2022.8.38:Fog Totem Quest

Fog Totem Quest
The pack goes out to gain their totem, and end up ambushing BSDs doing the same thing
IC Date	August
IC Time	Pre-Dawn
Players	Pancake Pandora Jackie Irsa Akio Rhapsody
Location	Somewhere in the Umbra
Prp/Tp	Pack Totem quest
Spheres	Gaian Garou
Theme Song	In the Flesh by Pink Floyd

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Cast: Rhapsody: Mr. Pink, Akio: Mr. Blue, Pandora: Mr. Red, Irsa: Mr. Purple, Jackie: Mr. Brown, Mercy: Mr. Green, ST: Mr. Black

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xxxxxGathered in the forest before dawn, the sky moonless and dark, Mercy has made sure everyone's gotten to their meeting place, a little valley near the beach. She's made sure everyone's had a good breakfast of rabbit and made whatever assurances she can up until the sky is juuuust beginning to lighten. That's the time for smearing the goop she's been making for the last hour over the eyelids of each person in the would-be pack. "I cant really give you any directions, just look for signs of your chosen totem and uh, follow them. Off to the spirit world with you, I'll wait here until you get back, or until I hear from you." She gives everyone an encouraging double thumbs up and a smile.

xxxxxPandora is still nervous, still worrying about being turned into literal mist forever, or her hair turning gray or making the sound of a fog horn every time she speaks or.. ya know.. all manner of ridiculous shit. But once Iris is done lubing up their eyeballs with stinky Crisco, Pandora rises. "Alright. I'm never going to be more ready than I am right now."

xxxxxIrsa dusts her hands off on her pants and shoulders her pack and crossbow. "This is it. Rhapsody's got lead on speakin' to Fog, since she's our mystic. I'll step in ta help with that if she needs it. Rest of us, stay alert, keeps your wits about ya. Let's go and find us a Totem." And with that, she begins to step across.

xxxxxAkio grins to the pack and nods to Mercy's Messenger. He's dressed in simple travel clothes with comfortable shoes, a pack on his back, and his katana. "This will be fun and exciting no matter what good or bad happens." Winking he nods to Pandora, Rhapsody and Irsa, "We'll all do good I'm sure."

xxxxxRhapsody is quite excited for this. She's all ready with her bag of tools, talens, fetishes, and cannot wait to get started, she can barely eat. "I'll do my best." Watching Iris make the goop, she's learning as they go with that as well.

xxxxxIn the real world, a light fog is forming in the crevases and hidden places in the landscape, just thin wisps in some places, and thicker in others as the Garou slip through the gauntlet. It's that same midnight darkness, with just a scrap of brightness coming through. It's quiet as the grave at this hour, spirits of dakrness and night moving silently and almost unseen amongst resting trees and underbrush. Fog isn't hard to find here no matter which way you decide to walk, its physical counterpart thickening with dawn's temperature change.

xxxxxIrsa picks a direction at random and leads the group that. She's keeping an eye out for spirits, particularly Fog itself, but she's also keeping an eye out for danger.

xxxxx"Should we maybe follow the thickest fog? That's where he's going to be the strongest, yeah?" Pandora asks. And it's a genuine question. She knows a little about Spirits, but no real practice in the whole mess.

xxxxxAkio shifts once they cross over into his kitsune warform. Nodding to the pack he preps his katana and then gives a bit of a fox smile. "That's a good plan. See if we can follow the thickest of the fog to see if it leads to Fog themself." Checking the vest Mercy's gave him in the past he moves with the group.

xxxxxRhapsody notes, "Let's take it slow. Fog values patience." She keeps alert as they walk in a direction with the others. Anything that can alert them to anything different than normal fog around here.

xxxxxIrsa smiles at Pandora. "That's th' plan!" she says cheerfully. "First one that spots Fog gets a free cheeseburger at the' Diner." Huzzah, prizes!

xxxxxAll of you can, while taking things one step at a time, see the more intricate changes in the fog, map where its tendrils are coming from, what leads to thicker clouds and what's doomed to peter out. As one, the pack follows the signs deeper into the forest. The fog thickens, curling around ankles, then swirling around shins, the forest around becoming more and more obscured until it's just a void of pale silver with only the most vague shapes looming in the darkness and your vision heavily limited. But somewhere up way ahead, juuuuuuust vaguely seen is a dim light. Maybe it's the rising sun made small and powerless by mists, or maybe something else.

xxxxxIrsa angles her course to follow the thicker tendrils, moving further and further into the fog. She shifts to Lupus now, using her sense of smell to search. Sight and sound is tricky here, and always deceiving.

xxxxxTips does likewise, shifting instinctively as Irsa does. She turns to follow, making sure that everyone's more or less on the same page with the moving along.

