2019.07.31 Rockman

2019.07.31
Aaryn convinces Zyler to check out a spirit near her pack's territory
IC Date	31 July 2019
IC Time	Afternoon
Players	Zyler, Aaryn, Aldric
Location	Ravenscar
Prp/Tp	Punisher
Spheres	Garou
Theme Song	'Monsters', by Shinedown [1]

Ordinarily, Aaryn has no reason to venture into the living area of the deep forest. But today is different. Today, as she picks her way through the cabins and quarters set up in this vast open space, she appears to be on a mission. Every once in a while, she stops to speak to a random kinfolk, asking him or her if they have seen the man in black around lately. Asking where he might be. She's confident he's well-known in these parts, by a reputation of sorts.

Oh, the man in black is indeed known. A tent off to the side, as far as could be gotten while still being 'in the living area'. It's a simple pop up tent and the man in black sits in front of it, legs crossed and a small fire burning before him. He's quietly contemplating something within the dancing flame and no one really tends to get close to him.

But Aaryn isn't just anyone. She's definitely more... We'll call it 'determined'. After an older woman points out the pop-up tent, Aaryn heads over in that direction. Her footfalls soften considerably as she grows near and, once in front of Zyler, she drops to a crouching position in front of him. She's dressed in running gear and carrying a glass water bottle. She drinks from the glass and, as she caps the bottle, continues to quietly watch the man in black for a while longer.

Her walking past that respected but unseen barrier has a slight tension come over him. He, of course, doesn't acknowledge her presence with a look. Just continuing to stare into the fire. After a few moments of her sitting across from him, his attention slowly leaves the flame, to look at her over it's merry dance. "Yes?"

Aaryn bounces a bit on the balls of her feet as she crouches. She cants her head to the side, "Something I'd like your thoughts about," she says. "Could use another Theurge's input," she adds as she watches him closely.

Zyler frowns thoughtfully at Aaryn. It's not a mean frown though. It seems genuinely thoughtful. He straightens up slightly, almost imperceptible from his normal posture as he studies her. "Mouth not working? Yes? Not surprised. What is it? Why need theurge?"

Gently, one of Aaryn's brows loft at Zyler's pet name for her brother. She doesn't comment on it, however, just deciding to focus more on the task at hand. "Micah has other duties," she says, "and his gifts aren't as attuned to what I think is needed for this." She rests her forearms on her knees, "I also need someone who can be objective. See things without presumption. We're planning to celebrate the first Feast of the Season with another pack tomorrow evening and, when I was doing the Cleansing Rite, something happened. I'm going back in to sniff it out."

Zyler raises a brow, then frowns thoughtfully at her follow up. He stares at the fire a moment, whispers something in a hissing, crackling tone. Spirit speech it seems. Once done, he stands smoothly. "Fine. We go. I'll look. Yes? Yes. Will see what happen. Will see if there is wrong. What can fix."

As she stands, Aaryn dusts condensation off her palms, gripping the lid of her water bottle and giving it a twist as she does so. "So, we've just begun to build in that area," she says, pausing for a drink, "and already there have been some curious findings we've made." She offers the bottle to Zyler as she continues to speak, "what do you make of the Corax?"

Zyler doesn't take the offered bottle, just listening to her as she stands, speaks and takes that drink. He shakes his head and motions for her to lead on. "Talkative. Cunning. They track spirits too. Always careful. Careful. Individual like Gaoru. some useful. Some not."

The marshy areas from the deep forest linger at the foot of the path, providing for an almost continuous song of frogs. As the dirt path winds upward, a thick canopy of trees hang overhead, echoing the calls of ravens. Up ahead, there appears to be a pair of crumbling stone pillars to either side of the path, leftovers from what might have once been a gateway. Now, it guards a clearing that appears to be a yard for a large home. A bronze sign nestled upon one stone pillar and among a jungle of ivy and moss reads,"Ravenscar". A couple of ravens take flight from the pillars as you approach.

