2018.11.12 The Sewage Spill

The Sewage Spill
A group of young garou investigate the origins of the fomori bear faced in 2018.10.31:_Close_Call
IC Date	Monday, November 11th, 2018
Players	Battle Singer, Shieldbrother, Claws of Retribution, Howl in the Dark, and Puddle Jumper (ST)
Spheres	Shifter Gaian Garou

Hjalmar was up to lead patrol this time. He awaits the arrival of the others at the edge of the Caern. He's wearing his axe and looks around, ready and willing to go.

Seinneadair Blàr went off to his cabin to have a meal and stow his guitar. A while later Battle Singer arrives at the appointed place and time in wolf form. The big grey wolf with the silvery eyes comes loping up and slows as he sees Hjalmar. >> Shieldbrother'rhya, Claws of Retribution, Puddle Jumper. << The Fianna Galliard slowly circles the Philodox and awaits the arrival of the others, sniffing around. Seinneadair Blàr stops, back tracks, then lifts a leg to pee on a clump of grass by a large tree. Pssssssss....

The beginning of the month haven't found Dre in such high spirits, but Claws of Retribution comes moving through the caern in his wolf form. The large black form of the Shadow lord seems to blend in with the night, though once he sees Battle Singer and Shieldbrother here, he bows his head, >>Hello Battle Singer and Shieldbrother-rhya.<< he says.

And into the mix comes a white wolf prowling through the woods and pacing quietly up to the little gathering of men and wolves. She walks up close enough to join, but not within easy reach of Hjalmar's axe. Her ears perk up as she sniffs at the man, before her tail is wagging slowly. <<Am Puddle Jumper. Ahroun. Cliath. Child of Gaia. Here to fight wyrm.>> That's about all the introduction she seems interested in giving the man, before she's walking over to bump her shoulder against Lleu's, once the galliard is done peeing and has joined the group. Then she looks back to the others and adds a question: <<Where?>>

Hjalmar nods at all those showing up. He gives a nod to Puddle Jumper. "Pleased to meet you Puddle Jumper." His voice deep and warm, enchanting really. And accented... "I am Hjalmar Hamerslag." The way he pronounces his name indicating that the accent is Western European in origin. "Rited ShieldBrother. Born on two legs, under the half moon of the Philodox. Fostern of the Fianna." He closes his eyes and wills himself to change. After this he looks around again. <<Will go to area patrol found Bear Fomori. Will search and look. Find all we can.>>

Wolves do have it easier. No shaking things off and having to tuck and zip. Battle Singer grins and bumps Puddle Jumper right back playfully and then hops around in a good mood, despite the fact that the formori bear had very nearly killed the Galliard's ass when last they had gathered. He sniffs everyone over, and perhaps Hjalmar the most to see who his friend has been seeing lately, and whether he's been making or drinking mead. Seinneadair Blàr raises his head and takes a few steps to greet Dre as well, his tail held up, ears erect.

He turns at Wazi's question. >> We should go where killed bear. See if we can track it back. << Yep, Hjalmar has the same idea! And advantage of not raining much around here and long dry seasons mean the blood and sewage trail will likely linger for many days and even possibly weeks. The Galliard starts moving out to head northeast wards - it'll be a goodly long run to get to the mountains where they need to be to pick up the trail.

Claws of Retribution sees Puddle Jumper join them he chuffs at her in a friendly manner and soon he walks over to join the others. >>Andre "Dre" Kohana, Born on two legs, Cliath ranked, Ahroun of the Shadow Lords, Rite Named: Claws of Retribution.<< he says as he introduces himself to Shieldbrother. >>I agree, lets track where this thing came from and find out what else we can.<<

Waziyata wags her tail in response to Hjalmar's introduction, then listens to the replies of all three wolves. Instead of speaking an agreement, she chuffs softly and then turns to trot after Battle Singer when he launches himself into the forest. She only runs a short time before the other two have joined the temporary patrol pack, and she slows a little to let Shieldbrother move up the ranks toward the front of the group.

It is a long and somewhat tedious run eastward from the caern, out past the bawn, into the woods and up into the hills. Even running in lupus form, it is a trip of at least half an hour's time before the group is drawing near to the old battlesite against the wyrm bear. Eventually, though, the scent of old, dried blood and sewage and death is in the air. The battlesite near at hand.

ShieldBrother dips his head and yip yips. <<Good Seinneadair Blar. You lead way. Keep ears and eyes sharp.>> Then to Claws of Retribution and dips his head agains <<Good to meet you, Claws of Retribution.>> And after some traveling they come up to the site it seems.. According to the smell at least.

As the four wolves move into the former battlesite, the odor of old, burned flesh lingers in the wind, a patch of fresh-dug earth revealing the spot where the monster bear was disposed of. Trailing away up the hill is a faded scent of frightened humans and gunpowder. Angling further southwest and down the steep hillside, somewhat away from the mountains, is the faded smell of sewage, blood, and disease all mixed with fading bear scent. It is old and difficult to follow, intermixed with more recent smells of small prey creatures, rotting leaves and insects, but still present in the dry season.

It does take them a while but they pace themselves and are in good shape so evetually they begin to climb in altitude. Seinneadair Blàr does know the way though he's happy to slow down as they near the spot. He is cautious, not running right up to where they had killed the bear least it has somehow attracted other attention from something else, or the human hunters might have returned? So it is that the Galliard is careful, checking things out before he cautiously breaks cover to sniff around.

After making sure there are no surprises here, Battle Singer starts to look for the bear's trail to see if they can back track it. It may take all of their combined effort to follow the aged trail. He is silent, having nothing to convey to the others except to twitches an ear as he slowly starts to follow the trail back down. A lifted head to make sure the others are ready to follow it as well.

The stench might be there. But it is vague.. Time has dissipated most of it by now.. ShieldBrother is trying to pick up the trail after Seinneadair Blar scouted the place and showed it to be clear. But so far, there's not much luck in finding a clear trail.

Claws of Retribution follows towards the rear, keeping pace with the others, he's pretty fast when he wants to be. Once they arrive where they had fought, he moves through the area for a moment and as he does he is sniffing the area and once he turns and begins going east, he catches teh scent. >>Battle Singer, Puddle Jumper, and SHeildbrother-rhya. This way.<< he says as he begins moving in the direction of the scent he found. Claws of Retribution is moving cautiously, his head lowered and he moves as he tracing the scent.

For her part, Wazi prowls along the edges of the little clearing and the group, nose to the grount, ears high and alert, tail held aloft to show her readiness for action. She sniffs slowly and vigorously, rooting around here and there, back and forth, until, just after Dre makes his call, she lifts her head and turns to chuff at the other three wolves. Naturally, she has picked up the trail as well! Just three steps ahead of the spot Dre found it, moments before. She wags her tail, then waits to follow along with the group, assuming the rearguard position, nose returning to the ground.

The trail leads a short distance down the hill, at first a nearly straight line to a site with a bullet-wounded tree, more faint stench of gunsmoke and blood and pain, joined by human scat and fear. A bit more inspection has the wolves following Claws of Retribution as he follows the trail away from the fateful encounter point, deeper into the woods, winding slowly through the brush.

ShieldBrother is following Retribution alright. The wolf clearly has a better track on that scent, than he does. So instead, he tries to watch and make sure that there's nothing skulking around. Well nothing, except for them.

Seinneadair Blàr falls in line to follow the others, moving easily, yet watchful as they move along quietly.

The wolves follow the faint, fetid scent trail of the deceased bear deep down the woods along the outskirts of the mountains, with only the sounds and smells of wilderness and occasional faint humans to distract them until, at least, the trail turns, leading toward the sound and smell of water. From the sound, it is water moving swiftly downhill from the mountains, the sound of a good, clean spring that is no longer churning with the strength of late spring and early summer, dying down into winter. But the smell of the water is wrong, fetid, mixed with the smells of dead fish, sewer waste, and rotting things. The diseased bear scent leads directly down toward the water.

As he continues to follow the trail he chuffs at Puddle Jumper, making sure they are going the right way, not in a bad way, just letting her know that he feels they are on the right track. As they move towards the spring, he is to the right of Puddle Jumper, moving with her as they work on tracking. He follows to the woods, and he continues to work with Puddle Jumper as they lead their pack through the wooded area, he can smell the fetid water. He doesn't allow his emotions to shift, he is trying to keep his calm as he continues follow the trail. >>Someone keep an eye out for us.<< he suggests.