xxxxxEclipsing-Tempest follows along with the pack and following that thickening fog. Eyes search for the thicker threads, nose sniffing as it seems they all have a good eye for the direction and they all follow the same way.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope shifts as well, the best way to sniff things out here, using her senses in this form. Now that the fog is covering them more, it curls up near her nose and she tries not to sneeze. Have you ever heard a wolf sneeze? I'm sure it is a lot like a cat. Just louder. Step by step she goes and as it seems there is something ahead she lightly chuffs >> Are you there Aeolus? We are seeking you. <<

xxxxxThe light struggles to shine through as the pack approaches, the sounds of their pads, paws and boots smothered by the fog that never *quite* hides you from each other. The light is high up, and turns out to be, when approached close enough, a street light that's a bit cockeyed and slanted to one side. A couple feet away is a sidewalk, and here the fog begins to thin, revealing the asphalt of a road.
xxxxxThis all moves off to the right as you might expect, showing a fog shrouded suburban street that's entirely asleep and lit in small, fitful pools of light. To the left, everything just ends. Street, sidewalk, edge of woods, just all gone into a foggy chasm that's who knows how deep. Four feet? Forty? Four thousand? Who knows.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf sniffs along the edge of the asphalt, crinkling her muzzle as she takes in the scents. >> We have two paths now. To the left, the foggy chasm. To the right, more street. What do you think, Protector-of-Hope? We are here to speak to Fog, but the spirit may have brought us to a secret."

xxxxxTips chuffs quietly, sniffing this way, then that way, trying to figure out just where the best course might be. She does take a snort of fog, of course, because how you gonna know? Then gives her head a little shake to clear out her schnozzle and waits for further direction.

xxxxxEclipsing-Tempest rests one clawed hand on his vest as he looks over the chasm and then back to the group. << I have the flying vest still. I could fly to check the chasm. >> Looking to the other he defers to their judgment on the next move.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope sniffs around, looking for something. >> Give me a moment. I'll see if Aeolous has left any trail to follow. << She slowly pads from one side near the chasm, over toward the street and around back to the group. Trying to see if she can find any clues. Protector-of-Hope chuffs to the others, >> Aeolous is here. We should go down the road into the neighborhood. Funny thing, this is a real neighborhood - not a reflection. But there are no pattern spiders or anything like that here. Aeolus is leading us to something I think. <<

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf chuffs in acknowledgement. >> Then we go that way. Stay alert, everyone, and look for anything unusual. If you see something, do not move towards it alone. We go as a group. Stay to the shadows as much as you can. We go unseen, like the spirit we wish to honor. << She leads the way, ears up and all her senses open.

xxxxxThe houses are nice, modest little one story things that are remenicent of that 50's and 60's style, back when yards were large, houses came with an attached garage, the sort of place you take your weekend pride in maintaining before it's off to briefcase world to clock in. Right now, at this late, late hour and so smothered in fog as it is, it feels like a ghost town. After a couple residential blocks, there's a change in the scenery. A small group of people that are just sort of standing around in a row in the fog doing nothing just off a side street. Nothing and no one is stirred by the passing pack of wolves, kitsune, and kinfolk, they might as well be shadows and fog themselves. Except maybe Jackie, but she's still pretty quiet.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf sneaks foward, likes the sneakiest Bonegnawer around. She's alert to anything that might be drawn to Jackie here. She shifts long enough to pull two things from her pack, and hands them to Jackie. "1 hours for this," she whispers in her ear, holding up a black-filled vial. "If one of us goes down, and you're the closest to them," she whispers, handing over a dried gourd. "Crush that into a powder over the wounds."

xxxxxTips practically disappears. She hunkers down a little bit and moves so that she just.. doesn't really exist, unless you're looking for her. She drops back just a little bit so that she can cover the rear. No one expects the American Stargazer!

xxxxxEclipsing-Tempest goes into sneak mode, the black furred kitsune blending into the darkness and fog to move with the pack. He's in team mode, following the lead of the group and making sure he is prepped to help where needed.

xxxxxJackie accepts the vial of nightshade, nodding solemnly as she slips it into a pocket. She whispers back, her voice only slightly nervous as her eyes flicker over the landscape here. "Ok. I have one of those healer gourds though, I probably won't have time to use two."

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope does her best to sneak along stealthily, but she's probably paying more attention to what details she can pick up about fog and is far less stealthy than they others. She's trying!! Taking it slow she is still trying to figure out this weird neighborhood, and takes time to look at windows to be sure there is no serial killers inside.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf whispers back to Jackie, "That's fine, this will go to Pandora. Stick close to me. I'll have to nudge you since you can't understand us yet, just follow my lead." She shifts back to lupus and continues on, holding the healing talen in her mouth. Sneak, sneak, sneak.

xxxxxThe people doing nothing definitely don't notice the sneakiest beings ever, but they also don't notice the most averagely sneaky beings ever. They just stand there in the fog under what might be a free standing wood arch just lazily swaying a tiny bit in the slightest of breeze, turning a little bit, then turning back the other way, their heads bowed. The street remains quiet and otherwise empty.

