2023.05.23:LessonTime
| Lesson Time | |
|---|---|
| Learning a minor rite at the caern | |
| IC Date | 05/23/23 |
| IC Time | Evening |
| Players | Iris, Irsa, Evan |
| Location | the gathering space at the caern |
| Prp/Tp | None |
| Spheres | Gaian Garou |
| Theme Song | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vHDnFU2Yko |
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>> That, I still have not learned, << Hammer-Tooth admits. >> Others have been busy, or there has been no time, but I cannot howl that howl any longer. Can you teach that one to me, so I can pass it on to others in turn? << She's speaking to Mercy, and she has a very odd rat perched on her head.
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"Oh yes, absolutely." Mercy agrees, doing some dual critter scritching with one hand, since both have ears within reach of her fingers. Her own Familiar has caught wind of another, a kindred spirit in some respects, as rat spirits certainly understand chaos. Sliding out from behind her head and walking bow legged along her arm towards wolf and rat is a tiny 2D cowboy made up of a single long strand of yarn. Just coming out to inspect the rat, of course, the Wyld energy it puts out is of course way less violent than that of its brethren. "It's not *too* dissimilar from Prayer for the Prey, just a little more mechine centric, really. Making good with the can dispenser and all that. You'll master it super quick, it's just a minor rite."
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Evan is coming in from patrol, and looks a bit wrung out but not upset about it, he just walks on over to Irsa and Iris and plops himself on the ground nearby "And how are you four doing tonight?"
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>> We are doing well. There is teaching about to happen,<< the Bone Gnawer replies. >> Also, I have a new spirit friend. See? << The rat spirit scuttles up to perch on the top of her head. It looks like Irsa's wearing a rat helmet now, but such ribald scenes aren't meant to last. String swaggers up to the other spirit as it forms a lasso of spinning colorful yarn. It's time to rope that rat-doggie, yaaaah mule! The rat lets out a piercing squeak as its lassoed, and takes off like a shot, bounding over logs, bushes and seated Garou and Kinfolk alike as she shouts, "I'm being shanghaied, avast me buckos!" in a thick Southside Chicago accent.
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Evan blinks a couple times when the rat speaks and then just rolls with it and goes back to Irsa "Very impressive. I don't think I've ever seen the like of it. What learning is in the offing?"
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Enormous Wolf stares at the pair, blinking right along with Evan. She has a pretty good imagination, but this takes the cake. Shaking her head, she takes the opportunity to shift back to her birth-form. "Spirits," she grumbles as she sits down on the grass. "That rat's attached itself t' me, and.. well. It's powerful enough t' talk when it's materialized, so yeah." The rat puts on a burst of speed, leaping over a campfire and sending up a shower of sparks. String's little cowboy mouth forms into an 'ooooo' shape as it clings on for dear life. String leaps for the rat's back, going for the wildest ride yet as the other spirit skitters back and forth and bucks like a wild bronco. "I'm uh. Learnin' Appease th' Prey Spirit. For city huntin'."
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Evan nods at Irsa and grins "I've been trying to learn more rites because...well the opportunity was there and it seemed a shame not to take advantage. And I'm learning a fair bit about rites in general even if I can't get the hang of either of the last two I tried to get instruction in. Its been pretty great though, in general I mean. Coming up with interesting uses for that Faerie Light gift. I don't think its originally intended to paint targets but it worked right?"
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"Weeeeell... I mean so far so good." Mercy says after a second, watching the Familiars 'become friends'. I mean it works for horses, right? This is not String's first rodeo, pun totally intended, it does this to Bob all the time. That's Royan the Raven's big weird spider familiar, for those that need a refresher. "HI!" she then blurts at Evan. "Appease the Prey Spirit, it's a city version of Prayer for the Prey, more or less. The trick isn't the how, really, it's mostly the order of operations. Hang on, I need props." she says, and gets up so she can go rummage through the firewood real quick. "I think you've done great with it!" Mercy tells Evan, though she's literally never seen him do it before, the one time she might have she was under a huge pile of snow.
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"First time I've seen that Gift used," Irsa admits to Evan. "Shame too, it seems real useful." The rat stops in its tracks and rolls around and around on the ground, kicking up dirt and grass everywhere. Take that, String! Irsa snorts in amusement as she watches the pair.
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Evan will just assume that Iris was told about it after the fact and he nods to the elder in thanks "If I concentrate I think I can get it to show up different colors. It doesn't move fast so it won't work on a real zippy enemy or anything. But a little bobble of light that lasts for maybe twenty or thirty seconds even without pushing power into it. It last a lot longer if I'm willing to bear the cost."