Seinneadair Blàr is indeed keeping an eye, an ear, and a nose out for staying vigiliant. He slows and goes more cautiously as they reach the fetid stream and wolf grimaces, >> Again? We keep finding bad water. Must find /source/.<< Battle Singer looks up stream, then looks downstream as well. >> Must find and purify source. Then, see what damage it has done down stream.<< There is a pause, listening with his head raised and cocked. After a long moment, the Galliard shifts, >> Too still and quiet here. Unnatural. << It makes his hackles rise a bit.

Wazi gives a low, quiet growl as the wolves catch the scent of the filthy water, dead fish, and raw sewage. Her own hackles raise and she slows to a prowl, tail raising, ears alert, eyes moving over the brush as she prowls along with the other wolves. She even shows her teeth in her growing tension as they move through the brush.

As the wolves follow the bear's trail, they emerge onto the riverbank. The body of water itself is more a stream than a full river, here. A small, swift-flowing stream of water just narrow enough for the wolves to leap over if they so choose. It twists and runs along down the hillside toward the sea, west by southwest. Upstream, it winds out of sight over the nearest hill.

In the mud along the riverbank are bear tracks, heavy footfalls sunk deep into the mud, now dry and flaking. Several half-eaten, sickly-smelling fish lay discarded on the riverbank, with a more recent, whole specimen laying just out of the water, rotting in the open air. The fish reek of sewage and disease, and little flecks of filth drift along the water's course with an occasional dead, floating fish and few live specimens. It's an easy meal if a creature were desperate enough.

ShieldBrother listens at what Seinne points out.. And indeed.. Now that he listens to the lack of something to listen at.. >>I hear emptiness you mean Seinneadair Blar. Good ears.<< And when they come up to this.. This.. Decaying stream.. He lets out a shallow whine... It is such a shame to see a healthy waterway being turned into this. The wolf does not stray close to the water for now. No. He rather keeps looking around for a possible source. And the source should be upstream... At least if the laws of nature are being uphold! <<We need hurry. Need to stop this quick.>>

There is no need to urge Seinneadair Blàr. He sniffs around only a little and wrinkles his wolf's nose. No, not liking this at all. He lifts his head to look to Shieldbrother and turns to start trotting up stream, following the foul watercourse up slope. He goes cautiously for they might easily run into other things that have become tainted, >> Must fine where it comes from, aye. << And so he goes.

Claws of Retribution smells all of the decay and he wants to growl but he can't they have to keep their focus, something he had to fight with when he first knew he was garou. He lifts his head up and looks in the direction of where they can go. He looks to Puddle Jumper, >>Bear tracks along bank of river.<< he calls to her. He moves over to where he sees them, he than looks at the other direction they could go, >>I think teh riverbank is where we should keep going.<< he says though he looks to SheildBrother for confirmation, he turns his head looking down at the tracks and dead fish, still his heckles raise just slightly as he knows they will need to cleanse this area once they find the source.

Waziyata doesn't need convincing to explore further, either. She turns and prowls along with the other wolves, forging upstream, the quiet growl rumbling in her chest as she moves along, ears perked up alertly, nose only occasionally lowered to the dirt to sniff about for clues.

The wolves follow the sickened waters upstream, moving up the steep slope of the hill and through the tangled brush along the river's bank, and find more of the same. Dead fish, few animals, polluted waters, rank smells of death, decay, and human waste. As they move further upstream, the smells grow ranker, the stream more visibly disgusting to look at or smell. Chunks of raw human sewage accumulate in little clusters within and upon the water, mostly broken apart but getting hung here and there on tree roots or rocks. Poisonous fungus and mosses grow along the riverbank further up, showing that even in a wasteland, life can find a way.

The stream continues steadily upward, winding away into the mountainous terrain, but it doesn't take too long of a trek for the wolves to come upon the source of the problem. A large pipeline passes along the hill, likely serving to carry waste to a nearby treatment plant, further downhill. It has not yet burst open, but an old, dead tree has fallen atop it, breaking open a seam in the pipe. Filthy sewage seeps through the crack in the pipe, leaking into a puddle upon the ground and then trailing down into the stream. The area stinks horribly, but bears no sign of animal life or obvious monsters in the wings.

The spill they found, is a bad one.. That much is clear. ShieldBrother observes it and looks at the tree and sewage meetup from a small distance.. <<This is bad.. Very bad. Needs stopping and fixing.>>

>> This is bad. As for the pipe, I can make call. Get city or county to fine and make company fix it. << The smell is horrible! What a stench! >> Question is, what look like on Umbra side? << Seinneadair Blàr paces and asks through body language and soft, low sounds and chuffs, staying well back from the fouled water. >> Any other suggestions? <<

Seinneadair Blàr adds low, >> Human sewage is no tainted like this - is something more. We should also follow pipe. <<

Claws of Retribution shakes his head, this is seriously fucked up and it is growing and building within Claws. He sees the spill is now going on guard just in case what Shieldbrother or Battle Singer says, this could bring trouble they don't want, >>Yeah, the city needs get here quickly. We can't let this stand.<< he says watching the surrounding areas.

<<Scene paused and then resumed without Dre>>

On peeking through the Gauntlet at the site of the waste leak, the Garou discovered it was a hub of activity for banes. Toxic sludge elementals basking in the poisoning of the earth and water, hogglings drifted through the sky, and a small number of scragglings lurked nearby, muscling out the spirits native to the area. It was decided the site was too dangerous for the four garou alone in the daytime. They would return during the night, when most Banes would be asleep or distracted with tormenting the dreams of humans, with any help that could be gathered quickly to drive off or destroy the lingering banes and stall their progress on creating a new hellhole. While back at the Caern, Dre took his leave from the group, summoned for some personal emergency.

Upon returning, Hjalmar has been looking for those willing to join them in Dre's stead. So here they are, at the Caern. Hjalmar's waiting with Lleutrim for those responding to the call. He's standing there in Homid form, armed with an axe that is strapped to his waist.

And so far. It seems that it is only Micah, answering the call. A short introduction where needed. And on they go! The moon's out by now and the place they need to be is easily found back.

Seinneadair Blàr has run back out to the sewage spill site after the conference at the Caern about what they should do and who else they might recruit to come help with the tainted location. The Fianna Galliard has slipped back into lupus for traveling. As the come up to lay eyes on the pipeline and the tainted sewage that is spilling out of the break to tumble down into the stream below, the large grey wolf with the silvery eyes hunkers down to wait for the others to catch up, ready to start.

Still new to the area - and the Sept in particular - Micah has yet to really familiarize himself with the geography of the area, let alone the other Garou. So it's with a little surprise that he finds himself exploring the bawn of the Sept when he's virtually drafted into an improptu mission - but then, isn't that what being a Garou is all about, fighting the Wyrm wherever it dwells and breeds? He's never been the most combat minded, but despite that fact he's readily agreed to aid the hastily-cobbled group and do what he can to put an end to the Banes and the corruption that's been found. Fortunately, once the group has gathered, it seems he's already met most of the others in passing before. Anything more formal for the last one will have to wait until later. For now - the Uktena seems ready for whatever may face him and the others, a grim countenance on his features and a slight, perhaps nervous motion to his body as he follows the others to the infested site.

For her part, Waziyata is hot on Battle Singer's tail as the lupus makes his way back to the poisoned stream, making the very long run back through the woods to the east and into the mountains. She follows the stream back up to the point where a sewage line crosses the little, dead stream - a tree fallen upon the pipe to break open a seam that oozes a steady trickle of sewer filth into the waters. Dead fish abound, noxious fungui and molds are growing all over the waste, and human feces and waste bob gently down the stream.

As the group of Garou all assemble once more, she surges into her hispo form, tail standing up, stance ready. She growls softly, deep in her throat, and then looks to Hjalmar to chuff. <<Do we cross?>>

Once the four garou have readied themselves for battle, shifting into Crinos and Hispo forms and readying what battle gifts they feel appropriate, the werewolves step sideways into the umbra. The penumbral reflection of the forest is stark and silent in the waxing sliver of light that Luna sheds upon the world. Hundreds of ancient trees tower over the garou, limbs stretching up toward the silent sky. While the four might ordinarily expect to see nature and animal spirits within the forest's reflection, all is instead unnaturally still. The reflection of the river gurgles softly, with only a hint of the noxious death within it. At the top of the indicated hill, the broken pipe can be seen, though on this side of the Gauntlet, the pipe has sludge elementals perched upon it and around the river, working quietly to spread the Wyrm's taint. Nearby, a single bane squats alone, a twisted body of claws and fangs and frothing hate, watching over the area. The warrior bane doesn't seem to have noticed the approach of Gaia's warriors yet, though it soon will.

