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Bigfoot and Other Mysteries: Part 2 (Side B) - Finale
- “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
- - ― Friedrich Nietzsche
Below
As Pembroke flies overhead, he spies some rather rough-looking fellows converging on their little gathering point.
This just won't do at all. And so with a dive and a tuck, he's back at the window and picking up a small pair of items, and with a bounce and a flap is once more airborne. And step one is Fire. The first gift of Destruction to mankind. Owlbroke let's loose with the Charm and sends fire raining upon an enemy, sending sparks flying and shadows dancing.
Of course, with the enemies at hand, this is more an annoyance and disruption than an actual attack, but one that confuses all the senses as magic, fire, and smoke fills the air, allowing Stefan to reposition with the gear, the flaming blade slicing the hand clean off the first one to reach for it.
Of course, that's when the arrows start heading their way. Damnable stereotype injuns. Using defenseless Kinfolk for pincushions.
Eris arrives in chaos. Beautiful, Weaver free chaos. Uktena trying to create a shadowy cover to avoid airborne attacks, water being pulled from the earth to douse flames, and Stefan with a flaming blade looking dashing and dastardly at once.
Of course, with her on the scene, the wolves know who the largest threat is and focus their claws and blades on her. She just can't seem to catch a break. Well, except that her powerful Gifts outmatch the cubs they sent after the 'soft' targets.
They keep her on the defensive with pure numbers, pressuring her back and back. Well, except back to where Stefan has seen the light. The light attached to an underground electric line. So Eris keeps moving back, taking a few shots, giving a few backs. Wet feet from unleashed spring the signal for her to use her inhuman powers to leap clear as two battered, shot, and bloodied Kin let loose with Lightning from their bolt charms to set off a chain reaction to fry the Gaian wolves, Thor style.
Then it's all over but the throat-cutting.
In the Redwoods
Eris rolls 12 (12 dice) vs 6 for 9 successes.
Eztlipoc rolls Dexterity vs 6 for 2 successes.
Pax continues forward, the wand shifting as he shoots a strand of silvery light at the air between himself and Russ, the tether itself dissolving. "In case you need to go back. Magi are stronger in the Umbra." is explained as he looks back forward and nods. "But yea, lot of shit around here. I should only need a moment, but I can operate this thing and fight if necessary." Pax explains, as he points the wand in the direction of the 'Spirit Cage' and let's form another stream of silvery light, which seems to impact a barrier that starts to slowly drain away as well.
As the battle begins to fire up around him, Pax continues to move forward, his wand held up in his right hand and that large silver Warhammer held down at his side in a defensive posture in his left. Behind the mask, those yellowish-red eyes continue to burn brightly and as the silvery chord of energy continues to batter down the Spirit Cage at the top of the ridge, the wand itself seems to glow brighter, the energy being absorbed and dissipated becoming more intense the longer the effect is held. "A Third of the way through!" he calls to the others if they can even hear him through the chaos.
The Shroud fell before the battle began and the spiritual energy of the space started to attune itself to the battle brewing. When the battlefield erupts into chaos AnguDa'Staagra rears back his horned head and howls to the Umbral heavens. The Wyrmish warble carries a message to any Banes in the area, <<Come and fight, reap the rewards of service..>> He spins in a circle and gracefully twirls past one of the Uktena who swoops in and try to attack. His laughter is a chuffing bark that mounts into another tainted howl as his hooves clop sharply against the ground beating out a war rhythm. <<Fight for me and be reborn in his eyes!>> Russ charges through the battlefield ramping up the spirits and howling out a warning in a Wyrmish tongue.
As the first wave of Gaians mostly falls to those who have come upon their hidden Sept more guardians appear.
Two large Bipedal creatures with massively muscled arms and thick coarse reddish-brown fur appear in the Tellurian and one lobs a massive chunk of earth and stone flying through the air to connect with the massive flying bat. The other let out an ear-shattering bugle of challenge.
Two full-sized Uktena Guardians have finally arrived along with a group of five older, scarred, and terrifying Garou.
IN the Umbra a sound now that they can all hear like dragging rusted nails over a blackboard. A shriek. A cry.
FREEE MEEEE
As the cry sounds several of the Redwoods quakes in the real world as Umbrally the massive Elder Tree-folk begin uprooting themselves...
IN the real world the ground shakes. But earthquakes are normal in this part of California...
Russ loses one Magical Essence
Eris rolls 1 (1 dice) vs 6 for 0 successes.
Eris rolls 1 (1 dice) vs 6 for 0 successes.
