2019.07.27 Cleansing the Longhouse

Cleansing the Longhouse
Members of the Frostbite pack gather to perform the Rite of Cleansing in preparation for Freya's Blot.
IC Date	7/27/2019
IC Time	Dawn
Players	Aaryn, Sten, Theron, Micah
Location	The Longhouse Yard
Prp/Tp	Ravenscar
Spheres	Garou, Gaian

When the month of July begins to fade and the the birth of August is on the horizon, then it is time for the first Blot of the Harvest Season - Freya's Blot. Aaryn has invited another pack to celebrate Frostbite's first Blot together, here on the grounds of what will soon be the pack's longhouse. Wanting everything to be perfect, she and her fellow Theurge and brother, Micah have been preparing the lands with the proper rites.

Now it is the wee hours of the morning and as the sun prepares to dawn, Aaryn has gathered Micah and their packmate, the fair voiced Beta of the pack, Sten to participate in the Rite of Cleansing.

We open on her preparations...

xxxxxAaryn woke while it was still dark to begin to prepare herself. She slid her white linen dress over her head, the one with the threaded runes and red and gold leaves, and watched her reflection in the mirror. Like this, she is the image of the woman who made the smock, her grandmother, in the older Get's younger years. Aaryn solemnly painted the bones upon her cheeks, brow and mouth as she does before rites, and removed her shoes before going to ensure Sten and Micah were awake and ready.

xxxxxMicah, like his sister, rises early. He gathers Sten and takes them, in their lupus forms, to the nearest fresh water and has them bathe to ensure they are purified, leaving his sister to do her own preparations. He is unusually serious during the preparations, dropping the Ragabash facade that he often wears. He explains to Sten during that time what Aaryn has already told him of the Rite of Cleansing and what their role will be. "Essentially, the rite is pretty straightforward, but once she starts, she can't stop. Cleansing has a way of... attracting... anything wyrmy in the area. This close to the Caern we don't figure there is much to worry about, but just in case, we need someone with muscles around to take care of anything that shows up. She'll be vulnerable and if she stops the Rite, if fails. So we have to protect her."

xxxxxSten nods "We will ensure that the rite follows through." The large man seems determined to make this work, there was more at stake then it seemed. The pack coming to visit - they would lose face if they did not have everything in order. Not to mention there could be dangers.

xxxxxWhen her brothers arrive, Aaryn pulls out a piece of birch and pours a carved, wooden bowlful of clear, cold water. As she does so, she says, "I will cleanse these lands from the North, the South, the East and the West." She slides a cork back into the glass water bottle and sets it aside. "In each direction, I ask that you both accompany me. After I complete the incantation, I will need our Skald to lead us in a howl to banish any corrupting influence that may be resting there." She picks up the branch, and the bowl and looks to them. "Understood?"

xxxxxMicah nods to Aaryn, and for Sten's sake adds. "If something shows up, you and I will take care of it, guard her back, so she can continue. If we have to leave her side to lead it away, we can, but we can't disturb the circle she creates. So we either drive it off, or kill it. Don't break the circle."

xxxxxSten nods "Understood, I understand the howl should be fierce and intimidating, yes? To drive it off?" looking to Aaryn for confirmation. Stretching lightly to get prepared, either for a fight, a good howl or both. Either way he was not going to fail in this. His pack was with him; they would stand strong no matter what. "I am ready" offering a nod to each of them.

xxxxxAaryn looks to Sten and answers, "Yes. Put the fear of Fenrir in them," she smiles. With that said, she nods to both Micah and Sten and - bowl and branch in hand - heads off towards the north of the property, behind where the longhouse will set and past where their garden will grow and nourish them and theirs. It is here that she will begin her work.

xxxxxAaryn lifts the wooden bowl up, and tilts her chin with it. "I call upon the spirits who guide the north. Those of rock, and stone, of tree and ice." She raises her voice, "Be pure! And be rid of that which seeks to corrupt, rot and stagnate!" She dips the branch into the water and flings droplets to the right, and to the left of them. When she is done, she nods to the Skald.

xxxxxSten waits for the nod looking around for anything that could harm her. Then he takes a deep breath shifting to Crinos. The large stee-lgrey wolfman howls menacingly with all his might, and it shows that Stormhowler knows how to howl. Using that extra air he gets from the lungs, the size to reverberate the howl. A deadly song to the enemies of his pack.

xxxxxAs Aaryn performs the Rite of Cleansing a sense of quiet descends upon the north side of the longhouse yard, as if nature itself has paused to listen. The birds go quiet, the trees go still and all of nature takes a breath. And then...

