2019.09.09: Releasing the Dragon

Releasing the Dragon
Kandula's Hope go back to the Wyrm tainted old Mokole Caern and go to battle against the Wyrm so they can release the captured totem spirit and the souls of those trapped there.
IC Date	September 9th, 2019
Players	Ildar, Khol ST, Johanna, Skully, Troy Jameson
Location	Swamp
Spheres	Gaian, Garou

You send information to Journey, who is, as usual extremely busy, so he can only give you a limited amount of time in the time you have to prepare. He has said that he has heard of this ritual where you use the life blood of a powerful theurge, to empower a Caern totem to seal a spirit , or even all spirits, to a location. Usually its used to allow them to fade in strength over time until they are defeatable. But to harm those spirits, you have to Break that lock of blood.. and it will fade over time.. that is likely whats happening here. But even after that, if the bane has had sustenance over that time, its likely it will still be deadly and you will have to find a smart way to penetrate its defenses.. Something tied to its essence at the time of the battle. Only once the spirits are free and the bane destroyed will you be able to purify this location

Armed with this information, you prepare, and again approach the Camp, this time not just to see, but to do battle.

As you approach , even before you enter, you notice that there is a figure standing at the edge of the blight.. her form wavers, withdraws and approaches with that breathing like effect that the boundary has. The Aged Theurge's form waits patiently for you all, leaning heavily on a walking stick."

Johanna was ready for about anything, but for some reason did not expect to see the Theurge again. She blinks once to be sure, and then waits to be sure the others are seeing what she is seeing.

Skully trudges along with the pack, but upon seeing the aged Theurge he slows his stride, holding up a hand to those with him to urge caution (not that they don't know to do so themselves). He steps forward, bowing his head deeply, and rumbles, "Ain't expected to see you again, Elder. Gaia's blessin' be on you. I 'spect you know why we come, then?".

As he follows along with the pack, Troy has been quietly observing in a cautious manner. He takes in a deep breath, then lets it out slowly at the sight of the Elder who has appeared before them.

The Aged Theurge seems faint, more so as you grow closer, as if her essence is nearly spent. Her voice, that you all remember as soft and airy even in life, is barely a breath of wind now, demanding concentration to hear now at all. "Your faces are new, but your hearts are known to me. I saw you coming. and in your trail is rest.. or horror. Which is in your hands. I have held this as long as I can. I trust in you all." she looks between you all "Gaia's will guide you." and then she steps back and the veil at the edge of the Caern parts.. it pops like a bubble, and the ground itself gives a low rumble.. growing in speed and intensity."

Johanna lets out a low breath. This is it. This is happening. She looks up, searching for stars that are unseeable right now. Thinking, calling for her Great Grandmother and other ancestors to be with them all. But that rumble... the ground shaking has her foot move forward to keep better balance. "It is time. Not much longer she can hold it back."

Khol has followed quietly with you all, there is an abstractness to his attitude, his normally lively and expressive face is stoic and placid. Emotion seems to be gone for the moment and you know that he has prepared a few spells upon himself before approaching... his skin seems to have a faint opalescent glow to it, not quite white, but not quite rainbow either. He has chosen, oddly to be barefoot and simply wearing a tan tshirt and sweats.

As the world rumbles below his feet, Troy shifts his stance a bit a few times to keep his balance, throwing his hands out defensively as he rides the shock waves. He looks over to his pack mates, breathing quickly as he clears his throat. "We got this, guys. Together, we can pull through. As long as we believe in ourselves."

Ildar, just like the others, was prepared for a brawl. At Skully's motion, he would pause back, watching what goes on, then glancing around, to keep alert. That bow of his was already out, the spirits within his gear humming with that eagerness to fight for Gaia once again as the rumbling started and the party began.

Skully arches an eyebrow over his eyepatch at Troy, letting out a slow breath before stating, "Brace for it. Whatever's comin', face it on your feet.". With that, he takes his birth form and engaged the calm within as he calls upon his hard-won abilities and secrets and prepares to do battle in whatever form it manifests.

Johanna slips fluidly into hispo, ready for this on four paws then. She's ready to move and dance and whatever is needed for whatever is coming. >> I am ready. << She prepares herself from there, calling upon gifts to protect her. With a crunch of bones and stretch of muscles, fur flies and wind swirls. Johanna becomes a dire wolf

Blurring his way into the crinos form, the Child of Gaia radiates a calm tranquility as he takes in another deep breath, then holds his staff out at the ready before whipping it about in a circular manner end over end.