Aaryn and Zyler walk along to the north, away from the living area, and past the kinfolk area. They reach a spot where the forest is marshy and dense. Where the bugs like to taste and nibble and the woodsy noises are heavy. Finally, she picks her way through what might have once been a more prepared walkway. A raven lets out a kra-kra sound and takes flight, another one immediately after. Aaryn slowly picks her way over rich, dark earth and comes to stand next to the pillar with the placard on it. She dusts back some vines and looks back over her shoulder at Zyler. "Belonged to whomever lived here before us..."

Zyler walks. Unless he has to shift forms? He doesn't even try to. On the other hand, the bugs just tend to.. avoid him. Something about him makes him less of a juicy target than others are. Zyler eyes the ravens that fly off, looks to the placard, then to Aaryn with a small nod. "Right. Something happen. Yes? What is odd part? Where?"

Aaryn nods to Zyler and then looks out towards the yard, where it appears some amount of construction is going on. there are piles of 2x4s and some temporary scaffolding erected in the center of a clearing. Stones piled up waiting to be assigned to a structure. "It started in the yard," she says as she reaches along her neckline and retrieves the shiny, moon-shaped necklace around her neck. "Let's step, shall we?"

Just at the head of the path to the yard, right where the Raven's Rocks stand, Aldric comes up on one of his two Godi and another man, dressed all in black. Aaryn's voice carries lightly past the stones as she speaks to the man, but it's not easy to discern what's being said. As she does into full view, she's tugging out her shiny necklace, as she is want to do just before sidestepping.

Aldric comes walking down the path from further up on the property. He ears the voices before he sees the people, but once he's around the bend his eyes go to Aaryn first, then the stranger with her. His eyebrow raises slightly as he sees what she's doing and asks. "Is everything okay?"

Upon hearing Aldric's voice, Aaryn's face brightens immediately. It's the sort of sudden action that doesn't leave time for pretense, or falsehoods. Her smile widens, exposing both dimples, and a warmth comes over her features. "Alpha," she says, "I think things are fine. I've just asked a friend help me to make sure." With that, she gestures toward Zyler.

Zyler eyes Aaryn for a moment at her ask, then finally nods slightly. When the other talks, the man in black raises a brow at Aaryn's reaction, then looks over at Aldric. The look is flat, noncommital. He shifts on his feet a little as the two talk, arms folding across his chest, but he doesn't actually comment at the moment, simply waiting until she was ready it seems.

Aldric nods slowly, "Something amiss on the pack's lands?" watching his Godi for a moment before looking to Zyler and his folded arms. "I am Ironsides, known amongst humans at Aldric Hegdahl. Modi Cliath to the Get of Fenris, born on four legs. Descendant of Tarjei Hardrule, Great grandson of Ragnar "Spirit's Way", Grandson of Hilde "Battlemaiden" and child of Thurston "War Hammer" Ahroun leader of the Sept of the Endless Moon. And who might you be?"

Aaryn pauses, respectfully, as the introductions are made. Details of the task can wait, it seems.

Zyler pauses. As if expecting to have Aaryn give the information anyways. He eyes her a moment, frowns, then finally turns his attention to Aldric. Looking the other man over slowly a moment before he finally speaks. "Zyler. Alphanumeric. Theurge. Cliath." And.. that's it. Seems about the total sum of what he's going to give away as an introduction.

Aldric lifts an eyebrow, "Tribe?" it's his turn to fold his arms, expression taking on a slight frown.

Aaryn opens her mouth to continue the tale of why the Godi was about to go Umbral, but pauses. She looks over at Aldric and then back at Zyler. She knows Aldric's stance well enough to discern intent, and her jaws work. She looks at Zyler as she tries to discern how to navigate this. It's his tale, and she doesn't want to steal words from him, but the blade falls on a decision and she speaks, "Zyler is a Shadow Lord, Alpha," she says, "we've broken bread together, and I consider him a friend."

Zyler frowns at the request, studying Aldric for a moment. Although when Aaryn speaks first, his attention snaps to her, studying her carefully. He raises a brow in contemplation, before finally looking back to Aldric. He doesn't correct or admonish her it seems, simply waits to see what the reaction from 'alpha' is.

Aldric hmms, looking from Aaryn to Zyler, "Interesting that he couldn't say that himself." He gives the other man a once over again before looking back to the Godi. "So what seems to be the issue? Anything you need assistance with or do the two of you have it in hand?"