xxxxxSten roars with menacing growl at any who would threaten the sanctity of Gaia and the trees shake, the air reverberates and the ground seems to tremble long after the roar fades...

xxxxxAaryn's hair begins to stand on end with the ferocity of Sten's roar. She feels the power of it course through her, invigorating her and giving her strength to continue on with the ritual. Her heart beats a little faster but she manages to maintain focus even though the earth still seems to tremble under her feet.

xxxxxMicah on the other hand, goes momentarily deaf as Sten's roar seems to go right into his ear, leaving his ears ringing for a few moments afterwards.

xxxxxThis leaves Sten to notice that something is amiss. He knows he has a powerful roar, but it doesn't usually make the earth move. Then he realizes, something is moving underneath the ground, coming from behind them.

xxxxxSten growls "INCOMING" he grunts out and moves to where the movement was from, stepping up towards it to make sure that there was good space between himself and Aaryn so it could not reach her and ready to strike down at it when it got within reach.

xxxxxSouth of the longhouse, coming from the direction of the Caern, Theron has been on patrol. Sweeping out towards the longhouse before moving on, he hears an angry, fierce howl that if he didn't know better, would be Sten. He heart jumps in his throat. He starts to move in that direction and as he does he feels the earth trembling under his feet.

Appearing at the cleared worksite, he sees Aaryn, Sten (who is in Crinos!) and Micah standing on the north side of the property. Sten faces him and Micah spins around, smoothly sliding his bow from his back and knocking an arrow, sweeping it from side to side.

xxxxxAaryn is clad in a white, linen ritual garb and bare feet. She is holding tightly to a carved wooden bowl and a birch branch. Although Sten's roar filled her with confidence to move on, his next move has startled her just a bit. Nevertheless, too much is at stake and she knows she must continue the Rite, or it will fail and that would open up more than whatever appears to be happening now. That being known, she moves widdershins, to her left, and to the West of the property; nearest the forest. She steps as slowly and as surely as she can.

xxxxxSword drawn, Theron comes running down towards where the others are. Most would say the kinfolk is a fool, running to danger. Most would be right.

From the direction of longhouse clearing, there is an explosion of rock and debris as something bursts from the ground. Rocks, dirt and debris swirl around it. Building materials begin to move from where they are stacked and fly towards the exploding earth, Micah's tent is ripped from the ground and is absorbed into what appears to be a manifesting and angry spirit, given physical form by the earth and materials it absorbs. It roars in Sten's direction, and two hate filled red orbs appear where human eyes would normally be.

xxxxxSten the Crinos rears up as he finally sees his foe. Unlike those who have seen him fight in homid when he uses his boxer style - this style is much much different. The large steel grey crinos dives into the earth spirit and growl fiercely as he digs his claws into it. It could be considered ferocious and wild. But those who know what to look for, know that there is a guided edge to his attacks.

xxxxxMicah sweeps counterclockwise, looking for an opening that won't hit his packmate. Just as he is about to fire, he sees Theron rushing in and calls out, "Keep it contained and away from Ryn!" He adjusts his shot to account for the kinfolk and lets fly, the arrow sinking into the materials that make up the creature's body, but instead of damaging it, it simply absorbs the arrow into itself.

xxxxxThe kinfolk, as previously mentioned, foolishly charges ahead. Theron's longsword raised high, his technique is more aggressive than a traditional style, but that is the way of the berserker warriors as he drives his blade into the spirit creature with the ferocious strength granted him by his legendary belt of strength - Eat your heart out Thor.

xxxxxAaryn reaches the Western side of the property, keenly aware there is a battle beginning behind her. She sets her jaw and holds the bowl up in offering, tilting her chin as she does so. "I call upon the spirits who guide the west. Those of fog, and mist, of streams and rain." She raises her voice, "Be pure! And be rid of that which seeks to corrupt, rot and stagnate!" She dips the branch into the water and flings droplets to the right, and to the left of them. When she is done, she swallows and gathers her rage. The precious linen begins to rip and tear as she transforms. She is not a skald, but she will have to do the trick. The Rite cannot be interrupted. And with that, as she stands in her crinos form, in the now-ragged talisman her grandmother tailored for her, she tosses back her head and roars her rage at the west.