For her part, Puddle Jumper focuses her rage and growls softly as her claws splinter and change, becoming spurs that can be deposited into an enemy. She takes a deep breath, then chuffs softly. >>I am ready.<< That said, she turns and slips sideways through the gauntlet. Once on the other side, her hackles raise at the sight of the banes at work and she tenses, readying herself for the charge as she waits for the other three garou to slip through.

ShieldBrother has readied himself as well. And believe you me! He's stoked up. That's what you get for having an Ahroun for a mother! <<We go.>> His voice deep and menacing. And when he sidesteps, he comes through almost at the same time as the others... Good timing indeed! He snarls upon seeing his enemies again.. This will be a good fight indeed... He rolls his shoulders in anticipation and flexes his claws.

Still very much at the 'rear' of the impromptu pack, Howl-In-The-Dark seems quite content to follow the lead of the others. Fortunately, he's able to pass off the behavior as a by-product of his unfamiliarity with the terrain of the bawn and the precise location to which the group is heading - but, if anyone were to look closely, it may also be apparent that the Uktena is perhaps not as possessed of boiling blood at the moment at the others. That may change soon enough - but when the others snarl and raise their hackles, Howl-In-The-Dark pauses, taking in a deep breath of preparation before he crosses through to the spirit realms. When he appears on the other side along his compatriots, the reddish-brown werewolf swallows as he notes the sludge elementals at the top of the hill. His eyes narrow, and he takes a moment before he whispers in the Garou tongue, <<What's the plan?>>

Along side Wazi, Battle Singer comes through the Gauntlet into the Umbra. Seinneadair Blàr likewise hunkers down to take a good look up slope as he activates gifts. His claws also subtly change into detatchable spurs that will hurt like hell when they are ripped out, but hopefully will cause even spirits much agony. His silvery eyes take in details and noting the larger single bane lurking menacingly apart from the others, the Fianna Galliard's hackles rise.

ShieldBrother looks to Howl-In-The-Dark, and replies in a low tone. <<We take warrior Bane first. And then go for the next closest foe. We surround our target and make it difficult to defend. Clear?>>

ShieldBrother charges the warrior Bane after explaining the short plan to Howls-in-The-Dark. He claws at his enemy and scores a good hit! And in the ensuing melee, he manages to hit a second time as well! Though it managed to score a hit on Howls in the meanwhile. Luckily it seems that they wear down this asshole quickly. A good thing indeed!

When Shieldbrother gives the word, Puddle Jumper snarls and charges out and up the hill, tail pointing straight out behind her as she rushes the first target, the bane with the claws and fangs. She doesn't waste breath howling or screaming her defiance at the Wyrm, she merely rushes in near the very front of the makeshift pack and then lunges low to snap at the creature's hamstrings, as though hunting a deer. Her initial bite doesn't find purchase and she snarls. She steps in closer to the thing as the others join the fight. She bides her time as the fight continues, before throwing herself at the spirit's back to tear free a large piece of it after Shieldbrother's next hit, the bane already beginning to fade as Battle Singer finishes the job.

For the Warrior Bane's part, it howls a mindless, rage-filled cry as it sees Howl in the Dark loping up the hill, rapidly overtaken by the other three garou. The warrior bane pounces from his rock, charging headlong down the hill to meet the werewolves in mindless, frenzied combat. It remains focused on the poor Uktena, even as the other three Garou tear into its essence, and as soon as Howl in the Dark is close the bane rakes him with its vicious, oozing claws, striking a heavy blow. It howls again, turning and thrashing as the other three garou set upon it and tear the spirit to pieces.

While all of that is going on, the two massive wyrm elementals at the pipe continue their work, steadily, patiently seeking to corrupt the river and earth here, spreading the Wyrm's filth. They ignore the battle completely, it isn't interesting until Shieldbrother, Puddle Jumper, and Battle Singer are suddenly charging into their midst. The puddle of toxins and filth draws itself up into a roughly humanoid shape, towering over the garou and making a hissing, gurgling noise even as Battle Singer tears a chunk of its essence away. For those who understand the spirit's speech, the gurgling hiss says <<This river is mine.>>

The plan is sorted out and Seinneadair Blàr finds Shieldbrother'rhya's plan most acceptable for the Galliard doesn't try to make alternate suggestions. The big Fianna grey wolf with the cinnamon ruddy flanks dips his head in acceptance, showing his agreement with attacking the largest, strongest looking bane first. Battle Singer's silvery eyes flash with his eagerness to start, yet he waits for Shieldbrother'rhya's signal to begin, sparing a quick glance to Puddle Jumper and then Howls in the Dark. The latter to keep an eye on should Micah need any assistance.

Soon as Shieldbrother and Puddle Jumper rush out, Seinneadair Blàr too goes! The Galliard circles around as ordered and sinks his spur claws into the bane! It doesn't seem to do it any notable harm right off, yet the claws have ripped out and should cause it agony!

Super fast, the others are laying into the spirit and causing it much harm. It all happens so quickly that the Warrior Bane hardly has time to know what is happening! It lashes out at Howls in the Dark and then Battle Singer is able to sink his teeth into the thing! Snarling ferociously, the Galliard shakes his head violently and helps to bring it down!

In a breath they are all then running for the next closest bane! As it happens, it is Lleu (Seinneadair Blàr) who gets to it first and sinks his teeth in for yet another vicious, terrible bite, ravaging it. You'd think he wanted to be an Ahroun when he grows up, not just a Galliard! RAWR!

Initially lagging behind the others, Howl-In-The-Dark picks up speed as he sees his team-mates lurch ahead of him and start to tear into the warrior bane. While he's not as quick or as fast as the others, he decides to play to his own strengths, hollering out in Spirit Speech as the battle is engaged. <<Stand down, servants of the Wyrm! Know that you face the might of Gaia's Chosen and your evil work here is at an end!>> The shout is loud, resonant and, Howl-in-theDark thinks, quite menacing and dramatic! But... such a challenge also has its price, it seems - for almost as soon as the words are uttered, the Bane is making a bee-line right towards the Uktena! Attempting to dodge out of the way, the reddish-brown Garou doesn't avoid a rather nasty gash across his mid-section, blood spraying outwards from the visceral wound as he howls loudly in pain. He gnashes his teeth, an arm instinctively moving to clutch the gaping slice across his torso, though does take some measure of pride that he seems to have at least distracted the spirit well enough for the others to dispatch it. He takes a moment to collect himself as the others rage forward - silently thankful for the (brief) respite.

ShieldBrother moves in for the next target. But instead of going full in, he focusses himself in order to distract the second Bane, casting a nasty Faerie Light in its face in order to distract it by racing rounds around its head and bumping into its face again and again. Sometimes one needs to even the odds a little before going full attack mode. The spirit though still attacks with an earthshattering pound to the ground. Nothing this Crinos can't handle though!

Clutching the gaping wound at his side, Howl-In-The-Dark lopes unevenly up the side of the hill as he scrambles to catch up to his comrades and the battle that's ongoing against the Sludge Elementals. The pain searing through his side is intense, but he grits his teeth together in a grimace of determination - true Rage starting to flood through his system now because of it. The previous utterance in Spirit Speech now changes to a primal roar, eloquence gone as he charges forward, clawed feet slapping against the ground in rapid succession. But then that ground shakes and trembles, rippling outwards from one of the elementals as it slams its foot to the ground.

Howl doesn't break stride at the lurching ground, leaping upwards a bit in order to avoid the shaking ground, and when he lands nearby the other elemental, the Uktena growls as he lashes outwards with the claws of his right hand! His hand flashes out - but falls short as the motion pulls at his wound, the gash oozing dark blood and the resulting wince causes him to miss the spirit entirely. Growling again, Howl's eyes burn and he opts to change tactics, lunging forward with maw open to just bite the foul creature instead! And this time, he hits - his teeth sinking into the enemy spirit with a satisfying rending of the thing's... sludge? A fair-sized chunk is ripped free from the elemental, and Howl spits it out in disgust as he calls to his compatriots, the Galliard unable to resist the opportunity to rally the others. <<We have them now! Don't let up!!>>

Things continue to be hot and heavy in the attacks until suddenly the Umbral ground SHAKES something crazy! One of the spirits STOMPED the earth and even as Lleu is trying to lay into one spirit, the other knocks him silly! The Fianna Galliard goes ass over noggin as Battle Singer, in Hispo, ends up on his face suddenly in Wazi-fashion! The second spirit tries to attack him and Seinneadair Blàr is busy throwing his paws this way and that to roll and dodge! It takes him precious seconds to scramble away and get back to his feet!