xxxxx>>Shall I Mindspeak with Jackie? I can link her to our whole conversation<< Tips suggests in lupus, her tone very quiet and muted, especially with the fog around.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf slows her pace, until all the pack can easily hear her as she softly growls. >> Yes, do it, << she replies to Pandora.

xxxxxJackie pauses midstep, tilting her head at the sudden strange sensation, then with a slight shrug she accepts the mental knocking and opens the door. She glances around at the group, not for the first time feeling a bit out of place as the only one without fur.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope keeps looking around, checking into whatever she can find. An eye always goes back to Jackie, and when near, she will rub next to her to be sure she knows she is being protected in all this as well.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf wrinkles her muzzle. >> Wyrm taint. It has seeped into this area, it all feels wrong. << She's skirting those humans, keeping an eye on them juuuust in case they do anything stupid. >> If they attack, surround Jackie. We are her shields in battle. << Opening all her senses, she focuses her full attention on those weirdly-acting humans. What the hell is wrong with them...oh, she sees it now! >> They're admiring the moon. <<

xxxxxThe people turn out to be dead, which is why they're standing around doing nothing! A rough gallows has been erected curb side and a group of people have been hung by their necks. They're pretty average looking, the exact sort of folk you'd expect to be living in this neighborhood middle aged to retired age, a couple women in frumpy blouses and men in slacks.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope is looking around and stops as she sees some fliers scattered on the ground. She paws at them, to signal the others. >> Do you see this? Says 'Gatha'ck brings justice - Peace through Power' << Sniffing closer to the people she offers >> These people. They do not stink yet, but are dead. And they have fliers pinned to them. See it says something about resisting the dragon? Looks like these are listing their crimes? What is going on here? <<

xxxxxTips translates in her head for Jackie, of course, and puts herself on the other side of Jackie than the rest of the group, just to provide an extra layer of protection. She's too busy looking around for big stuff to see little stuff, but she does look at PoH when she speaks and makes a little growly sound

xxxxxJackie crouches down to look at one of the fliers on the ground, frowning at it with a furrowed brow. "That sounds like some weird-ass cultish shit."

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf growls softly. >> So, the Wyrm has an agent here. I wager the human's crimes reflect their resistance to its call. See if you can pick up scent from the flyers, << she says to the others. We can follow that back to the source. <<

xxxxxThe thickness of the fog receeds, thinning out, still present but not so smotheringly close as the pack sets itself to the task. With it pulled back, the essence of an isolated little town takes over. It's nice and quaint, the kind of place with paperboys in the morning and maybe a few lynchings at night. Some houses have flags on them, mostly the kitchy seasonal decoration kind, but others have jutting from the holders on their awnings a black flag emblazoned by a fierce looking green dragon.
xxxxxThe street is not quite as clean as it looked with all the Silent Hill fog in the way, there's litter from fliers that blow in the light breeze, some errant lits of branch, a hat or a shoe in places and even a random baton just laying around.
xxxxxThe scent of those that touched the fliers has the sour smell of sweat and fear, and it leads down the road, out of the neighborhood proper and into the tiny down town. Somewhere nearby there are cheers and the roar of human voices, houses thinned way down and giving way to businesses. The green dragon flags become banners and the creature appears as rough graffiti in places. Fliars are stuck to doors and windows. You don't need a gift to twig to a fervor in the air, an unhealthy fanaticism in the cries from the town square.

xxxxxTips snurfles at the flier as Jackie picks it up and she makes a little growly sound again, letting Jackie know exactly what's up and she moves a little closer to her, but her paws continue to hit in absolute silence as she moves along.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf's amber eyes lock on the symbol on those flags and banners as they follow the scent. >> Green Dragon. Spirals. << Anger simmers in her low growl as she hears the crowd, and realizes the scent leads that way. >> We strike from the shadows. Hold on, I have Nightshade talens. Drink them when we are close. << She shifts to homid briefly, to pass one to Rhapsody, and takes another for herself before returning to lupus, talen clutched in her jaws. << She presses on when everyone is ready.

xxxxxJackie keeps herself low as she follows her pack, clutching the borrowed spear in one white knuckled hand while digging in her pocket for the Nightshade and potion of being better at stabbing things with the other hand.