What happens next is beyond what you dreamed. From the mouth of the cave a massive, 50+ foot tall form of darkness and evil that you don't even need sense worm to realize is ancient and dark and nothing but decay and destruction. Brilliant red eyes, five of them, dot at seemingly random spots over its 'head' though its little more than a formless heap right now, and all of those eyes are focused on the Pack, Malevolence rolls over you as it rushes over the ground, sounding like a freight train as it flows crushing the ground under its bulk. While you expected preparation time here, its fast.. and at first you fear that it will hit you before you even have time to brace.. But then something happens.. there is a roar, sibilant and reptilian, as another massive form shoots from the cave, giant wings flaring as it descends its 40 foot long dragon's form sinking claws and jaws into the bane. Its brilliant gold and red scales seeming to give off heat as the wings buffet the bane. Only Skully recognizes this as the spirit of the Caern.. none of the others, even in their memories ever saw it. And its doing everything it has, pouring itself into tearing at the Bane.. buying you all time to be ready.. and drawing at the strength of the bane so it cannot descend on you before you are ready."

Ildar would smoothly shift into that crinos form, gaining height as that bow of his would look more right in this form. Snarling, HK watches what is to come, an arrow already drawn and notched, but it's the Alpha who calls the shots, so he prepares himself, bracing as he can, while watching the massive fight above them.

The Dragon and the Bane turn their attention upon each other, the ground shakes at their violence, stones crack and the water seethes and rolls. The Dragon indeed breaths flames in hot gusts right into the surface of the creatures body, his tail sweeping back and forth to smash into its side as its claws tear and rend. Chunks of the Bane are shredded off to fall to the ground where they hit like boulders, then melt like ice in moments. But The dragon is taking terrible damage in return. the Bane ejects spikes like a urchin that penetrate the serpentine form, and its spiritual blood sprays wide over the battlefield. All of you hear the dragons voice in your mind "I can only hold and weaken it.. It is too much for me.. Its body is made up of my children.. you must find something of them to weaken its form, so you can harm it!.. Quickly!" his voice is desperate.. clearly he has exhausted most of his power in holding this bane for so long, even with the magic of the Theurge working with him.

HK would draw one of those special arrows, the silver gleaming in the light as he'd line up that shot. His archery is good, one of the better ones in the Sept and the massive size didn't do anything to help this be avoided. Of course, that arrow would smack into the eyeball.. and bounce right off. HK stared at it, cursed, then looked to the others. >> We have to find it's weakness. If I can hurt it, I can stop it. But if I can't hurt it, the arrow won't take effect. <<

Starchaser charges forward, there to protect and serve! She launches into her attack and claws at this bane! As she hits it - and hard- RIIPPPPING into it, shredding the spirit, she sees it heal up as fast as she tears it. She starts to back peddle a bit as there is a scream.. a human scream in pain she can hear around her. Looking back, there is no evidence she did a thing.

The dragon is twined around the Bane. shredding more and more of it off, but his strength is fading.. his essence tearing, his fire starting to go out. His tale slams the ground and stones and bones dance among the grass and weeds of the area, His voice, in your minds isn't audible as more than a painful gasp for breath, then he falls away from the bane, which has been dramatically reduced in size, so much of its essence torn free that its only about 20 feet tall now, even your own blows helping with that. It is struggling to shed the tattered tendrils of the Dragon. Now freeing itself to turn its full attention to you all soon."

Spinning his staff about in his paws, Mercy's-Wings glow hypnotically as he delivers a very ineffective care bear stare at the spirit.

Khol begins a form, smoothly flowing as he extends himself, calling forth the elements, drawing them toward himself, each of them gathering around an appendage, earth on left leg, water on right, fire on the right hand, and wind swirls around the left hand, gathering and growing in power and force, but otherwise he doesn't unleash anything yet.

Honor's Keeper calls out, putting it all together now, >> The bane is using the Spirits of the tribe to protect himself. The Caern Spirit can hurt it, but he need something physically left from the bodies if we want to as well! <<

A cry breaks out that turns into a howl, and Starchaser before you grows larger until suddenly you see a monster!

Starchaser shifts up to Crinos so she has hands! She grabs the nearest big bone, and with a swift motion she plunges it into the bane. She sees cracks begin to form on the body of the Bane - not all the way through, but something is working! >> Get the bones! They work!! <<

Honor's Keeper grabs up some bones, taking the next biggest one he can find and with his mighty strength he plunges it into the bane, and more cracks in the armor appear!

Plucking a bone up, Mercy's Wings moves quickly inwards while the beast is distracted and plunges it deep into the bane.

The Bane stands amid his crumbling and melting armor. Now only a meager 12 feet tall, humanoid, but with four tentacle like arms, huge octopi type suckers lining those arms. Malice and hatred seething off of him. His now, two eyes look between you and he screams.. its a sound that's not human, and pushes at you all, seeking to knock you all back..

