2019.07.26 Tunnels of lies

Talking it up in a caves
A cave
IC Date	July 16 2019
Players	Erin, Journey, Jake Miller, Ryla, Ratsputin as ST
Location	Out of State
Spheres	Garou Gaian M+/Kinfolk Fera

Once Jake and Journey discover that there are three, count 'em THREE Wyrm Hives they have a meeting and decide to do a little reconnaissance work. Mexico first since Jake can Bridge everyone there easily. Once they arrive in the desert Jake scans the area then looks to the others. "Well, the Hive out here should be easy to spot. Not much out here. Could even be underground."

The desert is hot heat is coming down from the winds as they whip around your body as the sound of the wind whipping around you as the sand is kicked up and back forth as the sound of something odd in the distance. You feel exposed to the world, as if you are being watched it feels like something is above you but all you see is the wide blue sky.

Journey moves out, looks around, and nods, "Yeah, no come on." He lifts a hand, the air around him churning up the sand, and whipping the area up as he Opens a new bridge to a spot of forgotten battle-site outside of a small mexico town.

Jake frowns as he scans the area. "There's really...nothing here. I don't get it. This is supposed to be exact location." He nods to Journey and steps into the bridge with the others then eyes the small town.

The battlefield is quiet, there is nothing here but the sound of life from the town, but here is a quiet old grave yard. There is nothing odd on the umbra, it is clean on this side, the feeling of death and quiet. There is a bit of feeling of dormant violence, there is something about it that seems to be calling to them but it is long ago.

Journey walks out, "Okay that was the Hive, Sentry Corrupted Owls. San Fran, Western Eye has dibs on and Nevada, there's a couple of Septs that might claim it, I can dispatch someone to take word there." He looks around, eyes narrowed, frowning.

Jake follows Journey and nods. "Alright, go ahead. I would imagine Western Eye can handle it." He regards their surroundings again. "It's all rather odd."

Journey nods, looking around still, "Well, we'll head back in a minute, though I wasn't exactly expecting to be out there with the bridge." He looks up, peering into the sky, and nods, "Yeah let's head back to confirm the presence of hte Hive, meet the others and I'll dispatch Terra to carry word about the Hive locations, it'd help if we could put all the information together in one consice package.

Jake nods again to Journey as he takes one last look around. "Sounds good. Should be fairly cut and dried. I would imagine it shouldn't take too long for the Hives to be destroyed."

Journey nods, and gestures, "Okay you pick where to meet up, somewhere not a Hive this time." He says, "We'll see what happens."

Jake nods to Journey then opens yet another Bridge which leads them to...another part of the desert. Even more remote. He turns to the others. "I used to live near here. It's pretty secluded. It's a good place to talk. That last place...felt like we were being watched." He glances around. "Not here though. We should be able to talk freely."

Stepping out with Kringer is Erin she looks around wrinkling her nose as she sticks closer to her cat. she does reach back to put up her hood to make her just an little harder to stick out.

The desert is wipes around them, as the heat of the desert is coming up around them. The wind is still wiping up the sand, but it is safe on both sides it seems, the umbra is clean this far out.

Ryla follows along with the Elders and Kin. The desert is not a place this Silver Fang is used to. Not that she is used to snow either being from NorCal. But this is out of the norm for her. She waits for any orders, while keeping with Erin and her cat.

Journey looks around briefly and follows along, moving to sit, "Okay, so let's go over it all. Leads good, a confirmed Hive at the location, so from here, we need to formulate a proper plan."

Jake takes a seat next to Journey and considers. "Yeah, we'll need more people, that's for sure. A night raid might be best. Could attack from the Umbra side. I didn't get a sense of exactly how many we could be up against though. Or how well armed they could be. Also, I'd be curious to know what this Hive has in common with the San Francisco and Vegas locations. I mean...if there's a common link that involves them all. They could just be separate entities too."

Erin sticks close and nods as she looks around and gives a shiver

Ryla hmms, "I wonder if it is like Independence Day, and they are all linked so take out part of one, you weaken the others. Probably not. This does seem a lot of activity for one group. If they are all connected with the leads that got us here and all."

Journey nods, considering, "Okay I haven't kept up on the crossover issues, we have these locations from..."

Jake considers Ryla's statement. "Well, you never know with Wyrm. They're pretty tricky. And, yes, it is a lot of activity. Don't know how they stayed under the radar this long." He looks at Journey and Erin. "Any other thoughts?"

Erin hmms "Kaati said one of the guys was a Nephi something or other or was if awaken... does that mean anything?" she looks to the others

Ryla nods with Erin's statement, "Nephandi. That was a nasty kin there. Considering the link to the bar, which lead us to that first hive that Shaderunner'rhya filled with a lake, and then were back in business at the bar a day later, with so many armed with silver. The crossover tells me there is a network at least of the kinfolk, and I'm guessing a large number of Dancers as well."

Journey looks to Erin and nods, "Yeah quite a bit." He looks to Jake and around, "Okay so she'd be helpful to speak with." He looks to Ryla and nods, "That's interesting, if we could figure out the organization and how they're operating, be worth it."

Erin ask all the stupid questions " so how do we figure that stuff out what can we or better me do?