xxxxxThe sounds come from the town square, which is packed with people, it's got to be half the town here, surely. They fill up bleachers and trample the green all to hear the shouting of the man from the flier up at a podium on the steps of what is labeled in big chiseled letters as City Hall. The Hall has bigass banners hung from it, the cruel fabric eyes of a vicious green dragon glaring downwards over a few small erected gallows where some people in business attire have been hung flanking the steps. There's pomp and flare, with spot lights and a sound system so the man's voice can boom out.
xxxxxHe stands front and center, radiating confidence and a certain aura that inspires terror, his fanatical speech lauding all the worst things a person like him believes in. Jingoism, racism, homophobia, you name it, he rewards the fear and pointless anger of those there in the crowd. At the same time, he demands worship of the dragon as the symbol of power, his power, to call its blessing to them. To his left and right behind him are two other fellows, dire looking folk with a cruel cast to their expressions. Other, lesser thugs line the city hall steps leading up to the man, a show of force in matching uniforms. They don't really... look right. Those that have seen fomori before might recognize the slight monstrous quality beginning to take them over in different ways.
xxxxxFor the pack, there's a lot of different places they can choose to be, as they're catching this from a safe distance at a side road just yet. They can get right up in the crowd's edge, they can slink behind businesses surrounding the square, they can get on roof tops for a bird's eye view, or just try to sneak into City Hall and give everyone free parking for life. All options are available on what you want to do or see better, and this guy's gonna yell on for a few, so you've got time to confer, and plenty of time on them potions.

xxxxx>>I'm going to go around,<< Tips says, translating for Jackie and she nudges her closer to the others and then slips off, heading around to one side -- whichever side looks more deserted, to check things out.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf sticks to Jackie like glue. She's standing before her, ready to take a bullet, claws or balefire to keep her safe. The Nightshade talens they're using to remain hidden are powerful, but better safe than sorry.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope keeps on the otherside of Jackie - making sure they do not trip her or anything. She is very uncomfortable around so much hate, and keeps very quiet in the face of all this wyrm here.

xxxxxJackie keeps herself low, in Hammer-Tooth's shadow. She now keeps both hands on the spear, her eyes keeping out a nervous watch.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf growls softly in their hiding place. >> She is clever and staelthy, but if she is seen and something chases her back, wait until she's near and then spring on her attackers. Do not howl, attack in silence. Kill the enemy, drag their bodies into hiding. <<

xxxxxGatha'ck is really getting them riled up out there on the green, and has begun calling them out. Just picking people completely at random from his high place on the steps, accusing them of anything under the sun. People around those that have been called out turn on the persons immediately, grabbing them to shove and push them towards some of those not-right looking fellows that come to fetch them. There's screams of rage, of fear, not EVERYone in the crowd is as fanatical as those around them, it's possible that just as many people are there out of fear as others are there out of belief. Hidden behind the buildings, this mayhem can be heard if not always seen. There's a volly of gunfire. Not the chaotic pop pop pop of a riot, just one united round of shots, as of a firing squad that's nearly drowned out by shouts and cheers.
xxxxxMeanwhile, back inside the city hall...

xxxxxMAP! Pandora shifts to something with Thumbs with absolutely no effort and snags the map she finds on the wall and folds it up really small, then shifts again and oozes her way out of the office (after opening the door because thumbs) and she sneaks her way upstairs, possibly dodging a person or two here and there. She makes it up and up and up and plasters her face against the window. She peeks out and.. LINE OF SIGHT, BAYBEEEEE!! Rhapsody will hear a little knock at her brain. <<Look up.>>

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope feels that knock in her brain and looks up as she is told. She nudges on Jackie and her tail whips over to get Hammer-Tooth's attention and noses up at the City Hall and hopefully to Pandora.

xxxxxTips is literally plastered against the window and she guides PoH with 'Up more, left. No, you passed me. Hi!' and once she's spotted by her almost pack mate, she bloops out of the window and smashes her booty up against it for a second before she turns around once again. Gotta keep that line of sight.

xxxxxCan wolves roll their eyes? Sure - as Protector-of-Hope does seeing Pandora's booty-moon. She thinks back to her 'Whatcha find?'

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf follows Protector-of-Hope's gaze up to the window, and to Pandora standing there. Her head tilts, and she noses Jackie to look up there too.

xxxxxJackie follows the line of sight, squinting as she focuses in on the distant window. "What's she doing up there?"

xxxxx<<It's pretty empty up here. I have a map>> Which she shows Rhapsody through the link. One at a time in this brain or it costs valuable energy. So Rhapsody gets it all. >>Layout of the floor plan. I can stay up here or I can come back down there. Shouldn't be a problem. Everyone's pretty distracted. I can relay this to everyone one at a time<<

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope hears and sees what is sent. 'Send the map to the others' She very quietly speaks to Irsa >> Map coming from Pandora. Should we join her? <<

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf noses Jackie to point her towards the entrance Pandora found. >> Yes. All inside. We must work quickly. <<

xxxxxTips switches from person to person, showing the map, but then there's a sort of >>Eeek!<< to Irsa's brain pan. >>There's a guard out here. I'm technically trapped. Dammit. Chances are, I can take it out, but I have no idea WHAT is on the other side. Might be a dude, might be a 50 foot tall tentacle monster. I might be Stargazer, but I'm not into Hentai.<<

xxxxxThe entrance Tips chose and presumably points the way to in a mental sort of way is an office window towards the back that has been left open if the pack wants to use it. It leads into a dark office dominated by a desk and a lot of filing cabinets. The map shows the way to the stairs to the second level, and this can be confirmed by other fire exit maps, there's usually one in every corador. Safety first!