Khol stops and extends his hands, stomping both feet, and he thrusts his hands out.. each of you is chosen by one of the elements.. Johanna is empowered by wind, Skully by fire, Mercy by water, and Honor by earth. All attacks for the duration of this combat will be elementally empowered with +3 damage (not rolled, set +3 more damage after rolling) of that elemental type.

Starchaser sees the opening! She drops the bone, and claws extended she RRRRIIIIPPPPSS and SHHRREEEAADDS into it. The tear inflicting pain of the many that the bane had hurt right back into it!

Weathers-the-Storm leaves his scavenged bone buried in the creature's hide, frustrated at his lack of impact in the battle but buoyed by his pack's strength and perseverance. When the bane becomes less formidable and more vulnerable, he bares his claws again and booms << HOKA-HEY! >> before spiritually charging his strike for greatest impact. He leaps claws-first, hands together and driven into the monster's chest before spreading his long arms out to their full impressive wingspan, tearing so that each hand comes away with half of the creature's limp carcass. He drops the bane's husk and throws his head back, roaring a wordless paean to the spirits that sounds not entirely unlike a victorious Tyrannosaur.

As the Bane is torn to shreds, The silence you barely were aware of seems to lift.. the wind sturs then flows.. the water suddenly seems to give that trickling flowing sound that has been so missing for this place. There is still a stench, it still needs cleansed. but the root of that evil has been torn out. The sun which seemed so muted suddenly peers through as it breaking through the clouds around you.

Breathing heavily, Mercy's-Wings gives a victorious howl, then gives a quick glance over to the others to ensure they are free of harm. << We will need to cleanse the lands. But we did good work tonight. >>

Starchaser can sense the change coming in the balance here, and drops to her knees. She looks over all the bones here and while they were victorious she mourns for them all. >> We will make this all right. We will cleanse. We will honor them all. << With that she lets rip a howl, calling upon the spirits, the ancestors of hers and all that were here.

Khol relaxes the spell, the elemental power fading form himself and from each of you. He doesn't howl, it would be rude for him to do so, but he does breath deeply, and his eyes take in more of the surroundings. He nods "we should build a bier for them.. and place them at rest."

It's many heaving, full-chested breaths until Skully is able to calm himself enough to speak again, shaking viscera from his talons and stepping back to slide into his human form. "Yeah, still work to be done, but... the heart'a the matter's tended. All over but the work an' the mournin'."

The big metis looks over to his pack, smiling wearily and saying, "Best to get started, then. Proud'a y'all."

After the sharp mind of Ildar figured out that they needed the bones of the villagers to destroy the protections on the Spirit, the bane fell quickly to the combined power of Starchaser and Weathers-the-Storm. The magic that Khol used fades as he approaches, after you all do your victory howls, and he looks around. But right now he doesn't interrupt what you all are speaking of.

Starchaser has taken awhile to both celebrate and yet mourn for those here. Lifting up to her feet she sees the others beginning their rituals to cleanse. >> This is going to take a long time. But will be worth it in the end. <<

Khol will take some time to prepare a place for the bones of the dead to be gathered, respectfully, and while you are all doing things he cannot, he does what he can together those bones safely.

HK would of course celebrate the defeat as well as mourn those who were lost. It's always a bitter victory taking down such a vile entity. But at least they were able to free those who were bound at long last. Helping to set up for that ritual as well, that massive beast's head nods in agreement to SC. >> Yes. At least we can put them to peace in the end. So we helped those who could not otherwise be helped. <<

Starchaser hmms, and looks around, >> The Caern Spirit... their totem. Where did it go? Is anything left of it? <<

HK shuffs a second, then looks about. He takes in a deep breath, then starts in the direction the spirit fell. He slows, spotting something there, looking at it curiously. That contact was over the pack speak, letting Khol hear it too. ~There's something here. An.. egg? What?~

Starchaser hears Honor's Keeper and after finishing bringing some bones carefully over to gather them up, she leaps over to where he is. She looks at it and begins to examine it. >> An egg. I did not expect that. Do spirits have eggs? <<

Khol walks over as well he looks at it for a moment "I.. guess they do?"

HK puts his bow away again, frowning as he studies the egg for a moment. >> It's unusual.. but not unheard of.. that I know of anyways. << The beast looks over to SC, then to Khol. >> Let's make sure it's not corrupted? <<

Starchaser waves Khol over, and is ready to sense taint of any kind on it. >> Yes, I'll do a check, but we should be sure it is cleansed as well. Then get Shaderunner'rhya to look at it you think? <<