2019.08.15 Summoning the Past

Summoning the Past
Aaryn, Micah and Hrafn summon a spirit that may have information on Ravenscar's past.
IC Date	8/15/2019
IC Time	Dusk
Players	Aaryn, Micah Starnes, Royan
Location	The Longhouse Yard - Umbra
Prp/Tp	Ravenscar
Spheres	Garou, Gaian

In has been a few days since Frostbite and Hrafn have returned home from the Deep Umbra (See: Fury Rd) - long enough for Hrafn to regrow feathers and for the pack to get back to some semblance of normalcy. Before Frostbite can head off on another adventure, Hrafn corners Aaryn and Micah about doing a Spirit Summoning ritual so he can learn more about the history of Ravenscar. They have gathered at Sunset on a night when Aaryn does not have work. The kinfolk work crews, who have the skeleton of the longhouse complete, have all gone home. Together they cross over into the Umbra in a place chosen by Aaryn to perform the spirit summoning. When they get there, Tank, Micah's new spirit familiar, is waiting for them. Surprisingly he is not up to mischief and does not try and bum rush them upon their arrival. Instead he stands sentinel, Micah having warned him that it will be his job to protect them from any spirits who wish to interrupt their plans.

xxxxxBob is here as well, the little spider(!) spider standing up on some elevated surface where he has a nice view of the area. Now that Hrafn no longer has any red dust in his feathers, it would seem the spider spirit has fully forgiven his master and friend. Hrafn, for his part, sits on a rock. He has cast the Rite of the Sun's Bright Rays upon the area, filling the Umbrascape around them in warm sunlight; thinking that if they summon an ancestor spirit of the Corax, it might appease it to feel Helios light upon him once more (or her. Or it). And, him casting a ritual that makes sunlight out of nothing might very well come as a surprise to the Frostbite!

xxxxxMicah is carrying a backpack with an assortment of things they may need for the ritual that Aaryn has dedicated so that they may bring them here. He's also brought a set of bongo drums with an image of an owl painted on them - a gift from Iris at Freya's blot. He arranges everything in the ritual area so that Aaryn has easy access to it. It sets out a place for himself to sit with the drum and places his bow nearby. He lays out 4 bane arrows so they are within easy reach. You can never be too careful! Then he waits for Aaryn's lead.

xxxxxJust before the rite, Aaryn spends some time burning some sage and juniper in the fire pit. After mixing this into a paste, she carries a stone mortar and pestle into the umbra where she sits in meditation for a while before the others arrive. As they file in, she would lift her head to acknowledge them. Her face is painted in a bone-white resemblance of a skull and there is the coral feather ties about her locks. She stands and makes her way to Micah, where she spends some time murmuring over him in German, and finally, with her pointer and pinky fingers, dips them into the bowl and drags two, tusk-like marks down his face. Next, she turns to Hrafn and pauses, to look around in respect at the light he has brought them. She nods to the large, magnificent bird and approaches him with the bowl. She murmurs a few words over him and, with her pointer finger, reaches out to draw one single line from the underside of his beak to his chest feathers.

xxxxxHrafn has certainly witnessed the rite of summoning before. And each time, it always seemed a bit intimidating for him. He was good with some things, but not with spirits. Not in this manner, not yet at least. Certainly not to summon them. For once, the raven remains quiet in respect to the rite, his head dipping lower to the ground as Aaryn comes to initiate him into the ritual.

xxxxxMicah doing a garou ritual is creepy, not because he is creepy necessarily, but because he starts acting SERIOUS, which is weird, so it's creepy. Serious Micah means he thinks something could jump out and attack them at any given moment. Given what happened the last time they did a ritual here - that is entirely possible. Did no one think this through?! That being said, once Aaryn has annointed him, he takes the drums and starts to settle down and begins a very basic beat on the drums. "I need to find the beat of the spirit we're going to summon. To do that, I need a clear idea of the spirit. What kind of spirit are we trying to attract?"

xxxxxHrafn lets both his wings spread slowly, as if testing that they are still working. Or just to show off his magnificent wing-span. Black eyes turns to Aaryn, "I seek a spirit of the past! Something old, something wise. A raven of memory, perhaps, or an ancestor of my kind! Something that can look back and speak a clue of Ravenscar. Of the man and the family that lived here."

xxxxxRyn tips a fingertip onto the top of Bob's head, and Tank's as well. Everyone gets a blessing, it seems. She moves in to settle at the head of the circle she has created and straightens her spine. She looks, expectantly, to Hrafn, and nods at his response. In Garou, she begins a deep chant, almost starting as a hum or rumble deep within her. It begins to mix and pulse with the beat Micah has found.