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During the dust up tussle, String manages to shape some #!@*&$! symbols, just to make the whole thing a little bit more cartoon-y, but it is *determined* to do the dew and ride this rat. "If you can make it a gross green color, you could probably use it to ambush idiot Dancers. Like a faux Furmling baby." Mercy suggests while returning with a couple thick pieces of wood and a rock. "Okay, super quick minor rite lesson, you guys ready?"
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"Get him, Beanie!" Irsa shouts, drawing snickers from onlookers nearby. The rat makes a loud growl and tries to snatch up String, running around like a mad thing while its watermelon hat slides to and fro on its ratty noggin. "Leeeeerooooooy Jeeeeeenkiiiiins!" Beanie pipes, as she swan dives into a bush. "Yeah, I'm totally ready, " Irsa says, trying to ignore the utter chaos.
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Evan blinks at Iris and then thinks about it for a second but its lesson time and he sits up and nods enthusiastically trying super hard to focus, he'll get this one for sure "Ready".
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The wrasslin would be louder, but strings in general cant really make sound, so all the volume is left to Beanie to handle. Instead, String just alters his cowboy drawing where need be, clinging onto a hat, trying to ride Beanie one handed like a proper rodeo star, chaps and legs flying as he 'spurs' the rat with little fluff points.
"Okay, so you're in the city, you've only got two-fifty and you're gettin hangry. Your choices are suffer through it and get out to the woods to hunt, or just use that nice looking vending machine over at the bus depot. You pick option B," she gestures at a bit of wood standing up on end, "find your selection, insert money and beep boop it in. Bzzzzzt, the thingie turns and drops you down a delicious ham sandwich and you choose not to think about how long it's been in there. Congradulations, you have just successfully taken city prey, yaaaaaay!" The demonstration for the sammich dropping from the vending machine is done with the rock. "Now you have to thank it. But the sandwich doesn't have a spirit! Instead, you're thanking the vending machine itself, and the little spiders that live inside it. WHILE you're eating your sandwich, you must vibe your gratitude for being fed. It's a vending machine, saying 'thank you' does nothing, but the spirits inside, while they cant see you, can sense you. They'll sense your gratitude. After your sammich is done, you need to scoot around back of the bus depot, get into the umbra just like for the Prayer for the Prey, and come back in so you can thank the vending machine and its spirits in person. Genuinely. It's like when you go get a coffee or something from a person. The barista remembers the people that don't even bother to look at them, versus the ones that look them in the eye and say thank you with actual kindness and gratitude for their service."
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"Holy shit, seriously? Daaaamn, everyone in th' Tribe should know this one." Irsa rummages around in her pack and sorts through her various ritual items. "Yeah, that makes a lotta sense. It's easier t' give of yourself if someone's grateful for th' sacrifice." Beanie bursts out of the bushes and scampers across the glade, kicking up her heels as she runs. "Keep rollin', rollin', rollin' --Though the streams are swollen--Keep them dogies rollin'--Rawhiiiiide!" She's having the time of her life trying to throw this lil' wrangler off her spine.
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Evan listens to Iris's lesson and considers "So, a bit of mindfulness and a bit of not being a rancid asshair? I can dig it. Makes perfect sense."
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"Right," Mercy says to the pair, "And when you don't say thank you in a nice, meaningful way, you get shitty service, whether it's from the barista or the vending machine. If they don't have motivation to give a shit about you, then when you beep boop your selection in, Bzzzzzt-" she uses the prop rock to show it being spun out of the coil but stops short, the rock not dropping down for collection, "Oh no, guess you lost your two-fifty, and also you don't get the sandwich. Too bad, so sad, call customer service and wait for a snail mail refund. Hopefully you have an account at a bank to cash that two dollar and fifty cent check. Now, because it's the city, this can get a little spread out and awkward. If you get a burrito from 7-11, it's the cooler that housed the food, and the microwave that heats the food, both are equally involved in your 'hunt' and 'kill', so you need to vibe your thanks to both, and then get in the umbra and say your thanks to both. Maybe it's a freezer and a hotdog rolly heaty thingie at the 7-11, both things are involved, so you say thanks to both. Mc Donalds, once again you have more things. Fryer for the fries, grill for the burger, dispenser for your soda, you gotta get in there and make sure they know YOU know they all had a hand in your meal." She says, using her different wood props to show how many things are involved in getting that tasty rock. "But this works to the city wolf's advantage. You're being a good neighbor, avoiding getting burritos with molten outsides and frozen centers, yes, but you're also basically patroling at the same time. You get inside that Mc Donalds or 7-11 to say your thanks, and you will notice if there's some bane in those burgers, or if it's a clean place, you know? If there's a werewolf popping in once a week to thank the fryer, that Mickey D's is going to stay cleaner as well, which pleases the spirits. Your burger will always taste good, your fries will rarely be floppy."