Snarling, Seinneadair Blàr then leaps back into the frey to deliver a seriously nasty and vicious bite attack! And then another! Powerful Hispo jaws with long teeth sink into the spirit, doing it much damage - but not bringing it down!

There is a quick glance spared to keep tabs on Howls in the Dark to make sure his fellow garou is still going strong despite that nasty wound. The Galliard looking ready to come to the other's defense if he's in a bad spot!

Puddle Jumper charges after the toxin bane as the rest of the pack moves in to attack it next, lagging behind them as she tosses her head to get the last bane's taste out of her mouth. She raises up on her hindlegs and snarls as she plants her forepaws into the next bane, burying her claws deep in its essence and then dropping to all fours to snap and tear at it with her teeth just like the last one. Even as her claws begin to regrow, the Ahroun is tearing strips of spirit stuff from the Waakshani.

For their part, the two banes turn to fight the incoming Garou. The Wakshani finds itself beset and lashes about in rage, hissing and burbling as it slowly, awkwardly slams toxic sludge at Battle Singer, only for the Galliard to dance out of the way. Then, the H'ruggling on the pipe gathers itself and slams its bulk against the ground, causing a staggering earthquake. It burbles and begins to advance with a sickening plop-plop-plop as it oozes down from the spiritual reflection of the pipe to advance on the fallen Garou. It doesn't even seem to mind that he's back on his feet.

ShieldBrother having done what he could to annoy the second enemy, tears into one Bane. But when that one is down. He focusses fully on the last one with all his might. He starts tearing it to pieces with ease.. Killing it quickly. The Faerie light stays close to them now and he turns his attention to that damn pipeline now. <<Now this one.>>

As it happens, he hasn't been injured at all this time! So it is that Seinneadair Blàr is lagging and his rage hasn't refeshed. He is only able to attack once this time in the span of several attacks by the others! Nonetheless the Galliard leaps in and delivers yet another impressive bite attack, ripping the big, fat, Huggs spirit and perhaps managing to distract it enough for the others to all lay into it as well! When that's done, the Battle Singer pants from his exertion and paces a few steps. >> Impressive, Shieldbrother'rhya. I have not seen you fight that well before! << Then he huge Hispo wolf is sniffing around at the foul sewage, >> I do not think we can stem this flow here and now. We should cleanse what we can and get others onto stemming the leak, replacing the broken pipe. Then we can return to cleanse it all again? <<

For her part, Puddle Jumper snaps at the Wakshaani, only to have it burst into essence residue. She growls and spins and bites into the H'ruggling instead, tearing a chunk of its hide away before backing off a half-step, ears perking up at the sight of Shieldbrother laying savagely into the spirit, attacking it again and again even as it fades out of existence. At the last moment, just as the spirit seems as if it will escape, it too is torn asunder by the Philodox.

Wazi chuffs <<Good!>> and wags her tail at the display. Then she turns and stalks over to Howl in the Dark, raising onto her hindlegs to plant forepaws against him. <<Be still and healed.>> She doesn't seem to have much to add to the conversation about what to do next.

As the first elemental goes down, Howl-In-The-Dark is quick to join the fray against the second - and last- of the vile and corrupted spirits. With all of the Garou teaming up against the thing, it doesn't last long - though Howl himself manages to land a couple of solid bites against the creature, he himself isn't able to pierce the corpulent spirit's sludgy, viscuous hide. Two attempts only result in a foul taste in the Uktena's mouth - and a even fouler taste in his stomach at the near-hits but failures. Still - it's a group battle, and ultimately the group is victorious! And with the banes gone - just the original source of the foulness remains. The pipe itself. Turning to the others, Howl-In-The-Dark shakes his head at Seinneadair's suggestion. >>I don't know... If we don't do something about it now, we may well have not come tonight...<< He eyes the pipe and the foul sewage that's leaking from it. <<Maybe plug it somehow? At least stop it long enough for us to figure out where it's coming from?>>

At Wazi's approach and instruction, then, the Uktena makes himself still while she applies the healing energies to his wound - the effort that she's given much appreciated. <<Thank you,>> he intones, grateful to get a respite from the gnawing pain that's still lancing across his torso.

Battle Singer paces a few more steps, thinking. >> Agreed, more banes are bound to come. We can try to plug it - but in Umbra, spirits may dig out our plug. << So it is that he shifts up from Hispo to Crinos and starts looking around. Ripping up a large tree might work as a stopper but then, would harm a tree spirit? No. Instead, Seinneadair Blàr starts digging around to try and find a large stone that might fit. >> Earth and stone... if we had a Theurge, we could call Gaian earth spirits to help us. << A hopeful look to see if the others have gifts that might help.

Battle Singer paces a few more steps, thinking. >> Agreed, more banes are bound to come. We can try to plug it - but we'll need to step back out of the Umbra. It does not look broken on this side, yet. << Not mind you that Seinneadair Blàr is terribly Umbra experienced yet in all things spirit. The large hispo continues to pace about, checking things out.

ShieldBrother is busying himself with making sure that these Banes stay what they are... Dead. Ripping their essence away. It does not proceeds as fast as it would usually go. But then again, he's kinda tired. He labours himself through the fatigue and does his thing. <<Will destroy the Banes now.>>

Puddle Jumper chuffs and wags her tail again as she drops back down to all fours, Howl in the Dark rendered whole by her Mother's Touch. She doesn't verbally acknowledge his thanks, that's what the tail wag was for. Afterward, as the other garou debate what to do next, the Ahroun turns and paces over to the remnants of the three spirits and growls softly, deep in her chest. <<Finish these, first.>> Then she begins to scrape at the remnants of one of the banes with her claws, digging at its essence, before she leans in and takes a bite, beginning to eat the destroyed spirit.

As his wounds are healed fully, Howl-In-The-Dark perks noticeably, the gash in his side mending cleanly and the only traces of it remaining are the smears of blood that mat down his auburn-colored fur. A grin spreads over his features, one that may look just a little unsettling on his Crinos visage, but it's a rather pleased grin, nonetheless. <<Thank you!>> he exclaims to Wazi, reaching to his side to place the palm of his hand over where the wound was just moment's ago. <<Like it was never there...>>

When the discussion on the pipe continues, Howl nods. <<Blocking it shouldn't be difficult,>> he answers Seinneadair, before turning to Wazi and Shieldbrother. >>I'll start while the spirits are fully destroyed. With both things taken care of... we should prevent anything from coming back?<< Yes, it's a bit more of a question than a statement, but after making it the Uktena is already starting to step back sideways to leave the Umbra and re-enter the physical world.

While Shieldbrother'rhya and Puddle Jumper destroy the spirits' essese and eat the gnosis to absorb it, Seinneadair Blàr goes over to nose lightly at Howls, >> You proved your worth today. Glad you joined us. << He'll wait for the other two to finish ere he'll step back to the physical world to assist in stopping up the pipe and then performing the Rite of Cleansing. They still have a lot of work to do but the rough part is over, now.

After she finishes destroying the three Banes and stealing their delicious gnosis, Waziyata falls down to her breed form and turns and paces over to bump shoulders against Battle Singer's gigantic shoulder. Then, she pops through the gnosis without any hint of effort or strain. Damn wyld-touched lupus, makes everything look easy or impossible. Once she's on the other side, she roots about and then sets to work helping the others as they improvise a way to stop up the sewer pipe leak. It's gross, dirty, unpleasant work of digging up mud and working in poop filth, but it's a worthy job. Afterward, the Garou cast the Rite of Cleansing on the site and each other, and return to civilization where someone familiar with phones and internet (definitely not Wazi) can call in the tip to report the sewage pipe needs fixing.