Mindlessly, the creature charges towards Sten, all anger and rage. It doesn't care for anything but pain. It absorbs the destruction that Sten and Theron do upon it, and at first it seems as if it will be enough. With rage burning in its eyes it growls, PAIN. DESTROY. NONE SURVIVE. The roar of its voice drowns out Guides the Dead's roar. It rumbles and almost seems to gain strength from her meek attempt at scaring it away. It begins to reform before striking out towards Sten.

A large fist made of dirt and stone and 2X4s swings down and breaks against Sten's back and shoulder. The first erupts for a moment is dust and debris before reforming, and Sten remains standing there, unharmed.

xxxxxSten instead of striking, having heard Aaryn not managing to howl properly the Skald takes a deep breath and howls straight in the spirit face. Though to prove his fucking point, he digs his claws into the thing again. Stormhowler is not having any of his shit.

xxxxxTheron’s first attack is followed up by a vicious spin, one hand releases the pommel, now holding the blade one handed in a vicious backhanded attack, slashing the blade into the enemy once more.

Sten and Theron are a one two punch that few seem to be able to withstand. As Theron's blade strikes home, the creature begins to fall apart, dust and dirt littering the battlefield, boards falling to the ground around them. The corporeal form of this spirit seemingly destroyed; for a moment only the spirit itself lingers, menacing red eyes scowling at the pack as it prepares to escape across the gauntlet, rest and reform some time in the future.

xxxxxThis seems to be the moment Micah has been waiting for. He reaches back and deftly feels for raven feathers and pulls and knocks an arrow; black as night and tipped with obsidian. He screams in rage at the shadow lingering there, and lets his Bane Arrow fly. It swirls through the air, adjusting its own trajectory to twist between Theron and Sten. When it hits, the bane that created this monster screams in rage and dissipates. Perhaps the arrow was enough to destroy it for good, perhaps not. One would have to leave the battlefield and enter the umbra to truly know. But it is gone for now, and the ritual can continue.

xxxxxAaryn feels her rage build, hears the mockery in that rock giant's voice. Her clawed hands grip the bowl and, upon hearing her skald's roar, she absorbs his calling. Turning once again to her left, she sets off towards the south of the lands, where the Raven's Rocks sit. Once there, she lifts the bowl and, still in her war form, roars out, I call upon the spirits who guide the south. Those of sun, and fire, of hearth and home. She raises her voice, Be pure! And be rid of that which seeks to corrupt, rot and stagnate! And a pause, and she calls out to Sten, Skald! Bear witness!

The large Crinos bringing down the spirit seems very pleased. He turns towards Aaryn. This howl is much more intricate yet somehow more primal, more feral. It is to inspire fear but also celebrate the taste of blood again, to have felled an enemy. For the foes of the Fenrir it is ice running down the spine, for those of Fenrir it is a Howl of Victory, of Challenge and of Rejoice in the kill, A wish for more to come before them.

xxxxxMicah jogs over towards Sten and Theron, sure-footedly dodging debris and checking for sign that the bane truly has fled the battlefield. He practically bounces on his feet, eager to give chase but not daring to risk the sanctity of the circle to do so. Sten's roar raises his hair on end and he can't help himself - he shifts to Glabro just because he can't contain the energy.

xxxxxA wicked smile splits Aaryn's crinos maw and she rumbles a growly chuff before heading out to the East, beside the Workshop and along the rock bed, to finish out the circle. She lifts the bowl up, tilts her chin the way the Get are want to do, facing the enemy always with lifted chin. She calls out, strong and sure, I call upon the spirits who guide the east. Those of air, and wind, of breeze and storm She raises her voice, Be pure! And be rid of that which seeks to corrupt, rot and stagnate! She flings the sanctified water with the birch branch and calls out to Sten one final time, Skald! Bear witness!

xxxxxSten follows the ritual again and lets loose another Howl, a fierce howl having come down from the high of the packs victory. The Skald is a bit more composed and less out for blood. It is still a strong howl, a howl worthy to scare the bad spirits away, a promise of death to their enemies, a promise of blood. The large Crinos looks over to Micah, Now, you see I know to howl, a bit of a point back from their recent talk at the caern.

As the howl dies down and the ritual comes to a close, the area of the forest where the longhouse is set to be built is bathed in sunlight as the dawn crests just high enough into the air to announce dawn's arrival. As Hrafn might say, Glorious Helios smiles upon their work and deems it worthy. The area almost hums with a fresh purity and the greens seem greener, the browns more earthen and rich. The sky seems bluer. The pack, tired but united in effort, is left only to wonder of the origins of the bane that manifested during the rite. Is it destroyed? Where did it come from? What does it mean? Those questions will need to be answered another day because for now at least, this is the end.