"Nephandi," Jake thinks about that a moment. "Yeah, that's a good clue regarding what we're up against. Kinfolk and Dancers. Might want to pull Branton in to help out along with the usual Garou." He looks at Journey. "Yeah, how they're operating would really help." He looks back at Erin. "Good question."

Ryla asks, "Is there any way to trace the comings and goings? See any patterns in all of this? Short of a stake out?"

Journey considers, "Need an Awakened Kinmagi or more than one who can work together, to counter the Nephandi, all they need is to do the unweaving and countermagic, even the battlefield there. That's on top of everything else. And before doing any survielence." He sniffs, thinking, as he frowns, and looks to Erin, shrugging, "Not sure really, least not yet."

Erin looks towards the others and nods slowly as she looks over with a little thoughtful expression as she looks around for something

Jake nods to Journey. "Right now Branton's the only one I think we can depend on. Wouldn't really want to pull Eloise in on this unless you thought it was the only way. As far as surveillance...I could always send out a storm crow to do some checking."

Ryla hmms, "We need the intel. Should we try to get closer, see what the spirits might say?" She is no Theurge, but she knows there are tell tale signs that can show just how far the corruption has spread.

Looking thoughtful "I can for a bit transform someone into well just about anything" she offers as she pet's Kringer

Journey nods, "Without an Awakened Magi to help us do this right, a Nephandi can turn a lot back against us. Let's try to get someone with a Kinmagi background in on this to assist with the process."

Erin keeps looking around then looks to Journey and nods "Ok, you know way better than me.. Next time we go places remind me to bring rocks so they can spy for us"

Jake nods to the group and looks back at Journey. "We will do that for sure." He then grins at Erin and makes a gesture into the air.

Ryla grins to Erin, "You need a Go bag it sounds like." She wishes she knew some kin magi outside Kaati, but she does not have any to recommend.

...and Jake summons a Stormcrow! He then gives it a command to go and keep an eye on the desert hive and report back regarding any activities. He then looks back at the others. "We'll see if it can get any additional information."

Erin look into the air then looks to Ryla "A go bag? Yeah probably.. I need what do they geeks call it.. Oh yeah a bag of holding" she sagely nods then as the stormcrow is summon Erin looks to Jake "Sure sure show off now" she winks as she looks to Journey and Ryla and smiles wel she has no kin magi there is just her.

Journey nods, "Theres a few magic bags around." He sighs, looking over as Jake sends off the Sotrmcrow and rises, "Okay we can get back to town and figure out who'se available, we'll need to talk to Kaati, sounds like, she's involved already.

Actually, it isn't long before Jake looks back up at the sky and frowns. "Uh oh. We've already got something. Must have hooked up with another storm crow. There's a zillion of them out there you know." He's quiet a moment, concentrating. "We missed something. There's a large dune covered in sand and...a guy just crawled out of it. Out of a hole. The dune must be hollow. The man's dressed in leather with a shotgun in his hand." He also stands.

Ryla looks to Jake and then Journey. "Great. What's the plan to deal with this one? Assume danger?"

Erin looks after the stormcrow "Though that is super cool, I need to learn that trick, not that I can do that trick but still be nice" she tilts her head "Say what?" she looks towards Jake.

Journey turns, looking at Jake in surprise, "Oh yeah, what kind of leather, Fonzi or Hellraiser?"

Jake concentrates a bit longer then looks at Journey. "Hell raiser." He looks back at Erin. "The crows have an immense network and communicate with each other. Being a Lord I have an affinity with them."

Ryla nods, "Sounds like Wyrm. Ok. Do we wait and see what happens here? See if we need to take any other action?"

Erin ohs softly at Jake then blinks a little "Oh he sounds fun"

Journey shrugs and looks to Jake, "You see him, what do you think?"

Jake holds up a hand. "Wait...he's moving for another dune. Dives into it. He's..." he blinks. "...gone. He just disappeared into it. That's damn strange. Might mean there are a number of underground entrances to multiple locations. Or buildings."

Ryla shakes her head. "Underground? How do you get that much built up out here?"

Looking around "Maybe there is an illution that we aren't seeing through?" Erin says.

Journey nods, "Common enough to burrow enterances into the surface, making it ambush and trap ready, it's pretty common for Dancers to have burrowing abilities."

Jake's form suddenly transforms into...a man wearing a Hellraiser type jacket. "He looks like this." Jake looks down at himself. "Jacket's a little tight."

Erin blinks as Jake transforms into the guy "Oh not as scary but still not someone I'd ..." she trails off and then looks to the others then to Jake "What are you going to do?" She hmms "Check his pocket and see if there is a wallet?"

Ryla thinks that is wicked cool what Jake does, and has to laugh at Erin!

The man in the Hellraiser jacket chuckles at Erin then says, in a deeper voice, "Get a good whiff. See what you can get." He lets the others gather all the info they can.

The smells of the man are exact, it is the first real lead they have on this roaming pack of the wyrm. The hive is underground it seems, but is it pre existing or something man made, there is much to look into but they are one step closer to the fight with the pack of evil coming towards prospect.

Journey looks at Jake as he takes on the mans features, checking him over and getting the full sensory impression, sniffing, nodding, "Okay worth having that image for later." He looks at Erin and chuckles, "That would be good." He frowns in thoguht for a moment.

Erin get in to get a closer look too then wrinkles her nose "He needs to shower" she admits