xxxxxJackie heads out toward the doors, keeping low and trying to not make too much noise. >>Really? You had to bring up tentacle hentai?<<

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope will nudge and starting padding around to find the entrance to this city hall, the one that Tips would have shown them. She's careful here, and waits to see if Jackie (who has thumbs) can open it.

xxxxx>> Up, take out the guard," Hammer-Tooth growls quietly. >> If Pan speaks to you, tell her to open the door once combat begins, we will drag the guard in there to fight, the hall will muffle the sound. He may have information, if not then we kill them. << She switches to homid to repeat that to Jackie. "If I tap my foot once, that means open a door for us and hide behind the doorframe on this side so you don't get attacked." Back she goes to lupus again.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf taps her foot. Open door, plz.

xxxxxJackie steps up to the side of the door and tests the handle and try to open it as directed, nodding to Hammer-Tooth first.

xxxxxThe city hall isn't exactly dark inside, those places always seem to keep their hall lights on, even if the offices have their own put out. Still, the place is practically deserted. The occasional snatch of chatter can be heard from places deeper in the building, but there's no one out wandering the halls. The steps are wide and not handicap accessable! The soft clicking of Protector of Hope's claws on tiles is heard by a single young man sitting in a waiting chair outside the mayor's office where Tips is located. He wears black with a green arm band, his head shaved, as Tyler Durden would say he's a good, obedient monkey ready to be shot out into space. He looks up, not *completely* convinced he's heard anything, but his brow is wrinkled in a 'did I hear something?' expression, just about ready to maybe go check. Maybe.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf doesn't hesitate. She darts towards the guard, jaws gaped wide as she seeks to clamp them over his face to keep the man from screaming. The intent is to grapple, not rip dude's face off.

xxxxxThe guy is NOT even fast enough to do more than make the O.O! expression at a freakin wolf out of nowhere coming to grab him by his god damned FACE! He yells, but he does so down Irsa's throat, so it's quite muffled.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf kicks one of her paws against the door behind the young man. Open, ragabash! She can't talk, hopefully her message to Pandora was heard.

xxxxxTips opens, in crinos! RAR!!!! SNARFLE! Pandora comes out ready to fight, but not jumping the gun enough to ACTUALLY start ripping things apart until she knows what's up!

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope stays next to Jackie, just incase anything else comes out in all of this. Her girls have this in hand right now, and they all need another set of eyes watching over them all right now.

xxxxxJackie follows along after reclosing the door behind them, slipping along one wall as the progress. She glances back towards the entrance at the sound of the scuffle, watching to make sure nobody heard and is coming to investigate.

xxxxxOutside, the senseless hate and devotion being fostered or forced down people's throats (metaphorically speaking) reaches its fever pitch. Gatha'ck throws his hands up in salute to his blind followers and those too afraid to disobey, dismissing the rabble from his sight. Those true fanatics, of which there are many in their black outfits and green accents, they tear off away from the green, splitting into packs and fanning out. Others move off in herds, so jacked up and volitile that a few fights break out, but over what, who can tell. In the distance, almost entirely muffled by the closed windows of the mayor's office and nearly lost under the scuffle with the guard, come the sounds of screams and shattering glass, likely a product of the rabid bands of followers that ran off.
xxxxxINSIDE the office, where this poor bastard is being drug, it's mostly your standard mayoral looking office. Desk, leather chares, book case, fancy lamps, giant altar to the Bane Totem the Green Dragon that's littered with a few lumps of meat, blood splatter, and confiscated tokens of power like medals, certificates in shattered frames, etc. It absolutely reeks of Garou in here. There's a couple side doors, currently closed, and two walls have windows, one set looking onto the green, the other set facing the direction where the wolves were originally hiding.

xxxxxRagged Brown Wolf throws her weight to the side, dragging the hapless guard with her. Into the mayor's office she goes! Once she's inside she pins the man down, leaving it to the others to take his weapons away. One enormous paw slaps over the man's face. >> Move, and you die. Blink twice if you understand I will kill you if you do not. <<

xxxxxTips helps! Her big-ass claws, for whatever reason, do not immediately rip and tear. She just helps get the guy inside and then once everyone's inside, she blocks the door with her massive body.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope pads inside as they go inside. She nudges Jackie along. >> I wonder if he can understand us or not. <<

xxxxxThe dude is armed with a heavy baton, by the by. No heavy arms here. This was supposed to be boring guard duty! Now, for this guy's part, he's blinking a lot. Weirdly he's not going berzerk with true delirium, just really basic 'oh fuck I'm absolutely going to die' fear. Does this mean he understands the wolf's snarls? Couldn't say, but he does very helpfully pee himself, so at the very least he's getting your vibe! Outside, if anyone's keeping track of what's going on out there, the three probably-Spirals are confering on the steps, with a few of their loyal lap dogs waiting. They begin to move up the steps, their talk or argument or whatever it is inaudible at the moment as they head for the front doors into the city hall, moving slowly and without any worry. It's not like there's Gaians to worry about, after all. There's time to interrogate and to plan, but it's limited.
xxxxxThe side room, when looked into, has beds, blood, meat, the mauled bodies of secretaries, and evidence of haruspex performed on humans. It's a mess. but it's quiet!