ShieldBrother nods to Puddle Jumper. <<Good healing and good destroying of spirits.>> Then as all is done here, he too will sidestep back into the /normal/ world. The Crinos monster looks around as the earthly sensations take over again, as does the smell. <<We will plug now. Seinneadair Blar and me will cleanse. And all help is welcome when doing so.>> RAW Paste Data

Hjalmar was up to lead patrol this time. He awaits the arrival of the others at the edge of the Caern. He's wearing his axe and looks around, ready and willing to go.

Seinneadair Blàr went off to his cabin to have a meal and stow his guitar. A while later Battle Singer arrives at the appointed place and time in wolf form. The big grey wolf with the silvery eyes comes loping up and slows as he sees Hjalmar. >> Shieldbrother'rhya, Claws of Retribution, Puddle Jumper. << The Fianna Galliard slowly circles the Philodox and awaits the arrival of the others, sniffing around. Seinneadair Blàr stops, back tracks, then lifts a leg to pee on a clump of grass by a large tree. Pssssssss....

The beginning of the month haven't found Dre in such high spirits, but Claws of Retribution comes moving through the caern in his wolf form. The large black form of the Shadow lord seems to blend in with the night, though once he sees Battle Singer and Shieldbrother here, he bows his head, >>Hello Battle Singer and Shieldbrother-rhya.<< he says.

And into the mix comes a white wolf prowling through the woods and pacing quietly up to the little gathering of men and wolves. She walks up close enough to join, but not within easy reach of Hjalmar's axe. Her ears perk up as she sniffs at the man, before her tail is wagging slowly. <<Am Puddle Jumper. Ahroun. Cliath. Child of Gaia. Here to fight wyrm.>> That's about all the introduction she seems interested in giving the man, before she's walking over to bump her shoulder against Lleu's, once the galliard is done peeing and has joined the group. Then she looks back to the others and adds a question: <<Where?>>

Hjalmar nods at all those showing up. He gives a nod to Puddle Jumper. "Pleased to meet you Puddle Jumper." His voice deep and warm, enchanting really. And accented... "I am Hjalmar Hamerslag." The way he pronounces his name indicating that the accent is Western European in origin. "Rited ShieldBrother. Born on two legs, under the half moon of the Philodox. Fostern of the Fianna." He closes his eyes and wills himself to change. After this he looks around again. <<Will go to area patrol found Bear Fomori. Will search and look. Find all we can.>>

Wolves do have it easier. No shaking things off and having to tuck and zip. Battle Singer grins and bumps Puddle Jumper right back playfully and then hops around in a good mood, despite the fact that the formori bear had very nearly killed the Galliard's ass when last they had gathered. He sniffs everyone over, and perhaps Hjalmar the most to see who his friend has been seeing lately, and whether he's been making or drinking mead. Seinneadair Blàr raises his head and takes a few steps to greet Dre as well, his tail held up, ears erect.

He turns at Wazi's question. >> We should go where killed bear. See if we can track it back. << Yep, Hjalmar has the same idea! And advantage of not raining much around here and long dry seasons mean the blood and sewage trail will likely linger for many days and even possibly weeks. The Galliard starts moving out to head northeast wards - it'll be a goodly long run to get to the mountains where they need to be to pick up the trail.

Claws of Retribution sees Puddle Jumper join them he chuffs at her in a friendly manner and soon he walks over to join the others. >>Andre "Dre" Kohana, Born on two legs, Cliath ranked, Ahroun of the Shadow Lords, Rite Named: Claws of Retribution.<< he says as he introduces himself to Shieldbrother. >>I agree, lets track where this thing came from and find out what else we can.<<

Waziyata wags her tail in response to Hjalmar's introduction, then listens to the replies of all three wolves. Instead of speaking an agreement, she chuffs softly and then turns to trot after Battle Singer when he launches himself into the forest. She only runs a short time before the other two have joined the temporary patrol pack, and she slows a little to let Shieldbrother move up the ranks toward the front of the group.

It is a long and somewhat tedious run eastward from the caern, out past the bawn, into the woods and up into the hills. Even running in lupus form, it is a trip of at least half an hour's time before the group is drawing near to the old battlesite against the wyrm bear. Eventually, though, the scent of old, dried blood and sewage and death is in the air. The battlesite near at hand.

ShieldBrother dips his head and yip yips. <<Good Seinneadair Blar. You lead way. Keep ears and eyes sharp.>> Then to Claws of Retribution and dips his head agains <<Good to meet you, Claws of Retribution.>> And after some traveling they come up to the site it seems.. According to the smell at least.

As the four wolves move into the former battlesite, the odor of old, burned flesh lingers in the wind, a patch of fresh-dug earth revealing the spot where the monster bear was disposed of. Trailing away up the hill is a faded scent of frightened humans and gunpowder. Angling further southwest and down the steep hillside, somewhat away from the mountains, is the faded smell of sewage, blood, and disease all mixed with fading bear scent. It is old and difficult to follow, intermixed with more recent smells of small prey creatures, rotting leaves and insects, but still present in the dry season.

It does take them a while but they pace themselves and are in good shape so evetually they begin to climb in altitude. Seinneadair Blàr does know the way though he's happy to slow down as they near the spot. He is cautious, not running right up to where they had killed the bear least it has somehow attracted other attention from something else, or the human hunters might have returned? So it is that the Galliard is careful, checking things out before he cautiously breaks cover to sniff around.

After making sure there are no surprises here, Battle Singer starts to look for the bear's trail to see if they can back track it. It may take all of their combined effort to follow the aged trail. He is silent, having nothing to convey to the others except to twitches an ear as he slowly starts to follow the trail back down. A lifted head to make sure the others are ready to follow it as well.

The stench might be there. But it is vague.. Time has dissipated most of it by now.. ShieldBrother is trying to pick up the trail after Seinneadair Blar scouted the place and showed it to be clear. But so far, there's not much luck in finding a clear trail.

Claws of Retribution follows towards the rear, keeping pace with the others, he's pretty fast when he wants to be. Once they arrive where they had fought, he moves through the area for a moment and as he does he is sniffing the area and once he turns and begins going east, he catches teh scent. >>Battle Singer, Puddle Jumper, and SHeildbrother-rhya. This way.<< he says as he begins moving in the direction of the scent he found. Claws of Retribution is moving cautiously, his head lowered and he moves as he tracing the scent.

For her part, Wazi prowls along the edges of the little clearing and the group, nose to the grount, ears high and alert, tail held aloft to show her readiness for action. She sniffs slowly and vigorously, rooting around here and there, back and forth, until, just after Dre makes his call, she lifts her head and turns to chuff at the other three wolves. Naturally, she has picked up the trail as well! Just three steps ahead of the spot Dre found it, moments before. She wags her tail, then waits to follow along with the group, assuming the rearguard position, nose returning to the ground.

The trail leads a short distance down the hill, at first a nearly straight line to a site with a bullet-wounded tree, more faint stench of gunsmoke and blood and pain, joined by human scat and fear. A bit more inspection has the wolves following Claws of Retribution as he follows the trail away from the fateful encounter point, deeper into the woods, winding slowly through the brush.

ShieldBrother is following Retribution alright. The wolf clearly has a better track on that scent, than he does. So instead, he tries to watch and make sure that there's nothing skulking around. Well nothing, except for them.

Seinneadair Blàr falls in line to follow the others, moving easily, yet watchful as they move along quietly.

The wolves follow the faint, fetid scent trail of the deceased bear deep down the woods along the outskirts of the mountains, with only the sounds and smells of wilderness and occasional faint humans to distract them until, at least, the trail turns, leading toward the sound and smell of water. From the sound, it is water moving swiftly downhill from the mountains, the sound of a good, clean spring that is no longer churning with the strength of late spring and early summer, dying down into winter. But the smell of the water is wrong, fetid, mixed with the smells of dead fish, sewer waste, and rotting things. The diseased bear scent leads directly down toward the water.

As he continues to follow the trail he chuffs at Puddle Jumper, making sure they are going the right way, not in a bad way, just letting her know that he feels they are on the right track. As they move towards the spring, he is to the right of Puddle Jumper, moving with her as they work on tracking. He follows to the woods, and he continues to work with Puddle Jumper as they lead their pack through the wooded area, he can smell the fetid water. He doesn't allow his emotions to shift, he is trying to keep his calm as he continues follow the trail. >>Someone keep an eye out for us.<< he suggests.