Russ loses one Willpower
Eris rolls 1 (1 dice) vs 6 for 1 successes.
Emi loses one Magical Essence
Emi rolls Dexterity + 2 + Melee + -2 vs 3 for 11 successes.
Emi rolls Gnosis vs 6 for 3 successes.
Emi rolls Strength + 3 + 2 + 10 vs 6 for 6 successes.
Eris rolls 12 (12 dice) vs 6 for 5 successes.
Emi rolls Strength + 3 + 2 + 5 vs 6 for 5 successes.
Eris rolls 10 (10 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes.
Emi rolls Dexterity + 2 + Melee + -3 vs 3 for 6 successes.
Emi rolls Strength + 3 + 2 + 5 vs 6 for 10 successes.
Eris rolls 10 (10 dice) vs 6 for 3 successes.
Eris rolls 20 (20 dice) vs 6 for 9 successes.
Emi rolls Stamina + 2 + 5 + 1 vs 6 for 1 successes.
Eris rolls 7 (7 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes.
Russ rolls Dexterity + Melee + 2 vs 6 for 7 successes.
Russ rolls Strength vs 6 for 2 successes.
Russ rolls Wits + Primal Urge vs 10 for 1 successes.
Pax rolls Intelligence + Occult vs 3 for 12 successes.
Pax rolls Dexterity + Melee vs 2 for 8 successes.
Eris rolls 12 (12 dice) vs 6 for 4 successes.
Eris rolls 8 (8 dice) vs 8 for 0 successes.
In Crinos form AnguDa'Staagra is a tall demonic creature with horns, hooves, and red fur; he carries himself through the battlefield clopping proudly with his shoulders back as he bellows to the spirits for aid. They surround him, swirling shadows that sometimes takes the form of bats envelope the Theurge as a blast of heat washes over the battlefield.
The Horned One is charging for an Ahroun when a Treant cuts into his path with a sweeping rush of limbs that throws the Theurge off course. Russ rebounds and snarls at the Treant, his hand snapping to the whip on his hip with the reflexes of a trained fighter. Faster than the blink of an eye and with a sharp crack that echoes across the battlefield like thunder the whip strikes out at the tree branch. It shrivels and begins to decay on contact as AnguDa'Staagra threatens, <<Stay back or I'll drag you into the Spiral Labyrinth kicking, screaming and decaying..>>
Eztlipoc rolls Dexterity + Flight vs 6 for 3 successes.
Eztlipoc loses one Willpower
Eris rolls 15 (15 dice) vs 6 for 6 successes.
Pax rolls Strength + 3 + 1 vs 3 for 7 successes.
Eris rolls 14 (14 dice) vs 9 for 3 successes.
Eris rolls 1 (1 dice) vs 6 for 1 successes.
Pax continues his advance, the wand still firing out that silvery light as he slowly steps along with the others. He's mostly been insulated by the bodies around him from the fight up until now, and this distracting wall of meat pays off when the silvery light seems to finally end, sucking up all of the energy of that Spirit Cage that suddenly shatters with a heavyweight as the ritual is destroyed. An Uktena approaches Pax, and as he does the one-handed Warhammer strikes out, smacking the creature heavily in the jaw as it attempts to disrupt his work.
Snorting, Pax silver Warhammer disappears back into the duffle bag across his back as the Uktena reels, and the wand is slipped back into the forearm holster from whence it came. The masked form of Pax reaches into his duffle bag, and out comes a dark, two-foot-long cylindrical object, which he twirls briefly as he works himself into a true combat stance against the Uktena attacking him.
Eris rolls 9 (9 dice) vs 6 for 6 successes.
Russ rolls Dexterity + Dodge vs 6 for 3 successes.
Russ rolls Stamina vs 6 for 0 successes.
Eris rolls 8 + 3 (11 dice) vs 6 for 0 successes.
Eris rolls 1 (1 dice) vs 6 for 0 successes.
Eris rolls 11 (11 dice) vs 10 for 1 successes.
Russ rolls 4 vs 8 for 1 successes.
Emi stands tall like a goddess of death, the living and rotting entity drawing her double-bladed katana. It seems like an oriental joke weapon, the Kitsune an out of place character as combat began to unfold. However, her precision strikes were that of a trained samurai cutting with the blade a rhythm and flow smoothly as the wind, yet sharper than water.
She takes a defensive stance, only opening to attack when Crinos and hungry for battle wolves drawn near. Her impeccably sharp strikes dismembering Garou two at a time, the blade cutting deeply into one opponent and the mirror image erupting in blood streaks across another. Perhaps an unseen tactic, yet the fox showed no mercy. A second volley of strikes whittling them down to werewolf sushi and bite-sized snacks.