xxxxxJackie grimaces and turns white as she's ushered out of the line of fire and into the slaughter house instead. After a loudly gulping swallow she makes a crack in a slightly strained sounding voice. "Wow, I've heard of hostile work environments, but this is ridiculous!"

xxxxxWhile interrogating the guard doesn't exactly pan out, he turns out to be not much of a fuss when it comes to attaching him to the mayoral throne behind the desk. He's bloody, sweaty, a bit pissy in the trousers, he DOES try and fight back a little bit, but it's probably about as effective as a toddler trying to avoid an adult's manhandling. Whoever has to hide in that side room, it smells like a slaughter house in there, but you cant expect much house cleaning in a Spiral's sleeping space. Just food and deceased play things all over, it's a real friggin mess.
xxxxxOut in the hall come the in-unison bootfalls of the approaching spiral pack. It SOUNDS like a lot of people coming, but that's just a trick of the sound bouncing off the tiles. the voices having an argument are a easier to discern though.
xxxxx"Well how much could we possibly have to do?? We have this god damned town wrapped around our fingers, so why hasn't he accepted us yet, Ferro'che?" asks the Little Hitler from outside, named Gatha'ck.
xxxxx"I'm afraid I don't know, Gatha'ck" comes a slightly whiney, oily voice, "Perhaps his balefire majesty is feeling fickle, perhaps there's something left to be oppressed."
xxxxx"Then I'll have them all rounded up and-"
xxxxx"They cant worship your power if they're all dead, my alpha."
xxxxx"FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" Gatha'ck roars right as he flings open his office door in a rage. Behind him are his two packmates, a greasy looking fellow with twitchy, wolfish manerisms, and a large-ish fellow with a hunched back. Their lacky guards park themselves against the wall self importantly.

xxxxxSo three spirals enter the room, alpha flanked by his lackies. Gatha'ck is already pissed off, and when he sees the shadowy figure of someone in his chair, he's ABOUT to lay into the dude and maybe possibly bite his face off to make a point about things, when SUDDENLY he hears his mother fucking beta just DROP behind him with a sudden mortal wound from one swipe of a Kitsune's sword. He's not QUITE dead yet, he's got one chance to rage heal himself next round. And when you least expect it, it's attack of the furniture as well! As soon as Gatha'ck sees his Beta drop, he also hears the HURK! sound from his Omega as he's throw backwards by... is that my god damned desk? What the-!

xxxxxHammer-Tooth utters a low, menacingly growl as she snatches up the chair with that hapless guard firmly lashed into place and solidly gagged. Her dark brown fur bristles and her amber eyes blaze with Rage. >> Kill them. Kill them all. <<

xxxxxEclipsing-Tempest had his snoot booped from where he was hiding behind the door but he holds. Waiting with his blade drawn until the group enters the room. He slips from behind the door quiet and sneaky and strikes, nearly hacking the Beta in two with a powerful downward diagonal cut. He spins with a roar and finishes that first cut to split the beta in half. Following the momentum, he hacks into the omega with a vicious slash that draws blood and cuts through flesh and muscle down to the bone. Eclipsing-Tempest is a flurry of fury with that blade, slashing at that same target and laughing as the fight rages on. He urges the pack on as they fight and dances and dodges as the guards that called in try to take him out. He's quick and nimble, slipping past their attacks with teasing cackles and playful swats of his katana.

xxxxxHammer-Tooth utters a blood-curling snarl as she launches that poor hapless guard, and the ENORMOUS chair he's strapped to, right at the Spiral theurge. He can't possibly dodge, she's pinned him under the desk with her earlier throw. >> Eat this! << she snarls, serving up a side of Gaia-infused hurling. BAM! Right upside the head, have a concussion and a mess of broken teeth!

xxxxxTips slams the door open, ready to catch anyone who might be near it - friend or foe, I guess - and then immediately launches herself for the Alpha, getting in a good double claw as they collide, spinning him around a bit to, unfortunately, make it easier for him to run out the door. >>Well fuck<< she curses and readies herself to go after him unless someone's in the way.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope bursts out the door of the bedroom, following Pandora, with her power blade in hand. The PSSSSHHHHEEEWWW of it lighting up bounces around just before she does, having the guard to the right of the door to the office hear them come out and she slices the guy in a diagonal - that half of him then sliding off his body as he just becomes a puddle. >> One more to go out here! <<

xxxxxJackie steps up cautiously to the bedroom doorway, looking from behind its cover as the outer chamber gets a new fresh coat of gore paint.