Seinneadair Blàr is indeed keeping an eye, an ear, and a nose out for staying vigiliant. He slows and goes more cautiously as they reach the fetid stream and wolf grimaces, >> Again? We keep finding bad water. Must find /source/.<< Battle Singer looks up stream, then looks downstream as well. >> Must find and purify source. Then, see what damage it has done down stream.<< There is a pause, listening with his head raised and cocked. After a long moment, the Galliard shifts, >> Too still and quiet here. Unnatural. << It makes his hackles rise a bit.

Wazi gives a low, quiet growl as the wolves catch the scent of the filthy water, dead fish, and raw sewage. Her own hackles raise and she slows to a prowl, tail raising, ears alert, eyes moving over the brush as she prowls along with the other wolves. She even shows her teeth in her growing tension as they move through the brush.

As the wolves follow the bear's trail, they emerge onto the riverbank. The body of water itself is more a stream than a full river, here. A small, swift-flowing stream of water just narrow enough for the wolves to leap over if they so choose. It twists and runs along down the hillside toward the sea, west by southwest. Upstream, it winds out of sight over the nearest hill.

In the mud along the riverbank are bear tracks, heavy footfalls sunk deep into the mud, now dry and flaking. Several half-eaten, sickly-smelling fish lay discarded on the riverbank, with a more recent, whole specimen laying just out of the water, rotting in the open air. The fish reek of sewage and disease, and little flecks of filth drift along the water's course with an occasional dead, floating fish and few live specimens. It's an easy meal if a creature were desperate enough.

ShieldBrother listens at what Seinne points out.. And indeed.. Now that he listens to the lack of something to listen at.. >>I hear emptiness you mean Seinneadair Blar. Good ears.<< And when they come up to this.. This.. Decaying stream.. He lets out a shallow whine... It is such a shame to see a healthy waterway being turned into this. The wolf does not stray close to the water for now. No. He rather keeps looking around for a possible source. And the source should be upstream... At least if the laws of nature are being uphold! <<We need hurry. Need to stop this quick.>>

There is no need to urge Seinneadair Blàr. He sniffs around only a little and wrinkles his wolf's nose. No, not liking this at all. He lifts his head to look to Shieldbrother and turns to start trotting up stream, following the foul watercourse up slope. He goes cautiously for they might easily run into other things that have become tainted, >> Must fine where it comes from, aye. << And so he goes.

Claws of Retribution smells all of the decay and he wants to growl but he can't they have to keep their focus, something he had to fight with when he first knew he was garou. He lifts his head up and looks in the direction of where they can go. He looks to Puddle Jumper, >>Bear tracks along bank of river.<< he calls to her. He moves over to where he sees them, he than looks at the other direction they could go, >>I think teh riverbank is where we should keep going.<< he says though he looks to SheildBrother for confirmation, he turns his head looking down at the tracks and dead fish, still his heckles raise just slightly as he knows they will need to cleanse this area once they find the source.

Waziyata doesn't need convincing to explore further, either. She turns and prowls along with the other wolves, forging upstream, the quiet growl rumbling in her chest as she moves along, ears perked up alertly, nose only occasionally lowered to the dirt to sniff about for clues.

The wolves follow the sickened waters upstream, moving up the steep slope of the hill and through the tangled brush along the river's bank, and find more of the same. Dead fish, few animals, polluted waters, rank smells of death, decay, and human waste. As they move further upstream, the smells grow ranker, the stream more visibly disgusting to look at or smell. Chunks of raw human sewage accumulate in little clusters within and upon the water, mostly broken apart but getting hung here and there on tree roots or rocks. Poisonous fungus and mosses grow along the riverbank further up, showing that even in a wasteland, life can find a way.

The stream continues steadily upward, winding away into the mountainous terrain, but it doesn't take too long of a trek for the wolves to come upon the source of the problem. A large pipeline passes along the hill, likely serving to carry waste to a nearby treatment plant, further downhill. It has not yet burst open, but an old, dead tree has fallen atop it, breaking open a seam in the pipe. Filthy sewage seeps through the crack in the pipe, leaking into a puddle upon the ground and then trailing down into the stream. The area stinks horribly, but bears no sign of animal life or obvious monsters in the wings.

The spill they found, is a bad one.. That much is clear. ShieldBrother observes it and looks at the tree and sewage meetup from a small distance.. <<This is bad.. Very bad. Needs stopping and fixing.>>

>> This is bad. As for the pipe, I can make call. Get city or county to fine and make company fix it. << The smell is horrible! What a stench! >> Question is, what look like on Umbra side? << Seinneadair Blàr paces and asks through body language and soft, low sounds and chuffs, staying well back from the fouled water. >> Any other suggestions? <<

Seinneadair Blàr adds low, >> Human sewage is no tainted like this - is something more. We should also follow pipe. <<

Claws of Retribution shakes his head, this is seriously fucked up and it is growing and building within Claws. He sees the spill is now going on guard just in case what Shieldbrother or Battle Singer says, this could bring trouble they don't want, >>Yeah, the city needs get here quickly. We can't let this stand.<< he says watching the surrounding areas.

<<Scene paused and then resumed without Dre>>

On peeking through the Gauntlet at the site of the waste leak, the Garou discovered it was a hub of activity for banes. Toxic sludge elementals basking in the poisoning of the earth and water, hogglings drifted through the sky, and a small number of scragglings lurked nearby, muscling out the spirits native to the area. It was decided the site was too dangerous for the four garou alone in the daytime. They would return during the night, when most Banes would be asleep or distracted with tormenting the dreams of humans, with any help that could be gathered quickly to drive off or destroy the lingering banes and stall their progress on creating a new hellhole. While back at the Caern, Dre took his leave from the group, summoned for some personal emergency.

Upon returning, Hjalmar has been looking for those willing to join them in Dre's stead. So here they are, at the Caern. Hjalmar's waiting with Lleutrim for those responding to the call. He's standing there in Homid form, armed with an axe that is strapped to his waist.

And so far. It seems that it is only Micah, answering the call. A short introduction where needed. And on they go! The moon's out by now and the place they need to be is easily found back.

Seinneadair Blàr has run back out to the sewage spill site after the conference at the Caern about what they should do and who else they might recruit to come help with the tainted location. The Fianna Galliard has slipped back into lupus for traveling. As the come up to lay eyes on the pipeline and the tainted sewage that is spilling out of the break to tumble down into the stream below, the large grey wolf with the silvery eyes hunkers down to wait for the others to catch up, ready to start.

Still new to the area - and the Sept in particular - Micah has yet to really familiarize himself with the geography of the area, let alone the other Garou. So it's with a little surprise that he finds himself exploring the bawn of the Sept when he's virtually drafted into an improptu mission - but then, isn't that what being a Garou is all about, fighting the Wyrm wherever it dwells and breeds? He's never been the most combat minded, but despite that fact he's readily agreed to aid the hastily-cobbled group and do what he can to put an end to the Banes and the corruption that's been found. Fortunately, once the group has gathered, it seems he's already met most of the others in passing before. Anything more formal for the last one will have to wait until later. For now - the Uktena seems ready for whatever may face him and the others, a grim countenance on his features and a slight, perhaps nervous motion to his body as he follows the others to the infested site.

For her part, Waziyata is hot on Battle Singer's tail as the lupus makes his way back to the poisoned stream, making the very long run back through the woods to the east and into the mountains. She follows the stream back up to the point where a sewage line crosses the little, dead stream - a tree fallen upon the pipe to break open a seam that oozes a steady trickle of sewer filth into the waters. Dead fish abound, noxious fungui and molds are growing all over the waste, and human feces and waste bob gently down the stream.

As the group of Garou all assemble once more, she surges into her hispo form, tail standing up, stance ready. She growls softly, deep in her throat, and then looks to Hjalmar to chuff. <<Do we cross?>>

Once the four garou have readied themselves for battle, shifting into Crinos and Hispo forms and readying what battle gifts they feel appropriate, the werewolves step sideways into the umbra. The penumbral reflection of the forest is stark and silent in the waxing sliver of light that Luna sheds upon the world. Hundreds of ancient trees tower over the garou, limbs stretching up toward the silent sky. While the four might ordinarily expect to see nature and animal spirits within the forest's reflection, all is instead unnaturally still. The reflection of the river gurgles softly, with only a hint of the noxious death within it. At the top of the indicated hill, the broken pipe can be seen, though on this side of the Gauntlet, the pipe has sludge elementals perched upon it and around the river, working quietly to spread the Wyrm's taint. Nearby, a single bane squats alone, a twisted body of claws and fangs and frothing hate, watching over the area. The warrior bane doesn't seem to have noticed the approach of Gaia's warriors yet, though it soon will.