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"Ain't no one likes floppy fries," Irsa mutters, as she jots down some notes. Damn, that pack holds everything, where does she even find the room for that stuff? "Yeah, makes sense that you'd know. 'Cause your good will's built up some respect, goin' both ways."
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Evan grins and nods at Iris as she explains "So less a thing for me in general because I'm not likely to be patrolling the city much. Though there is at least one restaurant in my tribe's holdings. Might be useful there?"
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"Right. And you guys have probably never had day jobs in the service industry," Mercy says, "But you've seen people at it. If you're having a bad day, frankly the customer can just go fuck themselves, you're tired of keeping that stupid smile on today and pretending you're happy to see them, blah blah blah, what are they gonna do about your attitude, talk to your shitty manager that cant even be bothered to remember your damned name? Fuck 'em. But that employee does NOT do that to the good customers, the regulars that have learned that worker's name, asks how they are, says thanks, whatever. THAT customer gets genuine good treatment from the worker because they *like* that customer. Bad day or not, your order's going through proper and good if you're that good customer that gives that poor worker a little thanks and respect. Same thing with spirits. Yes, a little weaver spirit's job is to just make the Sprite go in the cup when the lever's pushed, but even a little spider can have a bad day and says mmmmmmmmmnah, fuck your soda needs, I don't wanna. But not for the person that thanks it." She nods to Evan and says, "Sure, yeah. But hey, you never know. You might end up in a Starbucks or just need a snickers and the vending machine or the espresso machine could use some good will. All of us end up hunting in the city at least a *little* bit, every now and then, most of us just never think of it *as* hunting, especially us homids."
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"You ain't wrong there. Lot of my Kin have worked those kinda jobs, heard all kinds of horror stories from 'em. Only reason a lotta humans even work there is 'cause they'll starve otherwise." Irsa eyes Evan and shrugs. "Wouldn't hurt none. If ya wind up runnin' with a city pack, you're golden. And if you don't, well, I know you like to travel. It'll be useful on th' road."
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Evan nods at Irsa and grins "That's a good point. I know I wouldn't mind. The Sept of White Water wasn't exactly a city pack but Goat Island was so close to the city that it almost might as well have been? It was kind of unique. So I already know a bit of how to get by in the city but I haven't really been back in one much since my first change. Once I even got close to it I started being more restricted and once I was a cub properly it was basically not at all without a fully trained garou and even that only with a good reason."
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Mercy nods her agreement to what Irsa says to Evan. "That's where the greater benefit of the rite comes in, cause as great as having vending machines that don't get stuck or nice crispy fries is, it's the interaction with the spirits themselves that's your main boon here. You go into the umbra to give that final thanks directly to the spirits that made your meal possible, right, but they're not the only ones in the umbra with you, and spirits are gossipy as fuuuuuuuck. You do nice things for spirits, show respect and all, and word gets around. 'Hey, that's that Fianna singer that actually thanks the thumb tack sized spider that works the buttons and spin mechanism in the vending machine!' When you do this EVERY time you 'hunt' in the city, you gain a reputation. Now say you need to go on an actual raid on a Pentex place. You and your team stealth their way to the door, but someone's attempt at Open Seal fails them. Well, what if you just *really* nicely asked the tiny spider that works the buttons and locking mechanism to open for a little gnosis bribe? I mean you could try that even if you *didn't* thank button spiders all the time, but because you *do*, that little guy in there is aware that you're cool, kind, respectful of it even despite its tiny size, pea brain and boring job, and it's going to be easier to convince because it knows you're good for it and aren't the type to get it squished. Your rep will help you as you learn more about the city and get reaquainted with it."
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Irsa grins back at Evan. "Well, there's an easy fix. Come by th' Tenement, spend some time over in my neck of th' woods. I can start exposin' ya to things, get your feet wet as they say. If you can cut it in th' worst part of town, you can cut it anywhere. Jackie can give ya a ride, 'til you learn the ins and outs of gettin' around." She nods as she listens to Mercy, and looks intrigued as Pentex is mentioned. "Now that's a real clever thing t' do," she remarks. "We usually think of City spirits that serve Gaia, or ones that're kinda benign on th' Weaver side of things. Not many would think of building up a rep like that for somethin' well down th' road."