xxxxxThe quick rage of surprise battle flies around him, and Sir Gatha'ck bravely decides to run away, shoving his remaining guard into the fray while running past Protector of Hope and out into the hallway, shifting and FLEEING god damn it! Run awaaaaay! There is one remaining fomori guard with fanged teeth and hooked claws, and a trio of banes have just finished arriving to protect the uh... the sputchy mess under that desk. Who is STILL technically alive, thank you very much! Like, just *barely* alive.

xxxxxTips does a pretty good job of keeping up with things. SHe's sneaky and she's FAST. She throws a little mojo juice into things and she speeds ahead of Rhapsody. She launches herself outward, stretching out a claw and >>BOOP<< she proclaims, not only making contact, but actually giving the guy a shove. It's SUPER effective! The crowd goes wild, at least if Pandora was wearing her fetish it would be. Anyway, the asshole goes sprawling and Pandora goes right on past him, leaving everything open for Rhapsody. That's teamwork.

xxxxxHammer-Tooth throws back her head, letting out a screeching, eerie howl. Her amber eyes turn jet black, like a inky void has snuffed out all sense and reason. With a blood-curling snarl she rears back and lashes out at Akio with her claws. The slash misses by a hair as the fox neatly dodges the strike. Just as suddenly as the attack was launched, the black corruption fades from her eyes. >> What the... shit! They're getting away! << she snarls, snatching up that desk and racing after the escaping Wyrm spawn.

xxxxxJackie watches from the relative safety of the other side of the doorway. Her eyes flash with alarm as Hammer-Tooth's eyes darken and she takes a swipe at Akio, then breathes a heavy sigh of relief at seeing that not create a terrible mess.

xxxxxThe enemy Theurge, Ferro'che, he heaves himself out from under the desk, sliced but good and battered, and has to think quick. He sees Hammer Tooth not lookin at him, the other two she wolves gone and the noodle wolf busy with a guard, so he just gets going out of here, seeing as how his Alpha fuckin bailed on him. He lumbers forward and throws himself against the window, taking some cuts that will heal as he falls out the second floor. The crinos Spiral spreads his arms and legs, and coasts towards the green on wounded patagia, and lands pretty damned hard on the ground, his three banes following a bit more slowly.
xxxxxGatha'ck, he was TOTALLY getting away god damn it, if it hadn't'a been for those pesky Gaians! He needs to regroup, and then show these punks what's up, but instead he goes down. Forward, rather, still propelled by his own momentum. He is teed up and ready for a hole in one.

xxxxxEclipsing-Tempest could see what was coming, sense the change in Hammer-tooth and focused on dodging that attack from his packmate. It's a powerful attack and a smooth dodge that leads to the kitsune giving a wink to Hammer-Tooth before turning to chase their prey.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope sliiiiiiiiiidddddddddess up as Pandora does her fancy mojo onto the running BSD Alpha, and SWISH! Her lightsaber slices right into him, spilling his blood. >> COME AND FACE ME LIKE A GAROU YOU WIMP! <<

xxxxxAs Rhapsody attacks, Pandora spins. She sends a kick at the guy who's down, but Rhapsody is already swinging, so she cuts it a little short. She knicks him with a claw and that's about it before she's scrambling to get her foot out of the way.

xxxxxGatha'ck only has time to snarl and turn towards Rhapsody, about to go down with a staredown to put her in her place, but then he just sort of loses his head about the whole thing. And his loyal minion, damn that poor sweet corrupted soul, he comes charging, yelling, down the hallway, ready to claw and bite his boss to safety, but then trips and jams his own claws into his throat with one hand. Well done, loyal servant.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope swings around to gain the momentun, and grins as she SLIIIICES his head clean off. >> THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE. NO. THERE CAN BE ONLY NONE! << As he goes down she hears the thump and then a second thump and will look to see what that was.

xxxxxJackie slips out of the side room back into the office as it clears out, stepping carefully over the carelessly discarded body parts now littering the room as rejoins Akio and Hammer-Tooth.

xxxxxHammer-Tooth chucks that bad-ass desk down at the nasty theurge. Bones crunch as it slams into the fleeing Spiral with supernatural speed, pinning him under it once again. Hammer-Tooth rumbles, >> One more shit and he's down. Do either of you have a ranged weapon?"

xxxxxEclipsing-Tempest works on trying to kill that badass guard but only succeeds in doing some damage with his sword. As it runs off he turns and watches. Shaking his head at the outcome. Looking to Hammer-Tooth then Jackie he kneels down to find a bit of cloth to begin cleaning his sword, checking to make sure Jackie is doing ok with a soft sniff of his boobed snoot. Nodding at Hammer-Tooth he gives a fox grin and nods to the chair and the guy in it.

