck in his teeth and pulls, so mighty, his entire head comes off. Bouncing and then rolling to a stop a few feet away. Bloodied with someone else’s blood, Lights-the-Darkness drops, what bloody remains are in his mouth and turns to the rest, blood splattered all over his perfect, silver maw.

First into the fray, Weathers-the-Storm sights a cultist drawing his dagger and charges, leaping from powerful hindquarters to slash with both sets of silver claws. He buries his right in his enemy's chest, tackling the man to the ground and ripping his claws free with a sickening gurgle. His left claw /stomps/, and the cultist's head is smashed into a bloody mess.

Snarling, the great dire wolf continues following his momentum, dashing at the loosened plinth and ramming it with his shoulder. The altar now shattered from the combined efforts of three furious Garou, the behemoth beast throws his head back and howls at the top of his lungs, << GAAAAAIAAAAA! >>

With all the banes dead, the Garou work together to gather anything needed, and they perform the Rite of Cleansing on the area, and dispose of the bodies before going home.