Then, Emi did it again. A new round of opponents collapsing beneath her fatal strikes and sending blood spraying across her kimono. Limb and torso lost together in the miasma of blood and death she created. Everything was fine as she sheathed her sword ready to draw again. Then, she took a fireball meteor to the face and tumbled to the ground. (KO!) Appeared above the burning corpse along with a flaming marshmallow.
Emi loses one Willpower
Eris rolls 1 (1 dice) vs 6 for 1 successes.
AnguDa'Staagra is still reeling from the Treant attack but he spins in a circle as something, some spiritual sense due in large part to his Heritage with surrounding Banes, sends an epiphany through his mind. <<That one!">> He points to the Elder that attacked Pax, <<He will Fall tonight. I can feel it!>>
Emi rolls Dexterity + 2 + Occult vs 3 for 13 successes.
Emi loses one Magical Essence
Eris rolls 15 (15 dice) vs 6 for 5 successes.
Eris rolls 6 (6 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes.
Eris rolls 6 (6 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes.
Eris rolls 6 (6 dice) vs 6 for 0 successes.
Eris rolls 6 (6 dice) vs 6 for 1 successes.
Russ rolls Stamina vs 6 for 2 successes.
Russ rolls Gnosis vs 6 for 0 successes.
Russ loses one Magical Essence
Eztlipoc rolls Dexterity + Brawl + 2 vs 6 for 4 successes.
Eztlipoc rolls Strength + 3 vs 6 for 2 successes
Eris rolls 3 (3 dice) vs 6 for 1 successes.
Eris rolls 9 (9 dice) vs 6 for 4 successes.
The Uktena who had attacked Pax is growing, elongating, horns sprouting from the crinos werewolf's skull and his face outgrowing the fur and flesh as it starts to peel away into scales and horns. He lets out a snarling howl of pain as his body arches and the Elder Theurge begins to take Uketna's form. His partner is taken aback by this move and rolls away bringing up his hand on horror as the Bane Seal that was under the Theurges feet simply.. shatters and scatters the talen of ash to the wind.
Most Earthquakes are deep. Most Earthquakes happen so far from humans that no one sees what really happens when the crust of the earth becomes liquid for a moment. AS the battle reaches it's Apex and wounded are had on both sides the Spirit Cage finally fizzles it's last. UNable to chain the thing in place that had been slumbering here. The earth begins to shake and the pained sorrowful bellow becomes one of revenge as the earth cries out. Disturbed by the elementals as well as the battle on the soil. Finally free from its prison the crest of the hill they are fighting on begins to crack and flake off as the earthquake shakes the little mountainous region and a rank odor comes from the massive creature as it stirs in the umbra. This area is prone to mudslides and this is about to be the mother of them all as tries and earth crash down and an unearthly sound echoes through the tellurian sky reaching the ears of the Kinfolk and Ragabash nearby.
There is an almost alarming vacuum of power suddenly as the world pushes out like fingers against rubber... All of them with the connection to the wyrm can feel it. it might simply burst and unleash the fury of the ancient trapped slumbering Wyrmspawn within the low hills.
The smart spirits that are -able-.. begin to run but so many are lost in the sudden spiritual backlash. Elk and Raven's spirits caught up in the sudden storm.
This area of California typically storms or mists often and the clouds gather and begin to dump out gallons of rain, pushing the river towards Springtime highs and threatening flooding as mudslides all over the Trinity area block roads.
Pax rolls Perception + Alertness vs 6 for 2 successes.
Pax rolls Intelligence + Lore Wyrm vs 6 for 5 successes.
Eztlipoc rolls Perception + Alertness vs 6 for 1 successes.
Eztlipoc rolls Intelligence + Lore Wyrm vs 6 for 1 successes.
The Uktena attacking the masked Pax only gets a side-eyeing through his mask as the claws are promptly swatted off, and a snorting churl of laughter as Pax seems to leave the garou as though he simply weren't worth his time. His form taking on a shadowy figure, the blackness of smoke that his body turns into moves through the air between himself and the closest earth elemental.
It's as he's coming out of the cloud of smoke that one side of that object gives a snapping hiss, and a three-foot-long black blade wreathed in blue springs forth, the air shifting around it as it's sucked into the void of the blade. The blade that promptly swipes through one of the elemental's legs, taking it off. Before the creature can even have a chance to fall, second blade springs forth, and a whirlwind of strikes erupts from Pax as the elemental is all but cut to pieces with the black blade, its essence sucked in by the all-devouring hunger of the void.