For her part, Puddle Jumper focuses her rage and growls softly as her claws splinter and change, becoming spurs that can be deposited into an enemy. She takes a deep breath, then chuffs softly. >>I am ready.<< That said, she turns and slips sideways through the gauntlet. Once on the other side, her hackles raise at the sight of the banes at work and she tenses, readying herself for the charge as she waits for the other three garou to slip through.

ShieldBrother has readied himself as well. And believe you me! He's stoked up. That's what you get for having an Ahroun for a mother! <<We go.>> His voice deep and menacing. And when he sidesteps, he comes through almost at the same time as the others... Good timing indeed! He snarls upon seeing his enemies again.. This will be a good fight indeed... He rolls his shoulders in anticipation and flexes his claws.

Still very much at the 'rear' of the impromptu pack, Howl-In-The-Dark seems quite content to follow the lead of the others. Fortunately, he's able to pass off the behavior as a by-product of his unfamiliarity with the terrain of the bawn and the precise location to which the group is heading - but, if anyone were to look closely, it may also be apparent that the Uktena is perhaps not as possessed of boiling blood at the moment at the others. That may change soon enough - but when the others snarl and raise their hackles, Howl-In-The-Dark pauses, taking in a deep breath of preparation before he crosses through to the spirit realms. When he appears on the other side along his compatriots, the reddish-brown werewolf swallows as he notes the sludge elementals at the top of the hill. His eyes narrow, and he takes a moment before he whispers in the Garou tongue, <<What's the plan?>>

Along side Wazi, Battle Singer comes through the Gauntlet into the Umbra. Seinneadair Blàr likewise hunkers down to take a good look up slope as he activates gifts. His claws also subtly change into detatchable spurs that will hurt like hell when they are ripped out, but hopefully will cause even spirits much agony. His silvery eyes take in details and noting the larger single bane lurking menacingly apart from the others, the Fianna Galliard's hackles rise.

ShieldBrother looks to Howl-In-The-Dark, and replies in a low tone. <<We take warrior Bane first. And then go for the next closest foe. We surround our target and make it difficult to defend. Clear?>>

ShieldBrother charges the warrior Bane after explaining the short plan to Howls-in-The-Dark. He claws at his enemy and scores a good hit! And in the ensuing melee, he manages to hit a second time as well! Though it managed to score a hit on Howls in the meanwhile. Luckily it seems that they wear down this asshole quickly. A good thing indeed!

When Shieldbrother gives the word, Puddle Jumper snarls and charges out and up the hill, tail pointing straight out behind her as she rushes the first target, the bane with the claws and fangs. She doesn't waste breath howling or screaming her defiance at the Wyrm, she merely rushes in near the very front of the makeshift pack and then lunges low to snap at the creature's hamstrings, as though hunting a deer. Her initial bite doesn't find purchase and she snarls. She steps in closer to the thing as the others join the fight. She bides her time as the fight continues, before throwing herself at the spirit's back to tear free a large piece of it after Shieldbrother's next hit, the bane already beginning to fade as Battle Singer finishes the job.

For the Warrior Bane's part, it howls a mindless, rage-filled cry as it sees Howl in the Dark loping up the hill, rapidly overtaken by the other three garou. The warrior bane pounces from his rock, charging headlong down the hill to meet the werewolves in mindless, frenzied combat. It remains focused on the poor Uktena, even as the other three Garou tear into its essence, and as soon as Howl in the Dark is close the bane rakes him with its vicious, oozing claws, striking a heavy blow. It howls again, turning and thrashing as the other three garou set upon it and tear the spirit to pieces.

While all of that is going on, the two massive wyrm elementals at the pipe continue their work, steadily, patiently seeking to corrupt the river and earth here, spreading the Wyrm's filth. They ignore the battle completely, it isn't interesting until Shieldbrother, Puddle Jumper, and Battle Singer are suddenly charging into their midst. The puddle of toxins and filth draws itself up into a roughly humanoid shape, towering over the garou and making a hissing, gurgling noise even as Battle Singer tears a chunk of its essence away. For those who understand the spirit's speech, the gurgling hiss says <<This river is mine.>>

The plan is sorted out and Seinneadair Blàr finds Shieldbrother'rhya's plan most acceptable for the Galliard doesn't try to make alternate suggestions. The big Fianna grey wolf with the cinnamon ruddy flanks dips his head in acceptance, showing his agreement with attacking the largest, strongest looking bane first. Battle Singer's silvery eyes flash with his eagerness to start, yet he waits for Shieldbrother'rhya's signal to begin, sparing a quick glance to Puddle Jumper and then Howls in the Dark. The latter to keep an eye on should Micah need any assistance.

Soon as Shieldbrother and Puddle Jumper rush out, Seinneadair Blàr too goes! The Galliard circles around as ordered and sinks his spur claws into the bane! It doesn't seem to do it any notable harm right off, yet the claws have ripped out and should cause it agony!

Super fast, the others are laying into the spirit and causing it much harm. It all happens so quickly that the Warrior Bane hardly has time to know what is happening! It lashes out at Howls in the Dark and then Battle Singer is able to sink his teeth into the thing! Snarling ferociously, the Galliard shakes his head violently and helps to bring it down!

In a breath they are all then running for the next closest bane! As it happens, it is Lleu (Seinneadair Blàr) who gets to it first and sinks his teeth in for yet another vicious, terrible bite, ravaging it. You'd think he wanted to be an Ahroun when he grows up, not just a Galliard! RAWR!

Initially lagging behind the others, Howl-In-The-Dark picks up speed as he sees his team-mates lurch ahead of him and start to tear into the warrior bane. While he's not as quick or as fast as the others, he decides to play to his own strengths, hollering out in Spirit Speech as the battle is engaged. <<Stand down, servants of the Wyrm! Know that you face the might of Gaia's Chosen and your evil work here is at an end!>> The shout is loud, resonant and, Howl-in-theDark thinks, quite menacing and dramatic! But... such a challenge also has its price, it seems - for almost as soon as the words are uttered, the Bane is making a bee-line right towards the Uktena! Attempting to dodge out of the way, the reddish-brown Garou doesn't avoid a rather nasty gash across his mid-section, blood spraying outwards from the visceral wound as he howls loudly in pain. He gnashes his teeth, an arm instinctively moving to clutch the gaping slice across his torso, though does take some measure of pride that he seems to have at least distracted the spirit well enough for the others to dispatch it. He takes a moment to collect himself as the others rage forward - silently thankful for the (brief) respite.

ShieldBrother moves in for the next target. But instead of going full in, he focusses himself in order to distract the second Bane, casting a nasty Faerie Light in its face in order to distract it by racing rounds around its head and bumping into its face again and again. Sometimes one needs to even the odds a little before going full attack mode. The spirit though still attacks with an earthshattering pound to the ground. Nothing this Crinos can't handle though!

Clutching the gaping wound at his side, Howl-In-The-Dark lopes unevenly up the side of the hill as he scrambles to catch up to his comrades and the battle that's ongoing against the Sludge Elementals. The pain searing through his side is intense, but he grits his teeth together in a grimace of determination - true Rage starting to flood through his system now because of it. The previous utterance in Spirit Speech now changes to a primal roar, eloquence gone as he charges forward, clawed feet slapping against the ground in rapid succession. But then that ground shakes and trembles, rippling outwards from one of the elementals as it slams its foot to the ground.

Howl doesn't break stride at the lurching ground, leaping upwards a bit in order to avoid the shaking ground, and when he lands nearby the other elemental, the Uktena growls as he lashes outwards with the claws of his right hand! His hand flashes out - but falls short as the motion pulls at his wound, the gash oozing dark blood and the resulting wince causes him to miss the spirit entirely. Growling again, Howl's eyes burn and he opts to change tactics, lunging forward with maw open to just bite the foul creature instead! And this time, he hits - his teeth sinking into the enemy spirit with a satisfying rending of the thing's... sludge? A fair-sized chunk is ripped free from the elemental, and Howl spits it out in disgust as he calls to his compatriots, the Galliard unable to resist the opportunity to rally the others. <<We have them now! Don't let up!!>>

Things continue to be hot and heavy in the attacks until suddenly the Umbral ground SHAKES something crazy! One of the spirits STOMPED the earth and even as Lleu is trying to lay into one spirit, the other knocks him silly! The Fianna Galliard goes ass over noggin as Battle Singer, in Hispo, ends up on his face suddenly in Wazi-fashion! The second spirit tries to attack him and Seinneadair Blàr is busy throwing his paws this way and that to roll and dodge! It takes him precious seconds to scramble away and get back to his feet!