xxxxxFarewell, chair man! We hardly knew ye, we just know you're completely aerodynamic in the hands of an angry, determined Bonegnawer. Wham! Crunch! Oh, the humanity. Two Wyrmspawn for the price of one. >> Clear here. Get their fetishes, and check the room for any records. <<

xxxxxA decapitated homid in the top of the stairs, a basically bisected metis sprawled on the floor, and a dead lupus crushed to death under a desk, the desk's matching chair, and a single also dead guard whose only crime was finishing pooping at the wrong time! And also for following an absolute madman, but whatever. The altar to the Green Dragon issues a groan as it shifts, and a growling voice is heard, "Pathetic." before it collapses on itself.
xxxxxOutside, there's people still out there, and the pained screams of fomori can be heard in a few places as their lent banes are stripped from them. They're dead, and their banes probably aren't doing so hot either. Some people do step out from their own corners of hiding - you definitely hide when a werewolf bursts outcha damned city hall. They're not nearly as freaked out as humans should be, but then, this is probably not the weirdest shit they've seen in whatever pocket realm this is. They're uh... they're okay with this, they calm the fuck down now that they're not being so directly influenced by the Wyrm. There's going to have to be some talks and elections after this.
xxxxxAND THEN ONE MORE THING. While the gang's gathered up in the bloody Mayor's office, a guy just steps in from the hall, totally fine with these crinos weirdos and that spear wielding girl. He's so very average looking, almost forgetably so. He's wearing a non descript light grey suit, which goes nicely with his silver hair and goatee. "Well done." he says in a muted voice, surveying the carnage calmly "I think I'd enjoy having you working for me."

xxxxxJackie snaps her head around to look at the newcomer guy, and it takes her just a moment for her brain to click over. Then her jaw drops a bit and she blurts out, "Oh, shit, I didn't expect fog to wear a suit!"

xxxxxTips squints as the guy pops through and she shifts, materializing a backpack as she does so. Good ole backpack. She unslings it and drops it onto the nearest upright surface. "I need food," she mutters, all homidly. "I brought snacks." It's the same London Fog Latte cakes that she had the other day and of course, the first one is offered to the new guy.

xxxxxHammer-Tooth cocks her head and sniffs the air. Her ears flick back and forth as she looks the spirit over. She wasn't sure WHAT Fog would look like, but this is definitely pretty cool. >> Thank you. Our mystic has words to say to you. << She nudges Protector-of-Hope forward.

xxxxxAkio shifts back to homid form as he cleans his katana and then slips it back into its sheath. Stowing the weapon on his back with his pack he looks at Fog and offers a polite dip of his head in greeting. "We found you. Or, you found us." Chuckling he quiets as he leaves the floor open for Protector-of-Hope.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope blinks a moment and smiles. She steps forward when nudged. >> It is good to meet you. We have come together, obviously, to ask to serve you, and have you as our Totem Spirit. We believe the work in the city of Prospect we wish to do for Gaia would go along with you the best. We want to search out secrets, and keep hidden as we do from the Wyrm. Until we, you know, work together to root it out and destroy it like we did to these guys. <<

xxxxxAeolus looks at the snack offered, then takes one, never one making an actual facial expression. He doesn't eat it, doesn't need to for that matter, he just holds it with both hands down at his waist. "Thank you." There may have bbeen the smallest, most muted twitch of a smile at Pandora. Fog is chilly, but not unfriendly. He also tells Jackie very quietly, "It seemed appropriate."
xxxxxNow, even though he expressed his willingness, when it comes down to answering a proper request for patronage, you have to at least appear to think about things for a minute. Aeolus says after a lengthy pause, "Silence is my payment, let no secret pass your lips, and my gifts of silence, cover, and mysteries will be yours." He gestures at the mess and says, "Cleanse these husks, and I will take you back where you belong." He then sets the cake down on some not knocked over surface and begins to leave. The cake has lost its bounce, scent, even its color is faded, having had the spirit of the offering sucked out.

xxxxxTips dips her head respectfully as the little cake is taken. It's the SMALLEST of gifts, to be sure. She didn't figure he would eat it. Didn't figure he even COULD eat it, but it was named after him and in his honor and all that shit, so she just waits, her head down just a little bit until the cake is sat down and then she nods, glancing around at her fellow.. pack.. mates? ANd fighting a huge grin. "Let's get everything together and cleanse it all at the same time," she suggests. "Easier."

xxxxxJackie turns and blinks at the others. "Well, that's not how I expected that to happen. But I probably shouldn't have sworn at him, huh?"

xxxxxHammer-Tooth bows her head. >> It will be done, << she rumbles to the spirit. Nodding to the others, she turns and sets to work, assisting Protector-of-Hope with the Cleansing Rite.

xxxxxProtector-of-Hope bows her head to Fog before he leaves, and stays there with respect. Now rising, she turns and pulls things out of her dedicated bag, putting away the lightsaber. >> Let's cleanse! Bring all we can together. << Once they do, she'll help with Hammer-Tooth to lead the rite.

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