There that Bigfoot suddenly erupts into gore, blood, and flaccid flesh. Bones, sinew, and bile spread across the rest. The Death Bat, the size of a too-big horse, his fur once white, now crimson, lifts his head into the air and SCREAMS his anger! << YOU. ABANDONED ME! YOU! ABANDONED CAMZOTZ! >> The words come as a chittering howl, a banshee's scream, as the creature leaps forward to wrap up the big hairy. Teeth sinking into the shoulder, to tear flesh, to drink deeply.
Eris rolls 8 (8 dice) vs 6 for 4 successes.
Eztlipoc rolls Strength + 2 vs 6 for 0 successes.
Eztlipoc rolls 3 vs 6 for 2 successes.
Eris rolls 14 (14 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes.
Eris rolls 20 (20 dice) vs 6 for 10 successes.
The Sasquatch is covered in gore and bat but it bellows in primal terror as the thing under the hill is unleashed and he scrambles to free himself. Throwing off the bat and turning to try and lumber far-far away from the freed Umbral Horror and the unholy howling of the Tainted Uktena trying to take Uktena's form. IN it's thrashing it lashes it's tail into its packmate and sends the other Elder theurge flying into a tree where the Gaian werewolf crumbles into a heap.
Pax rolls Dexterity + Occult vs 2 for 13 successes.
Eris rolls 10 (10 dice) vs 6 for 7 successes.
Russ rolls Perception + Alertness vs 6 for 3 successes.
As the enemy begins to turn tale at the awakening of the /thing/ that was released within the Spirit Cage, Pax lets out a loud cackle of glee, his eyes burning a yellowish-red through the holes in his mask as he turns his gaze to those fleeing. The blades of his weapon deactivating with a hiss, Pax raises his right arm, his fingers flexed outwards as arcs of lightning leave them to wreak havoc on one of the fleeing Uktena, as another cackling laugh escapes from behind his mask. "Come fight! Don't you want to play with your guest? It's rude to leave when they're just waking the fuck up!"
Russ rolls Intelligence + Lore Wyrm vs 6 for 5 successes.
Emi rolls Perception + Alertness vs 6 for 3 successes.
Emi rolls Intelligence + Lore Wyrm vs 6 for 2 successes.
Eztlipoc rolls Strength + 2 + 3 vs 6 for 3 successes.
Emi rolls Dexterity + 2 + Occult vs 3 for 14 successes.
Eris rolls 10 (10 dice) vs 6 for 3 successes.1 2 3 3 4 4 +7 +7 +8 9
Emi loses one Magical Essence
AnguDa'Staagre joins Pax's jeering with a Wyrmish howl of his own, the sound chasing after the Uktena whether they can understand it or not, <<How dare you run->> He gestures at the rising spirit, <<Behold your once prisoner and beg forgiveness before him.>> Russ is screaming to the Heaven though and his taunts are lost in the mayhem.
The Death Bat tears flesh, rends it really, and every time the Sasquatch tries to impede it? There is a way in which those nails just slide over Eztlipoc's membrane, they fail to do...anything. The fangs come to bite, to tear, and eventually the blood turns that Death Bat crimson.
On the ground the giant thing falls, and on the ground, Eztlipoc drinks greedily before tearing his fangs free to scream into the night in Nahuatl: << IT IS WE, THE DEATH BATS, WHO FEED ON UK-TEN-AH THIS TIME! >>
The lesser spirits are a ruin, bodies mangled and twisted by the lash of taint that had been held in check by those Uktena for so, so long have created not only physical but spiritual mayhem. Bodies of dead and mostly dead Gaians litter the churned and terrible stinking earth what creatures were not able to escape would surely be lost to the taint.
Much like the Elder Uketna who has just finally slaughtered his own Packmate and is in the full throes of his transformation; full of despair and rage the horned serpent dances and bites at its own flesh even without the added torment of the Elder Theurge.
The air reeks of blood and sulfur and deep earth... Blood joins the rain that sponges in off the nearby coast and the deluge turns the earth into sucking mud.
Eris trudges up. Open wounds and a few broken bones twist her frame in pain but she's carrying her two Kinfolk. One under each arm.
The cowards who could run have run but many have fallen to the unexpected threat tonight. The wailing in the brains of those touched by the Father has stopped but there is a gnawing hunger that lingers after...
<<Good fuck.>> Is the Ragabashes eloquent observation.
Emi is down for the count for a while, she discovered a new weakness - fire and it hurt. A lot of her fur and kimono sizzling as the crispy fritter pushes off the ground in agony before killing it with hard mental focus and dedication. Half her face burnt off to the bone as she looks to the giant snake spirit that whacked her.