And thus it continues for one hour.

xxxxxOne hour. And this is when Hrafn shows how patient he can be. Ever seen a raven sit still for an hour before? Well, you have now! He does not move a single bit on that rock; only his feathers rustling a bit each time there is a slight breeze in the umbrascape. The bird keeps quiet, too. He has to. He does not want to upset Aaryns rhythm.

xxxxxMicah searches for the beat as Aaryn begins to chant, eventually his voice joins hers, adding strength to the chant. He concentrates on a spirit of the past, something old, something wise, something that can look back into the past. The drum beats remain firm, solid, rythmic, strong, like a heartbeat.

The hour passes, and at the culmination of the summoning, at Aaryn releases her intent out into the spirit world, the result is immediate. The ground begins to tremble and the rock upon which Hrafn and Bob sit start to raise up out of the ground, grinding and groaning. The rock splits horizontally in the vague shape of a mouth, the sediment of the rock forms lines that look like old wisened eyes that are wrinkled with age. The eyes barely open. ~HhmmMmmmMmmmnN wHo Has suMMoNed Me iNto tHis place?~

xxxxxHrafn does jostle a bit on the rock as things begin to shake and rumble out. He lets out a little -kraaa- to this before he settles down. Those black eyes of his lock on to the mouth that forms in the dirt, "This.. is new." he whispers out, "Is it an Ancestor? Spirit of the land?" he wonders, "What is it?" Curiosity has gotten the better of him, disrupting for a short moment the question asked by the spirit.

xxxxxMicah remains in silent communion with Tank, making sure that he doesn't take the spirit for something to attack. He continues the rhythmic drumming, letting Aaryn do the talking.

xxxxxRyn responds. "It is I who have summoned you, ancient one," Aaryn intones. "I am Guides-the-Dead, Junge Godi of the Get of Fenris. We have claimed this land as ours, to protect and honor. We wish to know more of it's history, and of the people who have tread here, before us." She looks to Hrafn

xxxxxThe raven takes flight to this, leaving the rock and coming to a perch on Aaryns shoulder. Both his wings spread wide as he calls out, "I am Swift Wing upon the High Wind, Child of Raven and Son of Helios of the Corax! I ask a boon of you, Great Spirit of the Land! I ask for wisdom and for knowledge. In years times years back, one like me lived on this land. I seek knowledge of clues about those times, about those people."

xxxxxTo some, the sight of a slight blonde woman in a black hood, painted like a skull... With a Raven perched on her shoulder... Might look frightening. But those that are gathered are /GET/, damnit. And they are /impressive/! Ryn translates the message to the rock spirit, for specificity.

The spirit does not respond for some time. It doesn't seem to notice the spider or the bird that rests upon its back. If it does notice, it doesn't seem to be bothered by it. The silence drags on long enough that one might wonder if the spirit has fallen back into slumber like an old man in a rocking chair. Then finally, the spirit speaks again, ~I Have rested Here siNce loNg before you were Here, or Garou, or MeN. I kNow MaNy tHiNgs of tHis laNd. You Have cleaNsed tHis place. THis I reMeMber too. I will speak to you of wHat I kNow if you ask tHe rigHt questioNs.~

xxxxxRyn looks over to Hraf, she will translate anything he wishes.

xxxxxHrafn for his part waits for Bob to whisper in his head everything the summoned one says. Most likely, the Spider is interspacing a lot of sighs and comments about the slowness of the creature as well. The raven clicks his beak in the air a bit, "Did one of my kind, did one of Ravens Children live upon this land scores times many years ago?" Because counting is hard.

Again, the spirit contemplates. ~A booN you say? To learN of tHe Garou that oNce lived Here? Or do you MeaN tHe feNrir? No No No you ask for raveN cHildreN? raveNs are creatures of tHe sky Not tHe eartH...~ It trails off and you think there may be nothing more it will say, but no, it just has a long memory and sometimes it takes a long time to look back. Finally, when all hope and patience seems lost, the spirit replies, ~tHere was oNe sucH as you speak of tHat lived Here. He gave it a Name tHat is reMeMbered by tHe eartH. RaveN's Rock. We liked tHis NaMe.~

xxxxxRyn translates this, then pauses, long enough for Hraf to absorb what's been said and to decide what his next course of questions should be.

xxxxxHrafn is all but digging his claws into Aaryns shoulder by now. If he had been sitting on the rock still, he would by now have been scratching it with those claws. Good thing he is not on the rock! It might have offended the earth spirit. He lets out another kraaa, "So many questions." he breathes out, "The right one! Too many questions for the right one!" he complains to the air, "What became of this one that named this place.. Raven's Rock?"

Once Aaryn has translated the question there is silence again, but not as long of a silence as before. Seems now the spirit has narrowed down a time, the memories come back sooner, ~He left tHis place.~

xxxxxAaryn decides to ask, "there was a great storm. That turned this place asunder while this one lived here. What can you tell us of it?" In the span od likely silence that follows, she translates what she has asked.