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Evan nods at Iris and Irsa "I'll do that. When I was getting checked in with folks I got suggested that I avoid the city without a guide until I got used to it. So that sounds pretty much perfect. And as for the rite? I much prefer if I'm gonna be rude to someone that its on purpose and this is like a way to not."
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Evan adds "Which makes me happy for its own sake."
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"Button pushers and switch flippers can be surprisingly good allies when you're having a moment." Mercy says, and stands up to put the fire wood back where it belongs, and the rock back where she got it, deftly stepping over a rat who's got an entire yarn saddle knitted onto her by a flailing String cowboy that has kindly shaped itself to be more punch drunk as a stick figure, has some dents and such. "And that's basically it. Enjoy your meal and vibe your gratitude while you eat it, then get into the umbra and thank those machines and tiny weaver spirits that had a hand in getting that meal to you. Bing bang boom, a better relationship with buttons, switches and heating coils you will have. You two seem like you totally get it and I probably don't have to ask, but to be thorough, any questions?"
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"Naw, I think I got it," Irsa replies to her mentor, snickering a bit as she spots the spirit familiars. Beanie sits up to groom her tail, then turns to groom String while she's at it. "There there, old chap, buck up," the rat says, but in that thick Southie accent. Now that's wild. She drags both of them over to Mercy and collapses at her feet, letting out an exaggerated wheeze. Irsa snickers again and tucks her notes away. "Thanks for th' teaching, I needed it in th' worst way."
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Evan shakes his head "About the Rite? I think I got it, though after I've tried it I may come back with other questions? I do have a different question though, but it can wait for another time if its too weird for right now. Its about that thing you said I could impersonate with my Gift."
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String grooms Beanie right back, smoothing out some ruffled fur and making sure there's no uncomfortable cow licks happening within its line of sight. While Beanie plods back, String creates a tiny harmonica and blows a soundless song while riding the other Familiar across the rustic plains. "Nah you can ask now!" Mercy says, encouraging inquiring minds. "Oh I say a lot of weird shit, you'll have to be more specific." she tells Evan while spreading her hands helplessly. She then offers Irsa a high five for her thanks and says, "I know a few Weaver and City rites. They're weird, but I'll teach you whatever you wanna know, or go learn something if you think it'll be helpful."
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"I wouldn't worry none 'bout being weird. I mean..." Irsa gestures at the spirits playing cowboys and rodeo rats. "Fire away."
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Irsa doesn't leave her mentor hanging, no matter what her RL cat does to keyboards! High fives abound.
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Evan nods at Iris "What's a Furmling baby? And other than the color is there anything I should know to counterfiet one more accurately?"
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"Ah! Right." Mercy says, having dialed in on the right weird thing she said. "A Furmling is a corrupted Fire spirit, they're... balefire, basically. Toxic, *angry* fuckers that can do some really stellar damage. They look just like fire, but they're a poisonous green color, they're sinister and savage. But they come in all shapes and sizes, including little baby sized. Like a little evil baby candle flame. We learn some gifts from Fire elementals, and Black Spiral Dancers can learn them from these balefire spirits, or hunt them for sport or for allies or to convince one to do some damage, whatever. Find one flitting around in the wild and if you're a Dancer you might get some ideas. What's the Wyrm pull around here, what's it doing, can I use it to my advantage. Bad guy stuff, and greed makes people stupid, you know? If they don't have a Theurge that thinks to check it out properly, well, you might could trick some with it.
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"They can be pretty nasty," Irsa remarks. "Remember th' recycling center that caught on fire last year, Pancake? That furmling got real unlucky tryin' ta hit us. Coulda been real bad if those water elementals I talked to in th' fire engine tanks hadn't come t' help us." She adds for Evan, "It's why I learned Master of Fire as quick as I could after. That's more common for us to run into than silver, any day of th' week. A lotta things like to burn."
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Evan ohhhhs and nods at Mercy "Thank you for explaining, that makes sense. And heck, even if they do check it out then they might want to chase it down to find who conjured it near by or something so it might be salvageable Maybe. I might wait to try faking one till after I've seen a real one, probably better that way." Then to Irsa he also nods "Oh fair point. After the toxic beetles I ran into with the Frog Brothers I was thinking about reaching out to a Trash spirit for Resist Toxin, Master of Fire is now totally on the list too."