Aaryn wets her lips, and nods to herself as she rights the boat and continues the explanation. "Yesterday, Sten, Micah, Theron and I were completing the Rite of Cleansing in preparation for having The Devil's Own for Freya's Blot tomorrow evening." She pauses and with a wave of her hand, indicates the rite itself, "as is common in the rite, spirits of ill intent may often cause mischief. But yesterday, the spirit that arose during the right felt... Different somehow. It materialized and, though it was defeated, I wanted to make sure it didn't simply dissolve back into the umbra for slumber."

Zyler tilts his head up a little, eyeing Aldric down his nose a moment. He finally just gives a sniff, then glances to Aaryn. Thoughtfully, he sweeps the area with a look, trying now, finally, to gather some information on what's going on. "I see cleansing. I see faint scuffle. Let me look. Search. Find. If there. Yes? Yes." With that said, Zyler would walk away from the other two, looking for where the fight broke out to try to start gathering clues.

Aldric nods at Aaryn's explanation, looking the area over with interest. "Can't let a squatter take up residence." he agrees, then steps back out of the Godi's way so she can continue her work. "I'll linger in case you need me, otherwise I know your skills far exceed the task." A bit of pride as he watches her.

Zyler snorts, glancing away from his tracking a moment to eye Aldric. "She asked for my help." He'll just let it stay at that to mull over as he tracks over to what seems to be a starting point. Kneeling, he touches the ground, then looks around. Of course, the spirits will notice when he closes to that spot and the man in black quietly stands as he waits. That spirit speech is clearer this time, for those who can understand it. ~This spot looks different. One was here? Is not? Still is? Who saw. Who can tell?~

Aldric arches an eyebrow at Zyler, his head tilting to the side slightly. "Do you need a compliment too? The chip on your shoulder must cause you many sore backs." He steps to the side, finding a tree to lean against, keeping himself out of the way as he watches the two work. Looking to Aaryn his head slowly shakes, features setting into his usual, somber expression.

Aaryn watches Zyler, too. Her brows are deeply furrowed as she follows his movements, waiting. Weighing. She looks over to Aldric a moment, he expression now solemn, and crouches low nest to him.

Zyler ignores Aldric. Or. At the least, that would be how it looks for anyone who isn't seeing the umbral. The real truth is that with the spirits about him and chattering? It's one more voice lost in the crowd. He looks a little to the left and the right, listening as they all chat. Finally, he nods a little. ~Ice? Snow? Carried here? Yes? Is still here? Is gone? You all are safe? Yes?~ After asking the spirits his questions, he switches to that regular speech. "Spirit of rock man. Bad man. Stone first. Fight. Hurt. Punish. Snow. Ice. Not from here. Yes? Something carried here? Still around? Gone now? Is not spirit of area."

Aaryn runs her fingers in the dirt and listens to Zyler speak. She nods, slowly. Her eyes scan back behind him. She keeps her expression guarded, but chews on her lip in thought.

Zyler tilts his head to the side in thought. "Not tied here. Here safe. Yes? Yes. Spirits safe. Weaver in logs. Minor. Is safe. Is good. Spirits happy. Something carried. One time. Spirit. Bad spirit. Bad man. Gone. Away. Not here. Not sleep. Gone. Vanish. Yes?" Zyler glances through an earth spirit to look over at Aldric, then over to Aaryn. Finally, his attention returns to those spirits. ~Name? Do any have bad man name? Maybe need help? Yes? Punish says misunderstand. I find. I help. yes? Need name to summon. To seek.~

Aldric listens as Zyler speaks, his head tilting and his expression curious. He looks to Aaryn, "Not here then, but if it intends to cause ills elsewhere we may need to go on the hunt." He pushes up from his lean, his hand dropping to rest on Aaryn's shoulder lightly before he turns with a nod to Zyler and walks back up the path.

After Aldric has gone, Aaryn stands and nods too Zyler. Her expression remains solemn, thoughtful. "Thank you," she says, seeming momentarily distracted. "We'll talk again soon?"