The spirit contemplates and then answers, "Yes." And then there is another pause. Really? Is that it? And then it continues, ~Just before He left tHere was a storm tHat was Not a storm. tHere was ligHtNiNg tHat was Not Made by tHe spirit of storMs. tHe MooN wept aNd tHe ligHtNiNg caMe aNd tHe tree was split asunder. RaveN's Rock was destroyed.~

xxxxxRyn translates this to Hraf, with some amount of sadness in her voice.

xxxxx"A tree for Congress." Hrafn says, almost in reverence, "He left. He must have taken flight to the storm. Chased it.. tried to keep it from killing the family. His family?" The raven has so many questions. He tries a real hard one then, "Did the Child of Raven speak his name of the Sky and to the Earth?" he wonders.

The question is asked and it is translated and the rock contemplates. ~tHe NaMes of Gaia's cHildreN are kNowN aNd spokeN aNd reMeMbered. Helios would kNow tHe NaMe of His cHildreN but wHile His ligHt sHines oN Me I May Here it wHispered.~ The spirit goes quiet, going into silent communion, basking in the sunlight from Hrafn's fetish. Finally he speaks again, ~tHere was No lock tHat could keep HiM out so tHat was tHe NaMe He was giveN. FeatHer Picks tHe Lock~

xxxxxMicah continues the steady rhythmic beat, though it grows soft and not as strong. After all, he has been drumming for over an hour now, and the spirit takes its time between answers. Tank remains vigilant in keeping watch, for now, though there is a restlessness to him.

xxxxxHrafn sits quiet a few moments upon the shoulder of Aaryn, thinking. All those little cogwheels in his mind turning and turning, chugging along as he ponders. At least, with this spirit, he can take his time. There is no hurry with the spirit of the land! At length, the raven once more speaks, "The earth remembers, the Spirit reflects the memory. You have answered all questions, but I have but one left." to which the bird gives a small pause, "How many passes have the face of Helios done over your land since Feather Picks the Lock flew into the Storm that cracked the Tree?" asks the bird.

The spirit hmmmms, ~SucH a question needs tiMe. THe eartH does Not couNt tiMe like MeN do. Not so loNg ago I tHinK. THousaNds of tiMes Helios Has passed. TeNs of THousaNds.~ The spirit goes into a long quiet contemplation and everyone is left waiting as it counts.

xxxxxThe drum falters as the time passes. Micah's arms tired and hands sore from the constant drumming. Tank settles down and lays by his side, looking bored.

xxxxxHrafn shows some interesting qualities of patience, which one might think would be rare in a Corax; never knowing the Corax are actually quite patient creatures. How many hours and days have they not sat upon a perch, overlooking some wyrm infested bug-hole, waiting for activities to witness? So the raven sits still as he waits for the Spirit to count the days.

xxxxxRyn's patience is not so great as the Corax's, though. After a moment of waiting, and seeing that her brother's drumbeats are faltering, she squints a bit, looks at the rock and gently... Clears her throat, *ahem*?

The rock moves and stirs and what can be taken for eyes, but which are not, part ever so slightly. ~"HhmMmNnn wHo Has suMMoNed Me iNto tHis place?~

xxxxxMicah drops his face into his hands and rubs his eyes. How long have they been out here again? Are we staring over? Tank looks up at his companion and says, ~Old spirits. Am I right?~

xxxxxTo which Hrafn quickly turns his head to smack the side of his beak against Aaryns forehead, "You made him lose count!" the bird calls, turning his black eyes to the spirit, "Great spirit of the land. Have your count finished? How many turns of Helios past your features since the days of Feather Picks the Lock flew into the storm?" he tries once more, hoping to jog the spirits memory.

The spirit does not respond to the Raven. In fact, Hrafn may realize, he never has. He has only spoken to the one who has summoned him and continues to do so. Once Aaryn reasks the question in a way the spirit understands, there is a pause followed by a long groaning, ~I believe I lost couNt arouNd 50,000. More tHere May be. Less May be as well. Helios does Not always sHiNe. A fussy oNe, is tHat oNe.~"

xxxxxTo which Hrafn begins to think.. pondering, "..carry the one.. divide by eleven.." he pauses, "..times ten.." to then sigh, looking to Aaryn, "Do you know head math?" he wonders. He pauses then, turning his black eyes to the spirit; even if the creature does not respond to him directly, he still addresses it as if it were, "The family of the Raven that lived at Raven's Rock. Does your memory contain what became of them? Did they escape, or were they struck down by the Storm?" he wonders, "Do you know if they are buried within your domain?"

xxxxxMicah pulls his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms around them while they wait for the answer.

xxxxxRyn nods to Hraf, rubbing her forehead just a bit. Turning to the rock spirit, she poses the new questions.