Coiling her fingers into the sky, Emi summons a pure icicle of rage. She chucks the elemental weapon like a spear, freezing and shattering inside the giant snake as it's impaled. A hit strong enough to distract it thoroughly. Later when Emi heals a bit more to a slightly overcooked fritter, she repeats the process. Throwing an ice spear that completely chills the Uktena and makes it explode in ice. She breathes exhausted and trembling with energy in her totem-like form. Standing slowly and hanging her head, <<Tired.>>, panting and trying to hold it together. Her lost eyeball slowly regenerating. Burnt and singed hair unfurling and regrowing into black demonic armor. Her insects and swarms munching on the fallen, dead or alive. Coughing up blood, Emi was a wreck. She'd need to sleep off tomorrow completely.
Pembroke is probably in the best shape, back in human form, clothes intact because he took them off before shifting, and capable of draining the last remaining dregs of life from the electrocuted Uktena. Of course, Eris is bleeding all over his clothes, and he's rolling up his sleeves in case he needs to check any wounds that aren't regenerating properly.
Pax rolls Intelligence + Medicine vs 3 for 6 successes.
DevilDolly rolls Perception(5) + Alertness(5) (10 dice) vs 6 for 3 successes.
Stefan looks a bit worse for wear with his own share of cuts and bruises. He still manages to keep a hold of his blade even if it is now merely a blade as he bounces along under Eris' thick arm.
DevilDolly rolls Intelligence(3) + Lore Wyrm(5) (8 dice) vs 6 for 1 successes.
Pax continues to peer off in the distance as their enemies flee, though he doesn't give chase any further, not after frying one of them. The cylinder is twirled in his right hand, as he shifts his attention towards the creature emerging at the top of the hill, he wanders close to Emi and gives her a firm slap on the shoulder with his left hand that sends a glowing greenish-blue light through her body, knitting wounds rapidly in a very refreshing, and extremely itchy manner. "Walk it off, kid. You did good."
Russ shrinks down out of his Crinos form but he retains the fully grown in horns as his eyes scan the field for anyone who might be in dire need of healing. That's the thing about Russ's healing, only those who are on the edge of death should really take the risk of accepting it. "Excellent job, everyone." And he cuts a look to Pax, "Don't know how we woulda done it without you." He takes a few minutes to survey the land on which he decides on their next action.
DevilDolly sets Pembroke down carefully on a stable flat portion of the hill and is just as careful with Stefan despite the odd angle of her wrist. The white Spiral's wings flare out and squint towards the top of the mountain as she considers the sight. << So... Hanged Man. What's it all about then? We are done here, nightmares go boom?>> The Ragabash wonders still with some clear confusion as to the situation they find themselves in.
"We'll recover what we can and they will be sacrifices for the Pit. Leave none alive and I will perform the Rite of Desecration on this land before we leave so that the taint we've wrought here will linger for years to come." After he says his piece, Russ heads over to the body of the corrupted fallen Uktena and plucks something some shiny from the corpse. He holds the shimmering stone to the light and then tucks it away into his pocket.
Pembroke checks the situation a moment, sees Pax making sure Emi is alright, and most everyone else seems to have things in hand, takes Eris's bent wrist in hand, carefully a moment. "This is going to hurt" and putting his knee into her for leverage, with a sickening crunch straightens it back out. while she gets the answers she needs.
That itchy green and blue light transversing her flesh and skin, Emi begins to rapidly heal and recover from the wounds. <<Thanks.>> She offers with her salivating mandibles and watches Russ change out of crinos. She would take a moment to switch back herself, shrinking in size till she was just a tiny little homid again. Yawning slightly, as she wanted to PTFO. Kicking a dismembered werewolf forearm with claws attached, away from her. "We didn't die. Very lucky. I'm not buying the first round of drinks. Not it!", pointing to her nose. A wave to Eris, Stefan, and Pembroke.
There is another scream, another hiss, the bite of a great bat on a throat. To drink greedily, leaping from living thing to living thing. When it's all done however, the Great Bat becomes a man. Form crunching and slurping back onto two feet.
"Glad I could help," Pax responds from behind his mask, as that cylinder is clipped of his armor's belt to hand down. "But don't mention it. Literally. I'd rather avoid having me in stories. You guys fuckin did this." Waving his hand around at the mayhem surrounding them, Pax steps up to cross his arms across his chest, peering at the small thunderwyrm as it reorients itself to the waking world in the distance.
..
(TBC...)
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