Snarling, Seinneadair Blàr then leaps back into the frey to deliver a seriously nasty and vicious bite attack! And then another! Powerful Hispo jaws with long teeth sink into the spirit, doing it much damage - but not bringing it down!

There is a quick glance spared to keep tabs on Howls in the Dark to make sure his fellow garou is still going strong despite that nasty wound. The Galliard looking ready to come to the other's defense if he's in a bad spot!

Puddle Jumper charges after the toxin bane as the rest of the pack moves in to attack it next, lagging behind them as she tosses her head to get the last bane's taste out of her mouth. She raises up on her hindlegs and snarls as she plants her forepaws into the next bane, burying her claws deep in its essence and then dropping to all fours to snap and tear at it with her teeth just like the last one. Even as her claws begin to regrow, the Ahroun is tearing strips of spirit stuff from the Waakshani.

For their part, the two banes turn to fight the incoming Garou. The Wakshani finds itself beset and lashes about in rage, hissing and burbling as it slowly, awkwardly slams toxic sludge at Battle Singer, only for the Galliard to dance out of the way. Then, the H'ruggling on the pipe gathers itself and slams its bulk against the ground, causing a staggering earthquake. It burbles and begins to advance with a sickening plop-plop-plop as it oozes down from the spiritual reflection of the pipe to advance on the fallen Garou. It doesn't even seem to mind that he's back on his feet.

ShieldBrother having done what he could to annoy the second enemy, tears into one Bane. But when that one is down. He focusses fully on the last one with all his might. He starts tearing it to pieces with ease.. Killing it quickly. The Faerie light stays close to them now and he turns his attention to that damn pipeline now. <<Now this one.>>

As it happens, he hasn't been injured at all this time! So it is that Seinneadair Blàr is lagging and his rage hasn't refeshed. He is only able to attack once this time in the span of several attacks by the others! Nonetheless the Galliard leaps in and delivers yet another impressive bite attack, ripping the big, fat, Huggs spirit and perhaps managing to distract it enough for the others to all lay into it as well! When that's done, the Battle Singer pants from his exertion and paces a few steps. >> Impressive, Shieldbrother'rhya. I have not seen you fight that well before! << Then he huge Hispo wolf is sniffing around at the foul sewage, >> I do not think we can stem this flow here and now. We should cleanse what we can and get others onto stemming the leak, replacing the broken pipe. Then we can return to cleanse it all again? <<

For her part, Puddle Jumper snaps at the Wakshaani, only to have it burst into essence residue. She growls and spins and bites into the H'ruggling instead, tearing a chunk of its hide away before backing off a half-step, ears perking up at the sight of Shieldbrother laying savagely into the spirit, attacking it again and again even as it fades out of existence. At the last moment, just as the spirit seems as if it will escape, it too is torn asunder by the Philodox.

Wazi chuffs <<Good!>> and wags her tail at the display. Then she turns and stalks over to Howl in the Dark, raising onto her hindlegs to plant forepaws against him. <<Be still and healed.>> She doesn't seem to have much to add to the conversation about what to do next.

As the first elemental goes down, Howl-In-The-Dark is quick to join the fray against the second - and last- of the vile and corrupted spirits. With all of the Garou teaming up against the thing, it doesn't last long - though Howl himself manages to land a couple of solid bites against the creature, he himself isn't able to pierce the corpulent spirit's sludgy, viscuous hide. Two attempts only result in a foul taste in the Uktena's mouth - and a even fouler taste in his stomach at the near-hits but failures. Still - it's a group battle, and ultimately the group is victorious! And with the banes gone - just the original source of the foulness remains. The pipe itself. Turning to the others, Howl-In-The-Dark shakes his head at Seinneadair's suggestion. >>I don't know... If we don't do something about it now, we may well have not come tonight...<< He eyes the pipe and the foul sewage that's leaking from it. <<Maybe plug it somehow? At least stop it long enough for us to figure out where it's coming from?>>

At Wazi's approach and instruction, then, the Uktena makes himself still while she applies the healing energies to his wound - the effort that she's given much appreciated. <<Thank you,>> he intones, grateful to get a respite from the gnawing pain that's still lancing across his torso.

Battle Singer paces a few more steps, thinking. >> Agreed, more banes are bound to come. We can try to plug it - but in Umbra, spirits may dig out our plug. << So it is that he shifts up from Hispo to Crinos and starts looking around. Ripping up a large tree might work as a stopper but then, would harm a tree spirit? No. Instead, Seinneadair Blàr starts digging around to try and find a large stone that might fit. >> Earth and stone... if we had a Theurge, we could call Gaian earth spirits to help us. << A hopeful look to see if the others have gifts that might help.

Battle Singer paces a few more steps, thinking. >> Agreed, more banes are bound to come. We can try to plug it - but we'll need to step back out of the Umbra. It does not look broken on this side, yet. << Not mind you that Seinneadair Blàr is terribly Umbra experienced yet in all things spirit. The large hispo continues to pace about, checking things out.

ShieldBrother is busying himself with making sure that these Banes stay what they are... Dead. Ripping their essence away. It does not proceeds as fast as it would usually go. But then again, he's kinda tired. He labours himself through the fatigue and does his thing. <<Will destroy the Banes now.>>

Puddle Jumper chuffs and wags her tail again as she drops back down to all fours, Howl in the Dark rendered whole by her Mother's Touch. She doesn't verbally acknowledge his thanks, that's what the tail wag was for. Afterward, as the other garou debate what to do next, the Ahroun turns and paces over to the remnants of the three spirits and growls softly, deep in her chest. <<Finish these, first.>> Then she begins to scrape at the remnants of one of the banes with her claws, digging at its essence, before she leans in and takes a bite, beginning to eat the destroyed spirit.

As his wounds are healed fully, Howl-In-The-Dark perks noticeably, the gash in his side mending cleanly and the only traces of it remaining are the smears of blood that mat down his auburn-colored fur. A grin spreads over his features, one that may look just a little unsettling on his Crinos visage, but it's a rather pleased grin, nonetheless. <<Thank you!>> he exclaims to Wazi, reaching to his side to place the palm of his hand over where the wound was just moment's ago. <<Like it was never there...>>

When the discussion on the pipe continues, Howl nods. <<Blocking it shouldn't be difficult,>> he answers Seinneadair, before turning to Wazi and Shieldbrother. >>I'll start while the spirits are fully destroyed. With both things taken care of... we should prevent anything from coming back?<< Yes, it's a bit more of a question than a statement, but after making it the Uktena is already starting to step back sideways to leave the Umbra and re-enter the physical world.

While Shieldbrother'rhya and Puddle Jumper destroy the spirits' essese and eat the gnosis to absorb it, Seinneadair Blàr goes over to nose lightly at Howls, >> You proved your worth today. Glad you joined us. << He'll wait for the other two to finish ere he'll step back to the physical world to assist in stopping up the pipe and then performing the Rite of Cleansing. They still have a lot of work to do but the rough part is over, now.

After she finishes destroying the three Banes and stealing their delicious gnosis, Waziyata falls down to her breed form and turns and paces over to bump shoulders against Battle Singer's gigantic shoulder. Then, she pops through the gnosis without any hint of effort or strain. Damn wyld-touched lupus, makes everything look easy or impossible. Once she's on the other side, she roots about and then sets to work helping the others as they improvise a way to stop up the sewer pipe leak. It's gross, dirty, unpleasant work of digging up mud and working in poop filth, but it's a worthy job. Afterward, the Garou cast the Rite of Cleansing on the site and each other, and return to civilization where someone familiar with phones and internet (definitely not Wazi) can call in the tip to report the sewage pipe needs fixing.

ShieldBrother nods to Puddle Jumper. <<Good healing and good destroying of spirits.>> Then as all is done here, he too will sidestep back into the /normal/ world. The Crinos monster looks around as the earthly sensations take over again, as does the smell. <<We will plug now. Seinneadair Blar and me will cleanse. And all help is welcome when doing so.>>