The rock spirit contemplates and considers, the sunlight on it seems to dim and its expression seems sad, ~I will aNswer tHis last questioN for you because you were giveN tHe calliNg to guide tHe dead. SoMe Had tHeir NaMes writteN iN stoNe aNd tHe eartH took tHeM. OtHers Have surely goNe oN to tHeir HoMelaNds or beeN reborN as is tHeir way. SoMe before tHe storM. SoMe after.~

xxxxxHrafn falls quiet to this. He is not surprised that the Earth spirit would not know of the fates of the humans. They might record the names of those of Gaia whom sing their Renown for the Spirits to hear. But the humans, they come and they go in such masses. So the bird lets out a loud kraaa sound, spreading his wings (and being careful to not FLOMP Aaryn in the face with his one wing) to then bow his head, "I thank you, mighty Spirit. I have no more questions for you." Which might be a lie, but .. even spirits have patience limits.

Almost as an afterthought, the spirit adds, ~WHat reMaiNs of tHose wHo lived iN RaveN's Rock lies east of wHere it oNce stood. To face tHe risiNg face of Helios, Not the settiNg oNe.~ And then, with no preamble, and no goodbye, the spirit settles back into the earth and sleeps.

xxxxxAfter Ryn has translated this last piece, she looks over to Hrafn. Her expression is almost sad. A forefinger reaches up to press, reassuringly, against his chest feathers as she says, "That is all we can find out for now. I am sorry, Hrafn."

xxxxx*SMACK* Once again, the raven rams the side of his beak into Aaryns forehead. This time, though it is by accident as he excitedly turns his head, "Sorry? You apologise, after you summon a Spirit of the Land that gives me far more answers then I had before!" Hrafn is really excited! Claws dig into her shoulder, feathers almost ruffling up and wings tensing as if he wanted to take flight! "We have days! We have names! We have .. even more names!" *fomp* goes the wings as the one nearest her smacks into her face.

xxxxxMicah stands and stretches and begins to gather up his things. He chuckles. "It would take some time to do a thorough survey, but we might be able to find where they buried their dead."

xxxxxAaryn blinks as she is accosted by beak, and by wing. You'd think she was used to it, by now, but these things always seemed to come at the most unexpected and rather inconvenient times. She tucks her head to the side and squints, waiting for the storm of excitement to end before opening one eye... The the other and peering? At Hrafn? As Micah speaks, she nods. "Might be able to. It might be grown up, but it's worth a chance. I wonder if it'd be better to go umbral, or in the physical realm?"

xxxxxMicah considers, rubbing his jawline as he packs up arrows. "Unless the spirits are still about, I don't know umbral would help us. They're dead, so... only thing like ghosts I've ever come across in the Umbra are ancestor spirits. The land might be grown up, but there may be markers, or an area where it isn't grown up. Doesn't hurt to look. Tank and I could scout it out, stretch our legs when we aren't busy with other things."

xxxxxThe raven takes off from Aaryns shoulder to this, flying up to perch in a higher position. He lets out another excited Kraaa before he speaks once more, "If the graves are found, perhaps they will hold names of the family that lived here. But I now have the name of the child of Raven that lived here. The one that held the Tree of Congress! The one that fought the Storm! Feather Picks the Lock! I will ask the sky for his stories! And if we find his stories, we can go into the Umbral Realms and look deeper. If we find the history, we can honor the memory."

xxxxxMicah looks over at Aaryn with less excitement, "We might find the graves, but I wouldn't count on the names, Hrafn. Even in stone, etchings wear down. If they even had the tools to do that. I mean, we aren't exactly close to the city. They might have just had markers. Just don't be disappointed if we can't identify them."

xxxxxRyn pauses in picking up the mortar and pestle and looks from Micah to Hrafn. She frowns. "Don't worry, Hraf. I'm sure there's a way. Somehow. We'll figure it out." She looks back to Micah and suggests, "maybe we can ask Iris, too?"

xxxxxMicah considers. "Yeah, we'd want to clear it with the boss before we had another pack wandering around the territory, but I'm sure he'd say yes, I mean, they took us to Mars."

xxxxx"If a battle took place here, there is always the Realm of Battle!" Hrafn calls out, followed by an excited Kraa, perhaps not realising himself quite how dangerous the Battle Realm really is, "But, first. Information. Graves to find and honour." he decides, "And I shall call upon the Raven folk and ask them of Feather Picks the Lock. His story will be told once more."

xxxxxTank's ears perk up and now HE seems excited too. ~Battle Realm?! There is a whole realm of battle that isn't Mars?~ He looks accusingly at Micah, ~Why have you not told me about this place?~

xxxxxMicah sighs, "Gee, I wonder why."